[Dummies 01] • Birds For Dummies by Spadafori, Gina -- Read -- Imperial Library of Trantor

Index

Title Contents Introduction

Approaching Bird Ownership Realistically How This Book Is Organized Icons Used In This Book Some Final Words on Pronouns and Your Pets How to Reach Us

Part I : Which Bird For You? Chapter 1: Birds and Humans: It’s Only Natural!

Don’t Know Much about History? Read On! Are You Really Ready for a Bird? Exploring Avian Cyberspace

Chapter 2: Narrowing the Choices

What Are You Looking for in a Bird? Considering the Species

Chapter 3: A Bird of Your Own

Considering Wild-Caught versus Captive-Raised Telling the Girls from the Guys Checking Up on a Bird’s Good Health Making Mature Decisions about Age Finding a Reputable Source Protecting Your Rights

Part II : Caring for Your Bird Properly Chapter 4: All the Right Stuff

A Cage to Call Her Own Perch Perfect Playstands and Gyms Dishes and Waterers Toys? Keep ’em Coming Clearing the Air Clean-Ups Made Easy The Best of the Rest Accessory-Wise

Chapter 5: Starting Your Bird Off Right

Starting the Relationship Right Setting Up the Cage Settling In Managing Introductions Building Trust through Training Keeping Things Clean: A Basic Regimen

Chapter 6: The New Art, Science, and Fun of Feeding Birds Right

Raising Generations of Junk-Food Junkies Enter the Pelleted Diet Nutrition — the Short Course What Your Bird Should Be Eating Practical Plans for Converting Your Bird’s Diet Birds of a (Slightly) Different Feather

Chapter 7: Beyond Food and Water: Bird Basics

Translating Bird Body Language Getting a Handle on Your Bird Practicing Good Grooming Bird Care When You Can’t

Part III : Keeping Your Bird Healthy Chapter 8: How Birds Work: The Short Course

The Outside: More than Just Beautiful Finding Your Inner Bird

Chapter 9: A Preventive Care Approach to Your Bird’s Health

Preventive Care Is the Best Care A Three-Part Plan for Preventive Care Finding the Right Veterinarian

Chapter 10: Your Bird in Sickness — and Back to Health

Birds Are Birds — Not People, Not Dogs Home Care Fallacies First Aid Basics Infectious Diseases That Panic Parrot-Lovers Supportive Care

Chapter 11: Lifelong Care for Your Bird

Why Birds Are Living Longer Health and the Older Bird Knowing When It’s “Time”

Part IV : Living Happily with Your Bird Chapter 12: Getting to “Good Bird!”: Dealing with Behavior Problems

A Framework for Good Behavior Ensure Your Bird’s Health Be Fair to Your Bird Be Firm with Your Bird — but Gently Problem-Solving Troublesome Behaviors What If You Can’t Fix the Problem?

Chapter 13: Living in a Multiple-Bird Household

Companion Birds or Breeders? Closed Aviary Concept: Rules to Live By Choosing Compatible Pets The Joy and Challenges of Breeding The Awesome Egg Raising the Babies

Part V : The Part of Tens Chapter 14: Ten Bird Myths — Debunked!

Birds Are Low-Maintenance Pets Birds Are High-Maintenance Pets Birds Are Fragile A Hand-Fed Bird Makes a Better Pet Seed Is the Best Diet for Birds Birds Get Mites Easily Birds Catch Colds from People A Sick Bird Is a Dead Bird Lovebirds Will Die of Loneliness If Not Kept in Pairs All Parrots Talk

Chapter 15: Ten Steps to a Healthy Bird

The Physical Examination Caging and Husbandry Review Food for Thought: The Right Nutrition Behavioral Check-Up Guideline for Multi-Bird Households Testing the Blood Screening for Bacteria A Couple More Diseases — Maybe For the Record: What and Who Are You? A Shot for Birdy?

Chapter 16: Ten Questions to Ask When Buying a Bird

Where Do You Get Your Birds? How Many Birds Do You Sell a Year? What Are the Terms of the Sales Contract and Post-Purchase Warranty? What Are Your References? How Old Is This Bird? Does This Bird Have Any Medical Problems, Past or Current? Does This Bird Have Any Behavioral Problems? How Have You Socialized This Bird? What Have You Been Feeding This Bird? May I Visit and Get to Know the Bird Before Buying?

Chapter 17: Ten Must-See Avian Web Sites

Fun for Kids — and Adults, Too Behavior Help and Then Some Enrapt over Raptors Help Us Get Home Meet Alex, the Star It’s Academic Birds of a Feather, Flocking Together The Source for Health Remembering Birds in Need And a Flock of Others

Chapter 18: Ten Best Birds for Beginners

Canaries Finches Budgies (Parakeets) Cockatiels Quaker Parakeets Poicephalus Parrots and Parrotlets Pionus Parrots Pyrrhura Conures Amazon Parrots Peach-Faced Lovebirds

Chapter 19: Ten Common Dangers to Your Bird’s Life

Yum-Yum Little Birdy Flying Is for the Birds Bird on the Loose Inhalant Dangers Plants Not for Nibbling Foods That Shouldn’t Be Shared Metals That Are, Like, Heavy, Man Maybe Some Medicine Will Help? Watch Where You Step A Shocking Surprise

Chapter 20: Ten Disaster-Planning Tips for Bird-Lovers

Consider the Possibilities Make a Contact List Make Sure Your Bird Carries an ID Make and Trade Bird-Care Files Collect Food and Supplies Keep a First Aid Kit Fully Stocked Plan, Plan, Plan, and Practice Keep Your Bird Secure — and Separate Keep a “Lost Bird” Kit Ready Be Prepared to Help Others

Chapter 21: Ten Classic Bird Jokes (Just the Clean Ones)

What Would We Do without the Guy Who Walks into the Pet Store? Will We Ever Get Out of the Pet Store? Oh, This One Is Punny If You Thought That One Was Silly . . . And Back to the Pet Store . . . Take a Cruise with Us It’s Always Good to Pray A Little Respect, Please Elementary, My Dear Watson Enough Parrots!

Appendix: Additional Resources

Supplies Periodicals Veterinary and Aviculture Groups Conservation Groups Rescue and Adoption Organizations

: Color Insert

Hi There! The Anatomy of Flight Canaries and Other Finches Three Popular Pet Birds A Tale of Two Conures Pick a Pint-Sized Parrot We‘re Talking Chatty The Overshadowed Amazons Big and Beautiful Birds Turnabout Is Fair Play

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