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Do you have the Spring Cleaning bug?   I think Spring is a great time  to thoroughly clean your Bird's Home and surrounding birdie areas. I'd like to share a few tips (and Bird Rules) I find useful. Tip 1 -   Remember to remove bird from cage to fun play area with lots of toys and treats to keep your bird occupied before beginning cleaning project.  As many of us know, some birds simply do not like anyone messing with their stuff.  So keeping them occupied elsewhere, hopefully, may keep them from noticing what you are up to. Tip 1 Bird Rule:    Always respect the bird and his or her personal "things" 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 clot...

The ants seem to be moving in early this year at my house.  So I thought I would share a few suggestions on ways to help control ants in a natural safe bird-friendly way. Here are a few ideas on naturally controlling ant invasions and a few stronger suggestions if necessary 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, cats, and my little dog.  My birds and cats are very inquisitive creatures that love to c...

My Bird keeps laying eggs without a mate. Is that normal? Yes, laying eggs without a mate does happen.  Some birds such as Love Birds, Budgies, and Cockatiels, in particular may lay eggs several times a year.  Usually it's not a serious issue for them, but there are a few things you can try that might help break the hormonal breeding cycle.  Laying too many eggs can deplete calcium and can become a health issue for some birds. Some of the triggers for breeding include longer days, warmer days, abundance of food, and nesting areas as determined by your bird. So in attempting to break the cycle, try putting your bird to bed very early so the days are short for her.  That means covering her cage "completely" with a dark cover and making sure her cage is located in a very quite room for sleeping.  You may have to shorten her days for several weeks to break the cycle. If she has a favorite toy she feeds, or a sleeping hut or bed, she thinks of as "nest...

A little planning can save valuable minutes in an emergency. Although any time of year can have weather-related emergencies, spring often brings tornados, floods, severe thunderstorms, lightning strikes, power outages, or early hurricanes, for many parts of the US. This weekend in February is our Severe Weather Preparedness free tax weekend so I thought it a good time to also give a little reminder to check your emergency kits for any needed updates or additions.  If you don't already have an emergency bag or kit of some kind, then definitely it's time to get things organized for the "just in case" situation. Being prepared ahead of time can be key to avoiding a lot of worries, and can help keep both you and your bird safe during any weather emergency. Severe weather can often cause power outages so it's always good to have some extra non-perishable bird food on hand for such an event.  Include a few bottles of water, as well as some paper ...

BIRDS LOVE PIZZA TOO ! Pizza is not just for humans.  Birds love pizza too.  You just need to prepare it a little differently sometimes. You can easily start with a frozen pizza crust to bake, or a small ready-made whole wheat pizza crust, rice cake, or a large flour tortilla for the base of your pizza. Add some of your bird's favorites such as minced or shredded carrots, broccoli, sweet potato, apple, bell peppers (any color or combination of colors), spinach, and so on. Begin your pizza layering with a thin layer of one of the following on your pizza to help hold all the food together on the crust, rice cake or tortilla: Organic Peanut butter or Almond Butter; a layer of sweet potato baby food, or mixed vegetables baby food (found in small size jars in your local grocery store).  Then layer on top any and all veggies and fruits your bird enjoys. (I personally prefer not to use any cheese as some birds are not able to digest easily, and remember no on...

"My bird threw up on me. Yuck!" Well, maybe "Yuck!" to the human, but it could be a sign of true love from your parrot.  Of course, we are assuming it is indeed love sharing by your parrot and not a health issue.  If in doubt, have your bird checked by your avian veterinarian to be sure. Now back to the "love gurge".  Although it might not smell fragrant (depending on what your bird's diet consists of), and can be kind of yucky in texture and volume, especially if it's love from a large parrot like a macaw, but it's also an honor to be the recipient.  It's your bird's way of sharing food and love with you. Usually it starts with the bobbing of the head and you may even find bits of undigested food from a fresh fruit and vegetable diet, tiny bits of seed, or pellets if it happens soon after a meal.  Again, if you are not sure whether it's regurgitation or vomiting, don't hesitate to check with your vet. Birds regurgit...

How Important is Humidity to Your Bird? Most parrots are originally native to Rainforests around the world.  The average humidity level in most rainforests is about 80% humidity.  Sometimes as high as 90% in certain seasons of the year. The average home in the winter months with the heat running to keep us warm has a humidity level of about 20-25% humidity. That is indeed quite a difference.  Of course, we do not need to maintain such high humidity in our homes for our birds to be comfortable as the rainforest provides, but we do need a little more than 25% for both parrots and their people.  The most recommended humidity level in the winter in our homes is about 40%. Very low humidity levels increase dry skin, itchy skin, and even flakiness for your bird.  It can cause over-preening and even feather destruction in an attempt to help the itchy dry feeling of skin and feathers.  It also usually affects humans with dry flaky itchy skin in the w...