HBD Blog

Sometimes when we have pets, it can be hard to realize just what we can deny them. Birds are highly complex exotic animals who can have the intelligence levels & often lifespan of a human. Cognitive ornithology is starting to uncover the true magic of a Bird's...

Eggs are a global symbol of hope & new beginnings, but never has this symbolism been so true. Maud came to me with rickets. Her calcium & Vitamin- D deficiency was so severe that her leg bones were actually soft. As a result, she would spend most of her time...

Before we start, I just want to point out that I am not an avian vet, this is just relevant information & includes my experiences with helping residents with rickets. Some rickets symptoms are also seen in other conditions, if you are at all concerned, please seek...

When we think of nutrition, we typically picture diet, whilst diet is a very important factor in avian health, this type of nutrition is not gained from eating food items. The concept of 'cognitive nutrition' in this case means feeding a Bird's mind & sensory...

Tiny Birds such as Canaries, Java sparrows, diamond doves, Bengalese Finches & Gouldian Finches etc. are the most overlooked Birds of all. They too need things to thrive, they need enrichment, a name & deserve the best care, sadly they often need rescuing too....

1. Love is felt, not seen - Within moments of being blessed with my first blind angel, it became strikingly clear that love is felt by the heart. They may not gaze up at your face, but blind Birds show us that they feel our love rather than seeing it on our faces....

My journey with Harrison’s started many years ago now. I had just purchased my first Cockatiels, they seemed fine until their first molt. All their flight & tail feathers dropped out, their poo turned runny & bright green, Pickle stopped eating. I was only 13...

Weather you have 1 pet Bird or 100, the relationship we have with our flock is a work in progress. Every day you are blessed with is a chance to build a stronger bond, more meaningful connections than the day before. Your Bird(s) will need different things from you...

Wilfie, Wilfred, Will, Wilf, Mr. snowman apple cheeks, he has many names. All of which guarantee an excited whistle. He is a stunning boy; white & silver feathers bless his soft pink skin. There is so much to love about Wilf, he is the most incredible little guy...

There was an elderly Cockatiel who had no name. She paced to numb the pain in her heart & nobody thought it was a shame. 10 long years she lived with no toys & no time out of her rusty cage. She used to hope with all her might that she could belong, but not...

Birds still don’t get as much enrichment as they need to have, this is largely due to the fact that many owners don’t think they need their lives enriching. However, there is a group of Birds that even enrichment providers overlook, the tiny Birds eg. Finches &...

In this article we will cover the sensory enrichment of blind psittacine Birds (Parrots & Parakeets). I have been blessed to have many blind & visually impaired Birds in my care over the years & hope to be able to care for many more in the future. What is...

Fred was a scared little Budgie, a look of wild fear danced in the darkness of his eyes. Every time anybody tried to get close, he would scream until they left him alone. He tried to get close to people before but they broke his heart “never again” he vowed in the...