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Table of Contents for Pages 1 and 2:
Converting "Seed Junkies"
A "seed junkie" is a caged bird that eats only seeds and nuts. This type of diet guarantees ill health and a greatly shortened life span for these pet birds. As a matter of fact, malnutrition in birds accounts for 90% of all health problems.
Seed and nut mixes are high in fat. Pet birds, given the opportunity, prefer these high fat foods and their addictive-like quality makes these birds hard to convert. So why even bother? Unfortunately, the high fat of these diets causes fatty liver problems and eventually this type of diet will kill your bird.
It is important to switch your bird to a healthier diet for a more active, playful, beautiful and healthy pet. Since seed diets lack at least 21 different essential nutrients, we recommend a complete pelleted diet. We feel that any pelleted diet is a huge improvement over seeds and nuts, but the best pelleted diet is Harrison's Bird Diets. HBD is made with organic, human-grade ingredients with added ingredients for better digestion and improved immune system.
Don't delay. Come in today to Harmony and we'll show you which diet we recommend for your bird.
Making the switch
Start with a bowl of the new food during the entire day and limit the normal seed diet to two 15-minute feedings (morning and evening) for the 1st 3 days.
Mix a small amount of Harrison's pelleted diet with a favorite food, gradually increasing the amount while reducing the other food to none.
Some birds benefit from having changes in the environment at the same time as a diet change so the food itself seems less frightening. For example, put the bird in unfamiliar surroundings, such as an empty aquarium or bathtub, and sprinkle the food on the bottom (near a small container of water). We're often very successful making the switch with birds that are boarding with us. You may want to consider this option.
Maintain close contact with one of our avian doctors. Watch for: unusual droppings other than a color change to pale brown; a fluffed up and sleepy bird; constantly searching for food.
Wellness Visits Vital to Your Bird's Health
Other procedures that can be done include determining the sex of your bird by blood test, and endoscopy for a clear magnified view of your bird's internal organs without a major surgical
procedure. A biopsy may be indicated in the case of illness.
Annual Rechecks continue the health care program and may help small problems from becoming big ones.
Polyomavirus: Prevent this deadly disease
Polyomavirus is an extremely serious and often life-threatening disease of all psittacines, or parrot-like birds, as well as finches. Often there are no other signs besides sudden death. Some species of birds may die after showing symptoms such as depression, decreased appetite, weight loss, regurgitation, diarrhea, dehydration, delayed crop emptying, and bleeding under the skin.
Now there is good news to help combat this terrible and once hopeless disease. A vaccine has recently been released.
The vaccine is safe too. Over 15,000 doses of the vaccine are in use and no serious adverse reactions have been reported. Some bird owners have questioned whether the vaccine itself given to one bird can infect other non-vaccinated birds. You can relax; this inactivated vaccine does not cause release of the virus, so it will not transmit the virus to unvaccinated birds.
We advise that all birds in a household or aviary be vaccinated, especially before shipping. Routinely, two initial doses are needed, then a yearly booster. A certificate of vaccination is given out too. Our avian veterinarian can recommend specific guidelines for you, but in general it is suggested:
Choose the Bird That's Right for You
African Grey Parrot
Advantages: Good talker and great mimic, but usually not noisy. Lives long. Intelligent. Normally good breeders.
Disadvantages: Unreliable temperament. Often notorious feather plucker when neglected. Often one person bird.
Amazon Parrot
Advantages: Excellent cage and aviary bird. Many species have great personalities and are good mimics and talkers. Long lived. Intelligent.
Disadvantages: Hard to acclimate. Sometimes one-person birds. May become neurotic screechers when confined to small cages. Can be difficult to breed.
Cockatoos
Advantages: Affectionate, especially when hand-reared. Longevity. Highly intelligent.
Disadvantages: Many species are very noisy and not suitable as house pets. Often notorious feather pickers when neglected. Often one-person birds. Very destructive. Many suffer from psittacine beak and feather disease.
Macaws
Advantages: Affectionate and playful. Long lived. Very intelligent.
Disadvantages: Noisy and very destructive. Often feather pluckers. Difficult to breed. Require large cages.
Lovebirds
Advantages: Hand reared birds affectionate. Many color mutations.
Disadvantages: Not good talkers. May become less friendly with maturity.
Australian Parakeets
Advantages: Adapt well to captivity. Long breeding life. Highly prolific.
Disadvantages: Many larger species are aggressive; not suitable as house pets, except hand-reared birds.
South American Parakeets
Advantages: Beautiful colors and nice character. Very intelligent and inquisitive. Many are prolific breeders. Hand-reared birds make delightful pets.
Disadvantages: Very noisy. Often destructive. Not suitable as cage birds.
Lories & Lorikeets
Advantages: Colorful, intelligent, affectionate.
Disadvantages: Loud, messy, and require a unique diet
Cockatiels
Advantages: Excellent cage and aviary birds, especially for beginners.
Prolific breeders with many color mutations. Easy to tame. Will learn to repeat a few words when obtained young. Intelligent and affectionate.
Disadvantages: Sometimes noisy.
All characteristics listed in this article may vary according to the individual bird. Go to bird shows, talk to breeders, owners, read books, and discuss this decision with an avian veterinarian. It's important that you choose carefully because many birds live decades.
She came to me when she was just 7 weeks old, a strangely compelling creature that looked more porcupine than bird. But the large dark eyes, and the massive, shiny black beak gave her away. The peach-tinged feathers were erupting, stiffly encased in their sheaths, all over her little body. Her crest feathers were becoming a beautiful deep salmon color. She made a pathetic, raspy whine that begged for attention.
Little did I realize at the time that this helpless and endearing baby Moluccan cockatoo would take an enormous amount of energy, attention and worry for the next three months. As a new bird owner, I didn't realize at the time what I was getting myself into.
I asked one of our avian veterinarians here at Harmony Animal Hospital to check her out. Besides the complete physical exam and lab workup (see box on page 2), blood was drawn for a DNA test to determine my baby bird’s sex. When the test result came back and I found out I had a little girl, I named her Tuli after a mythological goddess of wild birds in Indonesia (the Moluccan’s native home). Everything seemed peachy!
I followed instructions to the letter. She was weighed, and her crop was checked before each feeding to be sure there was no crop stasis and she was gaining weight properly. The handfeeding formula (I like the Harrison’s) had to be stirred carefully after microwaving so that there were no hot spots which could cause crop burn. The formula was fed at a specific temperature (100 to 105 degrees F)and checked by thermometer. After feeding, I swabbed Tuli’s mouth out with dilute Oxyfresh Mint Mouthrinse so that there was no bacterial or fungal growth. I cleaned and disinfected all feeding bowls, syringes and her living quarters with Oxyfresh Cleansing Gele (a product I highly recommend you use to clean and disinfect your bird's cage and dishes safely and without fumes). I kept her environment at the appropriate temperature as well (90 to 95 degrees F), and draft-free.
If I was starting to wonder what I had taken on at this point, I was totally unaware of what was yet to follow when I tried to wean my very attached, clingy and dependent little charge. Cockatoos are known for being very difficult to wean because they crave almost constant attention. We struggled through weeks of her regurgitating her hand feeding formula, and extreme weight loss (hers unfortunately). There was also an incident with sour crop and that had to be treated as well. If not for the constant attention and advice of our avian vet, I am not sure if Tuli (or I!) would have survived.
I now know that already weaned birds bond beautifully with their new owners. It is not necessary for you to hand-feed.
If you are thinking about purchasing a parrot I highly recommend it; they make incredibly enjoyable pets. Tuli has been so much fun. But learn all you can about the type of bird that will fit into your lifestyle. And most of all, unless you plan on seeing your avian veterinarian often, I recommend that you buy your bird already weaned. It will love you just as much and you will be able to enjoy your bird with much less stress and worry!
General Information
When do I start hand-feeding a baby bird?
Where do I keep the baby bird?
What should I feed my bird?
How do I feed my baby bird?
In general, the younger the bird, the thinner the mixture should be. A more dilute mixture (90% water) is required by the day old chick as it is still utilizing the yolk sac. Chicks older than one or 2 days should have food with 70 - 75% liquid.
Syringes are probably the preferred feeding tool but some still prefer a spoon with the sides bent up and inward. Accurate feeding volumes can be recorded with the syringe. Charting daily feedings is important. The natural feeding response of a baby bird is to rapidly bob the head in an up and down motion. This action can be stimulated with gentle finger pressure at the corners of the mouth. During this head bobbing the trachea is closed and large amounts of food can be given relatively quickly. If the bird is not displaying strong feeding response then do not attempt to feed as there is an increased chance of aspiration of food into the trachea and lungs leading to death. The best time to feed is when the crop is empty. When full, the crop is the sac that hangs over the front of the chest at the base of the neck.
How often and how much do I feed?
When do the birds wean?
Disinfecting?
What if something is wrong?
Buzz, our hospital mascot, is happy to answer your bird questions.
A: Squawk! Your fine feathered friend is probably a "seed junkie" if that’s all he’ll eat. But this diet guarantees ill health and a shortened life span. I don’t want to make you feel bad, but malnutrition in birds accounts for 90% of all health problems. Seed and nut mixes will not let your bird watch his waist. These high fat foods can lead to fatty liver syndrome (big problem!) which can kill him. Also, seed diets lack at least 21 essential nutrients. What do I love? Besides a small amount of dark green and yellow veggies and fruit such as spinach, mango, and sweet potato (call me and I’ll send you a complete list), I love my Harrison’s complete diet. There are no additives or preservatives, and it is all organically grown. Why even my humans could eat it! And you only have to feed a little; for me that means 3 - 4 tsp. a day. But any brand of pelleted diet is better than seeds. And please, change uneaten food daily; you don’t like day old food, do you? Q: Is it okay for my bird to go outside? A: It’s one of my favorite places. I love the sights, smells and the sunshine. They make me feel so great. Birds need a full spectrum of light (which doesn’t come through a window). If not in an enclosure, be sure your bird’s wings are clipped (which is a good idea inside anyway, because we’re not so smart about ceiling fans, pots of boiling water, and other human hazards). Just please watch us so that we don’t have to fight any raccoons and we don’t get too hot or cold. Please ask us for a handout on safe trees and poisonous plants. Q: Do birds need grit? A: Ptooey! No! It can cause an impaction, or blockage, of the digestive tract. Then food can’t pass, and your bird can starve to death. Case closed. Q: Should I add vitamins to my bird’s water? A: In most cases, if your bird is on a good pelleted diet, extra vitamins are not needed. But if your veterinarian recommends them or the diet is inadequate they can be important. But please, don’t put them in the water. I hate drinking foul water. You see, they promote the growth of harmful bacteria. Besides, light quickly inactivates many vitamins in solution. My doctor says to sprinkle a vitamin powder such as Prime, over the wet food because it won’t stick to seeds. Q: How can I judge my bird’s health by his droppings? A: Droppings can tell a story about your bird’s general health. Know the appearance of the normal droppings. A sick bird may show a change in volume, color, consistency, or frequency. Normal droppings consist of feces (which change color with diet change), clear urine, and creamy white urates. When eating a formulated diet the appearance is usually soft and brown, but may be dry and black or green with a seed diet. If you have any questions for Buzz, our bird expert on birds, please e-mail us.
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And don't forget: your bird needs a yearly wellness exam and stool check just as your dog and cat do! We'd be glad to schedule one.
All birds should see an avian veterinarian within 72 hours of arriving at their new home. The procedures your veterinarian will elect to do depends on circumstances but in most cases, at least the first three items listed below will be suggested. All birds should also have a yearly wellness exam to help ensure a long, healthy life. Chances are your vet will help you identify health problems you weren’t even aware existed! Birds are expert at hiding illness, so preventative care is the key to good health. 
Or so I thought. Weeks of three-times-a-day hand feedings in an already hectic schedule started to become burdensome. But I continued adjusting all other things in my life to give her the necessary exacting care she deserved.
Q: I’m feeding seeds and nuts to my parrots. Is this adequate?