IMPORTANT:  ALL BIRDS CAN AND MAY BITE!!!

CAGE:

You will want your bird to have the largest cage you can afford!  Be sure to watch the bar spacing so your bird can't get his head caught between the bars.  Always cover the back 1/3 to 1/2 of the cage with a towel or cover so your bird will have a place to feel safe.  A tent may also be a good idea.  Do not place cage directly in front of a window.  Not only can your bird have a heat stroke, he may become frightened if he sees a "predator" outside!  Birds like to feel like a "part of the family", so you want to place the cage in an area of the house where they can see and feel like they are a part of the "flock".

DIET:

Your bird must be on a "good" diet.  We feed our birds a diet of 50% formulated bird pellets, 25% seed mix and 25% fresh fruits and cooked vegetables.  This will work well for most birds, although certain species such as Eclectus and Lory's have different nutritional requirements.  You must change and clean food and water dishes daily!  Also, a small bird's dish may look full when it may only be HULLS from the seeds.  Birds have been known to have starved to death because the owner thought the seed dish was full!!

TOYS:

Your bird will need plenty of toys to play with.  Along with store-bought toys, he may also enjoy shredding paper, pop-cicle sticks, empty paper towel rolls (as long as there is no glue on the roll), empty cereal boxes, Pop Tart boxes, a new cotton mop head to preen or just some plastic lids to chew on and play with.  Also, one inch strips of fleece or cotton fabric tied together with wooden or plastic beads tied on it can be fun.  Birds need a variety of things to do as they can become bored easily.  Check his toys daily for wear and tear,  any loose pieces or possible dangers!  Keep any frayed rope trimmed.

PLAYSTANDS:

Your bird will need someplace to play "out of his cage".  Some cages may have a "playtop" built on top of the cage.  If not, a playstand is a good idea.  Birds need at least 2-4 hours a day out of their cage and a place to climb and exercise.

"STEP-UP or "UP" COMMAND: 

Every bird should be taught the "step-up" or "up" command and the "step-down" command!  This is easy to teach your bird.  Place your finger (or hand, depending on the size of your bird) in front of your bird's chest.  As you push into his chest say "step up!"  He should step onto your finger/hand at this point.  Then while holding him, place your other finger/hand in front of his chest again and repeat the process being sure to say "step-up" each time!  Repeat this several times during each training session.  If possible, practice this several times a day.  When placing the bird back on his perch, say "step-down" or "down".

WING TRIMMING:

To trim or not to trim???  Any young bird should be allowed to "fully fledge" (learn to fly) before they ever have a wing trim!  This will help prevent the bird from feeling "insecure" later on.  Trimming the wings is a personal preference.  For safety reasons, it can be a good idea.  If you allow your bird to fly freely in your house when out of the cage, there is the danger of him flying out an open door or window, landing on a hot stove, flying into a ceiling fan, window or mirror!  Any open containers of water or toilet seats left up can also be a danger.  Trimmed wings or not, never leave your bird out of his cage when no one is home to supervise him!!!  It is unbelieveable what they can find to get into.

BRINGING HOME A "NEW" BIRD:

When bringing a new bird into your home, he will be scared!  It is best to give him a day or two in his cage to adjust to his new enviornment.  You should try to let your new bird come to you.  A technique that has worked well for us is to sit in a chair beside of your bird's cage and read to him.  Our birds really like Dr. Seuss books, but any book or magazine will do as long as you read it to them.  Do this a couple of times a day without making too much eye contact with him.  It may only take once or twice or it may take several days, but your bird will most likely come over to you.  You can even sing softly or hum to your bird.  And no. your bird does not care whether you can sing or not.  Always be sure that your bird wants to be picked up before picking him up.  EVERYTHING YOU DO WITH YOUR BIRD SHOULD BE TRUST BUILDING AND NOT TRUST DESTROYING!

We hope this information will be helpful to you and your bird.  Keep in mind that all of the information we are giving you comes mostly from our own experience with birds and what we have learned.  We are here to help and have dedicated our lives to helping birds and their owners any way we can.