Canary Owner’s Guide To Buying A Pet Canary

July 23, 2009 by fts  
Filed under Keeping Pet Birds

So, you’re thinking about buying a pet canary huh? If you want to pick out the right canary, there are a few things you need to know beforehand. Keep reading to learn a few tips on buying a pet canary.

Gender

One of the first things you should consider when buying one of these birds is their gender. One of the reason canaries are so popular is because they can sing pretty well. You should know that females don’t sing, only males do. If you want to hear singing, make sure you get a male. Before you buy a canary, you should listen to his voice if possible. You may only want to buy a female if you’re trying to breed her.

Type

You may not be aware of the fact that there are many different species of canaries. You should be able to find the generic yellow birds at your local pet store. If you’re looking for a less common type, you will probably have to consult a breeder. Make sure you look into several different breeders though.

Health

It’s very important to buy a healthy canary, especially if you’ve never cared for one before. It’s best that you choose an active bird. You shouldn’t buy one that appears to be lethargic. You should also try to ensure there are no parasites under the feathers or on the feet or beak before you take him home.

Molting

Speaking of health, you should avoid buying a pet canary that’s molting. These little birds suffer a lot of physical stress while molting. Moving him to a new environment will only stress him out even more. This can easily cause the death of the canary. Some birds die because of this just hours after being brought home.

Now you know a few things to look for when buying a canary. Click here to learn even more about basic canary care. Your bird will certainly thank you for it.

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Cooling Pet Birds During Summer

April 11, 2009 by admin  
Filed under Bird Care

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If your pet suffers because of the heat during the summer months, a cooling pet bed can be the solution to this problem. They can be especially good if the dog or cat has bad hips, joins or any type of disease that might affect a pet.

You don’t need to spend a lot of money on a cooling pet bed to get one that you can use during the entire year. They are especially useful during the summer. Some of the products that I can recommend if you’re looking for a cooling pet bed are those created by Kand H or the Canine Cooler cooling dog bed, which is quite popular with a lot of pet owners.

However, these aren’t your only options. There are plenty other similar products, good both for cats and dos. The therapeutic benefits of using such a device is there as well. If you have a pet that is especially disturbed by the hot summer days because of their big fur, this product should make sure they’re feeling better.

The fur of some pets is thicker than others, so they need a lower temperature to feel good. If it’s too hot outside, pets can get skin irritations, they can lack energy and can have difficulty breathing. A cooling pet bed can solve that problem for your pet and can help him get through the hot days easier.

Considerations Before Buying a Bird

April 11, 2009 by admin  
Filed under Keeping Pet Birds

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A few things you should take into consideration before your purchase a bird

The first question you should ask yourself when buying a bird is what exactly are you willing to spend. The prices for birds can vary a lot, depending on the species that they belong to. You can spend only $10 if all you want is a budgie. The price goes higher, to around $30 for a cockatiel, while a grey parrot or an Amazonian parrot can cost up to $400. If you want to go even higher, you can spend $1000 on a Cockatoo, and if money isn’t an issue, you can go up to $15,000 for some birds.

Different birds have different space requirements. How much will your species need? Birds that are big or those that are very active will need more space, so a bigger cage is required.

Do you have the time to keep a bird? This is a very important question to answer. In most cases, birds are playful, intelligent and very social. Do you have enough time to play with them and to take care of them? Will the bird feel like it’s part of the family? As a general rule, birds have a long life. In the case of a cockatiel, their age can reach 20 years. A grey parrot or an Amazonian one can get to an age of 50 years, and even up to 100 in some rare cases. Can you offer them that kind of commitment? In plenty of cases birds will be inherited by the next generation. If there is a chance that you might get bored with the bird, don’t buy one.

What kind of noise will the bird make and will it bother the neighbors? Cockatiels and budgies are usually quiet birds. They are well suited to being kept in a flat. The Moluxco cockatoo however should not be kept if you have neighbors around you, as they are extremely noisy. If you want a bird that isn’t noisy, the African grey parrot could be a good choice. Each bird is different in this regard. Plus, each person might interpret the level of noise differently. It also depends if you have something to compare it to. If you had a bird that was very noisy, one that makes less noise might seem quiet to you, but still noisy to a stranger.

How much damage can the bird provoke in your house? Do you have peerless old furniture in your house or books that are rare? The beaks of these birds are quite strong. Some species are more inclined to nibble at things than others.

Do you need to give the parrot special care or food? A Lory parrot will need a diet that is specialized. Can you give them that diet? Learn more about the species before you buy it and see if you can take care of it. Don’t buy a parrot based on an impulse.

Teaching Your Parrot to Talk

April 6, 2009 by admin  
Filed under Keeping Pet Birds

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Many parrot owners will become interested in teaching their parrot to talk, and will search the Internet for information on how to do this. Unfortunately there are a lot of websites out there that are charging for programs that will apparently teach your parrot to talk in less than a month. While some of these programs might be effective, there is no need to spend money because the secret is very simple, easy and best of all free.

Birds will learn to speak if they hear words repeatedly regularly. Even if a parrot has not been taught to speak by its owner, they will almost certainly start saying words by them selves eventually.

It is possible to teach your bird to talk in under a month, just follow these simple guidelines:

- You will need to be very patient with your parrot and not expect him to learn words in the first day, or even in the first week.Consistency is the key, keep repeating the same words religiously every single day. Having a routine is very important to parrots, it helps to make them feel safe, secure, and comfortable with their owner and they will then respond better to the training.

- Try to stay motivated and don’t get discouraged if you don’t see results instantly. It will take time, but if you persevere you will see fantastic results. It is essential that you don’t show frustration or anger towards your parrot, birds are very receptive to human emotion and this could have a very negative effect on your pet.

- Set aside a certain amount of time each day to spend with your parrot. Aim for 1 hour, at the same time each day if possible. Repeat the same words to your bird each day and you will soon be seeing results. Aim to make the time fun and enjoyable for your parrot and he will be more receptive. All work and no play will quickly bore your parrot.

- Parrots will respond well to rewards. Every time your parrot attempts to say a new word, or begins to respond to what you are teaching him show him how proud you are. Your parrots favourite foods will be a perfect incentive for your pet to keeping trying to please you. Other effective rewards are toys and verbal praise. Try to establish what suits your parrot the best, and be consistent with offering him rewards.

-Never punish your parrot. Showing violent behavior, either physical or verbal will be very destructive on your pets trust towards you. Punishment will have no positive effect, and your parrot will likely be unwilling to learn what you are trying to teach him. You could also cause your parrot to adopt bad habits such as screeching and biting, so patience and affection towards your bird is extremely important.

If you follow these step religiously and most importantly maintain respect and love towards your parrot, you should certainly see your bird talking within 1 month.