Veterinarian Honolulu

Our Honolulu veterinarian clinic often has people bringing birds in for treatment. Here are a couple of important things to keep in mind when you have pet birds. Dirty water cups may be one of the greatest sources of infection for pet birds. Water that stands for several days will pick up bacterial contaminants from the surrounding environment. The addition of vitamin and other supplements to the water make it even more suitable for bacterial growth. The condition will worsen when bits of food or droppings are in the water. I cannot emphasize how important a clean and fresh source of water is for the health of our pet birds. The food and water cups should be covered/shielded or placed in such a position that they are protected from fecal contamination. Also any bird toys should be suitable for the particular variety of bird. Large birds can easily dismantle or destroy toys designed for smaller birds. Glass mirrors are hazardous to large birds. Watch for sharp edges and hooks on toys as they may lead to severe injury. We have seen many birds impaled on hooks used to secure certain toys. Bells may be removed from toys by larger birds and become lodged on the beak. For some reason the most frequent victim of this mishap, in my experience, is the lovebird. Certain toys contain lead weights. Some toys that are safe for smaller birds have the potential to be dangerous to larger birds as they may crack open the toy to expose the lead weight within. It is important to avoid cluttering the cage with excessive toys and cage furnishings.