FAQ: Supplies for birds

Birds must not be given avocado, chocolate, coffee and tea, alcohol, onions and garlic, salty or fatty human food, or fruit pits. If your bird has eaten something dangerous, contact a vet immediately.

A cuttlebone is an easily available source of calcium, especially important for laying hens, and it also helps the bird keep its beak in shape. Clip it to the bars with the soft side facing the bird and replace it when worn down or soiled.

Mineral blocks add calcium and other minerals to the diet, and chewing them helps keep the beak in shape. They do not replace a balanced diet but are useful as a permanent extra in the cage.

Not all. Birds that hull their seeds, such as parrots and canaries, usually do not need insoluble grit, and too much can be harmful. Pigeons and birds that swallow seeds whole need it more, so check with a vet.

Treats such as millet sprays, honey sticks or seed biscuits should make up only a small part of the daily diet. They are often fatty or sweet, so giving them too often leads to weight gain and picky eating.

Millet sprays are a favourite treat for small birds and are handy for taming or training. Give a small piece at a time, because a bird fed mostly on millet will not get all the nutrients it needs.

A bird eating good pellets or a good seed mix with fresh vegetables usually needs no supplements. Vitamins may be needed during moulting, egg laying or recovery, but give and dose them following the label or a vet's advice.

Vitamins dissolved in water break down quickly in light and encourage bacteria to grow in the drinker. So change such water daily, stick to the amount on the label and wash the drinker more often.

Start by mixing the new food with the old one and gradually increase its share over several weeks. Watch that the bird is actually eating and weigh it, because some birds do not recognise new food and may go hungry.

Birds naturally dig through food looking for their favourite seeds, and husks fly out. A deeper bowl with a guard lip, a seed guard on the cage or a seed catcher skirt around it greatly reduces the mess.

From above the bowl may look full even when only empty husks remain. Blow or skim the husks off every day and check that whole seeds remain underneath, otherwise the bird may go hungry.

Watch out for fluffed-up feathers and sleepiness during the day, reduced appetite, changed droppings, laboured breathing, sitting on the cage floor or discharge from the nostrils and eyes. Birds hide illness, so in these cases contact a vet who treats birds without delay.

Regular weighing to the gram helps spot weight loss early, which is often the first sign of illness. Kitchen scales with a perch or a box are enough, and noting the result each week is handy.

It helps to have a small carrier, a towel for holding the bird, styptic powder for nails, clean gauze pads, a needle-free syringe and the contact details of a vet who treats birds. Medicines should be prescribed by a vet.

Cleanliness matters most: clean the cage regularly, replace perches and avoid contact with wild birds. If you suspect parasites, for example the bird keeps scratching or is restless at night, see a vet and use products only as labelled and advised.

Overheated non-stick coatings such as PTFE release fumes that can be fatal to birds even in the next room. If you keep a bird, choose stainless steel or cast iron cookware and keep the bird away from the kitchen.

Cigarette smoke, air fresheners, scented candles, aerosol sprays, strong cleaning products and paint fumes all harm birds. Avoid them in the room where the bird lives and ventilate often while keeping it out of draughts.

Close windows and doors, draw curtains over glass, switch off fans, cover containers of water and take other pets out of the room. Keep an eye on the bird the whole time it is out of the cage.

Dieffenbachia, philodendron, oleander, azalea, ivy, lilies and many other ornamental plants can be dangerous. Before letting a bird fly freely, remove poisonous plants or make sure it cannot reach them.

Yes, but the bird must always be in a sturdy, securely closing cage, and let out only in a room without other pets. Even a playful scratch or bite from a cat can be dangerous for a bird, so such an injury needs urgent veterinary care.