Pet grooming guide

If you have caged birds in your home, you know how they need to be amused so they don’t pick on each other or pull their own feathers out. Bird toys can help your feathered friends have a more interesting day and keep them busy. And the days of only plastic bird toys are over. Now there are bird toys made from chunks of wood and bits of string that the bird can manipulate like leaves and twigs in their natural habitat.

Pet bird toys now come in several sizes, and incorporate plastic and wooden beads and “noodles” on string, with knots where needed, to give your bird something to play with. These foot toys can keep your bird amused for hours. Once he shows signs of being bored with one toy, replace it with another, of a different type, to catch his interest again.

Large assemblies of wood shapes, dyed using safe food colouring, on cotton or nylon string, allow your bird to climb and chew to his heart’s content. If the size of hanging bird toy you want is not available there are bird toys supplies you can buy to build your own pet bird toy. You can also include unpainted jingle bells to make noise, as your bird may like to do. With careful thought, once your see the parts included from the manufacturer, there may be other things you can include in your custom pet bird toys.

Designing your own bird toy can help you relieve stress also, as you concentrate on it and forget the days problems. Watch your bird enjoy a new toy and feel the pleasure you both get from it. Birds toys can also make good gifts to other people who have home birds. You may find yourself making more and more bird toys if your designs are a hit with the humans and their birds who see them. This could even become a full time job.

Aviarists all over the world have traditionally used wooden bird cages for their winged pets. This trend is slowly changing as cages made from iron and steel, wires and even fiber are now being manufactured. But for the purist a wooden cage is still the epitome of beauty and elegance.

The various types of wooden bird cages have quaint names like Oriental, Tuscan and Victorian which probably originate from the names of the places they were made in. While metal cages are more durable and require very little maintenance, they are mostly found in standard models. The wooden cages score over the metal ones in this aspect. You can get a wooden cage made to match your tastes perfectly. You can specify the dimensions to suit your requirements exactly. The types of birds you want to keep as pets and their number are the factors that normally determine the size of a cage. Moreover these wooden cages can be crafted in intricate designs that will match your home décor.

Another big advantage of acquiring a wooden cage is that it can be made of any of a number of woods. Woods like maple, cherry and oak that have even grains and can be easily caved are popularly used to make these cages. The wood has to be tough as many birds like the parrot tends to chew on the cage. Some people also use cages made from laminates but while these are weigh less and are water resistant, they lack the elegance and finish of a wooden one.
Cleaning wooden bird cages is quite difficult. Hence great care should be taken to ensure convenient cleaning when designing a cage. Most wooden cages are not very expensive but the more decorative ones are almost as costly as the metal cages. Still, this aspect is easily overshadowed by the joy that one derives from watching the beautiful birds flit inside an ornate wooden cage.

In terms of form and function, large bird toys are not all that different from toys for smaller birds. The main difference is in size, though toys for bigger birds also need to be more durable to withstand the greater force large birds are able to exert. Just like with most birds, you will want to get a variety of toys from each category of bird toys, meaning your bird will have access to exercise toys, chew toys, comfort toys, puzzles, etc. You should also switch toys out regularly to keep things new and exciting for your pet bird.
In terms of chew toys, which are very important for birds to have so that they are able to exercise their impulse to chew, consider getting wooden bird toys that are made of harder woods for large birds. Of course, leather and rawhide are also options for these birds. Remember that chew toys are meant to be worn out and destroyed, so don’t get an indestructible toy for your bird thinking that it will save you money. Instead, anticipate replacing chewing toys each time they are worn out.
Birds are naturally curious, as this behavior is useful in yielding food in nature as when they must crack nuts, etc. to get to their food source. You can cater to this trait by getting your bird puzzle toys where they can untie knots, disassemble objects, and the like. Such toys can provide much amusement to your pet bird, keeping them engaged and entertained for long stretches and their mind sharp.
Some toys are made to comfort the bird, as one aspect of bird behavior is to cuddle with an object, usually another bird in the wild. Birds can also appreciate having a toy that enables them to hide, though this might be more suited to smaller birds.

Though they don’t begin to compete with the sheer numbers of cats, dogs and rabbits that are kept as pets, birds are still a popular option for many. By far the most popular pet bird is the budgie but cockatoos, parrots, canaries, quails and all sorts of other exotic birds are also kept as pets.

Before you buy a bird you will need to do a lot of research into bird care. Though they need different types of pet grooming to other, furry, pets it is still important to groom them. Birds which originate in tropical climes are pre-conditioned to bathe when it rains. In the wild they would purposely get wet when it rains (either by using the falling rain or water in puddles) and use the water to groom their feathers, keeping the feathers shiny and in good condition. It is therefore important that you give these birds plenty of opportunities for bathing either by providing a bird bath or a mister. Another aspect of bird grooming is nail clipping. This is important as otherwise the nails will become overgrown which will make is harder for the bird to perch in its cage and also more likely that the nails will become caught in your clothes or on soft furnishings.

As well as the initial expense of buying a bird (some of which can be extremely expensive) you will also need to buy a bird house. This will vary in size and style depending on the type and number of birds that you decide to get as companions. It is best to try and buy the largest cage possible for the space that you have available as the more space that your pet has, the happier it will be. Remember that once you have added bird feeders, baths and that useful pet grooming device, a cuttlebone, that the space will be smaller.

Bird supplies can be bought from most pet shops and from hundreds of online stores. You can also get lots of advice on the type of bird to buy and what sort of equipment is required to care for your bird properly and how to do things such as trim their flight wing feathers so that they can’t fly around the home or hurt themselves in their bird home. There are also many more people providing services, such a mobile pet grooming, for birds which will help you with any aspect of bird care that you are unsure of.