Little Shop of Feathers

11/17/2025

Is Quarantineing necessary??? Yesss!!!

Why?? Diseases!!!

Parrots can carry any one of eleven types of infectious viruses, most deadly to other birds!!

Unlike dogs and cats, parrots are capable of carrying any one of up to 11 types of infectious viruses. It doesn’t matter if your new parrot looks and acts healthy. Many avian diseases lie dormant until activated by stressful situations, such as going to a new home.

Never introduce your parrots at home to a new bird until you know it's healthy.

Here are some Terms/Diseases you need to know if you own or want to own a parrot!

❗️Polyomavirus - Can be Fatal

❗️Aspergillosis - Can be Fatal if untreated

❗️Avian chlamydiosis - Can be Treated- left untreated is Fatal

❗️Proventricular dilatation disease (PDD) - There is no cure, but diagnosis can be made through blood tests, X-rays, or biopsies, and some cases can be managed with supportive care and anti-inflammatory drugs. - Left untreated is Fatal

❗️Psittacosis - Psittacosis is a disease caused by bacteria that often infect birds.

❗️Metal toxicity - Immediate veterinary care is crucial, utilizing chelation therapy and potentially endoscopic or surgical removal of metal particles to save the bird's life - left untreated is Fatal

❗️Psittacine Beak & Feather Disease (PBFD) - No Cure

❗️Candidiasis - Candidiasis in birds is a common fungal infection

❗️Avian Bornavirus (ABV) - is a progressive and often fatal disease that causes neurologic symptoms in parrots

❗️Fatty Liver Disease - condition in parrots where fat accumulates in the liver, hindering its function and potentially leading to serious health issues. It's often linked to obesity and a diet high in fat, particularly seed-based diets

11/17/2025

Today we are going to Talk about cages.

How to determine what cage is best?

Birds are active creatures. Always try to get the largest cage you can that has bar spacing still suitable to your species. A parrot needs to exercise it’s wings and must have enough unobstructed room to do so.

This means that you should look for a cage that is larger your bird’s wing span, (1.5 to 2 times their wings span is what is recommended) with several inches on each side to spare. This allows for any toys or perches that are in the cage and could injure the bird during vigorous activity. If you have a long-tailed parrot, remember to plan for room for that too! Your parrot should be able to turn in any direction without bumping any part of its body, wings or tail against anything

Bar Spacing is very important!! If the spacing is too wide for the smaller species, a head can get caught in the bars. It’s amazing how a head will fit through the bars in one direction and suddenly become so large that it won’t come out the way it went in.

Also, it makes negotiation around the cage difficult for little feet. Likewise, a larger bird in a cage with too small bar spacing can get a foot caught in the bars.

Some birds are quite capable of breaking welds and larger parrots like macaws and cockatoos need to be in a very well constructed cage. Remember that your bird will explore every inch of this cage when you are away.

Non-toxic powder-coated or stainless steel

A stainless steel is going to be the best that you can buy. It will last a lifetime. It won’t chip or rust and will be sturdily made. When you buy a powder-coated cage, please make sure it isn’t from China.

MOST of the cages made there have tested positive for dangerous levels of lead and zinc in their powder coating.

The cage is the biggest investment you will make in your parrot. It will be her home for the entirety of her life, which might be 50 or more years. A stainless steel macaw cage will set you back more than $2,000, but when you divide this among the years of service it will provide, it doesn’t seem like so much.

There are many other cages available, costing less, that are wonderful homes to our companion parrots. Be sure to check them carefully for safety, durability and appropriate sizing. Don’t be afraid to contact the manufacturer for details about the cage and where it was made.

(I've attached a Cage Recommendation Chart)

If you can not afford a cage large enough for the parrot you want or if you don't have room for the cage they need - than you need to consider another species.

11/14/2025

Hey Everyone I've had a wonderful lady, Maddy Grace wanting to partner up to help out our community!!!

She is going to be at our Shop on Sunday, November 23rd , if you are in need of a coat and warm meal Please Come!!

We are taking donations!!!

Please help and Share this post if you can ❤️

If you own a Business and would like to help please reach out to one of us. Thank You

11/13/2025

11/12/2025

DO YOU KNOW WHAT POOR NUTRITION DOES TO YOUR BIRD? 🤔

Here's an interesting article shared from Harrison's Bird Foods, highlighting poor nutrition as the leading cause of death in pet birds.

Improper nutrition involves all of the systems of the body and is seen as abnormalities in body weight and shape; unusual appearances of feathers, nails, beaks and skin; undesirable behaviour; and disturbances in all the body's systems. Nutritional deficiencies appear to accelerate the ageing process of birds, primarily through the loss of moisture and tissue elasticity.

Often, the signs of improper nutrition in pet birds are not immediately apparent or go completely overlooked by the owner.

The value of a proper diet over the life of the bird is monumental. Birds fed a poor diet will become malnourished, which will start a chain of events leading to a decline in the bird's overall health.

The digestive system suffers first. The bacterial population of the digestive tract becomes unbalanced. Once this has occurred, opportunistic pathogens find it easier to invade, and gram-negative rods and yeast counts are increased.

This opens the door for bacterial infections and other ailments related to the immune system.

Over time, every part of the body will reflect the condition of the bird's health. If the bird reaches the latter stages of improper nutrition, damage to internal organs may be so severe that it is too late to save the bird.

Any change in your bird’s eating habits, behaviour or personality could be due to illness. It is important to discuss these changes with your veterinarian. Your bird’s health (and life) may depend on it.

11/11/2025

Accountability. Let’s talk about it. 🦜

We get calls that sound like this:

• “I didn’t realize how messy birds are.”
• “I think I’m allergic.”
• “My kid lost interest.”
• “It’s louder than I expected.”
• “I saved it from someone else, but now I need you to take it.”

What all of these have in common is a lack of responsibility.

Parrots are not décor.
They are not an impulse purchase.
They are not a trial pet to see if you like it.
Most parrots can live 30+ years. Some longer. That is a lifetime commitment.

There is an entire world of information available — right in your hand — about parrot care, diet, enrichment, behavior, noise level, mess level, and emotional needs. Do the research before bringing a bird home.

If you “saved” a bird but your plan was to hand it off — you didn’t save it.
You simply relocated the responsibility.
Once you bring an animal into your home, it becomes your responsibility to learn, to adjust, and to provide.

Now — let me be clear:

There are legitimate reasons to surrender.
A death in the family.
A major medical change.
A genuine situation where care is no longer possible.

Those are understandable and we will always show compassion.

But “I didn’t know,”
“I didn’t think,”
or “I didn’t realize how much work this was,”
is not a reason — it’s a lesson.

Rescues are full because people are not being accountable.

So this is your reminder:
If you cannot meet the mental, physical, emotional, and financial needs of an animal — don’t get one.

No excuses.
Do better.
Be better.
For them. 🦜💚

11/10/2025

Do you feed your parrots banana treats?

Do you know when it's the best time to offer bananas for maximum nutrition? 🍌

The more the banana ripens, the less the nutritional value it will have!

10/30/2025

Friendly reminder that dove releases are unethical, and if you or someone you know plans to do one, please consider alternatives that do not put the lives of innocent beings at risk.

https://lm.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.pigeonrescue.org%2Ffaqs-2%2Fwhy-dove-releases-are-cruel%2F%3Ffbclid%3DIwdGRjcANwipJleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHnbvK3RlZ0xb869_af3QwdPLErVdZerrRuMj8UFo1AS7rqWhyFA0CkiD4j5O_aem_aXpMrLoyKT8GHblMd0__SA&h=AT3WtjBU6c6c4EP61hhGcNLOckiCEFraeNgSCaioghVbOG9ZLQmvHQ6i5umfjMamnGZpgMZDH2nluSX72Y9jl6O7wgiml_kEAg6vBSyROJhKSVPjbsMUBnqJn1Q4Zyo1Ddn-iggT4QYmy1zU-n7Znq5SZsbP7fFz

10/23/2025

DID YOU KNOW? 🤔

Too many nuts and seeds are bad for our birds.

We all know our wee beaks love a good tasty nut, but did you know they can have a very high fat content, which can lead to a condition called Hepatic Lipidosis, which affects the liver? It’s sometimes called Fatty Liver Disease.

This can often be reversible, and we recommend offering a balanced, healthy diet and only using nuts as a treat for rewards and training purposes.

It's so important to feed a balanced diet to avoid excess weight gain and nutritional deficiency.

Birds fed a diet consisting mainly of seed and nuts are at an increased risk of gaining weight and developing fatty liver disease, leading to early death.

Seed-based diets contain a high amount of fat and, therefore, should be fed in moderation. Seeds also lack vitamin A, which is a vital part of your bird’s nutritional requirements.

Parrots require a varied diet, just like they would have in the wild, with a mix of fresh fruit, vegetables, and flowers.