Birds

Daily Care:   

- Fresh water, fresh clean dry seed, fruit & vegetables (No lettuce, avocado, potato, rhubarb, salty food or junk food).   

- Wash fruit and vegetables – discard any not eaten within 24 hours.

 

Weekly Care:

- Clean cage and perches with diluted bleach.   

- Put in new native tree perches. 

- Spray your cage/aviary with ‘Bird Mite & Lice Spray’ if it is outside.

          -  If your bird is ill, clean the cage daily.

 

General Care: 

- Do not place your cage in direct sunlight.  

- If your bird is not going to be a companion bird, get two.

- Try not to overcrowd the cage with toys or too many birds.

 

Health Check:

             Signs of good health:

• Active & interested in surroundings
• Feathers smooth and soft
• Eyes open and clear
• Good appetite – not just playing with it’s food
• Faeces is the right colour
• Beak is clean and smooth
• Legs and feet are clean and smooth (no scale).

 

             General health:

• Feather loss
  • Plucking – boredom, sexual frustration, bad diet
  • Mites – spray birds (see below)
  • Moulting – this happens twice a year.    It is stressful for birds.  Add a vitamin or moulting tonic to their water.    The moulting lasts approx. three months (canaries may stop singing).
• Mites – signs are : scratching, unsettled, twitching, feather loss, scale    

                  around feet and beak.

    -  cure : spray bird and cage with ‘Bird, Mite & Lice Spray’.   For        

                  scales apply ‘Scaly Face’.

• Egg binding – common cause is due to poor diet and lack of calcium.  

- Signs are : weakness, fluffed up, straining, swollen abdomen.

- Possible cure: calcium in water, a little cod liver oil on some seed   can help the egg come out.   Be aware that egg binding can kill your bird, so consider going to a Vet.

• Worms – birds should be wormed every three months.

 

Nutrition:

- Good quality seed is essential with shell grit to help them digest their food.  

            - Lorikeets do not eat seed – feed them Lori Wet or Lori Dry.

            - Calcium in the form of cuttlebone or bells is very important to your bird.

            - No lettuce, avocado, potato, rhubarb, salty or junk food.

            - Do not feed excessive amounts of sunflower seeds.

 

Breeding:

- Make sure your birds are in good health with enough calcium to prevent egg

               binding.

            - High protein diet.

 

Canaries:

            Breed: September – December

            Incubation 13-14 days

            Lay 3-5 eggs

            Babies independent at 6 weeks.

 

Budgies & small Aussie Parrots:

            Breed: July – December (some budgies breed all year round)

            Incubation 18-21 days

            Lay 4-6 eggs   

            Babies independent at 7-8 weeks.

 

Cockatiels:

            Breed: July – December (also throughout the year)

            Incubation 21-23 days

            Babies independent at 6-8 weeks.

 

Finches:

            Breed: July – December (some all year round)

            Incubation 12-14 days

            Lay 4-5 eggs

            Babies independent at 6 weeks.

 

Asiatic parrots (Ringnecks & Alexandrine):

            Breed: July – October

            Incubation 21-24 days

            Lay 3-4 eggs

            Babies independent after 6-8 weeks.

 

Quails:

            Breed: all year

            Incubation normally 14 days but can be up to 20 days

            Lay up to 10 eggs

            Babies independent at 6 weeks.

           

 

For further information, we have a range of books available or feel free ask our friendly staff.

 

Yippeeio Pet & Aquarium Centre is a member of the Pet Industry Association of Australia and abides by its Code of Practice.

* The information in this bird care sheet is intended as a helpful general guide only.