-
Poisonous Foods To Avoid With Parrots
Avocado – can cause heart failure Alcohol – is fatal for your bird if consumed Fruit seeds – contain cyanide which is very toxic to birds Caffeine – can cause cardiac abnormalities for your bird which can lead to cardiac arrest Chocolate – can cause diarrhea and vomiting but the poisoning eventually leads to seizures. Dried beans – ensure you are cooking all beans before serving them to your parrot as they are highly toxic to your bird. Mushrooms – parrots cannot digest mushrooms and can cause major upset stomachs Fatty foods – can build up in their arteries and lead to stroke, heart disease, obesity and fatty liver disease…
-
Are Mirror Bad For Parrots?
We have all heard at one point or another that mirrors are good for smaller birds like budgies, and parakeets but in the last couple years we have heard and different story surrounding mirrors and parrots. Are mirrors bad for budgies? Why mirrors are good! When I had my first budgie I remember reading from multiple sources that mirrors were really good for budgies since they are super animated animals. They also encouraged that you have a mirror for your budgie to prevent boredom since they are such social creatures and enjoy the company of other budgies. Is this still true? Are mirrors a substitution for the companionship of a…
-
Can you have a budgie/parakeet alone?
It is super common to see someone with more than one budgie/parakeet. Is keeping a budgie/parakeet alone a good idea? Can a budgie thrive being alone, as in will they be the optimal avian alone? We only want the best for our birds so lets dive in! I have kept budgies alone and in pairs now and this is entirely from my knowledge and observation having kept both. Can Budgies be happy alone? They can be happy alone. They tend to have times when they are happiest though. for example my budgie (Pete) who was kept alone was very happy when myself or my family where around and when she…
-
What They Don’t Tell You About Budgies!
When considering budgies and you read a book or look at the pamplets at the pet store or even talk to the employee you can often be misinformed about what it is really like living with and caring for a budgie. I am going to deep dive into things I think you will want to know that you might not already know as a someone who has owned 5 of these amazing feathered creatures. They can get REALLY excited! These birds can become very excited and very heightened very quickly and have a really good talent of finding the worst times to do so at. They can decide to get…
-
How long do parrots live?
I am sure with all the research you have been doing on optimal avian.com that you have learnt that parrots are a big commitment and require special care. How long you will need to provide that can totally depends on the species of parrot you have. some will like 20 -30 years and others can live well over 100 years. it is also important to remember there are always cases of parrots living longer than expected when they receive proper care (learn how to give that to you bird by reading more on optimalavian.com) Generally smaller birds are 20-30 years and larger birds are 50 – 140 years Common parrot…
-
How To Remove Dust From Parrots
If you have spent any time around parrots you will know they are dusty. While some parrots produce more dust than others (cockatiels, african greys, and cockatoos being some of the worst) it is a pain for you to clean up as well as not being good for you or your birds health. A dusty living environment can lead to health problems not only for your bird but also for you. Lucky for you, I have some ways you can reduce the amount of bird dander in your home! Health Problems Dust Can Cause – Parrot A parrot who constantly breathes in dusty air can be exposed to health complications…
-
Why Parrots SUCK!
Mixed signals Birds have different ways of communicating with us humans. One bird may put their head by their feet to ask for head scratches while another bird puts their head to their feet to lure you in to bite you. One bird may talk as a sign of happiness and being content while another one is a sign that they are in an aggressive mood. You can read all the bird behaviour books you want but at the end of the day you just need to pay attention to your bird and see what all their little quirks mean Messy Birds rip and tear and chew toys into nothing,…
-
Blood Feathers – What to do!!!
This is something every bird owner deals with at least once in their time owning birds, which is why it is so important to know what a blood feather is and what your course of action should be to keep your feathered friend as safe as possible. Blood feathers can absolutely be Life threatening and should be dealt with as urgently as possible! What is a blood feather? A blood feather is a feather currently growing from the follicle, meaning the feather still has the bird’s blood supply running into the feather. If a bird preens this feather in the wrong spot or they sustain an injury to a blood…
-
Household Items That KILL/HARM Parrots
If you’ve been reading some of our posts, you will know parrots are fragile animals, they are not like dogs and cats who have adapted to live in the human home. There are a variety of things in and around your home that could cause harm if not could result in death and we do not want that we want that we want to ensure your feathered friend can stay as happy and as healthy as they can for as long as possible. Common things you may have in your home will cause you rethinking if parrots are good in your home or if you are okay with not using…
-
How To Teach A Parrot To Bathe – Step by Step
Encouraging a bird to bathe seems to be a common struggle among parrot owners so do not feel bad! There are a variety of positive and negative ways you can encourage a bird to bathe, you want to avoid the negative ones because you want this to be a positive task, in the long term it will make it easier and a much more enjoyable experience if you take it slow. There are a variety of ways you can encourage your bird to bathe. Bathing is great for their feathers and skin and a fantastic way to cut down on the dander some birds produce. When wet birds cannot fly…