Avian Errors Let’S Take The Many Myths About Pet Birds One At A Time

Nobody’s calling them birdbrains.

But a lot of people who have parrots or budgies as pets make several fundamental mistakes in the care and feeding of these animals, say two Northwest veterinarians with expertise in avian medicine.

Here are some of the widespread misconceptions.

1. The belief that birds should live on a diet of seeds.

“That’s the No. 1 issue I encounter and I encounter it every day,” said Dr. Skip Nelson, a vet and zoo consultant in suburban Seattle whose practice concentrates on exotic birds.

“Seeds are low in minerals, low in some of the vitamins, marginal in protein and incredibly high in fat,” he said. “But when you talk to people, it’s as if there’s this 11th Commandment — Thou Shall Feed Seeds To Birds.”

Nutritionally balanced processed bird fare, commonly referred to as pelleted foods, is far better, said Dr. Erik Stauber, a professor and head of the exotic animals wing at the veterinary teaching hospital at Washington State University.

There’s no disputing that many birds truly enjoy seeds, said Nelson, calling them “Seedaholics.”

But even if it’s akin to giving children too much candy and cookies, some pet owners have a hard time saying no to their birds.

“The love quotient is what continues to screw things up,” said Nelson.

2. The belief that birds get sick if they get caught in a draft.

“Excuse me,” said Nelson. “We’ve got an animal here that can do 27 knots in high wind for an hour and a half.”

But he thinks he knows why what he termed “The draft theory of disease” remains popular. “People needed something to explain the fact that the bird looked healthy one day and was dead the next,” said Nelson.

The reality? “Birds are masters of disguise. If a bird gets sick, if there’s something wrong with a bird, it uses every last resource it has to hide it.”

Nelson said there’s a word for birds in the wild that allow predators to see that they are operating at less than 100 percent — “Lunch.”

Which leads to …

3. Unlike cats and dogs, exotic birds don’t really need regular veterinary checkups.

That couldn’t be more wrong, said Nelson.

OK, that’s what you would expect a vet to say. But he noted that because birds are so adept at hiding illness, owners should bring their pets in for complete physicals at least once a year.

In addition to visual scrutiny of the mouth, beak and eyes, such exams can include blood tests, analysis of waste products, weighing the bird (which can offer important clues about its overall health) and a hands-on check.

Sometimes X-rays and vaccinations can be a part of it.

“The vast majority of our first-time clients who bring in bird patients never considered going to a veterinarian until the bird showed signs of illness, by which time it may be very ill,” Nelson says.

He recommends that people purchasing a bird arrange for a 72-hour “on approval” period and have a vet check it before the sale is considered final.

4. A cage is a cage.

Not true, said Stauber. Bigger is better. And that’s especially true of the horizontal dimension.

He put it this way: “Would you rather be confined in a corridor or an elevator shaft?”

And rather than furnishing smooth dowels for perches, bird owners should consider providing twigs or tree branches of varying diameters, he said.

“We confine them to a space that is minuscule compared to (the outdoors),” said Stauber. “So it’s important to try to make a good environment for the bird.”

5. Birds that have been hand-raised by humans always make the best pets.

Not so, said Nelson.

“These birds aren’t as healthy as those raised by adult birds,” he said. “Humans can’t do as good a job as the adult birds do.”

6. Birds do not experience loneliness.

For some exotics, that’s definitely not true. Talk to your vet about the companionship requirements of different kinds of birds, said Stauber.

7. “Clipping the wings” is a simple matter.

Stauber doesn’t even like to hear that phrase. That’s because it conjures bloody images of do-ityourself disasters.

There have been cases where pet owners wanting to restrict their birds’ ability to take to the air have seriously injured their animals unintentionally.

Talk to your vet first.

The list of misconceptions doesn’t really stop there.

But it would be unfair to go on and on and imply that birds are nothing but trouble and a hassle to keep.

For many people, they are a source of lasting joy and feathery friendship.

It’s just that some sales people and self-appointed bird experts push ideas that simply won’t fly.

So talk to someone who knows the real deal.

Not all veterinarians are avian specialists. But any vet can steer you in the right direction.

Your bird will thank you.

OK, it might sound like “Pretty parrot, pretty parrot.”

But you’ll get the message.