The Simple Guide to Bird Care & Training

by Rach, Julie

• ISBN13: 9780793821051
• ISBN10: 0793821053
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2002-11-01
• Publisher: Tfh Pubns Inc

Summary

Loaded with color photos, tip boxes, and check lists, The Simple Guide to Bird Care & Training provides the tools needed to select the right bird, welcome it into a home, and then keep it happy and healthy. With chapters on feeding, housing, health care, and training, this handbook covers all there is to know about caring for an avian companion. The book also includes helpful tips and expert solutions to the most common situations faced by owners - from problem behaviors, such as feather picking and biting, to training issues, such as wing clipping and talking. Most importantly, the book uses compassion and humor to help owners transform a new pet into a cherished and well-adjusted member of the family.

Author Biography

Julie Rach's personal love of companion birds has worked its way into her professional life. In addition to the seven books and numerous magazine and online articles she has written about bird care, she served as the editor of Bird Talk magazine from 1992 to 1995

Table of Contents

Part 1: Bringing A Bird Into Your Life	7	(98)
Starting Out	9	(20)
Questions to Answer	11	(3)
Where Will You Get Your Bird?	14	(3)
Hand-feeding: To Finish or Not To Finish	17	(1)
Is A Young or Mature Bird Right For Me?	18	(2)
Birds in the Wild	20	(1)
``Birds for Beginners''	20	(4)
The History of Bird-Keeping	24	(5)
The Birds	29	(46)
African Greys	31	(2)
Amazons	33	(2)
Brotogeris	35	(3)
Caiques	38	(1)
Canaries	39	(2)
Cockatiels	41	(2)
Cockatoos	43	(3)
Conures	46	(2)
Eclectus	48	(2)
Finches	50	(2)
Lories and Lorikeets	52	(2)
Lovebirds	54	(2)
Macaws	56	(3)
Parakeets	59	(3)
Parrotlets	62	(2)
Pionus	64	(2)
Psittacula Parakeets	66	(2)
Quaker Parakeets	68	(3)
Senegals	71	(2)
Aviary Birds	73	(2)
Going Home	75	(12)
Bird-Handling Basics	76	(1)
Bird-Proofing Your Home	77	(1)
``Bird Proofing''	77	(2)
Fitting in the Feathers	79	(3)
Selecting A Veterinarian	82	(1)
Homecoming Day	83	(4)
Happy Homemaking	87	(18)
Choosing A Cage	88	(4)
The Playgym	92	(1)
Choosing Fun, Safe Toys	93	(1)
Location, Location, Location	94	(1)
The Aviary Option	95	(6)
Basic Pet Bird Care	101	(4)
Part Two: Caring For A Bird	105	(72)
An Insider's Look At Bird Behavior	107	(20)
Normal Flock Behavior	109	(2)
Normal Captive Parrot Behavior	111	(1)
Behaviors That Indicate Illness	112	(1)
Bored Bird Behaviors	113	(1)
Behaviors That Indicate Stress	114	(1)
Interpreting Bird Body Language	115	(2)
Socializing Your Bird	117	(1)
Bonding With Your Bird	117	(1)
Behavior Problems and How To Solve Them	118	(5)
Double the Feathers, Double the Fun	123	(4)
Feeding and Nutrition	127	(8)
Bird Food Basics	127	(2)
``Pellets''	129	(1)
The Organic Option	130	(1)
What's In This Stuff?	131	(1)
Served Fresh Daily	132	(1)
Other Menu Items	133	(1)
Special Needs of Lories	134	(1)
Here's To Good Health!	135	(24)
How To Find an Avian Veterinarian	135	(1)
Your First Office Visit	136	(1)
Pet Bird Health Problems	137	(5)
First Aid	142	(5)
The Parrot Life Span	147	(1)
Caring For Older Birds	148	(3)
Birds With Special Needs	151	(2)
When A Bird Dies	153	(4)
When A Bird is Left Behind	157	(2)
Looking Good	159	(18)
Bathing	160	(1)
Nail Trimming	161	(1)
Wing Trimming	162	(2)
Feathers	164	(13)
Part Three: Beyond The Basics	177	(42)
Training Your Bird	179	(14)
The Ups and Downs of Training	180	(1)
A Daily Routine	180	(1)
How to Discipline A Pet Parrot	181	(2)
Tricks to Teach A Parrot	183	(2)
Setting Up A Classroom	185	(1)
Beginning Tricks	186	(1)
More Advanced Tricks	187	(1)
Parrot Potty Training	188	(1)
How Do I Teach My Bird To Talk?	189	(1)
``Tips to Teach Talking''	190	(3)
Breeding	193	(14)
Breeding Basics	194	(3)
When To Handle Chicks	197	(1)
How To Hand-Feed Chicks	197	(2)
Banding Baby Parakeets	199	(1)
Taking Wing	200	(1)
Breeding Questions	201	(3)
Too Many Eggs	204	(3)
Fun and Games	207	(12)
Games You Can Play With Your Bird	207	(2)
Traveling With Your Bird	209	(5)
Traveling To See Birds	214	(1)
Showing Your Bird	214	(5)
Resources	219	(2)
Index	221