The Alaska Bird Club: Bird Care Health and Safety

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Calendar:

2024

TUE, APR 2, 2024
Educational Meeting
7-9PM (Zoom)

SAT, APR 27, 2024
Board Meeting, 5-7PM (Zoom)

TUE, MAY 7, 2024
Educational Meeting
7-9PM (Zoom)

SAT, MAY 18, 2024
"Reading Rendezvous" on the Loussac Library lawn 12-4pm

SAT, MAY 25, 2024
Board Meeting, 5-7PM (Zoom)

TUE, JUN 4, 2024
Educational Meeting
7-9PM (In-person and Zoom)

SAT, JUN 22, 2024
Board Meeting, 5-7PM (Zoom)

SAT, JUN 29, 2024
Bird Club Picnic, Abbott Park, 11AM-3PM
CLICK HERE

TUE, JUL 2, 2024
NO EDUCATIONAL MEETING UNTIL AUGUST 1

SAT, JUL 27, 2024
Board Meeting, 5-7PM

TUE, AUG 6, 2024
Educational Meeting
7-9PM

SAT, AUG 24, 2024
Board Meeting, 5-7PM (Zoom)

TUE, SEP 3, 2024
Educational Meeting
7-9PM (In-person and Zoom)

SAT, SEP 21, 2024
Board Meeting, 5-7PM (Zoom)

TUE, OCT 1, 2024
Educational Meeting
7-9PM (Zoom)

SAT, OCT 26, 2024
Board Meeting, 5-7PM (Zoom)

TUE, NOV 5, 2024
Educational Meeting
7-9PM (Zoom)

SAT, NOV 23, 2024
Board Meeting, 5-7PM (Zoom)

TUE, DEC 3, 2024
Holiday Potluck AND Board Elections
(In-person and Zoom)

SAT, DEC 28, 2024
Board Meeting, 5-7PM (Zoom)

2025

TUE, JAN 7, 2025
Educational Meeting
(Zoom)7-9PM

SAT, JAN 25, 2025
Board Meeting, 5-7PM (Zoom)

TUE, FEB 4, 2025
Educational Meeting
7-9PM (Zoom)

SAT, FEB 22, 2025
Board Meeting, 5-7PM (Zoom)

TUE, MAR 4, 2025
Educational Meeting
7-9PM (In-person and Zoom)

SAT, MAR 22, 2025
Board Meeting, 5-7PM (Zoom)

Bird Care: Health and Safety
General Information • Veterinarians • Health and Safety
Housing • Nutrition • Activity • Downloads

General Health and Safety Information

Note: All the information below is very general and by no means an exhaustive resource. You can get more detailed information from published books, articles and from reputable web sites. Do your research! For our companion animals, we are responsible for learning about what is healthy as well as what is harmful to them. If you are unsure about what is appropriate for your type of bird, do your research and ask a lot of questions. Remember: when in doubt, don't do it until you can check it out!

1.	Some house plants are toxic to birds. There are many websites that list them out specifically. The most common houseplants that are toxic are Dieffenbachia and some types of Ivy, but there are many more! See the various lists of safe plants detailed on the net.
2.	Birds are especially sensitive to airborne toxins. Spray-on oven cleaners, cigarette smoke, floor polishes, hair spray, house paint, pesticides, scented candles, room air fresheners, NON-STICK cookware ("Teflon" and its cousins), and so on. Cars in garages, running for even a short time and even after the engine is shut down, can emit huge amounts of nasty fumes which is something to consider in houses with bird areas near the garage.
3.	Know what toys are appropriate for your bird, and learn about the basics of safe toys. Bells with clangors can be dangerous to the wrong sized birds. Some metals are toxic to birds. Toys that contain split ring "holders" can be harmful to tongues and toes. Ropes and strings should be all cotton or natural leather and clipped off when frayed or too long to prevent tangling or strangulation. The size of toy (or its components) should be proportional to the size bird.
4.	Keep it Clean! One of the reasons people advocate using newspaper as a liner and changing it everyday is so they can monitor bird droppings, a good first-indicator of bird health. Beware using corn cob, ground walnut shell, or other loose "absorbent" bedding because they can provide good breeding ground for fungus and bacteria. In some cases, birds have eating this type of bedding and suffered life-threatening blockages in their digestive system. Toys should be clean and not shared among other birds unless sterilized. Cage bars encrusted with discarded food or other organic contamination can harbor bacteria. A good, inexpensive cleaning solution is 1/2 cup of plain bleach to 1 gallon of clear water. All cleaning should be done away from the birds so they are not exposed to fumes. Clean cage and food and water dishes daily.
5.	Be prepared for emergencies. Locate an avian vet before an emergency happens. Establish a regular schedule of annual health checks (well-bird exams) at the vet's office. Have a bird-safe carrier ready to use at a moment's notice (a bird loose in the car is not a good idea).
6.	Teach your bird the basics: use the "UP" and "DOWN" commands. Studies show that birds that know these commands are well practiced, and it is a big help when both bird and owner are in a dangerous situation and there is a need to move the bird to a carrier or other safe place quickly. Not only should a bird be trained to go "UP" and "DOWN" on a finger or hand, but they should also do this with a wooden perch. This is a great big help when a hormonal (or otherwise upset) bird needs to be taken back to its cage, or a bird that needs to be moved by someone other than the owner.

Bird Flu

The following websites give information on bird flu, how bird flu is spread, how to protect yourself, and so on. Keep abreast of the developments for your own peace of mind.

Sybil Erden, Executive Director of the Oasis Sanctuary writes: "Please remember -- once the virus mutates from going bird-to-bird and bird-to-person and begins to go person-to-person, the birds will no longer be the 'vector' ie necessary host. It is at that point that we will see major human health problems."

Here are some links of interest:

USDA biosecurity procedures

World Health Organization: Avian Influenza

Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention

European Centre for Diseases Prevention and Control

The Alaska Bird Club • P.O. Box 101825 • Anchorage AK 99510
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alaskabirdclub/
Email: akbirdclub@yahoo.com
Voice mail: (907) 868-9070