By Muhammad Shafiqur Rahman

Pets need extra care in winter so the cold does not get the better of them, and pet birds generally fall ill more often in this season. Whether you keep birds in cages or a colony, first check whether cold air blows directly on them, and block any direct draught completely: even a little wind can give them a chill. Keep a thermometer, digital or manual, in the bird room and check the temperature.

If a bird is healthy, eats good-quality food all year and lives in a clean environment, its resistance to disease will be higher and a change in temperature should not suddenly harm it. This is especially true of larger birds such as lovebirds, macaws and sun conures. Small birds such as finches fall ill more often in this country because of temperature. A room heater can be used to control the temperature of the bird room, as can a heat bulb, but it is better not to burn 100 or 200-watt lights, which can cause the birds to moult.

Many people cover the whole cage with thick cloth or sacking. Don't: without light and air the birds can fall ill, because their droppings and urine produce a kind of gas. You can increase the share of niger seed, canary seed and millet in the seed mix, and always keep dry egg food available; these foods keep the birds' bodies warm.

Keep cages and colonies clean and give fresh water every day. If you give soft food, make sure none is left lying in the cage, where it can rot and breed germs. Unrefined apple cider vinegar, 5 ml mixed in a litre of water, can be given to birds to boost their resistance to disease.

Keep an eye on the birds: whether they are drowsy, have lost their normal activity, whether their droppings are normal and whether they are eating properly. If anything seems abnormal, act. A bird that seems ill should be moved at once to a separate cage, known as a hospital case, and a 40-watt light switched on. Then treat it according to the symptoms. Bird vets can be found through bird shops and online, and it is best to have them see the bird.

Many pet bird species, including waxbill finches, tend to hide illness and act normally when people are around, so watch for this. Pet birds are not as hardy as wild birds, so they always need proper care and the right food. Unlike wild birds, they cannot gather what they need; they have only what they are given. These things should be kept in mind.

The writer is a pet bird keeper.

Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.