Saturday, October 28, 2017

Halloween Safety Tips

There are still neighborhoods and areas that have giggling happy Trick-or-Treaters show up at their doors.  However, in many areas like my own, things have changed and you seldom if ever see children walking the neighborhood hoping to gather sweet treats.

If you do still get a few of those tricky visitors though, be sure to keep your bird safely away from open doors, scary costumes, and boisterous children (and sometimes even adults).

Since times have changed for many of us though, I thought a post about how to keep your bird safe at Halloween might be more along the lines of keeping the sweets from becoming birdie treats.

Sometimes I hear comments that chocolate must not be really toxic to birds because their bird ate a chocolate chip cookie, or some other chocolate treat and was fine.

I cringe when I hear these comments as yes, chocolate really IS toxic.  However not all chocolate is equal.  The dark cocoa found in Dark Chocolate Squares, Bittersweet, and Baker's chocolates are the most toxic and many people do not realize they contain also caffeine which is also bad for your bird.

Chocolate in any form should not be fed to birds. Yes, Bittersweet, Baker's and Dark Chocolates are more toxic than Milk Chocolate, but are you willing to take the chance that your bird has no problem?

It's not just chocolate treats either.  Those yummy sugary candies are no-nos too.  One candy corn may be a great sugar treat for a child, but that's a whole lot of sugar for a bird, especially a small one.


So keep the people treats for the people, and if you want your bird to share in the Halloween fun, pick up a few birdie treats, or even better, bake up some healthy bird treats of your own.



Thursday, October 12, 2017

It's Pumpkin Season!

Pumpkins and pumpkin seeds are truly a superfood.  High in vitamin A, providing calcium, magnesium, potassium, phosphorus, and other wonderful healthy nutrients, makes them a winner for your parrot's diet.

Check your grocery store or local farmers market for the smaller edible pumpkins as a whole foraging food for larger birds.  Bake them in the oven at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes if your bird prefers cooked softer foods, and after completely cooling, let your bird's fun begin.  You can also cut the top off and remove all the pumpkin seeds (use the seeds later) for less mess if you prefer.

Larger pumpkins can be cut open, seeds removed, baked for about 45 minutes, then cut into smaller sizes and placed in freezer bags for lots of future foraging fun.  You may also cut the pumpkin into chunks before baking as well.



The pumpkin pieces or chunks can also be smashed in a food processor or blender and added to your favorite bird bread recipe or added to your bird's chop.

Pumpkins seeds can be prepared by rinsing well to remove the stringy gooey pumpkin pulp, pat the seeds dry with a paper towel, or spread seeds on the towel or paper plate and air dry.  Then place the pumpkin seeds on a large cookie sheet or cake pan (REMEMBER: DO NOT US NON-STICK PANS THAT MIGHT CONTAIN TEFLON).  You can lightly spray the cookie sheet or pan first with some non-stick cooking spray to help keep the seeds from sticking to the pan.  Preheat your oven to 250-300 degrees and bake the seeds for about 40 minutes.  Ovens can vary so keep on eye on the seeds to be sure they do not burn.  It helps to stir the seeds around about every 10 minutes as well to prevent sticking.  

You can serve the seeds to your bird as soon as they have cooled, as well as placing some or all in freezer bags or containers and freeze for later use.  Pumpkin seeds make great nutritional treats all by themselves.


Saturday, October 07, 2017

The Spicy Scents of Fall

Fall is my favorite time of year.  The rich colors of the trees and the spicy scent of the air.

I love bringing the outdoor crisp smells into my own home.  However living with birds makes me choose safety first.

Scented candles, potpourri, scented pine cones, table top and plug-in air fresheners, and so on and so on, all make a quick easy addition to the scent of fall in your home.

BUT WAIT!  A BIG TIME WARNING! 

Those store bought goodies are not usually good for or safe to have around your bird.  Many of these ready-make items use some essential oils and these can be toxic to your bird.

Don't fret though, because it's so easy to make your own personal fall fragrances that are safe for your birds, other pets, or anyone with breathing issues or asthma.

It doesn't take much time either and can be quite fun to create what makes you smile in the morning.  Gather together some fresh or bottled spices and let your imagination swirl.

Standard fall spices include ground cinnamon or cinnamon sticks, cloves, pumpkin pie spice, and nutmeg.  Those make a good base to start with, then add anything your heart enjoys such as orange slices, lemon slices, or apples, and such.
When you have the right mix, use a small warming pot such as used for potpourri, or even a small size coffee pot that has a warm setting, or even just a small size sauce pot (NO TEFLON), add some water to your mixture and enjoy.  NOTE:  Never leave your warming pot unattended and especially a pot on the stove to prevent burning and safety issues.

As the liquid mix of water, spices and fruits warm, they emit the cozy feeling of fall that can last for hours or all day depending on how strong your scents are and how long you leave the warmer on.

Another quick idea is to create an arrangement by inserting cloves into oranges, sprinkle pine cones with spices, add cinnamon sticks, and set among fresh cut pine branches.

Enjoy experimenting with the different scents and amounts you like, and find what you love best.