Showing posts with label Birds. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Birds. Show all posts

Friday, October 21, 2011

Animals and air filter

Pet owners face significant challenges in maintaining good indoor air quality for human and animal inhabitants of the house. Just as people can be allergic to the hair and pet dander, the opposite may be true. Pets are particularly vulnerable to poor indoor air quality by pollutants from paints, carpets, insulation and building materials has caused.

Reducing symptoms of allergies to animals

Where animal allergies are concerned, the logic was to eliminate the causes of allergens. Telling pet owners to remove the animals from the house of a loved one is like telling them to give their children. This is not an option. There are measures to reduce the symptoms of pet allergies.

Identify areas of animal life

Animals must be given one or two rooms in which to live. In any case, the animal should be allowed in the bedrooms of allergy sufferers. The room in which a person spends more time at home, so it is important for the quality of air inside the room can be as free of animal allergens.

Frequent cleaning of surfaces

Quality of indoor air can be frequent dusting, vacuuming and cleaning products with the deposition of particles to be improved from the house, such as money laundering or reject the pads can be removed. Vacuum bags should be changed frequently. Fabrics, curtains, blankets, carpets should wash frequently and shake out to remove hair and pet dander.

Regularly change the air filters

Home heating and central air conditioning systems should periodically review the effectiveness and the site includes regularly changing the air filter must be maintained. If animals are present, the air filters should be changed more often than suggested. High-quality filters to use. These quality filters prevent the folded section, the return of pet allergens and pollutants in the other rooms and odor control animal.

Choosing the right type of air filters

Indoor air quality significantly with the addition of air filters of high quality in all rooms and allergies to pets can be improved by visiting installed. Shop for the best designs at prices that fit your budget. There are air filters that are designed specifically for dogs, cats and birds.

Humans, dogs and cats shed their fur or hair, and produce a lot of hair (dead cells). These are the most common causes of allergies, especially asthmatics. The installation of a high quality air filter improves the quality of indoor air. Quality of filters to remove suspended particles. The higher the better, you can treat the air filter for fine particles. The saliva of dogs and cats are the source of the airborne particles that cause allergic reactions. The choice of high quality filters to treat the molecules exposed to the saliva also significantly improved air quality in interior spaces.

Domestic birds is a challenge because of how their feathers block. Pet hair is like a cloud of fine dust particles are released when they shake their feathers. Air filters are available for the treatment of these fine particles.

Managing the quality of indoor air

Air quality depends regularly change air filters. Quality filters remove fine particles of pollutants, saliva, hair and hair. Regular washing of fabrics as well as dusting and vacuuming reduces large amounts of allergens to be resolved. Regular brushing and care of animals also reduces particulate matter. Animals and air filters are a must for a harmonious coexistence with allergies.

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Creating the Perfect Finches Nest

When creating a finches nest is very important to know what will benefit the birds in terms of size and materials. Creating it can be easy and affordable; you've just got to know how. Remember that for a finch building a nest is about safety and shelter.

You can purchase pre-made nests from most retailers, and also on the internet. Some are boxes made out of wood while others are more like circular baskets; they are made of natural materials hand woven. They are popular because they look like what you would see outside.

You can get nests which go on the inside of the cage but to save space it is advised to purchase one that can be attached to the outside and where the top can be opened. This'll guarantee that the young ones are safe and secure after hatching and also means it can be cleaned and air dried. It'll be cleaner and more reusable in the future, cleaning also prevents disease.

They are originally tropical birds so you might consider a 'finch nest box'. It is wooden with a hole on one side which allows enough air in but keeps the adults and young finches warm at night.

A double finch nest is good for saving space. It is a box but with a partition dividing it. Remember though, not to give this kind of nest to two territorial finches.

You can recreate how a finches nest is in the wild by finding a tray and filling it with soil and grass seeds. Wait for them to grow, let the finches build their nest and put it in the cage.

When it comes to materials for the finches nest you can use things collected from home or purchased. By instinct a finch will collect anything when building the interior of its nest so make sure the materials are clean, safe and natural. Synthetics are bad for the health of your finch. Also make sure, if you're using string or threat to cut it into small pieces with no unwanted excess, so they won't get tangled up in it.

Make the finches nest sturdy enough on the outside but soft enough on the inside. They like to line their nests with feathers so it's worthwhile having a good supply available. Feathers of various types can be purchased at affordable prices online and also from pet stores.

All finches have their own unique personalities and this will come through in how they build their nests. Each new nest may be slightly different than the last.

Remember to avoid constant handling of their eggs. They are made with tiny pores that allow the chick enough air. By touching the eggs too much you are cutting down the finches air supply quite a lot which will be bad for their health.

Building your finches nest is easy and affordable. It is possible to create a happy, healthy environment for them, you've just got to know the best materials to use, the one's to avoid, and what will keep your finches happy.


Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Create the Best Aviary or Cage for Your Finches

Zebra Finches are easy to care for and that includes when they are breeding. The little birds are great pets due their quirky little personalities, and they are one of the easiest types of finches to breed. It has been said that they will even help to rear the young of other finches like rare types of Australian Grass Finches.

There are many ways the male and female are different. The males have a number of distinguishing features. Some are: orange cheek patches, stripes on the throat, a chestnut colored flank with white spots, and black bar on the breast. Females lack these features and are gray in those areas mentioned. There little beaks are generally a brighter red in males and an orange color in females. The younger male birds, Juveniles, look like females, but with a black beak. Once the Juveniles reach 90 days, the beak and adult colors are usually complete.

Spring is breeding season for the finches. They need a specific environment for successful breeding. Some will do very well as a single pair in a breeding box, while others need a large aviary with many other birds around. A compatible pair of Zebra Finches will nest in almost any environment. They are good parents and rarely have breeding related problems. Both the male and female share responsibility in raising the young. The male will weave the nest using nesting materials like grasses, feathers, or commercially prepared finch nesting material in the cage or aviary. As soon as the hen lays her eggs, it is your job to remove any excess nesting material from the cage. This prevents the male from covering up the eggs in his enthusiasm to make improvements.

The female will lay one egg every other day until the clutch is complete. The average clutch size is four to five eggs. After the eggs are laid the hen who will spend most of her time on the nest. The male will often relieve her for food and exercise breaks. Twelve to eighteen days later, the eggs will begin to hatch.

Parents will need an unlimited access to calcium, such as cuttlebone and high protein foods when chicks are in the nest.

In approximately 18 days, the chicks will feather out and start to leave the nest. By the time the chicks are about a month old they will be eating completely on their own and, thus, can be separated from their parents. The male Zebra Finch will finish feeding the chicks and can rejoin the female after the chicks are completely weaned.

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Finches Are Social Birds

Finches, like most animals, are very social. Finch birds need the companionship of not only their owner, but even more importantly, other birds; preferably another bird of the same species. Keep in mind that in the wild, finches travel in flocks. Finches aren't like parrots, you may become very close to your bird, and while he/she will enjoy your company, they probably will not bond with you.

Finches prefer the company and will bond with other birds. So it is imperative that you do not purchase a single bird. Purchase your birds in pairs, a male and a female would be ideal. If you don't plan to breed your birds, you can buy two birds of the same sex if you prefer.

If you can, buy a healthy male and female finch so you can breed them if you want to later on. Your finches will readily breed if their living area is comfortable, clean, stress free, has good lighting, adequate heat and good solid nutritious seeds and live food items.

A single finch is a lonely finch. If you buy a single finch the animal will become lonely, stressed and ill. Your bird will not display the beauty, activity and vibrancy that is so unique to finches. You will not be able to fully enjoy the company of this exotic bird because it is longing for the companionship of its own species.

Most finches will thrive with other species of birds just to have someone to interact with. Try to house them with birds of similar size. Finches do wonderfully with other finches and soft-billed birds. Hook-billed birds tend to be a bit aggressive and can bully and possibly injure your finches so any hook-billed birds and finches should be housed separately.

Providing your finches with companionship will enhance your bird's living environment keeping them healthy, active and happy. Not to mention how much more joy you and your family will get from watching your birds socialize and interact with each other.

So when considering purchasing finches for pets, keep in mind that you will need at least two birds to keep them happy and give them the social interaction they crave. This also means you must provide a living area large enough for two birds. Remember your birds need enough living space to be able to reach full flight so that they can get plenty of activity and burn up all that energy that they would naturally expend in the wild during hours long flights.

Finches are wonderful, quirky little birds with pleasant personalities that make wonderful pets. If you have ever considered purchasing finches for pets, I would suggest that you pay a visit to a local breeder and find out about the wonders of owning natures little beauties.

Wednesday, December 1, 2010

Zebra Finches are easy to care for and that includes when they are breeding. The little birds are great pets due their quirky little personalities,

When creating the ideal aviary or cage for your finches remember that as small as they are they're very energetic and need space to move. They are made to fly long distances so this must be taken into consideration when building their home. For the benefit of their health and wellbeing they must not be kept in an environment that is too small or suffocating.

You have two options when it comes to an aviary or cage for your finches, purchasing one or building one;

Constructing one is usually the cheaper option and most of the tools can be found close to home; such as a hammer, nails, staple gun, saw, barbed wire, sandpaper, wire screening and lumber.
• Make the lumber splinter free by sanding it down.
• Create the front, back and sides by building frames.
• Stretch the mesh over each of them.
• Screw all the parts together.
• You now have the basics of an aviary.

If not an aviary for your finches then a cage for your is a good alternative. Remember don't purchase a cage that is too small, and don't overcrowd the cage with too many birds; remember space is essential to their health.

A 'Flight bird cages' is another idea. They are made for birds that need to move a lot. They are a lot taller and wider than other cages and are made to house more birds in the one space. They come with several feeders and perches. You can have more than two finches in a flight bird cage but don't forget the issue of space.

When it comes to accessories stick only to what is needed;
• Finch feeders for food and water.
• Dishes for bathing and for treats and grit.
• Perches of different sizes depending on the size of the aviary or cage. Perches are good for your finches feet and for keeping their toe nails trimmed.
• For the bottom of the cage use either grit paper or paper sprinkled with grit.
• An optional extra is a 'bird protector' disk on the side of the cage. This is great for protecting them from mites.
• A great idea is to give them a nest box for them to sleep in at night.
• However you choose to create their home, remember it should have ventilation, be draft free and in a well lit area but away from direct sunlight.

These are just a few ideas to get you started. There are many other resources available to help you in the form of eBooks, websites, online articles and pet stores.

Creating a good aviary or cage for your finches is essential to their health, and usually affordable depending on how you approach it. They have minimal demands and will offer you lots of leisure time in return. They are small yet sturdy and tend to live a long time. Due to their endless energy, cheery bird song and beautiful colours they offer all finch enthusiasts' hours of amusement and entertainment.

Thursday, November 11, 2010

Finches Are Wonderful Pets

Why do people love having finches as pets? What makes them unique? A few of the reasons could be how beautiful they are to look at and how entertaining they are to watch. They are also very easy to keep and look after, which is a great benefit. It is however important to know how.

Nowadays many of us have busy lives, we generally don't want a pet that takes up hours of our time; time we may not have. That's why these happy energetic little birds are perfect because as long as they have enough food and water they will be happy and content to fly around their cage entertaining themselves.

For those who don't have a busy life and have the time having finches as pets is also great because of their energy and personality traits. Some breeds of finches are quieter than others but when they do sing it's always pleasant to listen to.

Finches are generally independent and don't always bond with people, although it is possible with some species overtime. The benefit of this is that they won't feel lonely if left for certain periods of time. This is one of the reasons for their popularity, especially amongst people who want to own a pet that will be fine without them always being there.

The main thing about having finches as pets is maintaining their living environment, whether it is a cage or aviary. Changing their water and leaving enough food for them, changing any accessories to different places in the cage to give them variety, and cleaning out the bottom of the cage to keep their home healthy and keep them happy.

As long as you remember the main things; food, water, cage cleaning, and also trimming your finches nails, you shouldn't have too any problems. Other things can be learned along the way, there are resources in the form of ebooks, web searches and pet stores.

Although finches are independent pets they are very sociable within their own groups so it would be a good idea to get two or more. A male and female will probably breed more frequently so it is recommended that you keep only females. Some experts on finches recommend groups of six or more.

Finches come in a wide variety; such as the Zebra Finch, the Gouldian Finch and the Society, or Bengalese, Finch. They are all beautiful to look at and energetic with their own personalities, yet some species share certain common behaviour traits.

For example, some finches are more aggressive while others are more timid, some are louder while others are quieter. In the end it is up to you to find a species of finch that suits your personality and will make you happy.

Owning finches as pets will be one of the most rewarding experiences you ever have. They are fun, energetic, hardy, independent, and beautiful to look at. They come in a wide range of colours and patterns, and are a wonderful addition to any bird lover's household.

Sunday, October 10, 2010

Gouldian Finches Are Spectacular!

These beautiful finches are splendidly colored finches. The colors on their backs are gray, red, or orange heads, blue or green, whereas underneath the colors are purple, white, or yellow. Sometimes they almost appear to be unnatural because their colors are so vivid.

The black-headed (Poephila gouldiae), the red-headed (Poephila mirabilis) and the yellow-headed (Poephila armitiana) are three varieties that are naturally-occurring in color. These are the color varieties that are generally recognized, but there can be any number of color combinations derived from these basic colorations -- including blue and yellow-bodied mutations.

In my opinion, they are one of the most colorful birds in the world. As in many species of birds, the coloration of the male Gouldian Finch is much more brilliant than that of the female. The male also has a noticeably longer center tail feather, giving him lots to boast about. An added feature is that only the males sing, and some better than others.

They come from the northern region of the Australian tropics. Unfortunately, since the 1960's, Australia has banned the exportation of animals from the country. Again unfortunately, the they are endangered in their natural habitat. This does not mean, however, that they aren't plentiful in other areas and easy to find.

Gouldian Finches are much more difficult to care for and breed than their heartier cousins, the Zebra and the Society Finches. I certainly wouldn't recommend them for the novice bird owner who may have little or no experience with captive finches.

I have found that these finches, like many other types of finches, do not like to be petted or held. That says to me that those who would like a pet bird, one they can easily finger tame, should realize these aren't the right birds for them.

Like the rest of the finches, Gouldian Finches are social and should be kept in one or more pairs. Also, since they are easily disrupted by frequent changes in their housing environment or by movement of their cage, you should find the perfect place to put them and leave them there. The reasoning behind that is that when they undergo frequent stress, it can eventually lead to weakening in the their resistance to disease. A happy finch is a healthy finch.

These little birds are very active. Whether they are in a cage or an aviary, they need the largest flying space out of any other finch species. Even though they are between five and five and a half inches in size, they need a minimum flying space of about twenty inches.

Their cages can either be metal or wooden and the space between cage bars is never greater than one-half inch. This is to prevent injury and escape. Brass cages are not recommended because of the potential toxic qualities. However, most cages that are brass in color are not actually made of brass.

Thursday, September 2, 2010

Feathers for Bird Nests - Fun With Swallows

Watching swallows grab feathers out of the air provides hours of off-line entertainment.

By providing the right kind of feathers in the right way, you can easily attract swallows. Every spring, swallows search for the best soft materials to improve the comfort and warmth of their nests. Soft and downy feathers, a finger-length long are the perfect size and swallows get excited when they find a good source.

Air-born feathers are best although swallows will sometimes land to pick up a feather. But they usually grab feathers off the ground while flying since these birds are not efficient hoppers or walkers. If you scatter feathers on the ground for the birds, just make sure that the area is even, free from obstructions, and has plenty of space for the birds to make their approach and exit flights Swallows are very cautious when they pick feathers off the ground in flight. Several practice approaches serve to help the bird to know if a feather grab is safe. This makes sense as they are zooming down beak-first at 20 miles an hour to pick up a feather. They are safer grabbing feathers in the air.

Here is the most fun part: launch feathers into the air from a ten-foot, small-diameter plastic pipe. Place a feather at one end and blow it into the air from the other end like a dart gun. After a few days, the swallows catch on that airborne feathers are being offered when they see the pipe raised. Time your launches so the wind is right and the swallows are nearby. With the correct wind, launching feathers by hand works, but usually the plumes drift quickly and disappointingly to the ground.

The swallow's mouths make a small snap sound when closing or attempting to close on a feather.

The amazing aerialists must learn that the best way to fly with a big feather is to carry it curved under the body, shaft-first. So feathers are often dropped mid-air to change to the best position. When this happens the feather may get seized by another swallow and a chase is on.

Barnyard fowl are a good source of feathers. If you know a farm with chickens, geese, or turkeys, have them save the feathers. Then take care of the feathers. Barnyard birds may have parasites like mites. Place future swallow nest feathers in a freezer for 48 hours, remove for a couple of days and freeze again. This kills adult parasites the first freeze, lets any remaining eggs hatch when the feathers are out of the freezer, and kills them during the second freeze.