Pet bird tips

To get a bird to bathe, use a plastic paint tray. Such a tray is graduated and allows your bird to venture into the water at his own pace and to go to a desired depth. Also, there are little raised areas on the bottom of the tray which provide traction


HOMEMADE TOYS: Use dried bagels as toys either as a hand toy or a strung toy. Mini bagels dried would be good for smaller birds. Please remember never to string any toy with a double strand of chain, rope or string, as the bird might get entangled or strangle itself when it twists around.

Go to your local hardware store and ask for the key rejects. Sometimes, instead of getting credit for them, they will give them to you and they make sturdy playtoys.

Take a plastic soda bottle or juice bottle with the plastic (only) cap and put some special bird treats inside. Watch the bird play with it trying to get them out.



SCENTED CANDLES CAN SOMETIMES KILL BIRDS! - It has been reported that certain scented candles have caused the deaths of birds. Better to not use any and be safe rather than sorry. Many candles also contain lead wicks which emit poisonous fumes

Bird toy tips

1. Always inspect your bird's toys daily! Get in the habit of doing this when you change food and water dishes. . Birds can easily get tangled in loose pieces of any toy (hand crafted or manufactured).
2. Supervision is suggested when introducing a new toy, especially for highly destructive birds. If you find a toy is in need of repair daily, move the toy out of the cage and onto a playground where you can supervise your bird at play. Look for the following wear to ensure your bird does not get his head, beak or toes stuck in worn out parts.

LEATHER STRIPS, ROPE AND RAFFIA- items on these toys must be inspected daily! Retie and tighten all loose knots. Snip any loose or excessively frayed yarn and raffia with scissors!

QUICK LINKS- Be sure to tighten these with pliers! Some larger birds can easily unscrew links and injure themselves. Some metal links can be replaced with plastic shower curtain hooks for attaching toys.

EYE SCREWS - used to attach wood pieces- Do not leave toys in cages or on playgrounds with eye screws exposed! When a block of wood is chewed from the eye screw, remove the toy until you can attach another piece of wood or detach the eye screw from the "s" hook altogether.

COLORED WOOD-Dyed with food safe coloring. Do not soak toys! The color may bleed or fade. To clean, remove from playground or cage. Use a perch scraper to loosen droppings and gently clean with damp cloth moisten with warm water only. Completely air dry all wood toys and ladders before returning them to the cage or playground to avoid spread of bacteria.

BELLS- Birds LOVE em, but some have interest in removing the clapper and swallowing it! You can remove the clapper with a pair of pliers if your bird is intent on doing it himself.
 

Tips on buying a bird cage

• Remember, no cage is large enough!!
• Canaries & finches prefer vertical wires
• Budgies & other birds in the parrot family prefer horizontal wires for climbing
• A variety of perch diameters should be available for your bird.  This helps prevent arthritis.
• An extra set of perches should be kept on hand in case you wash the old ones.  Wet perches can lead to arthritis.
• Cage wires should be spaced further apart for larger birds.  This prevents feather damage and broken wings.
• Avoid cages with plastic roofs.  Birds are inhibited by these.
• Above all, purchase a cage that is LEAD FREE & ZINC FREE!!