INDOOR BIRDS Flashcards
What are passarines?
Perching or song birds like canaries or finches
Handbills and soft bills
Anisodactyl feet, 3 toes forwards 1 back
Very high metabolic rate, normally 2 degrees above
What are the common features of psittacines?
Parrots, macaw, cockatoos, budgies
Hooked beaks and short necks
Zygodactyl beaks, 2 toes forward 2 back
Mostly seed eaters
How do budgies show sex dismorphism?
Cere- bit above beak
Blue cere- males
Brown cere- females
How do cockatoos show sexual dismorphism?
Black iris- males
Brown iris- females
How do cockatiels show sexual dismorphism?
Difference in tail feathers after first moult
How to sex indoor birds if difficult to see?
Endoscopy for visual assessment of genitals
DNA analysis of blood or feather pulp
What is the legal requirement for size of cages?
According to wildlife and countryside act 1981, wings must be able to extend fully in all directions
What should the cages be made out of
Horizontal bars
Stainless steal, not powder coated
What are the problems with seed based diets?
Variable in quality and nutritional composition
`high in fat
Can lead to selective feeding
What nutrients do indoor birds need?
Amino acids
Iodine
Calcium
Phosphorus
Vitamins A, E and D
How much fruit and vegetables should birds have?
50%
Why should diet changes be gradual
Parrots are like toddlers
Birds may bite, become aggressive
Birds may go into hunger strike, which could caused hepatic lipidoisis (fatty liver)
Why is grit needed?
Helps break down food like seeds because birds don’t have teeth
Encourages natural behaviour of pecking
Sources of calcium,
What causes zinc toxicity
Powder/ coated cages
Coins
Keys
Lead rings
What are some signs of zinc toxicity
Lethargy
Weakness
Weight loss
Deinming and urinatimg more
Neurological signs