Maintaining A Large Finch Flight - Time Saving Tips For A Clean and Healthy Bird Habitat

Whether you have built your own flight or purchased one from a manufacturer, cleaning and maintenance are vital. Unlike cages that hold only a couple of birds, a large flight can hold dozens of birds depending on the size. The more birds housed together the greater the threat of bacterial infections from a dirty flight.

The design and setup of your finch flight is extremely important. It should have conveniently placed doors at the bottom to provide easy access to the cage floor. There should also be access doors to allow easy access to the birds, walls, perches and other items. Many commercially built flights have wire grates above the floor.

If possible eliminate the wire grate as it only makes more to clean and does not benefit the birds in any way. Finches like to forage on the floor of the cage and the grates can possibly injure the feet of your Finches. Another bad thing about wire grates is if you provide nests for your Finches and they raise young. The babies could be severely injured if they should fall from the nest onto the grate.

There are several fantastic products that are both effective and affordable to make the job of maintaining your flight quick and easy. All are readily available online or at your local pet store.

Poop-Off ; A very safe product for cleaning cages, perches and accessories.
Aviclens; A great water cleanser. Add it to your birds water at all times to prevent bacteria from forming. Change your birds water every 1-2 days in hot weather, every 3-4 days in cooler weather.
Planet Petco Crumbled Paper Litter For Birds; An excellent litter for the bottom of the cage. Lasts from 1 to 2 weeks in large Finch flights.
Finch Seed Hopper with Catch Tray; A great feeder that reduces mess.
Perch and accessory placement inside the Finch flight is something often overlooked. The placement of perches, toys, feed and water stations, etc. need to be carefully thought out. Never place any of them where other items are directly below them. This greatly reduces the buildup of droppings on perches and accessories. This will result in having to clean perches, toys, etc. only about once every 7-10 days. (Unless you notice a need sooner) Cleaning is a snap too!

No need to remove perches or accessories from the cage, simply spray with Poop-Off.
Wait 10-15 seconds and wipe down with a damp cloth.
(Do the same for the cage walls)

Avoid small water cups in your flight. Use a 1 quart or larger hanging Waterer and always fill with water treated with Aviclens. Unless you notice a large amount of droppings you will only need to change the water every 1-2 days in hot weather, every 3-4 days in cooler weather.

Use Seed Hoppers with Catch Trays. The hopper holds a large amount of seed and the catch tray eliminates most of the mess. A good rule of thumb is to add 1 hopper for every 4 finches in your flight. By providing the proper number of seed hoppers you will be emptying the catch trays less often.

Cover the flight floor with about 2" of the Planet Petco Crumbled Paper Litter. Even in very large Finch flights the litter only needs to be changed every 7 - 10 days. This will vary depending on the number and type of birds in your flight. Typically the litter lasts anywhere from 7 days to 4 weeks. The litter absorbs moisture and odor, as well as effectively preventing bacteria. When it's time to change the litter simply sweep or vacuum it out of the flight and add new.

Place the Bird Grit in a 10 ounce crock on the flight floor. Be sure it is away from the hanging waterer or it will become wet and need to be changed. Also make sure there are no perches or other items hanging above the crock. If you pour a nice layer of grit in the bottom of the crock it should last a couple of weeks before you need to worry about changing it. (Unless you notice droppings building up in the grit)

These simple steps will make maintaining your large flight easier and less time consuming. You'll have a whole lot more time to just enjoy your birds.

Food for Budgies

The staple food of budgies in the wild is usually grass seeds. However, in captivity budgies thrive well on a diet of seeds, millets, whole grain breads and sprouts. A varied diet provides all essential nutrients and keeps the budgies well nourished. A varied diet also prevents obesity as opposed to a diet exclusively on seeds.

Place the seeds in a flat dish so that it is easy for removal The feeding can be done once a day. Seeds which have not been eaten by the budgies can be reused. Just blow over the feeding dish to remove the husk and then top up the remaining seeds.

Budgies also love coriander leaves and greens. Beetroot, spinach, lettuce and cabbage may also be given. Put these leaves into the cage and watch the budgies tear them up into little bits as they eat them. Give only fresh leaves as old or refrigerated leaves may cause digestion problems for the budgies. Remove any leftovers from the cage.

Foods NOT to be given

Do not give Avocados, chocolates, apple seeds, coffee, tea, tomato leaves, peach seeds, eggplant, peanuts, etc to your budgies as these contain substances which can prove to be toxic to the budgies.

Water for Budgies

Budgies need fresh water everyday. Keep a constant supply of water in the cage. Replace the water if it has become soiled. Special water dispensers suited for birds are available. This prevents the water from getting soiled.

In the wild, budgies descend in large groups over water bodies. They love to bathe. You can keep a shallow bow of water and watch them bathe. Bathing water can be provided twice a week.

CuttleBone for Budgies

Budgies, especially female, need calcium as they lay eggs. Calcium deficiency can cause a dangerous condiction called egg binding in female budgies where the eggs, having soft shells due to lack of calcium, get stuck in the vent, causing death.

Hence, it is vital that the diet the budgies eat contains a lot of calcium. The Cuttle bone is a common source of calcium. Cuttle bone as the name suggests comes from the cuttlefish. It is available in all pet stores. The cuttle bone may be placed inside the cage. Some pet owners prefer to crush the cuttlebone into powder and add to the budgies' food.

You can also provide other sources of calcium for your budgies such as broken eggshells and commercial calcium supplements which are available in the market.

Another alternative would be to use mineral blocks. Mineral blocks are supplements which contain calcium as well as other ingredients such as phosphorus, zinc, Iron, Magnesium, etc necessary for the health of the budgie.

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Interesting Tidbits About Birds

Bird lovers know that these inquisitive and social creatures make ideal pets that can
 provide plenty of entertainment and companionship. While all birds need basic housing, nutritious
 food and plenty of watchful care, it is important to understand the features that are unique to
each species that may affect their health and happiness. Whether you are considering a pet bird or
already have one of your own, check out these interesting tidbits about birds that can provide more insight into their behavior.

Discover How You Can Have The Best Budgie Aviary In Town

A purpose-built budgie aviary needs to complement the colourful personalities of its inmates. Here are three important design features that should be incorporated in every budgie aviary.

1. Type of Aviary

A walk in aviary fixed to the ground is ideal for budgerigars. While it can take any shape in order to fill whatever space is available, a square or rectangular aviary is usually best and the most economical because it can be easily subdivided. There needs to be an indoor area to provide shelter and an outdoor area where the birds can enjoy the fresh air. The main advantages of this design are:

it allows budgies to fossick on the ground for food.
it provides more room and better flying space from the ground up to the roof
it can be planted with plants and shrubs to simulate the natural environment.
it is easy for people to enter and move around inside, which makes the tasks of cleaning the aviaries and catching the birds much simpler.
2. Perches

Budgies stand for most of their lives, and so, in order to prevent foot problems, their feet need to be exercised by standing on different-sized perches made of different materials.

Natural wood perches are best, as they have a variety of diameters and are good to chew on. Rope perches are also excellent, being made of a different, softer material and offering a variety of sizes.

Budgies are energetic so exercise is essential for their good health and quality of life. They need plenty of space to fly around in. Thus perches should be placed in a sheltered area out in the open, and arranged so they don't impede flight and allow the budgies to fly the longest distances possible.

3. Play Areas

Third, budgies are playful, and highly intelligent, and so need play areas where they can amuse themselves. These areas should have baths, greenery, and toys such as bells, ropes, and swings. Other toys that are easily shredded also appeal to their natural inquisitiveness (and natural destructiveness!). A clever trick if the flight has a netting roof is to lay an irrigation hose over the top of the aviary so that the birds can take a shower on hot days.

If you are serious about the health and well-being of your feathered friends, then you need to have a first class budgie aviary. Don't forget, budgerigars can live for up to 15 years - and so having them as pets is a long-term commitment.

How to Buy a Pet Bird: 5 Important Things You Need To Know!

Birds make great pets, well they won't be as loyal a dog, but at least they require less maintenance. Like any other pet, it's important that you know what kind of bird you want. This should be in correlation with your personality. Like any other animal, birds have personalities. Some birds are more sociable than the others while some are more inclined to be hyperactive than most. In any case, birds should be treated with the utmost care. Ignoring them will aggravate them because just like any other living being, they need attention and care. Besides if you are not willing to take care of them they why take them in the first place?

Things you must know before Buying a Pet Bird.

1. Find the Right Seller.

First, it is recommended that your check your local newspaper first for legitimate ads from professional breeders. Why? Because like anything else, you can only rely on experts for the best kind of breeds. Moreover, they will be able to provide you the best kind of information about your chosen type of feathered friend.

2. Inquire About Health.

These winged animals also usually comes with paper when bought from professionals, were talking about veterinary records here which is very important if you want your bird to live long enough, you may want to know its medical history. The only backlog is that these birds are usually pricey so if you don't have the budget, then the next stop is the neighborhood pet shop. This is tricky because some pet shops don't have in-house vets and only have ignorant salesmen to man the place. Therefore, if this is your only choice then I suggest you do prior research to the kind of breed you want, just so that you know what it should look like healthy.

3. Psychological Test.

Check for the coat and the beaks if it's on the right shape. Coats should be shiny and full while beaks should look sturdy. It will also help if you could observe the bird for a while before you commit to buying it so that you can have an idea if it's psychologically healthy; the last thing you want is to have a bird with a defective instinctive behavior which will prevent it from responding positively in your care.

4. Learn its Past Life.

Check if the bird is properly cared for; see the cage if it's in good condition and if there is adequate food and water. This is to prevent you from buying a traumatized bird. If you just want to buy a bird from a friend, it is still necessary to check all these stuff, after all, a pet is a responsibility, you'll be spending a lot of time with it so it's best not to jump the cage without a thorough thought first.

5. Best of All.

Make sure that the bird you will be buying will have an emotional tie with you, don't just choose birds because of their aesthetic qualities. Look for qualities that will endear them to you because these are the aspects, which you will be relishing for a long time.

How to Tame a Lovebird

Lovebirds are beautiful creatures and amazing pets. They add beauty and charm to your home. Just the sight of these pretty birds is a refreshing experience. If you tame a Lovebird then the joy they bring into your life have a doubling effect. Lovebirds of any age can be tamed and trained. However, if you have hand reared baby Lovebirds then they are much more easier to tame than adults.

Decide how many Lovebirds you want to tame and start with a single bird at a time. Taming a Lovebird requires its undivided attention. A pair of Lovebirds will socialize with each other and the process becomes more difficult for you. A single bird will consider a human as his companion and will learn the process much quickly and easily and the training becomes a fun experience for your bird.

Taming a Lovebird requires a lot of patience, time and practice for your bird. A tamed Lovebird is well worth the time you spend on taming. The best time to start training is as early as possible. The training should be divided into three to five sessions of no more than ten to fifteen minutes each. The training sessions should be conducted almost daily.

Take your Lovebird into a separate room where there is minimum distractions from external sources. Close all open windows and doors so that your bird may not fly away. Now take the Lovebird out of its cage and talk to him in a low voice. Words like "Good parrot" etc., etc. have a soothing effect on your bird and help to calm him down and get him prepared for training. Do not yell or shout at him.

Establish a trustworthy relationship with your bird. Fearful birds are difficult to tame. Once your bird is comfortable in your presence, put your hand inside his cage with a food item in your hand. Do not make sudden movements that may scare your bird. Do this several times until your Lovebird becomes familiar with your hand and starts eating food from your hand.

The next step is to teach him to step up on your finger. For this, bring your finger near the Lovebird and gently touch him on his chest. The bird will go out of balance and in order to balance himself he will step up and sit on your finger. Now bring him out of its cage and speak a few encouraging words and offer him a treat for complying with the required behavior. Repeat the process several times.

When your Lovebird has learned to sit on your finger, take him into his cage and teach him to step down on its perch. With repetition your bird will easily step up and step down as many times you want. Patience is required to teach these steps. Some birds learn very quickly while others learn a little later depending on the age of your bird. Practice this again and again until it becomes its second nature.

Now teach him to fly to your hand from a distance. Take the food item in your hand and utter the familiar word or whistle. When your Lovebird flies to your hand give him the treat and speak the encouraging words. Practice this step as many times until your bird learns this step fully and flies to your hand instantly. With practice and patience you will finally have a precious hand tamed Lovebird.

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