Million Dollar Pet Pix

Holiday Gifts for Backyard Bird Watchers

The holiday season is upon us, and we begin the sometimes maddening task of finding gifts for our friends and loved ones. Perhaps this article can be of assistance - at least if you have bird lovers on your gift list. Let us examine a few popular birding items, including wild bird feeders and birdhouses, and explore why they make great holiday gifts.

Bird Hygiene
 
Good hygiene is an important part of husbandry for caged birds because most are confined to a relatively small living space. Consequently, droppings often accumulate on cage parts and perches, and tend to contaminate food and water cups, resulting in bacterial proliferation and mold growth.

Caring for your Canary

Canaries are noted for their melodic singing and gentle natures. These popular pet birds are small and thus require less space than the larger species. In addition to their song, potential buyers are often attracted to their beautiful plumage. Many varieties of canaries are available. When selecting a canary, it is important to buy from a reputable shop or breeder and purchase a young bird. Youngsters are more adaptable to new environments and new people. Select a bird that is active and has normal healthy plumage and a bright expression.

Growing A Vegetable Garden For Your Birds & Reptiles

I've kept all sorts of exotic pets throughout my life and have refined my methods of feeding and housing them over the years as I've learned more about their unique needs. This education has allowed me to continually enrich their environment & diet to provide the best possible care. Therefore, this article is an attempt to share my experiences in keeping and housing exotic pets, especially turtles and birds, but can certainly be adapted to any herbivores. In a previous article I discussed the design and build of my aviary used to house 3 colonies of birds and a pair of box turtles. In this article I'll share with the reader feeding and gardening strategies for these pets.

Bird Feeding Without the Waste

(ARA) - It has happened to almost everyone who feeds outdoor pets (especially birds). You fill up the feeder, and the next day you're thrilled to see that almost all of the food is gone. Then you see it: a pile of uneaten bird food under your feeder. Sometimes it even starts to grow into a bizarre little garden born of bird food leftovers.

Take heart! New "clean feeding" outdoor pet foods have become a reality, and more and more bird lovers around the world are rejoicing at the lack of waste below their feeders. In fact, some of these new recipes are so clean that homeowners are putting their feeders on or near their outdoor living spaces, such as decks, porches and patios.