Finding a Breed that Suits You in VS .NET

Printing Code128 in VS .NET Finding a Breed that Suits You

If meeting all of the needs birds have sounds doable and you still think you want to adopt one, the next step is considering what kind of bird best fits your lifestyle Challenging as they may be, some birds are easier deal with than others, and some people and situations are better suited to some birds than others Larger birds are louder, messier (only because they eat more),

can do more damage when they bite, and thus are not normally good pets for homes with children Smaller birds still make a mess and often spend much of the day twittering away, a sound that you either enjoy because it s so lovely or hate because it irritates the heck out of you Small birds are easier to care for, however, and make better pets for beginning bird owners Although every bird is an individual and generalizations always come with exceptions, here s what to consider about different types of birds

The type of bird you choose (see the sections that follow) has a great deal to do with how you and your bird get along and interact, but if the bird you choose is unhealthy or has an undesirable temperament, the particular kind of bird hardly matters Before you whisk that pretty bird home, take a good hard look for signs of health problems and temperament problems With birds, the two often are related A bird with an anxious, aggressive, or fearful temperament may look unhealthy because he s plucked his own feathers or bashed himself around in the cage A bird with a health problem may be nippy, aggressive, or fearful, because he doesn t feel good Some people are willing to adopt birds with health and temperament problems, but because of the added veterinary expenses involved and the even greater time commitment special-needs birds require, you had better know what you re getting into You always need to take your bird to the veterinarian before making an adoption official (for more about this process, see 18) Only a vet can truly tell you whether your bird is healthy, but as a first step toward finding a healthy bird with a good personality, here are the signs that your bird is in good health and has a suitable or at least trainable temperament: The bird needs to have bright full plumage with no bare spots or missing or broken feathers Cockatoos have a bald spot under their crests, which is normal, but bare patches on the chest, cracked quills, and raggedylooking feathers can be signs of ill health or a behavior problem The bird needs to have clear, clean eyes and a clean shiny beak Cloudy eyes or any discharge from eyes or nostrils can indicate a health problem If you can get a look in the bird s mouth, you should see a clean dry tongue without white spots or ulcers The bird s vent, or rear end, needs to be clean and dry The bird needs to act alert and react to you A tired or listless bird may be a sign of a health problem When you interact with the bird, he should seem interested in you, not frightened half to death or aggressively trying to attack you Even birds with good temperaments can be loud and needy, but you want to avoid extremely fearful or aggressive birds, which can be difficult to manage

Large parrots fluffy white cockatoos with their dramatic crests and brightly colored macaws with their huge hooked bills and superior talking ability are the most challenging birds to keep as pets They can live 80 years or longer and produce the most incredibly loud sounds When they bite, it really hurts That said, some people nevertheless are willing to put up with the less attractive aspects of owning large parrots and provide them with what they need Cockatoos come in 18 different species and many more subspecies, ranging from just over a foot in height to more that two feet When cockatoos are babies, they re famous for being cuddly and adoring As adults, however, that kind of behavior rarely continues, and people find themselves dealing with an emotionally sensitive bird with huge care needs that emits a dust to which many people find themselves very allergic Sensitive and needy, cockatoos require plenty of interaction and tolerance to noise Some of the more common types of cockatoos that you may find in need of adoption are Moluccan cockatoos are the most common type of cockatoo, and they re one of the loudest of the large parrots They require constant social activity If they don t get it, they become neurotic and can turn to self-mutilation Sulfur-crested cockatoos are another common type of cockatoo, which actually refers to several different kinds of cockatoos with yellow crests Umbrella cockatoos are slightly smaller and all white Charming and affectionate, umbrella cockatoos also are incredibly loud and easily displeased Rescue groups are overflowing with cockatoos, because they re so incredibly difficult to keep Please be sure that you re really ready for the noise, mess, time, expense, and emotional commitment cockatoos require Macaws come in 17 different species and range from one foot to more than three feet in length These birds are smart, good at talking, and can develop interesting and complex relationships with people, but they re also incredibly loud and can easily dismantle an entire fancy wooden ($30) bird toy in 20 minutes Macaws are prone to periods of all-out shrieking and screaming, usually around sunrise or sunset Your neighbors probably won t be fond of these times of day Some common types of macaws that are likely to be up for adoption include: Blue-and-gold macaws are the most common type of macaw Because there are so many of them and because they tend to be moody and sometimes unpredictable, many are abandoned to rescue groups