Cage 'N' Cookin'
By Susan Chamberlain
Find the answers to your questions below!
Fresh Air Right Now!
Ohio resident Linda, who shares her home with Whistle, a 4-month-old cockatiel, wrote to ask about the advisability of air purifiers near a bird's cage: "Some air cleaners emit low-level ozone. Is ozone harmful to birds? Is a HEPA filter better, or no air filter at all? What's the best for my birds?
Let's clear the air about room air cleaners! Air filters remove pollen, dust, pet dander, dead skin cells and other particulate matter from the atmosphere inside your home. Bacteria and viruses travel around by hitching rides on dust particles, and these dust particles can be removed from the air when trapped in high-efficiency filters. Air purifiers actually kill bacteria and viruses.
People are often confused when trying to choose an appropriate air filter or purifier. HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Air) filters, ionizers, ozonators and ultra-violet purification systems are available. It helps to understand what the different systems are and how they work in order to choose the product that best suits your needs. Manufacturers of these products have extensive technical literature available upon request. Following are some explanations of various filter/purification components:
ELECTROSTATIC: A charged surface that attracts and collects airborne particles. Think "dust magnet".
FILTER: A standard filter pad traps particles, including many allergens and some gases from the air but cannot actually destroy microorganisms unless equipped with germicidal accessories. Standard filters and pre-filters must be washed or replaced according to manufacturer's directions.
HEPA: High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filtration systems were originally developed by the Atomic Energy Commission to remove radioactive particles from the air. HEPA filters are used in spacecraft, industry, hospitals and homes. Depending on maintenance, proper use and the efficiency of a particular unit, HEPA filters are capable of removing close to 99.9994% of particles down to .3 microns in size (about 1/25,000 of an inch!) from the indoor atmosphere.
IONS, IONIZER, IONIZATION: An ion is an electrically charged particle. Ionizers neutralize the air by emitting a flow of negative ions that cling to positively charged particles. This increases the weight of the particles and causes them to cling to surfaces rather than remaining airborne.
OZONE, OZONATOR: Ozone is a form of activated oxygen with an extra, third molecule, which attaches itself to airborne pollutants. It oxidizes and destroys bacteria, fungus, mold, viruses and mildew, leaving pure oxygen in their place. Low levels of ozone (the FDA's safety limit is 50 parts per billion) can purify water and air. According to Consumer Reports (10/92), when room air passes through a high-voltage plate in an ozonator, some oxygen molecules are ionized. The U.S. Food & Drug Administration has set a limit of 50 parts per billion for ozone from electronic air cleaners.
ULTRA-VIOLET LIGHT: Reduces transmission of disease by killing bacteria passing through the appliance.
Both purifiers and filters are somewhat effective in reducing odors and removing smoke from the air, but you must never rely on an air filter or purifier to remove airborne toxins or germs from the atmosphere before they affect your bird. Some air filters combine two or more of the features described above. If you suffer from asthma or other respiratory condition, consult your physician before purchasing any air-cleaning device.
Keep the air fresh and reduce pollution in your home with simple, every day routines. Curtail the use of aerosols, powders and chemicals indoors. Quit smoking. Use high-efficiency allergen filter bags for your vacuum cleaner. Purchase high-efficiency air conditioner and furnace filters. Install a range hood that vents to outdoors instead of blowing fumes back into the room. Fresh air is the best purifier of all. Open the windows for at least a short time each day. During warm weather, install a window fan blowing out. You'll be amazed at the dust and dander it carries out of your home!
Feeding Your Bird: How much is too much?
Claire Holland of Maine wonders about how much to feed her two Amazon parrots. "I am a very new bird Mom. I bought two Amazon parrots on Aug. 30, 04. I am so afraid of over feeding my birds and getting them obese. Please tell me, just how much is a bird like Amazons supposed to eat? How much seed should I give them? They are picky seedeaters. How much fruit and veggies should they have? I throw away more seed than they eat. They won't eat the small seed or corn. But they do love apples, broccoli and some plums. They aren't fond of grapes. I also give them cabbage, celery, whole-grain breads and, once in a while, a piece of donut. They apparently had donuts with their previous owner as one seems to be a donut junkie. For a special treat I give them popcorn. Sometimes, they will eat squash and cucumber. They dislike peppers. One bird is 2 years old and the other is 20. Can you help?"
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Amazons are often prone to obesity. Notice
this red-lored Amazon's "cleavage."
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I had the same concerns when I adopted Cracker, my double-yellowheaded Amazon in 1980, and I can assure Claire that Amazons are indeed junk food junkies. To my knowledge Cracker's never seen a donut, but her former human companiontold me that she loved hot dogs and would kill for pizza or snack crackers! I was properly appalled and vowed never to allow her to ingest a salt and preservative laden hot dog. Every once in awhile, she's permitted a tiny piece of pizza (about 1/2-inch square) and a bite of a snack cracker, but that's about it for "junk food." A tiny piece of donut once in awhile probably won't hurt Claire's parrot, but the high sugar and fat content make donuts unsuitable for daily consumption. Remember, a "small" portion doesn't mean the size of a bird's head -- it's more like the size of a bird's eye! Chocolate donuts are forbidden altogether, as chocolate is toxic to birds.
Amazon parrots are notorious food wasters. Except for Bogart, my red-lored Amazon that never wastes a morsel of anything, my Amazons apparently engage in food fights when I'm out of the room. They eat, chew and fling their painstakingly prepared birdie brunches each day.
There is really no exact formula for feeding your birds. The main thing is not to permit your birds to eat a single food (like sunflower seed!) to the exclusion of others and not to allow them to eat large quantities of junk food. Claire's 20-year-old Amazon may be set in its ways and resistant to new foods, while the younger one may readily accept pellets and experiment with unfamiliar fresh produce.
Most veterinarians recommend a formulated diet, or a combination of pellets and seed supplemented with fresh fruit, vegetables and safe "people" food. Offer lots of fresh produce, thawed frozen veggies, grains and cooked beans, moderate amounts of pasta (a forkfull), bits of cooked beef, fish and chicken and, occasionally, scrambled eggs. Use hot pepper flakes for seasoning instead of salt, and forego butter, sauces and gravies. Corn niblets, pasta flavored with marinara sauce, a snippet of chicken or fish and a few peas are guaranteed beak pleasers. Cooked sweet potatoes, vegetables from homemade soup and roasted red peppers are other favorites.
Your pet can enjoy healthful human breakfast foods like a small sip of orange juice, a spoonful of cooled, unsweetened oatmeal topped with a few fresh blueberries and banana chunks, or a tiny bit of scrambled egg (1/2 teaspoon) and a tip of lightly toasted whole-grain bread.
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This double yellowheaded Amazon peruses
healthful fresh produce. |
It's wonderful that your birds like broccoli because it is rich in calcium and essential vitamins. You don't really need to limit their intake of healthful vegetables. Sweet potatoes, kale, squash, beets and other vegetables are excellent too. Try some of the nutritious, ready-to-cook avian meals you'll find on pet shop shelves and in bird supply catalogs! Colorful pasta, vegetables, fruits, nuts, beans, grains and herbs and spices are blended in a variety of bird-pleasing combinations. Prepare small quantities at a time; or cook in larger amounts, then freeze in ice cube trays (store the frozen cubes in containers or plastic bags) or individual packets, and thaw as needed. I split one ice-cube sized portion between two Amazons. Serve cooked foods at room temperature or just slightly warmer. Stir heated portions to eliminate hot spots. Cooked portions of most formulas can be safely refrigerated for one to three days; read package directions for specific advice. Most ready-to-cook food mixtures are intended as supplemental meals, not total diets. Discard uneaten portions after several hours.
Reduce waste and encourage fruit and vegetable consumption by stringing fresh produce on a rod or skewer-style feeder suspended from cage bars. Birds must "work" to get the food off the skewer, and mess is reduced because the food can't be flung about.
Have your avian veterinarian weigh your birds to be sure your birds' weight is within normal parameters. If they finish all the seed or pellets in their dishes each day, you may want to add a bit more.
Amazons are sometimes prone to obesity, so encourage healthful eating habits and exercise. If your two birds are housed together, it is likely that they play with one another throughout the day. Provide toys and out-of-the-cage time to keep them stimulated and active. No "perch potatoes" allowed!
Further reading: Feeding Your Pet Bird by Dr. Petra Burgmann, Barron's Educational Series; available in bookstores, pet shops and through online sources.
| Introduce Your Bird to New Food
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Children and Birds -- What a team!
I recently received a plea from a parent who wanted to find a new home for her parrot because her young child was afraid of the bird. According to Linda LaFleur, Long Island Parrot Society adoption chairperson, the main reason people give up their birds is because a new baby has joined the family. Often too, families choose the wrong type of bird for a child. The right choices can help avoid heartache later on.
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| Lovebirds make good pets for children. |
Select a bird according to your child's abilities and level of commitment. Impulse buys often become nightmares. A friend recently adopted a scarlet macaw that had been purchased as a pet for a 10-year-old! The child soon lost interest. The big bird intimidated other family members and faced a lonely, cage-bound life until the mother sought an adoptive home for the now neurotic macaw.
Birds are fascinating, intelligent creatures with physical and emotional needs. Caring for a pet bird can impart a reverence for life to the child while teaching responsibility and kindness. Your child's experiences in aviculture can begin in the cradle.
Babies love watching small, active birds flutter around and play. Consider finches, a pair of budgies or a canary for relatively low noise levels combined with color and moderate activity. Locate the cage where your baby can spend time each day observing the action inside. Keep the cage scrupulously clean, and use a HEPA (high efficiency particulate air filtration) air filter to maintain indoor air quality for birds and baby. Cages for small birds are available in a range of shapes and colors for added visual stimulation.
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| It is essential to supervise children with birds. |
Toddlers enjoy observing avian antics and delight in holding and interacting with pet birds. Close adult supervision is necessary for the protection of both bird and child. Small-beaked, "gentle" species, like cockatiels, budgies and even-tempered lovebirds are the best pets for this age range. Toddlers are apt to tip cages over or open doors to play with birds; keep cages well out of their reach.
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Kids, wash your hands after playing with the iguana! Always scrub your hands before handling birds. While birds are not susceptible to most human viruses, e-coli, staph, fungi, salmonella, gram-negative bacteria and other microscopic minutiae can affect them. Keep a waterless hand sanitizer handy for quick washes. |
5 to 12 year olds are mature enough to assume some responsibility for bird care. Encourage kids to clean cages, prepare food, schedule wing-feather trimming appointments, and attempt to teach friendly birds to talk, whistle or perform simple tricks. This age group can read basic bird care books and access avian websites to learn more about their pets.
Personality-packed budgies, cockatiels, lovebirds and quaker (where legal) parakeets are good choices for pre-teens. They're relatively inexpensive, more easily tamed and trained (many are already tame when purchased), and their small beaks are less intimidating than those of larger birds. Birds must be handled frequently to maintain tameness, but children mustn't be permitted to maul or tease them. Even small birds can become nippy!
Special-needs children can enjoy avian company. Birds provide visual and mental stimulation, and teach gentleness and responsibility to learning-disabled children. Avoid cockatoos, cockatiels and other "dusty" species if your child has asthma or other respiratory problems. A budgie, lovebird or member of the genus Brotogeris is a better choice. Never house a bird in a child's bedroom. Use a HEPA filter to reduce indoor dust and dander.
What's the most important factor in your child's success with a new pet bird? Adult supervision!
| When choosing a child's bird, consider:
Attention span: Children often lose interest in the pet or become preoccupied with sports and social activities. Consider a species that can amuse itself independently in its cage, or get a pair of birds.
Noisy household = noisy bird. Budgies like a noisy environment and will chortle pleasantlyall day long in a clamorous household. Cockatiels whistle pleasantly but may emit piercing squeaks if alarmed. Conures, Amazons and macaws will raise their voices to match the decibel level around them, perhaps frightening small children. African grey parrots often imitate actual sounds. Many greys and Amazons "cry" just like babies!
Safety: Larger birds, such as Amazons, can be quite demanding and may be too much responsibility for most kids. They can also be aggressive and inflict serious bites. |
Pick of the Litter
John Sandifer writes: "We have several cockatiels, parakeets, lovebirds and finches in our family. We recently were told about an aspen pet bedding product. We use it in the bottom of the cages instead of newspaper. It really controls odor well, and cleanup is a breeze ... we simply vacuum off the top layer of soiled bedding every few days. Just the other day, a breeder told us that it might be harmful to our birds' respiratory tracts because of the slight natural aspen scent. Should we continue to use it? We only want to do what's right for our animals.
Plicatic acid, emitted by cedar, has been associated with asthma and inflammatory and allergic reactions. When inhaled, the aromatic oils in cedar can be harmful to birds. Aspen or clean, white pine shavings are preferable to cedar. Aspen is a hardwood and contains no phenols, making it an excellent alternative. Pine shavings contain a milder irritant called abietic acid, which may result in a weak allergic response. Kiln drying removes phenols from pine and other softwoods.
In years past, lightweight wood shavings were commonly used as cage litter. Birds flapped their wings, and wood shavings landed everywhere. The new pelleted, granulated and compressed litter products are heavier and less likely to become airborne. Even aspen wood bedding is heavier than cedar, and, according to some users, seems to "lock together" and stay where it belongs. Manufacturers have significantly reduced the amount of dust emitted by litter products. Adequate ventilation in your home will help to reduce airborne dust, bird dander, mold and other particles in your home.
Cage litter is a touchy subject. Opponents are concerned about bacterial growth, toxicity, crop impactions and dust. Fans cite odor and bacteria control, safety and the lack of dust.
Understand the difference between bedding and litter. Cage bedding is a product intended for use by small animals and birds for nests or shelter. For years, many bird breeders used wood shavings as bedding in nest boxes. Cedar was a popular choice until people became concerned about possible adverse effects of the phenols in cedar. Now aspen wood shavings are gaining favor as nesting and bedding material for young birds.
Litter is designated for use in the bottom of a cage. Its main purpose is to absorb moisture from droppings and discarded foodstuffs. Some problems associated with litter and bedding materials include bacterial growth, dust, and crop impactions. Dust from bedding products can be harmful, as bacteria and mold (aspergillus) spores can be inhaled. Some litter products contain odor control ingredients, but bird droppings are not usually smelly. If your bird's droppings emit a sour or offensive odor, consult your avian veterinarian to rule out disease.
Litter products aren't an excuse for not scooping the poop. Remove discarded food, droppings and moist litter daily. Change the cage tray litter and wash the tray every few days.
Use litter only where a cage grate can keep the bird away from physical contact with the product. Never permit your bird to eat litter.
The most important thing you can do when using a cage litter or bedding product is read the package directions! Use the product only according to instructions. Never use cat litter, sand or gravel as birdcage litter. Contact the manufacturer and your avian veterinarian for specific advice.