What You Need For a Guinea Pig

A guinea pig compared to other pets, isn’t hard to take care of and can be a treat to own.  I will tell you how to take care of guinea pigs in this article.

How many guinea pigs? You should start out with two or more.  You should never only buy one guinea pig because they will get lonely because they are herd animals.  Fun Fact:  In Switzerland it is illegal to have only one guinea pig!

Cages?  A pair of guinea pigs need about 10 square feet to romp around.  Cages that are smaller than that are bad for your guinea pig because they can’t run around.  You should also have time to let your guinea pig out of its cage to bond with you.

Toys? Guinea pigs do not need toys like cats or dogs.  If  guinea pigs run on an exercise wheel for a short period of time they will have injured feet and backs.  Instead of toys, provide more running space.  Some people do not think that guinea pigs run, but that means that the guinea pigs are not in a big enough space.

Do they need chews? Guinea pigs, like other rodents need chews.  It is recommended to provide one to two chews for each piggy.  Since their teeth never stop growing, they need to grind them down in order to eat properly.  Chews keep your guinea pig’s teeth healthy.

Yum, pellets! Give your guinea pigs pellets as well as fresh vegetables for vitamins.  Your guinea pig needs a proper diet of pellets, vegetables, timothy hay, and sometimes fruit.  Feed about 1/8 of a cup of pellets a day as well as vegetables such as kale, carrots, and zucchini.  Vegetables should be about one cup total.  Commercial treats should not be given to your guinea pig, because they contain a lot of artificial sugars such as high fructose corn syrup and contain little nutrients.

Guinea pigs make great pets if you do enough research and know how to properly care for them!

 

 

Sources:

https://www.vetbabble.com/small-pets/guines-pigs/guinea-pig-care/

https://www.guineapigcages.com/forum/threads/29663-Do-cats-and-guinea-pigs-get-along

http://www.annarbor.com/pets/ask-the-veterinarian-guinea-pig-guide/

https://www.petfinder.com/pet-care/small-and-furry-care/care-guinea-pigs/

http://www.humanesociety.org/animals/guinea_pigs/tips/guinea_pig_feeding.html?credit=web_id139895298

Debunking Parrot Myths!

Sometimes people hear something that sounds legit (but isn’t) and they will tell other people then those people will tell their friends.  That starts a myth which either could kill your bird or compromise  the safety of your bird.

Myth 1: They Are Dirty Animals

Just because they do their “business” a LOT doesn’t mean they are dirty.  They clean themselves almost as frequently as a domesticated cat!

Myth 2: They don’t need a bath because they preen themselves

False!  Preening makes their feathers oily and waterproof.  Bathing, showering, or misting removes dander, dirt, and small particles of food.

Myth 3: You need to buy your parrot grit

You shouldn’t feed your parrot grit because they shell their seeds before they eat the inside.  Doves and pigeons need grit though, because they do not shell the seeds they eat.  Feeding a parrot grit can lead to a crop infection (A crop is a pouch that stores food for short periods of time that most parrots have).

Sources:

11 myths about parrots and their care

https://www.thespruce.com/most-outrageous-myths-about-birds-390198

https://www.petcha.com/5-parrot-talking-myths-facts/

https://www.petcha.com/6-parrot-myths-debunked/

 

Slime!

Today me, my sister, and my Mom went to Walmart to pick up things we needed.  My Mom pointed out a Elmer’s glue slime recipe that looked simple and fun.  We completed the kit and it turned out very well.

I took the photo with my blue slime

Why Is Bird Poop White?

Why is bird scat (Bird poop) white unlike other animals?  The reason is in contrast to mammals, they do not make urine, or pee.  Instead they excrete nitrogenous wastes in the form of uric acid, which emerges as a white paste.  The bird “poo” is actually more like a birds form of urine if that makes sense.

Facts 1:  Vultures deficate on their feet which kills off bad bacteria that they may get after perching on dead animals.

Fact 2:  You can tell the gender of a turkey by looking at its dropping, males have spiral shaped dropping and females have j shaped dropping.

Fact 3: Since bird dropping are very acidic they can corrode metal!

Facts 4: Some baby birds poop in little sacks, then the mom either flies them far away or eats them!  This keeps the nest clean.

Fact 5: Birds go to the bathroom in flight to keep light.

Sources:

http://mentalfloss.com/article/31262/why-bird-poop-white

https://www.birdnote.org/show/why-bird-poop-white

http://whyzz.com/why-is-bird-poop-white

https://www.certapet.com/media/fantastic-animal-poop-facts/6/

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/14-fun-facts-about-turkeys-665520/

https://keeveneo.com/2012/06/22/fun-facts-on-bird-poop/

http://www.todayifoundout.com/index.php/tag/bird-poop-facts/

 

The Importance Of Having Proper Care For A Parrot

If you are getting a parrot you should know the importance of having a decent sized cage for a bird and toys for proper stimulation.  You shouldn’t pet the bird anywhere under the head, that will make the bird think you are its mate and will try to repruduce with you.  A proper size cage for a cockatiel is 20″×20″×24″, but I would aim for something larger, so the bird has lots of space to play.  If you don’t give it enough space then that will lead to anxiety and feather plucking which can cause skin damage.  If you don’t give the bird enough toys to shred, it will make the bird chew and tear things that it shouldn’t like your phone charger.  Always feed your bird a variety of food, 75-85% of a cockatiel’s diet should be pellets and seeds, the rest should be fruits and vegetables.  Having a diverse diet makes the bird healthier than having a plain seed and pellet diet.  Your bird shouldn’t spend all of the day inside it’s cage.  You need to take him out once he is comfortable with you.  Spend a few of hours a day playing or training him to do tricks. Always do your research if you want a pet parrot because they are fun, but they are hard work!

Thank you for reading my essay on having proper care with a pet parrot.

Sources:

https://www.thespruce.com/bird-cage-sizes-4065662

https://www.wikihow.com/Keep-Your-Cockatiel-Happy

https://www.bing.com/search?q=how+much+of+a+cockatiels+diet+should+be+seeds&form=EDGTCT&qs=PF&cvid=5c069519fc144d38ae029908b23f699e&cc=US&setlang=en-US&PC=HCTS

https://www.bing.com/search?q=why+is+feather+plucking+bad&form=EDGTCT&qs=PF&cvid=de6bcedb10f44447a9defa0655c8b1df&cc=US&setlang=en-US&PC=HCTS

Cockatiel Behaviours

Cockatiels like other parrots have very complex behaviours and social structures.  I will try to lay out their behaviors to make as much sense as possible.

Heart Wings: “Heart Wings” are where males make their wings look hearts by pinning the tips of their wings by their side.  This is a sign of dominance or that the bird is trying to be macho to attract a female.

Wagging their tail: Some parrots wag their tails just like dogs!  It is a gesture of happiness or when the parrot is exited.

Pinning their pupils: Pinning means to make their pupils smaller and is a sign of aggression or agitation.

Raising one foot:  If you are not training your bird to do a handshake then it means its giving you the okay to perch on your arm.

Beak Chattering: This is a gesture of happiness, It means “Keep on petting me here!”.

Fluffing up: This is where the bird ruffles its feather to make it look bigger.  This means it feels cozy around you and they do this when they preen.

Puffing up: Usually confused with fluffing up this is a gesture of fright or aggressiveness. The difference is that they pin their eyes when they puff up.

Raising their crest: The crest is the long feather atop their heads.  When it is raised they are scared or fearful.  Try to remove anything in the room that will scare it.

Thank you for reading my article on cockatiel behaviour.

Sources:

Pet bird behaviours and what they mean.  AnnieKKay74 on youtube

10 Secrets to reading body language of birds! ParrotWhisperer on youtube

Reading body language of pet birds by geobeats on youtube

 

 

 

 

The American Crow

The American Crow’s scientific name is Corvus brachyrhynchos.  The American Crow is native to North America along with the Fish Crow, Northwestern Crow, and the Tamaulipas Crow.  They are intelligent omnivores that have adapted to have large brains that allow them to scavenge for food in the most challenging areas.  Some things you should never feed a crow are:

•  Apple Seeds: They contain small doses of Cyanide which us humans can handle but crows can’t.
• Chocolate: The chocolate poisons their digestive system and gives them diarrhea and causes vomiting, which lead to seizures and death.
• Tomato Leaves:  The fruit is fine for a crow to eat, however the leaves contain toxins that can make the crow sick.

We have an American crow that sometimes visits your house.  His name is Gunter and he loves grapes!  I used to feed him a lot, but I slowly stopped because I had other priorities.  I think I want to start feeding him again and keep building our trust and friendship..

Hurricanes

A Hurricane is a tropical storm located around the east and south east United States as well as south east Asia, also called a cyclone or typhoon in other parts of the world.   They form in water about 78 degrees Fahrenheit near the Equator.  Air rises over these spots of hot water which create thunderstorms.  Upper winds and surface winds come together and create swirls of clouds called a tropical depression.  When a tropical depression winds exceed 39 mph it is classified as a tropical storm.  When winds reach 74 mph a hurricane is born.  Bands of rain up to 300 miles long (About the same width as the middle of Florida coast to coast).  The bands of rain meet in the eyewall, the most untamed section of the hurricane.  In the eye of the hurricane downdrafts of dry air calm the heart of the hurricane.  A class 1 hurricane reaches speeds up to 95 mph! That’s a little faster than a Frigatebird can fly at top speeds!  A class 2 hurricane reaches speeds of 110 mph! That’s only 5 miles faster than a needle-tailed swift! (A type of seabird) A class 3 hurricane reaches speeds of 130 mph that’s as fast as a gyrfalcon.   A class 4 hurricane reaches speeds of 135 mph!  That’s three times as fast as  a brown hare! A class 5 hurricane cane reach speeds of 156 mph and up! That’s three times faster than a lion at full speeds!   A fully formed hurricane can be 500 miles in diameter!  Indianapolis, IN to Birmingham, Al.  Tropical storms and hurricanes are named so they don’t get confused with a following storm.  They are named when they reach 39 mph or when they become a tropical storm.

Sources:

 

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=what+is+a+hurricane&&view=detail&mid=ABBE76ADBDD5D3DCE8C1ABBE76ADBDD5D3DCE8C1&FORM=VRDGAR

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=How+Does+a+Hurricane+Form&&view=detail&mid=CAD6F076B358E9E91713CAD6F076B358E9E91713&FORM=VRDGAR

Lego Parrots

I like these lego parrots because of all the colors! My Mom helped with the wings.

James Watt

James Watt was born in 1736 in Scotland.  He is a Scottish inventor, mechanical engineer, and chemist.  He worked at the University of Glasgow.  He was interested in the technology of steam engines.  He made a new device which was an early copying machine in 1780. He improved Newcomen’s Steam Engine in 1781 which was a big step for the Industrial Revolution.  He had trouble commercializing his product because he had financial issues until he partnered with Matthew Boulten.  His partnership with Boulten was successful and James Watt became very wealthy.  In his retirement, Watt made many inventions but none of them were as popular as his improved engine.  The SI unit (International System of Units) of measuring power, the watt, was named after him because he developed horsepower.  He is my favorite inventor because I have a board game that uses batteries to power things like lights.