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Information for preparing for your new Bignest Aviary bird.
Your new bird’s cage should be all set up and ready for your
bird when he/she arrives. Cage – The minimum size I would
recommend for a Timneh is 24' wide x 24" deep x 27" high (inside dimensions of
cage) 3/4" bar spacing The minimum I would
recommend for a The Minimum size I would recommend for a Macaw is 40 wide x 30 deep by 45" high (inside cage dimensions) 1" bar spacing. Macaws need the inside height to accommodate their long tail.
Perches
– Make sure your perches are the proper size of safe material and are not slippery. Young birds will fall if they cannot get a good
grip on the perch. Place perches close to the
food bowls and water bottle. Be careful not to
place a perch below another where a bird could hit it if it fell off the perch above.
Toys – Place toys next to perches or on the sides of the cage. Avoid placing a toy in the middle top of the cage where a baby may go and get tired playing and then fall. If you have bells on your toys please check the clappers to make sure a bird cannot pull it out of the bell and swallow it. If you can get to it with a pair of pliers and pull it out your bird can do the same. Remove the clapper if there is any chance your bird can get to it.
Step-up Arm Protector - I will provide all Macaw baby customers with a Step-up Arm Proctor. Your bird has been using this while here and is very comfortable stepping onto it providing you have it secure on your arm so it doesn't slip. Not only will it make this transition easier for your new baby but will save your arm from the discomfort of an insecure baby's nails.
Grate
– Make sure your cage has a bottom grate so if your bird plays on the bottom of the
cage it will not be playing in poop or retrieving dirty food from the floor of the cage. Young birds will play on the bottom of the cage.
Towel
– A thick towel on one part of the bottom of the cage can serve a few purposes. Your baby may still want to nap or sleep on the
bottom of the cage. You can also feed soft
foods and veggies and fruits on the towel. Some
babies are not coordinated enough to sit on a perch with one foot and hold food to eat
with the other so they may drop allot of food. The
towel will catch the food. A towel can also
cushion a fall and may be a good idea if you have a cage larger than what I recommend for
your size bird. Larger is not always better
for baby birds especially when they fall from the very top all the way to the bottom of
the cage.
Food
– If your bird is being shipped -I have sent you both Roudybush Maintenance
and/or Breeder and Zupreme Fruit Blend Breeder parrot/conure size pellets. Supply Large bird size if you like as they get better at
holding their food with their foot. I find they waste less if I feed the medium size.
If you are picking up your bird I will give you a care package the day you pick up
your bird with food, a rope, a toy, and other items. I will also send a few of the nuts
and treats I feed regularly. I will only
provide a couple days supply so make sure you have plenty on hand when your bird
arrives. These pellets can be kept fresh in the freezer. Always check the expiration day on the bag of feed
when purchasing. These products usually have a
shelf life of 1 year. If you see an expiration
date with only one month left you know this bag has been sitting someplace for 11 months
since it was produced. These babies have eaten both type of pellets but I provide the Breeder form of both brands of pellets. The pellets you buy in the store are usually maintenance pellets. Yes, there is a difference and yes, the birds do know the difference. I use the breeder for the young birds to keep them growing. Maintenance are for *Maintaining* the body weight of an adult bird so they don't gain weight. They have less fat and less calcium etc. that both breeder and baby birds need. Your baby may or may not convert easily to the maintenance pellets of either kind. You can feed one or both brand of pellets. Your bird will eventually make that decision. Nuts should be human
grade. For young birds they should be shelled
so the baby actually gets to eat the nut. Their
beaks when young are not strong enough to open the shells so they play with them but never
get to eat the nut defeating the purpose of feeding them.
I purchase Diamond brand cooking nuts at Sam’s in bags. Remember no salted nuts and no raw peanuts. Have a supply of apples and grapes and
any other fruits or veggies you want to try. They
are most familiar with apples, carrots and grapes. A batch of bird bread will help sooth
a weary traveler!
Airline shipped - If
your bird is coming by airline make sure you are there a minimum of ½ hour early. Seldom planes come in early but it has happened.
Bignest pick up - If you are picking up your bird at Bignest Aviary make sure you allow a minimum of one hour so I can introduce you to your baby and I can help you with any questions you might have. Write your questions down on a piece of paper so you will remember what you want to ask. Carrier - Make sure you have the proper carrier or let me know ahead of time so I can have one here for you. These are the same carriers I use to ship the birds. They are cat/dog carriers - small for Greys and Med for Macaws. Put a towel in the bottom so the bird does not slip. You will be able to use this carrier again when taking your bird to the vet or where ever you have to go. It is always good to have one on hand so the bird is familiar with it and in case of an emergency of any kind. Please do not bring a paper box.
Enjoy - I think that covers most everything. Please
read the Q&A Page and the First
Day Home Page
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