Birds
Keeping Birds as Pets
Andale Veterinary Centre does not
specialize in the care and treatment of birds, however, we are
very willing to see all your pet birds as a first opinion. We do
see raptors for a number of clients. If a condition requires more
specialized or advanced care beyond our limit we are very happy to
refer your pet to a local Avian expert practice. It gives us a
great deal of pleasure to see and be involved with the treatment
of your pet birds we can perform most routine procedures and most
minor surgery and radiography.
The keeping of birds as pets is
often a controversial subject, and certainly wild, caught birds
should never be kept as pets. Legally, birds must be kept in a
cage large enough to allow them to fully stretch their wings, but
in the wild many commonly kept species enjoy considerably more
space.
Did you know? Some parrots fly
50-60km and back daily when foraging for food.
Birds are very intelligent, and
can be long lived. Parrots can live for 50 years or more. Sadly,
many of the problems they have in captivity are caused by
inadequacies in their care.
Birds in the wild are much more
active during their day-to-day activities. Species such as
cockatiels spend a lot of time foraging for seeds and fruit, which
burns off a lot of energy. In captivity, they may be fed high
calorie foods such as nuts and sunflower seeds, but their activity
is limited, so they can easily become too fat.
It's a good idea to allow birds
access to a variety of fresh foods, and to restrict their access
to seeds to 15 minutes, three times daily, if you think your bird
is becoming too fat. Try hiding food or wrapping it in paper, so
your bird has to hunt for it.
Craving company
Many birds are social, and live
in flocks. Their welfare may be compromised by an absence of
social contact, or behavioural problems can develop if they
develop strong attachments to their owner. Many of the commonly
kept species come from countries which are both climactically
different from the UK, and have a different light-dark cycle. The
latter is particularly important in the control of some aspects of
bird physiology.
Did you know? Birds have
better colour vision than humans, and can distinguish colours
which look identical to us. They can also see UV light.
Perches may cause foot problems.
The smooth plastic perches that are commonly sold cause the bird
to adopt an unnatural weight-bearing position that can cause
sores. Sandpaper covers can be abrasive. It's better to provide
non-toxic twigs and branches for perching purposes.
Did you know? Birds have a very efficient system for respiration.
Oxygen delivery from the lungs to the muscles is ten times more
efficient than for mammals.
Birds are very susceptible to
inhaled toxins, such as aerosol sprays, tobacco smoke, burnt food
or cooking oil, and chemicals that are released from non-stick
pots and pans when they are overheated, or when non-stick surfaces
are ageing. Other potential sources of these chemicals include
irons and ironing board covers, kitchen appliances such as bread
or coffee machines or sandwich toasters and portable heaters.
These items should only be used in a well-ventilated area, or with
an extractor fan. Birds should not be kept in the same room.
If you get a bird as a pet, you
should research fully the species requirements for food and
housing. Birds are physiologically different to mammals, and many
vets are not experts in their care. Medical care is best provided
by a veterinary surgeon who specialises in birds; specialist care
of this nature may not be available from charities.
Useful websites
- Harrison bird
foods learning centre
- Medical centre
for birds
- Exotic
pet vet has an extensive Avian section accessed by clicking on
the navigation bar at the top
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