When you visit a local parrot rescue and decide to give one of those rehoming birds a loving home, you want to ensure that they have everything they need for a comfortable life. Pet birds need everything from cages, toys, a balanced diet, and a suitable perch for their daily activities. Some pet bird owners might think that any old play stands or perch are ideal for their new feathered friend, but they would be mistaken. 

One particular bird behavior clearly indicates what potential adoptive bird owners need to carefully consider what their perch’s material is — frequently chewing. 

Why Does a Bird’s Tendency to Chew Matter?

When an exotic bird is kept in captivity, it won’t have the same freedom of movement it would have in the wild. They tend to chew things like branches, tree trunks, and other natural materials to keep their beaks and even their nails trimmed. In captivity, severely limited options mean that their perch becomes what’s readily available for their personal maintenance. Selecting a bird perch made from a suitable material for this becomes crucial.

So when bird owners look to outfit their avian friends with the toys and perches to keep them happy and comfortable, the materials play an essential role. People have to be ready for these perches to be readily replaceable depending on how often and vigorously they chew and claw. 

Natural Wood

Since birds have evolved over the generations to regularly use wood to chew on, having a natural wood perch will be the nearest equivalent to their natural habitat. However, you need to be careful of which trees the wooden perches are made from. Some trees can contain microscopic fungi and insects that can prove harmful to your companion parrot’s health. 

Trusting a respected institution like Todd Marcus Birds Exotic with your wooden perch needs can help eliminate that risk. Our inventory features wooden perches that are known to be bird-safe. 

Rope Perches

While natural wood might be the closest thing to their natural habitat, wood perches aren’t your only option. Perches made from hemp can provide a soft and durable perch that your bird will love. It’s an easier to grip surface, so your bird can get more readily comfortable. The rope perch becomes a more popular option to combat arthritis as your bird ages. 

Cement Perches

Providing a contrast in your bird’s cage helps keep them from getting bored and helps improve their ability to trim their beaks and nails. Cement or concrete perches can be a helpful tool in that regard, but it shouldn’t be the only perch in your bird’s habitat. Overexposure to the harder surface can become abrasive of the bird’s feet and lead to more significant problems in the future. 

Plastic Perches

One of the most readily available and easiest to clean perches on the open market, plastic provides what seems like a safe option for your bird. Be careful, though — the plastic may be too slippery for your bird to grip, and larger birds can potentially chew through the perch and create plastic shards. 

Shop for Your Bird’s Newest Perch with Todd Marcus Birds Exotic!

Shopping for your bird’s newest perch shouldn’t be a long and challenging process. Todd Marcus Birds Exotic has an expansive inventory of perches that come in various shapes, sizes, and materials. Browse our selection and find your bird’s new favorite perch today! 

The Most Common Mistakes Bird Owners Make

When you first decide to buy an exotic bird, you feel a wave of positive emotions flow over you. New bird owners go out and buy all the latest bird toys, feeders, and accessories that they can find to help make their avian friends feel at home. They may even pay attention to certain words or phrases in conversation or in phone calls to see if their bird will mimic the sounds. 

However, in their zeal to help, they can stumble and make a slew of common mistakes that can negatively affect your newfound feathered friend. While people strive towards responsible bird ownership, they often don’t become one overnight. There are some facets of owning an exotic bird that people are unaware of until they have pet birds in their homes and interact with them daily. 

Todd Marcus Birds Exotic is here to help newfound exotic bird owners avoid these common mistakes and take the best possible care of their avian friends. 

Mistake #1: Nutrition Failings

At first glance, nutrition appears to be the easiest part of owning a bird. In theory, all you need to do is buy the birdseed and give it to the birds, and they go on to live a long and happy life. However, birds have a diverse diet in the wild that includes various veggies, nuts, berries, and other things they could forage for. Besides, different breeds may have different diets — for example, an African Grey does not eat the same thing as a cockatiel. 

With a strictly pellet-based diet, they lose out on the potential nutrients that those food sources provide. Striking the right balance between a pellet, veggies, and fruit-based diet will give your birds a better-balanced diet. You can supplement their diet with a selection of bird treats to help with their diet — including our own custom blends for every type of bird, found exclusively at the Bird Store. With the right nutrition plan in place, your birds will enjoy a healthier and happier life!

Mistake #2: Not Varied Enough Perches

When the average person thinks of a captive exotic bird, chances are they picture them sitting on a smooth wooden perch that provides them an area to securely stand on. However, a single smooth wooden perch doesn’t offer the kind of variety that parrots need when they’re standing on a particular perch. 

Birds require varied textures for their perches for both their physical and mental health. The smoothness and monotone textures can lead to your avian friend developing a case of bumblefoot or any number of other potential foot disorders if left untreated. 

To counteract these potential developments, incorporating different perches through the cage with different textures provides your bird with various materials to keep their grip strength up and give them something different to interact with daily. 

Mistake #3: Improperly Sized Cages

Exotic birds, even ones in captivity, need more room to move than people may realize. Many cages found in average pet stores often don’t provide the necessary space for the birds to move and fly around that they need for their development. Even smaller birds need more room to move than the average small birdcage allows, so don’t skimp on the size of the cage; you can ask your Bird Store experts to find the perfect sized cage for your feathered friends!

Mistake #4: Toy Selection

Just like with your children, your birds can easily get tired of the same few toys and can start causing trouble as a result. Birds have more well-developed brains than other animals and require more varied means to entertain themselves throughout their days. Providing them with the right selection of toys that stimulate different parts of their brains can help their overall happiness and development. 

Mistake #5: Assuming That Your Bird Will Be Mess-Free

When prospective pet owners research what kind of pet they want to get, they might think that smaller exotic birds might be less messy than your average dog or cat. However, that is rarely ever the case, and birds can keep you busy with cleanup as much as a dog or cat. 

When free from their cage, birds can fling pellets, leave feathers, and make messes throughout the home — and that’s without getting into the cleanup after your bird has pooped. These instances usually mean that you have more cleanup than you anticipated. Before you get an exotic bird, make sure that you are ready for the cleanup and preparation for the responsibility of bird ownership.

Now that you know and understand some of the most common mistakes that new bird owners make, you can begin to take the necessary steps to avoid them and be a responsible bird owner out of the gates. If you want to browse through our inventory of exotic birds or explore some of our parrot grooming services, contact Todd Marcus Birds Exotic today!

New Year, New Diet for Your Bird — Revamping Their Food Choices

Every January, people worldwide make New Year’s Resolutions involving their diet, exercise, and general behaviors and try to live their best life possible. While a vast majority of these resolutions fail, you can apply a similar approach to the bird food you buy for your avian friends. When in the wild, your exotic bird had a delicate ecosystem that provided everything they needed for a happy and nutritious diet that met their needs. 

However, living in captivity necessitated changes to their diet that may not meet these requirements. If you have found that your bird hasn’t been looking its best or has begun moving lethargically, it could signify that its current diet has not met its nutritional needs. Finding a variety of foods and parrot treats that your pet birds enjoy while fulfilling their dietary needs proves challenging if you don’t have a trusted resource to lead you in the right direction. 

Why a Strictly Pelleted Diet Might Not Be the Way

For generations, bird owners have relied on a pellet and seed diet for their bird’s ongoing dietary needs. However, a strictly pellet-based diet might be missing out on essential nutrients that your bird needs for its continued growth and well-being. Pellets can form a good base diet; however, to ensure that your bird gets all of the vitamins and minerals they need, incorporating appropriate servings of fruits and vegetables will keep your bird feeling refreshed and satiated. 

What Kinds of Fruits and Veggies to Include

While your New Year’s resolutions may incorporate various fruits and vegetables into your diet, not every type will agree with your avian friend. Finding out which fruits and veggies provide the proper nutrients for your bird and won’t disagree with their digestive tract becomes critical. 

While different types of birds may have unique dietary requirements, some universal fruits and veggies remain safe to eat. Among the safe kinds of fruits and veggies you can share with your birds include:

• Peas in the pod
• Bean sprouts
• Leeks
• Artichokes
• Zucchini
• Green Beans
• Okra
• Beets
• Tomatoes
• Potatoes
• Apples
• Bananas
• Dark Berries
• Pomegranate 
• Oranges 
• Tangerines
• Kiwi
• Cranberries

What Else Can I Feed My Bird?

Providing your bird with a balanced diet can help improve their moods and have them feeling their absolute best. Incorporate a variety of fresh foods into your bird’s eating routine to replicate the kind of diet they would have in the wild. Bird owners are encouraged to use things like protein, whole grains, and carbohydrates in their bird feeders, all of which can help promote a happier and healthier diet. 

When it comes to the proteins you feed your birds, you want it to mimic their natural sources of protein as much as possible — so no fillet mignon for your parrot — so you don’t disrupt their digestive system. Unsalted and shelled nuts like walnuts and peanuts can be delicious options for your bird’s expanded diet. 

We Can Help With Your Bird Food Needs!

Finding a trusted source to provide guidance and access to the best food source for your bird’s new diet in 2022 becomes your next task. With the help of Todd Marcus Birds Exotic, you can redefine your bird’s diet in no time! We also have a variety of lorikeet birds for sale to give your current bird a new friend as well.

We provide our customers and their avian friends with a variety of custom bird food blends to help them meet their dietary needs. With 11 different varieties to choose from, you can find the custom blend that your bird will love in no time! With a unique combination of fruits, veggies, seeds, pellets, and more, we focus on ensuring your birds get the proper nutrients they need to live a happy and healthy life.

Browse through our online inventory to find the base bird pellets for your bird’s new diet and start the new year on the right foot!