Birds kept in a cage can get a little bored, so make an effort to bring the outdoors indoors for them. Dowel perches are not really ideal, because, in the wild, birds do not sit on perfectly rounded tree branches! Try some branches from a native tree, which vary in thickness. Variety is the spice of life. Birds love colour too, so if the bottlebrush in your backyard is flowering, pop a flower or two in the cage.

There should be enough room in the cage for your bird to be able to stretch their wings right out and give them a flap. They need some room to move. Long enclosures are better than high enclosures because it enables the bird to have a fly around.

Birds such as cockatiels and budgerigars enjoy toys to play with too. Mirrors, little ladders, and bells are popular favourites.

The smoking of cigarettes around birds can be very damaging to their lungs and air sacs. Also, the smoke can irritate their skin and is often considered to be a contributing factor towards self-mutilation. Finally, nicotine staining on the fingers can lead to dermatitis of the feet, in birds that routinely perch on mum and dad’s fingers.

Different birds have different nutritional requirements. However most people keep parrots, so here are a few little extras listed below that can be supplemented into their diet after the appropriate birdseed has been supplied.

Eucalyptus flowers and gumnuts, apples, corn on the cob, pine cones, sliver beet, spinach, thistle, dandelion flowers, carrot (grated for small birds) to name a few. Mealworms can provide protein to larger parrots such as galahs and cockatoos.

Cabbage, broccoli, brussel sprouts, and cauliflower should only be given in moderation because they contain a substance (thiouracil), which can have a bad effect on their thyroid.

Chocolate and avocados are a huge no-no with birds, so save them for yourselves!

All birds can be susceptible to a variety of worms, whether it be through exposure to intermediate hosts such as insects who carry the parasite, or through infected droppings. Infestation can lead to your bird becoming unwell.

Treatment is quite simple and effective, if you would like to know more about a suitable de-wormer product for your bird please don’t hesitate to contact us.
Remember, cleaning your bird’s environment helps greatly with control of parasites by decreasing the risk of re-infestation, so regular removal of droppings and regular cleaning of their aviary is a necessity.

When introducing new birds to resident birds, you should always keep them separated for a period of 6 – 8 weeks. Not only will this prevent the possibility of a disease being introduced to your aviary, but it also allows you to monitor your new bird during its settling-in period. If it is incubating some nasty bugs, this is the likely time when they will break out.

All new birds should be wormed with an appropriate de-wormer product. If you would like to know more about a suitable product for your bird, please don’t hesitate to contact us

Although there are no vaccinations available for birds, we encourage owners to bring their birds in for an annual health check.

During your consultation, we will examine your bird to make sure they are a healthy weight, check for any feather abnormalities and ensure that a suitable worming schedule is in place. Birds often mask signs of a low-grade illness quite well, so a thorough examination by a veterinarian will help to assess their current state of health and put you back on track.

The Department of Primary Industries advises that there is currently no known avian influenza in Australia and further that pet, caged and aviary birds are at negligible risk of infection if the owners follow simple bio-security measures. A copy of these measures is available. Just ask our reception staff.