Ideas For DIY African Grey Parrot Toys
August 17, 2009 by fts
Filed under Bird Supplies
This article gives ideas on cheap African Grey parrot toys. We know that commercial african grey parrot toys are can be quite taxing on your wallet as parrot owners. These parrot toys, on average, are priced about $20-$40 dollars, which are quite pricey. Moreover, need to be replaced on a periodic basis. Rather than paying for these money, here are some ideas on using everyday materials to create affordable african grey parrot toys.
Some generic information on african grey parrots
African Grey Parrots are a species of parrot native to West and Central Africa. These parrots come from 2 main varieties. One of which is the Congo Afircan Grey Parrot which has a great ability to imitate speech and are more popular among parrot lover. The Timneh African Grey is similar in appearance, but has a horn-colored beak, maroon tail, and is slightly smaller.
One of the cheapest way to create African Grey parrot toys is to use cardboard boxes. What you can do is to create a house using the cardboard so that it becomes a nice shelter for the parrot. Your parrot can then hop around the cardboard and be able to chew on them as well. It is an excellent African Grey parrot toys.
Explore baby toys and see if they can be reused as parrot toys. One good example is the brightly colored plastic oval baby links. These are easy to use, one simply twists the plastic link near the side where the opening is and then slides the opening over the bar of the cage or onto the toy. These links are not safe parrot toys for small sized birds but for African Greys, they can be an affordable parrot toys.
Another great place to look for ideas for African Grey parrot toys is your local discount store! Look around and see if there are any cheap items that can be used as afican grey parrot toys. One suggestion is to buy Cornhusk whiskbrooms, which cost two dollars or less. These whiskbrooms come attached with a metal ring on its handle that can be used to hang in the parrots’ cage. The materials in the brooms are a wonderful destruction chew parrot toy for African Grey Parrot, especially Greys that are feather pickers.
Use your imagination and create african grey parrot toys from normal day items such as newspapers or brightly coloured paper. These paper stock can make good chewing parrot toys. You can create rings with it around the cage or you can design strips that slides in between the cage parrots. What kind of african grey parrot toys can be created is based entirely on your creativity.
I hope these ideas can inspire you to look for more affordable African Grey parrot toys.
Five Signs Of A Sick Parakeet
July 25, 2009 by fts
Filed under Bird Health
If you take care of your bird long enough, chances are he’ll get sick sooner or later. Since he will do his best to hide whatever is wrong, it’s important that you learn to recognize the signs of a sick parakeet. This article will share a few sick parakeet signs.
Droppings
Your bird’s droppings may change if he gets sick. It may change color, be watery, or appear looser than usual. You may also see seeds in his droppings. It’s important to note that change in droppings can be due to something simple like a recent food change.
Appetite
Sick parakeets often change their eating habits. After keeping him for a while, you should know how much he usually eats. Something may be wrong if he experiences a reduced or increased appetite. If he loses his appetite, he may also lose weight.
Feathers
Something may be wrong with your parakeet if the appearance of his feathers changes. They shouldn’t be ruffled or puffed up for long periods of time. Discolored feathers may also occur.
Discharge
If your parakeet is sick, he may produce some type of discharge. Discharge is commonly produced from the nostriles and eyes. Eye swelling and sneezing commonly accompany discharge. These symptoms are usually serious, so you should take your bird to the vet promptly.
Breathing
A sick parakeet may also experience difficulty breathing. This may come in the form of wheezing, rapid breathing, or open-mouthed breathing. Some birds will also bob their tail with each breath they take.
Now you know a few common signs of a sick parakeet. If you’ve never cared for one of these birds before, there are plenty of things you need to learn. So, click here now to start learning all you need to know about caring for a parakeet. Your bird will be very appreciate.
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Positioning a Pet Bird Aviary
May 23, 2009 by admin
Filed under Keeping Pet Birds
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Siting an aviary will require careful thought as there is nothing more annoying than having to move an aviary after it has been built.
If you are designing a new garden, build in the aviary requirements at a very early stage, taking into account servicing and expansion. Remember to choose a site with plenty of room to accommodate a back shelter. Even if you do not build it straight away, you may decide to add one later.
Discover the most common wind direction and then site your aviary so that it faces in the opposite direction, preferably so that it receives as much sunshine as possible. Sunshine and light are essential for your birds’ well-being, not only because the birds enjoy sunbathing, but also because the ultraviolet rays in strong sunshine help to kill bacteria.
If you build your aviary in the summer, remember to take into account the typical winter weather conditions. For example, do not build your aviary in a dip in your garden, where it is likely to become flooded during the winter or act as a frost pocket. Placing your aviary underneath a tree may seem a good idea as it should provide shelter, but such a position is more likely to be dark and damp. The trees block out the sunshine, the dampness will produce a multitude of bacteria and after a heavy storm, the aviary will take much longer to dry out. There is also the risk that branches from the trees will damage the aviary and birds. However, carefully planted trees and shrubs can improve the appearance around the aviary and provide extra privacy, which may encourage the birds to breed successfully.
If possible, build your aviary within view of your house. Not only will this add to the enjoyment of keeping birds, but it will also enable you to see at one quick glance if something is wrong. However, take into consideration the amount of noise that the birds can make. For example, parrots, parakeets and conures may prove very entertaining for the first couple of days, but after a few weeks you will become extremely irritated, especially with their dawn chorus. If you are planning to keep noisy birds, do not build the aviary too close to your house or, for that matter, to your neighbour’s house. To avoid stressing your birds, do not build the aviary close to a road or a dog kennel. If you already keep a pet dog, you may find that your birds become used to it, but try to keep them apart, as the dog is likely to put your birds off breeding.
The aviary should also be easily accessible from the house to enable you to feed the birds and carry out regular maintenance. This may involve transporting tools and a wheelbarrow, so construct a path to your aviary to keep the rest of your garden looking presentable.
An important point to bear in mind is security. Parrot species, for example, are very expensive and, unfortunately, fairly easy to sell on the black market, so it is safer to keep them reasonably close to the house. If the area is guarded by alarms, so much the better. (Alarms will disturb your birds if they go off, but better that than losing your birds!) Guard dogs are also a good idea, but be sure to keep them away from your birds; otherwise, you will never breed them. Automatic lights are another simple security idea. They are relatively inexpensive, easy to fit and a good deterrent against both burglars and other predators, such as cats and foxes. They also provide an excellent light when you check your birds in the evening.

