Animal Stop

New Bird Information Sheet

(The following is an information sheet given to our new bird owners when they purchase a new bird. Hopefully you will receive the same sort of information from whomever you buy your birds from.)

Congratulations on the purchase of your new bird!!!

According to our records, your baby .................. was hatched on or about ....................... Parent colors: Male ............... Female....................

Our birds are fed a diet of mixed vegetables, Crazy Corn, cereal (Fruit Loops, Apple Jacks, Cheerios, etc.) wheat bread, fresh seed, rice, pasta and spray millet. Keep in mind that spray millet is a treat, high is fat and should be fed to grown birds no more than twice a week. REMEMBER....NUTRITION IS CRUCIAL Feed your bird some of whatever you eat for dinner, watch spices and sauces, no chocolate or avocado. The better the diet, the longer the life your bird will have.

The most COMMON CAUSE OF DEATH in birds is DRAFTS! Therefore, it is essential that the BIRD NOT BE KEPT close to a constantly open door, or within range of the air movement of a ceiling fan or air conditioning vent.

STRESS is also potentially fatal. Common causes of stress are changes, (moving, new diets, new people, etc.) other pets, small children, etc. Birds can be wonderful pets for children if each are taught to respect the other. If your bird appears stressed, calm them by removing the stress factor, covering the cage and keeping them safe and warm.

The first day you bring your bird home, set up the cage, clean cups, fresh seed, water, a spray of millet and leave them alone until they eat. Once you are sure they are eating, you may begin to take them out and play with them. Introduce new foods, toys, etc., one at a time, so your bird is not overwhelmed by them.

Next to you birds' nutrition and safety, it's cage is important. According to our reference books the minimum cage requirements for your size bird is...........................................

Adequate toys and playthings should be kept in the cage at all times. We obviously recommend our JUST PLAIN TOYS because our birds are brought up on them, but there are many other good quality toys on the market. Toys should be satisfying to the bird, we don't recommend plastic or acrylic as their is nothing satisfying about them as they cannot and should not be destroyed by the birds.

We strongly recommend that you visit your neighborhood library and read as much as you can about your new pet. Most libraries have several good books on many different kinds of birds.

Please feel free to call us at any time with any questions and we will be happy to try and help you. We appreciate your business and wish you years of happiness with your new family member.

P. S. Just as a suggestion, be wary of breeders who "buy, sell and trade". Ask how long they quarantine their new birds before they offer them for sale or add them to their flock. Unless the quarantine time is at least 30 - 45 days and in a totally different air space, avoid buying from this place. There are a lot of avian diseases going around now, there is no reason to increase your chances of having something go wrong with your new bird.

Ask lots of questions, take a list with you, so that you are completely satisfied that you have all of the information you need. Whether you are buying a budgie parakeet or a blue and gold macaw, you deserve to have all of your questions answered.

This page was last updated Thursday July 05, 2007

Don't forget toys for your birds at: Just Plain Toys or look for additional perches at: Natural Branch Perches (remember birds get minerals from the wood they chew up)

Build your own toys? Check out - Raw Materials.

Do you like the original Cowbells? Check them out at Texas Cowbells. Pure White or Copper Color. Porcelain-like Durable Epoxy Powder Coated Steel Cow Bells Last for years.

This page was last updated Thursday July 05, 2007