Good list... I think dowel perches should be top of list as well because they are always included in cage setups and really bad for birds feet. That needs to change (natural perch should be included instead IMHO)
@@haleybushey4289 HUGE misconception that 1 or 2 dowels are okay within a cage and that's EXTREMELY un-true! Not even ONE dowel is safe. I know from experience, not even 1 is safe. You can not control how much/little your bird perches on that 1 or 2 dowels. Not even 1 is okay
@@daniellerussak1665Having one dowel perch will be fine if it's not their main perch. Putting it lower in the cage will often make sure they don't use it as much. Alternatively you can always trim it to become less straight. The best option is always using natural perches and skipping the dowel perches all together but one dowel perch won't harm your bird (unless it's the only perch it has).
@@haleybushey4289 I respectively disagree and think it's dangerous to the bird. If the bird spends the majority of its time on that perch (because it's what they are use to) it can cause many problems for the bird. I think manufacturers should be banned from including dowels.
@@stuckinthelazycorneragain4016 I don't believe it serves any purpose to include them in a cage. Especially If you are discouraging the use. I honestly didn't mean to start a virtual riot but most people don't realize how bad they are for the feet of birds and as long as manufacturers continue putting them in cages for sale many birds will suffer
I had a Senegal parrot who got stuck in a happy hut. She pulled on a string and got it wrapped around her foot. I freed her from it and luckily she was ok. I threw that thing away
I'm so glad I ran across your videos before actually getting a bird (and I probably won't get one, but just in case.) Watching your videos ought to be a requirement.
Yes indeed, Ms. Capri, and thank you for what you do to help provide that research! I sure wish I'd had so much access to birds when I was your age; we had everything from skunks and white rats to tarantulas and a boa constrictor, but never any birds.
Great advice everyone should watch before buying! I took on another baby parrotlet from a lady who couldn't keep him and he came with his setup of all plastic toys and dowel perches, that was straight away thrown out and replaced with natural toys and perches and he shredded those toys straight away looking so happy with himself! Just goes to show natural is best always. Plastic toys just made me feel so sad that they can't shred them without getting hurt
Natural toys that can be completely destroyed are recommended. Plastic toys are not recommended, especially poor quality, thin, and easily damaged into small pieces. I have seen the love bird's mouth stuck by the plastic ball.
Alot more people need to be aware of the issues some of these "TOYS for birds" come with- or some products for pets generally. I thank you so much for letting people know about it! I have not followed you for long yet but Birdtricks helped me so much with my birds. I rescuded two cockatiels that had been ignored and misstreated for 3 years. they are both at around 5 years old now! Their cage contained no toys at all. only seed diet out of a plastic dispenser and so did the water. They did not know what bathing is either sadly.. The female used to hiss at me and bite but now she eats little treats from my hand! the male was already less defensive when he got to me and he also eats treats from my hands now. They know a diet full of veggies, herbs, nuts and rice- eggs and fruits now! The male came home with parasites but we treated him quickly and he is on his way to make a full recovery ~ Once iam over my financial crisis i will make sure to support you and your featherd family over at patreon! keep it up queen
We avoid anything with cotton type rope including bridges and rope perches - I just don’t want to risk it. Also none of the cute little tiny shoe toys that have the shoe laces on them. My birds don’t seem to notice the bells on the end of toys so I don’t worry about them but I have heard those are risky too & act as a mirror & get the same hormonal reaction
COTTON rope - whether its perches or connecting cardboard/blocks/etc for toys. Cotton is so dangerous - and on the same scale as the hidey/snuggle house!
My dad’s lovebird got her leg caught in one of those stick treat things(which I now know aren’t the best). But she used to splinter the wood underneath to make a nest and her ankle bracelet thing got hooked on the toy. I guess my suggestion is look out for your bird’s behavior and decide if they could get caught in the toy. Sometimes toys marketed for small birds have holes for their leg to get caught in. Thanks for the video!
I understand the "Plug in air freshners" are very bad for all birds. Being that a birds respirator system is fragil. This is from Glad Plug in " Do not use in small, confined pet areas without adequate ventilation." I just don't think they are safe at all. If I vist someone and they have one I get a headache and feel sick.
Whew! I'm innocent of all five! My budgies love balsa wood blocks. I buy the 2X2X12 inch solid blocks. The ones with pre-drilled holes don't last long. I simply use an picture hanging, half inch long nail and a short piece of string. Hammer the nail all the way in so there will be no sharp edges exposed.
I would also recommend staying away from plastic food and water dishes. These can be harmful since they are made out of a very porous material...plastic. The reason this is bad is it can actually provide a breeding ground for bacteria, this is especially true in the water dish. The excessive amount of bacteria in the dishes can lead to your bird getting sick easier. Instead of plastic use stainless steel.
Noticed that you didn't mention cotton rope here. It is natural, but I have heard that birds can chew on it and the material can cause blockages like you say happens with the snuggle hut. Then I watched the new bird tricks kids video and there was a cotton rope swing on the playstand you built for blueberry. I hope you keep an eye on it if she ends up using her playstand a lot.
I used to use those flexible rope perches that have the plastic caps on each end. My conure has gotten his foot stuck in them after chewing and fraying the fabric. Luckily it happened while I was home so I could cut him free, but those things are garbage. I will never buy another.
My Conure, Sputnik, has a seagrass hut in the top of his cage. It's more of a platform choice for him than anything else. I was advised heavily against the happy huts long before i got my tiny dinosaur.
Bird toys that have metal in them! I got this one hanging toy and after getting it home, realized there was a metal spoke holding the whole toy together. That was horrible! Who wants a bird to chew on something, then hurt their beak?
Awwww but that grey looks sooo cute coming out of the plush tent! Lol not to worry, I attempted to use one for my bird when I was unaware a long time ago, but quickly stopped when I heard of the dangers! Don't want my birdie in danger!
similar to the happy huts: Be careful with the rope toys/perches!! Even if you think your bird won’t ingest the strings on your perch..it’s better safe than sorry. The toys with the cotton strings sold at big chain pet stores are especially concerning since your parrot WILL be chewing on it
Hi thank you for the helpful informations i would add from my experience unfortunately to avoid toys that have metal chains for hangingespecially if they are small chain i had a severe macaw that passed away from metal poisoning after breaking these chains to small pieces and ended up swallowing them 😢 and also would have add toys with metal bells for they can stuck in there peaks when they try chewing on them .. And i like to ask what can i do if i provide mt parrots with different wooden forging toys but still decide to chew cables and other stuff in the house .. thank you
Give them a toy that resembles the object say your bird likes chewing cords give it something long and thin like corn husk or a thin perch Or it could be that you rush over/not let your bird have that so they get attention and it’s not something they can have so they want it more
Thoughts on “flight suits” aka poop suit or bird diaper? I had one for a previous bird, but now I know more about not petting their backs and wings I am wondering??
I have lineolated parakeets and one of them passed away from chronic egg laying. Trigger warning* her insides came out of her body from laying eggs, so we rushed her to our avian vet who was able to get everything in tact again and kept her overnight, but we got the heartbreaking call the next morning. The vet did give us a page of information on preventing egg laying, and we’ve made changes to their cage since but we still occasionally get some nesting and egg laying.
Great list! Please add more information about wrong handling and behavior. Too many people pet their parrot on the back and under the wings as if the bird were a dog or cat and that also encourages hormonal surges, which can lead to health problems. Additionally, a RU-vidr cuddled her birds (without touching) by wrapping her arms around the bird, creating a nestlike atmosphere and the bird developed serious hormonal problems.
Thank you for sharing o have a conure and had one I had no idea this could happen and it did wrapped around his legs Thank Goodness I was home when he was screaming!!! 😢
Hi my Gc has had the snuggle for 11 years at her old owners , Now that she is with me should I just make her go cold turkey or give it to her a few nights a week
I get rid of the cage perches and plastic bowls immediately. I have an apple tree and they get perches from there and stainless steel bowls. Only give them pellets late afternoon. They eat chop all day. I use millet for rewards
My Budgie would use the taps in the bathroom as a mirror. A bit obnoxious, as anyone who went to the bathroom, inevitably was followed by the budgie. Should have named him Randi, if you catch my drift.
Can you please do a video on whether you should have more than one parrot? I’m constantly being told it’s cruel to not give my cockatiel a companion no matter how much time I spend with my bird
you can keep a single one, but you need to spend all day home with them. because that's what birds do. otherwise, having a pair, even if separated (.... highly recommend separated cages so they don't get hormonal) is the best way to fulfill their social needs. when out of the cages, they can hang out together just fine.
I use dowel perches for one thing and that is when I need my birds to step up so I can put them back in their cage. A little context they are abuse and neglect rescue parakeets and they don’t like hands but they will step up on a dowel perch. But they only have natural in their cage
When I got my love bird they gave me his fabric hut. What's the best way to take it away? He is about 6-7 months old and that is where he goes when he gets spoked or sleeps. What can I replace it with? Thanks
Weird question, have no idea if this is even possible with birds’ anatomy, can birds be spayed or neutered? Seems like there should be a way to medically help them manage/reduce hormones
From my understanding they don't handle anesthesia well and bloodloss is also more off a risk for them compared to mammals. Basicly too dangerous to routinly spay or neuter.
Watch the videos on bird hormonal behavior. They teach you how to avoid provoking your bird into getting overly hormonal and how to deal with the seasonal hormones.
I've got 2 budgies and 1 cockatiel. I'm using the budgie mix. Sprout huge amount then mix with crushed pellet and variety chopped veggies. Then freeze them for everyday use. What do you think of this? My birds look nice n healthy:)
That actually sounds pretty good!! You should be able to tell based on feather look and quality. Like they just healthy. You sound like a great bird parent!!
My friends IR choked to death on a macadamia. Perhaps birds should not be given any seeds etc that are too big for their beak? Would love to see more videos on parrot safety Jamieleigh. Thanks.
Hey Jamie, How. can I get my parakeets to eat your mix after being on that other stuff so long. They turn their heads at other foods but I recently got them to take veggies! so fun! I am getting a cockatiel baby this week and want him to be on the best stuff too. Also, where do I find all ingredients ? are some only online?
Birdy bread!! I swear I've seen Jamie use that as a way to trick birds to eat pellets. Other than that I think she has a few other videos talking about diet conversion. If you just search the bird tricks channel.
I don’t use any sort of snuggle hut, but I know my bird does like to sleep next to something. He’ll do it with his natural toys, but I was wondering if besides for those, are there any soft or cloth-like material that IS safe? Or will all fibers cause impaction?
Most soft materials will potentially cause issues unfortunately! Even if it doesn't cause impaction the material harbours bacteria a lot easier (and is hard to completely clean!) which in turn can make them sick. Most parrots will be fine with having toys/perches/flat platforms to sleep on at night!
I can get excellent commercial seed and sprout mixes in my country, all grown here. I don't like pellets because I view them as a processed, unnatural food just like cat and dog kibble.
I had a toy hanging in my Amazon’s cage which contained wicker balls made from seagrass. I got up one morning to discover that he had unraveled one of the balls & it was wrapped around his neck like a noose. I’m lucky he didn’t hang himself in a fit of panic.
Is there a way to get the budgie mix more economically? I'm spending close to $100 every time I need to restock the budgie mix(granted it lasts a few months)
My african greys, one since 30 years with me (his girl died lately), one new (thought it's a girl but its a boy 😬) feed each other and are üdesperately searching for a nest. They try to crawl under every furniture that could be a nest, they gnaw on everthing they find, so I gave them a lot of fresh branches and toys to gnaw on, but they still wanted something to crawl under. I did not want them to get in breeding mood, but at last I built a wooden hut to sit it/on and gnaw at, so that they spare my furniture. It helped, they are friendly to each other, but my old one got agressive towards me. I accept it as nature. They seem to be more calm and happy now. But I'm not shure: Was it the right thing to do?
I work at a pet supply store where we have a very small avian section and sell all of these items. I am not allowed to tell customers if a product is potentially harmful or to offer a suggestion for something safer unless we sell it, which we often do not. I was even told that I cannot offer the suggestion to dog and cat owners to put cotton in their pets ears to muffle the booms for the upcoming 4th of July fireworks displays. I have to offer customers homeopathic drops, Thundershirts, and CBD, melatonin, valerian root, etc treats/products. So, it isn't always that the pet store associate doesn't know what they are talking about, sometimes we are forbidden to share information.
I work also in a petstore, but we are allowed to give advice for the well-being of pets. Customers are more happy if you are able to help them without the obligation of purchases in the store. Corporate even forbids certain collars, fish bowls and round cages.
@@black_hand78 You don't know their situation, so *please* don't judge them. There may well be a good reason they work there instead of someplace else.
If a bird becomes territorial and/or aggressive because of a cozy hut, how long would it take for the bird to become less aggressive/territorial for said bird? Or will those behaviors remain forever?
I see many positive comments… but honestly I’m so tired of hearing these particular parrot “professionals” negatively talking about hormonal birds! For shit sakes…. ANY ANIMAL… fur, feather or fin WILL BE HORMONAL at times… just like their dingbat humans! I’m not a bird expert… but I’ve had birds for over 50 years at this point and I’m not agreeing with a good portion of what I heard in this video. yep, I’m old… and maybe just crotchety enough, that I’ve grown tired of hearing about ALL the horrible things people do that can cause a hormonal bird. Birds are hormonal beings, just like every other animal on the planet…. Learn to deal with it! Learn to work with your bird(s) as an individual! Everyone has the ability to intuitively and instinctually learn what works best for their bird(s). Dealing with birds or any animal is not a cookie cutter science based off one person’s opinion!
We recently discovered a green parrot (think it’s a quacker) at our rv resort on the lake. It eats from the residents bird feeders. No one at our resort lost one so we’re not sure where it came from. Is there any way we can catch it or can you advise who we could call to try to catch it?
Catching them is quite difficult, but usually they will be more willing to come to a cage with food and water in it - since they are already familiar with these things.
Rope is the same as fabric they’ll get it stuck in there throat sisal rope is probably the best ( cotton rope is the worst ) if your bird Is a chewed machine and tries to eat every thing I would never put any rope in
Hi! Thank you as always for the amazing content! Do you have any advice for a budgie who's excessively egg laying and had been for years? Should you remove the eggs, leave the eggs, never provide a nest even if there is eggs... not much good information online about that. Thank you!
Disclaimer I am not at all a breeder and don’t have experience with this I just know that you should take the ‘nest’ out or whatever your budgie is laying in nests are going to just encourage laying even more Im not sure what you’d do about the eggs don’t eat them though
Do not ever permanently take out the eggs if she is still protective of them. Her body will lay even more in replacement, which puts a lot of strain on her due to how large budgie clutches can be. If the eggs are likely fertile, they can be taken out for ~30 mins to be boiled. Other than that, leave them until she loses interest. It will be best to take out the nest when she is no longer interested
I’m guilty of having the cozy huts. I was told these particular ones are safe. And my bird only sleep in them, I have a spare room that my birds go to sleep in their cages there and they each have a special made cozy hut. I’ll show a picture if I can. I don’t know how I would brake them of that either because they love them.
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@loriweaver9050 I don't know if they are okay in regards to hormones but definetly safer in regards to material, you can get cork/wood hutches. They're like a hutch but 100% wood, kind like a big tunnel made of wood.
@englishsimple1052 Since the bleeding has stopped, the bird will most likely be okay. A vet visit to assess the damage and get pain meds is a good idea. Your vet may also recommend putting coconut oil on the sore to help it heal. That's what I used on a rescue Hahn's macaw we have. A "groomer" had peeled her beak too far several days before I got her, and she had sores on either side. They healed just fine.
When you said grit? Did you mean clay-cal I got a macaw I been sprinkling a little on his food everyday! I was told in the wild they go to a clay lick and lick clay to help their digestion! Is that true?? Or have I been slowly poisoning my bird?? I am so confused now!
If what you have is clay based I don't think it would be a problem, wild birds naturally eat clay to detox. As long as it's unbaked even the hardest clay will become soft again in moist places like a birds crop or digestive tract. Some people give parrots the same grit as they would offer songbirds or doves. Songbirds and doves often eat seeds whole so the grit helps to unpeel the seeds during digestion. Parrot don't need the grit as they never eat whole seeds, they peel them first.
@@bluefeathers142thank you I didn’t know that, she didn’t explain what it was in the video, but it looks almost like clay! Good to know that’s something different I never heard of giving seashells to a bird, that makes no sense to me!
@@AVDB95thanks for the reply! Yeah I will definitely continue giving the clay to my boy! I heard they need it for digestion! I have never heard of giving seashells to a bird, so I didn’t know what grit was, but looked very close to my clay!
Another issue can happen is the strands of ctoon can get entangled in their stomach/ bowels and can require surgery. Glad you're getting a good diet!! I'd definitely do more research into mirrors and different safe toys.
hi! my mum git a untamed indian ringneck as we were scammed, he was described as hand raised but wasnt hand raised and is petrified of hands. if you have any ideas on how to help him overcome this fear id appreaciate it
Bird Tricks has videos working with aggressive birds. I can only speak about my Quakers, 15 year old and untrained. They were a bonded pair given up for adoption. I wore leather gloves to do cage care. The only time they were touched was to return them to safety. Find a high value treat and offer it in a cup. Eventually switch to offering treats by hand. If they bite stop treats for day. When they call for treats point to your finger and say why did you bite me? Next day is a new day. Sometimes they go for your finger when they want a different treat. If they drop it that means 'wrong treat' . They will learn they don't have to bite to say no. I've had mine 5 months a finally the brave one has started to come to me. I'm switching them to cold press pellets from Bird Tricks and it's slow. They prefer fresh chop. Dave from Bird Tricks gives excellent advice on how to offer treats. (I had to show them the treat inside a sunflower seed) My friend approached them with confidence because she had a parrot. She got distracted and they drew blood. I hope you have great success with your new family member. I have 4 birds now and each has their own individual way of communicating.
mirror is like an iPhone for birds, why would you not want your bird to have mirror to have a relationship with when you have an iPhone youself as your beloved companion?
