First, the HARI Team wants remind avian caretakers that the decision to use a vitamin supplement begins with a health evaluation or assessment by a qualified avian health provider.   In addition, other factors should play into this decision, such as species predisposition, as well as the percent of Tropican verses the  percent of seed based diets consumed by the bird.  If you have concerns, please contact us or consult your avian veterinarian.

As Prime was developed for companion birds on a predominately seed based diet, we’ve always recommended Prime be sprinkled on a bird’s moistened food for optimal nutritional benefit.  The fruity flavor and aroma of Prime homogenizes with fruits and vegetables and creates a nutritious morsel to complete the missing essential amino acids, vitamins, and minerals in traditional seed diets.

 Often we hear of some birds that do not eat a lot of fruits and vegetables for one reason or another. We’d like to recommend some creative suggestions in giving your bird exactly what he needs!

We invite our readers to comment on their favorite and most successful method!

Play into the foraging behaviors!

Who doesn’t love searching for yummy mealworms?  Finches, canaries, and even some of the smaller parrots really enjoy an occasional “crunchy on the outside and soft-n- squishy on the inside” bug. In fact, many passerines really benefit from a diet of bugs due to the protein.  Not excited about live mealworms…that’s ok. Fortunately, canned mealworms make a great substitution!

HARI Tip: Slightly moisten mealworms with spray bottle of fresh water. Put the mealworms in a small plastic bag, and dust them with a scoop of Prime…shake gently. Place the dusty critters in a shallow dish with assorted rocks or pebbles. Please be sure to use appropriate size pebbles to prevent bird accidently ingesting the rock!  Place the loaded dish in flight or cage for an activity filled with foraging and nutritional enrichment your bird is sure to enjoy!

Add some exotic fruit flavor to plain old Spray Millet!

Spray millet offers the ultimate sprig of happiness for many companion birds. And, yes, even some macaws have been known to nibble on the millet sprays so this vehicle in administering Prime supplement is pretty universal for many companion birds!

HARI Tip:  Slightly moisten the Spray Millet with fresh water from a spray bottle. Dust the required amount of Prime on the millet so that the supplement sticks to the individual seed pods in the millet. The fruity flavor of Prime might make plain old millet a thing of the past!

Putting a Spin on a mischievous behavior!

Our feathered companions are really intelligent-that’s one of the benefits in sharing a life with a bird. However,  getting a reluctant or stubborn bird to eat a nutritious diet often leaves the avian caretaker feeling helpless and well, quite frankly,  outsmarted by the bird! Such is the case with a particular caretaker and a budgie that absolutely refused all attempts to eat fruits and veggies loaded with Prime.  As it happened, this particular budgie’s cage was moved a little too close to a window with a cotton sheer one day. It didn’t take long for this little bird’s natural curiosity and tendency for shredding behavior to make mincemeat out of the curtain. Fortunately, this bird wasn’t harmed by the  mischievous behavior, but the bird’s natural lure to shred the curtain inspired the caretaker to seize a new opportunity for nutritional supplement!

HARI Tip: Wash some  fresh Kale or Romaine lettuce leaves, slightly pat dry. Dust the required dosage of Prime on the leaves so that the supplement sticks. Take a bird safe clip, gather the leaves with Prime, and attach to OUTSIDE of bird’s cage with just a little of the leaves slightly sticking through the bars of the cage …yeah…so it looks as if he’s not supposed to have it.  Avian caretakers are sure to have their “winning power” restored  once they turn their backs and hear the crunching of the leaves!

Prime is HARI Approved! …A little more information on Prime?

Each package of Primes comes with dosage recommendation based on size of bird as well as instructions for the less preferred method of dosing in water dish.  While Prime has a fruity aroma that blends well when applied to fresh fruits and veggies, the reaction when Prime is mixed in drinking water is entirely different. The high levels of calcium and essential amino acids do not dissolve in water very well and a few harmless particles may float or settle in the bird’s water dish.  Plus the sulphur molecule from the amino acids will be released by the beneficial bacteria after 6 hours of being in a water solution. This may give off a medicinal odor that can deter some birds from drinking enough water to derive nutritional benefit. The water dish with fresh  Prime solution will have to be changed frequently during the day-especially in warm climates.  Not only does this add to the cost of supplementing a bird’s diet, this method  may not be convenient for the caretaker.

Interested in more the Research and Development of Prime? Please visit the HARI Web Site: Prime Data Sheet

Rolf C. Hagen was a pillar in the pet products industry who touched many lives with his generosity and compassion.

Montreal, Canada – October 24, 2011 – Rolf C. Hagen, Founder and Chairman of Rolf C. Hagen Inc., passed away suddenly yet peacefully at his home in Montreal surrounded by his loving wife Marianne and grandson Justin on Saturday, October 22, 2011.

Rolf C. Hagen was born in 1932, the third of 10 children, in a small seaside town in northern Germany.

In 1955, inspired by a simple idea, he came to Canada and sowed the seeds of Rolf C. Hagen Inc., which blossomed to become one of the world’s largest family-owned manufacturers and distributors of pet care products.

He started by acquiring bird seeds from the Canadian prairies and exporting them back to Germany. His small export business eventually flourished and branched out into a solid, well-respected pet supplies business that today spans many continents.

Soon after setting up his business in Montreal, his focus turned to the most significant import of his life: a beautiful young woman named Marianne Koch, whom he met in Hamburg and married in Montreal in 1959.

His brothers Dieter and Horst subsequently joined the company, both of whom brought new energy and innovation to the company, taking it to new heights of success. The trio formed the first generation of an internationally successful family-based company that is now managed by Rolf C. Hagen’s three beloved sons, Mark, Tom, and Rolf Jr.

Mr Hagen was a tireless force who was actively involved as Chairman of Rolf C. Hagen Inc. right up until the day preceding his sudden passing.

Those who did business with Mr Hagen were often inspired by his simple and ethical approach to commerce, often sealing business deals with his firm handshake and honouring them with his word, which was as good as gold.

In his lifetime, Mr Hagen was honoured with many awards in the pet products industry. In June 1999, he was inducted into the American Pet Products Association Hall of Fame, the highest honour that can be bestowed upon an individual in the pet industry. In March 2004, he was given the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Pet Industry Distributors Association in recognition for innovative design of pet products and for his generous support of organizations and individuals dedicated to improving the lives of pets and people.  He is the only person in the pet products industry who is a recipient of both awards.

In 1996, he received The First Cross of the Federal Order of Merit from Germany (Bundesverdienstkreuz der 1. Klasse). In 2005, he was awarded The Highest Order of Merit (Grosses Bundesverdienstkreuz am Band) from the President of the Federal Republic of Germany, the highest honour that Germany can bestow upon a civilian.

Yet even with all his business successes and accolades, Rolf C. Hagen remained a humble and altruistic man who did not lose touch with many of life’s timeless and enduring values: love, kindness, humility, compassion, and generosity. Though he soared in business, he was deeply grounded in his love for humanity and pets, giving away much of what he amassed to individuals, schools, hospitals, churches and charitable organizations in Canada as well as all over the world.

Helen Keller wrote that it is better to walk with a friend in the dark than alone in the light. In addition to being an icon in the pet products industry, Rolf C. Hagen will also be remembered for being a true friend who was always there for those who walked in the dark.

Despite the current disasters such as hurricanes, wild fires, and other maladies of Mother Nature that make international headlines, often the most overlooked disaster for a companion bird goes without notice. This is something that occurs often, yet, rarely makes a headline: it’s a storm of another kind. The kind of storm that can be sudden or perhaps it’s an event that’s actually brewing in the not so far distance. It’s the absence of the avian caretaker. Perhaps this is due to family emergency or unexpected death of the caretaker. Maybe it’s the slow decline of health on the part of the avian caretaker that creates comprises in the bird’s daily care. Unfortunately, a disaster from a companion parrot’s perspective is a disaster indeed…it is the interruption of life from that bird’s normal care.

We at HARI often hear about a pet bird or perhaps a collection of parrots, be it a breeder, a pet store, and even some parrot re-homing facilities in need of assistance due to human related emergencies. With that being said, we’d like to make a few suggestions and reminders for all of the avian community to take charge of their feathered companions before a “storm” actually strikes.

What can you do?

Take Charge!

First and foremost, avian caretakers need to take charge of their own flock. The HARI team encourages pet owners and large flock caretakers alike to keep records and prepare for emergencies. While some emergencies are incredibly unexpected, others are much like the storm in the not so far distance. Life has its challenges for all and if you feel as if the care of one bird or several is getting too difficult, ask for help. You know your bird or birds, and you know who you can count on. Take decisive steps in this matter to avoid someone else making decisions for you and your pets or flock.

Companion bird owners:

Companion bird owners can very easily keep a supply box that includes everything needed for caring for their birds in case of emergency. Keep in mind that should an emergency arise that would give cause of for emergency personnel to enter a household, a simple notice on the refrigerator stating: Pet bird profile located in… let’s say, pantry, cupboard or whatever. This bit of information should include your avian veterinarian telephone, plus contact information for someone that can take over the care of your bird in your absence. Please feel free to review one of our older post , “HARI Approved First Aid Arsenal: Are You Ready?” for list of other items.

Strategies for Bird Clubs:

Bird Clubs usually have a network and committee chairpersons set up for education, speaker, pet bird adoption and other services for their membership. Designate an emergency relief team and protocol. We’re not suggesting that a diehard watch dog team be in place, but perhaps a couple of members that can respectfully network within the bird club membership and be available to members in need.

Set up phone calling trees and encourage membership to have an emergency book on their pets filled out. To get started, make use of the Parrot Profile available from HARI which includes basic pertinent information about a particular bird. An Emergency or Disaster Relief committee might want to organize a presentation on this topic for a regular club meeting. Be sure to include an article on the subject in a monthly club newsletter for members unable to attend meetings.

Strategies for Avian Specialty Retailers & Pet Stores

Some of the best retailers are very familiar with their regular customers and the products they buy for their pets or flock. During the normal course of business it’s easy to lose track of every customer-but usually something will trigger that will make one think, especially when it comes to reordering a particular item because they know ‘so and so’ will be in and need…and then they discover that particular item is still on the shelf. A customer database, especially for routine grooming appointment reminders, is one way of not only creating a database for customer contacts, it’s a great way to keep in touch with the store’s area market and support community outreach projects that benefit the business.

Large Flock management

Whether it’s a breeding facility, a re-home facility or even a home with several parrots, large flock management emergency care is a little bit different. In extreme cases, municipal agencies are the ones who are called to these collections in the event of emergency. And, not every agency is equipped with knowledge of caring for exotic parrots. If the situation is temporary, the birds will be easier to manage without moving them from premise. At any rate, a response team will need to know location of food, particular dietary needs of species, as well other supplies such as nets, disinfectants, extra bowls, that are used in every day operation of a large flock management. Please note that most aviaries are very concerned with security as well as bio-security. Respect for the operation is essential to be of benefit overall. Ideally, the response team should be made up of experienced avian caretakers or facility avian veterinarian educated in large flock management. Efficiently operated large flock facilities will have record keeping system unique to the operation.

These types are record systems are often on computers; therefore, it’s suggested to have a hard copy of some kind that includes a map of facility with the location & identification of each bird, flight, cage as well as location of food, and extra supplies. Contact information for food supplier should be included as well to avoid interruption of the flock’s normal diet.

As avian caretakers, we’re very concerned with the quality of care of all parrot species in the avian community. By this post we’re not endorsing anyone particular group of the avian community, we just want the birds to be protected from storm damage…because it’s not always a Mother Nature
event!

Under the directorship of Mark D. Hagen (MAg), HARI continues as a world leader in psittacine aviculture. From the humble beginnings in a warehouse operation with imported parrot species to the state of the art psittacine aviculture facility located on a mountain side in Rigaud, the HARI Team has learned and shared a great deal in the way of companion bird keeping. While some things in aviculture have changed, some things remain the same such as experiencing the passion of parrots.

What’s changed?

First of all, the vast variety of parrot species that make up the HARI Flock.

At one time the HARI flock consisted of quite a variety of parrot species to include many cockatoo species as well as smaller South American species. Currently, the HARI flock consists of ten main core species that excel as companion pets in today’s society. This is especially beneficial with the HARI developed technique of raising companion birds – the 6 stages of Early Parrot Education. We have touched on some of the stages in previous blog posts, with lessons in towel cradling, flight harness training, bathing, preening as well as nutrition. These lessons are critical in weaning parrot chicks so that they are prepared for their life as a companion pet.

The many faces of the Avian Community reflected in Parrot Life Magazine- the official publication of HARI. Unlike many other companion animal segments, the Parrot community is so varied with interests in companion, aviculture, medical, and especially a topic dear to the hearts of the HARI Team, conservation. While the publication is limited in print, we do invite readers to get the complete volume set in PDF form at the HARI web site. And, not to worry, there will be more!

What’s the same?

Aside from the many challenges the day to day facility brings, it is the passion of parrots that keeps HARI running! As anyone who cares for animals can attest, the caretaker’s day is not always smooth. HARI has experienced aviculture diseases such as Pacheco’s Virus, PDD, as well as everyday diseases that have resulted in depth research investigation in natural therapies. Mark Hagen and members of the HARI Staff have shared their experience and have spoken at Avicultural conferences all over the world. Work in the areas of disease continues as the HARI staff members collaborate with top avian veterinarians and veterinarian techs throughout the year.

HARI continues to serve as the testing facility for HARI Approved products such as Tropican, Tropimix, Prime and Living World products such as foraging and enrichment Natures Treasures Toys and new Clay-Cal.

The HARI Team wishes to say thank you to all that have supported our work and especially to those in the Avian community. IT is truly a shared Parrot Passion that will keep us going for the next 25 years!

Is the Internet replacing monthly companion bird clubs?

As the Internet becomes even more popular with endless threads of information, the avian community often reaches out to other flock members with the press of a button.   And, thanks to the power of social network sites, blogs, and so many choices in state of the art portable devices, immediate gratification is merely a click away. Without a doubt, the power of instant communication might be a positive aspect in building camaraderie with other avian enthusiast. However, one must question this trend and whether cyberspace education alone is an adequate replacement for “real time socialization” with other avian enthusiasts.

Organized companion bird clubs can offer a lot in the way of avian education coupled with a kindred fellowship, and of course community outreach events such as bird expos, adoption and fostering events,  companion bird awareness  to name a few.

Don’t let the Internet be your only source of information for your bird.

If you’ve been following the HARI Blog, you might have picked up a few lessons in caring for your bird such as “how to detect pododermatitis” or “how to use safe non-invasive towel restraint“.  Now imagine a qualified avian care specialist demonstrating these lessons with a real towel and a real bird. Can’t get that on your computer or your portable device!  But, when a thriving bird club features  a guest speaker to show the members how to do this first hand, the lesson is  more meaningful. And, who benefits from that?

For many of our followers, locating an organized companion bird clubs may present a challenge.  We suggest looking for a club that offers well rounded activities or benefits that are in line with the membership and the positive aspects of companion birds. A bird club is as empowering as its membership. While that can be a challenge, we do encourage avian caretakers to seek out friends and support their local bird clubs.  Local companion bird clubs are the ties that bind the avian community.  Need to find a bird club near you…yeah…you guessed it. Check the internet!

LIPS 26^th Year!

With that being said, we’d like to acknowledge one of the largest companion bird clubs in the United States, the Long Island Parrot Society.   This year, LIPS celebrates their 26^th year as 501c3 organization and serves the New York avian community with many projects that promote responsible bird ownership based on education and example. With a membership of over 600, the club caters to the many facets of the avian community to include companion bird owners, breeders, pet shop professionals as well as support for the  fostering and re-homing of companion birds in need.

And, now for an HARI EVENT announcement!

Calling all of the avian community in the Long Island New York area and set the date! JULY 23, 2011!

Join Mark Hagen, Director of HARI and Josee Bermingham, AHT and head veterinarian Technician for the day as they present A Parrot’s Guide to Surviving in a Human Household for the Long Island Parrot Society.

Whether you’re a companion pet owner, a breeder, or pet shop, you don’t want to miss this all day event!  LIPS, one of the largest companion bird clubs in the United States present this special opportunity to all. Special discounts are available with multiple registrations. For more information on this event, please visit the Long Island Parrot Society web site: http://www.liparrotsociety.org/

Some of the” Spokes of the Avian Community”

Companion, Conservation, Aviculture, -none exist without each other and we don’t exist without all of them!

Whether you’re a companion bird owner, an aviculturist, or conservationist, the common love and respect for the parrot is so tightly entwined…much as stated by the theme for the 7^th Annual Parrots International Symposium in Miami, Florida June 2-3rd. “One World For Parrots: Conservation, Aviculture, Companion”

As Mark Hagen, director of HARI, prepares his HARI Presentation for this conference, the theme for Parrots International, very much like the sub title of Parrot Life Magazine, helps to bridge the gap between the “spokes” that make up the wheel of the avian community.

Let’s face it, many folks have pets. And of those pet loving folks, many have a pet dog. Of those people that have dogs, how many are concerned about the welfare of a gray wolf? After all, the companion or domestic dog that dominates today’s pet industry is a descendant of the gray wolf. Not a whole lot when we consider the number of pet dogs! This is somewhat understandable. Our companion dog today, regardless of breed, is over 15,000 years removed from his wild counterpart.

Well, so what does conservation, aviculture, and the companion bird communities have in common and why is it so important that these spokes maintain a close relationship? In a nutshell, it’s a constant evolution and a very synergistic relationship. While it is widely documented that Man has had a close relationship with the pet parrot as early as 400 BC, there is still so much we learn about our modern world when we take a look at parrots in our homes or in the wild. Our feathered companions, especially if they’re fairly young, are possibly only a generation or two from its wild counterpart. With the lifespan of some parrot species, many wild caught parrots are amongst the companion or aviary populations. Some of the behavior challenges that plague the companion birds can be attributed to a stifling or better explain, a lack of understanding of parrot’s innate behaviors derived from living in the wild. How about nutrition for companion birds? In the 1980’s, HARI director, Mark Hagen studied the caloric metabolism of a nesting pair of Scarlet macaws’ diet in the wild in comparison to that of captive parrots to determine the needs of a companion parrot’s caloric energy needs. This information was the corner stone in the development of HARI Approved Tropican. What if these parrots were not there?

Let’s switch to captive breeding populations of parrots. Look at the plight of the Spix’s macaw (Cyanopsitta spixii.) While there are many parrot species that are considered critically endangered, the Spix’s macaw is the probably amongst the most well known in the avian community. It is believed the last known Spix’s macaw disappeared in the wild in 2000. What caused this? Some would say it was greedy collectors for the illegal captive parrot market. Some would say the destruction of environment due to over development of lands for cattle grazing and the need to fulfill man’s progress in the world that outsourced the trees and food sources for this little blue parrot. A combination of all of these to be sure! Parrot populations in the wild are like the looking glass or microscope of how things are in an ecosystem. It is said that when a species goes extinct-it is quite possible that at least 10,000 living things go with it…trees, plants, insects and more! We’re in a bit of a quandary with global warming….

The work and unity of concerned avicultural facilities such as Loro Parque Foundation and Al Wabra Preservation , to name a few, have been of great importance in rebuilding populations of the Spix’s macaw with captive breeding practices. While production in captive breeding programs have brought the world population to over 70, the current population is not sufficient enough to repopulate the wild bird numbers-but it’s better than zero! More studies on the behalf of the conversationalist communities is necessary is required to understand the demise in the Spix’s wild habitat. Meanwhile, captive populations of this species needs to be responsibly maintained and remain fruitful and healthy. Success of this species is in the hands of professionals that have committed to years of dedicated aviary management.

While these are only brief examples of how the spokes come together, we at HARI celebrate the endeavors of all them and we hope you do!

Each year, the HARI Team attends several avian seminars throughout the world and quite often, our Team members are featured speakers at national events in efforts to keep up with and share in the ongoing educational process. When it comes to avian education-whether it is on the bird’s end or the human’s, nothing is absolute. It’s ongoing.

Avian Seminars provide an opportunity to meet other avian enthusiasts and gather information. Local bird clubs and an increasing number of pet supply retailers regularly offer educational events to bring the education awareness to the avian community with closer proximity.While the avian community is a bit tighter with the many internet sites, newsgroups, and even blog sites such as this one, participation in some of these events tightens the avian community bond. It’s often more enlightening to get this information first hand with real people all sharing a mutual interest. And, let’s face it; workshops are not quite the same without hands on experience.With that said, we do encourage avian caretakers to attend some of the conventions or seminars available. Whether it’s one of the larger conventions or seminars listed below, or your local bird club or a specialty retailers, take the opportunity to attend and to support the group. Your Feathered Companion will be glad you did!

AUSTRALIA

The most challenging situation arises when the bird is overweight or suffers from respiratory conditions. We recommend that these challenged birds be sprayed down to cool the body temperature. It is imperative to follow the below listed guidelines when dealing with any broken blood feather!

You’ll need the following supplies plus another person to assist, especially for large birds.

• Tweezers or proper sized hemostats or forceps depending on the size of the bird.
• Towels
• Velcro
• Quick stop, clay paste, school glue or other coagulant
• Spray bottle (to cool down overweight bird and to view the questionable feather)
• Water source for hydrotherapy

1. After restraining the bird safely, use hydrotherapy technique to get a clear view of suspect feather.
2. Determine how damaged the feather is. If the blood feather has matured to more than half the feather being emerged from the shaft, then it can be saved with white paper glue ,corn starch, or clay paste therapy. If the broken feather is bleeding significantly, it should be removed.
3. The trick here is to remove the feather in one swift movement as failure to do this properly will result in complications and profuse bleeding. To avoid this, get a good grip on the shaft of the feather by placing the forceps perpendicular to the growth of the feather. Only grip the shaft, and not the flesh. Apply proper pressure on the skin for approximately10 seconds (where the feather shaft emerges), pull the feather shaft in one swift movement. You should have the feather, complete with inferior umbilicus intact, in the forceps. If the feather follicle site continues to bleed after applying pressure once the feather is removed, consider a coagulant to stop the bleeding and seek veterinarian help. This is a situation that may require stronger methods of blood loss control performed by a qualified avian veterinarian.
4. Check the rest of the bird’s feathers for potential hazards. In flight feathers, especially, the other wing could have a “mirror image” at about the same stage of growth as the feather that was just pulled. In clipped birds, it is recommended to leave adjoining flight feathers in full flight condition to cushion the new growing and emerging feather.
5. Consider re-evaluating the feathers in about a week. Check for any further new blood feather developments.

Primary feathers located on the birds’ wing are usually the culprit in terms of broken blood feather emergencies. In this photo, the tail feather is the suspect. Note the shaft has partially emerged feather and the keratin based shaft is full of blood.

After determining that the bleeding feather needs to be removed, you must ensure a proper grip with hemostat forceps. Apply pressure to the skin at the base of the feather to be removed. Failure to do so could cause pain and rip the skin surrounding the blood feather. This can cause further complications and profuse bleeding. It is recommended to place the forceps perpendicular to the direction of the feather when gripping the feather and pull swiftly. Placement of the forceps in a vertical alignment with the feather, then pulling, can cause the feather to tear.

The pulled feather must be intact, complete with the rounded base or the inferior umbilicus (A). A broken feather shaft left inside the bird can result in a feather cyst or infection. Once the feather has been removed, apply pressure at the feather follicle site (B) for about 10 seconds to ensure the bleeding has stopped. After successfully removing the blood feather, clean the site, return the bird to a clean cage and monitor him closely.

A First Aid technique in hydrotherapy and clay poultice for wound management

If you’ve been caring for companion birds for any length of time, it’s surely happened to you. And, as the odds are typically stacked, blood related accidents usually at the most inopportune moment!  When it comes to discovering a parrot in a blood bath, there really is no opportune time is there?

Unfortunately, many avian caretakers sooner or later find themselves in this situation. And, unless your avian veterinarian lives next door, it’s better to be prepared and know what first aid method to utilize as soon as possible. Blood accidents can happen at any moment and it doesn’t matter if it’s a single bird or a pair of breeding birds. The thing to remember is to act quickly and calmly. First things first;

1. Inspect the bird for source of wound or wounds.  You can do this with your practiced towel restraint method.  If the injury is from another bird, especially in cage mates, be sure to check the bird for injuries as well.
2. After assembling your HARI Approved First Aid Arsenal, and finding the location of the injury, begin treating the injured bird with hydrotherapy techniques.

Why hydrotherapy??

Many of us automatically practice hydrotherapy when we experience a scrape or cut on ourselves. We run over to the sink and run water on or grab a wet cloth to sooth and wash away the blood. So why the fancy name?  Aside from  allowing a better view of the wound, running warm soothing water  removes dirt and debris.  The action of allowing running water to flow onto an injured site will naturally and painlessly remove the dead cells and dry blood from a wound. The movement of the water will also trigger in immediate cell tissue repair response, decrease inflammation and activate circulation and encourage vascularization. This increased blood flow carries nutrients to help repair the damage. In fact, hydrotherapy is beneficial for birds with challenges in skin conditions such as feather plucking and Amazon Foot Necrosis.  Be sure the water source is clean and of cool to warm temperatures.

Now-stop the blood flow!

Sometimes this easy-and sometimes it’s not!  Typical injuries on parrots, and especially finch species, for that matter are often difficult to bandage as traditional bandages are complicated to apply. And inevitably,   the patient, in an attempt to rid the foreign object, can complicate the severity of the injury or delay the healing process.

Here are some HARI suggestions to help …

	Some wounds on birds are often challenging to keep bandaged as seen with the macaw that suffered a bloody injury just under the nail bed.  Traditional bandages are difficult to apply and the bird only tears them off-an instinctive action that complicates the injury and delays the healing process.
	Treatment starts with Hydrotherapy and is then followed with clay poultice. Use cotton tip to apply the clay mixture.  The clay poultice will dry and promote the healing. If the bird picks at the clay “bandage”, ingestion of dried clay will be ok. Repeat hydrotherapy and clay poultice applications as often as necessary. Consult Avian Veterinarian if needed.

Stayed tuned for the next in our series on First Aid: Removing broken blood feathers.

How often do we really look at our bird’s physical appearance? And what are we looking for?

What if you are unsure about something you’ve noticed on your bird? Do you call the veterinarian? You do if it’s critical!  These are questions that are easier to address with an understanding of what is normal and what is abnormal. While the best way to assess the health of a bird is typically through regular avian veterinarian checkups, documented observation and monitoring as well as routine grooming offers the avian caretaker an excellent opportunity to assess the health of the companion bird be it a pet or a breeder bird.

So, let’s take a look at a pododermatitis!

Pododermatitis-normal and not normal!

Evaluating a bird’s feet is critical and is one of the most often missed ailments that affect pet birds and especially breeding birds with mere casual observation. Perhaps it’s due to the fact that the bird is standing on his feet all of the time!

Pododermatitis or “Bumblefoot” can result in many health issues and the severity is rated by grades. The causes of the various grades of pododermatitis are often correctable by the avian caretaker.  Birds challenged with obesity, and lack of perch rotation are most certainly are prone to bumblefoot condition. Other causes include diets low in Vitamin A & E, excessive use of grooming perches, lack of exercise, and exposure to cigarette smoke.

So, while the bird is securely wrapped in proper towel restraint and ready for his routine grooming, be sure to check the condition of his feet for signs of pododermatitis or “bumble foot.”  The following photos show signs of various grades of Pododermatitis as well as suggested remedies. In some cases, it is advisable to consult your veterinarian. Do make a notation in your bird’s records.   For further information on pododermatitis, please check with your avian veterinarian and check out Dr. Petra Burgmann’s article in Parrot Life Volume 1-page 46.

Don’t forget that grooming is an excellent time to weigh your bird and record his weight!

A record of weights on a bird gives indication of “normal.” A variance in a bird’s average or “normal” weight is a sure sign that a bird might need a diet change or new exercise routine or in the case of unwarranted weight loss, a closer look at the bird’s current health condition.  Be sure to take this opportunity to evaluate your bird’s choanal papillae! Have your tools & suggested supplies from your HARI Approved First Aid Arsenal ready before beginning your own health assessment! And, don’t forget to make a record of his feet!