Continued from page 3Environmental Enhancements
Too often I have seen breeding set ups where the birds have nothing to occupy their time. Many theorize that if birds have nothing to do, they will breed. Birds produce in the wild, even though there is plenty of open space in which to fly, sticks to play with, and food to forage for. I have yet to see a bird in its natural habitat pluck its feathers, yet in captivity this is a common sight.
Birds want to fly, eat, chew, bathe and preen. Donna Hefton, at A Fledgling Company, is concerned that birds in captivity are not having their natural needs met. Her company is dedicated to creating bird accessories that will help stimulate natural behavior. One such product is the Showerbird, which creates a mist-like rain shower that even our smaller birds enjoy.
Bathing is very important to birds in the wild as feathers need to be perfect in order to provide quick escape from predation. For parrots, the rainy season is synonymous with an abundance of food. This often triggers the desire to produce young. Field studies have shown that during droughts birds will not produce young, or chicks may perish due to lack of food. Providing your birds with crocks to bathe in, or frequent mist like showers may enhance your breeding program and trigger in your birds the desire to mate. Also, a molting bird in poor feather condition is under stress, and the additional stress of nesting and feeding young can compromise their immune system. Showering your birds, whether a pet or breeder bird, will help alleviate stress and maintain health - no bird likes to be dirty and unkept, it simply isn't natural.
We do not have to provide our birds with expensive acrylic toys to make them happy. However, the colors certainly do add interest, designs can be interesting, and the material is durable. Whether it be brightly colored or natural, wood is vital to provide for the chewing instincts of our birds. Without branches and wood to destroy, and room to properly exercise, a bird may decide to take its pent up energies out on it's mate, fellow pet bird, or even a human. In a breeding situation, often times mate aggression can be linked to an overlooked environmental factor, as well as incompatibility. If at all possible, allowing birds to choose their own mates can greatly enhance the environment in which they live and result in greater reproduction success.
Tree branches sway with the breeze, yet many of our birds are only provided with stationary perches. Perches that sway or swing, provide a variety of diameters and textures, and offer a variety of angles should be included in every bird cage. Rope perches are wonderful as birds love to hang upside down from them, however, any materials that fray should be monitored closely and trimmed or replaced as needed. Also, if cotton rope, jute and sisal materials are being used it is important that the bird's toenails not be overgrown.
Importance of Hygiene
The importance of cleanliness can never be overstressed. Suspended style cages are ideal as the birds have no way of reaching spoiled food and fecal matter that has fallen through to the floor below. If bird cages have trays it is important to layer the newspaper and remove the top layers every day. If you are supplying soft food to birds feeding young, the tray lining may need to be removed more often as some diligent parent birds attempt to reach dropped morsels of food for their young through the cage grate.
Stacked cages are often necessary for those with small spaces. However, as dried fecal matter aerosolizes and falls to the cages below, this type of set up can become a nightmare if a disease were ever to invade your bird room. Regular washing of each cage is necessary, followed by a wipe down with safe disinfectant and a rinse with clean water.
If at all possible I encourage breeders to use suspended style cages. It will certainly limit the amount of birds you can have, but at least those that are in your care will be less likely to come in contact with spoiled food and droppings that can cause bacterial and other infections. Spoiled soft foods that drop to the floor below should be swept up the same day. Also, a bristled bush should be utilized to remove any remaining food particles from the cage wire to prevent bacteria build-up. Another advantage to suspended style cages is that they require less invasion into a bonded pairs' perceived territory, and may allow the pair a sense of security to encourage reproduction.
Feeding ports that are accessed without invading the inner spaces of a bird's cage are also advantageous. Not only may a bird keeper be attacked when a territorial bird feels threatened, but introverted birds may not feel safe enough to breed. If one is going on vacation and obtains the services of a bird sitter to feed the birds, outside access feeding ports offer safety for people feeding your birds, and also helps prevent escape.
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