BIRD FOOD

When selecting the appropriate food for your bird it is important to think about certain things and ask yourself several questions You should keep in mind the type of bird or birds you own and their size Do they need a seed and pelleted diet cats for sale,dogs for sale,aquarium fish,betta fish,bull dog,dog food,fish food,freshwater fish,gold fish,kittens for sale,love bird,lovebird for sale,pet care,pet food,puppies,puppy Do they like to eat food from their talon or out of their dish Does your bird make a large mess when eating Does your bird have any known health problems

Some foods can help certain problems like feather picking and vitamin deficiencies With so many different types of food on the market it can be difficult and confusing The most important thing to keep in mind is that you keep them on a wellbalanced diet

One common misconception is that birds need seeds in their diet and the truth is they do not Peanuts are very high in fat content and I recommend giving your bird no more than one per day Sunflower seeds which can be prevalent in some seed mixtures are also high in sodium and fat It is ok to give your bird a few seeds but if your bird is eating them anymore than 10% of their diet that is too much Most birds need to be on 90% pelleted diet Seeds nuts and other treats can make up the other 10% Also included in most parrots diet can be fresh fruit and vegetables These can seem like a treat to your bird but are actually very healthy

There are some brands of food which are 100% organic These are best for your bird as no chemicals are used when growing the ingredients Organic foods also contain no preservatives and no artificial coloring Birds can be sensitive to those things

Human food in very small quantities can be ok for your bird but should not be practiced regularly One human food that is great for birds is the sweet potato Sweet potatoes are filled with Vitamin A which the Eclectus parrot needs in their diet because it aids in digestion They also contain Vitamin C and Iron and are relatively easy to cook and store as well.Two foods that can kill your birds are chocolate and avocado You should never feed your bird those foods in any amount.There are lots of different ways that you can feed your parrot Now some of these may require more work than others where as some of them are as easy and grabbing a bag of bird seed and pouring it into their feeder All of them can be good for your bird although feeding a variety of parrot foods as opposed to a singular food source such as seeds can make achieving a more balanced diet a little easier to achieve.

The simplest way to feed your parrot a balanced diet is to buy some quality parrot food from your local pet supplies store These come in many different forms that will include additional vitamins and minerals this means that you will not have to it any additional vitamins to their diet In fact you may not know this but adding additional vitamins and minerals can in fact harm your parrot as it could lead to bad toxic level of the vitamins and minerals in their system.You should try and choose a seed mix for your parrot that doesnt allow it to choose one seed or food item in preference to another as this will provide him with a more balanced diet Be aware that some food products will claim to be fortified seed mixes which in theory should be just right for your parrot but this claim is not necessarily true This assumes that the bird will consume all the seed that is offered instead of choosing just a few of its favourite food items.One should always try to get parrot food which uses a formulated diet without any addition fragrances or colours A lot of parrot owners may worry that this does not provide enough variety for their parrot when in fact this is not the case One can easily counter this by providing enough fresh vegetables or fruit equivalent to the amount that you would normally use with a formulated diet While fruit and vegetables may not be as energy intensive as the prepared diet because they are mostly water they will still be a good addition to your parrots diet and you may notice that your parrot will still eat the same amount of fortified food This will lead to a more rounded and balanced diet.

Try not to need any high fat foods such as peanuts or even sunflower seeds Only use them as an occasional treat as this will reduce the amount of prepared diet food that your parrot would normally eat which means that it may not receive its balanced diet

With all the choices these days it can be confusing to know what type of bird food to buy Bird food and bird feeders can be purchased at gardening stores hardware stores and even at grocery stores Different birds eat at different levels some feel more comfortable eating on the ground while others prefer to eat higher up so place a variety of feeders at a variety of heights to attract a larger variety and number of birds Keep a journal and record which feeder attracts what types of birds

Before purchasing a bird feeder examine it closely You should buy a bird feeder that is rain and snow resistant so that the food for the birds will remain fresh Also try opening the bird feeder to ensure that it is easy to fill and clean out If the bird feeder requires too much work to fill or clean chances are you wont do it and then you wont attract as many birds as you would like to

Heres a break down of the different types of food available for birds.Bird Seed Bird seeds are the most common food placed in bird feeders While there are many different kinds of bird seeds black sunflower seeds are the most common because the majority of birds will eat them If you do place bird seed out for birds to eat make sure that the seeds are unsalted Also store bird seed in a cool dry place to ensure the freshness of the seeds.Suet Suet is when berries seeds and other ingredients have been mixed into meat fat Suet is popular with nuthatches chickadees blue jays and woodpeckers and is commonly offered to birds in the winter Be careful if you put suet out in the summer as the heat can turn the fat rancid very quickly To create your own suet first melt the meat fat which can be bought at your local butcher shop Next add berries seeds and other ingredients to the fat and mix well Remove the mixture from heat and allow it to harden.Nectar Nectar is a water and sugar mixture that is offered to hummingbirds To create your own hummingbird food bring 4 parts of water to a boil and add 1 part sugar Stir and allow the mixture to cool before filling hummingbird feeders Change the mixture every three to five days in order to prevent bacteria and mold from growing Hummingbirds are readily attracted to the colour red so in the past it was common practice to add red food colouring to homemade hummingbird food This addition is unnecessary as most hummingbird feeders have a red base which is sufficient to attract hummingbirds If you want to ensure that hummingbirds will come to your feeder plant some flowers with red blooms nearby or tie red ribbons to the hummingbird feeder

CANARY

If you are considering sharing your home with a pet canary its probably because you have heard so much about their nearly constant bubbly singing Join the club Since the seventeenth century pet owners the world over have kept canaries for nothing more than the sheer pleasure of birdsong filling their homes A canary is not merely a feathered music box though and pet canary care is so much more than the gilded cage of old A canary is a living thing dependent on you for food shelter and love and canary care while not rocket science involves a certain level of avian expertise Ready to become an expert Study hard Thanks to selective breeding theres quite possibly a canary out there to suit every personality and desire Some canaries are bred for their coloration some are bred for their shape and some of course are bred to produce a very specific song pattern What kind of canary you purchase will depend on what canary resources are available near you If you can find a reputable canary breeder that will be your best option Many pet stores now however commit to purchasing healthy birds only from reputable breeders but check first to make sure that your canary was not wild caught or raised in lessthandesirable conditions If the pet store manager can not account for where your potential canary came from dont buy a canary from that store Oh and be sure that the canary you purchase is a male if its a strong singer you are after The females are incapable of producing the characteristic long trills and melodies that made canaries famous

Canaries can be quite delicate so a primary part of learning to care for a pet canary is to realize that prevention is key If theres a number one rule of pet canary care its that you absolutely must keep your canary away from drafts at all times A drafty room can kill a canary without any warning whatsoever and even a slight draft can prevent your canary from warbling If a lit candle flickers when held outside your canarys cage then you have picked a spot thats too drafty for your new feathered friend As far as cages go your canary doesnt require anything too spectacularjust enough room to hop about and stretch his wings Make sure you purchase a cage that is at least two feet wide and three or four feet tall Get a cage with a tray in the bottom to make for easy cleaning and make sure that the bars of the cage are not coated with toxic paint or other chemical sealants You should clean your canarys cage thoroughly at least once a week washing perches food and water containers and toys in a mild bleach solution and washing down the rest of the cage with dish soap and warm water

While they cant stand drafts canaries do love indirect sunlight A good supply of natural light will keep your canary singing and will also interest him in breeding should a female be present If a draft will kill a canary the fastest a second runner up is dehydration Because of their speedy metabolisms canaries require a lot of water and may die if they go as little as a day without it Change your canarys water daily and never leave for more than a day without asking someone to water your canary for you As for food seed is the mainstay of a canarys diet and there are many good commercially available seed mixes made specifically for canaries You should supplement your canarys seed with a little fresh fruit and boiled egg every day An apple slice and a fourth of a hard boiled egg is enough You should also provide your canary with a cuttlebone as he will gnaw on this to attain necessary calcium

With these basic rules and supplies of pet canary care well in hand you are ready to seek out the perfect canary for you Will you choose a rosy red colorbred canary an exotic Persian Singer or something in between Whatever your decision your canary will thank you exuberantly for the next ten to fifteen years the best way he knows howby singing his heart out

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POND FISH

For most people the only thing they know about these scaly creatures is whether they taste better with lemon or tarter sauce For Pond owners however a little more information is needed If you are a new Pond owner who has just purchased or are thinking about purchasing Koi goldfish or other pond fish you might have a few questions How do I introduce new fish into my pond What do I need to do to make my pond suitable for them How do I maintain my new friends

Fortunately I know a little bit more about fish then the topping they taste best with Here are a few basic tips all future pond fish owners need to know

Before purchasing fish you must first have your pond suitable for life Meaning there should be no zip zero nada Ammonia Chlorine Chloramines or Nitrite in your pond water A test kit will be needed to determine the level of those parameters A dechlorinator can be used to rid the pond of Chlorine Chloramines and Nitrites And a water change can be conducted to do away with Ammonia

A filter is crucial to maintain Ammonia levels A Biological filter is the best choice Be sure the filter can support a pump that is able to move the total gallons of your pond AT LEAST once per hour So if you have a pump assuming your pump is big enough for your pond that has a GPH of 950 you would want a filter with the capacity of at least 950 although a 1000 would be better

Once you have your water levels up to par and proper filtration unit has been installed its time to purchase the new additions to your family which is exactly what they will become After selecting the right fish there are a few things you need to know when introducing them into your pond

A bagged fish generally only lasts for 45 minutes assuming the correct water to Oxygen ratio has been applied Be sure your drive home is less than 30 minutes away If this is not the case tell a sale associate so special measures can be taken An additional supply of Oxygen can be given to you

Once you are home let the bagged fish float in the pond for 15 minutes before releasing it This will regulate the water temperature and help to prevent it from going into shock If however you feel that your fish is stressed or the ride home took longer than 30 minutes gradually fill the bag with some pond water to speed the regulating process

Once the water from the bag is about the same temperature of your pond water you can place your new fish into the pond Do not pour the water from the bag along with your fish into the pond Use a net to drain the water from the bag outside your pond and then release your fish into its new home

Now that your new friends are swimming pretty what has to be done to maintain them Here are a few tips

1 Test your pond water for Ammonia Nitrite pH Oxygen Carbonate Hardness and General Hardness once a week for 23 months for new ponds Once the pond is pretty much established you can test as needed

2 Do not over feed your fish They eat Algae Aquatic plants especially lilies and small bugs found in your pond Only feed them fish or Koi food twice a week This along with regular filter cleaning will help prevent high Ammonia spikes

3 Keep in mind the changing seasons As fall and winter come around special accommodations will have to be made A deicer for climates that tend to drop below freezing and Wheat Germ food no matter the climate for the fish slowing metabolism

BETTA FISH

If you have visited a pet store a chain discount store or even a florist lately you have most likely been attracted to the rich colors and longfinned elegance of the betta fish Bettas also known as Siamese fighting fish are relatively inexpensive but exceedingly beautiful For these reasons they have recently and unfortunately become popular not so much as pets but as decorating accents due to misleading reports that theyre meant to thrive in tiny amounts of water and need very little looking after However betta fish care entails much more than plunking your new fish into a wine goblet with a marble or two for company Taking care of a betta fish requires preparation education and compassion Let this brief tutorial turn you into a better betta owner

Perhaps the misconception that bettas are meant to live in small amounts of water stems from the fact that bettas are usually sold in containers no larger than a teacup Unlike most other fish at the aquarium store bettas are extremely aggressive towards one another and cannot be housed with other fish Since they must be sold separately theyre put into cups and stacked row upon row to save room Potential betta owners are then happily informed that the fish needs very little oxygen or water The sad fact is that many bettas die within a few weeks of purchase due either to ammonia buildup in their small habitats or lack of oxygen With this in mind let the first item on your betta fish care checklist be an adequate tankat least one gallon but preferably three or more With optimum room to swim and an aerator providing fresh oxygen bettas have been known to live for ten or more years

When you go to the store to select your betta know first of all that almost every fish is going to be a male unless otherwise specified The male bettas are what earned these fish the title Jewel of the Orient while the females are remarkably dull and shortfinned by comparison Most bettas sold in pet stores will be around nine months oldjust after their fins have lengthened and their mature coloration has arrived When selecting a betta seek out the healthiest specimen by looking for and avoiding torn fins dull color patches and wounds Most bettas will appear extremely droopy as they float in their alloted six ounces of water but rest assured that when you take them home and introduce them to their new larger dwelling they should perk up immediately and start gliding about unfurling their magnificent fins for you to admire

When it comes to a bettas diet moderation is key as a bettas stomach is about as large as the black dot in the center of his eye With that in mind feed your betta one specialty betta pellet once a day For a treat try giving him a pinch of frozen bloodworms about once a week as it will help maintain his jewelbright complexion Other than taking precaution to not overfeed your betta the most crucial factor in betta fish care is water quality Never place your betta in water straight from the tap There are many products on the market that will instantly make water safe for fish or you can use bottled spring water Ensure that your bettas tank is kept warm enough but never placed in direct sunlight especially during the winter months You can get a small thermometer and if needed a heater made especially for fish tanks to make certain the water temperature is kept between 75 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit When changing the water replace no more than half of the water at any given time and always make sure the replacement water is purified

With this betta fish care advice well in mind youll always have a healthy betta Remember a healthy betta is a beautiful betta and a beautiful betta is one youll be proud to enjoy and share with friends and family for years to come

Because betta fish can be kept in relatively simple containers as opposed to large aquariums with complicated filtration systems many people are attracted to them as easy to care for yet beautiful tropical fish But betta fish care does require some frequent work to keep the fish happy and healthy

One important factor in betta fish care is to use a container that allows the fish to swim around a bit Bettas can of course survive in the little jars they are often sold in but this is far from a healthy environment and bettas in such tight quarters may fade in color and become sluggish Bettas dont need a huge amount of space but a little room to swim and a decent amount of surface area for the fish to get gulps of air in are recommended As a suggestion a 1 to 2 gallon fish bowl is a good option

It is a good idea to have a cover not an airtight cover over the top of your container as bettas have been known to jump out of their containers

The next part of betta fish care that is critical to the health of the fish is to keep the container and water very clean Part of keeping the container clean is to use caution when feeding your fish Excess food will accumulate at the bottom and cause bacterial growth and cloud the water I suggest feeding your fish with the standard betta food pellets by dropping in just one pellet at a time perhaps 3 or 4 times per day Not only will this help keep the container clean it will also prevent overfeeding which can cause swim bladder problems which can kill bettas

Frequent water changes are important to keep toxins from building up Small containers should have at least one third of their water changed at least twice per week Larger containers with one to two gallons of water or more can be done once per week with about half the water being changed out

I suggest using bottled distilled water to change your bettas water Distilled water is pure and free of chemicals like chlorine that are toxic to fish In addition since distilled water has a neutral pH it is ideally suited to the needs of betta fish

Because bettas are from tropical regions an important part of good betta fish care is to keep the water relatively warm about 75 to 80 degrees

Smooth objects without sharp edges make good decorations in the betta fish container because these fish like to rest on objects above the bottom Bettas have delicate fins so anything with sharp edges must be avoided even artificial plants that are particularly rigid

By following these tips you are well on your way to having your betta stay healthy and showing a wonderful display of its vibrant colors A bright active fish is your reward for good betta fish care

AQUARIUM DECORATION

You have got the aquarium tank now its time to decorate The tanks looked so pretty in the pet shop but if you are like me they left you wondering where to start First you need to decide on a theme anything from Disney to Sunken ships The theme you select for your aquarium décor is a matter of personal choice The next suggestion would be to create a little diagram and scale everything to size This will insure that you have room for everything you want and help eliminate gaps in the tank

There are many different aquarium decorations out there There are hundreds if not thousands to choose from Coral driftwood gravel plants artificial plants rocks and ceramic decorations are just a few types of aquarium décor So once you have decided on your theme you should have no trouble filling your tank You will want to make sure you put all the smaller objects and plants in the front and arrange the larger ones towards the back so it can all be seen It should be noted that you should only put articles in your aquarium that are labeled for use in aquariums so as not to contaminate the tank Driftwood rocks and plants from your garden or elsewhere may contain harmful ingredients like pesticides or chemicals and even minerals that can be toxic to the aquarium life

This is also important when caring for and maintaining your tank Soap bleach and other cleaning products are harmful for fish tanks The tank décor and ornaments should be cleaned once a month using a cleaner made especially for cleaning fish tanks and aquariums Cleaners that will remove biological and mineral deposits should be used Cleaning aquarium decorations on the average is very low maintenance Just make sure that before you add or remove any aquarium decoration or ornament that you turn off and unplug all the equipment first Aquarium décor is more than just ornaments and decorations in your tank It can be used to disguise some of the unsightly plumbing of the fish tank and more importantly provide necessary shelter for the sea life thriving in your aquarium It can also provide a place for the fish to lay eggs and even go and brood Rocks and other structures used as aquarium décor often become territorial boundaries for some of the fish in the tank When picking out the rocks and bigger structures to decorate the tank keep in mind that fish love to explore so the more holes and ridges the better Its also a good idea to rearrange the décor every time you clean It will keep the aquarium experience fun and new for both you and the fish.