How often should birds see the vet? Annual vs as-needed?

My vet says annual checkups are essential even if the bird seems healthy. But my Hahn's macaw HATES traveling and the stress of the visit seems counterproductive for a healthy bird. Do you do annual wellness exams or only go when something's wrong?

Dealt with this for months. What finally worked was changing their perch layout and just being really patient. They come around eventually.

Great question! So in my experience with sun conure, this usually comes down to a few things. First, stuffing paper towel rolls with treats for foraging. Second, make sure they're getting enough sleep — 12 hours of uninterrupted dark sleep is crucial. And third, pay attention to the cage being in a high-traffic or drafty location because that was a huge factor for my Jasper. Hope that helps!

Great question! So in my experience with zebra finch, this usually comes down to a few things. First, target training first, then building up to step-up. Second, make sure they're getting enough sleep — 12 hours of uninterrupted dark sleep is crucial. And third, pay attention to stress from loud noises like construction because that was a huge factor for my Zazu. Hope that helps!

It took me a while to figure this out with my bird too. Don't be too hard on yourself — you're learning!

This is peak cockatiel behavior honestly. They wake up and choose chaos every single day and we love them for it.

This is peak lineolated parakeet behavior honestly. They wake up and choose chaos every single day and we love them for it.

For this I'd highly recommend Goldenfeast. My zebra finch loves it and my vet approved it too.

If you're near Brampton, PetSmart on Queen St actually has a decent bird section. Better than most locations.

Check out Global Pet Foods — they have exactly what you need and the prices are reasonable for the GTA.

100% this. Wish I'd known this when I first got my bird.

If you're in Aurora, check out the avian vet on Kennedy Rd. They're amazing with Eclectus specifically.

I've done a ton of research on this because my umbrella cockatoo had the same issue. Here's what I learned: the most common cause is boredom from lack of enrichment and mental stimulation. What worked for us was rearranging the cage every couple weeks to prevent boredom. I also started setting up a webcam so I could check on them during the day and noticed improvement within a week. It's a process but it gets better.

I used to think the same thing until my umbrella cockatoo proved me wrong. Now I'm firmly in the other camp.