Cockatiels are one of the most popular breed of pet parrots. Between the various lovely color schemes, their ability to speak and whistle, their friendliness, and their typical longevity, it is easy to see why so many opt to adopt them.

Native to Australia, the cockatiel typically lives between 15 and 20 years, although they have been known to live as long as 30 years, and grow to between 12 and 14 inches in length. The usual coloring of the wild variety is a grey body with yellow coloring on the face and crest, and a patch of orange on the cheek. Other color mutations include albino, lutino (all-white bird with yellow face and crest, and bright red cheek patch), pied (a mutation resulting in more yellow or green colored feathers), pearl, cinnamon, and whitefaced. The males’ coloring tends to be brighter than the females in adulthood, their coloring differences are more subtle in their youth, making it more difficult to establish the sex of the bird. Interestingly, their crests hold the key to determining their mood; if the crest is erect, the bird is excited or startled, oblique when in a relaxed state, flattened and close to the head when angry or threatened, and flat but protruding in the back when trying to appear flirtatious.

The cockatiel diet should consist of a variety of foods, though the foundation should be pellets. Some bird seed is all right for the birds, but the seeds contain a lot more fat, and should be limited to no more than 30% of the diet. Fresh vegetables are also integral to the diet, but may require more work to get the birds to eat, since the birds are skittish about trying new foods. They also need some protein, but in moderation.

Because these birds are playful and active, a cockatiel’s cage should measure about 20 inches by 20 inches and at least 26 inches in height to allow the bird plenty of room to climb and fly. The cage’s bottom should be cleaned out daily, and the bird should be provided fresh water at all times. The cage should also be placed in a quiet environment with some dim lighting. Total darkness can cause the bird to suffer night frights, where the bird is intimidated to the point of thrashing around in its cage. Of course, this is very dangerous for the bird, so a night light placed nearby can prevent this. You may also consider purchasing a smaller cage for sleeping. The cage should also include natural food-finding toys, and some perches.

When choosing a cockatiel to add to your family, you’ll want to consider these factors. Ideally, you would buy from a skilled breeder with knowledge of the bird’s background, as opposed to a pet store. You will likely want to choose a hand-fed baby or young bird used to handling. Look for the bird to appear more alert and bright-feathered, as a bird that appears more diffident is likely sick. While you can buy two birds together, they will likely get along with each other very well, but not be quite a social with you. Buying one bird alone and showing it a lot of attention and affection early on leads to a friendly and sociable bird. Males, in addition to being more vibrantly colored, are generally more friendly and vocal than the females. Finally, if you already have a cat or dog as a pet, a bird is a risky addition, especially if you plan on letting the bird fly freely in the house at any time.

Cockatiels are justifiably popular pets, and may make a great addition to your family. With the proper care and attention, this bird may live with you for many years to come.

I adore hummingbirds. They’re such pretty little creatures to have fluttering around the yard. Every Spring I look at the old note I have stuck to the inside of our recipe cabinet to remind myself of the right sugar to water mix ratio before I make the first batch of food and set the feeders out again. So today I thought I’d share the hummingbird food recipe and how I make a batch.

I’m also including some of my favorite pictures, my favorite place to buy hummingbird feeders, and what I do to keep the feeders clean and nicely filled all Spring, Summer, and Autumn.

We get lots of visiting hummers every year, beginning with the male birds we generally start to see coming around in March or April. Although you can’t see the red of his neck or the vibrancy of his greens, this is actually one of my favorite photos of an early male hummer last Spring. I obviously need to hone my photography skills, and it’s nice that they let me go so close to practice taking the pictures.

The girls start appearing shortly after we see the first few males. The girls sometimes even chase the males away from the food . . . and they’re generally the ones who seem to stay close at hand, even when they’re not at the feeder. We catch glimpses of them on distant tree limbs and in a bush nearby our front porch, like this sweet little girl hummer I caught in a picture last July.

If you put a feeder out, it’s kind to keep it going so that the little hummers who have found it can actually rely on it as a source of food. They’re really trusting little creatures who may even nest near your feeders because of the food source.

If you’re not willing or able to commit to keeping up a feeder, you might be better off to plan and plant a hummingbird garden. Or do both! We have three butterfly bushes and an azalea bush here, and I love to have the feeders, too. Maybe it’s time I add a few other plants. I’d like to get my hands on a coral honeysuckle. As a general rule, trumpet shaped flowers tend to attract hummingbirds. Even planting flowers like petunias and impatiens can help attract them to your yard.

How To Make Hummingbird Food

There’s no need to buy special, pre-made food, though you certainly could. If you do, just be sure to research the name of the food online before making the purchase. Making the food yourself is as easy as boiling water. You just have to remember the 4:1 ratio!

• Water – Fill up a tea kettle or saucepan and boil your water.
• Sugar – pure, white, granulated, cane sugar – 1/4 cup for every cup of boiling water you’re going to convert into ‘nectar.’

1. I boil a full kettle of water when I set out to make hummingbird food. I don’t pre-measure because I’m worried about letting it boil too long and loosing some of what I’d measured. I also find that it’s nice to boil water on the stove as opposed to the microwave. I’ve heard it’s important to boil the water to kill off any microorganisms, but I’ve also heard that you don’t have to because they don’t come from the water, but are rather transported to the feeders on hummingbird bills. Regardless of the rationale, I like boiling the water to help the sugar dissolve and to be on the safe side.
2. While the water’s coming to a boil, I get out my big glass measuring bowl. Then I measure out 2 cups of sugar and set it beside the bowl. My bowl looks like this and measures up to 8 cups of liquid (perfect):
   
3. When the water has come to a good boil, I just pour 8 cups of it directly into the glass measuring bowl and then dump in the pre-measured sugar, stirring to be sure it all dissolves. Then I just wait until it’s good and cool before filling the feeders and hanging them up outside.

TIPS: Use plain table sugar and nothing else. Don’t use Jell-O, or honey, or brown sugar, or anything else. And you don’t need to color your mixture red with red food coloring, either. I’ve heard lots of rumors about food coloring making their bills soft or causing tumors and while I have no idea if any of that is true . . . I do know that it’s not necessary for the liquid to be red. They like it just the same when it’s clear. And, it’s much easier to see if your nectar concoction gets cloudy if the liquid inside is clear.

I don’t fill the feeders to the top, I put in as much as I think the hummingbirds may go through in the next few days (based on how things have been going). And I always have some extra to store in the fridge (in a mason jar or old wine carafe). You can keep the sugar-water mixture in the fridge for up to two weeks, which allows you to do a quick replacement easily next time.

Finding The Perfect Hummingbird Feeders

I have gone through a lot of hummingbird feeders and still prefer the tough plastic ones that are easy to maintain, easy to clean, and easy to see through to the food from a distance. I’ve purchased several from WalMart for under $10 over the years, and they serve the purpose just fine. But my favorite place to shop for hummingbird feeders is actually online, from Duncraft.

Why Duncraft? Because they’ve been around a long time a long time and I find they have some of the best (affordable) choices for hummingbird feeders. The company actually got its start in 1952 when Gil Dunn invented a wooden tray that clipped onto windowsills for attracting wild birds up close.

The company is still family owned, still has a catalog, and has been selling online since 1996. They’ve got a huge variety of hummingbird feeders, from the plastic practicals to the fancy glass, and everything in between. You can also pick up accessories like the cleaning brush sets and replacement pieces like the little yellow bee guards.

Free Shipping on Bird Feeders with Code YGP6107 at Duncraft – offer ends June 30th, 2010.

No matter what kind of feeder you buy, or where you buy it from, make sure that it’ll hold enough of your sugar water to keep up with the number of birds you’ve got coming around. I tend to spend a smaller amount of money and replace them every year or two because they’re out in the weather and they fade and age.

You’ll also want to be sure your hummingbird feeder is easy to clean because it needs to be cleaned quite frequently! Depending on the weather, you should clean your hummingbird feeder every 2 or 3 days (or every 5 to 7 days in cooler weather).

Keeping Food Available In A Clean Feeder

Sugar-water nectar spoils pretty quickly outside in the heat. Though it lasts up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator, be prepared to make a visual check once a day in hot weather. During the heat of the summer, you’ll probably need to give it a quick clean and food replacement every other day. If the sugar-water has a cloudy appearance, it’s past time to take it down.

The best way to clean a hummingbird feeder is to take it down, pour any remaining sugar-water down the sink, take the feeder apart, and then soak all of the pieces in mild bleach water. Obviously, don’t over-bleach the feeder! You’ll want to use about a cup of bleach in 10 cups of water. Give it a quick soak, scrub the parts, rinse thoroughly and set in the drainer to dry. Then it’s ready to refill (even before it dries, it’s okay to refill the feeder).

TIPS: If you don’t like using bleach, I’ve also used vinegar water. And I read somewhere that you can actually use vinegar and uncooked rice to effectively clean out the inside of part of a feeder where the nectar is kept. Just be sure to thoroughly rinse the feeder if you try that.

I use a bottle brush when I’m cleaning hummingbird feeders, but I’ve found that a toothbrush is great for helping to clean the little holes where the hummingbirds stick their beak through. A toothpick also comes in handy at times.

I rotate my feeders, taking one down to immediately replace it with a freshly filled feeder. That gives me plenty of time to get the old feeder cleaned and ready for it’s turn outdoors.

I hope you decide to take on the responsibility of housing a hummingbird feeder this year. Leave a comment if you have any tips or a picture to share!

When you think of Easter celebrations in the United States, your mind probably goes immediately to images of fluffy rabbits, cute chicks, and adorable ducks. Some of your thoughts probably even go toward the actual animals, rather than their tasty edible counterparts (don’t lie – you know you were thinking about Marshmallow Peeps and chocolate bunnies!).

But either way, those thoughts often lead to the idea of buying or adopting a cute little creature of your own  in celebration of the Easter season. While this may seem cute and appropriate, you should know a few things before committing to the care and ownership of these pets.

1. These Pets require care long after the Easter season has passed.
   Whether you have chosen a baby rabbit, a chick or a duck, you can keep them in a large cardboard box or a wire cage, but it less than a month, they will grow out of the boxes and will need room to run and play. They will also need a place that can be covered to sleep, as well as litter. You’ll also need to clean their cages at least once a week.

   You’ll also have to tend to their specific diets. Rabbits usually take fruits, vegetables, protein pellets, and hay or alfalfa, while chicks need small grit and whole grains. Nothing too bad there, but feeding ducklings is a little, um, grosser. You should feed them things like cracked corn and hard-boiled eggs, as well as various kinds of worms.

   Additionally, these pets live anywhere from seven to sixteen years, at least as long as many cats and dogs do. Chicks in particular can live up to sixteen years, and they’ve already reached their adult physical maturity after about two weeks. So, if you think that cute little hand-held chick you have now is going to stay that way forever, you will very quickly be disabused of that notion, and many, many years to laugh over it.

   Then, there’s the matter of interaction between these pets, humans, and other animals. One reason they don’t always make ideal pets for children is that they aren’t built to withstand the roughhousing a child can give them. Even squeezing any of these pets too tightly can result in broken bones, internal injury, or death. And, as cute as these seemingly cuddly critters are, like many animals, they tend to bite when feeling threatened or scared. They don’t mix well with other pets, either, especially dogs and cats (just look at Sylvester the Cat and Tweety Bird!). And contrary to the perception they give, they are NOT typically into loads of affection and cuddling, and often respond negatively to this kind of attention.

2. Many common household items for humans are dangerous or deadly for rabbits, chicks and ducks.
   It’s probably no surprise that pets, like babies, like to explore with their mouths. So having one of these pets really requires you to be vigilant (and perhaps have the Animal Emergency people on speed dial). Many of you know that dogs and cats can’t eat chocolate. The same is true about these foul and furry friends. Paper products, especially wrappers, decorations, and ribbons are also particularly dangerously enticing. It should also go without saying that alcohol is a big no-no for them. However, that doesn’t mean they won’t get into an open can or bottle of it if it’s lying around. Even seemingly innocuous houseplants can be toxic to the poor little characters.
   It takes very little of any of these products to kill your pets, so you may need to make some serious changes to your housecleaning routine to accommodate your new pets.
3. In many cases, you can’t just “give the pets back” to their natural habitat.
   If something comes up that makes you unable to care for your cat or dog anymore, you can take them to a humane society or sell/give them away in various ways. It isn’t that simple to just give away or abandon rabbits, chicks or
   ducks to a secure and safe future. Because these animals require more than that conventional amount of care, frustrated parents of well-intended children often end up abandoning these animals, thinking that they can simply be set
   free and will immediately adapt to their new surroundings. Unfortunately, this is NOT true, especially of ducks. Many people think they can fly, but save for two breeds of duck in the US, most can’t. This means many ducks are trapped
   beneath the frozen water in the winter. Some are rescued by shelters, but others are not so lucky. Others are attacked by predators because they’re ill-equipped to defend themselves in the wild.
4. They may not be the cleanest pets. Or the most legal.
   Some foul can carry some foul diseases. Salmonella strains can be carried by ducks and chicks alike, so having them as pets can very risky. Also, you need to check out the local laws about keeping them as pets, as they are not legal in some areas.
5. The Humane Society is asking people not to give these away as pets.
   ‘Nuff said.

Consider some alternatives to giving live pets like these. For instance, there’s always the option of plush animals, but if that’s not “real” enough for you, you can choose to help sponsor the care of real ones through the help of zoos and humane societies. And of course, there’s always Chocolate Bunnies and Marshmallow Peeps . . .

It is important for birds to receive adequate mental stimulation in order to keep from becoming bored, depressed, and destructive. The easiest way to fulfill this need is to supply your pet with plenty of bird-safe toys.

It is not necessary to purchase expensive toys to keep your bird happy!

Because birds need their toys to be changed out frequently, and because many times their toys end up shredded, broken, or otherwise torn apart, it can help to have a few extras on hand. One creative way to provide your bird with fun toys is to make them yourself at home.

Cardboard toys are clean, non-toxic, disposable, and fun – all of which make them wonderful for both birds and owners. Toilet paper rolls, small individual serving cereal boxes, snack size boxes of raisins. The cereal and raisin boxes are also a wonderful treat. Your bird will have the best rime tearing into them and getting the inside treats. Once the box is empty they proceed in shredding the rest of the box up.

Plastic medicine bottles and spice bottles with the lids on are always a favorite. Make sure to clean them well before giving them to your bird. Small plastic oleo tubs with treats hidden inside will amuse your feathered friend for hours.

Try stringing a variety of different size pastas (uncooked) on ropes and hanging them in your birds’ cages. My birds love moving the pieces up and down on the ropes and playing with them. They also enjoy a tasty morsel or two and the pasta is good for them.

Another idea is to take a whole coconut and drain it using a hammer and a nail. Leave the meat right inside the shell but cut it in half, width-wise and drill a hole into each end of the coconut. Wash it thoroughly. String one piece of it with a cotton rope or chain or whatever you have that is birdie safe. Knot one end so the coconut doesn’t slide off. Tie the other end to the top of the cage so it hangs down. Your birds will love eating the coconut out of the shell. Use the other half for another bird, save it in the refrigerator, or cut out the meat and enjoy a snack along with your bird.

For another fun and tasty treat, take a carrot or a beet, with the top (greens) still on, and make a hole close to the thick end. Put a short piece of string through it. Take a carrot peeler and peel down the side of the carrot without removing actually removing the peels. Do this all around the carrot or beet and you will have a carrot mop that your bird will hopefully play with and sample.

Owning birds can be a great deal of fun but they can also be quite costly to keep entertained. Hopefully these little tidbits help you keep your bird happy (and healthy).

by JR Ulderport

If you are thinking about getting a pet for yourself or for your family, you should know that dogs and cats are not the only animals that make good pets. If you are interested in getting a more unusual and intriguing type of pet, you’ll be glad to know that there are many different, some unexpected, types of pets available to you. You may have come across some of these pets in your life and you may be shocked to learn some of them actually make very good pets to certain households (and could make a good pet to yours).

The type of exotic pet that suits you best will depend on many factors including your lifestyle, budget, personality, tolerance, etc. Some of these types of pets are very low maintenance and easy to take care of, while others may require large amounts of attention and money. No matter what type of rare pet you decide is right for you, cultivating the bond between pet and pet owner will take time and effort.

• Ferrets
  Ferrets are very amusing pets. They are a lot of fun to watch and play with. A little known fact about ferrets is that they sleep for a large part of the day. Ferrets require a good size cage and plenty of toys. Ferrets also have a high metabolism and require food every 3 to 4 hours. While ferrets are generally very playful and have personalities of their own, they also tend to be very quiet animals.
• Guinea Pigs
  Guinea pigs are popular pets because they have great attitudes and are playful and amusing. Guinea pigs are social animals that very rarely become aggressive. Guinea pigs do come with some requirements that you may find to be costly. For starters guinea pigs require a large cage and ample room for the cage. In addition to the cage, guinea pigs need plenty of exercise outside of the cage. You will need to invest in wood shavings or saw dust for your guinea pigs’ cage. These furry friends also require a diet rich in vitamin C and roughage.
• Iguanas
  Iguanas are a very popular type of lizard that people consider exotic pets. Iguanas can sometimes be found at pet stores, especially young ones. Many times young iguanas at the pet store are very small and very cute. They may inadvertently give the false impression of being manageable and easy to take care of. Iguanas, like other reptiles, have very particular cage and feeding requirements. Also, iguanas tend to grow very rapidly and can turn out to be much larger than expected. Growing iguanas can be somewhat aggressive and difficult to tame.
• Snakes
  There are several types of snakes that make good pets, even for beginners. The best breeds for smaller spaces and for more inexperienced snake owners are king snakes, ball python, milk snakes and corn snakes. Keep in mind that you will need to feed your snake either pre killed or live prey so if you are squeamish, a snake may not be the pet for you. Also, you must be very careful that your snake does not escape its terrarium, as this can lead to a very nervous household!
• Parrots
  Parrots are popular exotic pets because of their unusual beauty and personality. Most parrots have glossy bright green feathers with colorful patches of red, yellow and blue throughout. Parrots are known for talking. That is, they actually learn to imitate sounds so well that they sound like speech so that the parrot appears to be speaking. The upper half of a parrot’s beak is hinged and movable. Because of this, serious wounds can be inflicted and special care must be taken in dealing with a parrot that is not comfortable around you yet. Many different factors should be considered before adopting a parrot as a pet. Make sure you discuss bird care with a reputable parrot breeder before taking the first step.

Special Considerations

Adopting an exotic or unusual pet carries even more special considerations than adopting a typical pet such as a dog or a cat. As with any pet, you must realize that adopting an animal is a long term commitment and must be taken seriously. You must examine your lifestyle and be honest about whether you will have the time, energy and focus to provide adequate care for your animal. You must ask questions such as Can I afford monthly/weekly groomings? and Who will care for my pet when I travel? If you live in a household with children or other pets, consider how your new animal will fit into the family. Try to think about any possible drawbacks and consider the cons very carefully. If a dog or a cat doesn’t work out in your home, it is not very difficult to find a new owner ready to adopt. With exotic or unusual pets, this is more difficult.

Finding the Perfect Pet

The first place you should contact when looking for an exotic pet is your local Humane Society or SPCA. If your local organization doesn’t have the type of pet you are seeking for adoption, they should be able to refer you to other regional rescue organizations for the type of animal you desire.

Contact the animal rescue organizations that are most likely to come across the pet you want and ask them to contact you if they come across a ferret (or snake, parrot, etc.).

You should also contact local breeders, though this route will prove to be more expensive. The upside of dealing with professional animal breeders is that you will receive accurate information and you will know that your pet has been cared for adequately and so on.

Finally, don’t forget to check your local newspaper and/or online classifieds. You can search through online classifieds in your area by typing the type of pet you’re looking for into the search bar. You may also consider placing a classified yourself, reaching out into the local community for the type of pet you are looking for.

You can find typical pets for sale, such as cats and dogs, or more unusual pets like parrots, ferrets and all kinds of pet gear online at PetLeeg Pet Classifieds.