Our Oak Knoll location is now closed to the public.

Food and Nutrition

Seeds should NOT make up the majority of your bird's diet. Pellets provide a nutritious and uniform diet for your exotic bird which should be accompanied by fresh vegetables (chop) every day. Fruit is ok as an occasional treat but should not be given everyday because it is too high in sugar. Don't know how much you should be feeding your bird? Use this diet calculator made by the Psittacine Welfare Institute!​

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https://psittacine.org/resources/diet-calculator/

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Interested in learning more about your bird's diet and how to prepare chop? Join our Chop Club!

Reading Bird Body Language

New to interacting with exotic birds and not sure what they are telling you? There are lots of great resources through BirdTricks like this video!

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B_BKExLup_s

Toys and Foraging

In the wild, parrots spend most of their day foraging for food. In order to replicate this behaviour in captivity and to keep them mentally and physically stimulated we need to provide enrichment! This can come in the form of toys (bought or homemade), homemade foraging boxes made of various pieces of cardboard, and putting food in puzzles or foraging trays.

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Interested in learning more about bird toys and how to make them? Join our Toy Making Workshop!

Bad Foods for Birds

Many foods are not good for your bird! Here is a list of what you should not feed them by Be Chewy.

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https://be.chewy.com/dont-feed-your-pet-bird-these-6-foods/

Bird-Proofing Your Home

Birds have very delicate respiratory systems, so things like candles, fragrance sprays, and teflon pans are a no. Ceiling fans should be disconnected and windows will need screens if they open. Here are some resources for what plants are bird safe plants according to Birdhism.

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​https://birdhism.com/blogs/news/common-bird-safe-house-plants?srsltid=AfmBOoroUitDl81epX7tmUwercC5l3TV-yZu6h61SwhwmVQyO0jT6Zet

Positive Reinforcement Training

We use Clicker Training with all of our birds. Training strengthens the bond between you and your bird, allows others to also interact with your bird, and of course can be used to teach them lots of cute tricks!

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Interested in learning how to start training your bird? Send us an email at helpwithmybird@hamiltonaviary.ca to book a consultation!