New Bird Information

Congratulations on your new pet bird! Today you're beginning a long-term relationship with a complex animal that may be as intelligent as a monkey, chimpanzee or even a small child! If you provide a warm, nurturing environment with the proper nutrition and veterinary care, your new fine feathered friend will give you many years of love and entertainment in return.

A "hand-fed" bird, which was separated from its parents at an early age and raised by human surrogates, will quickly become a member of your family. (Young budgies and cockatiels tame easily, so many breeders don't hand-feed them.) Place its cage in a draft-free area of a room which receives plenty of indirect sunshine. (Make sure part of the cage is always in the shade.) Your den or family room is usually a good choice because birds love to watch the comings and goings of their human "flock members." However, if your family room is unusually noisy, or if you have small children who frequent the room without adult supervision, select another room for your bird's home.

Do not put the cage in your kitchen, because smoke and cooking fumes are extremely harmful -- birds' tiny respiratory systems are very delicate, and much different from our own.

Once a week, disinfect your bird's home by washing the slide-out tray in a chlorine solution (follow bottle directions carefully) and rinsing thoroughly with warm water. (Make sure your bird is in another room of the house and supervised by another person -- or in another cage -- while you do this. Your bird should never be exposed to any chemicals.) Then you need to clean the rest of the cage. If it's relatively small, you may want to place the whole thing in the bath tub and wash the plastic parts in the chlorine solution, then rinse thoroughly in warm water. Chlorine can pit or discolor brass and other metals, so you'll probably want to wash these metal parts with hot soapy water instead, then rinse until the water runs clear.

If your bird's cage is too large to place in the tub, clean it where it stands. (Again, your bird should not be in the cage while you do this.) Use a sponge and a bucket of hot soapy water to wash it down. Rinse with a clean sponge soaked in fresh water. For extra disinfecting, dampen paper towels with rubbing alcohol and give the entire cage a wipe down, then rinse thoroughly again afterwards.

Many birds look at pellet foods suspiciously at first, so don't try to "convert" them from a seed diet to a pellet diet all at once. Follow the conversion instructions on the package carefully, and don't give up! The right food can add years to your bird's life...and improve its overall health and appearance.

In addition to pellet food, offer your bird a variety of fruits, vegetables, cooked beans and rice, raw leafy vegetables such as collard greens and kale, whole grain, dry, sugar-free cereals. These foods should be placed in a separate bowl (not the pellet bowl) and removed within two hours so they don't spoil. Depending on how it was raised, your bird may not accept these foods immediately, but keep trying. Some birds refuse to eat these foods out of a bowl but will accept them if they're hung from the side or top of the cage. (You can buy special clips and skewers made for this purpose at your pet store.)

Birds that were hand-fed often take nutritious foods from a spoon or their owner's fingers. In fact, sharing safe treats with your pet is a great way to strengthen your friendship.

Do not feed your bird even small amounts of avocado, chocolate, rhubarb or alcohol -- these foods are highly toxic to birds! All sugary or salty foods are out, too...if it's not good for people, it's not good for birds.

Every bird should also have a cuttlebone and a mineral block at all times. If you have a budgie (parakeet), make sure its mineral block contains iodine, which is essential to their health.

Remember to give your bird fresh water every day. After you wash and thoroughly rinse its water bowl, let the cold water tap run for two or three minutes. This cleans out bacteria and some of the lead that accumulates in older water pipes overnight.

Certain species, such as lories and lorikeets, have very specific dietary requirements. Consult your veterinarian for nutritional advice specific to your pet.

Bring your bird out of its cage by offering your index finger (for a small bird) or your entire hand, fingers together in a vertical position (for a large bird), and firmly say the word "up" while gently moving your finger/hand towards its abdomen. It will take a while for your bird to catch on, but in time it will understand that "up" means to get on your finger or hand immediately. If it nips or bites, simply repeat the "up" command again firmly. Never hit your bird; they don't learn from physical discipline, they learn from love and repetition.

The "up" command is crucial because it lets the bird know that you're in charge. And if your bird is ever in a dangerous situation and you need to get it out of harm's way, the "up" command could save its life.

Your bird should also have a couple of toys inside its cage to entertain it while you're away. Buy several and rotate them every week so your bird won't get bored. Your pet store can help you choose from safe, brightly-colored acrylic, hard-wood and leather toys. Avoid old-fashioned "jingle bell" toys and "key ring" type fasteners since they're infamous for trapping bird toes and beaks. (Ask for bird-safe "quick links" at your pet store.) Rope and fabric toys, which are great pacifiers for young birds and create the perfect diversion for "feather pluckers," should be supervised and discarded when overly frayed. (If your bird's nails are overgrown, take it to your bird groomer or vet for a nail clipping before you let it play with fabric or rope toys.)

In fact, it's a good idea to supervise your bird the first few times it plays with any new toy to be sure its appropriate and safe for your pet. Also, be aware that some birds are frightened of new things, while others rush to play with anything that resembles fun.

1. Toilet bowls. Keep the lid closed so your bird can't accidentally fly in and drown.
2. Filled drinking glasses. To your bird, your iced tea might look like an inviting place to take a swim! Don't leave any liquids around when your bird is out playing.
3. Many household plants are toxic. Play it safe, and don't let your bird climb or chew on any plant.
4. JUST SAY "NO" TO NON-STICK COOKWARE! When Teflon, SilverStone and other non-stick cookware reaches a certain temperature, it emits polytetrafluoroethlyne (PTFE) fumes which are deadly to birds no matter where they may be in your home. A home with birds should have NO TEFLON-coated or non-stick products! Discard all of your Teflon-coated cookware, bakeware, irons, etc., today! If your kitchen range was manufactured recently, check the manufacturer's directions to determine if any parts (broiler pans, burner covers, etc.) are made of non-stick material. If so, these parts should be replaced, since they have been known to cause bird deaths.
5. Chocolate, Avocado, Rhubarb and alcohol are all toxic to birds! Do not give your bird even small amounts of these foods.
6. Lead is extremely poisonous to birds. Tiffany lamps, drapery weights, fishing weights, bullets, some paint, glazed ceramics, foil (from wine bottles, etc.), mirror backings, batteries, costume jewelry and many other common household items contain lead. A good rule of thumb is: Don't let your bird chew on anything except its own food or toys!
7. SAY "NO" TO AEROSOLS! Insect sprays, bug bombs, perfume, hair spray, spray starch...every modern household has a long list of aerosol products. Unfortunately, they are all toxic to birds. Never spray any aerosol product in your bird's room, and remember that air conditioners and ventilation systems carry fumes throughout your house. There are several "safer" insecticides available (through some pet stores and hardware stores), including those containing Pyrethrins. (Camicide is one brand.) Even these must be used with extreme caution according to label directions.
8. Make your home a no-smoking zone! We all know how bad smoking is for humans, but it's even worse for birds! Their respiratory systems can't handle even small amounts of smoke. So if you, your family or guests must smoke, please step outside to do it!
9. A parrot can easily chew through an electrical cord, so hide them well!
10. Learn to shuffle! Since your bird needs to come out to play every day, you have to be constantly aware that it's there. Tame birds love to follow their human family and get underfoot -- so look before you walk!

How do you find a good avian vet? Ask an assortment of bird owners, your pet store and members of your local bird club. Make a list of vets names which come up over and over. Then make an appointment to see one or more of these veterinarians without your bird to check out the vet and his/her facilities. Ask questions. Is he/she a member of the Association of Avian Veterinarians (AAV)? Does he/she attend annual AAV conferences to keep up with the fast-changing science of avian medicine? What diagnostic tools does he/she use? Does he/she have all the equipment necessary to handle an avian emergency?

If you are comfortable with your selection, bring your bird in for its first annual physical. Your new vet will perform a series of routine tests to ensure that your bird is in good health and make specific care and dietary recommendations. If you bird ever does become ill, the information your vet gathered during this exam may help him/her make a diagnosis.

This pamphlet was designed to acquaint you with bird care basics only. There is a wide variety of avian (bird) literature available from your pet store, libraries and book stores, and B.A.B.A. recommends that you read as much as you can to ensure the health and well-being of your new bird. Magazines such as Bird Talk (for subscription information, phone 303-786-7306), which are dedicated to the care of pet birds, are also jam-packed with useful information for bird owners.

For more information about B.A.B.A. call (212) 330-8160.