Оглавление
Gina Spadafori. Birds For Dummies
Birds For Dummies® To view this book's Cheat Sheet, simply go to www.dummies.com and search for “Birds For Dummies Cheat Sheet” in the Search box. Table of Contents
List of Illustrations
Guide
Pages
Introduction
About This Book
Foolish Assumptions
Icons Used in This Book
Beyond the Book
Where to Go from Here
Getting Started with Birds
Birds and Humans: It’s Only Natural!
Getting to Know the History of Birds
BIRD TALK
Food, feathers, and (finally!) friendship
Humans’ enduring involvement
The beauty of birds
Of song and speech
A charming companion
CLOUD: A THERAPY BIRD
Deciding If You’re Ready for a Bird
Putting in the time
PARAKEETIS TYRANNOSAURUS?
Shelling out the bucks
Dealing with the noise and mess
A BIRB IS A BIRD IS A BIRB
Narrowing the Choices
Deciding What You’re Looking for in a Bird
Judging interactivity
Considering size
Making a mess
A BRAVE-HEARTED PIGEON
Bring in da noise
Talking ability
Paying attention to price
PET PREFERENCE: CUDDLE-BUG, “WILD” THING, OR BREEDER?
Considering the Species
The hands-off color and songbirds
Finches
Canaries
Small parrots
Parakeets
Budgerigar
Lovebirds
Parrotlets and lineolated parakeets
Cockatiels
PET BIRDS AND CHILDREN
Medium-size parrots
Poicephalus
Lories and lorikeets
Conures
Caiques
Large parrots
Amazons
African greys
Cockatoos
Eclectus
Pionus parrots
Macaws
Toucans, mynahs, and some others
Chickens, ducks, geese, pigeons, peafowl, and turkeys
THE DINOSAUR BIRDS: OSTRICHES AND EMUS
Deciding on a Bird of Your Own
DID WE HEAR A “YES, BUT”?
WILD-CAUGHT VERSUS CAPTIVE-RAISED BIRDS
Telling the Girls from the Guys
DNA TESTING: WHEN YOU JUST HAVE TO KNOW
Checking Up on a Bird’s Good Health
Making Mature Decisions about Age
Weighing the pros and cons of baby birds
The problem with unweaned birds
Socialization — not just hand-feeding — is everything
Considering the prospect of an older bird
Before the age of sexual maturity
After the age of sexual maturity
Finding a Reputable Source
THE AVIAN VETERINARIAN AS A BIRD-BUYING RESOURCE
Pet stores
The staff
The store
Breeders
Private parties
STICKER SHOCK
Protecting Your Rights
Caring for Your Bird
Preparing for Your Bird’s Arrival
Shopping for Cages
Considering size: Bigger is better
Focusing on material: Wood or metal?
Knowing what to look for in a cage
Shopping for a travel carrier
ANTIQUES ROADSHOW
PUTTING YOUR BIRD IN A TIME-OUT
Perch Perfect: Finding the Right Perch for Your Bird
PERCHES AU NATUREL
Diving into Dishes and Waterers
Keeping Your Bird Entertained
Play stands and gyms
Food as entertainment
CHEAP! CHEAP! AND FUN, TOO!
Clearing the Air
Cleaning Up
Stocking up on cleaning supplies
Preventing messes in the first place
ALL THE NEWS THAT FITS THE CAGE
Starting Your Bird Off Right
Setting Up the Cage
THE SHOCK OF NEW SIGHTS
Settling In
Managing Introductions
Kids
Cats
Dogs
Other birds
Building Trust through Training
THE NAME GAME
Rules for you
Teaching the “Step up” cue
Target training
WHAT ABOUT THE WILD ONES?
Carrier training
Keeping Things Clean: A Basic Regimen
Setting up for cleaning
Everyday cleanups
The big clean
Identifying Your Bird in Case He Flies the Coop
Banding
Microchipping
The New Art, Science, and Fun of Feeding Birds Right
Understanding Bird Nutrition
Macronutrients
Protein
Carbohydrates
CONCERNS OVER FAT PRESERVATIVES
Fats
TOO MUCH OF A GOOD THING
Water
Micronutrients
Vitamins
Minerals
WHAT ABOUT VITAMIN AND MINERAL SUPPLEMENTS?
Knowing What Your Bird Should Be Eating
Pelleted diets
RAISING GENERATIONS OF JUNK-FOOD JUNKIES: THE ALL-SEED DIET
A BUG’S (SHORT) LIFE
Fruits and vegetables
A GARDEN FOR YOU ALL
Food for people and other pets
Nuts
FOODS AND DRINKS TO AVOID
Seeds
BIRD BREAD AND OTHER DELIGHTS
Converting Your Bird’s Diet
Feeding Birds of a (Slightly) Different Feather: Lories and Lorikeets
Beyond Food and Water: Bird Basics
Translating Bird Body Language
The eyes have it
Say what?
TEACHING YOUR BIRD TO TALK
Beak bulletins
Wing things
Tail tales
CAN YOU POTTY-TRAIN YOUR BIRD? YES!
Posture primer
Getting a Handle on Your Bird
Meet “Mr. Towel”
A MATTER OF RESPECT
Practicing Good Grooming
Trimming nails
Clipping wings
THE FEATHERS THAT BLEED
Raining down with showers, baths, and misting
ESCAPE! WHAT TO DO IF YOUR BIRD GETS LOOSE
Bird Care When You Can’t
Pet sitters
HOME-ALONE BIRD
Boarding
Harness Training
Types of harnesses
Harness-training tips
Taking Your Bird with You
Hitting the beach
Hitting the road
Flying with your bird
BIRDS IN THE WILD
Keeping Your Bird Healthy
How Birds Work: The Short Course
The Outside: More than Just Beautiful
Built for versatility: The beak
A tool for all seasons
DON’T BITE THE DOC WHO TREATS YOU
Paying attention to beak health
Say “ahhhhhh”
A bird’s-eye view
The better to ear you with
Beautiful, functional feathers
Variety
Maintenance
A leg to stand on, times two
UP, UP, AND AWAY
Finding Your Inner Bird
Them bones, them bones
A tiny bit of history
Modern improvements
Live and breathe: The cardiopulmonary system
Ya gotta eat: The gastrointestinal system
IS ANYTHING BUGGING YOUR BIRD?
A Preventive Care Approach to Your Bird’s Health
Understanding Why Preventive Care Is the Best Care
What your bird won’t tell you — and why
More arguments for preventive care
Scarcity of urgent care
Cost savings
Quality of life
CAUSE OF DEATH: UNKNOWN
Bottom-line pragmatism
Following a Three-Part Plan for Preventive Care
Starting with a healthy bird
HEALTH ISN’T THE ONLY ISSUE IN BIRD BUYING
Providing proper care and nutrition
Working with the pros
Finding the Right Veterinarian
Why “any veterinarian” may not be right for your bird
THE VETERINARY INFORMATION NETWORK
Special care for a special pet
Who’s out there, and what are they offering?
TESTS? AW, DO WE HAVE TO?
Board-certified specialists
Other practitioners of avian medicine
The cooperative approach: Vet to vet
Your Bird in Sickness — and Back to Health
Remembering That Birds Are Birds — Not People, Not Dogs
TRADITIONAL VERSUS COMPLEMENTARY MEDICINE
Understanding the Role of Home Care
Knowing First-Aid Basics
What qualifies as an emergency
THE HOME FIRST-AID KIT
Who to call, where to go
What to do, in what order
Emergency! The veterinarian’s role
DEALING WITH A BROKEN BLOOD FEATHER
Looking at Infectious Diseases That Panic Parrot Lovers
Tiny beings, big problems
Psittacine beak and feather disease
CAN YOUR BIRD MAKE YOU SICK?
Psittacid herpesvirus and Pacheco’s parrot disease
Avian polyomavirus
Proventricular dilation disease
Psittacosis
Aspergillosis and candidiasis
THE ANTIBIOTIC SHOTGUN AND OTHER DISASTERS
Offering Supportive Care
The hospital stay
Home care
Giving medication
Lifelong Care for Your Bird
Why Birds Are Living Longer
Domestically raised versus wild caught
New views on nutrition
THE IMPORTANCE OF RESEARCH
The veterinary contribution
Health and the Older Bird
Chronic malnutrition
Obesity
Undernutrition
Cataracts
Arthritis
Heart disease
Chronic pain
Knowing When It’s Time to Say Goodbye
Euthanasia options
Dealing with loss
YOU’RE NOT ALONE
What If You Go First?
Living Happily with Your Bird
Behavior 101: Getting to “Good Bird!”
Setting the Stage for Good Behavior
Ensuring your bird’s health
Being fair to your bird
Creating a suitable environment
Investing time in positive interaction
Getting that bird a job!
Giving your bird choices
Being consistent with your bird
Becoming your bird’s life coach
SAYING NO TO PUNISHMENT
CALLING FOR HELP
Problem-Solving Unwanted Behaviors
Feather picking
What causes it
PREVENTING FEATHER PICKING
What can be done about it
MODIFYING YOUR BIRD’S BEHAVIOR
PROZAC FOR BIRDY?
Biting and other forms of aggression
Screaming
SEX AND THE SINGLE BIRD
Deciding What to Do If You Can’t Solve a Big Problem
BEHAVIOR RESOURCES WORTH TRACKING DOWN
Living in a Multiple-Bird Household
HOW MANY BIRDS ARE TOO MANY?
Deciding Between Companion Birds and Breeders
Choosing birds for companionship
Deciding whether breeding is right for you
Understanding the Closed Aviary Concept: Rules to Live By
Choosing Compatible Birds
Species and gender issues
Size and temperament issues
YOU TALKIN’ TO ME? YOU TALKIN’ TO ME?
Recognizing the Joys and Challenges of Breeding
PET TO BREEDER TO PET: A UNIQUE CONCEPT
Pair bonding: ’Til death do us part
Setting up your birds’ love nest
Taking care of eggs
Natural incubation
TOBY AND TILLY: A LOVE STORY
Artificial incubation
Raising babies
Hand-feeding and socializing
Weaning and fledging
FLYING THE NEST
Caring for Chickens and Other Backyard Poultry
Chickens with Benefits: Seeing What Chickens Have to Offer
WORDS ABOUT BIRDS
Considering Different Chicken Breeds
Buying Chicks or Chickens
SHIPPING CHICKS
Poultry Keeping 101
Setting your chickens up with a proper coop
Keeping predators at bay
Feeding your chickens what they need
Protecting your lawn and garden
Controlling waste
Keeping your chickens healthy
HUMAN HEALTH-CARE TIPS
Providing your chicken with enrichment and training
Outfitting your chicken with diapers, sweaters, dresses, and more
Keeping Your Chickens Safe around Other Family Pets
Keeping Other Kinds of Poultry
Ducks
Geese
Turkeys
Guineafowl
Game birds
Peafowl
The Part of Tens
Ten Bird Myths Debunked
Birds Are Low-Maintenance Pets
Birds Are High-Maintenance Companions
Birds Are Fragile
A Hand-Fed Bird Makes a Better Pet
Seed Is the Best Diet for Birds
Birds Get Mites and Lice Easily
Birds Catch Colds from People
A Sick Bird Is a Dead Bird
Lovebirds Will Die of Loneliness If Not Kept in Pairs
All Parrots Talk
Ten Steps to a Healthy Bird
The Physical Examination
Having Your Vet Review Your Caging and Husbandry Techniques
Feeding Your Bird a Healthy Diet
Performing a Behavioral Checkup
Introducing a New Bird to Your Household without Endangering the Birds You Already Have
Ordering Blood Tests
Screening for Bacteria, Viruses, and Fungi If Necessary
Testing for the Specific Causes of Some Diseases
Determining Your Bird’s Gender
Considering Vaccination
Ten Questions to Ask When Buying a Bird
Where Do You Get Your Birds?
How Many Birds Do You Sell per Year?
What Are the Terms of the Sales Contract and Post-Purchase Warranty?
What Are Your References?
How Old Is This Bird?
Does This Bird Have Any Medical Problems, Past or Current?
Does This Bird Have Any Behavioral Problems?
How Have You Socialized This Bird?
What Have You Been Feeding This Bird?
May I Visit and Get to Know the Bird Before Buying?
Ten (Or So) Must-See Avian Websites
Fun for Kids — and Adults, Too
Behavior Help and Then Some
Enraptured over Raptors
Help Us Get Home
Meet Alex, the Star
Birds of a Feather, Flocking Together
Sources for Health Information
Helping Birds in Need
Ten Best Birds for Beginners
Canaries and Finches
Budgies (Parakeets)
Chickens
Cockatiels
Quaker Parakeets
Poicephalus Parrots and Parrotlets
Pionus Parrots
Pyrrhura Conures
Amazon Parrots
Peach-Faced Lovebirds
Ten Common Dangers to Your Bird’s Life
Predators
Flying Free
An Open Door or Window
Inhalants
DON’T WORRY, ’BOUT A THING …
Toxic Plants
Certain Foods
Heavy Metals
Over-the-Counter Medications
Your Feet
Electrical Cords
Ten Disaster-Planning Tips for Bird Lovers
Consider the Possibilities
Make a Contact List
Make Sure Your Bird Carries ID
Make and Trade Bird-Care Files
Collect Food and Supplies
Keep a First-Aid Kit Fully Stocked
Plan, Plan, Plan, and Practice
Keep Your Bird Secure — and Separate
Keep a “Lost Bird” Kit Ready
Be Prepared to Help Others
Resources
Aviculture and Veterinary Organizations
Behavior and Care
Books
Conservation Groups, Research, Reference Resources, and Raptors
Periodicals, Podcasts, Websites, and Apps
Rescue and Adoption Organizations
Toys and Supplies
Index. Numbers
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
Q
R
S
T
U
V
W
Y
Z
About the Authors
Dedication
Authors’ Acknowledgments
WILEY END USER LICENSE AGREEMENT
