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Lost and Found
Updated MAY 16, 2008
We meet on the first Tuesday of every month from 7:00PM to 9:00PM in the
Serendipity Adult Day Services facility at 3550 E. 20th Avenue
Click here for map
We love your birds, but please don't bring them to our meetings. We usually have a bird of the month already attending. Thanks!
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Bird Care: Health and Safety
General Information •
Veterinarians •
Health and Safety
Housing •
Nutrition •
Activity •
Birdsitting •
Downloads
| General Health and Safety Information |
Note: All the information below is very general and by no means an exhaustive resource. You can get more detailed information
from published books, articles and from reputable web sites. Do your research! For our companion animals, we are responsible
for learning about what is healthy as well as what is harmful to them. If you are unsure about what is appropriate for your
type of bird, do your research and ask a lot of questions. Remember: when in doubt, don't do it until you can check it out!
| 1. |
Some house plants are toxic to birds. There are many websites that list them out specifically. The most common houseplants
that are toxic are Dieffenbachia and some types of Ivy, but there are many more! See the various lists of safe plants detailed
on the net.
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| 2. |
Birds are especially sensitive to airborne toxins. Spray-on oven cleaners, cigarette smoke, floor polishes, hair spray,
house paint, pesticides, scented candles, room air fresheners, NON-STICK cookware ("Teflon" and its cousins), and so on.
Cars in garages, running for even a short time and even after the engine is shut down, can emit huge amounts of nasty fumes
which is something to consider in houses with bird areas near the garage.
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| 3. |
Know what toys are appropriate for your bird, and learn about the basics of safe toys. Bells with clangors can be dangerous
to the wrong sized birds. Some metals are toxic to birds. Toys that contain split ring "holders" can be harmful to tongues
and toes. Ropes and strings should be all cotton or natural leather and clipped off when frayed or too long to prevent tangling
or strangulation. The size of toy (or its components) should be proportional to the size bird.
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| 4. |
Keep it Clean! One of the reasons people advocate using newspaper as a liner and changing it everyday is so they can
monitor bird droppings, a good first-indicator of bird health. Beware using corn cob, ground walnut shell, or other loose
"absorbent" bedding because they can provide good breeding ground for fungus and bacteria. In some cases, birds have
eating this type of bedding and suffered life-threatening blockages in their digestive system. Toys should be clean and
not shared among other birds unless sterilized. Cage bars encrusted with discarded food or other organic contamination
can harbor bacteria. A good, inexpensive cleaning solution is 1/2 cup of plain bleach to 1 gallon of clear water.
All cleaning should be done away from the birds so they are not exposed to fumes. Clean cage and food and water dishes daily.
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| 5. |
Be prepared for emergencies. Locate an avian vet before an emergency happens. Establish a regular schedule of annual
health checks (well-bird exams) at the vet's office. Have a bird-safe carrier ready to use at a moment's notice (a bird
loose in the car is not a good idea).
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| 6. |
Teach your bird the basics: use the "UP" and "DOWN" commands. Studies show that birds that know these commands are well
practiced, and it is a big help when both bird and owner are in a dangerous situation and there is a need to move the bird
to a carrier or other safe place quickly. Not only should a bird be trained to go "UP" and "DOWN" on a finger or hand, but
they should also do this with a wooden perch. This is a great big help when a hormonal (or otherwise upset) bird needs to
be taken back to its cage, or a bird that needs to be moved by someone other than the owner.
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| Bird Flu |
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The following websites give information on bird flu, how bird flu is spread, how to protect yourself, and so on.
Keep abreast of the developments for your own peace of mind.
Sybil Erden, Executive Director of the Oasis Sanctuary writes: "Please remember -- once the virus mutates from
going bird-to-bird and bird-to-person and begins to go person-to-person, the birds will no longer be the 'vector'
ie necessary host. It is at that point that we will see major human health problems."
Here are some links of interest:
USDA biosecurity procedures
World Health Organization: Avian Influenza
Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention
European Centre for Diseases Prevention and Control
Medline Plus
BBC News
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