Bird Health - Pet Bird Care

Health Protection Plan For Your New Bird

The following recommendations will limit the stress experienced by your new new bird and should be adopted from the time of collection and continued for its entire life.

The correct cage makes your bird feel safe.
Make sure your bird has food and water and is eating and drinking.
Give your bird plenty of sleep time.
Give NV Powder (a sweetened stress vitamin and mineral) in the water for the first three days.
Get a health check from an avian veterinarian within three days of purchase.
Keep the cage clean.

The cage and making your bird feel safe.

Birds feel safe when they think their enemies cannot find them.

Get a cage with a large door and a flat top. Such cages allow the bird to feel safe and are best for hand taming.
Place the cage up off the ground in an area of the house with a clear view of the normal household activities and sounds, but not in the direct line of traffic flow. The family room would be ideal. When your bird is well adjusted to the household then it can be moved closer to the action.
Do not put the the cage near the high humidity of the bathroom or laundry.
For the first week cover the sides and tops of their cage leaving only the front view exposed.

Feed your new bird the best quality food.
The correct feeding is the most important part of your new birds future health and quality as a pet bird. Good nutrition and good health go hand in hand. The most tame and best talking pet birds are always very healthy. The reverse is also true, unhealthy birds never talk and rarely become fully tamed. Good feeding requires more than selecting good quality food and keeping the water clean.

Engender good eating habits immediately.
You must teach your new bird good eating habits during its first three weeks with you. At the same time you must help your bird adjust to the new foods and its new home as quickly as possible.

Use clean seed (see image) and clean water.
Use health supplements on the seed (Turbobooster and F-vite). Make sure your bird is accepting these new tastes and is actually eating the seed.
Do not put grit, paper or sand on the floor at this time. Instead clean the floor with a cage cleaner daily. In this way dropping health can be monitored very closely.
Give NV powder in the water for the first three days. This vitamin and mineral product is also rich in energy and helps the bird cope with the stresses of moving to a new home. Give NV powder for two consecutive days each week for the first three weeks then go onto the sugar free regular health programme mentioned.
Talk gently and touch your bird as often as possible.
Monitor its health and well being very carefully every day for the first three weeks. It should be active and alert, not fluffed up and disinterested in you. Call your veterinarian if it becomes fluffed up, listless or is not eating.

Give your new bird plenty of sleep.
At least 9 hours of sleep a day is required to help your bird adjust to its new home and because the bird will only sleep in the dark it is necessary to cover the cage or turn the lights off. Keep the cage in the one place, not moving it to another room at night as this will upset your new new bird.

Move slowly but surely near and around your pet bird.
Quick movements will scare your new bird and it is recommended to keep your dog and cat away from your new bird for at least two weeks. When feeding or catching your bird do so slowly and do not raise your voice or shout at it especially if it bites, for this will promote a noisy spiteful bird.