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The labeling of bird food products can be over the top confusing for many of us. Here are the label Buzz words  Organic , that's supposed to be the best right? All Natural , well of course I want natural foods because unnatural sounds, well, unnatural right? Holistic , now that sounds like something I need for my bird to help stay healthy right? Gourmet , that sounds yummy and nutritious and top-of-the-line right? Human Grade Ingredients , oh my, if it's not hu man grade then whatever is it? So let's break down these magical common words on labels  and what they really mean for our birds. Organic or Certified Organic: Organic refers to the way ingredients are grown, harvested, and processed. Organic ingredients must be free of synthetic additives like pesticides, chemical fertilizers, and dyes, and cannot be processed using industrial solvents, irradiation, or genetic engineering. If a bird food is 100% organic , the bird fo...

Those Pesky Moths There are two basic categories of household moths, the ones who invade your closet and chew holes in your clothing, and the ones that come from grain foods such as bird seed, as well as many other foods you bring home from the grocery store.  Have you ever walked down an aisle at a grocery store and spotted some moths flying around?  I have, as they can be found also in flour, corn meals, and such, and are not always brought home in the bird seed (although it usually is). Bird seed is harvested and cleaned by the bird food manufacturers using machinery to sift and clean the food before packaging.  This does help catch and remove pests/bugs in the seed mix, and some companies do a better job than others. Since the food is going to be eaten by your bird, there are no pesticides used, so quite naturally there are going to be some bugs every once in a while no matter who the company is.  Shrink wrapping does help, but does not guarant...

Choose your Flooring If you have hardwood floors, protecting the finish is very important.  Using an abrasive cleaner or scrubbing too hard, may damage the finish and even the wood itself. Tile or concrete floors can be very hard to clean, especially if the poop has been left for a while and now seems to be permanently 'stuck'. Carpeting can become stained and can be very hard to clean and brought back to it's original no stained look.  Some poops seem to have a permanent dye in them. Although vinyl or linoleum flooring may be a little easier to clean off the dried-on poop, it is still may take a lot of scrubbing; not fun at all. Here are a few ideas that might be helpful. 1. Place newspapers under the cage and play area and anywhere the poop might go.  For some messy birds, this might be a pretty wide area. 2.  If you don't like the look of printed newspaper, you can also go to your local newspaper's business locati...

If you are lucky enough to live where warm weather is springing upon you, you may already be planning some gardening.   If not, hopefully you will be enjoying the warmth of spring soon. Don't forget to include some vegetables and fruits in your garden for your birds.  Nothing beats fresh organic home-grown food for your bird.   You don't need a large garden plot to garden for your parrot, a big flower pot, bucket, or plastic storage tub will all work just fine.  Add some drainage holes if necessary, and some good garden soil to get things started.  Plant some seeds or get a few plants already started, and let your green thumb and imagination shine.   Visit our Pinterest Board "Gardening For Parrots" for some great plant suggestions and container gardening ideas.   Click Here to Visit

Spring is a great time  to thoroughly clean your Bird's Cage Here are a few tips to help you out. Tip 1  -  Remember to remove bird from cage to fun play area with lots of things  to keep your bird occupied before beginning. Some birds simply do not like  anyone messing with their stuff. Respect the bird if you value fingers and such. Tip 2  -  Remove all bird toys and perches from cage prior to cleaning. This is a  great time to thoroughly inspect all toys for wear and tear and throw out anything  that might not still be safe. Check for strings, shredded cloth or rope, bird poop that can't be cleaned away, chewed wood that has any sharp places, and so on. When in doubt, throw it out. Tip 3  -  Wooden and trimming 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 Sis...