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With our 4th of July celebrations this weekend, please remember you pets may not love all the people and sounds of the celebration. Fireworks make my birds nervous, some get flighty, especially the cockatiels, and some get very very quiet.   My little Yorkie is terrified of all the loud pops and sizzles.  The cat however, doesn't seem bothered in any way in the whole event. I walk outside with my Yorkie when she needs to go out, and keep her close to me at all times so she has some reassurance of the unknown.  I cover any birds that get very upset, so they will settle down better.  I give special treats too so everyone can hopefully associate treats with this time if possible.  I also make sure strangers or even known groups of people, do not invade the birds' space.  The birds all know me, they love me (well at least most of them do), and they trust me, so I am their go-to-person during this time. Playing a television or radio on low can also help...

Here are a few ideas on naturally controlling ant invasions Unless you are an ant lover, you probably would prefer to see no ants in your bird room or anywhere else in your home.  In fact you probably also prefer not to have them hanging around your home on the outside either. There are many articles online to help you identify which species of ant you are trying to rid yourself of.  However, I prefer to focus on how to get rid of them.  Getting rid of ants naturally is the way to go if you have birds, other pets, or even small children in the home. There are commercial ant baits that do work, but I prefer not to use them around my birds and cats, as birds and cats are very inquisitive creatures that love to check out anything new in the room.  Birds are quite capable of cracking open ant baits to see what is inside, and I find my cats love to bat the ant baits around the room to see how far they will slide.  One easy way to help prevent ants fr...

Ah, summertime and the living is easy.  Well, unless you are being invaded by those nasty annoying fruit flies and gnats. If you have birds in your home, you may well have experienced first hand the summer fruit fly takeover.  They can multiply from one to hundreds in no time at all.  They love sharing the fruits and veggies along with your bird.  Swarming onto the leftovers in the cage tray, or on the food on the floor that your parrot has selectively thrown out of the food dish.  Maybe hidden until you bring out that nice juicy piece of fruit to chop up for your bird.  Then, wham, they are there to enjoy the fruits of your labor, so to speak. This time of year also brings those pesky gnats and to me they look just like fruit flies and are just as annoying.  Main difference is fruit flies as named, love the foods they can find, gnats tend to gather most around water sources.  It's easy to have both.  Whether it's fruit flies or gnats...

Planning that fun summer vacation trip yet?   Whether traveling and/or vacationing for fun or just visiting with family and friends, you may want to weigh the pros and cons of taking your bird along with you.  Many birds enjoy traveling with their family and do very well.  Remember it's never too soon to start planning either.   If you have a responsible friend or family member to care for your bird, you may decide to vacation without your feathered friend.  If your bird will be staying at home, try to have someone come in at lease twice a day to check on everything, provide fresh water or food, and turn on or off a radio or television that your bird may be enjoying during the day.  Provide some new toys and some special treats while you are gone so your bird has something to do while the family is away.  If you don't think your bird will be happy staying at home alone, then have him or her vacation with their caretaker or board at a local...

I am often asked what are some healthy fruits and vegetables to feed a bird.  Healthy foods are always the goal, but if your bird won't touch them, well a 'bird's gonna do what a bird's gonna do'.  So here are 3 suggestions of some fun fruits and veggies to try.  All it sometimes takes is one new veggie or fruit piece to start your bird on a healthier diet. I love feeding carrot tops and carrots.  Carrots and carrot tops are awesome Vitamin A sources for your bird.  All of our birds from the smallest finches to the largest Macaw, have fun while they eat them.  I rinse the carrot tops and weave through the bars of a cage for the small birds who love munching, shredding, and even enjoying the wet greenery as a refreshment.  The added bonus of feeding carrot tops, is that if you are growing them in a pot or your garden, clipping the tops only encourages them to produce more carrot tops.  That's a win-win. Watermelon is a yummy super food that...

Finally, for just about everyone, spring has arrived in the US.  Time to get those veggie gardens going if you haven't already done so. Many think that growing fresh healthy vegetables and greens for your bird is a whole lot of work. Maybe you don't have room for an in-the-ground vegetable garden.  Maybe you don't want to spend your free time getting rid of all those weeds you envision.  Maybe you don't feel like you have that "green" thumb you hear people speak of. So let's put all those "maybe" thoughts away.  If you have land to plant a big garden, awesome, but if you don't, join the new generation of container gardeners.  Containers do not have to be expensive garden variety flower pots, any old, or new, plastic container will do.  Depending on the plants you choose to grow, containers can vary from a plastic shoe box, to a big storage tub, or anything in between. Take your container, drill a few drainage holes in the b...

  Here are a few tips that might make the job a little easier Tip 1   Remove bird from cage to fun play area with lots of things to keep him occupied before beginning. Some birds do not like anyone messing with their stuff.  If your bird is not tame, or is fully flighted and may get into trouble if left unattended, place your bird in a carrier or small travel cage with fun stuff while you clean. Tip 2  - Remove all bird toys and perches from cage prior to cleaning. Good time to inspect all toys for wear and tear and throw out anything that might not still be safe. Check bells, texture toys, bird beds, and links closely. Tip 3  - Wooden perches can be soaked in a sink or bathtub in gentle dish detergent and water but be sure to thoroughly rinse and dry before returning to the cage. Rope and Sisal or other material perches can be brushed with a stuff bristle brush to help remove dried on poop or food.  Once wet, these types of perch ...

Spring is the beginning of Severe Weather Season in many parts of the U.S. with tornadoes, severe thunderstorms, and flooding, followed by possible hurricanes. Sometimes during and after storms, power outages can occur.  I t is always smart to  have some extra non-perishable bird food on hand for emergencies.   Include a few bottles of water for  your bird, as well as some paper towels, and a bird first aid kit (see link below for information on creating your bird first aid kit) Having some fresh fruit on hand can provide some quick energy food and a distraction for an upset bird. If your bird is frightened by thunder and storms, try covering the cage so your bird feels more secure.  Placing your bird in a carrier or smaller cage and covering with a blanket or large towel, can also provide the security feeling. When possible it is usually a good idea to place your bird in the carrier or cage before the weather gets really bad, as during the storm...

Those spring time warm days often seem to bring with them a feathered friend who may act like a bird with a newly developed personality disorder. For example, in our home there is one very loud boisterous Amazon named Gertie, one very aggressive "Make My Day" Amazon named Ronnie, and one very very needy Cockatoo named Girlie. Although there are some birds who seem to move through season with very little personality change, other than maybe a seasonal molt, there are many others who are not so mellow in their seasons. Spring is breeding season for most parrots we share our lives with, and can bring with it hormonal ups and downs ranging from ear deafening noise levels of screaming for no apparent reason, to unprovoked aggression against the person it loved only yesterday, to needy hold me all the time or I will be a very bad bird tantrums, and on occasion an egg or two in the cage. Spring is a good time to change out some of those old toys for new ones that can be d...