General Bird Care
Birds require grit to grind food in their crop (this prevents crop infection).
Birds need to be wormed every 3 months. To do administer bird wormer take the birds water away at approx. 4pm. The next morning add the wormer to the water, and leave for 24hr.
During this time do not offer your bird any wet food (eg. apple, celery etc). Birds should be wormed every 3 months. If your bird has not been wormed at all repeat the process after two weeks three times and then 3 monthly thereafter.
SICK BIRDS
If bird is unwell with the following symptons is
- the bird fluffed up
- sleeping excessively,
- head under its wing,
- suffering from diarrhoea
- dirty bottom
If you answer yes to any of these symptoms than sulpha remedy can be used in the water for 5 days (fresh daily). You can also put 1 or 2 drops of Sulpha Remedy directly into the beak morning and night for the first day if their bird can be handled.
You then need to find out why the bird is unwell. Has the bird had:
- Change of food, sometimes this can affect birds. Change should be done slowly.
- Too many greens, especially greens or too often.
- Chill, in windy weather birds can get a chill or if they get wet and aren’t able to dry & get warm.
- Been attacked, if outside wild birds can attack pets. This distress’ the bird sending them into shock, then 1 or all of the symptoms can set in.
- Dirty bottom, check if the bird is light (if it can be handled), or breastbone sticks out. If bird has been eating well, maybe it’s been eating too much. Could be sign of worms.
- Sleepy with dirty bottom, could also be a sign of worms. Sulpha remedy should be used first for 5 days, then use a wormer. They should be wormed 3 times in a 6 week period. First dose kills worms, second dose kills worm eggs, third dose will make sure all worm are dead. Then they need to be wormed every 3 months.
- Runny nose & cough, bird has a cold. Sulpha remedy should be used. Often when a family member has had a cold, birds can catch a cold from humans.
- Scaley beak or feet, possibly a mite (different to white crab like mites). These mites can burrow under the skin creating a white scaley growth on the face or feet. Scale & mite remedy can be use by dipping a cotton bud into the solution and applying to the affected area for 4 days. We also suggest that you wash the perches & rub scale and mite remedy on them with a cotton ball or tissue. If the you have a large aviary place the afftected bird into a smaller cage to make treatment easier. Not all birds in an aviary will catch it.
- Mite or lice, spray bird thoroughly as per instructions on the bottle. Like the wormer spray them 3 times in a 6 week period. Again wash the perches and spray them as well.
- If a bird is ever sick or unwell, we suggest that you keep it warm (near a closed window where it can get sunlight) and away from any breeze or wind until it is well.
- Antibiotics should be given as per instructions on the bottle. It is important to take any cuttlefish or greens out of the cage for the period of the treatment. These can absorb the antibiotics making them ineffective (only provide seed and water).