Saturday, June 20, 2009

The Basics of Bird Anatomy

When it comes to bird anatomy, most pet bird owners have no clue about how the organs work and how the skeletal system is formed. You might not thing this topic is interesting, but it is very complex, and if you are going to know about birds, you are going to have a lot to learn!

First of all, you have the respiratory system of the birds. They have a high oxygen demand because of the high metabolic rate. This means that they have a respiratory system that is much more efficient than the one a mammal or reptile has. They can ventilate their lungs much more easily, and the lungs are the sites of gas exchange.

When it comes to their circulatory system, birds have a four-chambered heart, which is the same as most mammals. This means that they can get nutrients to their body as well as oxygen very easily. The bird’s heart is going to beat much more quickly that the mammals heart, due to what they have to do to survive.

The digestive system of birds is very interesting. Most of them have a muscular pouch that is called a crop which is formed along their esophagus. It helps them to soften food, as well as regulates the flow of that food through the bird’s system, because the food can be stored in this pouch and used as needed.

The Skeletal system of a bird is interesting as well. Because the bird is intended to fly, the skeleton is adapted for this. It is very lightweight, which would allow the bird to get off of the ground. On the other hand, it is very strong, so that it doesn’t break when a bird takes off or lands.

Birds also have a wide range of muscles, usually about 175, that are going to control how the bird moves. Birds also have very sharp eyesight, much better than that of humans. Birds are able to reproduce by making sperm and fertilizing eggs in order to breed.

All in all, the anatomy of the bird is very interesting and different from that of mammals. If you are going to be a bird owner, and if you are going to know everything there is to know about your pet bird, it is very important that you do all that you can to make sure you understand how the bird’s body works. This will help you to be a good pet owner, and it will help your bird to live a long and happy life.


Friday, June 19, 2009

What Happens when you Take your Pet Bird to the Vet

Whenever your animal is sick, no matter what kind of animal you have, and you have to go to the vet, there are going to be lots of things that you are going to want to keep in mind. Of course, you are going to be taking your pet to the vet even when they aren’t sick, because in order to have a healthy pet you need to be getting it a check up, just like you would a person. So, no matter what your reason is for taking your pet bird to vet, there are some things that you should keep in mind to make sure that it goes the way you’d like it to go.

First of all, you should know your vet, and you should know what their policies are for taking your animals in. What kind of time frame do you need to make an appointment, and how long do appointments usually last? These are things that you can ask your vet before you bring any of your animals in, and these are things that you should be aware of so that you can plan your day accordingly.

Something else that you should be aware of when you are taking your pet bird to the vet is that not a lot of vets know a lot about pet birds. In fact, unless you have spoken to your vet before about your bird, you shouldn’t be surprised if your vet only has a brief knowledge about your pet bird. Therefore, you should bring in some information about your bird when you first go to the vet, especially if you have a rare type of pet bird, or one that you don’t’ think people around your area would know much about. If your vet says that he doesn’t know much about birds, it is perfectly ok to ask for recommendations of vets that know more about birds and that can give you more information.

Unless your vet mentions that he doesn’t know much about your bird, chances are that he knows more than you do. So he is probably going to handle your bird and do things to it that you might not feel comfortable doing. You have to trust your vet with your bird, just like you trust your vet with your other animals. Your vet is trained in animal medicine, so he should know all about what to do. Also, if your vet gives you advice when it comes to taking care of your pet bird, you need to be sure to follow it!


Thursday, June 18, 2009

Caring for Aging Pet Birds

When you have any kinds of animals at home, you know that you want to take care of them for as long as they belong to you. For many people this is going to mean that as their pets get older, they have to figure out how to care for them. Caring for a pet as they get older is always very important, because not only is it your pet that you are caring for, it is a way to keep your pet comfortable and in your life for longer. No one wants to know that their pet isn’t comfortable, and so as your pet bird ages, it is important that you do all that you can to take care of them.

Pet birds live for various amounts of time. There are many pet birds that will live for a couple of years, but there are also pet birds that can live much, much longer. That means that in order to properly care for your aging pet bird, the first thing that you need to do is to figure out how long they are going to live for. Most birds don’t really change their appearance, as they get older, so you want to be sure that you know when your pet is going to be an old bird, so that you can prepare for this.

There isn’t much that changes in birds as they age. If your pet bird spends most of his time in his cage, you are probably going to find that he appears to be the same, day after day. However, in most cases, your bird is going through changes that you simply can’t see as he gets older. So, to make sure that you are able to properly care for him, a good thing to do is to take careful notice of him and what he does when he is a young bird. You might want to take notice of the things that he does – how far he hops or flies, and what kind of action he has during the day. This way, as he starts to get older, you can see if he is changing anything about the way he acts.

The best thing that you can do to help your bird age in a way that is good for them is to make sure that they always have access to the things that are important, such as fresh water and food, and treats. These things should be placed in areas where your bird doesn’t have to do a lot of moving to get there, so that as he gets older, he is still able to take care of himself.