Monday, May 24, 2010

Do parakeets need anything given to them after antibiotic treatment?

I read somewhere that they need something (like Bene-Bac?) to replace the healthy bacteria in their digestive systems. If it's not true, can I resume the normal vitamin supplements?
Answers:
If you are feeding your bird right, you shouldn't need any vitamin supplements. Besides anything you put in the water breeds bacteria 20 mins after you put it in the water any way!
Feed veggies and add some yogurt once a week to the veggies and that will give the bird enough gram pos rods to keep them good.
Benebac should have been given while it was on antibotics not now, geesh!!
Good Luck!

Do parakeets need a UV Light?

I only have one, and she's an adult. Is it necessary? If yes, how should it be positioned, and how much wattage is needed? How long should it be on each day? Is there a brand that's better than others, or are they all pretty much the same? How far from her cage would you suggest it be?
Answers:
Actually, all indoor birds need a good quality UV lamp for a myriad of reasons. Birds use light to regulate their biological clock for breeding and molting, it helps regulate their metabolism, they need it to make and process Vitamin D and it helps to strengthen their immune system. You'll typically find that a bird's coloring becomes richer and more pronounced with proper UV lighting as well.
Contrary to popular belief, putting the cage next to a window will not expose a bird to UV rays. Our windows are made to filter UV rays out so that they are more energy efficient.
Here's a link to an article that I got the most use from when I was doing research on UV lights. It will answer all the questions you had including those about brands and wattage.
Hope this hepls!
In general the answer to your question is no. How ever if you can put it's cage near a window. This way she can get soem natural light.
you should want one when winter comes..they like 2stay warm. it should at lest be 12inch away from its cage...i had a uv light with my parakeets until they died(cat got to them)and im srry i dont remember the brand of it
uv lights are only for birds who are breeding if you only have one i dont think thats the case

Do my parakeets have to be tamed when I'm clipping their wings myself?

I have three parakeets which I want to have have wings clipped so that I can tame them. I saerched and it said that it is easier to tame when they have clipped wings...
Answers:
They don't have to be tamefor you to clip their wings, and yes it is true that they are easier to tame when they have clipped wings [not only that, but it's much much safer for them aswell]. If this is your first time though have a vet or someone who knows what they're doing show you. You don't want to clip the wrong feathers, and possibly even clip blood feathers causing in bleeding.
yes
It sounds like what you're asking is whether they need to be tame in order to clip them, but at the same time wondering how you will be able to clip them if they are not already tame. Is that it? If so, I will do my best to answer.
First of all and most IMPORTANT: I must say that wing clipping is to be done by an EXPERIENCED person, NOT BY YOU unless you know how to do it properly. From the sound of your question, I don't think you have that much experience with birds and have NO business attempting to clip them yourself. You should check with a vet, bird breeder or possibly the pet store personnel to get the wings clipped.
Now to answer your question, they do not have to already be tame in order for you to clip them but by clipping their wings you will be able to play with them more and hopefully this will help you to tame them. Because they will be unable to fly (for a period of 4-6 months until new feathers begin growing), they will learn that they have to rely on you to get anywhere.
You can take them out of the cage and play with them on the floor. This should be done with each bird SEPARATELY and for not much longer than 15-20 minutes at a time, per bird, because they do not have long attention spans. You can do this with each one 2 or 3 times per day, depending on how much time you have to spend with them. AND, please do not use gloves when removing them from their cage. Gloves only make your hand larger and more intimidating to the bird. You should first try getting the bird to step onto your finger by slowly putting your hand in and allowing them to get used to it. If all they do is thrash around like crazy, and bite you when you try to pick them up, try using a face cloth to take them out of the cage and sit them on the floor in the training area, which should be away from the comfort of their cage. Go to into a small room such as a bathroom (toilet lid DOWN please) or a walk-in closet for the training sessions.
You can go to a bookstore, library or online and find lots of information on bird training because there is way too much to tell you here. I hope that I have answered your question just a little bit though and wish you good luck with your FIDS (feathered kids).
If you have never done this before, I would recomend that you have someone else show you the proper way to clip them. If you try it yourself, you may cut a blood vein feather that you may have a difficult time stopping from bleeding. And about them being easier to tame, i dont know about that... I think the younger they are when you get them, and the more time you spend with them the more tamer they get. You have to devote a lot of time with them in order for them to become tamed. Good luck with your Birdys

Do moth balls send birds away ar harm them?

I have a garden with a lot of finches in it, the problem is the neighbor's cat. I would like to know if I put moth balls down if it will hurt the birds or send them away.
Answers:
Moth balls are the ideal way to keep cats out of your garden,I use them with great success if you can get a muslin bag put the moth ball in hang it on a lower branch if you have trees or pin the bag to your fence you can also attach it to a cane as long as you place where the cat has to pass by and the birds can't peck at it..
mothballs are toxic so it would not be advisable, a safer bet would be ground black pepper like you find at the table,or sprinkle hot pepper flaks around the garden. a last resort would be useing amonia, I say last resort because for indoor birds it can be harmful but I am unsure of outside.
could be if the birds could see them but I never have

Do male cockatiels masterbate?

my tiel is rubbing against his perch while looking in the mirror, he is also making quiet chirping noises, he usually does it in the morning when he still covered. will he stop doing this? he has been aggresive for a week
Answers:
My tiel is very active with his perch also seems to be more often in the mornings I dont have a mirror in his cage so don't think that has anything to do with it Georgie is 10yrs old
He thinks that there's another bird in there with him and he's bonded to it. If you want him to stop you'd have to take the mirror out. I would take the mirror out either way. They tend to bond to their reflections, and not their owners.
Yes, they do.
I also have one that does it. He leers at the females and does it to a rope perch. The other tiels in the aviary all run away when he's doing it. Not pretty. Kind of like a dog that humps things.
Just give him his privacy, until the chirping stops. He's obviously busy. He may be less aggressive if you stop with the birdus interuptus...

Do indian ringnecks make gr8 pets??

I am looking at getting an indianringneck but some people said the ringnecks don't make a gr8 pets.I have a conure and they will not share a cage.my thoughts are can a conure and ringneck exist in the same house not the same cage...they will get love equals amount but won't be out at the same time... any thoughts.
Answers:
John said it best.Please do your research before getting this bird.They are great talkers but in my opinion they are not a beginner bird .I had to rehome my female ringneck as she kept trying to kill my cockatiels. Females tend to be more agressive than males.Thats not to say you shouldnt get one but be forwarned and do your homework first. I placed mine in a wonderful home with another ringneck and they get along great. Good luck!
These are lovely birds. They seem to be closer to the wildl than other parrots so must be handled daily or they will quickly become fearful and hesitant. A bird is as good a pet as the owner is. If you have enough love and time to care for 2 birds, you will be fine.
I have an indian ringneck. Be warned they are extremely loud birds. I've read that they can be some of the most difficult birds to tame. My bird was a rescue and she was abused by her former owners and it's taken me a long time to reestablish trust in people. I've had her for a year now. I still have some problems with her but we are slowly making progress. I have a love bird and a cockatiel also. All the birds are housed separately. The lovebird and the ringneck love each other and kiss and act very affectionate towards each other when I let them out together. It's actually pretty funny to watch them. Neither one fo them like the cockatiel though and I have to take her out separately from the other birds. I have a friend that has a ringneck and she's tame but she only likes him. She won't let anyone else handle her. Ringnecks from my experience take a lot of patience and daily work. Any way hope that helps.

Do I have to let my parakeets out of their cage?

My paranets don't want me to let them out of their cage inside but I said that they have to.If I do,how many times a week?
Answers:
Yes it's true that you have to let them out once in a while.But the minimum that you have to let them out is 2 days per week.
I let my parakeets out 6 times a week.They have lots of fun flying around our house.
Good Luck:)
Be careful in allowing your birds out of their cage. If they are not accustomed to flying they will fly into things and harm themselves. You can have their wings clipped. This does not harm them.
I do allow mine out and their wings have grown back but they have learned to navigate very nicely. They love to fly.
I let mine out once per day. I have four parakeets and two doves.
If you just leave their door open for awhile and walk away (stay in the same room of course) they may come out on their own. Please don't leave the room when they are out. Be patient, they may be timid at first and it may take some time for them to come out. Be consistent and do this at the same time every day so it becomes routine to them.

Also be sure there is nothing they can harm themselves on such as a hot stove. Toilet seats should also be down so that they don't fall in and drown. You need to use caution with this.
Enjoy your parakeets, they are fun. Good luck!
you should so they don't bite!! mabey three times a week!
all birds need out of cage time. They need at least 4 hours a day. You also need to spend time with them out of their cage, training and playing with them.
Birds are not like hamsters and ginea pigs, they need to be out of their cage on a daily basis and interaction with their "flock".
Your bird should have at least two perches in the cage with at least three different toys. the cage should also be big enough for your bird to spread it's wings and not touch any sides. The wings should also be clipped as well as nails trimmed on a regular basis.
If these requirements aren't something you can't do then you need to find a new owner for your bird(s).
Yes,you should let them out on a daily basis for a period of time.
you don't have to, but you definitely should.
well i don't think you have to let them out. its up to you.
i used to have two of them and i would never let them just have run of the house, but i would handle them daily. if you get their wings clipped they cannot fly ask much. its more like a jump with the flap of the wings. maybe your parents wouldn't mind it as much if they couldn't actually fly around the house. and its alot safer for the bird if they are clipped.
My mom has 4 parakeets and the cage is always open from 5:30 am until around 10 pm at night everyday and they are free to roam. They go in and out of the cage on there own and perch on things and get into things! So just make sure there is nothing that is poisonous like plants or something that they can eat, because they will try to eat it!
are they tame? can you get them back in the cage without having to net them?
you don't have any cats or dogs or small children that could harm them in the house right?
keep i n mind that when you let them out for the first time that they could start flying into the walls because they have not established a safe place to land yet.
i used to have my 15 finches free flying in the house, what a mess lol but they absolutely loved it! my husband built them many things that we hung on the wall or from the ceiling that they could land on, with a wide variety of perches to excercise their feet. wonderful excercise for them, although we had to live with the fear that thye could get out the door whenever we came home or left. they are now ina pretty big cage, but they hate it as they are used to having the run of the house, but boy, did it make it hard to clean up or let alone cook!
they would land on my salad bowl when i was making it, would eat it with me as well lol, too cute. but anytime we used the stove or oven, had to have hubby there to guard it while i tried to cook. luckily we never lost one out the door and had no cooking accidents.

good luck to you and your keets :)

EDIT*
if your parents are really adament about not letting them out of the cage, then maybe you could save up your $$ and but them a bigger cage.
also have a wide variety of toys and stuff to chew on for them, appropriate for parakeets.
and like they person one up from me said, make sure there are no poisonous plants or any other hazards, like fish tanks with out lids that they can get into
Is this a serious question? Were these birds purchased as ornatmental birds or as pets?
Is it your parents responsibility to take care of animals and properly have the wings clipped so that they birds do not fly all over the house and put their fecal matter everywhere they can. It also allows you to keep the birds where you want them and control where they are, just like keeping a child in a play pen. It keeps them from harm, like a ceiling fan, flying into windows, and chewing on window sills and toxic plants.
I automatically asumed that when your parents bought the birds that this is what they signed on for!! Of course birds should be out of their cage, just like your parents like to be out of their house, and have a life, so should your birds. On a daily basis.
Look at it this way, how would you like to be locked up in a cage 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, not fun eh? The birds like it even less. But they are relying on humans for their care. They didn't ask to be brought into your home. Do the right thing and at least allow them out of their cage.
Take them into the bathroom and allow them out of their cage at least once a day. They will tire out quickly and then replace them back in their cage.
Good Luck!
Every day. Let them play around on top of the cage. Thats what my keets do. They love the cage so they only fly a few feet from the cage. Yep my parents hate it when they are out as well,but oh well it's the keet that matters right?
depends on the size of the cage and the number of birds. parakeets are very active birds if the cage is long enough and large enough for them to move freely you don't have to let them out never put any more than 2 birds per cage
You need to make sure they get out atleast 1 hour aday. Now i know no one will do this to a T but try your best! And you are right they MUST get out alot. Just clip their wings and put a towel down. They also sell these big cage liners, you can put them on the floor and throw them away. Their made by Hartz. i got them in my local Genuardis Store.

Hope this helps,
Cockatiel Expert
Yes, it is very important that you let your bird out of it's cage so he/she can become used to your touch and voice.
It is also very important that in whichever room you plan to let them out in, make sure all windows and doors are closed so you can keep a watchful eye on your bird.
Make sure that you have no items that they can get hurt with. Parakeets are curious little creatures, and they will be attracted to anything that sparks their minds.

Do i have to have budgies in a pair but not the same sex?

because i would love to have two
but i am worried that is i have just one it may die
what do u think i should do because i am getting the bird next weekend??
Answers:
Budgies will be ok on their own. Or you can have two or more in any combination a male and female mix may have a few problems during mating season.
A pair of males or females will be fine usually.
If you have a single bird you need to give it some toys to keep it busy and give it some attention. Talk to it , give its head a rub through the cage bars.
The pairing of budgies is of little consequence because they are a social flocking bird. So long as they are about the same age or come home from the same "flock" in the store its ok. Otherwise you'll need to keep them in separate cages side by each at first.
They'll be happier in a pair or even three, as they are VERY social and will entertain each other and preen each other when you are not there.
both sexes will be ok together as long as they cant find a nest site if you want to breed them get a large cage and nest box but check up on what to feed them when they nest and have chicks its good fun watching them grow up and training them you can start picking them up while in the nest box and they treat you like one of the parents

Do I have any pet?


Answers:
Not anymore.
i dont know, do u?
So, do you or do you not?
I am presently a contestant on Who Wants To Be a Millionaire with Meredith Vieira and your question has just popped up...I first used one of my lifelines: 50/50 - and the dog and cat were eliminated...then I used my call a friend lifeline and I called my psychic mom in Wisconsin but that was a waste of time...no answers came to her at all [see why I don't believe in psychic ability -well my mom has it but it comes and goes]...so I then used my next lifeline: the audience and the audience came up with a tie between the bird and the fish, [the audience is usually right, but what can you do when it's a tie-you just can't decide]...but since I had reached the $25,000 dollar question, I used my final option and switched the question. The next question was even easier: What pet is man's best friend? A] a cat B] a dog
C] a bird D] a fish
I answered it correctly, without having any lifelines left because I used them all up on your question. I said B] a dog.
Um a bird maybe. You ask stupid questions. Stop wasting our time.
yes, no, maybe so
I think you are having dreams of having a pet and putting out feelers in your own way to see what to get. Don't start with birds.
yup, some kind like rats.
yay I get 2 points! sorry but i have no idea if you have a pet...
uh.you tell me
and what the heck was that other question? can I win her heart back?? that was a really unspecific question.
If you do..I hope you love it and take good care of it. It could be your best friend some day.
I think the correct question is "Do you have any pets?"
You have a pet monkey living in your closet. You pet it daily and feed it peanut butter. Then you make it take a bath. When it refuses, you spank it.
you should know,.
I don't know? Do you have any pets?
Ohhhhh I don't know, perhaps a bird?

Do I have a chance on taming my parakeets?

I got my parakeets from 6-7 months old. I have three parakeets. Are they too old to be tamed? And I've had them for about 2-3 months now.
Answers:
It's never too late.
BUT!
They've already bonded to each other and will probably ignore you. It's difficult to tame more than one.
HERE is what I told another person with the same problem:
My bird has the same problem. The way i take my budgie out is by swiping my pointer finger out under his claws, tripping him onto my hand. Then I grab him tail feathers with my thumb and middle, ring, and pinky fingers. this usually works taking the birds out.
As for lowering the aggressiveness, try teaching it tricks, such as "ladder", where you have him on your hand, then puttin gyour other finger from your other hand up to his breast. Again and again and again. This will give him something else to think about. That's the only thing I can think of.
When you put him on your shoulder, are you wearing any shiney stuff, like jewlry or hair gel? That might make him want to bite.
---------
But the other person(forgot your name!) is right--if they've bonded to each other, and even this sometimes happens with a mirror, it might be hard, as they already have companionship.
Of course it is not to late. I know this great site for hand taming parakeets. I am doing it right now and so far so good.
This is the website: http://www.lisashea.com/petinfo/articles...

Do hummingbirds feed early in the morning?


Answers:
Hummingbirds will feed all day...but you may notice they feed the most in the early morning (after roosting all night...they need some quick energy), and in the late afternoon (they must fill up before they sleep).
Actually they feed at all hours of the day.
Yes, they do I have at least six of them and I see them anywhere between 7:30 and 9:00 am. some time later than I see them off and on thourh out the day up until about 8:00 pm.
no they feed when ever but i see them in the morning all the time too lol
Yes
I have a feeder and they seem to come around throughout the day. Also, they protective of this food source and try chasing each other away, I guessing.

Do humming bird come around in august.i live in the missouri bootheel?


Answers:
The hummingbird you get there is the Ruby-throated Hummingbird and they will soon be leaving to migrate to Central America and the tip of Florida for the winter. There may still be some stragglers around for the next month or so.
well, i live in texas and it is hot and humid down here. so, unless they fly south for the summer to fry, i would think that you should, because i have a little humming bird friend that visits my zinias every day. wether he is hot or not, i cant say, but we have them in texas in the summer, and down here it is pretty dang hot.
i think you just need to plant a good flower garden that is very humming bird friendly. you might try some sights about which flowers are the best for this.
Hope this helps.
Hi,
Ruby-throated Hummingbirds should be migrating through your area over the next few months. I live in New Hampshire and I usually see my last one in mid-September. You can leave your feeders up until you are sure they have all passed by on their way to South America. Maybe as long as December. They need all of the food they can find for their 2000 mile migration including a 500 mile flight over the Gulf of Mexico.
Happy Birding, John
I live in St. Louis and we have humming birds around our house all day long...more than you could count yesterday. My mom (also in St. L) is an avid humming bird watcher and she typically has humming birds in flower gardens and around the house until late Sept. or early Oct. so if they are in my area, they must be in yours.

Do hens need a rooster around in order to lay their eggs?

My mom says they do not, and it's been 20 years since I've had chickensand back then I heard you do.
Answers:
Nope. Laying eggs is a natural thing for hens to do, even if there is no rooster around. If you want fertile eggs however, you'll need a rooster. It gets on my nerves when people say they don't like eggs because there is a chick inside of it. Well, the eggs you get at Wal-Mart come from places with no roosters, so it isn't possible there is a chick in it OR it's going to hatch. Even if the eggs were fertilized, they're still edible. As long as you collect the eggs before the hens start incubating them, the chick doesn't grow. The hens don't start incubating the eggs right after she lays the first one. She hovers above the eggs while she lays more until she has laid them all - then she starts actually sitting on them.
I know that's more than you asked for...but...I'm sure someone will learn something from that...maybe..
Random fact - We were in wal-mart once and we and the cashier somehow got into a conversation about eggs. I'm not sure how it started, but I think we said that the best eggs where from your own chickens, and then I remember her saying something like "Oh I don't eat those chicken eggs, I only eat those store-bought eggs. I don't want to eat no eggs that come from a chicken's butt."
I'm serious, she actually said that. I tried so hard not to laugh. I wonder where she thinks her eggs are coming from?
Edit: At Suzanne - Feeding your hens eggshells is not a good idea. If you want your hens to get the calcium they need as well as other minerals, give your hens PVM powdered grit with oyster shell in it. Have this available with your laying mash or pellets, and your eggs will be better. The reason feeding hens eggshells isn't good, is they will sometimes become 'addicted' to it and peck at their own eggs to eat the shell. Once they get into their eggs and taste the wonderful yolk inside, they'll get in the habbit of eating their own eggs. If you do feed them eggshells though, make sure they are clean (with no left over yolk inside) and crushed up. That will lower the risk of them obtaining those bad habbits.
No. Only if you want fertile eggs.
No why are you asking do you have a farm or something
no the rooster only fertilise the hen , she will lay with out a roster they just will not hatch
Nope, they'll lay eggs without a rooster around, but no eggs will hatch unless you have a rooster to fertilize them before they're laid.
If you want to eat the eggs, a rooster isn't necessary though he could get the hens all interested in egg laying. If you want chicks, you DEFINATELY need a rooster or the eggs will be infertile and not hatch.
No. Eggs are a chicken's menstrual cycle, and they'll lay eggs even if they're not fertile.
Roosters do the fertilizing, but they're not needed for just plain egg-laying.
A hen only needs a rooster if you would like to raise a batch of chicks. However, in order to have a hen lay more eggs for you too eat or use in cooking, you need to go the local coop store and buy laying mash. You can also take eggshells, breads, vegetable scraps, and fruit scraps and mash them up well and mix them into the laying mash that is bought, which will give the hens plenty of vitamins and help them lay darker colored and more desirable eggs. On the average, a hen only lays one egg every day or two, so if you are wanting several eggs per day, you need several hens. Also, seasons and weather affects the laying of eggs. I would suggest that you research the difference between "meat chickens" and "egg laying chickens" if it makes a difference to you.
No, you do not need a rooster. The hens will lay eggs and will do better without a rooster chasing them around.
No. They just need a rooster to fertilize them. We never had a rooster with our chickens. One day a chicken decided she was going to hatch the eggs but they weren't fertilized so we got some eggs from the farm down the street who had a rooster and brown chickens. All our chickens were white as were the chickens she hatched but she never knew the difference.
no
No a rooster is only needed if you want chickens as well as eggs
yes

Do european starlings live in KY?

specifically central KY
Answers:
All of the European Starlings found today in North America-and they number in the 200 million range-are descendants of approximately 100 birds introduced in New York City's Central Park in the early 1890s. A society dedicated to introducing into America all of the birds mentioned in the works of Shakespeare set these birds free. Today, European Starlings are seen from Alaska to Florida to northern Mexico.
http://www.birds.cornell.edu/bow/eursta/...
yes. they are an invasive species brought to the us east coast in the 1800's. they destroy native bird popluations. we shoot them with bb guns. and i am from ky.
Unfortunately they do...they can be found all across the US and up into Canada.

Do ducks fly ( does richard fly)?


Answers:
ducks, yes/ richard, not too sure
http://www.maxwaugh.com/images/uk06/orkn...
Yes.
uh...kinda! ever seen them flyin in a v-formation over your house because they can't fly?
yes that's how they migrate
yes
Yes they do. They migrate to the south in winter by flying. You never saw a duck fly before?
yup >

Do cockatiels have to like each other to mate?


Answers:
Ummm NO, do hookers like their mates to do their duties? There will be a few tiels who will allow males to copulate with them even though they do not like them. Face the facts of life and realize that birds are forced to live with each other due to human error and nothing more.
Birds have personalities just like humans and some don't get along well and will fight until blood is shed. Some deal with each other because they have no other choice, and some get along pretty well. Then there is the flip side of things, where there are some who will fight till the death of one of them.
I've never seen two birds alike in the same species, unless they are twins and yes that happens too in birds.
So to answer your question the answer is NO they don't have to like each other, but it sure would help if they did, LOL.
Good Luck!
Just like most other animals...yep.
yep..
Yes they do. You wouldn't mate with someone unless you had a certain affection for them. Well, at least i hope not. LOL! You will know they like each other if they appear comfortable in the same cage/aviary. If you see them preening or feeding each other you have definetly got a pair. truely鈾バ惭徰斺櫏
Well yes, of course.. but that doesn't mean they'll be sad without a mate, don't think you have to mate them.
not neccessarly !
Tiels if introduced properly should get on regardless as their of the same species and have same temperments. You should keep them in seperate cages for about a month before you put them in the same cage.
If you think that they dont get on this doesnt mean "they dont get on'. They maybe still sussing each other out. They need time alot of time together when introducing new birds to your flock. This is especially the case when one tiel has been in the cage for such a time that he/she feels that its theirs and the new bird introduced rapidally in this enviroment will be extremely nervous until they used to each other.
Also if you expect your birds to mate, make sure you DNA them to make sure its a male and female.

Do cockatiel rip paper and take them to their nests?

Do they rip paper and tuck it in there hind feathers and take them to the nest?
Answers:
if your cockatiel is taking paper into their nest its a sign is ready to breed
i have a female cockatiel and male cockatiel and the female lays eggs and she just chews paper
not sure if thats what they do.I rip the paper for them and place it in the nest they just arrange the paper how they like it.My birdies
just layed 4 eggs on the week end so i'm waiting to see if they are dudds or babies.

Do chickens have to have sex in order to lay eggs?


Answers:
No. Birds can lay eggs without ever mating. The eggs will not be fertile however, and will not hatch.
Nope-- the chicken eggs you buy at the store are unfertilized...
not to lay eggs but if they don't the eggs aren't fertile and won't hatch

Do chickens have ankles??

so...chickens pretty much are all leg no ankle huh?
Answers:
I dunno..
Yes, they have ankles.
they have ankles, they just dont come in a 6-piece bucket
i dont know about chickens, but my quaker parrot does. It would only make since for a chicken to have them too. They are right by their feet, and unless you look carefully, you probably wouldn't notice them.
They have ankles. They can twist them or sprang it as well. I've seen my hens limping before.
Chickens are not like humans when it comes to skeletal anatomy. The joint that would be compared to a human ankle joint is the joint that you can see moving when a chicken walks, it bends backward and is right where the feathers stop and the scales begin on the leg.
The "knee" is high up by the breast bone, hidden by feathers. If you pick a chicken up and feel the leg, you will be able to tell where the knee is. The "hip" joint is even higher and more torwards the back of the chicken, at about the level of the spine. It is not visible from the outside of a fully feathered chicken.
Hope this answers your question. :)
Oh, and heres a picture of a chicken skeleton:
http://www.blackforestpoultry.com/images...

Do chicken beaks grow back after debeaking?


Answers:
Yes and No. Basically this anwer depends on the age of the bird when you debeak it. The younger the bird the bigger the chance is that the beak will grow back. Battery hens (The common Leghorns that lay the eggs that you buy in the store) and Broiler chickens are debeaked during the first day of their life or shortly after. They do this to prevent the birds form pecking one another to death in the crowded and shamefull places that they keep them in. Then when the birds get older around a few months of age they cut of their tops of their beaks again just to be safe.
Reason why the birds do not bleed to death (Besides clotting blood) Is that when the debeak them they use a hot blade.
As for what LORI K said I have to argue most of it.
First it is not human. And if you think that it is you are well not thinking. The birds beak is one of the most sensitive tissues in the whole animals body. Cutting of its beak is the same as me cutting of our arm. It is gonna hurt. Birds that are debeaked usually live in pain for the rest of their lives. (Most birds that are debeaked don't live very long do to the fact that they are battery hens or broiler chickens and only live so long till they are killed.)
More reason's why it is inhumane. Without the tip of the chickens beak the bird can no longer preen itself. So cutting of the tip of a birds beak is also the same as me saying to you. "Hey sorry but you can't take a bath for the rest of your life." Also when you cut of the chickens beak it hurts the chicken to eat. Just imgine eating with a piece of your top lip missing. Ouch.
Second debeaking isn't needed. If you ever have an death due to cannabalism it is because you don't care about your birds enough to see what is going on. As a chicken owner it is your job to take care of your birds and make sure that everything is running smooth. We all know what it is like to work for someone whom isn't a good boss. Remember that you are the boss of these chickens so be a good one.
There are ways to prevent cannablism. These are making sure they have enough room and food. If you lock up your chickens they are going to attach each other (What else do they have to do) If you allow them to roam freely around the yard they will be busy looking for bugs.
If you have chicks in a brooder do you have to debeak them? Nope. Put some grass in the cage they would rather peck that then each other. Make sure there is enough space between feeders. Use a red light. Once again pecking at one another is them just looking for something to do.
Also broilers not routinely trimmed. Huh? Broilers are trimmed. If they weren't the price of chicken would be going up because half of the broiler chicks would be dying.
Hope this helps, sorry that it is long. But I hate it when people say things and make it seem like something is a must when it really isn't and never should be.
no.... you debeaked them .....duh!!!=)
ewww. what the hell is debeaking
Is that one of your major concerns in life?
never
Would your nose grow back if you de-nosed yourself?
: )
I didn't know a chicken could have it's beak removed without... you know...KILLING IT!?!?!?!?
No they do not. And it is said that eating becomes a nightmare for them afterwards. Cruel.
It depends on the method used. Some are temporary and some are permanent.
Debeaking prevents cannibalism, which is a problem among chickens, particularly layers. Because cannibalism is a problem with laying flocks using all widely deployed management methods, eliminating beak-trimming will result in more injuries and deaths due to cannibalism. It is practical to operate a laying flock in this manner, provided that the higher costs resulting from these injuries and deaths are compensated by higher prices. That farmers should receive higher prices on the grounds that keeping the flock under such conditions is more "humane" is open to question.
In broilers, the tendency towards cannibalism has been largely eliminated, and broilers are not routinely beak-trimmed. This has yet to be achieved with laying hens.
I would say no because a beak is like a tooth so they dont grow back
I'd think it would depend on how you did it/ how far you cut the beak back. Some methods can stop growth, but some don't.
Beaks continue to grow, they're more like nails than teeth and they're worn down by pecking, from my expierience (I once had a chicken with an overgrown beak that we had to trim, and it kept growing).
No, they don't. Many people believe this to be a human practice to discourage pecking of other birds, but I think it's just an ugly process created by humans who want to make themselves feel better.
They don't give the birds any type of pain medication, and essentially, it's like pulling out your teeth without a sedative.
Chickens peck because that is how they establish their social hierarchy, their "pecking order". It's normal for a bird to peck at another bird, and it's not to hurt the other bird, but just a way to say, "Hey, I'm boss."
Some people debeak to discourage cannibalism. The thing is, you won't have any cannibalism if you keep a decent sized flock. Poultry and egg industries are the most common ones to practice debeaking.

Do Canaries like toys?

I'm not sure what kind of toys would interest her, because i don't think she would enjoy the bells and shredders that my conure does. Do they like mirrors?
Oh and one quick question has anyone ever gotten a canary to sit on your finger or shoulder?
Answers:
All birds love toys (their cages would get very boring without them), but different types like different things. Remember the size of the bird. Canaries tend to enjoy things more like ladders and swings, I've known one person whose canary loved a particular pink plastic chain draped around the cage. Shredders are going to be useless for a canary because of their beak shape.
As far as getting one to sit on your finger, I've never had one do so for me, but I've heard (not seen) of others being able to train them to do so. One note, though: If you're going to try to train a small bird to perch on you and interact with you, DO NOT put a mirror in the cage. To train a bird to step up for you, you have to convince it that you are a part of it's flock, so to speak. If it sees another bird (its reflection), it will be constantly reminded that you are not, in fact, a bird, and therefore, not part of its flock.
I hope this was helpful.
they like all kinds of toys, bells mirrors, ect...
With reference to the first part of your question, the answer is: If you canary is young, she will definitely like to play with toys or watch herself in the mirror. All animals, estuarine or other, like to play. If not with others of the same species, then with toys. A classic example would be cats and dogs. When they're young, they love toys, as do small children. It's no different with birds. Yes,they love to watch themselves in a mirror. they think it's another bird for them to keep an eye on. I never got my canary to sit on my shoulder. Good luck with that one.
canaries like mirror , small ones, not really into toys but sometime they like to pull small ropes.If a canary sits on ur finger , and I mean sits not stand on it, it could have problem with his nails or he can be sck. Canaries can be domesticated but the usually do nopt " sit" So check the canary legs and nails and If necessary cut the nail. To do this use a sharp light under the nail and cut a bit over the vein that U will see inside the nail.

Do budgies make good pets?? ?? ??

Because I might get a budgie at my dads, are they good pets, I need info. Do they smell, are they easy to take care of? I NEED INFO!
Answers:
I have had the opportunity to hand feed the english and american parakeets from 7 days old. I had some rare genetics and that is why i kept the blood line going.
They make fantastic pets if you can find a breeder that hand feeds them. I suggest you find a breeder that hand feeds them and never purchase two. Only buy one. Never put in a mirror, happy hut or a bobbing bird.
Find one that is on a pelleted diet and eating veggies and fruit. This will allow your bird to live about 20-25 yrs.
My first budgie is still alive at the age of 28. So the diet is important to the life of it.
They are also great talkers. The only way they smell is if you dont keep up on the cleaning of the cage. The seed diet makes the cage messy, so try to find a breeder the feeds a pelleted diet and eating a variety of veggies, pasta, meat, cheese, and what you eat for supper. On that diet alone, it can live as long as mine is living. A seed diet just makes one heck of a mess with the seed hulls going every where.
But know if you choose to get one, it's soley your responsibility to take care of it.
Good luck!
yup. they are. they can be your friends, like dogs, but they dont need that much attention everyday. no they dont smell, especially if you bathe them. its the usual water, food, toys, and ''
change the newspaper at the bottom of the cage where they poop daily" routine. ask around your circle of friends who may have them as pets for clearer info, as they are experienced owners!
Budgies are great pets! They are happy little birds that sing, talk, and do tricks.
Unlike the last answer, budgies do need LOTS of attention or else they will get extremely bored. Talk to them everyday and play with them. They do not smell. Very easy to take care of.
Yes, they can make great pets. But they also require work.
They need time out of their -large- cage to play with you every single day. They need vegetables, fruit, etc every day (feeding nothing but seed usually kills them after a few years - malnutrition. pellet only diet also causes complications which can be fatal). They also need lots of toys.
As long as you change the newspaper every day and clean the cage at least once a week, it shouldn't smell.
They can be terrific little companions, they are playful and fun to be around.
yes they make very good pets. they like veggies and fruit for fruit they like apples the best and for veggeis they like carrots and sweet corn. just dont feed them chocolate and avacado those can kill them.
to tell if it is a female or male look at their cere if female it will be a light brown or pink and if in heat it will be brown and crusty. and if male it will be blue. if very young it will be pinkish purple.
They are great pets. If you want a bird that is active I would suggest 2 American parakeets (budgies), because they tend to be more active, and play with toys. They also talk a lot. If you want to get a more laid back bird, get an English Budgie, they are laid back, they are quieter, and they are nicer, I think, they dont bite as much. But the only bad thing is, is that he doesnt play with any toys inside of his cage.
yes,i find them very amuseing birds,i have two of my own.as with all animals one has to care for their pets and there is a certain amount of work in order to keep the pets healthy and comfortable.as for a budgie,well they dont smell,they stay in their cage and theyre entertaining. now for the reality of owning a budgie,theyre messy,thats their only fault,but other than that budgies make great pets! im enjoying mine. have fun!

Do birds sneeze?


Answers:
Yes, but only when exposed to liserbasites and carolina-cooties
Yes they do. Continual sneezing should be investigated by a vet...
Yes, my budgie sneezes on occasion.
Yes my budgies sneeze as well put not very often. However if yours is continous you should contact a vet as it could be a cold.
Hope this helps!
Namek
birds do not sneeze they shriek in that place
Yes they do...Birds will occasionally sneeze after scratching their nostrils. This is normal. However, birds that sneeze during inactivity often have a sinus infection or vitamin A deficiency.
And should be taken to thier vet immediately...
My hens sneeze a lot. The first time that they did, it scared the crap out of me! But then over time, it was really cute. But yeah, birds sneeze. :-)
Yes they sneeze! They sneeze to remove dust and debree from their nares and sometimes they even induce a sneeze with their claw to get something out. Dry air can also cause sneezing. But if at any point their is any mucus when the bird sneezes then your bird needs to see an avian vet ASAP!
Yes, birds do sneeze.. Usually when they stretch their wings and their feet together, they'll sound like they're sneezing, but this is actually just them clearing out their nares, which is oddly enough different than a sneeze and usually more common. If they sneeze repeatedly in one sitting and do this regularly throughout the day then they should be taken to the vet because its probably respiritory related and they are very sensitive in that department.
Yes they do because they get tickles in their noses too. If, however, the sneezing is continual or the bird seems to have a runny nose, you should take it to an avian veterinarian for a checkup.
I have allergies and am always sneezing (especially while I'm cleaning bird cages) and one of my cockatiels (Angel) learned to sneeze right along with me. Each time he would hear me start to sneeze he would join me and end with "a-CHOOO" with lots of emphasis on the "CHOO" part. It was so funny that I would fake a sneeze for my friends just so they could hear him sneeze! Sadly, Angel is no longer with me but he was one funny bird.
Yes they do, A cute story.a hen was on the nest and I pulled her off she squaked and complained the rooster was going to come over and protect her, but he had just had a bite of feed and had the sneezes from it and could not come over to fight me he just stood there sneezing while I laughed about it.
Yep. On occasion, my cockatiel will sneeze in my face and I can even feel the snot. Gross.
Yes! It's so sweet! They yawn as well. Everything gets something in its nose once in a while.

Do birds shed alot?

The bird is a parakeet.
Answers:
Birds don't shed they molt. They will molt only once a year.
Parakeets lose feathers all year long but they do have a once a year molt where they lose a lot of feathers.
all birds molt.
Sorry but I used to work in a pet store. Birds are dirty little animals. Cute but dirty. They sling shot their poop everywhere. Throw seed shells everywhere. Poop in their water (must be changed everyday). Basically high maintenance. And yes they shed their feathers too. Hope you like to vacuum.
I hate to tell you this but yes. It can either be all frizzed up light feathers (which is naturally shedding off dead feathers like when you shed your own hair) or it can actually be your own fault (if the feathers aren't frizzed up and look perfectly plucked with full color in them). My 'keet does this at my dads house because it is only just her and my dad doesn't leave the radio on for her to listen to when he goes to work. All I am saying is that this can be because you're out and he/she is alone and needs to be satisfied. My bird has toys, buy for some reason doesn't play with them! You should get her a swing, mirror, or any other bird toys at PetCo or Petsmart. Just ask for help, they'll help you and show you any toy they have for parakeets.
Also, keeping the radio on in your house during the day DOES NOT waist a lot of electricity and doesn't bring your bills up.
I think you are talking about budgies..small cute ones :) they're Australian. Not often, but sometimes you get em in the stage where the feather fly everywhere. they dont shed...its just feathers flyin out like human hair sometimes when you brush it.
Birds don't "shed " they moult.. they usually go thru a heavy moult once a year and will lose a feather here and there thru the whole year it is normal.. Most birds really only moult once a year unless it is an Eclectus and they truely moult year round... My Ekkie went thru his first serious moult this year and he looked awful he had a bald spot on the very top of his head it was pretty funny looked like a little bald man lol.. so don't worry he will be fine...
No, it'll be fine!

Do birds need regular vet check-ups?

I know if they are you are supposed to take them to the vet, but do they need like shots, and regular vet visits. I want to get my first pet bird! I don't want nothing fancy though, just a parakeet. My mom is making me pay for everything, so I do have a fairley low budget. I'm only 14 by the way. Also, do they need like their nails cut, and stuff like that. Basically, do they need anything else besides there basic needs, and attention. Is there anything else I need to pay for throughout its life besides, the supplies, and the bird?
Answers:
Hi,
Its good your thinking about the aftercare of the bird and if you can afford everything it'll need later on, alot of people dont thats why so many drop down dead.
Parrots do-not need any shots so your ok there, But check-ups yes, once every 2-3 months is fine.
No they shouldnt need there nails trimmed, if you make sure you buy a stone perch it will help keep there nails really small and not so sharp, something like in this link http://www.bird.com/itemdy00.asp?t1=5120...
Also its advisable to buy new toys and swap them around with the ones in the cage now and again, but this shouldnt cost too much,
Also consider the cost of buying a few fruit and veggies every week as they need this with there seed everyday - but again this is not much at all.
I Would advise putting money to one side so that if anything did go wrong, you know you have the money to take it to the vet.
Goodluck with you new bird when you get it.
Well you will need to care for it everyday. But it actually depends on which bird you get. Larger birds such as parrots will need a vet. But smaller birds such as parakeets may not need to go see a vet so often. Maybe once every 2 months.
It amazes me that some people just can't educate themselves enough to know the proper answers!
It doesn't matter what bird you purchase, it should go to the vet at least once a year. When you purchase your bird, whether it is a parakeet or a larger bird, yes it should have tests run. Why, for the borderline tests, just in case it gets sick that you have the complete blood counts to know where the normal limits are when it's not sick.
The tests you should have done, on a minimal bases are a cbc, and a gram stain. Just those two tests can run about 75 and that might include the visit as well, and that depends on where you live. Make sure it's an avian vet as well. Depending on the outcome of the CBC, and if it's within range, no further testing might be necessary! Or the bird might be really sick, and then you can go back on the breeder or pet store where you purchased the bird.
Try to find a breeder for your bird. Chances are, the bird will be eating more then just a seed diet and have a better chance at life, longer life, and healthier because of it's diet. Studies have shown that a seed diet have killed so many birds due to Fatty Liver Disease. Australian species more so then others.
As for clipping the nails and wings, it depends once again on the diet you feed based upon the nails. Clipping should be done so no harm comes to your bird of flying into windows, ceiling fans, and poisious plants. Nails need to be taken care of by a person to who knows how to do them.
Grit is not needed and can impact the crop. Do NOT use mirrors, happy huts, or fake birds. Only purchase ONE bird. You are the only thing your bird needs as a companion.
Good Luck!

Do birds need regular vet check-ups?

I know if they are you are supposed to take them to the vet, but do they need like shots, and regular vet visits. I want to get my first pet bird! I don't want nothing fancy though, just a parakeet. My mom is making me pay for everything, so I do have a fairley low budget. I'm only 14 by the way. Also, do they need like their nails cut, and stuff like that. Basically, do they need anything else besides there basic needs, and attention. Is there anything else I need to pay for throughout its life besides, the supplies, and the bird?
Answers:
No vet visits unless something is wrong. If you plan on handling it, it's a good idea to trim the nails and the wings. If you are too afraid to do this, (it's easy), I'm sure your local vet would probably do it for free. Just one thing, don't use the sandpaper perches to keep their nails from being sharp, they just irritate their feet. Good Luck!!
well yes if you want the best for your bird but my grandma had birds to grow over 10 years old and never seen a vet
Birds make great pets and aren't to expensive either. They still need wormed and treated for mites etc. but your local pet shop should sell that stuff or even a vet. Trimming your own birds nails and wings can break the bond between you and the bird and is best left to the professionals anyway. Best bet is to invest in a bird care book for parakeets.
Hi,
Its good your thinking about the aftercare of the bird and if you can afford everything it'll need later on, alot of people dont thats why so many drop down dead.
Parrots do-not need any shots so your ok there, But check-ups yes, once every 2-3 months is fine.
No they shouldnt need there nails trimmed, if you make sure you buy a stone perch it will help keep there nails really small and not so sharp, something like in this link http://www.bird.com/itemdy00.asp?t1=5120...
Also its advisable to buy new toys and swap them around with the ones in the cage now and again, but this shouldnt cost too much,
Also consider the cost of buying a few fruit and veggies every week as they need this with there seed everyday - but again this is not much at all.
I Would advise putting money to one side so that if anything did go wrong, you know you have the money to take it to the vet.
Some one mentioned wing clipping - Please try and avoid getting your new babys wings cut, they were born to fly, like they were born not to live in our houses we've already taken that away from them, why take their wings away too? that would be like taking your arms or legs away,
I Have never had a birds wing clipped, I Have kept and bred all different species for over 6 years, I Have never had one exscape and fly away as im carefull, and besides clipping a birds wing doesnt mean it isnt going to fly, if it got out and there was a steady wind blowing it would only have to open its wings and glide with the air current,
Goodluck with you new bird when you get it.
The following sites are excellent for getting your questions and more answered.
www.birdmart.com
www.birdsnway.com
www.upatsix.com
Also, some birds do need there nails clipped some will not. Do not use sandpaper perches they only make feet sore. Also wing clipping is not like cutting an arm or leg off. Clipping wings is for safety, there are many dangers in our homes. They can still fly but if clipped correctly they fly to ground, no lift. Some birds that are not clipped can fly into windows breaking necks, fly into ceiling fans, hot water in sink or on stove, etc. Our yellow nape amazon was not clipped and flew around the living room landing on the piano. To this day we do not know what he hit landing on the piano but he had a gash under his wing and also bled to death before we made it to the vet. Thank god he is ok after many $$$ later.
My birds have regular check ups once a year, unless something happens and they need to go. My dad and all my friends that own birds, only take theirs once a year too. That is what your vet will tell you when you take your bird in to see him- they need yearly check-ups. Usually around $34.00. He will trim the wings if you can't yourself. They will take about 6 months to grow back. And if the nails are long, he can do that too. They take longer to grow back, and the cement or sand perches really do help keeping their nails trimmed. We bought cement and calcium perches 2 years ago and only one bird has needed it's nails trimmed and that was because we had just adopted her- and she only had wood perches in her cage. You will need to get your bird some toys, parakeets toys are usually small and pretty inexpensive. Parakeets usually need ALOT of attention to tame them. If you buy one at a pet store, that has been sitting there for a while, you may have to spend alot of time trying to get it to warm up to you and allow you to touch or pick it up. My advice, if you want something that is going to be easy to train, is to find a breeder with hand raised parakeets or try to find a young parakeet. The older they are, and the less they've been handled, the harder they are to tame, and you really need alot of dedication and time to spend with it. We had parakeets in the past and I didn't know before I got them that sometimes they sit in pet stores for a loooooong time. They were the least expensive birds I have ever had to take care of. But they are definatley harder to tame if you buy one that isn't! Good luck!

Do birds have ears?


Answers:
Yes they do have ears,
They are located either side of its head but are hidden under small feathers, They are really small and the holes go inwards, If you move a few feathers either side of the head on any bird u will see the hole.
The reason they are so inconspicuous. is because if you've ever tried to carry on a conversation on a windy day, with wind thundering around your ears. Since wind constantly streams around flying birds, if they had floppy ears like we do they'd hear a lot of ear-thunder. Not having ear-flaps is just the price birds pay for being able to hear well as they fly.
Most birds have their ear holes covered with tiny feathers specially designed to cut down on wind noise while permitting sound waves to pass through. These feathers behave like the foam covers you see on politicians' microphones at outdoor rallies, where breezes cause uncovered mikes to thump. Some diving birds, such as penguins, have strong feathers covering their ear-holes, to protect delicate inner ears from intense water pressure.
Some birds even locate food with their ears. The Common Barn-owl can catch a mouse in total darkness, as the mouse scampers across a floor.
Yes they have ears and can hear very well :)
yes they have ears how do you think parrots learn to repeat what you want them to say?
Yes they do they have a keen hearing sense actually. One of their most strong senses followed by smell. There ears are little holes hidden beneath their feathers.
Of course they have ears, they are just mor ein their head then on the outside like outs. The ears are a litt bit behind and below the eyes, adn sometiems you can even see the break in feathers. If you own a parrot someimes you catch a glimpse of their ear when giving them a head scratch/cheek scartch. They looked really weird, but it's really cool. Why would you think they didn't have ears?
Yes they do.
OF COURSE!
They do. They just don't stick out. Their ears are just holes in the side of their heads
Yes. Owls actually have very special ears, one is slightly higher than the other and one points slightly up and one a little bit down. they use thier hearing like a radar and can pin point thier prey by sound alone.
of couse they do
yes of course they have two like humans it is a little hole that is covered up with the feathers around them birds ears are better then humans are...believe it...
they sure do. if you look closely you will see a small hole on each side of its head.
Of course they have ears! Look under their feathers on the side of their head behind their eyes. The ears look like two holes on either side of the bird's head.

Do Birds Feel Sadness If You Take Away Their Eggs Or Chicks?


Answers:
Actually yes they do, I have 5 doves, 3 that are females. The oldest female usually has an egg about twice a month sometimes the egg is not fertile, and when I try to remove it she gets defense as all moms do when some one takes their kid. Then after wards she'll sit in the same position the egg once was, and she'll start to pace around looking for it. So yeah pretty much they get sad. But don't worry in about a day or two they'll get over it.
They do yes
No. I have two pet chickens and if I don't grab the eggs fast enough they break them open and eat them.
Yes... Just like if ur child taken by another stranger.
Yes it does because my birds are always laying eggs but they get really sad when i take the egg out of the cage.
Birds will KNOW you took their eggs, sadness may not be the correct term but they know. Domesticated birds such as Parakeets, Parrots etc still have the natural instincts they have in the wild to survive. If they lay eggs and you continue to remove them they in turn will LAY more eggs to replace them OFTEN RESULTING IN THE DEATH OF THE MOTHER BIRD. If you must remove them replace them with fake eggs or marbles.
Several of your replies tell me that MOST people who take on these sweet birds have NO clue as to how to raise them. You on the other hand seem to at least CARE about them. If you need info about raising birds there are great sites online for you. Look up "Lisa Shea Forums", she has a great one.
I don't think animals have the same emotions we do. They notice the eggs or chicks are gone.But breeding behaviors in birds are a response to environmental and biological cues. In other words, birds lay eggs because cues in the environment stimulate egg production and breeding behavior. Then the presence of eggs and chicks stimulate parental care behaviors. I don't for a second think that birds sit around and think about having babies the way humans do.
yes,eggs or their chiks are a part of that bird.
They probably do to some extent. I know that my hens were devastated when one of their 'sisters' died. They were running around the yard looking for her and calling out for her. They recovered within the day, though. My hens don't seem to mind much when I take their eggs though... It might be different if they were broody.
yes, birds know when you touched or took one of their eggs or chicks.
I know cuz I work at a pet shop and we get new babies every day.
I also have 3 love birds that i reaised since they poped out of theyr lil shell! they are sooo cute

Do birds eat sunflower seeds?


Answers:
If you are talking about domestic pet birds, unsalted sunflower seeds are used sparingly as a treat. Domestic birds do not need the high fat content.
However, wild birds need them in their diet, especially in the cooler months, for the energy. Most prefer the black (oil) sunflower seed, but some species will also eat the striped sunflower seeds. As with the pet birds, only feed them unsalted seeds.
yes, unsalted is better.
Yes but only feed seeds as a treat. Sunflower seeds are high in fat and taste but low in nutrition.
Mine did
Yes, but they should only be given as an occasional treat- as with all types of seed.
YES .. they love them. the squirrels love them too.
unsalted is always better for animals as it is people :)
they are often mixed in bird seed and it's cheaper than buying straight bulk sunflower seeds.
duhhhhhhhhhhhhh!
yes
yep. some do. small birds can't (they can't be able to bite it but if you crush them so they will be in little pieces (bits) they can and will eat them)i hope.
Yes but never give it people kind of sunflower seeds only 1's from the bird section.
birds like sunflower seeds !! i have a Senegal parrot %26 sunflower seeds are her favorite.
Hi,
If you are asking about sunflower seed to feed wild birds then YES.
Most seed eating birds love black-oil sunflower seed. You can attract many species of wild birds with black-oil sunflower seed including: red-bellied woodpeckers, finches, goldfinches, northern cardinals, evening grosbeaks, pine grosbeaks, chickadees, titmice, nuthatches, and grackles.
John
birds love sunflower seeds well some of them do what kind are you talking about

Do birds burp?


Answers:
This is weird you asked this -
I dreamed last night that I had the proverbial bird in the hand and the little bastard pecked me-
I think i heard him burp as he was choking on my flesh.
That's the stupidest question that I have heard in a long time. Who really cares??? But to answer question I am going to say yes that a bird does burp because it eats and poops so that means that it has some kind of acid in its stomach that would probably make it burp.
You have way too much time on your hands!
they indeed can burp.remember, they regurgitate their food to feed their young.
ONLY WHEN THEY DRINK TO MUCH
as pope john paul always says, if it has a mouth, it burps
Birds have a different digestive system than humans, but they do have an esophagus and are capable of burping. (If you meant burp as in belch, not burp as in regurgitate)
as stated by an avian vetranarian in birdtalk magazine a few months back " birds do not have the ability to burp, pass gas, cough or hicup" if the bird is burping it has mostlikly picked up on the sound and is imitating the sound but they can not due to phsyical makeup of their bodies burp.
Yes. With their esophogus. I have never personally heard one burp however, and have never had anyone tell me they have heard such a thing either.

Do ALL young parakeets have stripes on their head?

including solid colored ones?
Answers:
Not all the Lutino (yellow) Albino (white) and the Vanilla (cream) doesn't have bars or stripes the the head when they are young but the green, blue, grey does. It goes in the first moult about 3-4months old
of course not ALL. all parakeets are different and unique in their own way. my parakeet didnt have stripes. he had a plain white head. there are different types of parakeets so i guess it depends. maybe a certain breed of parakeets all have stripes on their heads.
The coloured ones usually do, but Albinos and Lutinos don't. I have an albino one which I had from 6 wks, no stripes.
baby budgies (parakeets) have striped foreheads until they start going through their first molt, between 3-6 months. for the person who posted about their bird not having stripes (oh so squeamish)--it's because you probably got one that was already a little bit older, somewhere past that 3-6 month range. Maybe somebody just told you it was a younger bird, to trick you into buying it. pet stores sometimes do this, tell people the animal you are looking at is a baby when for all you really know, it might be a 'senior citizen'.
BUT...if your budgie is a lutino (all yellow with red eyes) or an albino (all white with red eyes), it will not have stripes as a baby, as these birds do not have the pigment to make the dark stripes. but you can also look at their eyes to guess their baby status. Baby budgies will look to have 'button eyes', as in no or very little iris showing (the white outer ring around the pupil). When they mature a bit more you can see the iris.
And...young budgies will have light purplish ceres (skin around the nostrils). They will turn brown to brownish pink for females, and dark blue for males. but also, if you have a pied variety (patches of white or yellow over a base color), or an Ino (lutino, albino), the cere may stay pinkish-purple, or even white even through adulthood, due to the lack of pigment.
lutino's and albino's have no stripes
all other budgies (parakeets) should have stripes until there first moult at around 8 months

Did you ever see the birds when they where singing, I never seen them before until I saw "You" :)?

Salam Alaikum :)
Answers:
you are persian? hahahah that sounded like a iranian person espeaking english.
i have 15 birds so its hard to miss! salam alaikum to you as well. :0 )

Did the Dodo have any Teeth?

If yes,how many?
Answers:
wrwr
you luv ur dodo dont ya!
I have a pet Dodo. I'm not telling where I got her either!
So pllllbbbbtt!
Dodos were birds. When was the last time you found bird teeth lying around?
They did have teeth but I dont know how many.
No. It was a member of the pigeon family that had hooked beak.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/dodo...
nope they had a sharp hooked bill lol
http://www.amnh.org/exhibitions/expediti...
According to fossil remains of Dodo's there is no sign that they had teeth like most birds.
Good Luck!

Creative/Unique names for a Triton Sulphur Crested Cockatoo?

I'm in the process of getting a Triton Sulphur Crested Cockatoo (The large white cockatoo with the bright yellow crest, Tritons also have the blue skin around the eyes). I'm getting a female, and I'm looking for some very creative and unique names.. I was thinking Darwin, but I'd like other options. Cockatoos are very animated, so ya know, some funny names would be cool too... Lets see how creative you yahoos are! :D
Answers:
Cloudy
Lulu
Naima! lol!!
Isi
Hmmm to follow with the nautical nature of 'Triton'
- Neptune
Or for 'Sulphur'
- Brimstone (lol)
Bam Bam!
Fluffy
Delilah
Snowball
Kitkat
Cookie
Gemini
Pebbles
I don't know why, but I always think of the word "Tookie" when I think about Cackatoos. They're the awsomest little things on Earth, and smart too.
Is it a mix breed? Triton %26 Sulfer crested are 2 different cockatoos.
Good luck with the names. Most popular name for cockatoos in Aus is Psyco LOL

Cracked beak on baby budgie. Please help!?

Today I went to check on the baby budgies in the aviary when I noticed that one of the babies had its beak literally hanging off. I don't know what caused it to do this but I am asking everyone here what I should do. I really do not know, as I have never come across this before.
Pictures:
http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e399/p...
http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e399/p...
http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e399/p...
Sorry the pictures arn't very good, I didn't want to stress the poor baby out for too long. It is worse than it looks, just hanging there. Thanks everyone for your help.
Answers:
Take him to the vet.
Stick it back on with crazy glue
His mum or dad had a fight with the baby or someone else did it
Is the parents in a separate cage from the other budgies?
Budgies sometimes attack another budgie and they always want the nestbox that another budgie has.
So I always put them in a different cage because of that
When I started breeding budgies 11 years ago I had a budgie attack the mum and the 3week old babies three died and one stayed alive. Looked after by another pair. Beaky's beak fell off all together though and his bottom beak kept on growing, I had to give him a drop of water in the mouth every hour because his tongue was dry - until he came out of the nest. Then Beaky learned how to eat seeds and treats. and he always drank water by himself (Beaky lived to be 6 years old)
I hope your little one will be fine.
Take the little one to a vet as soon as possible. Budgies use their beaks for a variety of different reasons, for instance drinking water and climbing. A problem like this is likely to be painful and make their life more difficult, possibly even endanger it.

Could you break these BIRD QUESTION tiebreakers?

Could you break these tiebreakers? You dont have to vote for me.

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;...
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;...
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;...
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;...
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;...
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;...

Thanks.
Answers:
doing it now. No prob!

Correction to my first question?

she is a cockatiel = pulling feathers
Answers:
Parrot feather plucking is a condition in which your pet chews or plucks its own feathers to the point of obsession. Some parrots pluck from one small area, such as on their leg. Others pluck their feathers from all over.Despite popular opinions to the contrary, this is not a disease. There are several possible causes for this to occur. Some of the causes are medical, while others are not. To stop parrot feather plucking, you have to isolate the causes.
Boredom
Nervousness
Insecurity
Over crowded housing
Excessive courtship behavior
Inadequate bathing facilities
Breed predisposition
“Itchy Bird Syndrome” is distinguished by the way your bird acts instead of casually preening and plucking. Signs of this are when your bird acts agitated and is constantly rubbing itself against the perch or the bars on the cage.
To stop parrot feather plucking, you need to isolate what is actually happening. Otherwise, you will not know where to begin. Parrot feather plucking can start off slow and escalate as time moves forward.
The best place to start is a visit to the vet to rule out any medical/mite condition...
Are you giving your bird enough attention? Bathing or misting is hope that the bird will spend more time conditioning the plumage and less time chewing on the feathers or pulling them out.
Some feather pickers may not receive adequate rest. Providing these birds with a more quiet and secluded locale and covering the cage at night may be helpful. The covering is most important because it provides a certain period each day or night during which absolute privacy and freedom from a "fish bowl" existence is assured. Sometimes changing the location of the bird's cage and/or perch is helpful. The suitability of the new location will depend upon the temperament of the bird and the relative unsuitability of the previous location. Other things to try turn on the radio or TV when no one it there lots of toys, let your bird out of its cage and let him stretch his wings, If these don't work then i would take him for a complete undergo a thorough physical examination and laboratory evaluation from an avian veterinary to determine the underlying cause or infection , mites ect...
quilter
If she is plucking there is obviously something wrong. Poor diet, stress, allergies, mites, or a skin condition. It alos means boredom and that your bird isn't getting enough attention. Are spending at least 30 minutes with her everyday? If nto that could be a reason. Go ahead and make sure you're spending 30 minutes with her every day and see if it stops. if nto buy her a few extra toys and then take her to an avian vet to see if their is something like allergies or mites that could be causing the plucking. Now she may be molting. Sometimes when birds preen during molt feathers that are loose are removed. That could alos be the case. but if you see her pulling numerous feathers out when she looks like she is groom then you have a plucke ron your hands.
hahahahaah

Convincing parents to buy a bird!!! Help!!?

I need help. My parents will not let me get a bird or they are not sure if they want me to get one. Give me some advice please on what to say in order to convince them. Thank you!!
P.S. My parents are tuff so it is going to have to be really convincing and the bird is a parakeet.
Answers:
bribe you mom by doing her bills
works for me
bribe your dad with doing some
things around your house
be so niceeeeeeee and tell them that you will clean all the mess the parakeet make
Figure out the reason ur parents DONT want you to have a bird and then tackle that. Parakeets are fairly easy birds to care for so that isnt an issue, not like a parrot.
Ask why they dont want a bird and talk it through.
SAME PROBLEM, I would go to your dad if your a girl. My dad said yes but my mom says no. Calculate how much time u have a day for a week. Show your parents you have time for a parakeet. Get good grades and be really nice. Tell them it will show you responcibility.
I agree that you should first address the reason why they don't want to get one. If the reason is because they don't want to take care of it when you leave for college, perhaps it would be more fair to the bird, to not get one. It wouldn't be fair to it to be owned and loved by you, as you would take wonderful care of the little guy, only to have a life changing event such as you leaving to go away for college.
Birds live a long time so it's something to think about. Even budgies/parakeets can live well into their teens and depending on the type, into their 20s.
Budgies/parakeets do deserve the same kind of effort and care as larger parrot, just on smaller scale. Just because they are cheaper doesn't mean they don't deserve the same level of care; it's not their fault how much they are priced.
If you are able to get a bird and you know you will be able to take it with you, it might work out. You didn't say how old you were or how soon you might be leaving for college so it's hard to say. But if you're going to be a dedicated bird owner, you'll have to be dedicated to the end.
You need to be responsible for the bird. That means food and water, cage cleaning, picking up the mess, and taking the time to play with your pet. While parakeets can be quite happy on their own, you'll like your bird better if you socialize with it and have it finger and shoulder tame. All that takes time, and you have to prove to your parents and to yourself that you have the time to invest.
Well tell them that parakeets are really good company (which they are) and also tell them that parakeets aren't that much work. All you have to do is change the food once it is over, change the water everyday and then clean the cage once every month. Then of course you need to let it out of the cage for awhile everyday. But then if they say that when the parakeet flies it will poop everywhere then you can tell them that you can train them so that they won't or you can let them fly in one small room (by closing the door) and that would be the only place they would have to clean!! That hopefully would work.

Conure Supplies & Cost?

I'm looking into getting a Sun Conure, I've read several websites and a lot say very different things about what I need. It would be great to know exactly what I would need for a Conure, about the cost of the supplies, the cost of the bird and things of that nature.
Thanks ;)
Answers:
We have a sunday conure. He was a little more expensive then a sun (around $550.00). Conures are very active, and love to play and climb, so the bigger cage you get, the better off for your conure. 24 in long by 18 in wide and 24 inches tall will do, but they will make use of space in larger cages!! We have ours in a macaw cage. Check out www.avianadventures.com for some really neat cages (we just bought one with a removable top playgym for $225 and we love it!) They love chewing, so make sure you have lots of fun toys. Mine loves toys that have dangly ropes and shreddable toys. We bought him concrete and calcium perches for his beak and nails. We feed him a diet of three quarters roudybush pellets and one quarter kaytee conure food. We put a few peanuts (in the shell, they like them) in his bowl a couple times a week. They also should be feed more vitamin a, which you can give them fruits and veggies. Mine loves grapes, apples, bananas, mango, pineapple, green beans, peas and potatoes. Make sure you wash everything you feed him really well to remove any pestisides that may be on them (or try to buy organic that hasn't been treated). Our vet visit for him is usually $35.00 a year for his check up and nail trim. And that's pretty much all I can think of!! Oh, for treats we give him fruit or cherrios (not frosted) popcorn (unsalted), and he loves pizza crust!! We cut his food into slices or pieces that he can easily hold. Make sure you buy a shallow dish too- ours is a bath-time fool. He loves taking a bath, and making a mess! Good luck with your new baby, your gonna love him! Ours makes us laugh every day.
Beware--they scream a bunch!!! Maroon Belly/Green cheecks are much quieter.

Having said that you will need
bird (about 400)
a cage (about 200-300) ones with a skirt to catch mess are good, bigger the better, but have to have the right spacing on bars
toys--several, a few at a time in the cage and rotate them occasionally and use variety of materials--wood, acrylic...(about $7-15 a piece)
food (depends on quality about $12 a bag)
treats
dishes (3--for food, water and treats/veggies--if they don't come with cage)
use perches of right size and at least a couple of different sizes--the ones that help trim nails are neat

nail trimmer and styptic powder if you plan to cut nails, i recommend having the pet store/vet do it
something to cover the cage (blanket??)
a book on conures if you like
expect to spend about 800 to get started

Conure poop changing colors!any vets out there?

ok i have a almost 3 month old yellow sided conure. she asks very babyish and cuddles with me. this is my first conure, but not my first bird. sometimes her poop is redish brown and somtimes it is green? is that ok? my mom says it is natural because of the color of her food.(which is a mix of colored pellets, sunflower seed, and millet...also my mom doesn't know much about animals I research them non- stop though.) she also has fruit and yogurt. I read that if she has red or brown poop she may have poisoning or liver diesease.(sorry for the spelling) Can you tell me if this is really natural? I have had her for only 3 weeks and have bonded with her so of course i don't want her to die (plus she was 400 dollars so a waste of money for a dead bird that would be.)
Answers:
Educate yourself. Subscribe to BirdTalk magazine and read it from front to back every month. Vets know little to nothing about birds
NO Yoghurt. What would the bird eat in the wild that would have milk products in it? Nothing. Her poop is okay. Depends what they eat. If she eats berries it will be red.
She needs fresh vegies. Chop celery, shred carrots, chop apples, kiwi fruit, bananas, red peppers, green peppers and offer that ONLY in the morning. Parrots do not eat seeds or pellets in the wild. Give her natural food. Also soak buckwheat, wheat berries, barley and wild rice mix in very warm water over night. Add this to the vegie mix. My birds love this. They get seeds for their second feeding in the afternoon. Be sure she has a cuttle bone for calcium. Also clip a leaf of Romain to the side of the cage. She will enjoy pecking at it and will get vitamin A that she needs to be healthy. While you are researching - google Nurturing Dominance and read everything Sally Blanchard writes.
Good luck and good you want your bird to be optimally healthy and have no disease.
FIrst of all, I don't think you should give her yogurt everyday. Every once in a while is find, but not that regularly. Birds process dairy differently (it's not exactly natural for them..). If you're feeding her berries, then her poop will be the color of her food, but if you're not, definately take her to an avian certified vet (find one near you here:www.aav.org/vet-lookup) Red could come from the fruits and green can sometimes come from eating a lot of seeds, but I recommend you take her to a vet. Hope this helps and good luck!
It'd good that you are so observant, keep it up... but your mom is right about this, Different food cause different colors in poop. Give them lots of fruit and it will get really runny too. My babies have Dried mango in their food when they eat that their poop turns orange... There are a lot of other signs of illness you need to be aware of, so being familair with your Conures behaviors... whats normal for them is important.
There are a couple of Websites I highly recommend.
www.wingedwisdom.com
www.birdsnways.com
Both are very infomative.
I'm not a vet, but I've had birds for over 20 years.and one was a Nanday Conure. When I fed him a lot of fruit, his poop would become green and watery. When he ate more seed or pellets, it would become more firm and brownish. I eventually (gradually) switched all of my birds to pelleted food (not colored, though). These pelleted foods have been formulated for maximum nutrition, and I only give seeds as a "treat", once in awhile. I had my Conure for over 25 years, and I don't know how old he was when I found him, out in the yard. Good luck and Happy Birding.
Do not worry about it. Red-brownish poop means that your conure is eating pellets. Thats how you can tell that it is eating the pellets when you're trying to convert them from seed to pellets. Even if you read the back of the label of the pellet food, it'll say that your parrot's dropping will turn to a reddish brown color and thats how you know that he's eating it. So, there is nothign to worry about =)
My birds have the same thing when I give them different things.When I give them nutri berries, their poop the next day is always the color of the nutri berry they ate the night before.
You can always have a sample of their poop analyzed at your vet if you are really concerned. Good luck!
Yes this is normal the pellets will do that .. I rember the first time i gave my the zupreem fruit pellets i thought it was blood i ran them to the next town at 12 at night to the ER vet god did i feel stupid an pay an arm and a leg .. Your doing great .. Cut back on the sun flower seeds not as good for them .. Have your mom get a bag of frozen veggies an put a 1/4 cup under hot water every day make sure and toss what she dont eat in a few hours but its way better for her!!(corn peas beans carrots)) give her tons of diff veggies raw an some steamed..Look up on the net things parrots eat you will get alot new things to keep her happy and busy!!
Good luck =-)

Conure breathing?

Please only respond if you KNOW about birds...in other words you own one or have owned one in the past. The more experienced the better. Please don't just take a guess, or say "go to the vet" because I am asking this for a friend and he plans on taking the bird to the vet if it does not get better in the next day or two.
He has a sun conure that is making a clicking noise while breathing (signaling congestion), and has its mouth open a little to help it breathe. He just brought home another (a different) conure a couple of days ago without quaranteening, so I think it may have picked up something this way. We found some advice online that suggested steam with a humidifier or warm shower. If anyone has any advice (preferably someone who has encountered this type of problem before), it would be most helpful.
Answers:
Hot steamy showers can help relieve the congestion..without the quartine the bird could have picked up anything. I would take both birds to an expierenced avian vet and have blood tests done. It's always better to get the proffessional opinion and way to take care of the ill bird.
Definatley getting the bird in some steam, will help relieve the congestion but since the ne wbird was brought in with quarantine the bird could ahve gotten anything. I knwo it's not waht your friend wasnt to hear but they need to see the vet for blood work adn also treatment for anything they do have. A humidifier as well would help. Keep him warm and hydrated. That's all your friend can do for now really.
could be a mite (Air Sac Mites) in the birds lungs...most common in small birds but by bringing in a new bird it could very easily happen.
could also be a cold but generally you would see a nasal discharge and/or diarrhea,
There are drops you can buy that will kill the mite. You can also buy anti-biotics if you suspect illness. The advice on the hospital cage with heat should be followed. This will help the bird recover faster.
go to this link: http://healthybird.net/air%20sac%20mites...
personaly if the bird is makeing a clicking sound and has it's mouth open for breathing then time is of the essance for keeping it alive. Give the bird a warm quiet place with atleast a 40% humidity level until you can get the bird to the vet. I have worked with 20 or so birds and when they start showing signs of sickness I take them into an unused bathroom supply suplmental heat and humitity until I get them to the vet.
Never treat for anything until the bird sees a vet. It could give you a false neg when tests are run. You just wasted your money then on the tests.
Put a heating pad on the outside of the cage and turn it on high, cover the cage with a heavy blanket. Pull the tray out of the cage and fill the tray with hot water. The water will evaporate and that will give off the water needed for moisture. Maintain the birds heat for now, and then call the vet. Perferably an avian vet.
Since you don't know what the bird has, or if it's due to the new bird, don't take a chance. Take the sick one and get it treated ASAP. Get enough meds to treat the new while you're at it. 9 chances out of 10, the new one was exposed as well.
Until you get it to a vet, maintain the heat level. You don't want the bird panting like a dog, that's a good indicator it's too hot in the cage, open the front of the cage a little bit.
Birds body temp is 102-105.
Good Luck!
They make meds for that sold at our meijers an im sure any pet store will have it for a respiratory problem .. Keep it in a warm place!! 85 to 90 would be great steam it and no matter what let it get a chill cold A/C air !! Give it lots of extra things to eat fruts veggies an get some benebac for birds!! It has the good bac birds need!! Also can get some plain yogurt ..Good luck!!
Why is he waiting a day or two? Thats ridiculous. First off any sign of breathing problem is a sure sign that the little guy must go to the vet right away and waiting is not a good idea.Also that was not smart to avoid the quarantine period because now he more than likely had two sick birds, birds hide illness until its pretty much in a bad state its a thing they do in nature so other birds will not see them being weak. Steam humidifer etc... is not a good answere because in my opinion without knowing what is causing the problem why treat what you don't know. Just get him to a vet now not in a day or two.

Color changing?

I have an orange winged amazon that is about 6 years old and just recently on the end of each of his feathers on his wing they suddenly turned yellow. the used to be green but like over night they turned yellow. they used to be green and i think it looks really awesome with the yellow tips. what doese the color changing mean?
Answers:
Yes they do normally develop yellow tips. It's completely normal %26 he's fine.
Yes it is completely normal. I think that it can change over time. I hope i helped.
duude birds r amazin ainimals there coulers are simply amazing do u agree

COCKATOO parrot owners?

Which (personality wise) is better to own, a goffin or umbrella cockatoo.
which is more worth the money?
which is funner to own?
i already know umbrellas are more demanding and expensive.
what are your thoughts?
im trying to decied which i would like to own.
i have already researched for quite a long time, i just want some personal opinions.
thanks so much
Answers:
Well, I've owned many different birds of both species and am still partial to the Goffins. Both are worth the money and are fun to own, but all birds have their quirks. Quirks are things like being an escape artist that can undo even padlocks, one of my Goffins is a sweetheart, but is jealous of my mom so she bites her-BUT- my mom is her favorite person to play games like peek-a-boo and fetch or tug-of-war with! You get used to the little quirks, but the difference between the species is that the Umbrella's quirks get "worse" over time and become more frequent. Goffins personalities stay the same forever. The other thing is that Goffins are MUCH more social and better with kids or new people while out at the store or somewhere. They are also smaller so that IF they decide to bite or something, it's not quite as bad. If you're going to get a baby, remember that around 4 years old, cockatoos go through sexual maturity and become very aggressive, loud, and moody. IT DOES GO AWAY, I PROMISE! The Umbrella doesn't stay in "birdie puberty" for very long, but the Goffins doesn't get quite as "bad" (they mostly are moody and maybe will scream a little or get nippy but nothing terrible). I probably would also suggest the Goffins because they have the Cockatoo personality but VERY toned down. If you can handle your Goffins after 6 years or so (after maturity), just think about whether you're ready for that behavior times about 4. I'm not saying Umbrellas are bad! I love them, but for someone starting out with cockatoos, I'd probably go for the smaller, easier bird.
i dont have much experience with either breed but i can tell you that cockatoos are funny creatures. ive met some that will hang out on anyones shoulder, no questions asked.but then there are some that are leary of you for years no matter how nice you are to them. so whichever breed you decide to go for, if you can check out the birds temperment first, it might be a good idea.
Before you go anywhere NEAR a cockatoo, go here:
I'd say the goffin's is worth the money. But both have their quirks, but it really depends on what you can afford to own. I mean that in attention. They needs lots and lots of attention as you know and they never stop needing it. it can get exhausting! The Goffins usually gets along better with other birds from what I have experienced/heard whichmay be better since you own so many fids. Plus you can get the goffins adn experience a Too first hand. how loud, how demanding, how crazy, how cuddly and then later if you want the bigger too then go get a Umbie. You can always have both, always start small and work your way up. Especially in the Too category. This way you can slowly get yourself into the Too world, because although it is addictive it can be pretty crazy! I'd go with the goffins. :)
we have had our umbrella cockatoo for a year now and hes great! I handfed him since he was a baby but I have 5 kids and he loves all of them and will go to any stranger! hes just very friendly! beware though and just make sure if you do get one young you need to teach it right and make sure you dont overspoil it:) make sure you give it plenty of attention but also make sure that it is able to entertain itself for several hours! we have ours in our main room and since he was a baby he has always gotten out during the day but also has to stay in his cage even when we are in the room and he is fine! dont pay attention to them when they go through their screaming moments! it only lasts for about ten minutes twice a day and if you start when they are young and dont give them attention when they do it then they dont get worse and worse and louder and louder!I also have a yellow naped amazon and they love talking back and forth to each other and its quite funny when they have their screaming time in the morning and they both try to get louder than each other....its quite difficult to talk over them so we just let them hash it out for a few minutes and then its over with.good luck
i own a goffin and odie is wonderful not too screechie but can be at times verry emotional as all toos are she is a clown but if left un attended for too long could definately do some damage due to her curious nature the best thing for one looking to be owned by a too is to do as much extensive research on the species as possible because let me tell ya somthing here in wa state we have a rescue /sanctuary for toos called mollywood and it is filled with sevral hundred toos whom of wich have been abused neglected or just plain could not be handeled in the home ,just because somthing is cuddely and sweet u must fully educate and prepair your self for a life change they are like children in behavior and personality and deserve enough respect to have a knollegable parent just like a child if u like your quiet time ill say this kiss it good bye and in owing this bird you will eventually get bit always rember it is not the birds fault you werent paying attention to his mood or feelings