HBD Blog

Many of my residents come to me in a poor physical condition, individually tailored physio programs are often needed for the angels in my care as a result. This usually involves handling the Bird in order to help them perform the movements their body needs to recover,...

With my flock I practice 'choice tameness'. What this means is that my angels have the choice to sit on me or have kisses & tickles, it is offered but never forced. There are times when my Birds have to be handled (for health checks or medical treatment) but other...

Most pet Birds have malnutrition. This is a hard fact to accept, but one that is sadly true. Malnutrition is the leading cause of early death in Birds & roughly 3 quarters of Birds who are presented to an avian vet have illness directly related to poor nutrition...

There are many reasons why a Bird will become sick, but those who have been neglected are at a much higher risk of becoming unwell. Medically complex Birds are those who have a single, or group of, medical conditions or illness that require a high level of management...

Giving a loving forever home to traumatized Birds can be a very different experience to caring for those with no bad past. Trauma has an effect in ways we could never expect & at first, the Bird may not want to live any more. There is hope for a bright future...

During the captivating, thrilling journey of enrichment I have discovered something incredible. I will by no means be the first to notice it, but it's important to raise awareness as it so perfectly highlights how incredible their minds are. I have found with several...

Providing our psittacines (Parrots & Parakeets) grit & weather it is important is a source of much debate, especially when we are considering it for little hookbills (Budgies, Cockatiels & Lovebirds etc.) This is a topic that we have learned much more...

When creating an enrichment program for our Birds, we can often overlook the area of olfactory enrichment. There is a myth that Birds have no sense of smell, but they do! It may be a less heightened sense in many of our angels, but it's definitely there... & if...

There is always that 1 person who, when reading about a lost pet Bird, says something along the lines of "They are meant to fly free! Stop looking for them". This is a dangerous myth. When somebody lost a Budgie once, a woman ranted about how the Budgie should fly...

Helping Birds recover from stereotypic behavior is a true miracle, an honor. Each case is completely unique, just like a fingerprint. It takes months (sometimes even years) of hard work, you have to get to know the Bird better than you know yourself. Every breath,...

In this article, we will cover the basics of the uropygial gland, what its function is & why you should be checking that it's healthy. Many species of Birds have a uropygial gland & owners can learn about the basics here, but it is absent in some species, such...

The Birds in our care are domestic. They have hatched in captivity, often from many generations of domestic Birds. These Birds are not wild animals & can't survive in the wild. It may seem unusual then that studying the behaviors & environment of their wild...

Frank & Abi have 2 very different stories, yet as they stand side by side on this sunny Saturday, they are breaking barriers. Miracles really do happen. Abi was very sick & in a home where she was abused, called so many nasty names for simply trying to live....

Our Bird's beak is incredible. This remarkable, constantly growing tool is available to our Birds at all times & is needed for almost every action they perform, so keeping beaks healthy is more important that we can imagine. In this article we will cover the...

There is no denying that we absolutely adore our Birds, we want to baby them, love & spoil them to ensure that their days are full of magic & wonder. But what if being treated like an eternal baby who can't choose actually makes them anxious? This is something...

I, like an increasing number of Bird owners, provide foraging & enrichment to my Birds. Whilst the word 'enrichment' is becoming familiar to people, the true meaning behind it often remains cloudy. Because enrichment is a hugely complex & in-depth topic,...

Enrichment is an animal husbandry principle that seeks to enhance the quality of life of domestic animals by allowing them to safely use their remaining natural instincts, enhance their environment & increase their wellbeing. Enrichment actually positively alters...

Starting our Birds on an enrichment program can be a daunting task, but it really isn't as tricky as we think it will be. When setting up an activity, we need to think creatively & try to incorporate as many of the 5 key areas of enrichment (dietary, sensory,...

So many Budgies have their light strictly controlled by their owners. This can manifest in 2 ways for pet Budgies, 1. Covering them & leaving them in darkness before dusk or 2. Preventing them from being in darkness by having artificial light after dusk. There may...