Thursday, September 9, 2010
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
What if I want to breed my parakeets? Let's start with the basics.
First off, they can not breed before 6 months of age. However, most people recommend you wait till at least a year of age before breeing your parakeets. Also, the male and the female usually have to be together for a long time before they will breed. Some parakeets will never breed with each other. Others will instantly breed together. For the most part, parakeets will need to develop a relationship with each other before they will breed.
Also, before you plan to breed your parakeets you need to make sure they are on a heatlhy diet. You should include fresh fruits, along with normal feed. Also, a cuttle bone and some sort of calcium suplement will help the female recoup nutrients lost in the egg laying process.
Make sure you have ample room to breed your parakeets in. Most people recommend getting a larger cage when deciding to breed your birds. However, make sure it is at least 20" x 20" x 20". Most recommend a multi-tier cage with room for a large nest. These are luxuries, but if you can afford it then by all means please give your parakeet the best experience you can. These luxuries will help your bird feel safer and be less stressed and this will make the whole breeding/birthing process go much smoother.
Female Parakeets are known to be quick egg layers and it may surprise you how fast your female parakeet starts laying eggs. Usually they will lay 4 to 8 and its not usual for them to lay one every day or every other day until they are finished. Also, incubation times varies from 17 to 20 days. However there have been several cases where it was a few days one way or the other. This is no concern, and normal.
There are a few things to consider about the new hatchlings. If the parakeet babies are to be tamed as pets, many breeders will only let the parents raise the chicks until they are weaned. During this time, they will handle the chicks now and then to get them used to human hands. Most baby parakeets will be weaned by the age of 6 weeks, and you can then remove them from the parents and interacted with on a one-on-one basis. Baby parakeets that are trained this way are known to be faster learners and better pets overall.
Also, before you plan to breed your parakeets you need to make sure they are on a heatlhy diet. You should include fresh fruits, along with normal feed. Also, a cuttle bone and some sort of calcium suplement will help the female recoup nutrients lost in the egg laying process.
Make sure you have ample room to breed your parakeets in. Most people recommend getting a larger cage when deciding to breed your birds. However, make sure it is at least 20" x 20" x 20". Most recommend a multi-tier cage with room for a large nest. These are luxuries, but if you can afford it then by all means please give your parakeet the best experience you can. These luxuries will help your bird feel safer and be less stressed and this will make the whole breeding/birthing process go much smoother.
Female Parakeets are known to be quick egg layers and it may surprise you how fast your female parakeet starts laying eggs. Usually they will lay 4 to 8 and its not usual for them to lay one every day or every other day until they are finished. Also, incubation times varies from 17 to 20 days. However there have been several cases where it was a few days one way or the other. This is no concern, and normal.
There are a few things to consider about the new hatchlings. If the parakeet babies are to be tamed as pets, many breeders will only let the parents raise the chicks until they are weaned. During this time, they will handle the chicks now and then to get them used to human hands. Most baby parakeets will be weaned by the age of 6 weeks, and you can then remove them from the parents and interacted with on a one-on-one basis. Baby parakeets that are trained this way are known to be faster learners and better pets overall.
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
How do Parakeets sleep?
**this is an excerpt from an article at http://www.lisashea.com/petinfo/sleep/**
Parakeets need to sleep 10-12 hours every day. The vast majority of this is done at night. It is critical that your parakeet get enough sleep so that it can be a happy, healthy bird. Please do not try to keep your parakeet awake at night to "party" with you. That is not healthy for your parakeet!
Parakeets in the wild sleep in hollowed out trees. Your cage needs to resemble that safe, comfy, sleep location when the parakeet is ready for bed. To help with that feeling, the cage should be covered with a cloth so it is dark and they feel safe. It should be quiet, dark, and at a comfortable temperature. There should not be any breezes blowing through the cage, either from a fan, air conditioner, or othwerwise.
Parakeets also take naps during the day when it is quiet. They will often stretch and yawn before falling asleep, or after waking up. Parakeets fluff up before they sleep. They are trapping warm air in their feathers. This turns their feathers into a built-in feather blanket, so they are warm and cozy while they sleep.
In summary, you need to make sure and cover your parakeet's cage so that it resembles a real hollowed out tree. This will also make your parakeet feel safe. Also, don't keep your parakeet up all night to "party". Make sure your parakeet gets 10 to 12 hours of rest to remain healthy.
Parakeets need to sleep 10-12 hours every day. The vast majority of this is done at night. It is critical that your parakeet get enough sleep so that it can be a happy, healthy bird. Please do not try to keep your parakeet awake at night to "party" with you. That is not healthy for your parakeet!
Parakeets in the wild sleep in hollowed out trees. Your cage needs to resemble that safe, comfy, sleep location when the parakeet is ready for bed. To help with that feeling, the cage should be covered with a cloth so it is dark and they feel safe. It should be quiet, dark, and at a comfortable temperature. There should not be any breezes blowing through the cage, either from a fan, air conditioner, or othwerwise.
Parakeets also take naps during the day when it is quiet. They will often stretch and yawn before falling asleep, or after waking up. Parakeets fluff up before they sleep. They are trapping warm air in their feathers. This turns their feathers into a built-in feather blanket, so they are warm and cozy while they sleep.
In summary, you need to make sure and cover your parakeet's cage so that it resembles a real hollowed out tree. This will also make your parakeet feel safe. Also, don't keep your parakeet up all night to "party". Make sure your parakeet gets 10 to 12 hours of rest to remain healthy.
Monday, September 6, 2010
Introducing Bonnie; my pet parakeet
Bonnie is very unusual in many ways. For starters, she's a real albino parakeet. She is completely white and has red eyes. Also, unusual to female parakeets, she is very vocal. This may be due to playing with Clyde. However, like most female parakeets, Bonnie is a little stubborn. She doesn't take to training as quick as Clyde and she still gets a little spooked at times. She is getter better though, and I think with time she'll very an excellent pet.
She doesn't "talk" yet but she loves to chirp up a storm. I let them sit on top of my laptop when I work and Bonnie will let you know when she's likes a song I am listening to. She'll start chirping along. I hope eventually she'll start singing along.
Bonnie's favorite activity is chirping and kissing with Clyde. I'd say chirping along with the radio is her second favorite. I hope someday in the future these two beautiful birds will reproduce. I'm very interested in seeing the colors.
She doesn't "talk" yet but she loves to chirp up a storm. I let them sit on top of my laptop when I work and Bonnie will let you know when she's likes a song I am listening to. She'll start chirping along. I hope eventually she'll start singing along.
Bonnie's favorite activity is chirping and kissing with Clyde. I'd say chirping along with the radio is her second favorite. I hope someday in the future these two beautiful birds will reproduce. I'm very interested in seeing the colors.
Sunday, September 5, 2010
About my pet parakeet Clyde
I have two pet parakeets, and today I am going to tell you about my male parakeet "Clyde". He is Green, Yellow, and Blue. He is very handsome. He like to chirp and whistle, although he hasn't learned to talk yet. Clyde's favorite toy is the swing at the top of the cage. Clyde can often be seen hanging upside down from this swing. He also loves looking at his reflection in the mirror. (Can't say I blame the little fella) Clyde is very smart and he knows how the open the door to their cage. He hasn't figured out how to open it long enough to get out though.
What he does is he will grab the bottom of the door with his beak and lift his head up and raise the door. He just hasn't figured out out to transition from it being in his mouth to going through the door. When let out of his cage Clyde likes to perch in front of the window and taunt the other birds that may come near. He will start chirping up a storm. I need to get a video of him posted on here doing it.
As I'm writing this Clyde is swining away on the swing then jumping to the perch and repeating. I think I'm going to watch him play for awhile . . .
Tomorrow I'll tell you about his girlfriend "Bonnie".
What he does is he will grab the bottom of the door with his beak and lift his head up and raise the door. He just hasn't figured out out to transition from it being in his mouth to going through the door. When let out of his cage Clyde likes to perch in front of the window and taunt the other birds that may come near. He will start chirping up a storm. I need to get a video of him posted on here doing it.
As I'm writing this Clyde is swining away on the swing then jumping to the perch and repeating. I think I'm going to watch him play for awhile . . .
Tomorrow I'll tell you about his girlfriend "Bonnie".
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Saturday, August 28, 2010
Tips From Folks Who Travel With Their Bird
This Post is by Mitch Rezman http://www.windycityparrot.com/
Before we get into specifics, let's start with the basics. Emergencies aside, if you're planning to travel with your bird, get the travel cage a few weeks in advance. This will give your bird time to get accustomed to the new cage. Also measure - measure - measure. Make sure it will fit in where ever it will be going car, travel trailer, family vehicle, motor home, commercial airliner, vacation cottage - just make sure it fits.
We don't have a flock, we have one small Indian Ringneck - Sunshine. Sunshine is 17. Catherine acquired him as a baby. He loves being with mom. We know about traveling with a bird. At home he has a 30 x 30 California cage (1), a large playstand (2) in the dining room and another playstand (3) in the kitchen. Every work day Sunshine climbs into his custom, 18 inch long carrier (4) and comes to work with us.
We open the carrier, he climbs up his Booda perch in to his 26 x 20 HQ cage (5) and finishes breakfast. Afterwards he'll walk back out via the Booda perch onto his King's acrylic playstand (6). When he gets bored he fly's onto his Prevue playstand (7) or his Prevue 20 x 20 wire cage (8) where he'll stand so he can watch mom oversee the shipping of packages to our customers.
We spend many of our summer weekends at a campground. When we get there he usually goes right into his 18 x 18 (9) Prevue cage. We modified our small travel trailer so the cage fits nicely into a closet where we removed the top of the door and provided a gentle light. When we're outside the trailer, we have a large canopy/tent where Sunshine spends time in his 32 x 21 HQ aviary (10) under the canvas. He always has one side of his cage against a wall for his own privacy.
If you've been following my notes, you'll see our little 3 ounce bird has 10 cages and stands. We've never had a problem getting him into a new cage because 1) we don't make of an issue of it and 2) he's happy just to be with us.
A travel cage can be metal, fabric or plastic like - rigid or collapsible. Because it's a travel cage only makes it slightly different than his home cage. If it's metal, bar spacing should be appropriate. If it's fabric, the fabric should be durable enough and well designed to discourage chewing. Clear plastic cages allow for great vision but may be confining for extended travel periods. It may only have one perch instead of three or four. Make sure it's comfortable on the feet. Stopping and starting in traffic should not cause your bird discomfort. A couple of small toys should be introduced to keep birdie boredom down. If you're traveling by auto, keep the bird in the back seat away from airbags in case of "god-forbids." Keep it strapped with a seatbelt to avoid sudden movement.
If your driving at night, cover the cage, the intermittent glare of auto lights can be scary, especially if its after bed time. If you're taking a road tip stopping at motels, find a place to put the travel cage where you bird can sleep with as little disturbance as possible through the night. We usually find the bath room counter to be the best spot, it's out of the way and once the cage is covered, affords privacy. In terms of temperature, it's simple - if your comfortable, your bird is comfortable. No hot cars with the window cracked or in front of air conditioners in hotel rooms.
If traveling for the first time, we suggest a few trial runs before the big trip. Go to a friends, the vet or even just a ride, the bird gets accustomed to the procedure, travel process and change in general. If you let the bird out of the travel cage while in the vehicle don't forget to put him back before any passengers open the door. Some birds don't like to poop in their travel cage. This is a judgment call. Choose carefully where you'll let them out to poop. You also may want to check out the nearest avian vet to your destination, before you get there - just so you have the info.
Remember. birds in the wild are natural travelers. Larger birds will fly 50 or miles per day seeking food. Many migrate thousands of miles twice annually. It's usually less of an issue for the bird than for you. Lastly, we know you love showing off your bird. Unknown places would not be the time to do it. Unscrupulous people may have ulterior motives. While traveling with your bird it's no ones business but your own.Have a great trip
Before we get into specifics, let's start with the basics. Emergencies aside, if you're planning to travel with your bird, get the travel cage a few weeks in advance. This will give your bird time to get accustomed to the new cage. Also measure - measure - measure. Make sure it will fit in where ever it will be going car, travel trailer, family vehicle, motor home, commercial airliner, vacation cottage - just make sure it fits.
We don't have a flock, we have one small Indian Ringneck - Sunshine. Sunshine is 17. Catherine acquired him as a baby. He loves being with mom. We know about traveling with a bird. At home he has a 30 x 30 California cage (1), a large playstand (2) in the dining room and another playstand (3) in the kitchen. Every work day Sunshine climbs into his custom, 18 inch long carrier (4) and comes to work with us.
We open the carrier, he climbs up his Booda perch in to his 26 x 20 HQ cage (5) and finishes breakfast. Afterwards he'll walk back out via the Booda perch onto his King's acrylic playstand (6). When he gets bored he fly's onto his Prevue playstand (7) or his Prevue 20 x 20 wire cage (8) where he'll stand so he can watch mom oversee the shipping of packages to our customers.
We spend many of our summer weekends at a campground. When we get there he usually goes right into his 18 x 18 (9) Prevue cage. We modified our small travel trailer so the cage fits nicely into a closet where we removed the top of the door and provided a gentle light. When we're outside the trailer, we have a large canopy/tent where Sunshine spends time in his 32 x 21 HQ aviary (10) under the canvas. He always has one side of his cage against a wall for his own privacy.
If you've been following my notes, you'll see our little 3 ounce bird has 10 cages and stands. We've never had a problem getting him into a new cage because 1) we don't make of an issue of it and 2) he's happy just to be with us.
A travel cage can be metal, fabric or plastic like - rigid or collapsible. Because it's a travel cage only makes it slightly different than his home cage. If it's metal, bar spacing should be appropriate. If it's fabric, the fabric should be durable enough and well designed to discourage chewing. Clear plastic cages allow for great vision but may be confining for extended travel periods. It may only have one perch instead of three or four. Make sure it's comfortable on the feet. Stopping and starting in traffic should not cause your bird discomfort. A couple of small toys should be introduced to keep birdie boredom down. If you're traveling by auto, keep the bird in the back seat away from airbags in case of "god-forbids." Keep it strapped with a seatbelt to avoid sudden movement.
If your driving at night, cover the cage, the intermittent glare of auto lights can be scary, especially if its after bed time. If you're taking a road tip stopping at motels, find a place to put the travel cage where you bird can sleep with as little disturbance as possible through the night. We usually find the bath room counter to be the best spot, it's out of the way and once the cage is covered, affords privacy. In terms of temperature, it's simple - if your comfortable, your bird is comfortable. No hot cars with the window cracked or in front of air conditioners in hotel rooms.
If traveling for the first time, we suggest a few trial runs before the big trip. Go to a friends, the vet or even just a ride, the bird gets accustomed to the procedure, travel process and change in general. If you let the bird out of the travel cage while in the vehicle don't forget to put him back before any passengers open the door. Some birds don't like to poop in their travel cage. This is a judgment call. Choose carefully where you'll let them out to poop. You also may want to check out the nearest avian vet to your destination, before you get there - just so you have the info.
Remember. birds in the wild are natural travelers. Larger birds will fly 50 or miles per day seeking food. Many migrate thousands of miles twice annually. It's usually less of an issue for the bird than for you. Lastly, we know you love showing off your bird. Unknown places would not be the time to do it. Unscrupulous people may have ulterior motives. While traveling with your bird it's no ones business but your own.Have a great trip
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