To make changing addresses easier on your pets, here are some tips to lessen stress:

• Moving is extremely stressful not just for pet owners but also for the pets as well.  The birds will sense that something is going on just by seeing you packing and getting busy.  This would already start the stress, so you can talk to your bird and explain things.  Seeing your assuring face will somehow ease the stress.Your pets can read and understand your body movements, although they may not understand you.  If you are calm, they would also calm down.  It would be better to move your bird in a quiet and secure place while finishing the rest of the packing.

• Your companionship with your bird will give you hints if your pet bird is more sensitive than other birds.  You can identify if your bird is a nervous traveller.  There are also some birds who find riding a vehicle very enjoyable.
 
• Once the movers are already in your house and picking up your things, put the bird away in a quiet and calm place.  Your pet bird should be the last to leave and should be in travel bird cages.  Upon arriving in the new home, put the bird in a quiet place first before bringing the boxes and the things inside your home.  To relax and calm the bird, you can play some music.  This would also lessen the sounds coming from the unpacking.

• If moving to a new place requires a long drive, the stops should be kept to minimum.  You can just buy food at a drive-thru.  If you prefer eating in a restaurant, consider the weather conditions when leaving your pet in the car.In no case they should be left iinside, because it may be too hot or cold for them.

If you are moving from one state to another , it wold certainly need a very long move.  You also have to check the state regulations about your pets.  Sometimes, a certain state might have laws that could prohibit your bird, especially if you are taking care of an exotic bird.

Check hotels or motels you would be sleeping in if they have pet regulations, when you go for a long distance.  They can charge additional for bringing pets.  You do not want to leave your pet outside in the car at the mercy of predators.

• Also when moving, whether it s state to state or just to another city, make sure to have a health certificate from your veterinarian.  You would find this handy when getting a new vet in the new location you have moved to. 

When travelling with your pets, preparation is an important factor.It will need you to prepare well, if you want to go for flying.   Make sure that the airlines you are flying with allow birds, if it is international flight birds are mostly placed in cargo area.  You have to make sure that the birds are comfortable throughout the flight.

Actually, you can help your pet get used to travelling, you can take it out in short day trips.   Just remember that when taking your bird out for a drive, do not put him in the front seat.  If the air bag suddenly opens, the impact could result to severe, even fatal, injuries.

When taking your pet bird out in car, be sensitive.  There are some birds who prefer to have the cage covered, while there are some birds who would like to know what is happening around him.  Be careful with the noise inside the car like the music and also be careful of the fumes they can inhale like air fresheners or cigarette smoke.  

When travelling or moving, it is important to make sure that your pet birds are comfortable throughout the travelling period.

This type of person is known as avian veterinarian. When you go around looking for one, it is best that this person belongs to the Association of Avian Veterinarians (AAV).

Specialists who are members of this organization have 6 or more years of experience dealing with birds. In fact, there are only 100 certified avian veterinarians worldwide and you are lucky to have one who happens to be residing near where you live.

But what if you are not able to find a doctor who is certified by the AAV? When this happens, you have to consult with a veterinarian based on the recommendations of other bird owners or through word of mouth.

If you don’t have friends who own birds, try talking to bird breeders and organizations which are into owning and caring for birdsjust like you. Your other options will be to look through the phone directory or online and then set an appointment.

When you visit their clinic, discuss what you expect from them and pay attention to the answers they give you. It is always better to know about their working experience on birds , also about the equipment and the training they have and how your bird is behaving with them.

Whenever there is an emergency, whether they can be contacted or consulted, it is important for you to enquire. If they are not available, someone they know and trust should be able to give you and your bird the same amount of attention.

One other thing you should check before or after talking to a potential avian doctor is to see if the place is clean and if the people who work there are friendly. Naturally, you don’t want your bird to stay overnight for observation if the place is unsanitary as a disease from another bird could infect your own.

Once you have finished interviewing a list of potential candidates, it will be easy to choose which one will be the doctor for your pet bird.

A good bird doctor will not only talk to you whenever your pet has a problem but also offer tips so you can handle minor problems on your own. You might be taught how to sense if something is wrong and what to do until you are able to bring the bird over.

A right avian wold supply first aid at home besides doing other things. This includes having a carrier large enough to carry the bird since the cage may not always fit in the car. Some cotton swabs, gauze tape, tubing, betadine and a host of other things are also needed so make sure you have a sufficient supply of these items at all times.

The veterinarian is your best friend whenever there is something wrong with your pet bird. Given that they know more about this creature, you just have to trust them and hope that everything works out for the best. While there are a lot of veterinarians around, you have to know how to choose the right one for your pet bird.

To do that, you first have to bring the pet bird to a room that is warm and has no drafts. It is also best to do this early during the day so the bird will be able to dry itself before bedtime.

The materials you will using will be a heavy dish filled with one or two inches of water. The reason for this is to create an artificial puddle which is what birds in the wild go when they feel the need to cleanse themselves.

It is to be made sure that the water used for it is lukewarm or room temperature as cold water can chill them. Once inside the bowl, they can already bathe themselves.

It is difficult for bigger birds to bathe properly themselves in a bowl. This is why it is a good idea to bring the bird out of its cage, let it stand on the perch and then you run the water lightly on them.

One of the most ideal places in the house to do this is the bathroom or the kitchen. With the hose is in your hand, never spray the water on their face. You must take care for not saturating your pet bird’s feathers. Doing so can lead to a loss of body heat and flight impairment.

While bathing them inside a bowl or on a perch, take note that it was never mentioned to use shampoo or soap on them because water is enough to cleanse them. Using ordinary cleaning products is bad because it may remove the bird’s natural oils.

After giving your pet bird a bath, you can let them dry on their own or wipe them gently using a towel. If you are going to do it, make sure that you only rub in the direction of the feather growth. Never use a hair dryer because you could burn them.

Don’t forget to clean the sink or the tub with water and mild unscented soap after giving your pet bird a bath. This will ensure protection for you and your family who also use it when they brush their teeth or do the dishes.

Before you put the pet bird back in the cage, don’t forget to change the bird cage bedding. Most of the time, this gets wet from the splashing as the bird washes itself and you wouldn’t want bacteria to grow there that could get your bird sick.

Your pet bird must have berthing once or twice a week. You can do this more often especially during the molten season because it helps remove itching. You will come to know, if your bird prefers to take a bath by observing them.

Some birds do not like taking a bath. If you happen to be in this situation, you should gradually introduce them to it so they can get to enjoy it. One way is to get yourself wet and since they trust you, in time they will understand that it is perfectly alright.

A bath is always a refreshing experience and your pet bird should also have one every so often.

To clip your pet bird, you will need a pair of animal clippers, a towel, styptic powder and a helper. If there is no styptic powder available, you will have to use household flour because this is a good blood clotting agent.

Before you begin, put the towel over your bird’s head because if they get scared by what you are doing, there is a very good chance that they bird will bite you. It must be ensured while putting towel over the head, that they do not feel difficulty in breathing. It will also be a good idea to speak to the bird in a soothing tone and hold them securely.

The part of the toenail that will be clipped is the little hook that is found at the end of each toenail. If you cut any further, this will make your bird begin to bleed.

If the bird begins to bleed, apply the styptic powder immediately over the affected area and make sure the bleeding stops. Once you are done, return the bird back into the cage so it can calm done rather than being beaten by the bird.

As you can see, clipping a bird’s wing is very easy. But if you don’t have anyone around to assist or you are not that confident yet to do it yourself, bring this over instead to the vet for proper care and handling.

The next thing you have to do when grooming your pet bird is clipping their wings. The reason why you have to clip your bird’s wings is to prevent it from flying into mirrors or windows which could them a concussion. To do this, you will need again a towel, styptic powder and a pair of scissors. 

To clip the wings, you will have to restrain the bird using the towel while leaving one wing exposed. Once the bird is secure, expose the wing gently until it is extended.

You will soon notice that there are two rows of feathers. The long row of feathers on the bottom half is what is used by bird to fly. From here, you will now have to decide whether to do a severe wing clip or a moderate clip.

The severe wing clip is done by removing all the ten long feathers at the end of each wing. The moderate clip leaves the first 2 weathers intact while removing the last 8 feathers.

There is another method of clipping the wings known as pinioning that happens to be a permanent method of wing clipping and this should only be done by a veterinarian.

Clip carefully so the bird does not bleed. If it does, pull it out so you remove the feather and the shaft then apply styptic powder. The time you have completed the first wing, you got to do the same for the other because failure to do so makes the bird feel off balanced.

Lastly, mist your bird with water as this helps them stay sleek and smooth. This is a faster way of cleaning them if they don’t like taking a bath regularly.

Clipping the toenails and wings as well as misting are the proper ways of grooming your bird. These are chores you have to learn how do so you don’t always have to drive over the clinic.

To clip your pet bird, you will need a pair of animal clippers, a towel, styptic powder and a helper. If there is no styptic powder available, you will have to use household flour because this is a good blood clotting agent.

Before you begin, put the towel over your bird’s head because if they get scared by what you are doing, there is a very good chance that they bird will bite you. When you put the towel over the head, see that it doesn’t obstruct them to breathe. It will also be a good idea to speak to the bird in a soothing tone and hold them securely.

The part of the toenail that will be clipped is the little hook that is found at the end of each toenail. Never cut any further because this will make your bird begin to bleed.

If the bird begins to bleed, apply the styptic powder immediately over the affected area and make sure the bleeding stops. Once you are done, return the bird back into the cage so it can calm done rather than being beaten by the bird.

As you can see, clipping a bird’s wing is very easy. But if you don’t have anyone around to assist or you are not that confident yet to do it yourself, bring this over instead to the vet for proper care and handling.

The next thing you have to do when grooming your pet bird is clipping their wings. The reason why you have to clip your bird’s wings is to prevent it from flying into mirrors or windows which could them a concussion. To do this, you will need again a towel, styptic powder and a pair of scissors. 

To clip the wings, you will have to restrain the bird using the towel while leaving one wing exposed. Once the bird is secure, expose the wing gently until it is extended.

You will soon notice that there are two rows of feathers. The long row of feathers on the bottom half is what is used by bird to fly. From here, you will now have to decide whether to do a severe wing clip or a moderate clip.

The severe wing clip is done by removing all the ten long feathers at the end of each wing. The moderate clip leaves the first 2 weathers intact while removing the last 8 feathers.

There is another method of clipping the wings known as pinioning that happens to be a permanent method of wing clipping and this should only be done by a veterinarian.

Clip carefully so the bird does not bleed. If it does, pull it out so you remove the feather and the shaft then apply styptic powder. Once you are done with the first wing, do the same for the other because failure to do so makes the bird feel off balanced.

Lastly, mist your bird with water as this helps them stay sleek and smooth. This is a faster way of cleaning them if they don’t like taking a bath regularly.

Clipping the toenails and wings as well as misting are the proper ways of grooming your bird. These are chores you have to learn how do so you don’t always have to drive over the clinic.

Fruits are great because they have vitamins and minerals. Some examples which you can give your pet bird include bananas, grapes, melons and oranges. Just remember it is fresh and whatever they do not eat after an hour should thrown away to prevent the growth of harmful bacteria.

If fruits are good, there is no doubt that vegetables are also worth giving to your pet bird. Some examples are broccoli, cauliflower, carrots and peas. Just be sure to wash them first so any pesticides that were used in planting them are removed.

Beans are also good to give to your pet bird. Before you give it, make sure to cook it first because there are certain varieties of beans that are harmful if they happen to eat this raw.

We love pasta and your pet bird can enjoy that too. This is because pasta is rich in carbohydrates and it can go well with the fruits or vegetables that you are giving. Best of all, this can be eaten raw or cooked.

Your pet bird can also eat bread as this provides them with a good source fiber. It is best to give it to them in smell bites first rather than a whole piece if you are giving this for the very first time.

Another ideal snack to give your pet bird is popcorn. If you decide to serve this unpopped, boil it first in plain water so you can soften the tough hull. If you are giving this cooked, make sure this is heated using the microwave because these are high in fat and salt that is harmful to their health.

Cereals and grains can also be given to your pet bird. Such treats contain carbohydrates and protein so just fill up their plate and then watch them munch it away.

Nuts are also a tasty treat that your pet bird will enjoy. If they don’t eat it, this can also be used to exercise their beaks. Just be sure the variety of nuts you give is both clean and unsalted.

Lastly, you can give some pepper to your pet birds. This is because they can easily take it since they lack the taste receptors that we humans have. If you don’t believe it, try giving your pet bird either some fresh chili or banana pepper.

Birds need proper nutrition and in order for that to happen, it has to be ingested, digested and absorbed. You can get this from many products and if you want to know what else they can eat, ask your veterinarian or do some research. That way, you are sure that what you are giving them is safe and that they will not experience any side effects.

If they do not like what you have given, don’t force them and offer them something else. In time, you will figure out what treats they like and do not like so they can get to eat other stuff not only seeds and pellets.

To digest the items, your pet bird just ate, you need to make sure that they have a sufficient amount of water inside the cage.

Positive reinforcement is an effective method which can be used to train and tame birds. Positive reinforcement focuses on what birds want like food, a scratch, verbal praise, comfort and other similar things.  Negative reinforcement, of course, is the opposite of this and is rarely successful in the long run.

Punishment never resolves the birds’ behaviour issues.  To address negative attitude of birds, here are some simple tips you can keep in mind: 

• Show your dissatisfaction with your bird’s behaviour by facial expressions.  Frown.  Birds can pick up facial expressions and body movements.  The best method of showing dissatisfaction towards your pet bird is by your body movements.  Maintain eye contact when doing this.

• There are bed owners who also suggest turning your back behind your birds or ignoring them.They would be discouraged from doing bad acts by this.

• Some bird owners say that it is effective to speak to birds with low but not loud voice.  Tell them what they did was wrong.  But be concise and short as possible. Too much negative attention can have negative effects on your pet.

A bird should never be hit.  Birds have fragile bones, physical force may injure them fatally. Also, bird abuse can also result to aggressiveness and viciousness.

The health of your pet should not be compromised at the cost of disciplining them.  Examples would be insufficient food and water supply, neglecting the cage and even bathing them.  This can result into deep emotional and physical injuries.

• When giving birds food as rewards for their good behaviour, choose some food which they would enjoy but rarely eat.  It is also good to pet, scratch them as positive reinforcements.  But be cautious of offering treats with too much sugar and fat. 

There would be instances when severe aggression and viciousness is treated with mood-modifying drugs.  When having problems with your birds you can consult your avian behaviourist or your vet.  But any treatment is useless without addressing the issues causing the bad behaviour. 

Actually, it is important to determine if the bad behaviour is brought about by medical condition.  So if you have noticed anything with your bird it would be best to bring them first to a vet to make sure that medical issues are ruled out.

Attitude cannot change overnight. You should never be disappointed even after employing the mentioned tips your birds are not showing improvements immediately.  Just like when disciplining children, consistency is the key when training your birds.  Birds would understand what you would like to happen when you start being consistent with your method and ways. 

When disciplining your pet birds, it is important to balance things.  Of course you wanted to correct bad behaviour, but it is as important to reinforce of point out the good behaviour also.  Birds respond to training better when focusing on the good things, not the bad things.

This method may require hard work, patience and love.  It may take a long time, but when you look at your happy pet bird, I think its going to be worth it.

Before getting yourself a feathered friend, there are some things you need to answer first

• Can you still care for a bird?  Birds are social creatures, they also need time.So you must be very sure in your mind that you or your family members have enough time to devote to care for a bird.

• Is your home and your neighbours okay with some bird noise?  Birds can be extremely noisy in several occasions. And can disrupt some neighbours.  But you can pick a smaller bird which can still make some noise inside the house but not disrupt the neighbourhood.

• Do you have other pets?It is also a fact that some of the pets interact with each other easily posing no problems at all.  But also there are some pets who may harm the new pet due to jealousy.Your pet bird can easily be killed by a hostile cat or dog.  These are some factors you would have to consider.

Giving some thought over these questions and still able to identify that you would still like to have a pet bird, then let’s go over to the selection process.   When choosing the right bird, make sure to do some research about the birds.  There are some birds which are overly demanding in terms of social and physical needs, these birds are better kept in the wild. 

Some good bird choices would be canaries, finches, cockatiels, parakeets, and lovebirds. These breeds of birds have long been bred in captivity and have already resulted into some domestic breeds.  The good thing about these birds is that the supplies they need can readily be purchased. 

On the other hand there are some birds which are better left alone in the wild, like some breeds of parrots, macaws, cockatoos, and toucans.  These birds have not undergone the breeding process that the domesticated birds have experienced.  These birds tend to be demanding to live with.

When choosing your pet bird, consider the following factors:

• Size – the rule is that the bigger the bird the bigger the responsibilities.  If you are just starting to be a bird owner,  then it would be best to start with a smaller up until to medium size.How big will the housing be depends on the size of your bird and what is its other physical requirements.

• Nutrition- a bird fed accordingly can live up to fifty years!  It is important to provide the proper diet to your birds.   Bird not only feed on seeds, they also require fruits and vegetables and lots of water.  Bird seed are not enough for your bird.

• Housing -  let us apply the rule again, the larger the bird, the larger the cage it requires.  A proper cage should have the bars spaced closely enough, close enough so that bird heads would not get caught between bars and for small birds to escape the cage.  The cage should be spacious enough so that the bird can move freely and have enough exercise.

• Budget and finance – birds, as well as any other pet, can pose some financial obligations.  For birds, the cage, accessories, maintenance, food and veterinary care can be costly.  When looking for a bird, then you should make yourself familiar with the cost of raising one. You want to have a pet that you can afford.

• Time and maintenance- unlike to what other people think, birds are not really low-maintenance pets.  There are some pet birds which would require daily exercise and constant social interaction. Time and  maintenance would include feeding, cleaning the dishes and the cage. Some parrots show some behaviour problems if they do not receive regular attention from pet owners.

Some of those wonderful creatures are very colorful, while the others are almost humorous. If you know about the type of bird you are looking for as a pet, then you should have a perception of what to expect from your new pet. This means you will need to do a proper amount of research on the bird before you get him or her. Try to look for a basic bird guide online.

When you get this pet, as long as you are ready to take on the responsibility of having a pet, we know you are going to be very happy. This is because birds make great friends. You will find your bird willing to do a lot of the things you do. In fact, when you take a shower, you bird may even want to be there with you!

When you’re eating, your bird may wish to watch you, and in many cases, they’ll attempt to eat from your dinner plate. Can you believe that some birds will copy everything you say? Some birds are so intelligent that you will fid yourself able to understand complete sentences–which actually make sense!

You should make sure you put your bird in a cage that has a lot of room. This is especially important for those birds that spend nearly all of their time in their cage. Your bird is going to require plenty of room to move about. Basically, if your bird is not able to stretch his wings and flap them without hitting the sides of the cage, then the cage is too small and you should get a new one. You might also try to gather information regarding accessories for birds, so that you are better prepared to meet your bird’s needs. Now that you’re informed of the basic responsibilities of maintaining a bird, do you think you’re ready?