The 2 cent thread.

[Lisa B]

I figured this would be a great interactive thread for our members to add their 2 cents to. Thoughts being, I would like each member to contribute what they find is the most important thing they have to offer new parronts.
I would like this thread to be free of comments and questions, but strictly information any of us can copy and paste the link to help new bird owners.


I will start.

I find the most important thing for you to do, is have a vet lined up to help care for your new bird. Most people dont think of this, until there is a problem.

Everyone needs an Avian Vet. Each and every bird owner should have phone numbers to their avian vet and an Emergency number to call for nights and weekends. (the referral or 24 hour emergency veterinary clinic your vet will send you to.)

In ANY Emergency..........call your avian vet first! Keep all phone numbers visable to all in your home. Another important thing is to take a dry run if possible to your emergency clinic BEFORE an emergency happens. In an emergency, EVERY SECOND counts.

~~~~just my 2 cents.__________________________________________________ _____________________________________

Here are some links to search to find your local vet.

Diplomates of the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners, Certified in Avian Practice
Birdsnways - Board Certified Avian Veterinarians

Association of Avian Veterinarians
Find your local Avian Veterinarian

An "avian veterinarian" is someone who is willing to treat birds; any veterinarian can call him/herself an avian veterinarian. A "certified avian veterinarian" is one who has obtained certification from the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners (ABVP) as described below.
Certification is given by the ABVP and includes
1.Documentation of six years of significant avian practice experience
2.Or a formal residency plus scientific papers,
3.A rigorous series of examinations.

There are certainly quite a number of competent/excellent avian veterinarians in North America and elsewhere who are not yet certified. Many of these veterinarians belong to the Association of Avian Veterinarians. The Association of Avian Veterinarians, is approaching a membership of 3000 worldwide. While a veterinarian who is interested in birds may be a member of the AAV, AAV membership only infers that an individual paid annual dues.




__________________________________________________ __________________________________________________ _______
For the NJ/NY/PA people, here are your emergency #'s and locations. Please print it out and keep it handy.

Ny people- Animal Medical Center in Manhattan open 24/7/365 212-838-7053 is the appointment number.... main number is 212-838-8100. Dr Quesenberry is the Exotic dept head.
AMC General Information

NJ people (Northern) AMC is where you will all be sent....even from Oradell and West Caldwell. Oradell and West Caldwell use AMC as THEIR emergency clinic.

NJ People (central-south east) Red Bank Vet Hospital Tinton Falls NJ 732-747-3636 open 24/7/365 Dr Strunk is the Exotic dept. head.

NJ/Pa/Del people, University of Pa in Philly. Dr Rosenthal is the Exotic dept head. Dr B(Joelle or close to that) is also very good.
To make an appointment or acquire more information about the specialty clinics of The Matthew J. Ryan Veterinary Hospital, call 215.746.VETS (215.746.8387) between 8:30 am and 4:30 pm.
The hospital departments see patients by appointment Monday through Friday mornings.
In An Emergency, phone: 215.746.V911 (215.746.8911)
The Emergency Service is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
University of Pennsylvania: School of Veterinary Medicine
__________________________________________________ _______________________________________________

[isoscelestri]

People who are new to owning birds should realize that in can take a lot of time and effort on their part to gain the trust of their new feathered friend. Birds, even young, recently weaned birds are not like puppies and kittens that are ready to be cuddled and played with the minute they arrive to their new home; they may not even let you touch them at first. This does not mean they don't like you and that they should be returned, or even just be left in their cage for the rest of their lives. They just need time, sometimes weeks, to adjust and feel comfortable.

[huntress]

Ok, me next.

TAKE YOUR FIDS ON CAR RIDES> Or at least put them in carriers and have them spend time in them...often...like its a camp out or a game. Get to the point where they spend a whole day in a travel carrier at least once.
All it takes is one emergency evacuation to show you how valuable this daily excercise can be. Birds (even the littleest ones) that learn to be content in a carrier are SO less stressed in an emergency. We learned allot from the fires in CA to the and Hurricanes in FL and MS. If the Carrier is just anther playtime or bedplace than an evacuation will be so much less stressful in the event of a fire or flood or whatever.
If possible make sure you have enough carriers for every animal in your house - even if they are just old used ones. Keep them either all in ONE place like a closet or Garage corner or better yet under each cage (in the event of fire). They depend entirely on us to save them. Keep a special toy hanging in the crate and food and water cups or bottles JUST for the crates. Then all you have to do is snatch them up stuff them in the crate and get the heck out of there - worry about food and water later - but you are all ready. God help if you ever have to go thru it butits such a simple way to be prepared.
Oh and it makes vet visits less stressful too.

[tamaran2]

Ok my turn....

Practice a Fire Drill. You may only have seconds to save yourself and your pets. You can let your dog and cats out but not your birds. Have crates ready and know what you will do in case you ever face this.

[catschair]

Have someone lined up to care for your bird (all your pets, but birds can be more challenging than others) in the event that you cannot do so. Whether it is an unexpected business trip, car breaking down or something more serious ..... someone needs to have a key and know how to care for your pets. I would even include my petsitter as an ICE on my cell phone. You just never know what can happen!!

Extreme case: You also need to be sure that your pets are provided for in your will. If you don't have a friend or relative who will be a good lifetime guardian for them, check into local shelters and rescues. Many of them have provisions for caring for orphaned pets. And if any of you are a bit older, and nervous about adopting because you might outlive your new pet, several shelters have programs to pair orphaned pets with older owners with a promise that your pet will never be alone.

[KimM]

Ok. I'll go next... 2 things..
1. Make sure your home is parrot safe...no toxic chemicals in the home, no candles, no teflon, what foods are toxic, which are safe. Research what is safe and unsafe for your babies in the home.


2. Birds are expensive.... their vet bills, toys, food, housing, everything is expensive. Make sure you are ready for the financial commitment as well as emotional commitment.

[Courtzrocks]

Kinda what catschair was saying.

Realise the life span of birds.. dogs live about 10 years...birds are with you alot longer than that. Even the smaller birds live long so if you are thinking about buying a bird and sometime starting a family remember this bird will probably still be alive and wanting your attention too. Even a cockatiel or a budgie could live over 20 years of age. If you aren't willing to have a "lifetime pet" and care for them properly then don't get a bird.

[Joel]

The most important "thing" I have to offer you new "parronts" is some info. to help you to understand that keeping a new Fid/parrot fully-flighted throughout most of your bird's life is in your bird's best interests regarding health, happiness and longevity (in most cases of course).

[Freedomoflight]

My 2 cents- before you make any big decisions regarding your parrots welfare- be it clipping, housing, etc- evaluate your lifestyle. How will this negatively/positively impact YOUR life? How will this negatively/positively impact your birds life? Will it hurt/harm your bird? Will it be inconvenient for you/the bird, but overall be a positive aspect to the household?

The second.. [my personal opinion] introduce your birds to things such as people in wheelchairs, people in scooters, people in walkers.. etc etc etc. You never know what might happen, and if something happens that makes you rely on a form of assistance, you don't want your bird flown into a panic because of crutches leaning up against a wall, etc. If you rely on a form of assistance such as a wheelchair, you want to be able to transport your bird from point A to point B without birdie freaking out.

[jenseits]

My "cut and paste"-worthy piece of advice:

Birds are NOT low-maintenance animals. If you think you want a pet, but think dogs or cats require too much time and money, get a fish, not a bird.