An African Grey supports the largest environmental event in history ... EARTH HOUR! AnAG will be offline on Saturday March 31, 2012 from 08:30 pm to 09:30 pm Atlantic Time! … [Read more...]
Mar
29
Head Shaking
Occasionally, any parrot will shake his head. This doesn't need to be of concern, but if you see your bird shaking his head frequently, this could be a sign of a problem in the making. Ear infections are unusual in parrots, but they can and do happen, especially if the bird gets his head wet often or he has a suppressed immune system due to other causes. A serious ear infection will also cause balance issues, and can make a parrot prone to falls. However, you should not wait until the situation worsens before consulting with your avian vet. If you have any concerns with the health of your … [Read more...]
Mar
23
M2MM Birdy Bread 2012
Here's my latest, pellet-free, peanut-free birdy bread recipe. (Hey, that rhymes! :P) WET INGREDIENTS: Advanced preparation (this can be done well in advance, and the results frozen for later use): Cook in unsalted water, at a rolling boil: one cup of dried lentils, split peas, or any bean soup mix Cook until tender, rinse, drain, and allow to cool thoroughly before bagging and storing in the frig or freezer. Bake until tender: 1 medium-sized Butternut Squash (split length-wise and scoop out the seeds, lay split face down on baking sheet) 1 medium to large sized YAM (the orange … [Read more...]
Feb
11
Avian Vets — What is an avian vet?
The term "avian vet" can be somewhat misleading. Any vet can call themselves an "avian vet" simply because they treat birds. An "avian vet" does not necessarily mean "avian certified". Also any vet can join the The Association of Avian Veterinarians without being avian certified... The only requirement for an "Active Member" membership is to be a graduate from a veterinary program (ie DVM) .. Being a member of this association only means that a DVM has access to the resources the association has to offer ... which is great because we can only hope that those vets who do join are interested in … [Read more...]
Jan
28
How do I teach my bird to step down?
I have found that the easiest way to have my birds step down on their own is to tilt my hand towards what I want them to step down onto. In most cases they don't have a choice but to step down as they don't like being on an angle because it makes them feel unsteady. Usually what they step down onto is behind them. So with my bird on my hand, I hold my hand in front of what I want them to step down onto ... I tilt my hand back and to the right or left a little so my hand is on an angle towards what I want them to step onto .. as they step down I say "Step Down". That way I attach my words to … [Read more...]
Jan
25
Getting More Than You Bargained For! :(
This is to warn all rescuers and rehomers about the problems they can inherit by accepting cages, toys, and other bird periphenalia along with a rehomed or pet-shop-purchased bird. I've made this mistake with one happy hut that turned out to be carrying the red mite (aka blood mite), which was not detected until long afterwards when the lovebird it came with started to deteriorate. Even our avian vet missed the cause of his elevated while blood cell count and lethargy. Only after we actually found a few strays, did we trace the problem to his happy hut. a well-fed Red (Blood) Mite at … [Read more...]
Jul
14
Your Grey’s First Vet Appointment
Vets normally will want to see your new Grey within the first month (check with your vet's office for their advice on this, as many have differing views). Likely, they will advise bringing him in at about the one month mark, as this will give you a good idea of how well he's taking to this change in his life. You will then be able to answer the basic questions, such as: What is he eating? and how much? Does he appear to have a good appetite? (Is he picking at the food, or eating ravenously?) Is he sleeping well, or are there any issues you are concerned about? Is he active and playing … [Read more...]
May
14
AnAG Reading List
My favourite books include: For the Love of Greys (Bobbi Brinker) Guide to a Well-Behaved Parrot (Barron's) The Parrot Who Owns Me (Joanna Burger, Ornithologist) Sally Blanchard's Companion Parrot Handbook (aka The Happy Bappy Fun Book) Good Bird! (Barbara Heidenreich) the Parrot Problem Solver, Finding Solutions to Aggressive Behavior (Barbara Heidenreich) Conversations with Cosmo - At Home with an African Grey Parrot (Betty Jean Craige) These books will not only give you a lot of excellent information, but will also give you an idea about what living with a bird is like. … [Read more...]
May
12
Avoid Scammers
It is very important to avoid getting drawn into scams when you are planning to purchase a parrot. Scammers are sometimes hard to identify, but with the right information, they can be avoided, saving you from financial problems and personal disappointment. Here are some sites with Scammer incidents: http://blogg-erton.blogspot.com/ http://yaounde.usembassy.gov/scams_warning.html http://www.scamvictimsunited.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=1551&view=previous http://www.helpmerick.com/fun_with_cameroon_pet_scams.htm How to Recognize Scammers Scammers usually use bad … [Read more...]
May
11
First Aid Kit
How to Prepare an Emergency First Aid Kit Always be prepared. That's a great motto for every pet and bird owner. You should always have a basic bird first aid kit on hand as well as a small carrier or cage for emergency situations. Whether you purchase a bird first aid kit that has already been assembled, or make one yourself, here are some items every first aid kit should include: Blunt ended Scissors -- These can also come in handy if your bird becomes entangled in a toy or other material. Styptic Powder, or other blood clotting agent - Use on bleeding nails or beaks in an emergency. … [Read more...]
Dec
19
Lost Bird – Recovery
Tips for Recovering Missing Birds by Jean Pattison (The African Queen) If you belong to a bird club, please ask your newsletter editor to publish this. If your club holds a bird fair, please distribute it. If you know of someone who has lost a bird, please send it along. If you have a personal web page, please put this up. If you are a breeder, please include this in your educational packet. Please forward this to other lists. If you know of lost/found web pages, please ask them to put this up. Birds can live for days-weeks months, and even years after an escape. Never give up. Always … [Read more...]
Aug
14
Understanding Your Parrots Droppings
There are three parts to your bird's droppings. Urates - white chalky material Urine- clear watery The above are two types of urine are sometimes mixed together and make it look like cloudy white urine. Important changes include color changes and amount. Feces The third part of the droppings is the feces. The feces is from the colon so would be made up of digested foods. This is the part of the droppings in which the colour may changed depending on the food eaten. For example red pellets and cranberries can result in a red coloured dropping. Please note that the colour … [Read more...]
