No comments about The Guide to Owning a Dove (Guide to Owning).

4 comments about The Practical Canary Handbook: A Guide to Breeding & Keeping Canaries.

1. I ordered this book after buying a canary to learn about these birds and their care and habits. There is a lot of useful information in this publication. I wish in certain chapters that it would give more detailed information. Overall I would recommend it.



2. The Canary Handbook is a good product. Good paper,easy reading and beautifull color pictures. I am fully satisfied with the product. The only thing thats bothering me is that Amazon.Com uses a hugh carton box filled with air-plus-book to mail the product, making overseas shipping/postage extremely expensive.



3. This is a good canary book with a great section on the best types of food.



4. this is up there with the best of books ive read on the canary,it is very informative very interesting.each night i read this book, it has thought me alot, gave me understanding and peace of mind when im wondering what to do next or why did this or that happen?its in the book.thanks for a good book on such a wonderful little bird.

5 comments about The Parrot Who Owns Me: The Story of a Relationship.

1. I read this book 5 years ago and I often think of it, possibly because I share my house and woodwork with a very special parrot that I adore, too.
   
   Beautifully written and enlightening and charming at the same time, it will tempt you to run out and buy a parrot. Don't. Rescue a neglected one instead.



2. One of the BEST parrot story books I have ever read. Kept my interest, and provided both laughter and a few tears. I have an African Grey and a Caique, so this "relationship" story really touched my heart. I truly have a relationship with my two parrots, so it was wonderful to read of another's experience. This book would also be great for someone who is new to owning a parrot.



3. Very informative but easy to read. Not so dry and scientific that it will turn you off. Who knew parrots were so smart and had such specific personalities. You will fall in love with Tiko but, as the author mentions, beware taking on the ownership of such a demanding bird. I have a friend who owns a parrot and knows a great deal about them and she says the book explains so much to her about her little 'green feathered husband' as she calls him.



4. This woman is misleading thousands of readers as to what's acceptable in terms of rearing a parrot. She very often endangers her bird, everything from feeding it a poor diet to letting it chew on furniture (most have stains and sealants that can be toxic). I also see a lot of people voting these bad reviews down, which is fine, but realize that just because she "loved" her bird doesn't mean she did the right things for him. She sure left her other parrots in a rut fast enough.



5. I purchased this book several years ago for my bird club. Everyone who has read it adores it. Being bird owners and lovers we can understand what this person has gone through with her beloved parrot. We know that many parrots empathize with their caretakers. We also know that birds will most likely bond with one person, and heaven help the other person if they get in the middle.
   
   I don't know of one person who read this book that didn't get teary eyed when she was sick in bed and the parrot groomed her hair on the pillow. It's a close feeling when your bird sits on your shoulder and preens itself and you at the same time.
   
   I need to read this book again....and again. It's lovely...get one and read it. You'll enjoy it.

5 comments about Keeping Pet Chickens: You don't need much space to Enjoy the Bounty of Fresh Eggs from Your Own Small Flock of Happy Hens.

1. My 8 year old daughter gave this to me for Christmas. I've kept chickens for many years. I don't believe the writers of this book know what theyre talking about. When I read that the authors worked for a company that sold henhouses, it made perfect sense. Anyway, if you really want information on chickens, buy the American Standard of Perfection and/or The Beginners Guide to Raising and Showing Chickens (DVD..its awesome)- both available from the American Poultry Association website.



2. I learned a lot about chickens from this book -- very informative, great pictures of different breeds of chickens, pictures and info about chicken coops, feeders, etc., lots of tips and information about how to care for your chickens -- this is a book I will go to a lot. Well written, I enjoyed it.



3. I know absolutely nothing about keeping chickens, so this book helped me alot. It is full of detailed facts about anything you would ever need to know about owning and keeping a flock of chooks in a productive and happy environment. Great for beginners like me!



4. This is a cute little book, but a very slim volume indeed. I've been considering getting some pet chickens for the backyard but I don't want to do it for some time (I want to wait and see how the whole bird flu thing plays out), so this was a fine introduction for me. It covers the basics of feeding, cleaning up after, and maintaining a home for your chickens. I have a better idea now of what kind of effort will be involved in keeping a few hens, how many eggs I can expect, and what kind of modifications the backyard will need. But I don't think you can rely on this book alone if you are already serious about adopting some chickens and need a thorough reference volume. There is very little information here about looking after the birds' health, for instance, and they only give information about a handful of breeds.
   
   Note: this book is written by the makers of the Eglu, which is a pre-fabricated plastic chicken coop for people who just want 2 or 3 chickens as pets. The writers do not identify themselves this way, but I have checked the Eglu website, and the same bearded guys appear on it. To their credit, they discuss how to clean and care for traditional wooden coops as well. But this book also comes free with any purchase of an Eglu. So if you think you might get an Eglu, you might as well not buy this book now since you'll get it for free later.



5. This is an excellent book if you are looking to have just a few chickens in your back yard for eggs and/or are a beginner. It also shows how chicken keeping has moved into the 21st century with the wonderful Eglu, as well as showing the different types of chicken housing available. Perfect and well recommended.

1 comments about The Duck Handbook (Barron's Pet Handbooks).

1. Good information for a new owner. Our duck, "Q", gives the book 5 feathers.

3 comments about Budgerigars (Complete Pet Owner's Manual).

1. Budgerigars (typically called parakeets in the US) are amazing, intelligent, playful creatures. They can be so much more than pretty things in a cage. With patience, persistance and love they can learn to mimic human words (and sometimes use them in context), perform tricks and can become a delightful part of any household.
   
   This book is geared specifically to the potential or new pet owner and advocates providing the best possible care for your budgie: a sizeable cage, a varied diet (including fresh produce, grains and legumes and plenty of fresh water) and exercise time outside of the cage.
   
   I've read a few books on budgies over the years but this book is quite possibly my favorite on this species. I highly recommend it.



2. I am building a parakeet library in preparation of buying a budgie for my 5 and 7 year olds. This book is visually appealing and easy to read. Nice, shiny pages with up-to-date, beautiful photographs with excellent information and details. Not just the usual chapter-by-chapter book. It has special pages with colored sections and various formating making this a fun book to read.



3. As far as I am concerned, when it comes to books on pet birds, Barron's is the best. BUDGERIGARS by Immanuel Birmelin (translated by Matthew Vriends) falls into this category, although it is somewhat condensed compared with other books on the market. Birmelin covers all the important issues, such as caging, food, and other aspects of care.
   
   My favorite section is about "playing" with your pet Budgie. Budgies are intelligent little parrots and you can have hours of fun if you choose to by providing them with sources of amusement. Birmelin lists `The 10 Most Popular Games' you can play with your Budgie and "How-To: Fun and Games." Did you know you could play card games with Budgies?
   
   Although we never want to think about the possibility, sometimes your Budgie gets sick. Birmelin includes a section "If Your Bird Gets Sick" that gives you some ideas of what you can do besides get upset. In this section he includes a `Checklist - Preventing Illness' which is helpful especially if this is your first bird. Keeping his cage clean is a good thing to do, and spending time with him every day will keep him happy. A happy Budgie is a healthy Budgie.

2 comments about Backyard Bird Watching for Kids: How to Attract, Feed, and Provide Homes for Birds.

1. This is by far the best book for children and families on attracting birds to your yard. Chock-full of information that is presented in an appealing manner, this book covers a wide range of material to help children and families get started with backyard bird watching. Some of the more unique sections are a directory of plants providing food for birds, a table showing the types of seeds and food eaten by various bird species. There are lots of good color photos, and a variety of projects for children.



2. This is a neat book. I learned alot about what to feed the birds. I liked the pictures.

2 comments about Hand-Rearing Birds.

1. Thanks for sending exactly what was ordered. It was a fast shipment and the book was in excellent condition! Thank you!



2. The prodcut arrived in a timely manner and was free from damage. The person who received it as a gift was very pleased and felt it had even more info than she originally thought. She is a bird rehabilitator so and takes care of lots of babies every year so if she thought it was a good book, it probably was.

4 comments about Taming and Training Cockatoos.

1. This is a well written book for the beginner Cockatoo owner. It has a lot of information that is important to know. Cockatoos are very different from the Macaws that I already own....which came as a surprise to me. I have not yet purchased a baby Cockatoo.....and after reading this book, I am not sure they are the bird for me. Just like I prefer Mules to horses.....and they are very different from eachother. If you are considering a Cockatoo......this is great reading. Enjoy!



2. This book don't have much on how to train your bird.It only tell you a few starter points if your bird is wild. Mostly has pictures of different type of cockatoos and telling about them, It also has about clipping wings and nails. If you want the basic of two steps in tamining and training this is the book for you. Too me the title don't go with this book !!



3. This book is a big waste of money! Personaly, I'm VERY supprised anyone published it! It doesn't tell you anything but what you already know from common sense, and it is extreamly repetive. It seems like the author didn't have enough things to say so she repeated herself so the book would be longer. Please don't waste your money on it!



4. Although it seemed that the photographer favored the Palm Cockatoo, all of the pictures were excellent. As to the rest of the book, I was very discourraged. There was only a short and very concise section at the end of the book that delt with "Taming and Training Cockatoos."

5 comments about Birds for Dummies.

1. My favorite of the bird books so far. Great illustrations and info for all ages.



2. Not quite as good as the Cockatoo for Dummies but worth a look at. Good starter book.



3. This book is an excellent reference for all bird owners (first timers and experienced owners alike). I had a cockatiel for 10 years and at the time had gone to the best avian vet in the area, but this book still had tons of new & important information that I didn't know about. I just recently bought and read this book, after buying a baby green cheek conure, and think this book was an invaluable investment both to read now and to reference again in the future. As a side note, I decided to take my new baby to Dr. Speer for his new baby wellness check-up, even though his office is a one hour drive away (I live in San Francisco), and I must say this man is the best physician/veterinarian I have ever met! And I'm a physician myself (for humans), so I have a lot of experience with them. I intend to take my little green cheek back to Dr. Speer for all future check-ups. I think I have found the best imaginable veterinarian for my new baby!!!
   
   For a full package of important references for bird owners, I would recommend: (1) Birds for Dummies, by Gina Spadafori & Dr. Brian Speer; (2) Good Bird, by Barbara Heidenreich; and (3) the Parrot Problem Solver, by Barbara Heidenreich. #1 is an invaluable comprehensive review of important information every bird owner should know. #2 & #3 are more about bird behavior and how to create the best-possible relationship with your bird. In #2 & #3, Ms. Heidenreich provides tips on how to avoid problematic behaviors that sometimes crop up in human-bird relationships. I had a wonderful relationship with my beloved cockatiel, and again with my sweet baby green-cheek, BUT, nonetheless, there was still a lot of helpful and stimulating information in Ms. Heidenreich's books regarding the needs of these psychologically complex creatures that I think I really benefitted from learning about. And most importantly, my baby green cheek will benefit too!!



4. After adopting two older birds I have read or purchased several of the recommended books for parrot care. Yet, I found myself recently with a very sick little pionus. (Hear what this book says about seed diets and nutrition, please!!! They really mean it when they say it's more expensive long run to NOT do preventative health care!) After a terrible few days I found myself driving to the Bay Area to Dr. Speer's office. It's been a month or so since the emergency surgery, my little girl is healing very well, and now I am avidly reading this book.
   
   The information in it is basic and easily accessible, yet it is information not offered in brightly colored behavior books that sell so well. Why is a seed diet not a good choice? They explain it. Why are fragrances and non-stick cookware so bad? They give you the reason. How do I administer first aid to my parrots and what should I use to do it? They give you the info without a sales pitch. If you want good, solid information from an amazing vet (with a great sense of humor) this is the book to get. Truly, I cannot recommend it highly enough.



5. My hubbie and I have been petsitting his uncle's macaw. We didn't understand why she was so aggresive mainly trying to bite and why she screeched all the time. We needed information. So I picked up this book and a Guide to a well-behaved parrot. They are both really good beginner books. This book had alot more information than the guide did on some things. I can't go through every chapter but I'll go through the most important ones.
   Chapter 1 and 2 are about are you ready for a bird? What type are you looking for. Things you need to consider size, noise level, How much of a mess you can stand. Chapter 4 deals with the basics cage, perches, toys for your bird (I liked the cheap toys section) I actually used some of the ideas.
   Chapter 5 Starting your bird off right. The best information I got out of this chapter was control your bird's comings and goings. I was letting baby D (macaw's name) get out of her cage herself and letting her roam the top of her cage. She was getting aggresive since I've stopped doing this her aggresiveness has lessened significantly.
   Chapter 6 talks about the right foods for your birds. I agree that for birds such as macaws they need a variety of foods. With parakeets though I don't think it's such a bad thing. I have two parakeets I've tried to introduce them to fruit, and vegetables. They just won't touch it.
   Chapter 7 understanding a bird's body language. This chapter also deals with trimming a bird's nails, clipping their wings,& bathing your bird.
   Chaper 10 It deals with problems that might arise such as if your bird gets sick or injured.
   Chapter 12 dealing with behavior problems such as aggresiveness. It talks about height ( how it can affect a bird's behavior), & Using the wobble technique to deal with the nipping. In the Guide to a well behaved parrot it talked more about screeching and some solutions that might help.
   All in all this book had more basic stuff than the guide did but if you are searching for how to stop behavior problems get the guide.