Cockatiel : Your Happy Healthy Pet

by Mancini, Julie Rach

• ISBN13: 9780471748243
• ISBN10: 0471748242
• Edition: 2nd
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2006-01-31
• Publisher: INGRAM PUB SERVICES

Summary

Your Happy Healthy Pet The authoritative information and advice you need, illustrated throughout with full-color photographs--now revised and redesigned to be even more reader-friendly! With a chirpy "voice" and quirky personality, the cockatiel is the most popular companion bird. Cockatiels are not big talkers, but most can whistle. This fun guide will help you from the initial "get acquainted" period throughout your bird's life with information on: * Selecting a healthy bird * Setting up a healthy and stimulating home * Feeding, grooming, and veterinary care * The unique behaviors of cockatiels * Getting small children and cockatiels to coexist peacefully * Teaching your bird to do tricks With their amusing antics, cockatiels provide live entertainment and a welcome release from everyday stress. You provide proper care, and they'll provide great companionship for years!

Author Biography

Birds have been an important part of Julie Rach Mancini’s life ever since her father built a window shelf to feed pigeons as mealtime entertainment for her when she was a toddler. Her parents got her first bird, a parakeet named Charlie, when she was six, and she kept a special African grey parrot named Sindbad for more than ten years. Professionally, her interest in birds began to combine with her love of writing when the editors of Pet Health News asked her to write about bird health in 1988. She assisted in the preparation of the first issue of Birds USA, a successful annual publication aimed at the first-time pet bird owner, and became managing editor, then editor, of Bird Talk in 1992. Julie has been a freelance writer since 1997, with pets as her primary focus.

Table of Contents

Part I: The World of the Cockatiel.

Chapter 1: What Is a Cockatiel?

Cockatiel Basics.

Why Choose a Bird?

Cockatiels and Children.

Chapter 2: The Cockatiel’s History.

The Cockatiel’s Background.

How the Cockatiel Got Her Name.

Chapter 3: Choosing Your Cockatiel.

Where to Get Your Cockatiel.

Selecting Your Cockatiel.

Signs of Good Health.

Bringing Your Cockatiel Home.

Part II: Caring for Your Cockatiel.

Chapter 4: Home Sweet Home.

Choosing a Cage.

What to Put in the Cage Tray.

Location, Location.

Setting up the Cage.

More to Buy.

Chapter 5: Everyday Care.

Be Alert to Health Problems.

Cleaning the Cage.

Seasonal Needs.

Household Hazards.

Nasty Fumes.

Other Pets.

Chapter 6: Feeding Your Cockatiel.

Nutrition Requirements.

Water.

Foods to Avoid.

What About Grit?

The Pelleted Diet Option.

Chapter 7: Grooming Your Cockatiel.

Bathing.

Nail Care.

Wing Trimming.

Molting.

Wing Trimming Step by Step.

If Your Bird Escapes.

Are Mite Protectors Necessary?

Chapter 8: Keeping Your Cockatiel Healthy.

Avian Anatomy.

Feathers.

Avian Senses.

Cockatiel Health Care.

Cockatiel Health Concerns.

Signs of Illness.

Cockatiel First Aid.

Your Cockatiel’s First Aid Kit.

Can You Catch Avian Flu from Your Bird?

Medicating Your Cockatiel.

Caring for Older Birds.

Part III: Enjoying Your Cockatiel.

Chapter 9: Understanding Your Cockatiel.

Common Cockatiel Behaviors.

Learn to Read a Cockatiel’s Crest.

Stress.

Chapter 10: Having Fun with Your Cockatiel.

Taming Your Cockatiel.

Toilet Training.

Naughty Cockatiels.

Will My Cockatiel Talk?

The Trick to Training.

Tricks to Teach Your Cockatiel.

Traveling with Your Bird.

Appendix: Learning More About Your Cockatiel.

Some Good Books.

Magazines.

Online Resources.

Index.