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We have tried to offer general answers to the most frequently asked questions. If you do not see the question and answer that you are looking for then try searching for an answer using the "Big Bird Search" link at the bottom of this page. Thank you for visiting our website!
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Species is Best for Me?The following chart is intended to be used only as a guideline to help you consider which "treasured friend" might be the best for you. These ratings are only opinions and should not be considered true in every situation. Temperments can vary widely even in the same species. Characteristics are rated from lowest (0) to highest (5). Color: highest rated species are the most colorful. Friendliness: this rates the species ability to have overall friendliness with everyone and the likelihood of the species to bond with one individual only. 1 means usually bonds with one individual. 5 means usually is friendly with everyone. Talking: highest rated species are the best species to mimmick human speech. Quiet: highest rated species are the most quiet. Keepability: highest rated species require minimal space and are generally easy to care for. lowest rated species require maximum space and are usually a more intense species to keep (not to mention more costly). Overall: highest rated species average out as being the best overall. Take the good with the bad!
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What kind of a cage and accessories do I need?The cage selection process needs to be a thought out one but is also very easy. All species need as large of a cage as you can afford, yet one that does not allow the species' head to penetrate the wires or allows the species to crawl through the wires. The cage's width and height should be approximately two to three times the width of the species wings spread fully out from tip to tip. Keep in mind the cage's material for strength and durability and also the finish on the cage as to not being toxic for the species. Another important factor is the cage's cleaning ability. Does the cage have a removable pan under the bottom grate? This allows ease of cleaning seed and other waste. There should be multiple sizes of perches although you can purchase these separately. Wooden perches are usually what comes standard on most cages and are highly recommended. Sandpaper covered perches are not recommended as they could damage the species foot pads. The cementious type of perches are fine though. Toys can vary and there should be a few. Just keep in mind some of the common sense things when purchasing toys. Can this toy possibly end up hurting my bird? Look at the toy carefully and see if there might be a potential for the toy to become dangerous. Bedding can be should be one that is absorbant and non-toxic to the species. Earthsafe's Birdie Litter is an excellent solution (available in our online store). Some people prefer to use old newspaper and that will work just fine, especially if you are needing to examine the bird's droppings. The most important thing is to change whatever you use very often. The bedding should be changed twice weekly (except Earthsafe's Birdie Litter) and the bottom grate should be thoroughly cleaned at least twice monthly. Damp and soiled beddings pose a health risk to your bird. Mold is one of the most common mycosis affecting birds. Never spray disinfectants into or on the cage or bedding unless they have been approved as bird safe. Poop-Off is an excellent dried poop remover (also available in our online store). Feeding trays and watering bottles should be cleaned and re-filled daily. Cleaning does not mean just dumping the old water out and re-filling the bottle. It should be washed as you do your own dishes. Soft foods such as fresh fruits should be kept in a separate container from seed or pellet type foods, removed after about 4 hours and washed daily also. These soft "leaky" types of food can contaminate the seed or pellet dish with bacteria. Cleaning up after feeding your bird is really just as important as what you feed your bird. We offer a complete line of healthy and nutritious seed and pelleted foods in our online store. Placement of cages should not be in front of an air conditioning vent because this could be a cause for the bird to get sick from to much cold of air on it. Alternating from cooling to heating can also cause undue stress to your bird. Locating the cage in direct sunlight is always good providing you have allowed a shady part of the cage for it to retreat to in case the sun gets to hot. Smoking is another cause for problems in birds. Smoking can cause respiratory distress and illness. The kitchen is another means for the bird to have respiratory distress. Certain non-stick (Teflon especially) cookware can burn and give off a chemical into the air (which we cannot detect) but it can actually kill birds very rapidly! Another Kitchen precaution to be careful of is if you have a bird out of a cage because it could possibly fly or land onto a hot burner and be hurt. The best solution is to just use some plain old common sense! Especially when the bird is allowed to roam around the house. Here are some other things to look out for: Make sure all doors, windows, closets, and drawers are shut. Cover all large mirrors and windows to avoid the bird flying into them. Be aware of large containers of water (example-sinks, buckets, and toilet bowls). Poisonous plants that the bird could reach. Spraying of aerosols around the bird and cage. Household cleaning supplies. Ceiling fans and portable fans. Paint fumes, insecticides, and all other poisons. Other household pets! На www.atl.ua зимние шины. Back to Top
What about my bird's health?The best way to keep your bird healthy is to start with a healthy bird. That is why all of our birds are vet checked and have a guarantee of health prior to being purchased. Once you have acquired a healthy bird, you must feed it properly, keep it's environment clean and safe, and spend lots of time with it. Any animal can become sick however, and sometimes for no apparent reason. Birds are not really that accident prone, but accidents can surely happen so you need to be prepared for one. A basic first aid kit can surely help in the case of an accident. Some items you should have in your first aid kit are: scissors, bandage material, triple antibiotic cream, iodine, hydrogen peroxide, styptic powder, pliers, hemostats, and your bird veterinarian's regular and emergency phone numbers. The most important thing to remember in an emergency is to stay calm. Just like people birds can sense your mood and this can cause the matter to be worse. the wizard of oz the musical Birds are very good at hiding their common illnesses because in the wild they know a sick bird is a "preyed upon" bird. Some things to look out for for general sickness are: overall appearance, a decrease in activity level, not eating very much, unusual sleeping, and abnormal droppings. Appearance is critical to detecting illness early. Never feed a bird chocolate! It can and will kill them! Back to Top
How do I train my bird ?Taming and training your new bird is an important step if you are going to enjoy your bird fully. First, have your birds wings clipped or do it yourself. A bird that doesn't have it's wings clipped is a bird that will be harder to tame and train. Wing clipping is a necessity! In most cases your bird will have traveled quite some distance before arriving to your destination. It will definitely be nervous and scared, but this is normal. You should give your new bird time to settle down before trying to handle it. One day should be sufficient. When you decide that it is time to get it out of the cage, it is best to handle it short periods of time at first until it is used to you handling it. To get the bird from the cage you should get down on it's level and say "UP" as you are slowly and gently moving your hand toward it's feet. It might make a move toward your hand with it's beak, as to peck/bite you, which it might, but this is a very critical stage and it is very important not to be afraid or let the bird think that you are afraid of it. Always say "UP" every time you want the bird to get up on your hand. Once the bird has gotten on your hand, proceed to take it in another room from the room where the cage is. This will devote the bird's attention to you rather that at it's home where it feels very safe and secure and will probably want to be if it can see it. A good way to promote the bird to step up on the "UP" command is to alternate pointer fingers under the bird's feet making it climb like climbing a ladder from finger to finger. By teaching your bird the "UP" command it learns that a human hand and finger is not something to be afraid of but to step up onto. Teaching your new bird to talk is similar to teaching it the "UP" command. It takes a lot of patience and repetition. You have to keep repeating the word or phrase that you want the bird to say every time you see it. Be patient and one day your bird will start to mimic what you have been teaching it all this time. This particular task can take a very long time so the best thing to do is to never give up. Just talk to the bird like you would any other pet. Many people talk to their cats or dogs all the time and they know that these animals will never mimic human speech. See what I mean? It is perfectly normal to carry on a conversation with your bird. Birds that are around a lot of people all the time are usually quick learners because they are constantly being exposed to talking. Birds that aren't around someone that much will take a lot longer to train. Of course the species of bird has a lot to do with how well they will be able to talk also. Some species may never talk as other species will never shut up. The main thing to remember is to be persistent and patient. Back to Top
Why does my bird scream?Birds are natural "screamers" from their wild habitats. A bird's only means of communication is it's "scream". Just listen outside to the wild birds. They don't sound very loud, but take one and put it in a cage in your living room and judge for yourself. When confined in a small space as in a house the sound bounces off every wall around and sounds very loud. There is a big difference in a house as opposed to being outside. Let a kid scream outside - no problem. Let a kid scream in a confined space such as your car - BIG problem. In a captive environment where there are not any other birds to communicate to, the bird has to try to communicate with the only thing it knows and sees - US! If we could only "scream" back and talk to it. To expect a bird to be a "non-screamer" would be an unreasonable request due to it's natural habitat. There are certain species that are a lot less vocal than others and that is why it is important to research the characteristics of each species so that there are no unreasonable expectations and the feeling of the need to get rid of the bird. Be patient and take some time to determine what species will be best suited for you.
Why does my bird like me and not anyone else?Just as one person bonds with another person, birds bond with certain other birds and with certain other people. The socialization of the individual bird is a crucial factor in determining how it will react to people. A bird that experiences gentle attention from a number of people at an early age is more likely to accept new people and or several people later in life. Once again there are certain species that usually tend to be a "one person" bird and certain species that will always be multiple people birds. Be patient and research different species characteristics before making that final purchase. Back to Top
Why does my bird waste food?It is a design by God to keep the environment stable and growing. In the wild when a bird eats, it will always drop seed and remnants to the ground which sprout and bloom thus affording an opportunity for ground dwelling animal species to have access to food and also to the plant's pollen or seeds, providing more opportunity for their distribution. When you see foodstuffs spattered on your flooring, try to visualize your home as an ecosystem, with your parrot doing its best to be a contributing member to the success of the whole system. Relax they are just being their natural selves.
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