How to Care for Birds

WORMER

If kept outdoors continue with monthly worming. If kept indoors worm three monthly.


LICE AND MITE SPRAY and WORMING

Your bird was sprayed for external parasites and wormed. You will have received this sheet upon purchase. Your bird will need to be treated again in two weeks for lice and mites. If keeping outdoors continue treatment every two weeks. If keeping indoors (MOSTLY) treat monthly during cold weather, two weekly spring and autumn and weekly during summer.

DIET

Your bird is currently being fed a diet of Breeders quality seed, fresh fruit and veggies, sprouts and egg and biscuit. If you are happy with the condition of the bird we strongly suggest that you continue on this diet. Our staff will be happy to explain the diet fully before you leave.

Remember...just because a seed carries the name of a celebrity, it doesn’t guarantee you a quality mix.

VITAMINS

Under normal conditions your bird should not need an ongoing supplement. If the diet is adequate and the bird is not under any stress, it should get enough vitamins from the range foods that you supply. We do however recommend a supplement when you first purchase a bird as it will be under stress when it changes environment, so maybe a little nervous to eat and drink well. We choose soluvet as it is easy to administer and has an electrolyte in it as well. Keep the bird on this for at least seven days from date of purchase.

CAGE POSITION

It is most important that your bird is placed in a quiet room, away from any draughts, not too close to a heater or air conditioner, not too close to a window, against a wall and out of reach of other pets or small children. Birds scare easily and sudden movement will make them take flight. Do not put a cover over the cage that blocks out all of the light as they need to be able to see where they are going if frightened. Keep an eye on your bird for signs of stress. Such as fluffing up of the feathers, squinting eyes or heavy breathing, faeces stuck around the vent or on the tail, sitting on the floor of the cage. Refusal to eat or drink. Let us know immediately as a bird can lose half of it’s body weight over two days.