Q: The closest avian veterinarian is three hours away! What should I do if my parrot gets sick?
Brandi V, Chattanooga, TN

 Why an “avian” veterinarian?

A: There is a very good reason for all the fuss about avian veterinarians. Dogs, cats and other mammals have physiology that is entirely different than that of birds. There are diseases which confront only avian species and the medications for an illness must be geared specifically toward the treatment of birds.

Even the most routine examination of a parrot requires proper ...

People are not so very different from automobiles. As long as you keep the car’s fluids and oil at proper levels, use a good grade of gasoline, and bring it in routinely for maintainance, it will probably serve you well for a long time.

In order for the human body to operate efficiently we need to maintain proper levels of vitamins and minerals by eating a healthy diet and see our doctors often so they can diagnose any potential illness. A routine blood check will tell if we are vitamin ...

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Maybe it’s my suspiscious nature, but whenever a doctor or vet “highly recommends” a name brand product (especially if they sell it), I think twice. To be fair, I must acknowedge that many may carry products because they truly beileve in their health benefits. But there are also those who carry products, and push them, because it benefits their bank accounts.

Many medical professionals receive kickbacks for promoting certain brands of products. (A kickback is a payment of money, favors or something else of value offered in exchange for pushing ...

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“Oh wow, you’re just soooooo fat,” my Eclectus Pepi has started saying to people in a very despairing voice. My voice. He picks his audience too. I have one relative who is particularly concerned with her appearance so naturally she is his favourite target. As he uses my voice – I’m the one that gets the blame for being rude. How dare I teach my bird to say that to her???

 

Ever heard the saying that if something seems too good to be true then it probably is? I think that’s what was bugging me about my Blue & Gold Macaw, Fid. I found myself with this beautifully good-natured creature that just seemed so perfect. I kept waiting for bad health news or for something to go wrong.

I put Fid through every screening test that my vet could think of; just to ...

 

 

 

People who work with lorikeets tend to regularly complain about their bird’s poo. It’s a runny, sticky, noxious substance, that I half-jokingly argue has the corrosive power to melt concrete. If that’s not bad enough – lorikeets happily shoot it on a 45-degree angle. None of this business of a nice clean drop straight through a grille at the base of a cage! Lorikeets are happiest if they can “paint” nearby walls.

 

That’s an ...