Choosing a Pet Bird

Choosing A Pet Bird
“What kind of pets are birds? Find out right here… facts about living with birds and finding the right pet bird for you!”

Ever wonder what type of bird would be perfect for you? Here is a guide to finding out!

Birds are often great pets for people looking for a companion with a wonderful personality. They also come in many beautiful colors and many can live a very long life! By choosing a pet bird, you bring into your life a social creature who loves you, talks to you, and can even sing you a song! They can make the perfect pet for many people! Read more

Dog Breeds: The Weimaraner

The dog with the funny name is anything but. Weimaraners are a breed built for spending time with their masters on the hunt. If you like the great outdoors, then this may be the dog for you.

History

This breed got its start in Germany. It has always been a noble hunting dog, chasing rabbits, birds, foxes and the like. Their sleek features make them perfect for running fast and exhibiting stealth when necessary. Over the years, this dog has been bred for hunting under the strict guidance of the German Weimaraner club.

The breed came to America when a sportsman from Rhode Island applied and was accepted into membership at the now exclusive German Weimaraner club. He successfully bred females with a puppy that was sent to him.

Temperament

This dog is loyal, obedient and intelligent when trained properly. As a pup it is important to teach them that you are the leader. This dog loves to run. They are happiest when they are living indoors and outdoors. They can be headstrong and stubborn if cooped up in the house and not given a chance to exercise extensively outdoors.

They work best with children who are well behaved. A Weimaraner will seek out their master or other human family members who are most like it – dominant and in control. Socialization works well with other dogs but not with cats. They are not weak dogs and have no tolerance for weak people. This personality trait has helped them to become excellent watchdogs and family protectors.

Care

Once called the “gray ghost”, its coat is short and close to the body. What makes this dog stand out is the shiny gray color of its coat, ranging from silver gray to a blue gray tint. He has a light eye color which complements his coat. He requires very little grooming beyond a weekly brushing and a monthly bathing to stay clean. As long as enough protein is provided in the diet, his coat will stay shiny.

Regular visits to the vet are recommended. This dog is prone to bloating so feed him a couple of small meals as opposed to one large meal or a full bowl that he can graze on throughout the day. Regular exercise can also help reduce this. Weimaraners are prone to hip dysplasia as well. Otherwise, they are rather healthy.

Training

Dogs need to know who is boss. Their instincts tell them that if there is not a dominant personality in the group then they must step up. To keep this dog from becoming the dominant personality, it is important to establish that the human owner is the leader from the puppy stage.

The Weimaraner responds well to firm training. They do not do well with harshness or yelling. Once they become weary of certain training techniques, they will not respond.

Weimaraners are excellent companions for sportsmen and those who love the outdoors. Read up on these dogs on Animal-World’s Weimaraner page.

Organ Pipe Coral

Organ Pipe Coral
Tubipora musica
“Want a little music in your reef tank? Check out the awesome ‘red pipes’ on this Pipe Organ Coral!”

The Organ Pipe Coral actually resembles and organ with its unique red calcite tubes!

The Organ Pipe Coral Tubipora musica is not a stony coral, but a unique soft coral. Similar to the Green Star Polyps Pachyclavularia violacea, this coral has mat polyps and is a member of the Tubiporidae Family. Only one other type of the Octocorals has an external skeleton that calcifies like the Organ Pipe Coral, and that is the Blue Coral or Blue Fire Coral Heliopora coerulea. They both have actual colorful skeletons – red and blue!… Read More

Bird Information – Types of Birds and Bird Identification

Bird Information
“All about birds! Learn about different types of birds and how they behave. The list of bird types has everything from pet birds to exotic birds, and game birds to birds of prey!”

Having a bird for a pet can make a wonderful pet and they come in several colors,

types, and sizes!

If you have an interest in birds, then learning about all the different types of birds can be quite intriguing. . In general, most types of birds make great pets – they are social, enjoy human companionship, are available in many different sizes, shapes, and colors, and have interesting personalities. You will find interesting information on the types of birds here, including information on birds as pets, birds in general, and specific species of birds… Read More

The Velvet Finger Montipora

Velvet Finger Montipora
Montipora digitata
“Velvet, rich and luzurious. Want to indulge yourself with the most visually decadent texture?… Well, that’s me!”

The Velvet Finger Montipora is a favorite coral for beginning reef keepers due to its

ease of care!

This coral, the Velvet Finger Montipora Montipora digitata is fuzzy and smooth on its surface, with small and uniform polyps. These polyps are fuzzy on this species, as well as many other species. They are called ‘velvet’ simply because they are one of the large Montipora corals – several of them are traditionally called ‘velvet’. This coral is also called the Velvet Branch Coral and the Velvet Coral… Read More

Types of Pet Birds for your Home

Birds are delightful creatures. They are the quintessential pet for those who want a companion but not all of the work. To that end, choose your bird wisely for your home or apartment.

Some people shun birds in the home because of the noise. Well, it is important to note that all birds are not noisy and there are some that are great for apartment dwellers.

Popular Bird Companions for the Home

1. Parakeets – These birds are quite colorful and fun to look at and be around. They are also referred to as “budgies.” Because they are small, they don’t require a huge cage, although they do like to have room to fly. A medium sized cage will do. You might hear a song or a whistle from this bird but not the racket you might think. More than one parakeet can live together but be sure you have room for them all to stretch their wings. A hardy bird, they can live for about 14 years.

2. Canaries – These birds are always associated in the underworld with ratting out a fellow ne’er-do-well but they are better than this reference implies. This little bird is less than six inches in length. They love the company of other canaries and finches in their cage. As long as you give them what they need, they will pay little attention to you. They don’t like petting nor require it. They can live about 10 years.

3. Finches – These colorful birds are beautiful to observe. They are small like canaries and love to sing. They don’t need human touch but love the company of other birds like themselves. Keep them in a large flight cage and they will sing and fly for you. They can live about 10 years when well cared for.

4. Cockatiels – You may have heard of cockatoos and this is a relative. These birds are a type of parrot that is native to Australia. They love to sing and whistle. Their most striking feature is their shock of pointed feathers on the head. They mostly whistle and sing but they can talk if they want to learn and you are a diligent trainer. Their main color is usually white and grey but you can find them in other color combinations as well. They are medium sized so try to keep one bird per cage. They can live to be as old as 20 years.

5. Lovebirds – They have their claim to fame in the Alfred Hitchcock movie “The Birds” but they don’t usually incite a murderous riot. They are the smallest of the parrot species, coming in at about six inches long. Though small, they are intelligent, very colorful, affectionate and playful. This bird forms a strong bond with its owners. When purchased alone, they require a lot of face time. If you don’t have that kind of time, purchase another lovebird companion for them.

Looking for a bird as a pet? Here are a few choices that may satisfy your needs. Also read up on Animal-World’s Choosing a Pet Bird if you are interested.

The African Grey Congo Parrot

African Grey Congo
“A looker, a talker, and a comic all in one, that’s the Congo African Grey Parrot, also known as the Red-Tailed Grey Parrot!”

Being an astounding talker, The African Grey Congo Parrot is a well-loved bird!

The African Grey Congo Parrot Psittacus erithacus is one of the most intelligent pet birds and is also quite beautiful. Being great talkers with an amazing ability to articulate, they have achieved a larger vocabulary than any other bird. They can learn over 200 words as well as perform countless tricks. They love to imitate their environment sounds, which also means they love to copy their human companions! Read More

Three Deadly Pet Bird Diseases

Birds make gentle but intriguing companions. They are small and therefore quite delicate when it comes to constitution and health. To keep them healthy, visit the avian vet regularly.

Birds are great for all ages of people. Some are quite social and want to interact with you. Others are content with socializing with their bird brethren. Either way they are beautiful to view and have around.

But, birds are not indestructible. They do get sick just like any other pet. When purchasing a pet bird, be aware of the three most deadly diseases that affect domesticated birds. Know the signs and symptoms so you can get treatment as quickly as possible.

Deadly Bird Diseases

1. Psittacosis – This is also referred to as “Parrot Fever.” It is often undetectable unless you pay attention to your bird’s habits. It is often associated with high stress levels in your bird. Just like humans, stress can weaken the immune system, making them more susceptible to disease. It is spread through infected feces. Treatment is with doxycycline but prevention is best. Signs exhibited are: lack of appetite, weight loss, breathing problems and dull colored droppings. Separate infected birds from healthy ones until the condition is fully treated. Birds can also transmit this condition to you. Without treatment, it can prove fatal in humans.

2. Pacheco’s Disease – This is a herpes virus that birds contract. It is often seen in cases where there are multiple birds living together. It is seen mostly in psittacine (parrot) species. This virus attacks the liver resulting in failure of the organ and death. Some signs include diarrhea, depression and weight loss. Stress can make your bird more susceptible to this condition. It is spread via infected droppings that can contaminate food and water. Treatment is with acyclovir, an antiviral. All birds living with the infected bird need to be treated to prevent death. After an outbreak, quarantine new birds so they are not at risk for the disease.

3. Newcastle Disease – This disease is one of the most highly contagious of all bird diseases. It is a viral disease with no known cure or method of treatment. Symptoms include: respiratory infection, paralysis, bloody diarrhea and twitching. It is believed to be prevalent in illegally imported birds. This bird disease can affect any and all domestic and wild birds including chickens and turkeys. This makes it a problem for the food industry if an outbreak occurs. When a case is found, all infected birds must be destroyed.

You can lower your bird’s chances of getting these diseases. Keep cages clean. Learn your bird’s normal routine so you can easily and quickly detect when they are not well. Visit the vet right away at the first sign of possible illness. Please check out Animal-World’s Bird Care page for more information on bird diseases.

Animal-World’s Featured Pet of the Week – The Umbrella Cockatoo

Animal-World’s Featured Pet for this week is: The Umbrella Cockatoo!

When I first started working at a pet store, they had an Umbrella Cockatoo, Cacatua alba named “Pierre.” He was the most loving and affectionate bird I have ever known – still to this day I have not met another bird like him. I believe he recognized me over time because eventually every time I would walk up to him he would start dancing and talking and displaying his head feathers. He would always come up on my hand and seemed to really look forward to me petting him. He was sold at some point in time and I really did miss him.

Cockatoos in general are known to make great pets. They are almost all loving and friendly birds, however they need to be given a lot of attention and “one-on-one” time. If you plan to purchase an Umbrella Cockatoo, then you MUST be prepared and willing to spend a great deal of time as their companion. They are very social, can learn to talk, and be taught to do all sorts of tricks. Many people provide play areas outside of their cage where the cockatoo can spend most of the day. They love this and it provides them with a a feeling of being part of the family and a feeling of freedom. In fact, if they are caged too often and/or not given adequate attention, they can turn into screamers. Generally this behavior starts because they feel lonely and neglected. However, screaming can be abated by most often by simply dedicating time and energy into being with your bird and making sure it feels comfortable in its daily surroundings.

Umbrella Cockatoos are one of the largest cockatoos, being all white with a crest of feathers on their heads. When these feathers are raised, it looks like an umbrella – hence the origin of their name! In the wild, they are found in central and northern Moluccas, Indonesia and Obi, Halmahera, Ternate, and Tidore. They can reach a foot in length when they are full-grown adults and this dictates the need for a fairly large cage.

The two main behavioral problems that come up frequently with cockatoos are their screeching habits (mentioned earlier) and the fact that they are prone to chewing their own feathers. They can become quite bald if this is allowed to go on. In order to prevent this you will need to give them plenty of daily attention and make sure they are let out of their cage for good periods of time. They do love to chew to keep their beaks in shape, so also provide them with plenty of chew toys.

Proper care, feeding, and housing is a must for these large birds. They should be provided with clean fresh water daily to make sure they don’t become sick. Fresh food including some fresh fruits and vegetables as well as a large hookbill seed mix should also be provided daily. They can often eat other foods that you may have around the house occasionally, such as cheese, eggs, and canned dog food. If kept alone, these cockatoos should be preened occasionally by their owners to help clear out feather sheaths. You should also probably keep their wings trimmed so that they cannot fly far and accidentally escape out through an open door or window. Their beaks and nails will continually grow as well, so these should be trimmed periodically if they are becoming too long.

Umbrella Cockatoos are considered wonderful pets in the bird world if you have the time to dedicate to them! If you would like to learn more about these particular cockatoos, check out Animal-World’s page on Umbrella Cockatoos!

Jasmine is a team member at Animal-World and has contributed many articles and write-ups.

Check out this Gallery of Animal Photographs!

Pictures of Animals
“It’s NOT just for the birds! More pictures than you can shake a stick at. Fish, dogs, cats, snakes, elephants… well no elephants yet:) But over 8000 pictures!

Take a safari by traveling through animal photographs on Animal-Image! Many

interesting galleries of animals are there for your viewing pleasure!

Dr. Jungle’s Animal-Image gallery has thousands of pictures of different animals on this earth, including water dwellers, land dwellers, and sky creatures! Whatever you want to see – wild animals, family pets, exotic pets, and companion animals – there is a large variety!

Animal-Image has one of the most comprehensive and largest galleries of animal photographs available! It includes both images and videos. The photographs come from people all over the world… Read More

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