Body condition Evaluation of body conditioning to ensure that your bird is at a proper weight, and a review of nutritional recommendations with you.
Wellness care
Wellness care for birds
Often times birds hide their illnesses until it is too late, which makes routine physical examinations critical.
Wellness & preventative care
Keeping your bird happy and comfortable
By being able to identify and correct husbandry problems and find signs of early illness, we can help to prevent and treat problems earlier for your pet. All too often we see pet birds after they have been ill for weeks or months, which makes treating and “fixing” them much more difficult. Earlier detection means a healthier and happier pet!
Preventative care also includes
- Immunizations
- Deworming
- Consultations on correct husbandry and diet
Overview
Your bird’s wellness exam
A comprehensive evaluation of your bird’s health from the beak all the way to the tips of their tail feathers.
In a detailed examination we look for
- Signs of potential problems, including feather abnormalities
- Signs of feather picking
- Foot sores or signs of early bumblefoot
- Abnormal growths or cancerous masses
Behavior and trims Behavioral questions or concerns will be discussed, and we can perform nail, beak or wing trimming.
Fecal exams Routine fecal examinations are recommended to look for intestinal parasites or any changes in color or consistency of feces, which may indicate a health problem.
Housing and enclosure
A home with room to spare
Space Your bird’s enclosure should have plenty of space to move and exercise comfortably. As a general rule the cage should be large enough to allow your bird to fully extend its wings and still have room to spare. When choosing a cage make sure that it is lead and zinc free, as these metals are toxic to birds.
Perches Provide your bird with perches of different sizes (diameter) and textures to help prevent bumblefoot and foot sores.
Food and water Food and water should be easily accessible and easy to clean and change on a daily basis. If you use a water bottle with a spout rather than a water dish, check the bottle daily to ensure that it has not become plugged.
Toys Toys are an important part of your bird’s environment and are essential to help entertain and enrich. Toys should be the correct size for your bird to ensure small pieces are not broken off and ingested.
Maintenance health care
Nail, wing and beak trims
Just like your dog or cat, your bird needs regular maintenance care to be happy and healthy.
Common maintenance care
- Nail trimming
- Wing trimming
- Beak trimming
We can help you decide when these services are needed for your bird.
Nutrition
Suitable bird diets
Pelleted diet Pellets are preferred over seed diets for most birds (except finches and canaries), as seed diets are high in fat and can lead to health problems and obesity. Pelleted diets are also balanced for your pet bird’s vitamin and mineral needs.
Fresh fruits and vegetables Avoid avocado, tomatoes, raisins, mushrooms, and seeds or pits, and limit grapes, as these can be toxic to your bird.
Nuts and seeds As treats or in moderation, as these contain large amounts of fat. Please choose non-salted or non-flavored options. Some of the larger birds prefer in-shell nuts, as crushing the shells helps keep their beak healthy.
Signs of illness
Watch for even small changes
Many exotic animals, including birds, often hide signs of illness to avoid being seen as vulnerable in the wild. This is why it is extremely important to closely monitor your bird for even small changes, as these may be signs of an illness.
If you see any of these signs or are concerned that your bird may be sick, please do not hesitate to call us for a physical exam and health evaluation.
- Fluffed or ruffled feathers
- Decreased appetite
- Decreased activity or appearing depressed, perhaps holding the head and/or wings drooped
- A change in the appearance of droppings: color, consistency or amount
Common health problems
What we see most in pet birds
- Feather picking
- Upper respiratory infections
- Cancer (primarily a problem of parakeets and cockatiels)
- Bumblefoot (sores on the bottom of the feet, often secondary to perch choice)
- Egg binding
Chickens
Your chicken’s wellness exam
A comprehensive evaluation of your chicken’s health from the beak all the way to the tips of their tail feathers.
In a detailed examination we look for
- Signs of external parasites, including mites and lice
- Changes in the coloration of the comb and wattle
- Changes with feathering
- Foot sores or signs of early bumblefoot
- Abnormal growths or cancerous masses
Body condition Evaluation of body conditioning to ensure that your chicken is at a proper weight, and a review of nutritional lifestage recommendations.
Trims Nail or spur trimming and wing trimming.
Fecal exams Routine fecal examinations are recommended to look for intestinal parasites, and to evaluate any changes in color or consistency which may indicate a health problem.
From our blog
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