TipDeck.com » Pets and Animals http://tipdeck.com Home of the how to videos and instructions Wed, 24 Aug 2011 01:01:45 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 How to Carve Stone Bird Bathshttp://tipdeck.com/how-to-carve-stone-bird-baths http://tipdeck.com/how-to-carve-stone-bird-baths#comments Mon, 22 Aug 2011 04:59:46 +0000 Sofi http://tipdeck.com/?p=11741 How to Carve Stone Bird Baths How to Carve Stone Bird BathsStone carving is a nice art form of ancient times .Hand- carved stone bird baths adds beauty to an outdoor break. Gardens, backyard paths and patios all are ultimate places for a carved stone bird bath. Many genuine and artificial stone bird baths are presented commercially; however they are exclusive and pricy lacking the character of a hand-crafted stone bird bath. A stone bird bath can be carved with some necessary tools and techniques. A few hints are given below:

Choose types of stone

Chose the type of stone you want for carving bird bath. However, granite is a nice stone for carving. But excess hard stones are not recommendable as it is too difficult to carve. Place large stone on a work surface with face that you want for the bowl of bird bath facing. If you are a beginner try with marbles that will be easy and painless to carve. Marble is very popular among many stone sculptures. If you really want marble bird bath carving you can contact with several marble sellers available to give you enough products. Some online stores are available too depending upon your size and demand of marble. Open a work space and start begin with comfortably.

Use references for ready-made drawing

Use reference photo if you want to work on a design you already made in paper. Draw boundary line of bird bath straight on the stone. This will help you staying on the track during primary phases. Make sure, to give your protective globes and goggles before you begin with such work. Make own creative designs and trace it on stones to give a shape of your dream.

Fine pointed hammer

Use point hammer for a rough projection. Create basic shapes of bird bath. This allows eliminating large chunks or stones that you do not need for processing. Mark on the stone and follow initial marks to shape the bird bath in a proper size.

Use flat, tooth chisel

Draw a circle with encompass on top surface of the stone. Defining the edge of the stone is very much important. Switch to a tooth chisel refining the peaks and valleys left behind the rouging phase. Follow the tooth chisel in desire angles giving solid strokes of hammer. Use flat chisel to give smooth and soft form to the stone. It helps you to refine the shape and size leaving behind tooth marking.

Use tracing chisel

Use a tracing chisel handset for the final change of bird bath. The tracing chisel is perfect for refining lines and decorative details. While finishing your bath stone, use rubbing to remove rough edges. Polish your bird bath with power buffer for a smoother and softer touch.

Have protection

Leave the reminder of the bird bath stone untouched. It will give a natural look all around by protecting your hands and eyes. Wear eye protection while doing your carving work. Eyes are precious for any living being. So, protect it completely while begin with your bird bath carving. With little patience and hard work you can give your bird artistic abilities that can be helpful for proper completion of your job.

Watch a video instruction on spitting frog birdbath outdoor fountain

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]]> http://tipdeck.com/how-to-carve-stone-bird-baths/feed How to Use Platform Feeders to Prevent Bird Diseasehttp://tipdeck.com/how-to-use-platform-feeders-to-prevent-bird-disease http://tipdeck.com/how-to-use-platform-feeders-to-prevent-bird-disease#comments Thu, 18 Aug 2011 04:59:04 +0000 Sofi http://tipdeck.com/?p=11650 How to Use Platform Feeders to Prevent Bird Disease How to Use Platform Feeders to Prevent Bird DiseaseThere are many types of bird feeders available among which some are design to feed only small birds and others built to deter squirrels. Platform feeders are very basic in their shape and allow any type of bird and hold all types of seed or suet. So, it is essential to maintain bird feeders which are a key element in controlling bird disease. A few instructions are given below

Instructions

  • Pick a location that has year-round easy access. When the weather’s bad and birds are most susceptible, you may be reluctant to fill a feeder that isn’t in a suitable spot near a door or accessible window. You can simply start with a piece of scrap wood and elevate some inches above the ground. Add holes and drainage to build a platform feeder and it won’t be long enough before the birds find it.
  • Purchase a bird feeder that will be easy to wash. Platform feeders are very accurate in design and one of the easiest to clean. So, you can use it as your biggest choice and make it your best alternative. Place your feeder where the squirrels can’t arrive at. Those cute small rodents seem to like sunflower and peanuts as much or more than acorns. Squirrels become a trouble when they take over a bird feeder, scaring the birds away, and tossing seed all around.
  • Install your platform breeders in some distance from your window. Keep it away and close from the window. Preventing window collision and successive injuries is one of the major ways to maintain healthy birds that will be less vulnerable to disease. A close feeder does not allow the bird to get up flight speed. A distance feeder will take the bird away from the window.
  • Clean the feeder in regular time gap at least one in a month using one part chlorine and warm water mixing in bucket .Apply with scrub brush for further use. Rinse the feeder thoroughly for removing all traces of bleach.
  • Clean your birdbath in the same manner preventing the transfer of disease from one place to another. Supply enough food that will be eaten in a single day. Keep all store seeds dry to prevent molding.
  • Seal your seed container to prevent it from destruction by moth or insects. Close the ending tube by sealing through any glue or natural source which can in preventing moths. Install bird feeders where the bird dropping will not be falling.
  • If you find some dead birds in your yard due to some unknown reasons it is best to report them for any special testing. This happens mostly in the summer due to some problems arise in such season. With care and consideration, backyard birding can be an exhilarating hobby throughout the year. You can use it darkest days of winter or in sunny days of summer with some special bird backyard and bird songs.
  • Look whether you make the breeders for your own use or making it for commercial purposes. These two differentiates in many aspects like choosing the right choice which makes the feeder good.

Watch a video instruction on how to breed and train homing pigeons : preventing diseases in your homing pigeons

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]]> http://tipdeck.com/how-to-use-platform-feeders-to-prevent-bird-disease/feed How to Apply a Closed Band to a Baby Parrothttp://tipdeck.com/how-to-apply-a-closed-band-to-a-baby-parrot http://tipdeck.com/how-to-apply-a-closed-band-to-a-baby-parrot#comments Wed, 17 Aug 2011 01:02:13 +0000 Sofi http://tipdeck.com/?p=11625 How to Apply a Closed Band to a Baby Parrot How to Apply a Closed Band to a Baby ParrotClosed band is a small, flat ring worn on the leg of a pet bird. Bands for parrot are always made of metal and aluminum. However, parrots with unusually, strong beaks require stainless steels which do not pinch and injure the leg. Normally, these brands are imprinted with a series code indentifying parrot’s personal identification number. These codes are useful in case of loss or theft of parrots. If you are interested to apply close bands to your parrot you can follow some points described below:

Arrange custom leg bands

Ensure the baby parrots are domestic breed and not usual for any other crop that is empty from rehabilitation. Since, the manipulation could cause aspirations. Make sure to arrange custom leg bands well in advance of when you imagine your baby parrots to hatch. These bands generally take several weeks to arrive, especially during the spring months but are very useful for your pet and give you maximum satisfaction.

Closed band is a small, flat ring worn on the leg of a pet bird. Bands for parrot are always made of metal and aluminum. However, parrots with unusually, strong beaks require stainless steels which do not pinch and injure the leg. Normally, these brands are imprinted with a series code indentifying parrot’s personal identification number. These codes are useful in case of loss or theft of parrots. If you are interested to apply close bands to your parrot you can follow some points described below:

Arrange custom leg bands

Ensure the baby parrots are domestic breed and not usual for any other crop that is empty from rehabilitation. Since, the manipulation could cause aspirations. Make sure to arrange custom leg bands well in advance of when you imagine your baby parrots to hatch. These bands generally take several weeks to arrive, especially during the spring months but are very useful for your pet and give you maximum satisfaction.

Apply petroleum jelly on legs

The baby parrots legs are so delicate and use gently to apply the band. Pick up the parrot and softly hold it on one hand. Make sure, the feet’s are open and ready for applying the band. Put some oil or petroleum jelly in both feet’s of the parrot to make it smoother and softer.

Hold front toes and slide bands back

Push the shorter toes of the parrot against its leg. Slide the bands over the toe and on to the leg. Often the toe nail of the short back toe will catch on the band. If it happens you can gently work it free using a blunted toothpick. Hold front two toes longer back one closely together and extended. Use the same hand that is holding parrot and the other to slip the bands over the toes you are holding in place. During the whole process, hold the parrot in such ways that gently approaches your caring and loving sense that simply do not irritate the pet.

Observe injuries if any

Check on bird’s leg and toes that are free and uninjured .It must appear that the parrot is wearing an ankle bracelet. Female parrots are branded on the left leg where male parrots are branded on right leg. If you do not sure about genders, place the band in the legs whichever you want. You can consult any veterinarian if notice the injuries are serious and chances of getting infected.

Choose correct size

Be sure to order the right size of band for your parrot that you are banding. Incorrect size often causes serious injuries to your pet’s leg. Some professional organizations or bird breeders usually order bands with organizations logo printed on them. Slide the band carefully on either foots and as the parrot grows it becomes impossible to slide off its foot. If you are using an open band slightly different from closed bands slip the bird’s leg through the gap in the band. Then use pliers to gently pinch the band closed. A small layer will remain in the open band.

The baby parrots legs are so delicate and use gently to apply the band. Pick up the parrot and softly hold it on one hand. Make sure, the feet’s are open and ready for applying the band. Put some oil or petroleum jelly in both feet’s of the parrot to make it smoother and softer.

Hold front toes and slide bands back

Push the shorter toes of the parrot against its leg. Slide the bands over the toe and on to the leg. Often the toe nail of the short back toe will catch on the band. If it happens you can gently work it free using a blunted toothpick. Hold front two toes longer back one closely together and extended. Use the same hand that is holding parrot and the other to slip the bands over the toes you are holding in place. During the whole process, hold the parrot in such ways that gently approaches your caring and loving sense that simply do not irritate the pet.

Observe injuries if any

Check on bird’s leg and toes that are free and uninjured .It must appear that the parrot is wearing an ankle bracelet. Female parrots are branded on the left leg where male parrots are branded on right leg. If you do not sure about genders, place the band in the legs whichever you want. You can consult any veterinarian if notice the injuries are serious and chances of getting infected.

Choose correct size

Be sure to order the right size of band for your parrot that you are banding. Incorrect size often causes serious injuries to your pet’s leg. Some professional organizations or bird breeders usually order bands with organizations logo printed on them. Slide the band carefully on either foots and as the parrot grows it becomes impossible to slide off its foot. If you are using an open band slightly different from closed bands slip the bird’s leg through the gap in the band. Then use pliers to gently pinch the band closed. A small layer will remain in the open band.

Watch a video instruction on training baby parrots

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]]> http://tipdeck.com/how-to-apply-a-closed-band-to-a-baby-parrot/feed How to House Baby Parrotshttp://tipdeck.com/how-to-house-baby-parrots http://tipdeck.com/how-to-house-baby-parrots#comments Sun, 14 Aug 2011 04:59:17 +0000 Sofi http://tipdeck.com/?p=11567 How to House Baby Parrots How to House Baby ParrotsIf you get to see baby parrots when they just hatch, you will almost b surprised to find them looking entirely different from their parents. They have no feathers, look colorless and have their eyes closed. You can take them in your hands and they will not resist as they are too weak to do anything. Like all other birds, they need warmth and food to live. If the mother bird is nearby, it will provide the necessary warmth and will also get the food to feed it. But if you have the baby bird in a nest box, you must simulate the surroundings which are necessary for the survival of the baby parrot. There are many brooders available in the market which has very sensitive temperature controls.

  • Take a square sized plastic container, quite like a berry basket, and line it with paper towels. If you have many baby parrots, then you need a container for each baby parrot. Let the container be large enough for the baby bird to be comfortable in it and also move around when it gets older. You should make sure that you change these paper towels when they get dirty after each feeding or when you find droppings in it.
  • If you have bought a commercial brooder meant for parrots, then place all these containers in it. Set the thermostat so that the baby parrots get enough warmth. Don’t let the temperature get too high or the baby birds will start panting. If the warmth is not enough, they will shiver. Let the interior of the brooder get the desired warmth and then place the baby parrots inside.
  • The humidity should also be maintained at an ideal level inside the brooder too. You can soak some washcloths in water and place them neatly inside the brooder to increase the humidity if it is too low. If the humidity is too high then it should be decreased as well. If you find the babies looking too pale, you need to bring the temperature up and if they look red, then you should turn down the temperature.
  • When the baby parrots are a week old, you can replace the paper towels in the container with fine wood shavings which are non-toxic too. When the baby parrots grow, they will not need so much warmth. Hence, you can decrease the setting slowly when you see the feathers developing. You can keep them at room temperature when you find the feathers fully developed.
  • The final stage of housing the baby parrots involves moving them to a weaning cage which are maintained at room temperatures. You can place some perches in the cage but keep them at low height as the baby birds are just learning to perch and climb and may fall down and injure themselves. The parrots are very friendly and love human company. In order to keep them busy, you can also provide them with suitable toys.

If you can keep the conditions right then it is quite easy to house parrots. You should have a great love for these birds and be interested in keeping them safe and healthy.

Watch a video instruction on new baby quaker parrot

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]]> http://tipdeck.com/how-to-house-baby-parrots/feed How to Make Bird Nest Out Of a Coconuthttp://tipdeck.com/how-to-make-bird-nest-out-of-a-coconut http://tipdeck.com/how-to-make-bird-nest-out-of-a-coconut#comments Sat, 13 Aug 2011 20:03:45 +0000 Sofi http://tipdeck.com/?p=11554 0615 coconut01 How to Make Bird Nest Out Of a CoconutCreating coconut bird nests are fun and exciting. This makes unique nesting box for domestic and wild birds. The great recycling process you done after eating your fresh coconut are really is really awesome. Instead of spending a lot of money you can make it your own and love the cute looks of the nest. If you love your pet and expressing a feeling of care, you can prefer the best work for your bird that gives them pleasure and joyous mood. If you are interested making a bird nest out of a coconut, simply follow some instructions given below

Instructions

  • Take your coconut in half. Clean it completely using a little brush. Clean the out side area and unnecessary threads that are attach with the coconut. Make the coconut smoother and softer both for use and look. This will give you two bird nests out of one coconut shell. Take big size coconut which can make a big nest and become comfortable for the bird to live with.
  • Bring all the coconut meat. You can either eat it or preserve for any recipe for future use. You can grate the meat in a grater and make inside clean and spotless. Small birds are so delicate and need special care and attention. Hence, you have to make your birds nest as it makes the bird feeling relaxed and comfortable.
  • Drill two small holes at the top of one side of your coconut. Use a driller machine that can give you uniform holes without cracking the shell. If you do not want to use a driller you can make a hole out of a sharper accessory.
  • Every inch of the hole should be ideal maintaining perfect distance balance within each other. This will be using for securing the coconut nest to be inside your bird’s cage. Once, the holes will be wrong the complete cage will end in a different angle which cannot look fair.
  • The birds cage are decorate with heavy wear and a screw inside the empty shell. You can use other decorative threads, and tiny accessories to make the cage little more attractive. Put some dazzling stone out side the nest which will give a sparkling look and make your bird happy to live in.
  • Buy some nesting accessories especially design for bird’s cage if you want to make the nest for your pet bird. Wild birds will prefer their own if they want to use it at all. This is a great way to use as bird’s decoration.
  • Finish the bird nest hanging a chain with a small wooden perch extending from one opening of either the holes. It helps the bird to sitting behind and looks outside.

Warning tips

  • However, these types of nests are ideal for such birds that prefers open nest. Though some birds seem happy in closed surrounding within a blocked cage, some want to live in an open cage like coconut nests. Research what type of nest your pet bird chooses before making the beautiful cage.
  • Remember, not to leave coconut in the shell. Otherwise it will mold.

Watch a video instruction on srilanka, ceylon, budgerigars, wellensittich, peruche, coconut as nest

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]]> http://tipdeck.com/how-to-make-bird-nest-out-of-a-coconut/feed How to Help Baby Birds That Have Fallen Out Of the Treehttp://tipdeck.com/how-to-help-baby-birds-that-have-fallen-out-of-the-tree http://tipdeck.com/how-to-help-baby-birds-that-have-fallen-out-of-the-tree#comments Sat, 13 Aug 2011 10:02:41 +0000 Sofi http://tipdeck.com/?p=11552 babybird How to Help Baby Birds That Have Fallen Out Of the TreeYou may have often come across baby birds lying on the ground. If you look around, you might find a tree where its nest is located. There may be many baby birds in the nest and this one might have been pushed down by its brothers. You will be tempted to put the baby bird back in its nest. Although this is the ideal thing to do, but there are a few other considerations which you must make. There is also an old wives’ tale which says that the mother bird will not touch or feed the baby bird anymore if it can smell human touch on it. This is not authenticated but you may also pick up and place the baby bird with the help of a tissue or towel, if it is handy.

  • If you find the baby bird on the ground and are sure that it fell from a nearby tree, you should first of all make sure that the bird did not fall down on purpose. When the baby birds are a few weeks old, they try to fly and in the process fall down when they are not successful in taking off. Therefore, if the baby bird can take a firm grip of your finger when you hold it, it may be old enough to be in the process of learning how to fly. If you find that the baby bird is not injured or is not shrieking in anguish, or if its mother is nearby, you needn’t b worried about it. You can leave it as it is.
  • If the baby bird is too small and can hardly open its eyes, you should put it back in the nest on the nearby tree. These baby birds usually have very few feathers on their bodies and will lie in your hands without trying to get hold of your fingers. If you can see its nest on the nearby tree, then you should put it back so that its mother can take care of the baby in the best possible way. The baby bird was most probably pushed out of the nest by the stronger baby birds in the nest. If you notice this happening again, you can contact the wildlife rehab center to take the baby away and look after it.
  • If you find the original nest too full of baby birds and you are afraid that this baby bird will again fall down, then you can also create a makeshift nest near the main nest. Take a shoebox or a plastic container and line its bottom with some paper towels. Pierce the container at a few places to provide air for ventilation. Place the baby bird in this nest and you will find the mother bird tending to this bird too when it returns.
  • If you find the baby bird in a badly injured state, you should take it to the proper vet or the wildlife rehab center. Since you have no idea about how to take care of a baby bird and also because it is unlawful to keep a wild baby bird at home, you should contact the proper authorities to take the baby bird away. But until help comes, you can make a makeshift nest with a shoebox or plastic container and provide enough warmth to the baby bird. Don’t try to feed the baby bird with water or any liquid food as it is because the baby bird will get asphyxiated. Wait for help to arrive and in the meantime, you can buy some formula bird feed and follow the instructions on the package to prepare the food and feed the baby bird through a syringe.

Be very careful when you handle the baby bird and make sure that you can provide immediate help.

Watch a video instruction on help me save baby birds [make this viral]

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]]> http://tipdeck.com/how-to-help-baby-birds-that-have-fallen-out-of-the-tree/feed How to Kill a Parasite in Birds Nesthttp://tipdeck.com/how-to-kill-a-parasite-in-birds-nest http://tipdeck.com/how-to-kill-a-parasite-in-birds-nest#comments Thu, 11 Aug 2011 15:04:27 +0000 Sofi http://tipdeck.com/?p=11524 How to Kill a Parasite in Birds Nest How to Kill a Parasite in Birds NestBirds are attractive host for wide variety of parasites. These infectious elements affect birds internally and lead causes to death. Lice and mites are two external parasites seems dangerous to your pet. Lice live their entire life in the body of the birds and mite infects directly deep to the skin. An excess injury of mite sometimes brings a cause to death. So, it is essential to keep your bird prevented from these infectious external parasites. You can also protect your pet from this hazardous happenings if follow some tips given under

Consider the nest

Consider the nest before keeping the bird. Nest from wild animals and birds cannot be collect to keep the bird in it. Some wild nests are thrown with eggs or small babies inside. You should not take them away as there may be hidden parasites inside. You can choose some poultry nest such as hen in your selected option. It is safe and secure to keep and use as a nest of your pet bird. Remove the nest from the bird house if you see it earlier. Do not try to use old nests that has abandoned. It might be infectious or leave some infectious parasite under it. You can make a new nest and keep your bird in safer and secure place.

Clean the nest with detergent

The most important thing to get out of the bird from parasite is cleaning process. If you want to prevent your bird from any disease simply keep the nest neat and clean. It gives a hygiene environment to the bird to live with. Use some detergent or bird soap to wash the nest .Do not uses antibacterial soap. You can add a few quantity of detergent powder or soap to water and wash the entire area. Do not forget to wear globes during this process. You may be affected later if safety measures are not to be taken.

Rinse thoroughly

Rinse the bird’s nest thoroughly in that soapy water and make it infection free. Let it dry completely in the sun. Sun reflection works best for removing infectious element. Hence put the nest sometime in to the birds nest. The parasites are much more infectious than count. So, give your bird extra attention and kill them for a best grooming of your pet. Do not forget using globes in your hand while rinse it. The parasites are so infectious and may attack you later.

Spray pesticides if necessary

Spray pesticides to the dry birds nest Observe, if there are any mites hidden inside. Mites hide in small areas of the birds nest and do not come out side. So, check it entirely and spray each and every corner of the bird’s nest. Avoid spraying pesticides if you think it is not necessary because it may be problematic for birds in future. Allow the spray dry completely before re hanging the bird’s nest. If you follow all necessary steps and still unable to kill parasites, consult with a veterinarian or bird groomer. They can explain you better and give some useful tips with their own experience.

Watch a video instruction on Invasion of the Brown-headed Cowbirds (bird watcher)

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]]> http://tipdeck.com/how-to-kill-a-parasite-in-birds-nest/feed How to Remove Glue from Bird Feathershttp://tipdeck.com/how-to-remove-glue-from-bird-feathers http://tipdeck.com/how-to-remove-glue-from-bird-feathers#comments Wed, 10 Aug 2011 20:02:51 +0000 Sofi http://tipdeck.com/?p=11503 How to Remove Glue from Bird Feathers How to Remove Glue from Bird FeathersBirds can be easily entangled with glue traps if you have place to catch rat, mice around your home. Sometimes, this glue spreads over the feather accidentally and makes the bird feel uncomfortable and unusual. Since, bird’s feathers are very sensitive you have to handle very carefully to remove glues out of their feathers. Here are some tips for you

Dip the cloth in vegetable oil

Although you are keeping pets away from the glue still, they accidentally trap it in their feather and face problems. Placate the birds and it will not fluttering during cleaning process. A favorite toy or some favorite food can keep your bird happy and calm down during the entire process of cleaning. Take a soft cotton cloth and dip in to some vegetable oil. Once, the cloth is absolutely drowned with oil it can be easier to remove glues from the feather. Similarly, take another cloth and press it over the glue and by pressing the oily cloth over it. You may notice it absorbs the oil in excess, and smoother the glue to remove from the feather.

Press the oily cloth on the wings

Ensure that there is not any glue particles remain in the feather and it’s completely cleaned. Fill up a sink with a little amount of water and add a few drops of liquid dish detergent. Dawn dish detergent works the best. Gently wash the bird until all of the oil is gone. Clean the bird with dirt free water. Use a soft clean towel to dry the bird by making it cleaner and smoother.

Remove the glue entirely

Birds are so delicate and their skins are very sensitive. Since, feathers are direct attached with their skins it gives irritation or pain if you immediately snatch away the glue and try to remove it. So, have patience and carefully continue your work to be completed. Some bird groomers are better experience holders and give you useful tips on removing bird glues in a simple, easier process. You can consult with them and get some positive results.

Give a soapy water bath

Repeat this process until you completely get rid out of the glues. If again you think there are some little glue particles you can remove it by spending some times and waits a little more. After finishing the cleaning process you have to give a bath to the bird. If you can arrange bird shampoos it will be great. Otherwise you can give a bath with soapy water.

Dry with a clean towel

However, glue traps also can be live traps if you give a cross check in regular time gap and free the animals to live another day. Similarly, like other animals birds become trapped in the glue and find adhesive in their feather .This even flight even after release. Because of this reason, be sure the glue is removed entirely. Take the bird to any bird groomer or rehabilitator if any glue is still present on the wings after your cleaning attempt.

Watch a video instruction on sparrows caught in glue traps

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]]> http://tipdeck.com/how-to-remove-glue-from-bird-feathers/feed How to Nurse Baby Birdshttp://tipdeck.com/how-to-nurse-baby-birds http://tipdeck.com/how-to-nurse-baby-birds#comments Tue, 09 Aug 2011 04:59:40 +0000 Sofi http://tipdeck.com/?p=11452 How to Nurse Baby Birds How to Nurse Baby BirdsNursing baby birds is not much of a problem if you know how. In a way it is similar to looking after your own babies but you should know exactly what sort of resting place you should provide and the food you should give and how. It is a fact that you are not allowed to keep wild birds in your house, unless it is absolutely necessary. If you find an abandoned baby bird or an injured one, you should of course, save its life first. This might require you to take it home and look after it for a few days. But you must make sure that you notify the wildlife rehabilitation center. As soon as the bird gets better, you can either allow it to fly away or hand it over to the authorities. But in the meantime, you should know the exact method for nursing the baby bird.

  • Take a large enough cardboard box and make sure that you make it warm enough for the baby bird to feel comfortable. You can either keep a heating pad at the bottom or provide a room heater nearby. A bulb can also provide warmth but the birds might get disturbed by the light. If you place a heating pad, cover it nicely with a towel so that the baby birds don’t come in direct contact with the heat as it might hurt them. Adjust the setting of the heating pad so that it provides just the amount of warmth necessary.
  • Next, you have to think of providing enough ventilation in the cardboard box. Punch some holes in the box so that air can pass through. Even if you use a plastic box instead of a cardboard one, you have to make some holes in it too. Keep the box closed when you are not interacting with the birds or feeding them.
  • The baby birds will eat small quantities and very frequently. If you want to keep the baby bird in good health, you must make sure that you give it food every 15 minutes or half an hour. Almost all birds have a crop under the throat which is a sac for storing food in the bird. The rule is to feed the baby bird until its crop is full. You can feel the crop from time to time and when it gets empty, you will know that it is feeding time again.
  • New born baby birds will need formula bird food which can be made according to the instructions on the package. The baby bird can be fed with a paintbrush dipped in the food or a syringe without a needle. The idea is to give the food in very small amounts so that the baby bird does not get asphyxiated. Some baby birds might be able to eat the mashed yolk of a hard boiled egg. You can mix some canned dog food made of beef in the mixture.

You might have heard that the mother of the baby bird will not touch the baby again if it suspects human touch. But that is not entirely true. It might be impossible to nurse the baby bird without touching it. If you are still sceptical, you might try using a towel or a paper napkin to hold the baby bird. Make sure that you let the bird free once it is big enough to look after itself.

Watch a video instruction on baby birds: day 8

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]]> http://tipdeck.com/how-to-nurse-baby-birds/feed How to Properly Care For a Mocking Birdhttp://tipdeck.com/how-to-properly-care-for-a-mocking-bird http://tipdeck.com/how-to-properly-care-for-a-mocking-bird#comments Mon, 08 Aug 2011 20:02:33 +0000 Sofi http://tipdeck.com/?p=11449 How to Properly Care For a Mocking Bird How to Properly Care For a Mocking BirdThe instructions for taking care of a mocking bird are no different from that of any baby bird. The basic things that you must provide are warmth, a resting place and food. The food of every bird is different and the mocking bird has its own tastes. You will have to prepare the food that the mocking bird will love. You must also learn the technique of feeding the baby bird. You cannot just leave the food in a bowl for the bird to peck at or allow it to gulp down liquid food in huge quantities. The bird will not be able to take it. At the same time, you should know that it is unlawful to keep the mocking bird at home without informing the wildlife rehab center. If you find a baby mocking bird away from its nest and without its mother, you can take it home. But as soon as it is better and able to fly, you should let it go.

  • Since the mocking bird has fallen down from its nest, it will need a resting place where it can keep warm. You should try to arrange for a place which will feel like a real nest. A cardboard box or a plastic one, large enough for the bird to move around, should be good enough. Warmth can be provided by a heating pad with the right temperature setting. Place a towel on the pad so that baby bird does not get too hot. You must see that the temperature does not rise too high at any time.
  • Now that the baby bird has settled down in its “nest”, you have to think about its food. If the baby mocking bird is a few weeks old, you can think of giving it solid food. You can find kitten food in the market. Look around for some meal worms and hard boil and egg. Put a little amount of kitten food in water for an hour. When it is quite soft, mix it up with a little chopped egg along with chopped meal worms. More than half the quantity of the total food should be made of kitten food and the rest divided equally between egg and meal worms.
  • Make very small chunks of the mixture and place them one by one in the beak of the mocking bird. The bird might shy away from eating at first. You can coax it to open its beak by tapping gently on it. When the baby eats the food once, it will start begging for more. Keep feeding the baby bird till the bird refuses to eat. Don’t force the mocking bird to eat. You can weight the bird regularly to see if it is growing.
  • When the baby mocking bird is very young, you should feed it at every 15-minute interval. As it grows larger, you can increase this interval. When the feathers are fully developed, you can keep the bird in a cage and introduce a food container in the cage. It will learn to peck at the food and eat its fill. You should feed the bird only till sunset. The bird does not require food till the next morning.

When you know what to feed, the quantity and the timings, you will find it a lot easier to properly take care of a baby mocking bird.

Watch a video instruction on taking care of wild baby bird

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