Parrot family birds

Your bird has a cold because it is placed in a draft. A cheerful sunny window is a good spot if there isn't too much breeze, particularly on a cold day when the window should be closed.

Sick birds have ruffled plumage with the head often under the wing. It may be heard to sneeze and sniffle when breathing. A tiny blob of medicated petroleum jelly may be placed in the beak with a toothpick. With this same toothpick, apply a small amount of nose drops on each nostril. Place the bird immediately in your hospital cage at 85-90° for a week or two till cured. If you don't have this cage, keep the bird near, or if it isn't too hot, over the radiator. Another treatment is to cover the cage and allow the fumes from a hot teakettle's spout to enter from the bottom of the cage. A heated menthol ointment may be placed in the kettle with a little water. A new treatment is a drop from a liquid "Ana-hist" atomizer in the beak.

PNEUMONIA

An untreated cold may lead to pneumonia, the symptoms of which are the same as in a cold, except that the lungs are affected, and the bird gasps for breath. Penicillin ad­ministered by a veterinarian is the best cure. Carry the bird to him in your hospital cage, as it is imperative that it be kept at 85-90 degrees, and the veterinarian may not have a hospital cage for a bird.

FEATHER PLUCKING AND CARE OF PLUMAGE

Some Parrots are addicted to this bad habit. Some au­thorities claim that it is the lack of protein in the diet which causes the bird to crave for the taste of blood from its pin feathers, and suggest adding a little raw hamburger to a Parrot's diet to satisfy this need. A change of scenery is recommended, with a chance to fly if possible. Give the bird something to occupy itself with, such as a piece of a branch or block of wood.

It is best not to pull out a broken pinfeather, as a new one will be eventually sent out. If the feather is fully grown but defective, only then pull it out.

In the case of an ingrown pinfeather, which you will notice as a whitish lump in the wing where this occurs, an operation with a razor blade is called for. One or two persons will have to hold the bird, while you make an incision deep enough to reach the root of the feather. If the incision is made at the proper depth, the whole impacted feather may be easily withdrawn with a pair of tweezers. A few pieces of cotton dipped in alcohol will absorb the small amount of blood so you may see what you are doing. If you fail to make a deep enough incision, part of the feather may remain in the wing causing another swollen lump, and you will have to start all over again.

Broken or worn flight and tail feathers may be pulled out, and will be replaced within a month. Only 2 or 3 feathers may be pulled out at one time. Pulling out too many may start feather picking. When pulling out a wing feather, hold the wing firmly with the right hand at the base of the feath­er you are extracting, and pull the one feather out with a quick outward motion, so as not to hurt the wing.

Any bird may be started into preening its feathers by spraying with water in an atomizer. Some fanciers, when exhibiting at a bird show, put a few drops of glycerine in the water when spraying to give their birds a little sheen to the feathers. This isn't really necessary if your birds are on a good diet and in top condition.

Diseases and Health Problems 109

EGG-BINDING

This trouble usually occurs in birds which are permitted to breed in cold weather. Love Birds, and Shell Parrakeets in particular, should have all nest boxes removed at the end of the breeding season or after the 2nd or 3rd brood is raised. Many commercial breeders separate the sexes, putting them in different flight pens at that time.

Egg-binding or difficult labor, is brought on by sudden changes in the weather when the hen is ready to lay, causing spasmodic contractions of the uterus which in turn makes passage of the egg difficult. This may occur in warm weather also, if a hen is laying her first egg. A main cause is starting the breeding season too early. In the New York latitude, it is better to start breeding operations in the middle of March at the earliest.

The symptoms of egg-binding are apparent when a hen is groggy in actions, and stays on the cage bottom straining to lay the egg. The egg may be felt by the lump in the abdo­men.

The best method for removal is to place a drop or two of olive oil in the vent, then hold the bird over steam arising from a pan or teakettle spout of hot water for a few minutes without scalding the bird; after which place the bird in its nest or in a heated hospital cage. If the egg is not passed in 20 minutes try the treatment again.

If you have skillful fingers and the egg still has not been ejected, it may be eased out by gentle pressure behind the egg. A few more drops of olive oil in the vent will make things easier.

A nail clipper is the best instrument to use for trimming the tip of the upper mandible when it grows too long. Clip along the sides of the upper mandible at the tip, leaving a point. If your Psittacine Bird was given a block of wood or piece of branch to exercise its bill on, this will be less of a problem.

110 Parrot Family Birds

Claws are trimmed with clippers by first holding each claw up to the light where you may see the vein in the claw, and where the tip is solid. Trim off at an angle at this point.

Effective November 15, 1951, all federal restrictions on the interstate shipment of psittacine birds were rescinded. Shipments are now subject only to state laws. While most states have also rescinded their laws prohibiting shipment, the following are still to be observed:

Maryland and Connecticut. Birds cannot be sold, given away, or shipped into these states. However, both states have their laws under consideration, and it is assumed these laws will be modified before the end of 1953.

Nebraska. Permit required to ship birds into the state. Permit may be obtained from State Board of Health.

Wyoming. Permit required to ship birds into the state. Permit obtained from State Live Stock and Sanitary Board.

Washington. Certificate of inventory and origin of ship­ment required to ship birds into the state. Certificate may be obtained from Department of Health prior to shipping of birds.

Michigan and New Jersey. Psittacine birds can be sold within the state, but birds may not be shipped into the state except to zoos.

Oregon. Psittacine birds may be sold within state. Per­mits to bring birds in will be issued by State Board of Health upon sworn affidavit by owner to following conditions: no more than two birds; in owner's possession for two years, hav­ing no contact with other psittacine birds during that time; birds accompanied by owner; birds will be transported im­mediately to owner's home and retained there as household pets. Permits to ship birds to zoos or research institutes issued on sworn statement including type and number of birds to be shipped.

IMPORTING

The latest amendments in the Public Law dated and approved May 24, 1949, state that except for Migratory Birds

Regulations 111

which require a permit from the Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Department of Interior, Wash. 25, D.C., general permits are no longer expressly required, although the new law pro­vides that the Secretary of the Treasury shall prescribe such requirements, and issue such permits as he may deem neces­sary for the transportation of birds under humane and health­ful conditions. The plane or ship premises must be sanitary, and the birds properly fed and cared for.

Migratory birds imported from Mexico must be accom­panied by Mexican export permits. The law further states that if any bird was captured, shipped, possessed or exported contrary to the law of the foreign country or a subdivision thereof, entry will be denied. A long new list of birds mi­grating from Mexico into the United States has recently been added to the previous listing.

The European Starling is one of the birds dealt with in this book whose entry is prohibited. Its sufficient numbers in many parts of the United States make it easily obtainable for a pet. The other birds whose importation is prohibited are:

European Yellowhammer, English Sparrow, Crested or Chinese Mynah, Skylark, Common Mynah, Greenfinch, Chaf­finch, European Bullfinch.

Under a 1952 regulation exhibitors of psittacine birds, or entertainers who use birds in their acts, can take psittacine birds out of the United States and bring them back if they apply for a permit. They contact the Surgeon General of the United States Public Health Service, Washington 25, D.C., prior to departure for a permit. This is accompanied by a sworn statement showing the itinerary, number and descrip­tion of birds, a statement that he will comply with the terms of the permit and give any other information the Surgeon General may request.

Mostly the regulation changes the definition of a Zoolo­gical park. Their definition is that it is a place for the ex­hibition of live animals for recreational or educational pur­poses. It does not include any place that is used for, or whose owner or operator engages directly or indirectly in, selling

112 Parrot Family Birds

or trading, or offering for sale or trade, psittacine birds to the public or to dealers in birds.

Psittacine birds can be brought in for medical research and Zoological parks. A maximum of two psittacine birds can be brought into the U. S. by an owner if they are in good health, if he swears upon arrival that they are not intended for sale or trade, and that no other member of his family has brought in psittacine birds in the preceding 12 months. The birds must have been in his possession for the four months preceding arrival in the U. S. except for the period occasioned by the arrival of the owner and the birds on sepa­rate conveyances. These permits can be cancelled if com­pliance of the permit is not met, or if cancellation is neces­sary in the interest of public health. Zoos and medical re­search groups can have these permits executed through bird importers and dealers.

In all instances of psittacine birds being brought into the U. S. they must appear to be in good health. They cannot be brought in if exposed to psittacosis or if they have been in contact with birds showing symptoms suggestive of psitta­cosis or with birds dying from unconfirmed causes. In these cases the birds have to be destroyed, except if the owner wishes to export them; and this has to be done in a reason­able length of time and with the permission of the medical doctor in charge. Port of entry expenses are borne by the owner.

As the author of this book, I hope to see more of the U.S. Public take up the absorbing hobby of bird keeping and breeding, whether for pleasure or profit.

Under the strains of daily life, we all need to escape into a little world of our own making, where tension and strife are forgotten during the time we spend with an en­grossing hobby.