BFA adoption - a few more questions: bathing, drinking water & food

[DeguMom]

Thanks again to everyone for your patience, and willingness to help me learn about these guys.


I have a few more questions to ask!


1) The bird we're adopting has never had a shower or been misted with water. I have read that is rather important for BFA's. Is this something he really needs for his health? What's the best way to introduce him to it? Would providing him with a little "bird bath in a dish" be better?


2) We read in 1 book that you should only give birds bottled water to drink, because it has no chlorine. We haven't seen that in any other book, so wondered if that was really true. I know some people say that about Degus, but tap water is just fine for them, so I wondered if plain tap water is ok for parrots too?


3) I'm not sure the name of the diet he's on right now, but it sounds like one of those "gourmet" mixes with seeds, nuts and dried fruit. I've read that's not the best diet, but rather a base of pellets with some fresh fruits and veggies daily is better. A vet here had recommended "Harrison's" pellets, so I'm curious of any other good pellets for parrots. Also, I imagine the best way to switch their diet is by gradually mixing the new with the old, until eventually they're just on the new. Good plan? Any advice in this department? I really would like to get him on a good diet, but I know since he's eaten yummy stuff for 4 years he might be reluctant to change.


Two weeks and counting until our handsome little birdie comes home to us. I am so excited! I really appreciate the help, and he will too!

[Wally]

This is long, sorry....

On showering, when I introduced my birds to it, I would use a spray bottle [which has never been used for anything but water], and I would spray upward to let the mist fall down on them. Not directly at them. At first they sat there and just got wet, but soon afterwards they start to lift up their wings. One side then the other. A lot of times you will catch them splashing in their water bowl. This is a good time to spritz them. Never use the sprayer as disapline, and don't use it to stop the bird from squawking. When you spray him, refer to it as shower time, tell him he's taking a shower. Alex the African grey would ask for his shower. Our YCA, Oscar, loves his, and if asked if he wants a shower, will bob his head as if to say yes. [He actually knows this to be yes, and does it when asked a yes or no question. If his answer is no, he just ignores the question.] Our Lilac Crown, Skippy, gets all excited when we ask if they want showers and see us getting their sprayer. We now spray directly at them, as they love it. By nature, the rain forest gives them showers every day. Their green looks brown when wet as their feathers soak in the water. Other birds have water repellant built in. Amazons are in need of showers at least once a week, and more if possible. Don't let them catch a draft though.

Our birds eat a good variety. They have their dry food available in their cage all the time; a home mix of pellets, dried fruit, a couple of nuts, a few seeds, a chunk of millet, maybe some fortified parrot treats. We share our fresh food with them also [birdy size portions]. Just have to be low salt, low sugar, healthy, no caffinated anything, no carbonated anything, no avacadoes, no chocolate.

We give our flock tap water. We will use a Britta, or Pure water filter, but otherwise just tap water.

These are controvertial subjects, and a lot of different opinions will be offered, so don't take my words as set in stone, this is just what I do. My vet always compliments me on how healthy they are at their annual exams. Our Oscar may seem over weight by actual weight, but our vet is sure that it is from his muscle tone. Oscar is always climbing around, and flying around. Sugar our Quaker flies free when we're home and she is well toned as well. Skippy our LCA, needs to work on an excersize program yet. She was never let to fledge as a young bird, and hasn't gotten the hang of flying too well, and she is still a little phoebic about climbing all around, although she will climb all around her cage, out on her t-perch, onto my shoulder, across my chest to my other arm; which if I have it straight out on the couch, she will venture to the end, climb on the back of the couch for a couple of minutes,then back to my shoulder.

You will learn that you have some changes to make in your lifestyle. Do not used air-fresheners, or scented candles, or teflon non-stick cookware around your birds. Also, most aresols and most common cleaning supplies are bad for their respiratory system. You will learn of good, natural cleaning solvents. Their are a few made with birds in mind commercial cleaners now available. I mostly use hot water; and on occasion for the cages some stuff called Mango
cleaning/disinfectant, and s9ome times 'poop-off'.

Please see if your vet is trained for birds, some vets treat birds just like other animals. My vet is an avian trained vet [has plaques from a number of Avian medical Associations]. Birds are much different anotomy (sp) than mamals or reptiles.