Pet Stores Guide

Exotic pet

2010-06-02T07:54:00.000-07:00

An exotic pet is a rare or unusual animal pet, or an animal kept as a pet which is not commonly thought of as a pet. The definition is an evolving one; some rodents, reptiles, and amphibians have become firmly enough established in the world of animal fancy to no longer be considered exotic.

Sometimes any unique or wild-looking pet (including common domestic animals such as the ferret and the domestic rat) is called an exotic pet. "Exotic" may also be used for a species which is non-indigenous to the owner's locale.

Many major pet stores and service providers (such as veterinary insurance carriers or online retailers) tend to classify any animal besides cats, dogs, small birds or fish as "exotic".

Alligators
Amphibians
Arctic Fox
Bears
Wolves and wolf/dog hybrids
Fennec Foxes
Tame Silver Foxes
Sugar Gliders
Indian Star Tortoises
Skunks
Degus
Civets
Genets
Kinkajous
Raccoon
Chinchillas
Capybaras
Hedgehogs
Wallaroos
Wild feline cubs such as lions, tigers, bobcats, servals, and ocelots
Reptiles such as snakes, turtles, tortoises, and lizards
Arthropods like spiders, praying mantises, and scorpions
Rare birds
Hyenas
Non-human primates

It has been estimated that as many as 15,000 non-human primates are kept by private individuals as pets in the United States.Nine states ban the keeping of non-human primates, but no federal law regulates ownership. In 1975, the Center for Disease Control prohibited their import into the US for use as pets.

The breeding industry uses descendants of animals imported before 1975.Non-human primates of various species, including those listed as endangered, such as cottontop tamarins, baboons, chimpanzees, Diana monkeys, lemurs and gibbons are still available for purchase in the US.

Many professionals, including veterinarians, zoologists, humane societies and others, strongly discourage the keeping of non-human primates as pets, as their complex emotional and social needs and other highly specialized requirements may be difficult to meet by the average owner.

Although the breeding population has been largely isolated from wild populations outside the US, they still have the potential to transmit zoonotic disease. There is a considerable risk of Monkey B virus from rhesus macaques.

Research workers have died from this disease contracted from non-human primate research subjects.Additionally, there is considerable risk to the non-human primate pet through transmission of human disease. One such example is herpes simplex virus, which can be deadly to certain smaller monkeys.

Rex

2010-04-13T20:25:00.000-07:00

Rexes require low to medium activity levels. They are equally content sitting on someone's lap and acting out their perfect pet part. These incredibly soft creatures do require a physical show of affection, in the form of petting or stroking.

Though, a lot of fun, they require lots of attention, if their non-destructive and friendly temperament is to be maintained in the long run. Lastly, it is essential to keep the cage size, in accordance with their size - i.e. large!

Rexes feed. No, I do mean feed. There will be times that you will think that you have pet horse. The good thing however, is that their food is easily available and does not tax the budget. Rexes mostly feed on commercial rabbit pellets, timothy hay, lucerne hay, fresh greens and fresh fruit.

They need up to a quarter cup of pellets per day, for every 5 pounds of their body weight. Fresh greens can comprise the main portion of the rest of their diet.

Fruits should be limited for their high sugar content and for that you need a heart of steel. After all, how else can you deny him his favorite food, when he looks at you with big watery eyes begging you give it.

Healthwise, Rex rabbits are generally sturdy. They are prone to colds and flus, so it is best to keep them indoors during extreme weather. They have fragile skeletons, so proper care should be taken, while handling them. Males should be neutered after about 4 months of age, to prevent the aggression arising out of sexual maturity.

Females can also be neutered, as this reduces the risks of uterine cancer. Both the males and females live longer (8-11 years) after spaying. As long as, the standard ear mites and fleas are taken care of, your Rex should be a really healthy pet. It is also essential that your Rex is vaccinated against calicivirus at a young age.

Rabbit Breed-Rex

2010-04-02T20:48:00.000-07:00

House pets are impulsive purchases for most of us who just love the sight, sound and feel of anything adorable, soft and furry. But, if you are making a planned purchase and a rabbit is what you have zeroed in on, a Rex could be the breed for you.

This breed originated as a natural mutation (crossbreed) of the gray rabbits found in the wilderness of France. They were discovered in 1919, but were bred commercially for their fur and meat after attaining popularity. They made a successful debut at the Paris International Rabbit Show in 1924 and later made an entry into the U.S.A. Today, they are one of the most popular house pets in the world.

Rexes come in various colors, namely black, white, blue, castor, chocolate, sable, tortoise, seal, brindle, etc. Their peculiarity is the thick, upstanding fur that looks and feels like velvet. It ranges between 1.3-2.2 centimeters in length and the guard hairs are actually the same length as the undercoat.

This makes the coat thicker and gives it its plush-like feel. It must be remembered that these low maintenance mammals do not require combing at all. In fact, the only grooming they require is regular nail trims.

An average Rex weighs anything between 6 to 10.5 pounds, making it a fairly large rabbit in its family. Its broad head has pert upright ears that suit its fairly rounded body. These plump fur balls are generally friendly, curious and playful and make perfect foster moms for any other rabbits that you may own.

They can be litter-trained easily, but (like us, human beings) do need proper incentives to learn anything new. A happy Rex can live up to 6 years (despite being in human company).

House Rabbits

2010-03-24T19:56:00.000-07:00

Pet rabbits kept indoors are referred to as house rabbits. House rabbits typically have an indoor pen or cage and a rabbit-safe place to run and exercise, such as an exercise pen, living room or family room. Rabbits can be trained to use a litter box and some can learn to come when called.

Domestic rabbits that do not live indoors can also often serve as companions for their owners, typically living in an easily accessible hutch outside the home. Some pet rabbits live in outside hutches during the day for the benefit of fresh air and natural daylight and are brought inside at night.

Whether indoor or outdoor, pet rabbits' pens are often equipped with enrichment activities such as shelves, tunnels, balls, and other toys.

Pet rabbits are often provided additional space in which to get exercise, simulating the open space a rabbit would traverse in the wild. Exercise pens or lawn pens are often used to provide a safe place for rabbits to run.

A pet rabbit's diet typically consists of unlimited Timothy hay, a small amount of pellets, and a small portion of fresh vegetables. Rabbits are social animals. Rabbits as pets can find their companionship with a variety of creatures, including humans, other rabbits, guinea pigs, and sometimes even cats and dogs.

Animal welfare organisations such as the House Rabbit Society recommend that rabbits do not make good pets for small children because children generally do not know how to stay quiet, calm, and gentle around rabbits.

As prey animals, rabbits are alert, timid creatures that startle easily. They have fragile bones, especially in their backs, that require support on the belly and bottom when picked up. Children 7 years old and older usually have the maturity required to care for a rabbit.

Rabbit Diet And Eating Habits

2010-03-19T06:50:00.000-07:00

Rabbits are herbivores who feed by grazing on grass, forbs, and leafy weeds. In consequence, their diet contains large amounts of cellulose, which is hard to digest.

Rabbits solve this problem by passing two distinct types of feces: hard droppings and soft black viscous pellets, the latter of which are immediately eaten. Rabbits reingest their own droppings (rather than chewing the cud as do cows and many other herbivores) to digest their food further and extract sufficient nutrients.

Rabbits graze heavily and rapidly for roughly the first half hour of a grazing period (usually in the late afternoon), followed by about half an hour of more selective feeding. In this time, the rabbit will also excrete many hard fecal pellets, being waste pellets that will not be reingested.

If the environment is relatively non-threatening, the rabbit will remain outdoors for many hours, grazing at intervals. While out of the burrow, the rabbit will occasionally reingest its soft, partially digested pellets; this is rarely observed, since the pellets are reingested as they are produced.

Reingestion is most common within the burrow between 8 o'clock in the morning and 5 o'clock in the evening, being carried out intermittently within that period.

Hard pellets are made up of hay-like fragments of plant cuticle and stalk, being the final waste product after redigestion of soft pellets. These are only released outside the burrow and are not reingested. Soft pellets are usually produced several hours after grazing, after the hard pellets have all been excreted. They are made up of micro-organisms and undigested plant cell walls.

The chewed plant material collects in the large cecum, a secondary chamber between the large and small intestine containing large quantities of symbiotic bacteria that help with the digestion of cellulose and also produce certain B vitamins.

The pellets are about 56% bacteria by dry weight, largely accounting for the pellets being 24.4% protein on average. These pellets remain intact for up to six hours in the stomach; the bacteria within continue to digest the plant carbohydrates. The soft feces form here and contain up to five times the vitamins of hard feces. After being excreted, they are eaten whole by the rabbit and redigested in a special part of the stomach.

This double-digestion process enables rabbits to use nutrients that they may have missed during the first passage through the gut, and thus ensures that maximum nutrition is derived from the food they eat.

This process serves the same purpose within the rabbit as rumination does in cattle and sheep.
Rabbits are incapable of vomiting due to the physiology of their digestive system.

Types Of Rabbits

2010-03-11T12:46:00.000-08:00

Dutch:
This breed of rabbits were originally bred in Netherlands. The markings present on their body includes a white wedge down the face, round colored circles around the eyes, white markings on the hind feet and a line extending under the belly. Dutch rabbits make excellent pets, show rabbits and do rather well in the sport of rabbit hopping.

Himalayan:
This is a very old breed of rabbits that are very common in the Asian countries in the Himalayan Mountains. It is the most widely distributed rabbit in the world and is also known as by many other names like Chinese, Russian, Egyptian and the Black Nose.

They are delicately built and have a long body resembling a tube and are famous for their general temperament. They make excellent pets especially for the children and an ideal choice for a first time rabbit owner.

Lionhead:
This is one of the newest breed of domesticated rabbits and it was originated in Belgium. It is reported to be a cross between a miniature Swiss Fox and a Belgian Dwarf.

It has been so named because it has particularly long hair surrounding the face that resembles the mane of a male lion. The other characteristics include a round head and ears shorter than most breeds of rabbits.

English Spot:
This breed of rabbits is mostly white and they have a butterfly mark on their nose, colored ears and chains of colored spots along its sides including a herringbone stripe down its back.

English Spots are a very active breed of rabbits and require a minimum of two hours of running time everyday. They are generally docile and make good pets and also tolerate other pets like guinea pigs, cats and dogs.

Types Of Rabbits

2010-03-03T13:39:00.000-08:00

Various varieties of domestic rabbits are bred through selective breeding or natural selection. At this article, I will list a few common breeds of rabbits that are recognized by the American Rabbit Breeders Association along with a brief description.

Rabbit Breeds

American: This breed was standardized early in the 20th century. The two categories available are the blue and white. The sub-varieties available under this breed are:

American Fuzzy Lop: This breed was derived by breeding two Holland Lops each carrying a recessive wool gene. The rabbits belonging to this breed have lopped ears and their body is covered with thick wool.
American Sable: The rabbits belonging to this breed have different levels of sandy (sable) coloring.

Angora: This breed consists of the oldest types of domestic rabbits that originated in Ankara, Turkey. The rabbits belonging to this breed are used for their long wool which is removed by shearing or plucking. The sub-varieties available under this breed are:

English Angora: This breed has been derived from French Angoras and are gentle in nature but require a lot of grooming.
French Angora: This breed has guard hairs on the surface and wool as an undercoat.
Satin Angora: This breed is so named because of its extremely soft texture of its wool. These are very easy to groom and the wool they produce is very strong.

Beveran: This breed consists of the oldest and largest of the fur rabbits. The color of their coats can vary from blue, white, black, lilac or brown. A rare variety in this breed is the Pointed Beveren which has the same color but have white tipped hairs.

Blue of Ham: This breed of rabbit was very popular during the first few decades of the 20th century but became extinct during the sixties. However, a Belgian breeder was able to recreate the rabbit by using off-springs.

Britannia Petite: This breed of rabbits weigh about 2.5 lb and are thought to have been derived from small wild rabbits. They have a wild temperament and are not suitable for pets. However, if handled properly these rabbits can be calm.

American Chinchilla: This breed of rabbits are bred for their meat. They are a hardy pet and do not require regular grooming. They have a medium length body which is slightly curved. Their ears are straight and erect. These rabbits are also good breeders and on an average their litter consists of 7 – 10 babies.

Dwarf Rabbits

2010-02-25T07:09:00.000-08:00

These little precious animals are the smallest breed of domestic rabbits. Dwarf rabbits are extremely popular house pets in America. If you too are thinking of bringing home these cute, cuddly, docile hop masters home, then you need to know a little dwarf rabbit info to provide them with proper pet care.

The dwarf rabbit are also known as the Netherlands dwarf rabbits as they originated in Europe.

The earliest breeds of dwarf rabbits were found in Holland and thus were christened as 'Netherlands' dwarf rabbit. By 1969, the Netherlands dwarf rabbits became a recognized breed of rabbit in America.

The Netherlands dwarf rabbits are very small in size that makes them even more attractive as a pet. They look similar to the Polish dwarf rabbits, but the Netherlands dwarf rabbit weighs only 2 to 2½ lbs.

This makes them the smallest of all bunnies, with short ears standing straight up and short, dense, soft, glossy fur. These beautiful and attractive physical features makes them one of the most popular pets in America.

You will find there are many different colors of dwarf rabbits. The American Rabbit Breeders Association recognizes about 24 colors of dwarf rabbits. You can choose your future dwarf rabbit pets in colors like blue, black, lilac, lynx, opal, otter, chocolate, silver matte, fawn, steel and tan. You can even go in for white ruby eyed or blue eyed dwarf rabbits.

Dwarf rabbits as pets require a lot of care, attention and maintenance as they are very delicate animals. They are basically ideal rabbit breeds for pets if you provide the correct dwarf rabbits care. When you buy a dwarf rabbit as pet, you can let it run free in the house.

But in case a free run is not a good option for you, buy a large sized cage. The dwarf rabbits will love to hop around in their cage if the area is sufficient. You need to provide the dwarf bunnies with a litter box that contains wood stove pellets and even non-clumping cat litter. You can easily litter train dwarf rabbits just like a cat or dog. So, you need not worry about the poop around the house as they will use the litter tray when nature calls.

You need to supply your dwarf rabbits with plenty of fresh hay all the time. You should purchase high quality orchard grass or hay for your dwarf bunny. You can even buy hay based pellets for your dwarf rabbits. When your dwarf rabbits are under six months of age, be sure you supply them with unlimited pellets. Those over six months of age should be given one quarter cup of pellets every day.

Rabbit Care

2010-02-18T06:30:00.000-08:00

Your pet rabbit is not a cuddly stuffed toy rabbit. You can't treat it the way you would your toy rabbit. Rabbits have very fragile backbones. Never pick up your rabbit so that its hind legs are left dangling.

The rabbit might kick violently, possibly fracturing its backbone. Make sure that this does not happen, because the only solution if this happens is to put the rabbit to 'sleep'. Never lift the rabbit by its ears. It is very painful for the rabbit, just like it would pain you if someone tried to lift you by the ears.

The best way to lift your rabbit is to put one hand below its hind legs for support and the other below its chest and then lift it. The entire weight of the rabbit must be supported by your hands.

As far as possible avoid small children from picking up the rabbit. They tend to get a bit exited and might cause unintentional harm to the very rabbit they want to care for. If they insist on carrying the rabbit around, please get them well trained in the technique of lifting the rabbit.

When to visit the veterinarian

If you feed your rabbit with the correct diet and allow it to exercise enough, the veterinarian is someone you may never have to visit.

Always watch out for abnormal behavior in your rabbit. If you notice something different, it may be time to take your pet to the veterinarian. This may include a sudden loss in appetite, a sudden weight loss, suddenly wanting to be confined to the cage, extremely aggressive behavior, and just about anything that may seem abnormal.

If you notice that your rabbit has diarrhea (not very common in rabbits), do not wait. Your pet requires medical attention immediately.

Your rabbit is not as hardy as a cat or a dog. Do not wait for the symptoms to subside when you see one. If you are not sure of what it is, at least call the veterinarian. Based on the symptoms he will let you know the urgency.

Buy your pet rabbit from a reputed pet shop. Always keep the cage open and try to place it where there is a good flow of fresh air. Always keep the cage clean, with a sufficient stock of fresh food and water. Be very careful while lifting and handling your rabbit. Take your pet rabbit to the veterinarian as soon as you notice the slightest change in its behavior.

Following all this will allow you to have a bunny good time with your pet rabbit!

Pet Rabbit Diet

2010-02-10T17:36:00.000-08:00

Proper care should be taken that you feed your pet rabbit the correct diet. A little care taken by you in feeding your pet will go a long way. It can ensure that your rabbit remains disease free, healthy, active, and enjoys a lifespan of between 10 to 15 years.

Thanks to what we see on television (Bunny Rabbit etc.) we presume that all rabbits enjoy are carrots. Not so. Rabbits are basically wild animals, so carrots are very much non-existent in their natural diet. Rabbits are herbivores and their primary diet consists of a variety of grass and leaves. Wild rabbits also enjoy the seasonal flower or fruit.

One part of what their natural diet consists of could be very repulsive to some. All rabbits will eat grass etc. Part of this goes into an intestinal tract known as the cecum. Here this grass is converted into small pellets that are soft and filled with nutrients.

These soft pellets are known as cecotropes and are eaten by the rabbit as they are being excreted. This is easily digested and contain fatty acids, vitamins and amino acids, which are all very important for the well being of the rabbit.

Your pet rabbits diet should consist primarily of hay. Always make sure that there is enough hay in the rabbits cage. There are two types of hay - grass and legume. Make sure that the hay you give your pet is the grass variety.

Meadow grass which is naturally sun dried is the best. Find out where you can have easy access to such grass/hay. It will be required throughout the life of the rabbit. Always make sure that the hay that you feed your rabbit is dry and fresh. The hay should never be damp and of dull color.

Do not worry about the rabbit spoiling its teeth with the constant chewing and munching of this hay. Rabbit teeth grow constantly, eliminating the possibility of teeth destruction.

Wild rabbits gorge on green grass and fresh leaves, so your pet should also get its fair share of greens. Along with hay, greens are a vital part of the rabbits diet because they will provide all of the nutrients that hay provides, but in addition fresh greens will provide the rabbit with water. Yes, the rabbit will have permanent access to fresh drinking water, but you can't force the rabbit to drink.

When the rabbit consumes greens they are also getting a sure supply of water. Good options are broccoli, cabbage, celery, and most of the greens that are dark in color. Occasionally feed your rabbit fruits such as pineapple, pear, peach, papaya, and any of the sweet berries. Special treats could include edible flowers such as roses and lilies.

As far as possible stay away from commercially available rabbit food. These foods are usually packed with starch and fat. They are made to the rabbits taste, so that the rabbit enjoys eating it. What will result is a rabbit that grows plump very fast. Many would think that this is very good, but just the opposite. Unwanted fat is accumulating in your chubby looking rabbit.

Many nutrients present in natural food may not be present in commercial food. No doubt, your rabbit will look cute and chubby for some time, but sooner or later it will begin to suffer. A plump fat rabbit is not a healthy rabbit. Healthy rabbits are those that have a strong muscular tone with minimal fat. The proper diet with enough exercise ensures this.

The proper diet will not only ensure that your rabbit is in the peak of health, but also reduce your veterinary bills.

Pet Rabbit

2010-02-03T19:19:00.000-08:00

Before buying a pet rabbit, many would have asked the question 'What are rabbits like - a cat, a dog'? A pet rabbit is neither like a pet cat nor a pet dog. Pet cats and dogs will take an immediate liking to you and not be afraid of you. This will happen with a pet rabbit too, but it will take much longer.

Your pet dog or cat can be fed on a variety of things including vegetables, fish, chicken, and meat, making feeding them absolutely worry-free.

Not the case with pet rabbits. You try feeding them just about anything, and that will be the end of your pet rabbit. Rabbits have got a very sensitive gastrointestinal tract.

Rabbits are very affectionate, but could get really aggressive and destructive at times. Many have got the misconception that a pet rabbit can be picked up and cuddled just like the kids stuffed bunny rabbit. In fact with pet rabbits it is just the opposite - even the slightest mishandling of your pet rabbit could prove fatal. Treating the rabbit gently is very important.

Making your new Pet Rabbit comfortable

When you get your new pet rabbit home, you must decide as to where the cage will be placed. Make sure it is placed where it will not obstruct your movement. The place should be well ventilated with a free flow of fresh air. Place the cage as close to the ground as possible.

Place bedding made of straw in the cage so that the rabbit feels comfortable. Remember that the cage is not a place to confine your rabbit. It is more of a place where the rabbit will retire for the night or whenever it is tired, or hungry. As far as possible do not keep the door of the cage shut, always leave it open.

Problems that your pet could face if confined to the cage will include a poor muscle tone because of no exercise, inflammation of the feet due to sitting in one place constantly, could become very lethargic, can be very aggressive at times, will become obese due to lack of any exercise. Most of all it will not turn out to be the happy, jumping about rabbit that you thought it would be.

A rabbit requires to be constantly active. Rabbits love jumping and running around. This helps keep their bodies in shape, keep their minds active and alert, and will help in eliminating a lot of sickness that will be present if they are confined to the cage.

Tanimbar Corella

2010-01-18T21:16:00.000-08:00

The Tanimbar Corella, Cacatua goffiniana, also known as Goffin's Cockatoo or Goffin's Corella, is a species of cockatoo endemic to forests of Yamdena, Larat and Selaru, all islands in the Tanimbar Islands archipelago in Indonesia.

The species has been introduced at the Kai Islands, Indonesia, Puerto Rico and Singapore. This species was only formally described in 2004, after it was discovered that the previous formal descriptions pertained to individuals of a different cockatoo species, the Ducorps' Cockatoo (Cacatua ducorpsii).

Tanimbar Corellas are the smallest of the white cockatoos. This species is Near Threatened due to deforestation and bird trade. The species breeds well in captivity and there is a large avicultural population.

Tanimbar Corellas weigh, on average, about 250 g for females and 300 g for males. They are about 31 cm (12 inches) from head to tail. Like all members of the Cacatuidae, the Tanimbar Corella is crested, meaning it has a collection of feathers on its head that it can raise or lower.

Its body is mainly covered with white feathers, with salmon or pink colored feathers between the beak and eyes. The deeper (proximal) parts of the crest feathers and neck feathers are also a salmon color, but the coloration here is hidden by the white color of the more superficial (distal) areas of these feathers.

The underside of its wing and tail feathers exhibit a yellowish tinge. The beak is pale grey and eye colour ranges from brown to black. Both sexes are similar. They are often confused with the Little Corella (Bare-eyed Cockatoo) due to their similar appearance.

The maximum recorded lifespan for a (captive) Tanimbar Corella is 18.3 years - though this figure may be a significant under-representation, considering the long-lived nature of many other cockatoo species.

Right Bird As Your Pet (part 2)

2009-12-30T21:06:00.001-08:00

Galah Cockatoos

Galahs are the commonly kept pets and even Galahs caught in the wild make good pets. They are affectionate and friendly. Galahs are usually pale pink and darkpink. They make good pets. They are independent birds and not needy like other species.

They are happy to play on their own and require less time outside the cage. Galahs make wonderful pets especially when hand-raised. They are extrovert in nature, affectionate, friendly playful and intelligent. And like other Cockatoos need to be kept entertained and occupied at all times.

They are quick learners and can be trained to perform several tricks. Often you see them in bird shows, where they fly through several hoops. Galahs are good talkers and males usually have better talking ability than females.

They talking ability however isn't on par with that of Sulphur-crested Cockatoos or the Corellas. So, if you're a workaholic, then Galahs might be the right choice for you!

Goffin's Cockatoos

The Goffin's Cockatoo is the smallest among the Cockatoo species. Goffin's Cockatoos are gregarious, inquisitive and carefree birds. They are fun-loving and make extremely intelligent pets. Many owners claim that their personality resembles that of dogs. They are active birds that need to be kept occupied at all times.

They are more independent than other Cockatoo species and don't mind spending a little time on their own. They don't spoil easily and if trained properly, they make fabulous
pets.

They love physical contact and love having their heads scratched. You can train them to imitate human speech but they can be very loud and are not recommended as pets for apartment dwellers.

Palm Cockatoos

The Palm Cockatoo is the largest among the different species of Cockatoos. It is a striking black bird with red cheek patches. Palm Cockatoos are gentle, intelligent and love company. They make unique and wonderful pets.

They are not as noisy as some of the other species of Cockatoos. In fact their breeding call is the only loud and noisy sound they make. Palm Cockatoos are much sought after pets, but in reality, kept only in small numbers in mostly private collections.

Moluccan Cockatoos

Contrary to the Little Corellas and Goffins, this species is one of the largest of the Cockatoo family. The birds are pink to salmon pink with an attractive crest of orange. They make wonderful pets because they are normally very intelligent, friendly and affectionate. They are quite adept at talking and performing several tricks.

Little Corellas

As true as the name implies, the Little Corellas are one of the smaller Cockatoos. Little Corellas are playful, intelligent and even-tempered birds. They have been kept as pets for many years. These birds can be trained to talk and perform a variety of tricks. They also love to dance and chew. Like all Cockatoos they become very attached to their owners and need to be kept busy.

Sulphur-crested Cockatoos

The Sulphur-crested Cockatoos are affectionate and friendly. Although they have the tendency to become a one-person pet, they make excellent companions. They are more independent than most Cockatoo species and are very intelligent. They are quite adept at talking and performing tricks. I hope all these information comes handy to you when you select your pet Cockatiel.

Right Bird As Your Pet

2009-12-30T21:03:00.000-08:00

People have owned pet birds since time immemorial. And bird owners have usually shared their pet-owning experience so as to benefit others toying with the same idea.

Many pet owners across the world have a common belief, "when choosing a bird, pick a bird that selects you". It is believed that a bird answering to this description will be cheerful, inquisitive and will readily come to you.

And before you buy a Cockatiel, make sure you know what you are getting into. Unlike other pets, "Cockatiels require a lot of time and attention". They will also expect you to interact with them often. Some are known for their ability to get attached to their owners quickly, and to mimic human speech.

Here I have listed different types of Cockatiels (which belong to the Cockatoo species) to make it easier for prospective pet owners to choose:

Cockatiels

The first in the list are the Cockatiels. Cockatiels are considered the most popular pet of the Cockatoo species all over the world. These gentle and friendly birds make great pets. They aren't moody and demanding like other Cockatoo species.

They can therefore be a child's first pet. If brought home when young (8 weeks and above), they can be trained to talk, as well as perform tricks such as backward flips and rolling over. If hand-fed as a chick, they will quickly settle in their new home. They love having an audience and will keep you amused all the time.

These birds are amazing fliers. So make sure you keep their wings well clipped. But at the same time, they should not be confined in the cage all times. Let them out for sometime. Just make sure all windows and doors are shut, fans switched off and electrical appliances like stoves and irons are not running while they are outside the cage.

Umbrella Cockatoos

The Umbrella Cockatoo is a very popular pet. They are gentle, affectionate and will charm you from the moment you set your eyes on them. They get very attached to their owners. They love to please and you can teach your pet many tricks.

Although they aren't good talkers, you can train them to dance to the music. They need a lot of physical attention and like a human baby, they need to be hugged, petted and played with. They aren't noisy birds and can be naughty one minute and quite the next.

Bird House

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Shelter can be provided in many ways, including bird houses or nest boxes. As winter days grow longer after solstice, birds get ready to mate and nest, so it is time to start thinking about putting up a bird house or nest shelf. Fall is a great time to shop for bird houses, remembering that many people you know would welcome a birdhouse as a Christmas present.

Choosing a bird house will depend on your goal. Do you want a great looking garden ornament or are you looking to attract a certain type of bird? All birds have their own particular preferences. For example, robins will not nest in an enclosed box, while wrens and bluebirds are attracted to single unit, enclosed bird houses. One other way to provide shelter is with the types of trees and shrubs in your yard.

Things to remember about birdhouses:

-- Face the entrance hole to the north or east to prevent the birds from overheating if summers are hot in your area.

-- Mount bird houses on poles or posts rather than nailing them to trees or hanging them from limbs, making them less vulnerable to predators.

-- Don't put bird houses next to bird feeders.

-- Clean your bird house yearly.

Water

While water is the least important of the three requirements, it can make a difference to the number of birds visiting your feeders. If birds must fly long distances to find water in the winter, they may choose to stay near their water source rather than coming back to your feeder.

The easiest way to provide water is by maintaining your bird bath year round. This could mean filling the bird bath several times a day, which is not always practical. The easiest method is to have a heated bird bath. Heaters are completely safe, but make sure they have an automatic shut-off feature if the bath goes dry, which can happen on windy days or if there are too many birds drinking from the bath.

The plug must be attached to a grounded (three pronged) outlet -- preferably a GFI (ground fault interrupt) outlet. This will eliminate the risk of electrical shock. The heating element also should be covered in some way.

If yours is uncovered, it would be good to place a piece of shale over the top to prevent any birds from burning their feet. In addition, birds will enjoy perching on the warm rock, especially the mourning doves.

Winter Birds to Your Garden

2009-12-09T19:48:00.000-08:00

There's nothing more delightful than watching birds flit from one area of your garden to the next. Attracting birds to your yard is really quite simple: if you supply their three basic needs -- food, shelter and water -- you will have an avian oasis in your own backyard.

Food

As winter approaches and the natural food supply for birds dwindles, birds become dependent on bird feeders for seeds and suet. Although there is debate about whether artificial feeding disrupts the migration urge of some birds, research shows this is not a significant concern.

For birds that are not strong enough to migrate due to injury or illness or because of some undeveloped natural migration cue, your feeder may be what enables them to live through winter. Also, for birds that do not migrate, winter storms can bury their food supply.

When you add to that the natural condition of reduced time for foraging due to shorter days, winter is a real hardship for birds.

There are two ways to provide food: through bird feeders and by growing plants around your yard that offer fruits, seeds and a habitat that birds love. Black oil sunflower seed is the best seed to attract a diverse group of birds to your feeder, including chickadees, nuthatches, finches, cardinals, grosbeaks, sparrows, blackbirds and jays.

To attract insect-eating birds such as woodpeckers, chickadees and nuthatches, offer suet in the wintertime. Ground feeding birds like juncos, sparrows, towhees and mourning doves prefer cracked corn scattered on the ground or placed in an elevated tray.

Plants to add to your landscape include serviceberry, dogwood, fir, hawthorn, sweet gum, crabapple, pine, coralberry and fruit-bearing viburnums. Seed-producing flowers that will attract birds include aster, blanket flower, cone flower, sunflowers, black-eyed Susans, California poppies, goldenrod, marigolds, phlox, salvias and zinnias.

Things to remember about feeders:

-- It's nice if you can place the feeder so you can watch birds from a comfortable location, but also keep in mind their needs. They need an escape route, so make sure you place the feeder near shrubs or evergreen trees so they can make a quick get-away.

Woody plants with thorns, such as roses or hawthorn, are helpful to birds because they provide refuge from predators such as house cats. This can also help keep the feeders out of the rain and food dry.

-- Keep your feeders clean to prevent diseases and deter pests. Disinfect occasionally with one part chlorine bleach and nine parts lukewarm water and dry thoroughly before refilling.

-- Once you start to provide food for birds, continue throughout the cold season. It's best to provide only one type of food per feeder. Birds feeding at feeders with mixed seed discard the seeds they do not want while selecting their favorites.

-- Do not feed birds spoiled leftovers, salty snack foods or sugary cereals.

Parrot Threats and Conservation

2009-12-02T20:53:00.000-08:00

A large number of parrot species are in decline, and several species are now extinct. Of the 350 or so living species of parrot 130 species are listed as near threatened or worse by the IUCN.

There are numerous reasons for the decline of so many species, the principal threats being habitat loss and degradation, hunting, and for certain species, wild-bird trade.

Parrots are persecuted for a number of reasons; in some areas they may (or have been) hunted for food, for feathers, and as agricultural pests. For a time, Argentina offered a bounty on Monk Parakeets (an agricultural pest), resulting in hundred of thousands of birds being killed, though apparently this did not greatly affect the overall population.

Capture for the pet trade is a threat to many of the rarer or slower to breed species. Habitat loss or degradation, most often for agriculture, is a threat to numerous parrot species. Parrots, being cavity nesters, are vulnerable to the loss of nesting sites and to competition with introduced species for those sites.

The loss of old trees is particularly a problem in some areas, particularly in Australia where suitable nesting trees may be many hundreds of years old. Many parrot species occur only on islands and are vulnerable to introduced species such as rats and cats, as they lack the appropriate anti-predator behaviours needed to deal with mammalian predators.

Controlling such predators can help in maintaining or increasing the numbers of endangered species. Insular species, which have small populations in restricted habitat, are also vulnerable to physical threats such as hurricanes and volcanic eruptions.

There are many active conservation groups whose goal is the conservation of wild parrot populations. One of the largest includes the World Parrot Trust, an international organization. The group gives assistance to worthwhile projects as well as producing a magazine and raising funds through donations and memberships, often from pet parrot owners.

They state they have helped conservation work in 22 countries. On a smaller scale local parrot clubs will raise money to donate to a cause of conservation. Zoo and wildlife centers usually provide public education, to change habits that cause damage to wild populations.

Recent conservation measures to conserve the habitats of some of the high-profile charismatic parrot species has also protected many of the less charismatic species living in the ecosystem. A popular attraction that many zoos now employ is a feeding station for lories and lorikeets, where visitors feed small parrots with cups of liquid food. This is usually done in association with educational signs and lecture.

Perrot Trade

2009-11-16T20:17:00.000-08:00

Parrots that are bred for pets may be hand fed or otherwise accustomed to interacting with people from a young age to help ensure they will be tame and trusting.

However, parrots are not low maintenance pets; they require feeding, grooming, veterinary care, training, environmental enrichment through the provision of toys, exercise, and social interaction (with other parrots or humans) for good health.

Some large parrot species, including large cockatoos, Amazons, and macaws, have very long lifespans with 80 years being reported and record ages of over one hundred.

Small parrots, such as lovebirds, hanging parrots, and budgies have shorter life spans of up to 15–20 years. Some parrot species can be quite loud, and many of the larger parrots can be destructive and require a very large cage, and a regular supply of new toys, branches, or other items to chew up.

The intelligence of parrots means they are quick to learn tricks and other behaviors — both good and bad — that will get them what they want, such as attention or treats. The popularity, longevity, and intelligence of many of the larger species of pet parrots has led to many of these birds being re-homed during the course of their long lifespans.

A common problem is that large parrot species which are cuddly and gentle as juveniles will mature into intelligent, complex, often demanding adults that can outlive their owners. Due to these problems, and the fact that homeless parrots are not euthanized like dogs and cats, parrot adoption centers and sanctuaries are becoming more common.

The popularity of parrots as pets has led to a thriving — and often illegal — trade in the birds, and some species are now threatened with extinction. A combination of trapping of wild birds and damage to parrot habitats makes survival difficult or even impossible for some species of parrot. Importation of wild caught parrots into the US and Europe is illegal.

The trade continues unabated in some countries. A report published in January 2007 presents a clear picture of the wild-caught parrot trade in Mexico, stating: "The majority of parrots captured in Mexico stay in the country for the domestic trade.

A small percentage of this capture, 4% to 14%, is smuggled into the USA."In the early 1980s an American college student who worked his way through school smuggling parrots across the Rio Grande put his contraband Mexican birds in a cage on an inflatable raft and floated with them across the international river to the U.S. side where a partner would be waiting.

Parrots As Pets

2009-11-16T20:06:00.000-08:00

Parrots are popular as pets due to their sociable and affectionate nature, intelligence, bright colours, and ability to imitate human voices.

The domesticated Budgerigar, a small parrot, is the most popular of all pet bird species. In 1992 the newspaper USA Today published that there were 11 million pet birds in the United States alone, many of them parrots.

Europeans kept birds matching the description of the Rose-ringed Parakeet (or called the ring-necked parrot), such as in this first century account by Pliny the Elder. As they have been prized for thousands of years for their beauty and ability to talk, they have also often been misunderstood.

For example, author Wolfgang de Grahl discusses in his 1987 book "The Grey Parrot," that some importers allowed parrots to drink only coffee while they were being shipped by boat considering pure water to be detrimental and believing that their actions would increase survival rates during shipping. (These days it is commonly accepted that the caffeine in coffee is toxic to birds.)

Pet parrots may be kept in a cage or aviary; though generally, tame parrots should be allowed out regularly on a stand or gym. Depending on locality, parrots may be either wild caught or be captive bred, though in most areas without native parrots, pet parrots are captive bred.

Parrots species that are commonly kept as pets include conures, macaws, Amazons, cockatoos, African Greys, lovebirds, cockatiels, budgerigars, eclectus, Caiques, parakeets, Pionus and Poicephalus.

Species vary in their temperament, noise level, talking ability, cuddliness with people, and care needs, although how a parrot has been raised usually greatly affects its personality.

Parrots can make excellent companion animals, and can form close, affectionate bonds with their owners. However they invariably require an enormous amount of attention, care and intellectual stimulation to thrive, akin to that required by a three year old child, which many people find themselves unable to provide in the long term.

Sound Imitation

2009-11-10T21:00:00.000-08:00

Many species can imitate human speech or other sounds, and the results of a study by Irene Pepperberg suggested a high learning ability in an African Grey Parrot named Alex. Alex was trained to use words to identify objects, describe them, count them, and even answer complex questions such as "How many red squares?" with over 80% accuracy.

A second example is that of N'kisi, another African grey, which has been shown to have a vocabulary of approximately a thousand words and has displayed an ability to invent as well as use words in context and in the correct tense.

Parrots do not have vocal cords, so sound is accomplished by expelling air across the mouth of the bifurcated trachea. Different sounds are produced by changing the depth and shape of trachea.

African Grey Parrots of all subspecies are known for their superior ability to imitate sounds and human speech. This ability has made them prized as pets from ancient time to now. In the Masnavi, a writing by Rumi of Persia, AD 1250, the author talks about an ancient method for training parrots to speak.

Although most parrot species are able to imitate, some of the Amazon parrots are generally regarded as the next-best imitators and speakers of the parrot world. The question of why birds imitate remains open, but those that do often score very high on tests designed to measure problem solving ability.

Wild African Grey Parrots have been observed imitating other birds. Most other wild parrots have not been observed imitating other species.

Humans and parrots have a complicated relationship. Economically they can be beneficial to communities as sources of income from the pet trade and are highly marketable tourism draws and symbols. But some species are also economically important pests, particularly some cockatoo species in Australia.

Some parrots have also benefited from human changes to the environment in some instances, and have expanded their ranges where agricultural practices, and many parrots have declined as well. It is possible to devote careers to parrots. Zoos and aquariums employ keepers to care for and shape the behavior of parrots.

Some veterinarians who specialize in avian medicine will treat parrots exclusively. Biologists study parrot populations in the wild and help to conserve wild populations. Aviculturalists breed and sell parrots for the pet trade. As tens of millions parrots have been removed from the wild, and parrots have been traded in greater numbers and for far longer than any other group of wild animals.

Many parrot species are still threatened by this trade as well as habitat loss, predation by introduced species, and hunting for food or feathers. Some parrot species are agricultural pests,eating fruits, grains, and other crops, but parrots can also benefit economies through birdwatching based ecotourism.[

Most Intelligent Birds

2009-11-03T15:09:00.000-08:00

Studies with captive birds have given us insight into which birds are the most intelligent. While parrots have the distinction of being able to mimic human speech, studies with the African Grey Parrot have shown that some are able to associate words with their meanings and form simple sentences.

Along with crows, ravens, and jays (family Corvidae), parrots are considered the most intelligent of birds. The brain-to body size ratio of psittacines and corvines is actually comparable to that of higher primates. One argument against the supposed intelligent capabilities of bird species is that birds have a relatively small cerebral cortex, which is the part of the brain considered to be the main area of intelligence in other animals.

However, it seems that birds use a different part of their brain, the medio-rostral neostriatum/hyperstriatum ventrale, as the seat of their intelligence. Not surprisingly, research has shown that these species tend to have the largest hyperstriata, and Dr. Harvey J. Karten, a neuroscientist at University of California, San Diego who has studied the physiology of birds, discovered that the lower part of avian brains are functionally similar to humans.

Not only have parrots demonstrated intelligence through scientific testing of their language using ability, but some species of parrot such as the Kea are also highly skilled at using tools and solving puzzles. Learning in early life is apparently important to all parrots, and much of that learning is social learning.

Social interactions are often practised with siblings, and in several species creches are formed with several broods, and these as well are important for learning social skills. Foraging behaviour is generally learnt from parents, and can be a very protracted affair. Supra-generalists and specialists are generally independent of their parents much quicker than partly specialised species which may have to learn skills over a long period of time as various resources become seasonally available.

Play forms a large part of learning in parrots, it can be solitary, and related to motor skills, or social. Species may engage in play fights or wild flights to practice predator evasion. An absence of stimuli can retard the development of young birds, as demonstrated by a group of Vasa Parrots kept in tiny cages with domesticated chickens from the age of 3 months; at 9 months these birds still behaved in the same way as 3 month olds, but had adopted some chicken behaviour.

In a similar fashion captive birds in zoo collections or pets can, if deprived of stimuli, develop stereotyped behaviours and harmful behaviours like self plucking. Aviculturists working with parrots have identified the need for environmental enrichment to keep parrots stimulated.

Parrot Breeding

2009-10-27T16:08:00.000-07:00

Although there are a few exceptions, parrots are monogamous breeders which nest in cavities and hold no territories other than their nesting sites. The pair bonds of the parrots and cockatoos are strong and the pair will remain close even during the non-breeding season, even if they join larger flocks.

As with many birds pair bond formation is preceded by courtship displays; these are relatively simple in the case of cockatoos.

In Psittacidae parrots common breeding displays, usually undertaken by the male, include slow deliberate steps known as a "parade" or "stately walk" and the "eye-blaze", where the pupil of the eye constricts to reveal the edge of the iris.

Allopreening is used by the pair to help maintain the bond. Cooperative breeding, where birds other than the breeding pair help the pair raise the young and is common in some bird families, is extremely rare in parrots, and has only unambiguously been demonstrated in the Golden Parakeet (which may also exhibit polyamorous or group breeding system with multiple females contributing to the clutch).

Only the Monk Parakeet and five species of Agapornis lovebird build nests in trees, and three Australian and New Zealand ground parrots nest on the ground.

All other parrots and cockatoos nest in cavities, either tree hollows or cavities dug into cliffs, banks or the ground. The use of holes in cliffs is more common in the Americas. many species will use termite nests, possibly as it reduces the conspicuousness of the nesting site or because it creates favourable microclimates.

In most cases both species will participate in the nest excavation. The length of the burrow varies with species, but is usually between 0.5–2 m in length. The nests of cockatoos are often lined with sticks, wood chips and other plant material. In the larger species of parrot and cockatoo the availability of nesting holes can be limited and this can lead to intense competition for them both within the species and between species, as well as with other bird families.

The intensity of this competition can limit breeding success in some cases. Some species are colonial, with the Burrowing Parrot nesting in colonies up to 70,000 strong. Coloniality is not as common in parrots as might be expected, possibly because most species adopt old cavities rather that excavate their own.

Behaviour and Diet

2009-10-15T11:29:00.000-07:00

There are numerous difficulties in studying wild parrots, as they are difficult to catch and once caught they are difficult to mark. Most wild bird studies rely on rings (or bands) or some form of wing tag, but parrots will chew them off.

The parrots also tend to range widely and as a consequence there are many gaps in science's knowledge of their behavior. Parrots have a strong, direct flight. Most species spend most of their time perched or climbing in tree canopies. They often use their bills for climbing by gripping or hooking on branches and other supports. On the ground parrots often walk with a rolling gait.

The diet of parrots consists of seeds, fruit, nectar, pollen, buds, and sometimes insects and to a lesser degree animal prey. Without question the most important of these to most true parrots and cockatoos are seeds.

The evolution of the large and powerful bill can be explained primarily as an adaptation to opening and consuming seeds. All true parrots except the Pesquet's Parrot employ the same method to obtain the seed from the husk; the seed is held between the mandibles and the lower mandible crushes the husk, whereupon the seed is rotated in the bill and the remaining husk is removed.

A foot is sometimes used to help holding large seeds in place. Parrots are seed predators rather than seed dispersers; and in many cases where species are recorded as consuming fruit they are only eating the fruit to get at the seed. As seeds often have poisons to protect them, parrots are careful to remove seed coats and other fruit parts which are chemically well defended, prior to ingestion.

Many species in the Americas, Africa, and Papua New Guinea consume clay which both releases minerals and absorbs toxic compounds from the gut. Parrots at a clay lick in Ecuador. Consuming clay neutralises toxins in the diet. The lories and lorikeets, Swift Parrot and Philippine Hanging Parrot are primarily nectar and pollen consumers, and have tongues with brush tips to collect this source of food, as well as some specialized gut adaptations to accommodate this diet.

Many other species also consume nectar as well when it becomes available. In addition to feeding on seeds and flowers, some parrot species will prey on animals. Golden-winged Parakeets prey on water snails, and famously the Keas of New Zealand will scavenge on sheep carcases and even kill juvenile petrels.

Another New Zealand parrot, the Antipodes Island Parakeet, enters the burrows of nesting Grey-backed Storm-petrels and kills the incubating adults. Some cockatoos and the Kākā will also excavate branches and wood to obtain grubs.

Parrot Morphology

2009-10-15T11:14:00.000-07:00

Extant species range in size from the Buff-faced Pygmy Parrot, at under 10 g (0.35 oz.) in weight and 8 cm (3.2 inches) in length, to the Hyacinth Macaw, at 1.0 meter (3.3 feet) in length, and the Kakapo, at 4.0 kg (8.8 lbs) in weight.

Amongst the families, the three Nestoridae species are all large parrots, and the cockatoos tend to be large birds as well. The Psittacidae parrots are far more variable, ranging the full spectrum of sizes shown by the family. The most obvious physical characteristic that characterises parrots is their strong, curved, broad bill.

The upper mandible is prominent, curves downward, and comes to a point. It is not fused to the skull, which allows it to move independently, and contributes to the tremendous biting pressure these birds are able to exert. The lower mandible is shorter, with a sharp, upward facing cutting edge, which moves against the flat portion of the upper mandible in an anvil-like fashion.

Seed eating parrots have a strong tongue which helps to manipulate seeds or position nuts in the bill so that the mandibles can apply an appropriate cracking force. The head is large, with eyes positioned sideways, which limits binocular vision, but greatly enhances peripheral vision. Cockatoo species have a mobile crest of feathers on the top of their heads which can be raised for display, and retracted.

No other parrots can do so, but the Pacific lorikeets in the genera Vini and Phigys are able to ruffle the feathers of the crown and nape. The predominant colour of plumage in parrots is green, though most species have some red or another colour in small quantities.

Cockatoos are the main exception to this, having lost the green and blue plumage colours in their evolutionary history they are now predominately black or white with some red, pink or yellow. Strong sexual dimorphism in plumage is not typical amongst the parrots, with some notable exceptions, the most striking being the Eclectus Parrot.

Parrot Species

2009-10-07T06:40:00.000-07:00

Parrots are found on all tropical and subtropical continents including Australia and the islands of the Pacific Ocean, South Asia, southeast Asia, southern regions of North America, South America and Africa.

Some Caribbean and Pacific islands are home to endemic species. By far the greatest number of parrot species come from Australasia and South America. The lories and lorikeets range from Sulawesi and the Philippines in the north to Australia and across the Pacific as far as French Polynesia, with the greatest diversity being found in and around New Guinea.

The subfamily Arinae encompasses all the Neotropical parrots, including the Amazons, macaws and conures, and range from northern Mexico and the Bahamas to Tierra del Fuego in the southern tip of South America.

The pygmy parrots, subfamily Micropsittinae, are a small genus restricted to New Guinea. The subfamily Nestorinae are three species of aberrant parrots from New Zealand. The broad-tailed parrots, subfamily Platycercinae, are restricted to Australia, New Zealand and Pacific islands as far as Fiji. The final true parrot subfamily, Psittacinae, includes a range of species from Australia and New Guinea to the species found in South Asia and Africa.

The centre of cockatoo biodiversity is Australia and New Guinea, although some species reach the Solomon Islands (and one species formerly occurred in New Caledonia), Indonesia and the Philippines.

Several parrot species enter the cool, temperate regions of South America and New Zealand. One species, the Carolina Parakeet existed in temperate North America, but was hunted to extinction in the early 20th century. Numerous species have been introduced in areas with temperate climates, and have established stable populations in several states of the USA, the United Kingdom and Spain.

While a few parrot species are wholly sedentary or fully migratory, the majority fall somewhere between the two, making poorly understood regional movements, some species adopting an entirely nomadic lifestyle.