Love Your Pet: Caring For Your Cage Bird

Created ByGJW Titmuss

ContentsYour First Cage Bird Slide 3

Equipment and Supplies Slide 4Housing Slide 5

Cage Maintenance Slide 6Cage Fittings Slide 7

Handling Slide 9Food And Diet Slide 11Foods To Avoid Slide 12

Water Slide 13Exercise Slide 14Health Slide 15

Registering With A Vet Slide 16Insurance Slide 17

Introducing Children To Your Bird Slide 18Integration With Other Birds Slide 19

Introducing Other Birds Slide 20Final Thought Slide 21

Contact Details Slide 22

Your First Cage BirdDespite their small size, birds make fantastic pets. But, as with any pet, you must be prepared to take on new responsibilities and offer enough care and attention to ensure that your cage bird lives a happy, rewarding, and fulfilling life.

Equipment and Supplies

• Bird cage• Perches• Swings• Toys• Food dishes• Mineral blocks• Water bowl or bottle

• Cage liners• Bathing bowl • Cage cover• Grooming supplies• Disinfectant and

cleaning products

Purchase the following items before bringing your bird back to its new home:

HousingWhen it comes to choosing a suitable cage, be sure to pick something that’s big enough to accommodate both your bird and all the internal fittings whilst still leaving plenty of room for your animal to thrive.

Consider the following factors:

• Size• Spacing between bars• Location• Fittings

Cage MaintenanceLiner:It’s important to keep your bird cage free from mess, and the cage liner clean.You should sweep the floor and put a fresh liner in the cage every day.

Food and Water Dishes:Any dishes or bowls used by your bird should be washed in hot soapy water.Ensure they’re completely dry before putting them back into the cage.Spare bowls can be used whilst you are cleaning other dishes and letting them dry.

Cage FittingsYou should make the cage as homely as possible by inserting toys and perches to keep your bird entertained.

Perches: • It’s essential that you provide your pet with plenty of

perches in order to give them plenty of footing. • Ensure you don’t overcrowd the cage though, as you bird

should still be able to spread its wings without hitting any of the perches.

• If you maintain your perches daily, you’ll be able to keep them clean and splinter-free for longer.

Cage FittingsToys:• Birds like to have fun too, and there are all

kinds of toys they can play with. • These should also be monitored for wear and

tear to ensure they’re completely safe.

HandlingThe more time you spend with cage birds, the tamer they will become.

Begin by spending at least 10 minutes with them three times throughout the day.

After repeating this for a few days, your bird should trust you enough to let you hold them.

Handling Pt 2Slowly place your clenched hand in the cage, and extend a finger for your bird to perch on.Once they’re relaxed, cautiously remove your hand from the cage.

Make no sudden movements, and if your bird seems distressed, return it to its cage slowly.

As long as you are patient, your feathered friend will eventually become comfortable with you holding them.

WARNING!Be extremely

gentle with your cage bird. Holding it with too much force may cause

damage.

Food and DietSeeds aren’t the only food to feed your feathered friend.A healthy diet consists of multiple different foods, including fruit, vegetables and pellets:

Food ExamplesSpecies specific pellet food (75% of birds diet)

N/A

Fruit Banana, papaya, apple, blueberriesVegetables Carrots, cooked sweet potatoes, spinachNuts and grains Almonds, cooked brown riceBeans Kidney beans, garbanzo beansTable food (treats) Whole-wheat pasta, cooked squash,

scrambled eggs

Foods to AvoidThe following foods should NOT be fed to your bird:

• Avocado• Chocolate• Alcohol• Onion• Celery• Meat

Always be aware of exactly what food your bird has access to.

WaterBirds require clean water at all times, so you should refresh their water bowl at least twice a day.

It’s best to keep two bowls filled with fresh water, one for washing and one for drinking.

ExcerciseCage birds need to stay both mentally and physically stimulated.In order to get the necessary exercise, birds need to be allowed out their cage for at least two hours a day.Ensure your bird has a safe area to explore by closing any windows and doors and cleaning up any small objects or loose food.

HealthThe following chart depicts the symptoms attached to various avian illnesses:

Infection Symptoms

Aspergillosis (respiratory tract diseases) Lack of appetite, breathing difficulties, depression, weakness, loss of coordination

Proventricular Dilatation Disease (PDD) Weight loss, vomiting, changes in the bird’s droppings, a swollen crop (where bird’s store and soften their food)

Psittacine Beak and Feather Disease (PBFD) Feather loss, growths, abnormalities of the beak, unusual feather development

Candida (overgrowth of yeasts in the birds digestive system)

White lesions around and in the mouth and throat, vomiting, loss of appetite

Polyomavirus (unusual development or lack of feathers) Appetite loss, enlarged abdomen, diarrhea

Psittacosis Lethargic, breathing difficulties, eye infection, runny droppings

If your bird begins to display any of the above symptoms you should seek medical assistance right away.

Registering With A VetYou should register with your local vet to ensure that your pet can receive medical treatment if needed.Qualified avian vets are specially trained to work with birds, so check if there is a local one available. Without registered veterinary care, you’ll end up paying more in an emergency situation.

InsuranceInsurance will help protect you against the costs of:• Vets bills• Theft• Accidents• Public liability• Bird-rooms and equipment• DeathBe sure to check exactly what you’re covered for before you take out any policy.

Introducing Children to Your BirdThere are some important points to remember when introducing children to your new pet:

• Tell children to keep their voice low when close to the cage

• Avoid panicking the bird by approaching the cage slowly

• Don’t put anything through the cage, including toys, food and fingers

• Don’t rattle the cage or try and disturb the bird, as this will cause distress

Integration with Other BirdsThe younger the birds, the easier integration will be.Older birds may get territorial, so it’s best to integrate them at an early age.Keep different species in separate cages.Integration between different species is not guaranteed to work, but given time it is possible.

Introducing Other BirdsBirds should first get to know each other in separate cages.

As they become more comfortable with each other, move the cages closer together, eventually integrating both into the same space.

Pay equal attention to both birds so that neither gets jealous.

Continue to monitor your birds over time to spot any issues that may arise.

WARNING! Animals in close confinement can

transmit diseases to one another. Look

out for any anomalies in health

or eating habits.

Final ThoughtCaring for a bird takes time and dedication, but

with lots of love and attention, you’ll have a feathered friend for life.

For all your pet-related needs, visit GJW Titmuss today.

GJW Titmuss

@GJWTitmuss /GJWtitmuss

Contact us today:

www.gjwtitmuss.co.uk

As a leading online pet store, GJW Titmuss offer a wide range of pet food, products and accessories. Based in Lamer Lane, Wheathampstead, Hertfordshire, customers can view our website or visit our store directly.

Web orders - 01582 839114 / store - 01582 833883

enquires@GJWTitmuss.co.uk

Store opening hours:

Monday-Friday 7.30am-5.00pmSaturday 9.00am-4.00pmClosed Sunday and bank holidays

Image Credits• Slide 1: http://www.bigstockphoto.com/image-37835650/stock-photo-budgie-on-white • Slide 3: http

://www.bigstockphoto.com/image-2520053/stock-photo-african-grey-parrot-psittacus-erithacus

• Slide 4: http://www.bigstockphoto.com/image-8105480/stock-photo-bird-cage• Slide 8: http://www.bigstockphoto.com/image-41284393/stock-photo-playful-parakeet • Slide 9:

http://www.bigstockphoto.com/image-46452463/stock-photo-woman-hand-holding-a-beautiful-cockatiel-bird

• Slide 12: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Onion_on_White.JPG • Slide 13:

http://www.bigstockphoto.com/image-48764753/stock-photo-a-budgie-bird-drinking-water-from-a-bowl

• Slide 17: http://www.bigstockphoto.com/image-57923120/stock-photo-three-budgies-are-on-the-roost-on-white-background

• Slide 18: http://static8.bigstockphoto.com/thumbs/9/9/2/small2/2993928.jpg • Slide 21:

http://www.bigstockphoto.com/image-31120961/stock-photo-blue-fronted-amazon-parrot-walking-on-white-background