You would be surprised on how simple some subjects are and how easy it is to avoid harming your birds. We have compiled articles of every sort for you to use as reference. As always, these are intended as reference and should not replace the consultation of an avian vet.
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Over 500 button quail being rescued
Did you find a lost baby or hurt bird outside?
Top 10 common household bird poisons
Common food mistakes when feeding your birds
Top 10 Common Foods that Can Poison Your Bird
Because birds are such social creatures, many owners allow their pets to be included at mealtime. While sharing food with your bird is a lot of fun - not to mention wonderful for your pet's emotional health - there are many common human foods that can be harmful or even fatal to your bird. Owners need to know which foods are fine for sharing, and which pose a serious risk. Read on to find out the top ten foods that are hazardous to your bird's health.
1) Chocolate
Chocolate is a wonderful treat to share with human family members, but it can be harmful or fatal to your pet bird. Chocolate poisoning first affects a bird's digestive system, causing vomiting and diarrhea. As the condition progresses, the bird's central nervous system is affected, first causing seizures and eventually death.
2) Apple Seeds
Believe it or not, apples - along with other members of the rose family including cherries, peaches, apricots, and pears - contain trace amounts of Cyanide within their seeds. While the fruit of the apple is fine for your bird, be aware that in addition to the poisonous seeds, there may be pesticides present on the fruit's skin. Be sure to thoroughly cleanse and core any apple pieces that you share with your bird to avoid exposure to these toxins.
3) Avocado
The skin and pit of this popular fruit had been known to cause cardiac distress and eventual heart failure in pet bird species. Although there is some debate to the degree of toxicity of avocados, it is generally advised to adopt a "better safe than sorry" attitude toward them and keep guacomole and other avocado products as far away from pet birds as possible.
4) Onions
While the use of limited amounts of onion or garlic powders as flavorings is generally regarded as acceptable, excessive consumption of onions causes vomiting, diarrhea, and a host of other digestive problems. It has been found that prolonged exposure can lead to a blood condition called hemolytic anemia, which is followed by respiratory distress and eventual death.
5) Alcohol
Although responsible bird owners would never dream of offering their pet an alcoholic drink, there have been instances in which free roaming birds have attained alcohol poisoning through helping themselves to unattended cocktails. Alcohol depresses the organ systems of birds and can be fatal. Make sure that your bird stays safe by securing him in his cage whenever alcohol is served in your home.
6) Mushrooms
Mushrooms are a type of fungus, and have been known to cause digestive upset in companion birds. Caps and stems of some varieties can induce liver failure.
7) Tomato Leaves
Tomatoes, like potatoes and other nightshades, have a tasty fruit that is fine when used as a treat for your bird. The stems, vines, and leaves, however, are highly toxic to your pet. Make sure that any time you offer your bird a tomato treat it has been properly cleaned and sliced, with the green parts removed, so that your bird will avoid exposure to any toxins.
8) Salt
While all living beings need regulated amounts of sodium in their systems, too much salt can lead to a host of health problems in birds, including excessive thirst, dehydration, kidney dysfunction, and death. Be sure to keep watch over the amount of salty foods your bird consumes.
9) Caffiene
Caffinated beverages such as soda, coffee, and tea are popular among people - but allowing your bird to indulge in these drinks can be extremely hazardous. Caffeine causes cardiac malfunction in birds, and is associated with increased heartbeat, arrhythmia, hyperactivity, and cardiac arrest. Share a healthy drink of pure fruit or vegetable juice with your bird instead - this will satisfy both your bird's tastebuds and nutritional requirements.
10) Dried Beans
Cooked beans are a favorite treat of many birds, but raw, dry bean mixes can be extremely harmful to your pet. Uncooked beans contain a poison called hemaglutin which is very toxic to birds. To avoid exposure, make sure to thoroughly cook any beans that you choose to share with your bird.
Common food mistakes when feeding your birds
THE NUMBER ONE MOST COMMON MISTAKE WE SEE!!! "The bowl looks full but it's not!" Learn how to recognize eaten seed vs. edible seed. Birds who eat seed leave behind hulls that can be mistaken for whole seeds. I've heard of owners leaving the food bowl in without changing it for days, resulting in a bird that starves to death "with a full foodbowl." Get in a habit, no matter what the food bowl looks like, of throwing the contents away and refilling the dish with new seed at least every other day!
"If it's not on the ground, it's not food." Many birds, if allowed to get to the bottom of their cage, will eat anything and everything on the bottom. This is very unhealthy as birds will pick through leftovers of other birds coming into contact with things they shouldn't. Seed on the bottom should be removed often or a barrier should be installed to prevent from bottom feeding.
"Not watching the bird eat/drink/play/sleep is OK; it'll be fine." Wrong!!! First time owners ESPECIALLY need to learn to observe a bird. Learn its body language. Find out how to tell if it's healthy, sick, lonely. Anticipate its needs; always provide fresh food and water, and make sure it eats and drinks. Do your research; read the bird magazines, buy the birdie books, and make sure you know where the closest avian vet is located. Ask your avian vet all your questions. Don't be afraid to call up your vet at the first sign of trouble! Birds can get very sick very fast. If a bird isn't acting like it does a majority of the time, act fast! If you take the "I'll wait and see if it gets better" approach, you will not be happy with the results. Birds almost never just "get better" on their own.
Over 1000 Button Quail Rescued!
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On July 1st, we received approx. 300+ button quail that were in very poor condition. These 300+ came from a total flock of over 1000 birds. They lived in poor conditions walking on wire their whole life. The odor almost knocked you down when you came into their room. There were several ill, dead and deformed birds as well. |
 This is the cage the birds lived their lives in.
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Almost every single bird had been picked on so bad by the others that they had no feathers on their backs and many were missing them from other places too. For a generally hyper active type of bird, these birds were very calm. They were so unhappy and sick that we could grab most of them by just reaching into the cage and scooping them up. Definitely not possible with a vibrant, healthy and happy button quail.
 One group of the rescued button quail in their new home, on flat ground, eating away and on a road to recovery.
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Now the quail are at the rescue, they are out at the sanctuary in quarantine for the next few weeks while we give them clean water, healthy food, fruits, vegetables and medications. All of them are enjoying their new home, pecking away at the food. They started to make their little button quail call shortly after being released into their new temporary home. We reduced the numbers that are in each new home in order to cut down on the picking problems. Now we will observe and pull out any birds that are being picked on, switching them to their own cage. We already see improvements from yesterday in these birds. Once they come out of quarantine, they will be ready for adoption. While they are awaiting adoption, they will go into a neat habitat full of grass, dirt for dust baths, and even small bushed to hide out in.
If you are interested in adopting some of these great birds, visit our adoption page.
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Did you find a lost baby or hurt bird outside?
Often we get phone calls or e-mail from someone who has found a hurt bird or baby that has been kicked out of the nest. Beaks and Bills Bird Rescue is unable to take these birds because they are State and Federally regulated bird species and are protected. The best place to go to find a home for them or someone to help them mend is by visiting the DNR website of Michigan Licensed Rehabilitators. This can be found by visiting our links page.
Go to links page.
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