Quarantine

Quarantine Procedure for newly Birds brought home.

all new birds must complete a quarantine period in a new home before being introduced into your flock. Why quarantine? Moving to a new home is stressful, and the stress may make the bird susceptible to pre-existing or new illnesses. If you do not quarantine, your flock will be exposed to this new bird and its illness. The results can be expensive, time consuming, and even deadly. If  adopted birds or personal bird(s) become sick due to quarantine violations, the adoptive parent is responsible.

TIME PERIOD

Minimum of 6 weeks

1. During this time, observe your bird closely for any signs of illness, including, but not limited to     severe loss of energy or vitality, blood in droppings, diarrhoea, watery droppings, discharge from the nose, eyes, or mouth, respiratory distress, and seizures. Make sure the bird is eating. A sudden change in environment can be traumatic for a bird and cockatiels in particular, may stop eating. Even if they appear to be toying with the food, be sure they continue to poop regularly and to drink water. If you don't see the bird eating from the regular food dish, offer treats such as millet or wheat toast. It is more important for the bird to eat, especially during a transition period, even if their diet isn't as healthy as it should be.

2. Weigh the bird regularly, with a gram scale if possible, Keep a record of the bird's weight. Watch for sudden or significant weight loss.

VET VISITS

1. If the bird is in immediate danger, take it directly to the avian vet. The care of the bird is always the most important.

2. If the bird is stable, contact your local vet or avian vet for further advice.

3. A sick bird should remain quarantined until it tests negative for illness and has completed any medications.

QUARANTINE ENVIRONMENT

1. Quarantined birds must be kept in a separate room, away from the rest of your flock. The room should have a door that can secure this space and prevent any of your flock from accidentally       entering this room.

2. Ideally, this room should have a separate source of fresh air, to limit the stress on the quarantine bird's immune system.

3. New quarantined birds mean a new quarantine room. Unless they come to your home on the same day, keep new bird additions in a separate room from older birds.

4. Even if your new bird looks healthy, the bird may be carrying bacteria or viruses that could easily be spread to the rest of your flock. Remember, birds hide illness!

5.  Wash your hands before handling your bird and also wash hands once you have handled your bird, this will help with any infections or diseases passing to and from bids.

6. Provide your new bird with a sterilized cage, perches, dishes and new toys.

7. After your bird is settled in and before quarantine is completed, throw away any old toys and perches that can't be sterilized.

8. Wash quarantine dishes in a different sink than your flock's or at least a different dish scrubbing brush. Sterilize the scrub brush and dishes thoroughly in the dishwasher.

9. No sharing between quarantine flocks. No sharing used food, water, dishes, toys etc.

How I'm dealing with Quarantine.

so as many of you know I have a new bird 6 week old Bentley, he arrived home on the 21/02/2017, soon as I got home we went straight into the bedroom * he doesn't stay in the bedroom while we sleeping* to where he will stay for the next 6 weeks, until I feel he is ready to meet Bella & Bert, also this allows me plenty of time to look out for any illness as stated above. 

this is the first time I am doing Quarantine as I never did this with Bella & Bert, I got them with in a week of each other last year, I was new to the bird world and didn't know much about it at the time, but over the year I have come across owners chucking bird after bird into a cage with out Quarantine, and I have to be honest and say the birds didn't survive for very long, as one was very sick and passed it on to the other birds it was housed with!!!!

I guess I was very lucky this time  with Bella & Bert not doing Quarantine, hence why I am doing it with little Bentley for his own safety and also my other birds.

I genially don't believe Bentley is poorly I just don't want to put Bella & Bert at any sort of risk, perhaps you could take this a word of advice!!!!

what happened next.

so Bentley is currently in my spare cage that was Bella's & Bert's, its very big for a little baby but also spacious so he can climb and spread his wings out beautifully, Bentley was a spare of the moment pick up, so before I collected him I made sure his cage was all set up waiting for him so I  wasn't running around  trying to set it up when he arrived.

I opened the carrier I have and he stepped up on my finger....yes 6 weeks old and can step up without hassle what so ever, a moment of joy,  I placed him into his new home and left him to settle in, leaving a radio on for him so he had some sort of comfort, every time I walked past I would say hay baby boy * I'm sure those will be his first words if he does speak*
his very first night went well as he was still sat in the same spot before he went to bed.

okay so this is where you can use Quarantine time to your advantage

as Bentley was some what fingered trained by the breeder *not fully trained*  I'm going to carry on taming and training him and over the duration of Quarantine time I will try to write what we have achieved through out the weeks and hopefully show how use full this time can be consumed into taming sessions as well as Quarantine time.

DAY 0

Hear I just let Bentley get settled in didn't want to over whelm him on his first day, he even ate straight away I know other birds can take days even up to a week before eating, even I was surprised at how quickly he had eating on his first day.

DAY 1

so on day 1 I didn't get Bentley out until after lunch time as I wanted to give him a few more hours before bothering him, as he still a  baby he is still very sleepy, but when I got him out he perched on my finger for a full 40mis snoozing, I did think my finger would fall of at some point lol, but when he woke up, I placed him down on to my bed and let him explore and have a wonder, he found stitch to perch up on and have a quick nap also, again when he woke I placed him back down where he showed some interest with bell ball, he moved it very gently and went back to exploring. after he finished he decided it was time for nap on my finger again after 5mins or so I put him back so he could sleep, he was out for at least 2 hours, its great bonding time for us.

DAY 2

Bentley was ready to come out, soon as I opened his door he went straight to my hand to come out **whhhatttttt** this boy is surprising me every time, so today I introduce a bowl of water to see how he would react to it, I wasn't to bothered weather he took a bath or not he still a baby and probably the first time he seen a bowl of water in front of him, he showed some interest but didn't get in, so we will keep working on that, Bentley got spooked by a lorry backing up down the side road and took off, took me by surprise, it was more of a flutter, I guess its the first time he actually flown, and of course went to the highest point of the room dammmmm Bentley.
I did about 1'000 rescue missions up and down to get him every time he took off, the more he did it the more he found his wings, after the lorry left, he was so much calmer and content, I have given Bentley, Bella & Bert's rosewood tree play stand, he was happy perched on their next me, even showed an interest in the dangling carrots, we also worked on the stepping up command which he did beautiful at only 6 weeks old, he also perched on my daughters finger for a short while, she even read him a story before bed.

DAY 3

okay so on day 3 not much happened as I was working on  a late shit, I got Bentley out for for 30mins before I left and I worked on some stepping up for 15 mins and sat with me for the remaining 15mins, its always best to try get any training sessions in when you can, it does make a big difference even if its 10mins, you can still achieve a lot.



DAY 4

 first try of kale, so as I know many people wonder if you can give veggies to such  a young bird, personally I don't know if there is a right or wrong answer!!!  as Bentley is 6 weeks old I thought it would be the perfect age to start him, I would think the longer you leave it, the harder it would be to try and get them to eat them, as many people always ask how do I get my bird to eat veggies, the key is to be persistent and keep trying *don't give up after a few days* I was very lucky that Bentley enjoyed his first try of kale was a big hit, reason I picked kale first is because its Bella & Bert's favourite not only do they love to it eat it they also love to bath in it, Bentley didn't take much interest in bathing in kale so we will keep trying.

I also gave Bentley head scratches this absolutely melted my heart, and he really enjoyed them too, I didn't do it for too long as I didn't wanna put him off me but it was a big step * this is something I cant do with my other 2*  only on day 4 and he is trying kale and enjoying head scratches.

DAY 5

Bentley got some time out of the cage for about an hour as  I had bin at work all day, he happily sat perched on my finger for the whole time, he still isn't 100% on playing just yet, but he has shown interest on the pervious days, his swing he has in the cage is made from sticks so that keeps him happy chewing on them.

there was a big shouting match between rooms, and Bentley found his little voice and started shouting back at Bella & Bert, I think Bentley now knows there is more activity in the front room where the other 2 live, hopefully the days fly by so he can eventually join them.

DAY 6

this was an interesting day, Bentley really showed his personality today, he thought it would be fun to dig out al his seeds from the bowl *was so funny watching him* he squeezed his little body in the container lol and then his water bowl, I saw this as an opportunity to use the bird bath, which he walked threw to inspect, he was dripping wet, Bentley also had his first try of millet, which he had some in his cage from day one.
Bentley spent a couple of hours out of the cage happily perched on my finger for an hour chatting away to me.

DAY 7

so today Bentley had his first try of broccoli, boiled egg & egg shells, he didn't eat much, but that's not what I'm trying achieve, I want him to explore different smells, textures and taste, as he still a baby, he tried both the egg and broccoli which he seemed to like, also my other 2 enjoy this as well, its always great to start them as soon as possible, never give up on trying.

DAY 8

as the days go on quarantine is getting a lot harder and stressful *I'm going to be honest* now Bentley has a taste of being out side of the cage he wants to be out all the time, which is making it harder to dived my time with my other 2, I cant leave them locked up all day as its not fair on them, and I certainly cant leave Bentley in a room on his own.
its hard trying not to give up on quarantine, but today Bentley is really annoyed and frustrated that he cant be out all day long.
so he now digs in his food dish, seeds flying every where, soon as I go to open the door he stops, is this him telling me to let him out? he stops and jumps straight on my arm, runs up it and perches on my shoulder, I guess I answered my own question there.
its really fascinating to watch their behaviour as you can learn so much just from watching them.
Bentley has also mastered his acrobatics, the way they can bend them self's in very odd positions is unbelievable, I'm hoping Bentley will calm down and learn he cant be out all day just now, when he eventually joins my other 2 it will be completely different for him, fingers and toes crossed.

DAY9

so as said above Bentley hates being locked up more than ever, he really gets him self worked up and stressed out where he just wants to out all the time, makes it even harder when I have to go work, soon as I let him out he perches up on my shoulder and becomes such a calm little bird, he really is the sweetest little boy, not a lot happened on day 9 as I was working the last shift so he could only come out for an hour.

DAY 10

is pretty much the same as day 9 I was working the last shift so he only come out while I was  getting ready for work, not once did he fly of my shoulder, he even perched on my toothbrush, I am totally amazed at how much he is bonded to me, I cant compline, I mean who would want to.

so as I have reached day 10 I'm not going to continue to write the next 20 days, I don't want to bore all to sleep, but I will do weekly updates of anything new we do, he only has 20 days to complete now, I'm really looking forward to him meeting Bella & Bert but also worried we may lose our bond, I hope this isn't the case.

so on the 22 march 2017 Bentley moves into the living room, where Bella and Bert live, Bentley is still currently in his own cage just for all the birds protection, as I'm not 100% sure on how they will react to each other, especially Bella being the most dominant one of the flock.

Bentley meets his big sister

over the next few days both cages are placed side by side to they can interact threw the bars safely, Bert was mesmerised by the new addition he would sit there for ages talking to Bentley.

Bella showed no interest what so ever in him, when ever Bella and Bert would go and eat Bentley would follow, it was rather cute to watch them, when it came to play time*out of the cage*  both birds where terrified of Bentley, frantically flying away from him when ever he came any where near them, so it became apparent to me this might not actually work if they are so scared of him out side the cage they only seem comfortable within separate cages.

over the course of time Bentley continued to live in a separate cage, during time out of the cage they where slowly starting to tolerate each other, eating and bathing, playing you name it, I thought is great perhaps Bentley could have a sleep over, I was worried about Bentley throwing him in the deep end, I wasn't sure on what to expect, what would happen, would they fight or get on.

Bentleys sleep over didn't go so great I ended up putting back in his place, Bella was not happy about him being in her Territory, she fort with him until he fell of his perch I felt to guilty, as he is still only a baby, but I didn't give up on trying, the mistake I made was keep removing Bentley, one night I just decided to leave him, yes they argued over who was sleeping where, I would only intervene if things got violent which they didn't, all 3 birds settled in together for the night all was calm and peaceful, so

Bentley officially moved in on the 5th April 2017........

they still squabbled in the evening but slowly but surely, they are learning to put up with each other, Bella occasionally has a temper tantrum * best way to describe it*  she will lash out at Bert or Bentley weather they are close to her or not she will go for them, so it has come down to me removing her the night and its not faire on leaving either of the boys alone with her, she was like this before with Bert I felt so sorry for him, but now I have two boys that get on I feel its best to keep them together and remove Bella, in the morning she would go  back with out any problems, she only on had a melt down a few times, I believe she is becoming more acceptant  of Bentley, tolerating him is a better word to use ATM .

so its now bin 6 weeks since Bentley got moved into the living room, he has thrived so much from the day I first brought him home with me.

even today *7th may 2017*  Bella still tries to show him who is boss around hear, but Bentley has stood up to her and takes nun of her *crap* if she goes for him he will go for her as well, if things get to physical I will intervene but it has never got that far, as Bella will fly away from, I feel Bentley is still finding his position with in the flock as he is still a baby but growing up very fast, Bella is at the stage where she will tolerate him and can be near him more, if he gets to close she will let him know here friendship is still yet to blossom.

Bert on the other hand will budgie chat to him, play, bath next to each other no problem, Bert can get a little too carried away with Bentley, but he will always let Bert know if he has gone to far,  they will bicker but that's normal, I cant Waite to see their friendship blossom even more over time.

as for mine and Bentleys bond, its still there he will come over to me have a quick chat then its back to hang out with the cool kids.

I hope my experience of quarantine will be some help to your self and your birds, it was a tough journey but we succeeded, there is still a bit of journey to come, but that's part of the process of love, trust, acceptance and most of all respect.

use the Quarantine time to your advantage, this can help you bond with your bird. 

why are bird toys and flight time so important ?

why are bird toys and flight time so important?

If you have a busy lifestyle that includes a family as well as a job, your birds are going to spend a significant amount of time on their own alone. What are they supposed to do with all of that time? You simply can’t be there for them every single minute.
Boredom sets in and they may take it out on their feathers or just become listless.

They have nothing to do without toys and it affects their state of mind. These are very intelligent creatures and they require stimulation and enrichment.

Toys also provide more than just something to do. Interacting with a toy not only stimulates their minds, it keeps them active and engaged physically.

Birds were made to be active and physically move around, not just sit on a perch all day. 

Birds in the wild are constantly on the move, flying, hopping from tree limb to rooftop, foraging for food and even playing.
Yes, birds in the wild do indeed play.
They play not only with objects but they interact with other birds as well.
They also have other instincts that lead to play-like activities. Birds have a natural instinct to gnaw on wood as well as bark leaves and other objects. This instinct is what gives them the necessary urge to build nests and create nest hollows in trees as well as foraging for food.
In the wild they have been observed flinging twigs around, stripping bark off of twigs and tree limbs, bathing in puddles, hanging upside down and swinging as well as playing tag; all play activities.
What do toys do for birds in captivity
is provide an outlet for these natural play activities. By interacting with their toys, they are acting on their natural urges to chew, to toss things around and to dig and scratch.
It keeps them moving and stimulates their minds.
Toys provide an outlet for them to remain active even while in their cages or on their play gyms. The chewing action helps keep their beaks in top condition and the physical interactions keeps their muscles strong and in good condition. Birds are naturally active and they simply need this activity to stay in good shape. This use of their muscles and tendons provides exercise and activity that they naturally would get in the wild. Exercise also keeps their bones in shape as well as burning off calories. Just as a child gets exercise by being outside and running around playing, this play time with toys is important for their wellbeing.
Toys of different shapes and colours as well as a variety of textures provide interest, entertainment and give your companion bird a “job” so to speak.
Does your bird ever get aggressive?
Sometimes birds in breeding condition tend to get a little feisty due to excessive hormones racing around in their systems. This natural aggression needs to go somewhere so toys are an ideal and safe outlet for them to take out their aggression so she doesn’t keep it built up. Giving her this outlet may just lower that aggression.
Most birds are naturally independent and enjoy making choices for themselves. Toys not only keep your birds busy, they provide those choices and can install confidence. A parrot can make decisions in her life such as what toy to play with and how to play with it.
Toys don’t even need to be all that complicated. How many times have you seen a child playing for hours with nothing but a box? Amazingly, even the simplest of objects can inspire some very imaginative play.

Along with giving them toys to play with is ensuring you keep an eye on the condition of the toys. Toys are meant to be played with chewed on, thrown around and banged so it is only natural that toys get worn out. So being vigilant about frayed cords and material, cracked plastic or anything else that might injure your bird is all a part of keeping your bird safe.
Hazardous or unsafe items should never be accessible to your bird. Toys should also be kept clean and fresh.  This isn't always easy, but keep them as clean as you can.

In young birds, playtime is part of the learning process in which birds start to identify textures, colours, shapes and it also helps to develop coordination and dexterity. Exposure to a wide variety of objects at a young age helps to create a more confident less fearful bird

Toys provide an outlet for natural aggression and an opportunity to expend energy through exercise. Instead of directing aggression towards their owners they can instead direct their aggressions towards the toy by shadow boxing, flapping and swinging.

Playtime helps to foster better mental health and a sense of independence. Birds provided with a variety of toys are less self-absorbed and exhibit fewer negative behaviour's such as:

• Feather picking and self-mutilation
• Screaming for attention
• Fear of unknown objects
• Aggressiveness towards humans
• Destruction of household furniture, moulding, etc

this is Bella and Bert's little play area, is nothing to fancy but it keeps them very busy, chewing wood and playing with toys

Toys promote exercise and therefore physical health and longevity. Birds who play by climbing and swinging on their toys reap the benefits of increased movement. Playing with and or chewing toys also helps with beak and nail conditioning. These activities also provide for "off-perch" time and flexing which helps with dexterity and foot health.

Confinement of parrots without providing outlets for exercise, entertainment, comfort and mental challenge will result in boredom, depression, poor physical health and ultimately in an unsuitable pet!

Your bird should own a wide variety of toys but remember it is important to rotate the toys in and out of the cage weekly to stimulate curiosity and prevent boredom.

Ask any busy bird mum why toys are important for her children and she will gladly tell you that they can keep their little ones occupied and happy ‘out of their hair’ for a bit.

flight time

flying time helps keep your bird healthy and happy, they enjoy time spent outside their cages in safe environments where they can exercise and explore.

budgies need exercise and socialization *sorry if I'm repeating myself* time to stay healthy, birds who never leave their cages become overweight and start to develop illnesses over time, as we know budgies live in flocks in the wild, so they should *must* spend time out of the cage to allow them to fly around for an hour or so.

I found this image on google images, I don't have any photos of my two in mid flight and they wouldn't be as perfect as this.

Certain safety precautions should be taken before allowing your budgie to fly around the room. Eliminate any possible hazards so that they can fly safely. A few common things to look for are:

·         all windows and mirrors so that they don't fly into them.

·         Make Cover sure all doors and windows are closed and that family members know not to open them.

·         Remove other animals (dogs, cats) from the room.

·         Remove any poisonous plants

·         Turn off ceiling fans and regular fans and make sure there are no hot surfaces such as heaters or stoves.

·         Remove or cover any containers with water or liquid including fish bowls or aquariums.

·         Hide or unplug electrical cords and remove anything that could harm your budgie if he were to chew on it.

Ideally, budgies shouldn't be left to fly around unattended. They are curious and playful and can get themselves into dangerous situations even when we've tried to make everything as safe as possible. It is recommended that your budgie be finger trained before flying outside of the cage. There may be situations where you need to return them back to their cage and being able to have them step onto your finger or a perch helps immensely.

Many budgies see their cages as their home and as a safe haven. Some will fly around the room but always return to the cage in between flights. Others will be more bold and want to explore. At first, some budgies will be confused and may not be able to find their way back to the cage.

If your budgie won't or is unable to return to his cage when it's time to return, don't chase them. Move slowly and gently and if all else fails, dim the lights. Budgies are reluctant to fly when there isn't enough light and it will be easier to gently place them back into the cage.

If possible, set aside a specific time each day when you can let your budgie fly and stretch his wings. With patience and consistency, budgies can learn to fly skilfully around a room and return safely to their cage. this where a play gym can come in handy a place for them to land and play.

The recommend flight time and play time out side of the cage is an hour or more daily, it’s a little bit more difficult if you’re working or out for the day, when I'm home Bella and Bert are out from 10:00 and till 8:00pm so they are 2 very lucky birds, they nap during the day up on the curtain rail, if I'm working they have 2 hours flight time before I head to start the evening shift, if I'm out for the day they will come out in the evening for an hour or two depending on the time just to stretch their wings out then off to bed.

Too often I am seeing on Instagram& Facebook of owners just leaving their birds sat on a perch all day long with no toys to play with, if your birds can’t come out to paly due to other pets you may have or are not tamed or just don't allow them out, just ensue they have plenty of things to keep them busy, otherwise you will end up with a very sad and depressed bird that could potentially die!!!!