Cockatiels are great as pets. They are clever, cuddly and can be easily socialized. Although cockatiels are generally easy to care for because of their small size, this book will provide you with some useful tips so that you can maximize their true potential. Compared to other bird species, Cockatiel parrots don't live for 50 years or more. These birds have an average lifespan of only 10 - 20 years! However, if you take good care of them, they will certainly live longer than you might expect. Cockatiels can easily become part of the family and a loving companion if you are willing to put in the time and effort to take care of them, and this book will teach you exactly how! Included in this book: Care Costs Feeding Grooming Health Housing Supplies Training ... and much more!
Lovable and charming little pets, these little wonderful cockatiels are some of the most popular pet birds in the world. These creatures are related to parrots and hail from the wilderness of Australia. In captivity, when allowed to interact with people early and often, cockatiels are affectionate and gentle. Thanks to their relatively compact size, cockatiels can be handled with ease. You won't need a big house to keep these birds happy. A cockatiel will be glad to see you return home from work, sit next to its cage for a bedtime story, or stay by your side simply treasuring your company. This bird's warm disposition can readily endear it to the right owner and household. While you don't have to be an experienced bird-handler to provide a suitable home for a cockatiel, taking one home does entail a good amount of responsibility and other certain cockatiel-only requirements. Prior to making the commitment, it's vital you know what you and your bird are in for. This book was written for the beginner cockatiel owner in mind, plus anyone considering one of these fascinating creatures as pets. You'll learn what to look for when selecting a bird, how to care for your cockatiel and form a nurturing relationship together, what to feed your cockatiel and more. With this book you'll quickly discover how to create a living area where your bird will thrive and live a long happy life. Need help deciding if a cockatiel is the pet for you and your family? This book will help you approach the decision-making process in a smart way. You'll also find out about basic training, breeding, grooming, cleaning, and bonding with cockatiels. A tamed cockatiel is a well-behaved bird that's a joy to have around. Included, too, among crucial topics are common diseases that harm cockatiels and how to bird-proof your home. The goal is to keep your little pal safe without dampening its curious and cheerful nature.
From special diet suggestions to explaining how to create the ideal housing environment for your feathered companion, this book is the perfect guide to learning more about these talented and social birds. T.F.H. has teamed up with Animal Planet(TM) the only television network devoted to the unique bonds between humans and animals, to present an exciting new series of family-friendly, comprehensive guides to superior pet care. Each book features newly written text from animal experts on a variety of topics, including feeding, housing, grooming, training, health care, and fun activities. Useful tip boxes in each chapter show every member of the household how to make the most out of owning a pet.
The delightful South American “unrodent-like rodent” known as the chinchilla makes a playful and affectionate companion animal. Author Donna Anastasi refers to them as “inquisitive, sensitive, intelligent, and active,” the ideal combination of intelligence and interaction anyone would want in a small pet. This Complete Care Made Easy title is an ideal introductory pet guide about the chinchilla, with detailed chapters on characteristics, selection of a healthy chinchilla, housing and care, welcoming and taming the new arrival, feeding and daily care, training, and health and veterinary care. The book offers excellent advice about feeding and nutrition, including the choice of pellets, supplements, hay, and treats. The chapter “Understanding and Training Your Chinchilla” explains the abilities and limitations of chinchillas’ senses (they’re nearsighted but have exceptional hearing) and offers a great overview of how they communicate through sounds and body language. With positive reinforcement and a clicker (no leash and collar!), the chin can be trained to perform tricks for the family’s entertainment, and the book gives lots of training pointers for owners! For chin fanciers who are interested in further exploration, the author includes chapters on breeding chinchillas and getting involved in chin shows. Sidebars throughout the text provide useful information to chinchilla keepers, covering such topics as chin colors, harmful human foods, daily care checklist, and show terminology. The resources include chinchilla societies, books and websites. Glossary of terms and index included.
This Complete Care Made Easy title offers first-time cockatiel owners insight into every aspect of selecting, caring for, and maintaining well-behaved happy pet birds. Angela Davids and her flock of bird experts have put together an ideal introductory pet guide, with chapters on the characteristics and history of the charming cocktail, selection of a healthy, typical cockatiel, housing and care, feeding, training, and keeping the bird healthy. The selection chapter offers potential owners excellent advice about owner suitability, selection of the color and sex of the bird, and also addresses legal and health issues about which all pet bird owners should be aware. In the chapter on housing and care, the author discusses selection of the right cage, citing of the cage, accessories, toys, playgyms, and more. A bird’s diet is critical to its ongoing health, and the chapter “Feeding Your Cockatiel” gives the reader all the info he or she needs about choosing the best possible diet, the different types of seeds, fruits, veggies, as well as human foods to avoid. The final two chapters of the book will be useful for bird fanciers interested in learning more about the breeding of cockatiels and the basic color variations and genetics of this handsome tropical bird. The book concludes with an appendix of bird societies, a glossary of terms, and a complete index.
Ever since hamsters arrived in the United States in the 1950s, they have topped the list as America’s favorite critter. Hailed as “the ultimate pocket pet,” hamsters are “small, cute, fuzzy, clean, and easy to care for,” in the words of author Virginia Parker Guidry. Filled with terrific color photographs, this Complete Care Made Easy Hamsters encapsulates all the virtues of these flawless little mammals and gives owners practical advice about how to better understand them and properly care for them. Deciding to add a hamster to one’s household is the subject of the chapter “The Right Choice,” which discusses the virtues of these easy-to-tame children’s pets and the commitment they require. The chapter “Locating a Healthy Hamster” offers solid advice about selecting the right pet, where to purchase or adopt, and whether two (or three) is better than one. Two complete chapters on the hamster’s homecoming offer the reader excellent advice about acclimating the new pet to the home, selecting the best cage, accessories, setting up the hamster’s habitat, and finding a good vet. In “Life with a Hamster,” the author discusses the hamster’s nocturnal nature, various physical behaviors, temperature requirements, handling, and basic husbandry. The hamster’s feeding requirements are discussed in “Dinnertime!” which outlines the ideal diet of dry mix, fresh foods, and occasional treats. Sidebars about common poisonous items, including certain people food and household productions, are requisite reading for all hamster keepers. Preventive care is discussed in the chapter “The Healthy Hamster,” along with common health concerns (such as colds, wet tail, abscesses, etc.) and breeding. The final chapter “Hamster Fun” explores games, toys, activities, and showing. The appendix includes lists of clubs, organizations, and websites. Glossary of terms and index included.
“Compact, easy-to-care-for, and a bundle of fun” is how author Virginia Parker Guidry describes the irresistible guinea pig. Ideal pets for families with children, cavies (as they’re often called) are clean, odorless, gentle, loving, and entertaining. This Complete Care Made Easy Guinea Pigs encapsulates all the virtues of these perfect small mammals and gives new owners practical advice about how to care for them. In chapter one, “A Guinea What?” the author talks about the guinea pig’s natural history—they’re neither pigs nor from Guinea, but rather a rodent from Peru—and how scientists classify this very unique mammal. To decide whether the guinea pig is right for you, chapter two discusses who makes the ideal owner and presents thirteen popular breeds of longhaired and shorthaired guinea pigs and the colors available to pet owners today. The chapter “Finding a Healthy Guinea Pig” offers solid advice about selecting the right guinea pig, where to purchase or adopt, and the preferred sex. A complete chapter on preparing for the guinea pig offers the reader excellent advice about acclimating the new pet to the home, selecting the best cage and hutch, and pig-proofing the home. The subject of understanding guinea pig behavior is discussed in the chapter “Living with a Guinea Pig,” which also covers daily-care topics such as feeding, grooming, handling, exercise, and litter box training. Keeping the guinea pig healthy is discussed in “Staying Healthy,” a chapter that covers preventing illness, choosing a veterinarian, and common ailments. The final chapter “Just for the Fun of It!” explores games, toys, activities, and showing guinea pigs. The appendix includes lists of pig-specific clubs, organizations, and websites. Glossary of terms and index included.
From the tiny parakeet to the giant hyacinth macaw, not all parrots place the same demands on their parents. Parakeets, conures, cockatiels, lories—the parrot family consists of the most popular pet birds, each offering keepers their unique characteristics and exotic beauty as well as their specific requirements. Bird expert and author, Carol Frishmann has written a must-have book for every parrot parent-to-be, an all-in-one guide that will remain indispensable in every bird home, regardless of the size, trainability, or personality of the feathered child. More than a selection guide, Parenting a Parrot offers all the information owners need to know about feeding, caring for, and training their chosen parrot. Though both good talkers, the eclectus parrot may be quieter than the cockatoo, but he’s not nearly as cuddly. Parenting a Parrot tells owners what to expect from their parrots and how to get the most out of their avian companions. INSIDE THIS BOOK: Finding and purchasing the ideal parrot Descriptions and needs of the most popular twenty parrot species Comprehensive positive-reinforcement-based training chapter, including trick training, talking, and training a flighted bird Living with a parrot, including establishing daily routine, socializing, housing, home safety, and cleanliness The parrot’s meal plan: diets, organic and natural options, and special needs Understanding parrot behavior, enrichment strategies, and problem solving Grooming, health care, first aid, and senior care Parenting tips highlighted in sidebars in each chapter Lists of recommendations for best talkers, quietest species, trick experts, beginner’s birds, etc. Includes detailed species descriptions of these parrots: African Greys Amazons Bourke’s Parkeets Caiques Cockatiels Cockatoos Conures Eclectus Lineolated Parakeets Lories and Lorikeets Lovebirds Macaws Parakeets/Budgies Parrotlets Pionus Psittaculas Quaker Parakeets Senegals and Other Poicephalus Plus: Brotogeris, Great-Bills, Kakarikis, Rosellas, Hawk-Headed Parrots, Vasa Parrots
The American Kennel Club’s Meet the Bulldog an official publication of the American Kennel Club (AKC) in collaboration with the Bulldog Club of America, serves as the recommended resource for new and experienced owners of this one-of-a-kind companion dog. With his characteristic flattened muzzle, large head, and low-slung body, the unmistakable Bulldog has a limitless fan base in the United States and around the world. Illustrated with color photography throughout, Meet the Bulldog begins with a discussion about the responsibility of owning the Bulldog and its special traits and challenges. Equally important is the selection of the right breeder, a topic covered in a chapter that includes a list of questions to ask the breeder and the answers new owners are looking for. The book addresses the health of the Bulldog and alerts new owners to potential problems in the breed. The chapter on health discusses the importance of finding the right veterinarian for this breed as well as how to embark on a preventive-healthcare regimen with your vet. New owners will profit from the chapters dedicated to selecting the right merchandise for a new puppy and how to make the house and yard safe for the curious Bulldog puppy. House-training and obedience training are presented in individual chapters, and the AKC’s stance on positive training methods shines through as owners are enlightened to the power of praise and rewards. The book doesn’t stint on information about grooming, exercise, dental health, and feeding, all vital topics for the dog owner. The final chapter includes various ways to get your Bulldog involved in dog sports and the community—from participating in AKC dog shows to becoming certified as a therapy dog and visiting nursing homes and retirement homes with your people-loving Bulldog. The chapters also offer advice on how to pursue the AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy and the Canine Good Citizen programs, both ideal for young dogs getting their start in organized dog events and therapy. The Resources section of the book includes excellent recommendations for websites, periodicals, books, and programs that owners will find informative and helpful.
(back cover) An endearing personality and a facility for imitating human speech makes the Quaker parrot a favorite among bird owners. Mattie Sue Athan, an expert on parrot behavior and care, advises on training, grooming, diet, cages, and toys for this unique bird. She also tells you how to protect your inquisitive Quaker parrot from household accidents, and emphasizes the importance of reinforcing desirable behavior habits in your pet. New in this edition is a discussion of recently identified anatomical features of the Quaker parrot, plus tips on recovering escaped birds, and background information on Quaker parrots in their native ranges. Filled with color photos and instructive illustrations.
