Many of us have heard stories about birds outlasting their owners. This is a surprise to many, considering the delicate appearance of most species of birds. Birds, especially canaries, were used by miners to test the quality of the air deep in the mines. When the air reaches relatively unhealthy levels, the canaries are affected adversely and succumb to the fatal effects. This gives miners ample warning before the air became fatal for humans. This shows the keen perception of birds.

Pet birds are easily affected by unwholesome smells, similar to wild birds. Common household appliances and items such as Teflon pans, aerosol sprays and even innocuous furniture polish can be fatal for birds. The best policy when handling anything that may give off a strong odor is to use it in a well-ventilated area that is well away from your birds.

Pet birds have a strong desire to chew, and this can prove to be a serious danger. Lead poisoning can be caused when a bird chews on soldered joints found on welded items. In addition, birds like to nibble on potted plants. Despite contrary belief, poinsettia plants are not poisonous. It is important to remember that if you are unsure if a plant is toxic or not, it is best to err on the side of caution and move the plant away from the bird. A small pot of innocuous parsley can be helpful to the bird to overcome the desire of nibbling on houseplants as it is a safe substitute.

Fresh food that is fed to your birds will do them a whole lot of good; however, food like coffee, chocolate and avocado are fatal for birds and they should never be given such foods.

As the holiday season approaches, most people will bring a tree into their house. Many people associate a tree with a birds natural habitat and assume that their birds will enjoy climbing it. While the birds may in fact enjoy such an activity, many pine trees are toxic to birds, especially if they have been treated with any type of preservatives. In addition, ornaments and electric lights can pose a safety hazard to your birds.

If your bird does not have its wings clipped, there are quite a few additional safety concerns to be addressed. Firstly, all glass doors and windows should be shielded one way or another. A good bet is achieved by blinds, shades or curtains. Placing safety decals on windows and glass is another option, besides curtains or blinds, to alert the bird that the glass is there and help avoid serious or fatal accidents. Mirrors and other large reflective surfaces should be treated similarly when your bird is out of its cage.

Standing water can pose as a form of danger as well. Your bird can drown in a toilet or full kitchen sink in a matter of seconds. Cooking while a bird is out of its cage is not advised, especially if you have an uncovered pot on the stove.

Finally, always be mindful of the whereabouts of your bird even if its wings are clipped. Even a bird with clipped wings can soar for a considerable distance if there is an upward breeze. It is easy to forget that your bird is perched on your shoulder when your doorbell suddenly rings and you rush to answer it but you must remember never to carry your bird to an open door regardless of whether or not its wings are clipped.

Moses Wright is a an experience bird owner. He created a web site to help fellow pet owners with their home pet problems You can get more free information on bird care problems on his site.

There are a plethora of choices available when it comes to cages for your African Grey. What should always try to look through the cosmetic aspects of the cage, and instead focus on what your African Grey really needs. There are numerous shapes in which parrot cages come in, from square to round it of course rectangle. It is very advisable however, that you do not opt for our round cage for your African Grey parrot. This has been proven to cause not only psychological problems, but also orientation problems. One very important thing that you should be careful about is the width between the bars. The width of the bars must not be wide enough to let your African Grey parrot stepped its head through the bars as this can result in your parrot being trapped and in trying to escape, it breaks its neck. Generally, the bigger the cage the better for your bird it will be. Your parrot will thoroughly appreciate having the extra space.

Another thing, you may want to consider is whether the cage opens from the side, or from the top. A benefit of having the cage open from the top is that your parrot will be able to scale out onto a high perch.

Perches are another thing that you should consider. If you perch is made of hard doweling rod, you may want to consider changing it for a softer wood, especially if it is smooth. If you do this then your parrot will learn to climb about the cage, which in turn will mean that it will build its confidence faster. If you are in a situation where you have a baby African Grey, then you should place the perch lower in the cage until it has more confidence and stability.

Your African Grey of course loves food and water, so you should ensure that there are ample amounts and their accessibility to these feeders are easy for your bird. One thing you should do if you have a young bird is to place the food and water in different places. This will mean your bird will have to explore its cage which in turn help it gain confidence in its surroundings.

Iziah Shumkel is webmaster of www.Bird-Training.com an information packed site where you can learn how to train your bird, get free video tutorials and more. Visit us for free Parrot Training tips today.

Parrots tend to hold a special place in animals lovers hearts, they are much admired throughout the world. A parrots intelligence is an attractive quality that attracts a lot of animal lovers but this can be a two edged sword. Because of their intelligence they require a lot of stimulation and attention for them to remain both mentally and physically healthy. Most of the common Parrot breeds are noisy and sometimes destructive.

One thing you should always consider is whether you want to purchase just one large parrot or perhaps you may want to opt for a smaller breed of parrot where you can purchase a small group to keep indoors.Not only will they make a beautiful collection but you may be able to go into the breeding side of parrot ownership.

Cost can be another major factor when you are considering purchasing your parrot. You must plan ahead and decide roughly how much money you would like to part ways with. Don’t forget you are not talking about just the bird but there are also alot of other things that you must consider like its food, cage, vet bills and care. These things can add up and cost you a pretty penny so it is wise to make sure you take the time to thoroughly cost it out. Keep in mind that generally parrots are not cheap pets.

A major factor that you must take into account is where you are going to house the animal, not only the cage but where inside or outside that you are going to place that cage. You must choose a parrot that will be comfortable in the cage and area that you plan to keep it in. A good cage should be large enough that the parrot can extend its wings and still have at least another half wingspan space free. This will ensure the bird is kept happy.

If you are considering purchasing an Amazon or or a Cockatoo then you should make sure there is large enough area between your bird and your neighbours as these birds can be very noisy and while you may enjoy the early morning vocalizations, your neighbours may not be so understanding.

As parrots are quite intelligent you must make sure you have enough time to spend with your parrot as they are very social animals and do not like to be left on there own and unstimulated. If you cannot see yourself having enough time for a parrot then don’t purchase one. It will only mean heartache for both you and the parrot.

If after reading this and you are still keen to purchase a parrot then I suggest you go to your local pet supply store and see if they have any available or search online for a dealer in your area.

Iziah Shumkel is webmaster of www.Bird-Training.com an information packed site where you can learn how to train your bird, get free video tutorials and more. Visit us for free Parrot Training tips today.

Humming birds are amazing little creatures, and it’s hard to watch one hovering in the same spot for even a few moments without being a bit awestruck at this marvel of creation. And what better way to enjoy this attraction right from your very own home than with a good humming bird feeder. Kids and adults alike will love this backyard attraction, and soon you will discover that your humming birds are more than just occasional wildlife visitors, and rather more like pets.

As such, you will come to realize that it’s of the utmost importance to properly maintain humming bird feeders in order to protect these precious birds. Many people don’t realize it, but the food that you stock humming bird feeders with can go bad quite quickly. Therefore, it’s important to keep the feeders stocked with fresh food on a regular basis. If the humming birds ingest the spoiled food, they can become quite ill and often times may die as result. It’s also important that you keep your humming bird feeders cleaned and working properly. This may seem like a lot at first, but soon you will develop a routine and find that this is very easy provided you keep up with it on a regular basis. This will make the work easier for you and your humming birds will be healthier and happier as well.

Also keep in mind that all humming bird feeders are not created equally. When shopping for a humming bird feeder, be sure to choose one that has easy access for cleaning. Some will even include removable trays and parts to make cleaning a breeze. Like so many other things we buy, you do tend to get what you pay for - but a few extra dollars up front can save you time and headaches down the road - so don’t skimp when it comes to purchasing a good feeder. Also consider where you will be putting the humming bird feeder. Do you have other pets (dogs, cats, etc.) or perhaps critters such as squirrels that will wreak havoc with your humming birds? This will be important as it will help you determine where and how to best mount your feeder. Some humming bird feeders will be designed to hang from a tree limb, for instance, while others may require a pole or other fixture. The goal here is to find a combination that will provide you with easy access while at the same time keep the birds as safe as possible from other predators or even family pets.

Humming bird feeders can provide you and your family hours of enjoyment. Just be sure to follow the simple steps outlined above. Also check out your local pet store or bird shop and you will find lots of other great ideas for various food sources, cleaning tools and materials, and of course, a wide selection of humming bird feeders. And don’t forget to search the web too. You will be amazed at the number of quality humming bird feeders available at some very reasonable prices. Enjoy!

The author of this article, Bob DeWeese, is a long time freelance writer and website author. His site, PetInfoHub.com is dedicated to providing well written, current day articles relating to families and their pets. Visit PetInfoHub.com or read Humming Bird Feeders for additional articles and resources concerning humming birds and all of your other pet needs.

Not all foods are good parrot foods. It has often been said that parrots can eat just about anything that we humans can eat, this is just not the truth. It would be a wise decision, to forget that what tastes good to you must also taste good for your parrot. Many foods are just unable to be digested well by the parrot and may lead to an upset gastrointestinal tract. There are also many foods that are poisonous to some birds.

Some of the things that you should try to avoid feeding your bird in large amounts is anything that contains high amounts of sugar (if however you have a Lory, it’s okay as it is a bird species that normally consumes a lot of sugar). Sugar tends to help the growth of yeast, which can be troublesome to your parrot. A yeast infection is a common ailment which can appear around the mouth and the gastrointestinal tract in your bird. By not supplying your bird with a large amount of sugar you will therefore reduce the chance of this infection. Despite this, if your parrot happens to get a yeast infection, you should go to your veterinarian and follow their instructions.

Another product to look out for our milk products, these are also not good to feed to your birds in large amounts. Milk also contains sugar, which is known as lactose. This is a problem as birds cannot digest it and means that the sugar sits in the gut where it for ferments, which can lead to a nasty case of diarrhoea.

Two more products that you should never give your bird are avocado and chocolate. There have been reported deaths due to these foods being fed to one’s bird. However, for some strange reason, bird owners have been known to feed their birds avocado and chocolate without any ill effect. We are not sure why these two products can affect different bird so drastically, but how advise would be not to take the chance, I mean do you really want to play Russian roulette with your bird?

Iziah Shumkel is webmaster of www.Bird-Training.com an information packed site where you can learn how to train your bird, get free video tutorials and more. Visit us for free Parrot Training tips today.

So you want a talking parrot but you’re not sure which one is the best, well hopefully this may help you out. African and Timneh Greys are the stars of show as far as talking parrots go. Both are members of the African Grey family. Often the larger bird is known as a Congo African Grey. The Timneh is smaller and has a horn colored upper mandible and it also has maroon tail feathers.

Large Amazons are extremely talkative as well. This also includes the Panama, Blue Fronted, Yellow naped and Double Yellow Headed Amazons as well.

Eclectus and Lories are great talkers as well although they are not well known for their ability to do so. It is a skill that is often overlooked due to their beautiful appearance. Eclectus are quite large birds which sex wise are easy to identify. Males are a green with beautiful yellow beaks where as the females are purple and red.

You should also make sure to learn about care requirements for your chosen bird. Lories for example, need a daily serving of nectar and also a lot of fruit in their diet to ensure their health.

The best talking parrots can generally mimic the different voices of the other members of birds in their family as well. While we have already mentioned the best talkers there are other birds that do have a good vocal vocabulary and you would do well to purchase one of these if you couldn’t locate one of the others.

Parakeets and Conjures have nice clear voices but they are not alone. Budgies also have a nice clear voice as do Cockatoos and Macaws. Be aware how ever that female budgies and female cockatiels will in most cases not talk, unlike their human equivalents!

While we have listed the best talking parrots that in no way means that they will be natural talkers. It takes a lot of time and patience to get your bird to the stage where it will start talking but your best bet by far would be the African Greys or the Amazons.

Iziah Shumkel is webmaster of www.Bird-Training.com an information packed site where you can learn how to train your bird, get free video tutorials and more. Visit us for free Parrot Training tips today.

Toys for your parrot are an essential part of its development. Store bought toys come in a variety of styles, shapes, colors and textures which add to the appeal of the parrot toy.

Unlike many other animals such as cats and dogs, parrots see in color so variations in color make the toy more enjoyable for the bird. Your parrot will enjoy an arrange of different toys although it is not necessary to put a huge amount in the cage. One good idea that you could try is to rotate your toys at different intervals say every week or month so that there appears to be a constant variety of toys for the parrot to play with.

Recent research has found that birds enjoy and anticipate receiving new toys as much as they enjoy receiving their fresh daily food. Another thing that you should consider is that some of your parrot toys will not last as long as others due to them being constantly bitten so you may want to take that into account when purchasing a toy.

One can purchase toys or play gyms for your parrot, or you could opt to have a go at making them yourself. Everyday objects like wooden clothes pegs or even your old ice block sticks will appeal to your feathery friend so don’t be afraid to use a bit of imagination if you are short on cash. Empty plastic bottles with something inside them will keep your bird entertained for hours. Dried beans placed inside an old film canister will also rattle away giving the parrot endless hours of amusement.

You should also try and get some type of parrot toy that hangs on the inside of the cage as well, this is in addition to any other toys that you may have scattered inside the cage.

Don’t be afraid to use your imagination if you are looking for a parrot toy and if you are unsure as to what is safe to use or not then your best be would be to vast your local pet supply store and purchase one directly off the shelf.

Iziah Shumkel is webmaster of www.Bird-Training.com an information packed site where you can learn how to train your bird, get free video tutorials and more. Visit us for free Parrot Training tips today.

There are lots of different ways that you can feed your parrot. Now some of these may require more work than others where as some of them are as easy and grabbing a bag of bird seed and pouring it into their feeder. All of them can be good for your bird, although feeding a variety of parrot foods as opposed to a singular food source (such as seeds) can make achieving a more balanced diet a little easier to achieve.

The simplest way to feed your parrot a balanced diet is to buy some quality parrot food from your local pet supplies store. These come in many different forms that will include additional vitamins and minerals, this means that you will not have to it any additional vitamins to their diet. In fact, you may not know this but adding additional vitamins and minerals can in fact harm your parrot, as it could lead to bad toxic level of the vitamins and minerals in their system .

You should try and choose a seed mix for your parrot that doesn’t allow it to choose one seed or food item, in preference to another as this will provide him with a more balanced diet. Be aware that some food products will claim to be fortified seed mixes, which in theory should be just right for your parrot but this claim is not necessarily true. This assumes that the bird will consume all the seed that is offered instead of choosing just a few of its favourite food items.

One should always try to get parrot food which uses a formulated diet without any addition, fragrances or colours. A lot of parrot owners may worry that this does not provide enough variety for their parrot when in fact, this is not the case. One can easily counter this by providing enough fresh vegetables or fruit, equivalent to the amount that you would normally use with a formulated diet. While fruit and vegetables may not be as energy intensive as the prepared diet (because they are mostly water) they will still be a good addition to your parrot’s diet, and you may notice that your parrot will still eat the same amount of fortified food. This will lead to a more rounded and balanced diet.

Try not to need any high fat foods such as peanuts, or even sunflower seeds. Only use them as an occasional treat as this will reduce the amount of prepared diet food that your parrot would normally eat, which means that it may not receive its balanced diet.

There are many choices that you can make, but If you choose to feed your bird a mixture of fruits and vegetables or even seed mix, you may encounter problems in making sure that that your bird receives it adequate complete diet. Some seeds are deficient in a number of vitamins and minerals and also calcium. While in the short run, you may not encounter any problems in the long run, this could be a different case after a prolonged period of time.

Take the time to consider what parrot food is best the the health and longevity of your parrot.

Iziah Shumkel is webmaster of www.Bird-Training.com an information packed site where you can learn how to train your bird, get free video tutorials and more. Visit us for free Parrot Training tips today.

Although this seems like a trivial matter, where you place your Parrot Cage is very important. There are a lot of things to consider about the placement of your Parrot cage. You should not place a parrot cage anywhere near source of radiant heat or draft. This at first may seem obvious but some heat sources are anything but. Heating and cooling ducts can be a problem. In the summer that constant warm air flow may be too much for your bird to handle. While in the wintertime, you will get the exact opposite, and it may be too cold for your parrot.

Even everyday appliances can generate a significant amount of heat. The likes of your stoves and refrigerators, clothes dryers and freezers can generate vast amounts of heat that over a prolonged period of time can be detrimental to the health of your parrot.

One of the least obvious, but more common sources of heat that many bird owners tend to provide is the natural sun. Many bird owners place their parrot and direct line of the sun, which provides a lot of heat. But in a lot of cases, this can be too much for the bird to endure. One should never leave the parrot in a position where they cannot get some shade from the sun if they need to. You should only place you approved by the window if there is an overhang or awning above deck and provide some form of shelter from the intense rays of the sun.

A lot of bird owners had also suffered due to the fact they placed their parrot cage near a source of noise. One of the worst place is that you could put your parrot cage is close to a television. All groups are vocal creatures in addition to being social animals that love to be heard. Your parrot’s first instinct will be to be more obnoxious or louder than anything in the near vicinity , so it can get your attention. This means that it will gladly compete against your TV, stereo, radio, and even your vacuum cleaner. Now, while in the short term, this can be quite entertaining, try sitting down to watch or favourite movie. When you have your parrot squawking about trying to get your attention. This will be not only irritating for you, but could affect the health of your parrot, as they crave social tension, and if they do not receive it will often turn against themselves.

So when you are considering where to put your Parrot cage just take a little more time to think it out so you can make sure that it’s going to be beneficial not only to your bird, but to you also.

Iziah Shumkel is webmaster of www.Bird-Training.com an information packed site where you can learn how to train your bird, get free video tutorials and more. Visit us for free Parrot Training tips today.

Apart from the general health of your bird ,parrot cages are probably the greatest setup costs of keeping a bird. Parrot cages vary so much in size and style that it would be hard to make a recommendation from any particular type. We can only give you some suggestions on what you should and should not look for.

First and foremost the cage must be generously sized. Any bird needs to fully extend its wings every now and then, and your parrot cage should all in reality, must be large enough for your bird to do this. If you have already thought about what type of bird who want to purchase then you should already have some idea of how large his wingspan is.To see if this is the cage you should measure your birds wingspan and then and at least another half wingspan, this should ensure you bird has more than enough room.

One thing you may need to consider is the height of the cage although when purchasing commercially manufactured cages, this isn’t usually a problem.Your cage should allow your bird to easily climb on the sides without bumping his head when his posterior is near to the bottom of the cage. One thing is for sure, your parrot cage can’t be too big, birds are nature’s athletes so if you make sure there is enough room inside for your bird to stretch its wings, and perhaps even fly, your parrot would very much enjoy it.

You should approach, purchasing a parrot cage. The same way that your approach, buying a new car. A cage in an investment in your bird’s health. The cage you choose will make a great difference in the amount of effort that you would need to expend on making sure your bird receives adequate care. When you buy a parrot cage, make sure that you have thought about where the cage will go. Take a bit of time and be sure to measure, where the parrot cage will go. So you can then take those dimensions and purchase the correct size cage.

Another thing to think about is the cage construction itself .it needs to be sturdy, but have no sharp protrusion is, or anything else sticking out. Many bird’s head and leg bands can catch on sharp bits or wire protrutions. Unless you are buying from a well-known manufacturer, be sure to check all this out and remember that you should always look for a money back guarantee is you are not entirely happy with the cage. If you take the time to check all this out before purchasing your parrot cage. This will avoid problems in the long run.

Any openings on the cage should also be considered carefully. This should include the distance between any part of the bars and all access to waterers or feed stations, if your bird needs water in containers that you place on the exterior of the cage. The distance between the bars should allow your parrot to put his head through or the opposite where as your bird would not be able to squeeze its head through at all. Openings that are about the size of the birds head allow a bird to force it through, but it may not be easy for him to extract his head from the opening. Birds stuck this way die every year as they struggle to get loose and break their necks. Fortunately, most parrot cage manufacturers recognized this problem and build cages to avoid it.

It is convenient for you to have access to food and water dishes from outside of a cage. Look for this feature. It can be especially helpful if you go away for a prolonged period of time and have someone who is looking after your bird.

Other things you should consider include a playpen which would attach to the top and perhaps something to catch any seed that falls to the bottom of the cage. You should also look for a cage that is easy to service as this is something you will have to do often. Paper liners are a essential time saver and you can find them to fit almost any type of cage for your bird.

Be sure to take some of these considerations into account when you purchase your parrot cages for your bird.

Iziah Shumkel is webmaster of www.Bird-Training.com an information packed site where you can learn how to train your bird, get free video tutorials and more. Visit us for free Parrot Training tips today.