Rearing | Cages | Toys | Perches | Temperature
Rearing Birds
There are many reasons you may wish to rear a baby bird. Hand–reared birds
bond closer to people, and make better pets. Taking eggs or babies from
the nest often stimulates the hen to lay again. Occasionally, a chick
will be orphaned or abandoned, or its parents unable to feed it – without
hand rearing, it would die.
Whatever the reason, hand rearing is a difficult, time-consuming task, requiring a lot of dedication from the owner. But the rewards are enormous watching a featherless little blob take form and develop into a beautiful bird is beyond compare.
Chicks can be fed with a spoon, a syringe, or a crop needle. Care needs to be taken with crop needles, as the crop can be easily perforated if you are too rough, or the chick moves at the wrong time. If feeding with a spoon or syringe, only feed when there is a good feeding response – the chick's squawking & its head is bobbing up and down.
Week old chicks will need hourly feeds of only a few mls each, round the clock. In the second week this can be reduced to two hourly feeds, with a four - six hour break overnight. By the end of the third week, feeds can be given every 4 - 6 hours, and by 6 weeks, every 8 hours.
As the chick starts to wean the number of feeds can be reduced to two, and then one. At the same time a wide range of solid foods should be offered. You will need to wean birds onto pelleted diets, as these are easy to wean on, and provide a well balanced diet. Please see our staff regarding the correct rearing bird mix for your bird.
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Housing & Cages
The most appropriate housing for most birds is a large well-designed and built outdoor aviary. This will enable your bird to live with freedom of movement and some flight. Circumstances dictate, however, that many birds are kept in indoor cages. The type of bird you choose will often determine the size of cage required. It is very important that your bird has adequate room to move and to express itself.
“The RSPCA recommends the following minimum dimensions for outdoor aviaries or for indoor cages:”
- Finch, Canary: Based on 2 birds sharing a cage - minimum floor area: 1,225 sq cm, minimum height: 35cm;
- Budgerigar: Based on 2 birds sharing a cage - minimum floor area: 1590 sq cm, minimum height: 38cm;
- Cockatiel, Rosella: Based on 2 birds sharing a cage - minimum floor area: 10,000 sq cm, minimum height: 100cm;
- Galah, Sulphur-crested Cockatoo: Based on 1 bird in a cage - minimum floor area: 20,000 sq cm, minimum height: 100cm.
A tray on the floor of the cage will collect droppings and should be removed each day and thoroughly cleaned. The cage or aviary itself should be easy to scrub out, while water and food troughs and perches should be easily removed for cleaning purposes.
Indoor cages should be covered with a cloth or towel to protect your bird from draughts and to allow it to rest. Should the cage be placed outside the house on a fine day, care must be taken to protect your bird from predators, including cats and wild birds. Do not place the cage in the full sun - ensure the bird has some shade at all times.
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Activity & Toys
Parrots are intelligent, active creatures, and should be allowed to exercise out of their cage at least once daily. This exercise obviously needs to be done under supervision, and in the safety of the home.
Placing the cage where your bird can see and participate in family activities will provide your bird with plenty of stimuli.
Stimulation through the provision of ladders, bells, ropes, swings, mirrors, and suitable toys are good, although an over-furnished cage or aviary may cause your bird to injure itself or become entangled.
Toys can be very beneficial, but they must be selected for their safety. Branches, pinecones, cardboard boxes, or special bird toys all have their place.
Birds are clever animals and need mental stimulation to stop them from becoming bored, and developing behavioral problems. You can enhance your bird's environment by providing it with some bird toys. They can also help to maintain healthy beaks and nails.
There is a wide range of colorful toys available to stimulate and entertain birds. Choose a toy that is appropriate for your bird's size. Toys that are too small will not be very interesting for larger birds and may be easily broken, whereas large toys may frighten smaller birds and they will avoid them. Please ask our staff to see a range of bird toys available.
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Perches:
Cages and aviaries should be furnished with perches made of bark-covered branches (not dowelling) and well-secured food and water troughs. The food and water receptacles must not be positioned beneath your bird's perches as it may contaminate its food and water with droppings. If your birds are housed indoors, the cage should be positioned in a well-lit, sunny room where your bird will have frequent human contact, and the opportunity to fly free and exercise.
Perches should be clean, easily replaceable, appropriately sized, natural wood branches from non–toxic, pesticide free trees. As a guide, if native birds perch in a tree, it should be safe for your birds. Dowel or plastic perches should be avoided. Rope perches are often suitable. Only place 1~2 perches in a cage, and make sure they do not overhang food and water dishes
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Temperature
The first choice you need to make is where you are going to keep your bird. Birds can tolerate a wide range of temperatures, but sudden changes can be harmful.
Windy areas should be avoided, although mild breezes will often be welcome.
Fresh air and unfiltered sunshine are important, and if necessary you may have to put your bird outside for an hour or so each day.
If your bird is from a tropical region, you may need to mist it with water once a day to keep it comfortable.
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