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Cockatiel(Weiro)care!TheCockatielorWeiro(asitisgenerallyknowninWA)isasemi-aridbirdspeciesthatisfoundinmanypartsofAustralia.Theymakeverygoodpetsandgenerallyfairlyeasytokeep.Malesandfemalesbothcanmakegreatpetsandthesexofthebirddoesn’tgenerallyimpacthowgoodofapettheywillmake.Theycanbeveryvocalandgreatwhistlers.Interestinglytheweiroisoneoftheonlyspecieswheremalebirdsoftenwillmimicorwhistlemorethanfemalebirds.Thereareamanydifferentcolourvariantsavailableincludingthepearlandlutinomutations.
DietItisadvisedtoprovideadietnottoohighinproteinasthiscanleadtokidneydiseaseinsomecases.Itisalsobesttoavoiddietshighincommerciallyproducedbirdseedastheyareoftenhighinfatandlowinmanyofthemajorvitaminsthatweirosrequire.Feedingahighseeddietcanincreasetheriskofobesityandothermoreseriousproblemssuchaslipoma(lump)formationandcardiovasculardisease.Everyweiroisdifferentsoforyourowntailoreddietplanpleasegetincontactwithus.Ourgeneralrecommendationsforyourweiro’sdietareasfollows:•30-50%premiumcommercialpelleteddietsuitableforweiros.Feedingmorethan50%pelletscanleadtoproblemsinsomecasesandisnotgenerallyrecommendedformostweiros.•20-35%vegetables(recommendedvegetablesinclude:capsicum,broccoli,chili,corn,carrot,zucchini,squash,spinach,pumpkin,sweetpotato,beansandpeas),sproutedseedandnativevegetation(mostAustralianblossomsandplantsareokaytofeed–ensurethesearefreeofwildbirddroppingscontact).Freshnativegrassvarietiesthatproducesmallseedsontheirstemsaregreatforforagingandarehighlyencouraged.•5-10%fruits(i.e.melons,strawberries,banana,blueberries,grapes,peaches,pear,apple)•10-35%qualitycommercialseedmix.•1-5%snacksfortrainingandastreats(unsaltednuts(i.e.macadamia,cashewandwalnut),pasta,eggsandbrownrice.Housing:Weadviseagoodqualitypowdercoatedorstainlesssteelcageofanappropriatesize.Somepaintedcagescancontainleadelementswhichcanbetoxictoyourbirdsopleasetakecarewhenselectingyourcage.Cagesthathavebeengalvanizedwithazinccoatingcanalsocauseproblemssopleaseselectcarefully.
Stainlesssteelorceramicbowlsaregenerallyrecommendedasthesematerialsarenotporousmakingcleaningeasier andmoreeffective.
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Plasticbowlscanbecomeporousafterawhileandcancauseproblemsifbacteriabuildupintheseareas.
Perchesofvarioussizesareimportantforexerciseofthetoesandfeethealth.Theyalsohelptopromotethenaturalwearoftheirtoenails.Naturalperchesfromnativetreesareidealastheygenerallyvaryinsizeanyway.
Pleasedonotprovidestringorropetoysastheyoftenwillfrayovertimeandcancauseagastrointestinalobstructionifswallowed.
Ifyouarefeedingabalanceddiet,thencuttlefishandothersupplementsarenotneeded.
Environmentalenrichmentishighlyrecommendedandencouraged.Simplethingslikeutilizingcardboardtoiletrollstohidefoodcanprovidehoursofentertainmentformanybirds.
Itisimportantthatyourbirdgetsenoughsleepaslong-daylightexposurecanstimulateexcessivemoultingandincreasedreproductiveactivity.Werecommendyoukeeptothenaturaldaylength.Ifyourbirdiskeptinsideinawell-litarea,thenyoucancoverthecagewhenthesungoesdownandplacetheminadarkroomtoensurethattheirdaylengthisnottoolong.
Weirosgenerallydowellwithcagematesastheyareoftenquiteplayfulhoweveritisimportanttointroduceany new cage mates slowly as not all birds will getalongwell.
Commondiseases:Oneofthemostcommondiseasesthatweseeinweirosisanupsetgastrointestinaltract.Theywilloftenpresentforregurgitation,vomitingordiarrhoea.Ifyouseeanyofthesesignswerecommendaconsultationastherearemanydifferentcausesandifleftuntreatedyoumaybeputtingyourbirdslifeatrisk.
Asmentionedaboveobesityisacommonprobleminweiros.Inmanycasesthisisrelatedtodietshighinseed.Fattylumpscandevelopandinterferewithyourbird’smovement.Inmanycasesthesizeofthelumpcanbereducedbyplacingthemonanappropriatediet.Sometimestheselumpscanbemoresinisteranditisbesttobringyourbirdinifyounoticeanylumpsorswellingspresent.
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Upperrespiratorytractinfectionischaracterizedbysneezingoroculardischargeandiscommoninyoungbirds.Onceagainitishighlyadvisedtobring
theminforanappointmentastherearearangeofdifferentcausesofupperrespiratorytractdisease.Chlamydiainfectioniscommoninyoungbirds,thisisaseriousdiseasethatcanbetransferredtootherbirdsANDhumans.
Kidneydiseasecanoccurduetohighproteindiets.Thediseaserequiresmedicalattentionandcanbequiteserious.Clinicalsignsassociatedwiththisdiseaseinvolvevomiting,lethargyandwaterydroppings.
Weiros are generally very curious and sometimes get themselves into trouble with foreignobjects.Itisquitecommonforthemtoeatorchewonitemsthattheyshouldn’t(jewelry,plastictoys, rope toys, electrical cordsetc.). If youare concerned that yourbirdmayhaveeatenorchewedonsomethingthattheyshouldn’thave,thenpleasegetintouchwithus.
Veterinary care: Regular check-ups every 6-12months are important, as birds are very good athidinganyillnessesthattheyhave.Thesecheck-upsallow problems to be detected early before theyworsen.
Microchippingisalsohighlyrecommendedasweseemany birds that escape each year. Microchippingallowsyourcontactdetailstobeeasilyfoundifyourbird is handed in to any veterinary clinic or goodrescuefacility. Weuseaspecializedsmallmicrochipthat is inserted intoyourbird’spectoralmuscle;thisisaquick,simpleprocedurethatcanbeperformedinaconsultationtimeslot.
Ifyouhaveanyfurtherquestionsaboutyourweiropleasedon’thesitatetocontactus.
