9/10/11: Cage birds Flashcards
What are the Psittaciformes?
Parrots (budgie to macaw)
What are the Passeriformes?
Perching birds
What does EBHR mean?
English bred, hand reared
How many people do African Greys bond to?
1:1
How many people do Amazon Parrots bond to?
More than 1
Do Amazons or African Greys cope better with captivity?
Amazons
How do Amazon parrots cope with noise?
Love noise
What do adult Amazon parrots look like?
Have yellow eye ring
How many people do Cockatoos bond to?
One
What happens to cockatoos for 6 months a year?
Obsessed with sex
How far does a cockatoos voice carry?
Over 2km
How do cockatoos behave when they are obsessed with sex?
Affectionate then aggressive in turn
How quickly do macaws mature?
Slowly
How many people do macaws bond to?
One
What do macaws do if they are sexually frustrated?
Feather pick
What time do parrots wake and sing?
At dawn
What do parrots do in the middle of the day?
Cat, doze, preen
For how long do parrots sleep?
10-12 hours
What do parrots do if they don’t want to fight?
Cover beak with feathers
What colour towel should you use for a parrot?
A different colour to the parrot
Why should you leave the radio on for parrots?
A predator around = quiet
How are birds allowed to be sold compared to mammals?
Unweaned
What is the usual underlying cause if a parrot’s beak is too long?
Malformed or a nutritional problem
What shape should claws be?
1/4 of a circle
What should you use to trim bird claws?
Rabbit or bird clippers with potassium permanganate ready
Why should you avoid trimming wings?
Crash land and distressed, predisposes to chewing or picking es in Greys
When should you only clip bird wings?
Mature birds with a good reason
How long does trimming wings last?
6 months (until next moult)
For how long are young feathers “in blood”?
Six weeks so don’t trim during this time
Where do you microchip a bird?
Breast muscle
Why don’t you microchip SC?
Ends up in air sac
Where do you microchip a bird of prey?
Thigh to avoid damaging flight
What equipment do you need to microchip a bird?
Suture or glue to close skin, GA, pain relief
Why should you wash off iodine before glueing skin?
Reacts with iodine
What do birds look like in severe pain?
Reduced appetite, inactivity
What do birds look like in mild or nagging pain?
Picking at site, resting affected area, reduced activity, changes to vocalisation, less willing to interact
Where do you listen to a bird’s lungs?
Under wing
What should a bird’s heart rate be?
Over 250, shouldn’t be able to count
What could a low heart rate in a bird suggets?
Heart disease
What happens if you take eggs away in cockatiels?
Or will keep laying and present cachexic and eggbound
What’s the problem with a large liver caused by obesity?
Less space for air sac, triggers feather picking
Which air sac can rupture following trauma?
Intra-clavicular
How soon should the crop empty?
2-3 hours
What can happen if crop emptying is too slow?
Predisposes to infection
What can “diarrhoea” in parrots actually be?
Caecal faeces passed separately
When are caecal faeces produced more?
If fresh or high fibre food
What can happen if you feed hand-reared birds food that is too hot?
Crop burns
Which are the only birds roundworm is an issue for?
Aviary birds (esp those that feed on the ground)
Why should you be careful with Panacur during the breeding season?
Will regurgitate
Do you need to treat Salmonellosis?
No
When do you see red mites?
On host at night, and in the wooden avaries
In which housing is Northern mite a problem?
Bird rooms
Is Northern mite found in the environment?
No - obligate parasite
What happens if you get Northern mite?
Kills whole nests
What does bacterial skin disease smell like?
Fish
How long can Greys live?
Into their 40s
What does passive smoking predispose to?
Aspergillosis via inhalation or touch
WHich tumours do budgies often get?
Lipoma, gonads, kidneys, preen gland
Why do budgies get poor gripping reflex in a renal tumour?
Sciatic nerve runs across kidneys
What’s the problem with lipomas in cockatoos?
Inside coelomic cavity so problem if tries to lay eggs
Which species often gets feather cysts?
Canary
What are behavioural problems NOT likely to be?
Boredom
What is the only way to prevent self-mutilation?
A collar
What are some drugs you can use for behavioural problems in birds?
Diazepam, haloperidol, suprelorin, naloxone, prozac
What colour is bruising when resolving?
Green
When is the only time you use steroids in birds?
PTFE poisoning
