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Webvet Birds Feed http://www.webvet.com/main/index2/id/bird This feed contains articles about Birds en-us Copyright 2010 Webvet, LLC 2010-03-01T21:35-05:00 advertise@webvet.com advertise@webvet.com Birds hourly Valentine's Day survey results: more "quality time" is the greatest gift we can give our pets http://www.webvet.com/main/article?id=2167 <a href="http://www.webvet.com/main/article?id=2167">Valentine's Day survey results: more "quality time" is the greatest gift we can give our pets</a> With <a href="http://www.webvet.com/main/article/id/2163" target="_blank" title="Valentine's Day">Valentine’s Day</a> fast approaching, we’d like to share the results of our survey in which we asked participants to give us their nominations for the “top-10” Valentine’s Day pet gifts. The results surprised and delighted us and we want to share them with you. As you would expect, the list - see below - includes <a href="http://www.tailsandcompany.com/store/default.aspx?departmentid=228" target="_blank" title="gift items">gift items</a> that you can buy in a store and carry in your pocket (or car trunk). But as much as people want to express their love by giving their pets tangible gifts, the gift they most favor is the one that has no price tag on it. The simple truth is that when all is said and done, it is the only gift whose price cannot be measured in dollars: ‘quality time.’Here are the results, in order:                #10    A new sweater or coat                 #9     Enrollment in doggy daycare                 #8     A Valentine’s card                 #7     A sibling (dog/cat/other)                 #6     A new dog bed                 #5     Prepare their favorite meal                 #4     More trips to the park                 #3     A stuffed animal                 #2     Special dog treats                 #1     More quality time together “Quality time”: what does it mean?It’s a phrase we often hear, but what does “quality time” mean when we’re talking about our pets? WebVet wanted to know. We invited survey respondents to be interviewed so that we could understand just what quality time means for different people and different pets. We were delighted by the number of enthusiastic responders - so much so, that choosing a representative sample was no easy task.The WebVet community is a diverse one, encompassing pet lovers from around the world. We are dog and cat and bird owners, single and multiple pet households, in cities big and small, suburbs and rural towns. This writer had the distinct pleasure of talking to a number of survey respondents, and here is some of what I learned. Who: Linda & Eric KutcheWhere: Flower Mound, TXFor Linda and Eric, the love and companionship of their six-year-old <a href="http://webvet.com/breeds/show/id/263" target="_blank" title="chocolate lab">chocolate Lab </a>(Bailey) and their ten-year-old<a href="http://webvet.com/breeds/show/id/177" target="_blank" title="Beagle"> Beagle</a> (Ginger) are gifts without price: “They bring me a lot of peace; some days it’s laughter, other days, it’s calm,” Linda said. “It would be unthinkable not to have them.” She wishes that she could “bottle up their unconditional love and passion for life.”  As Linda explained, quality time may be something as simple as a long <a href="http://www.webvet.com/main/article?id=1392" target="_blank" title="walk in the park">walk in the park</a> with Bailey and Ginger, filled with play, instead of just the ordinary “walk around the block” to take care of business. Or, it might be rolling around on the floor with each of them, followed by a long back-scratch for Ginger and a game of Frisbee with Bailey. The dogs appreciate and respond enthusiastically to these seemingly small gestures. Linda reminds us of something that we sometimes forget: “Dogs define unconditional love. Everything that happened yesterday is wiped clean. They have a short memory for any act of unkindness they may have experienced. Every day is a new day.”  Who: Kristin CanonacoWhere: Huntington Valley, PAWhen Kristin Canonoco found an abandoned Tabby kitten, about two weeks old, in a dumpster in Philadelphia, he was so “cool and calm” that she decided to name him “Fonz”, after the “cool cat” played by the actor Henry Winkler in the old TV show Happy Days. At first, she had to bottle-feed him every three or four hours. But in spite of his tough start on the mean streets of Philadelphia, Fonz - now 5 ½ - has thrived under her care and, like his TV namesake, never loses his cool.A busy travel agent who often has to travel herself on business, Kristin hates being away from Fonz and calls her sister when she’s away to find out “how’s Fonz?” He can sense when Kristin is approaching the front door and greets her upon her return, something he doesn’t do for anyone else. “Whether you’re in the worst mood or the best, it doesn’t matter to a cat; they’re just the opposite of people.”Kristin acknowledges “it’s a little tougher to get quality time with cats than with dogs. Dogs will play whenever; cats are a little harder to play with.” But for her, “anytime I’m focused on him the most is quality time.” Kristin works with Fonz’s natural playfulness and affection, letting him flop down across her laptop or book when she’s trying to work or read and giving him the attention he’s looking for, even though it may mean deferring her own needs to respond to his.  Who: Leslie WallaceWhere: Staten Island, NYLeslie Wallace, a “semi-retired” professional pet-sitter, dog-walker, and bird groomer shares her home with – are you ready? – four dogs, three <a href="http://www.webvet.com/main/article/id/1510" target="_blank" title="canaries">canaries</a> (with their own room), and four other exotic birds. The dogs were all rescued as strays, some abused, and the cause of abandoned and abused animals is one that Leslie is passionate about. With so many pets, Leslie’s dance card is quite full: “I don’t do anything for myself until they’re taken care of,” she says. Although her routine day begins at around 5:30 a.m. with walks for the dogs (“on their schedules, not mine”), for Leslie, quality time is more than just hours spent: “I devote time to each as an individual, rather than as a group.” As is the case for Linda Kutche, the unconditional love of a dog is worth all of the effort: “They accept you for who you are with all your infirmities.” Who: Louise RubinoWhere: Coconut Creek, FLFor Louise Rubino, the devoted owner of one dog – a 100 lb. Mastiff/Boxer mix named “Chopper”, - and four cats, quality time has a special meaning. She adopted Chopper as a six-month-old stray who was little more than skin and bones. After a year, he developed Myasthenia Gravis, an immune system disorder that requires a lot of special care: “We try to give him a good life because we don’t know what tomorrow will bring. When he has a bad spell, we try to keep him as comfortable as possible.” In spite of his size, Chopper “thinks he’s a lap dog” and plays gently with Louise’s four cats. They walk between his huge paws without any fear, knowing how gentle he is. Not only that, it was Chopper who discovered one of the kittens himself and led Louise to him. Louise recalled the saying that “Dogs are not your whole life, but they make your life whole.” How true. Who: Debbie DetzelWhere: Bright, INAfter working in construction and as a bartender, Debbie Detzel has recently started a new business, training people how to walk their dogs and interact with them in healthy ways. With years of experience raising her mother-daughter pair of Boston Terriers - Luna and Oregano - and her American Bulldog, Bella, Debbie knows a great deal about what dogs need to be happy and well adjusted. For Debbie, knowing each dog’s particular personality is key to spending quality time: “Luna is laid back, a sleeper, and the last one to come when called. Oregano is the clown and will do anything for a laugh. Bella is the most trusting.” Debbie stresses the importance of spending time one-on-one with her dogs, and emphasizes the importance of understanding the particular needs and personalities of each dog. “Just sitting and watching TV with your dog at your feet is not quality time,” she said. By “training” her human clients to understand the individuality of each dog, Debbie teaches them to end the “vicious cycle” of “no attention = bad behavior = no attention”, etc.Oh, did I mention that she also has two cats?  The key: make time for quality timeOur survey has hit upon a rule that devoted pet owners have always known: don’t try to “find” quality time for your pet; make quality time. You’ll be rewarded with a happier, more well-adjusted animal, and your pet will be rewarded with a happier, more well-adjusted human companion. Then every day will be Valentine’s Day – for both of you.  By Peter Lopatin for WebVet By Peter Lopatin for WebVet Birds Coping with pet loss during the holidays http://www.webvet.com/main/article?id=2114 <a href="http://www.webvet.com/main/article?id=2114">Coping with pet loss during the holidays</a> Opening a box of your holiday ornaments and finding the stocking you hung last season for the family cat or dog, now departed, can unleash a torrent of sadness. Coping with the holidays after <a href="http://www.webvet.com/main/article?id=1501" target="_blank">pet loss</a> isn't impossible, but it can be very trying."The first year without your pet is going to be difficult, because it's a significant loss," said Gary Kowalski, a Unitarian Universalist minister in Burlington, Vt., who wrote  Goodbye, Friend, to help people say farewell to their pets. "Most people consider the pet a member of the family, and they also become a very important part of the holidays," said Richard Timmins, DVM, executive director of the Association for Veterinary Family Practice, an organization to advance the role of primary veterinary care.  More than half of pet owners buy holiday gifts for the family pet, said Timmins, citing a survey done by one of his students when he was on faculty at the University of California, Davis.To complicate the problem, the extent of a pet loss is underestimated by our culture, Kowalski finds. "Most grief counselors will tell you it takes at least a year, maybe two, to regain your equilibrium, to get back to normal,"  Kowalski said.  So it is understandable, he said, that ''all those important holidays and anniversaries are going to hit you hard, but especially in the first year."Here, Timmins and Kowalski offer advice on how to cope with your first holiday after pet loss. <h4>Acknowledge the emotion</h4>Don't deny your sadness and grief about the pet loss, Timmins said. Don't try to pretend everything is fine. It's understandable that emotions come to the fore at holiday time, especially when something reminds you of the pet loss, such as finding a stocking you hung for the deceased pet. "It will be like it happened yesterday," Kowalski said.<h4>Celebrate the relationship</h4>To honor the departed pet's memory, you might take a moment at a holiday dinner to recall an endearing trait, such as: "Remember how Sparky used to beg nonstop when we had Christmas dinner?"  The idea is to acknowledge the relationship and be grateful for it, Timmins said. In a family with children, realize that some of the kids might have had a stronger bond with the pet than others and may especially need an opportunity to remember the pet and cope with pet loss. You might create a remembrance ritual, Kowalski said. "If your cat was 16 years old, light a candle for each year of her life, over Hanukkah or Christmas," for 16 days. "Light it in the evening. Keep it lit for half an hour.  That will be your time to mourn, remember, reconnect."<h4>Baby yourself</h4>"People who are grieving tend to lose physical resistance," Kowalski said. Take extra care of your body when coping with pet loss. Eat well and exercise.He warns people not to medicate themselves with food and alcohol, which can be even more tempting during the holidays when coping with pet loss.Spend time with nature. Going for a walk in the woods or a park, or going to the ocean, can be a huge help, he finds.<h4>Keep the status quo</h4>Coping with pet loss during the holidays is challenging enough. It's not the time to make a big decision in other areas, such as your job, your relationships or your living situation.Nor is it probably a good time to <a href="http://www.webvet.com/main/article/id/1560/med/0" target="_blank">get a new pet</a>, but that varies from person to person.  So if you think you're ready for a new pet, be sure your loved ones are, too. It's not a good time to surprise someone with a pet, even your children. The decision should be unanimous, Kowalski said. By Kathleen Doheny for WebVet By Kathleen Doheny for WebVet Birds The sex lives of ducks http://www.webvet.com/main/article?id=2156 <a href="http://www.webvet.com/main/article?id=2156">The sex lives of ducks</a> Rape is not typically something you associate with those darling “duckies” who bob along the surface of the water to the delight of children and adults at the local pond. It’s a shock to discover that male ducks are the rapists of the bird world. Often, a gang of three or four of them attacks a female duck, sometimes resulting in her injury or death.  While ducks are not the only species in the Animal Kingdom to display <a href="http://webvet.com/main/article/id/2178/med/0" target="_blank" title="aggressive animal sex">aggressive sexual behavior,</a> they are the most aggressive of bird species. What could possibly be the reason for such behavior? <h4>Consenting adults</h4>Female ducks are just as interested as the next species in selecting a particularly outstanding partner for fathering their offspring. However, when a female makes her choice and ducks pair up, one or several males get left out of the mating opportunity. Since male ducks don’t share in the raising of their young, their programming doesn’t include protecting the mother of their children -- they only stick around until the eggs are laid. Their real interest is in copulating with as many females as they can get their feathers on. Competition in the insemination war is ferocious and if you’re not partnered up, any female is fair game.Why are ducks wired so differently from the 97 percent of bird <a href="http://webvet.com/main/article/id/2129/med/0" target="_blank" title="bird species with consensual sex">species who have consensual sex</a>?  The answer is that males, also known as drakes, are among the 3 percent of birds with a penis. Aquatic birds (according to one theory) may need penises to prevent their semen from being washed away. When you think about it, if you’re a bird, not having a penis makes sense. With all that flying about, it would create drag and could easily get in harm’s way. For most birds, the superior design is the joining of the individual male and female holes known as the cloaca. Sperm passes from the male to the female during “the cloacal kiss.”The need for cooperation of both parties to achieve this union has led to elaborate courtship rituals -- the call and response of bird attraction, moving the pair closer to the point of their mutual engagement.<h4>Is size really important?</h4>Ducks have enormous sex organs -- spiraling tentacles that can be as long as the drake itself. The Argentine lake duck’s phallus probably holds the record at 16 inches. If that isn’t bizarre enough, add the fact that in the fall, a drake’s genitalia will disappear, only to reappear next spring. Nobody knows why this happens.The reason for huge penises is better understood. The classic explanation is that it allows males to have sex without the cooperation of the female. However, a deeper understanding is offered by Dr. Patricia Brennan, a female behavioral ecologist. Studying these oversized phalluses led her to ask a question that no one had asked before. "So what does the female look like? Obviously you can't have something like that without some place to put it in. You need a garage to park the car."<h4>Feminine Wiles</h4>As reported in the May 1, 2007 issue of New York Times Science, Brennan concluded that the elaborate anatomy of female ducks had evolved in response to, and as a countermeasure against, aggressive males. “Once they choose a male, they’re making the best possible choice, and that’s the male they want siring their offspring,” she said. “They don’t want the guy flying in from who knows where. It makes sense that they would develop a defense.”Females protect themselves from undesired insemination through their long and complex oviduct (the equivalent of the vagina in birds). Brennan found that the vaginal tubes were not straight but had “all these weird structures, these pockets and spirals.” This served to impede the sperm’s fertilization mission; unwanted sperm could be stored in side chambers to be ejected later. The success of this design is proven by the fact that as many as one in three duck matings are rapes, but in nine out of ten of these, the offending sperm is eliminated, so 97 percent of all duck offspring are the result of the choice of the mother.<h4>Nature versus nurture</h4>As crazy as such extreme genital development seems, it makes sense in the context of an evolutionary struggle to control reproductive success. When it comes to <a href="http://www.webvet.com/main/article/id/2104/med/0" target="_blank" title="Mating rituals: Birds do it bees do it">mating rituals</a>, birds are at the mercy of the purely physical solutions wrought by nature. We, on the other hand, have the ability to modify our nature with our minds and hearts. Nurture plays as significant a role as nature in our partnering. We are lucky to have behavioral choices that some of our bird-brained friends simply don’t have.<h4>Coming attractions: Pet Sex</h4>Can we talk about the <a href="http://www.webvet.com/main/article/id/2164/med/0" target="_blank" title="Animal sex: doing it doggy style">sex lives of our cats and dogs</a>? Is that like talking about the sex lives of family members? Ewww! (Or would that be Mee-oww?!) By Sally Schloss for WebVet By Sally Schloss for WebVet Birds Housing problems a common cause of bird injuries http://www.webvet.com/main/article?id=2123 <a href="http://www.webvet.com/main/article?id=2123">Housing problems a common cause of bird injuries </a> When it comes to pet birds, one size cage does not fit all.A cage that is too small, poorly designed or overcrowded can result in serious injury and even death, warned Greg J. Harrison, DVM, and author of Clinical Avian Medicine (HBD Int. Inc., Brentwood, TN). “A bird owner should put the time and care into selecting her pet’s cage as she would her baby’s crib,” Harrison said. “The same safety concerns apply.”One of the most common mistakes bird owners make is housing their pets in a cage that is too small. At the very least, said Harrison, a cage should be large enough for a bird to comfortably stand up straight and flap its wings. The design of a bird cage is also very important. Avoid cages in which the bars form a “V”; this kind of design poses a serious hazard because a bird can easily get a leg or other body part caught and twist or break it while thrashing about. In addition, the cage door should close and lock firmly. A door that leaves a gap presents a potential safety hazard to a curious bird.<h4>Best materials for cages</h4>According to Harrison, stainless-steel bird cages are the best, but they can be rather pricey. “Any of the currently available metal cages are pretty safe today,” he said. “The bigger problem is what owners put in them.”Be wary of second-hand bird cages, especially those manufactured more than 20 years ago, Harrison cautioned. Older bird cages were often produced with a baked-on powder coating that contained high levels of lead and zinc, which are poisonous to birds when consumed. Harrison recalls a spate of poisoned-bird cases before cage manufacturers turned to a safer coating.The items placed in a bird’s cage, including toys, perches and food/water bowls, can also pose potential hazards if not attached safely and securely. “Probably the most common beak injuries we see is from an inexpensive toy attached with something like a keychain ring,” Harrison said. “The bird pops its beak into the ring and gets hung up on it.”<h4>Dangers for birds</h4>Indeed, a wide variety of physical injuries can occur to a bird in a cage that is too small or that contains unsafe items. They include:<ul><li>A severe bruise, sprain, broken bone (wing or leg), degloved skin, swelling or other tissue damage</li><li>A penetrating wound to the beak from an unsafe toy or a bite from a larger, more aggressive bird</li><li>Injury may also occur if a bird gets its beak caught between the cage bars.</li><li>Damage and bleeding to the tip of the beak, toenail or pin feathers   </li></ul>Interestingly, cage-related injuries occur most frequently among active, medium-sized birds, such as cockatiels and African greys. Larger birds, such as macaws and the bigger cockatoos, are usually less affected, unless their cages are uncomfortably small, said Harrison. And small birds, such as canaries and finches, are usually too agile to be harmed.   Minor injuries can often be treated by the owner, sometimes with telephone advice from the bird’s veterinarian. However, a bird should immediately be evaluated by an avian specialist if twine or hair is wrapped around the leg and has cut off circulation; the bird is too entangled in the cage or toy to easily be released; the bird is experiencing uncontrolled bleeding; a leg or wing is obviously broken; or the bird is showing signs of extreme distress.Prevention is always better than treatment, observed Harrison. “Take your time when selecting a cage and make sure that the cage you’re thinking of buying is completely safe and does not have any constricting points,” he said. “In addition, double check all toys and other attachments to make sure there is no way a bird can become entangled and injure itself. A few minutes of close observation can save your pet from a traumatic, possibly fatal injury.” By Don Vaughan for WebVet By Don Vaughan for WebVet Birds Biomusic growing in popularity http://www.webvet.com/main/article?id=1327 <a href="http://www.webvet.com/main/article?id=1327">Biomusic growing in popularity</a> Scientists in the exciting new field of “biomusic” are finding increasing evidence that both people and animals create and mimic notes, pitch and rhythm. In biomusic research, the differences and similarities between disparate sounds such as birdcalls, bonobo drumming, whalesong and mice “pitch” are investigated. Biomusic joins the trained ears of musicians with the latest scientific research and technology in biology, physics, computer science, zoology and other academic disciplines.  Thus why the white-breasted wood wren can belt out an uncanny version of Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony? And why Paul McCartney and Peter Gabriel have recorded songs with bonobo apes as their back-up singers? Human composers, from classical to modern day rockers, have been inspired for centuries by the sounds outside their windows at dawn.  <h4>The birth of biomusic</h4>Coined by the late Walt Rosen in 1986, the term biomusic emerged when leading international experts met at a powerhouse National Academy of Sciences (NAS) Biodiversity conference.  “We all got excited. There were things we were finding out from each other which obviously brought out entire new questions and whole new levels of inquiry,” said Patricia Gray, Founder of the National Musical Arts Biomusic program and Artistic Director and pianist at NAS at the time of the conference. Moreover, because of the NAS conference, scientists began to look at musical structure across species lines, instead of limiting themselves to one animal at a time. They also brought the unique vantage point of musicians into their research.  “One of the things that musicians bring is a very precise way of listening. For example, the way musicians listen and analyze birdsong wasn’t being considered in the larger context,” Gray said  <h4>Wild music </h4>The original group formed at the NAS conference grew in strength and numbers, which eventually led to an exhibit called <a href="http://www.wildmusic.org/" target="_blank">Wild Music</a>. Wild Music now encompasses a 4,000 square-foot exhibition constructed with green materials featuring the latest research about “the songs and signs of life.”  The exhibit, which travels throughout the country, encourages multicultural and intergenerational audiences to better understand just what makes music, both in cities and in the wild.  A schedule for the national tour can be found on the Web site. Included in this diverse presentation of worldwide sound:<ul><li>A bioacoustic lab, where you can compare the human larynx with the bird syrinx, and use an “electrolarynx” to “speak” without using your voice. </li><li>The Power of Sound and Music Theatre, where you can listen to sounds from around the world to see how animals use sounds to identify themselves, communicate, and nurture social groups.</li><li>A cross comparison of hearing ability (you might be surprised to learn where people rank!)</li><li>Learn how music influences our memory. </li><li>Many other exhibits about the “nature of music and the music of nature” </li></ul>According to sound engineer and composer Philip Blackburn, the exhibit has only grown in popularity since its launch.  “We’re watching everything going green. So green music is a natural progression,” Blackburn said.<h4>The future of biomusic </h4>Recent advances in technology are going green, too. In fact, some advances in biomusic can actually be attributed to the latest microphone technology and software analysis programs.  “Now, technology is helping us hear above and below our hearing range,” Gray said. “For the most part, human beings actually hear more slowly than other species.” Gray is currently working with other researchers (and the same bonobos who recorded with McCartney and Gabriel) at the Great Ape Trust in Iowa, exploring where some of our musical abilities intersect with the development of life itself—the evolutionary record.  Unraveling assumptions about what is and what isn’t uniquely human, biomusic has the potential to foster a deeper understanding about the human relationship with sound and our ancient connection with other animals.   By Kim Nagy for WebVet By Kim Nagy for WebVet Birds Birds gone wild! http://www.webvet.com/main/article?id=2129 <a href="http://www.webvet.com/main/article?id=2129">Birds gone wild! </a> What might the elaborate courtship dance of male birds have in common with our own male dance partners? More than we might realize.Think of John Travolta in "Saturday Night Fever'' as he struts onto the disco dance floor in his skin tight jeans and shiny polyester shirt. His moves are pure sex, his performance all exuberant display, impressing the women at the disco as much as those in the theater, watching. As the dominant male in the place, Travolta is desirability personified. Something very primal is being stirred.The dance performed by the South American long-tailed manakin, as observed in "A Natural History of Sex,'' by Adrian Forsyth, is but one of countless species dances, all different, and all designed for the purpose of attracting a sexual partner. The male birds dance around and the female birds decide if "that's the way, uh huh, uh huh, I like it.''<h4>Manakin seduction</h4>The manakin has a black body that is highlighted by a turquoise back, a crimson crown and trailing tail feathers that are equal in length to its height. The disco floor, as it were, is a horizontal vine or tree limb. What is unique to this particular species of bird is a song and dance routine presented by two male manakins -- "a leading male and his accompanist'' who join together to pitch woo.The female is lured over by the manakins' vocal duet. "If the female lands directly on the perch, the two males turn to face her and begin, first one and then the other, to hop up and down, often jumping over each other in leapfrog style. As they leap into the air, they flutter their wings, their tail feathers whip wildly and they utter a buzzing cry. They work themselves into a frenzy until the dominant male of the pair sounds a shrill note. He then slowly flies around the female, and the two mate. The performance is over.''<h4>Do a little dance, get down tonight</h4>An intriguing question is why does this impress the females? How did ridiculously impractical, long tails, coupled with such a vigorous display of talents become a requirement for choosing a mate?As Adam Forsythe states, biologists have been arguing about this since Darwin. The most accepted theory is that males succeed with females either by battling with, and conquering, other males, or by charming the heck out of them. In other words, if female manakins prefer males with crimson crowns and sumptuous tail feathers, and are dazzled by such aerobic song and dance routines, then over generations, the short-tailed manakins with a limited repertoire simply disappear. <h4>Truth in advertising</h4>But, surely there must be a deeper reason that such courtship behavior succeeds. What is it the females are really learning about their prospective mating partners that makes this display so attractive to them? The theory is that costly displays (tail feathers that don't improve a manakin's ability to fly, and make them more visible to predators) signal superior health and strength to females. Those exhausting, extravagant theatrics and expensive "outfits'' can only be sustained by the highest quality males. The bottom-line message to the female is that a fabulous, healthy male equals healthy offspring. What you see is what you get.From the male perspective, those that come equipped with the best tail feathers and have the best act have the most opportunities to mate.Sound familiar? What we call the alpha males in our human culture -- the guy with the most money, virility, good looks and power -- gets the girls. <h4>My own experience</h4>I was once at an evening event following a trade show where a total stranger came up to me and asked me to dance. I had never been in the arms of a man who was a trained dancer and moved so masterfully. As he guided me by applying a gentle pressure on my back and pulled me into his own assured rhythm, he made it impossible for me to make a mistake or step on his toes. It was, to use a very old-fashioned term -- dreamy. I had the utterly bizarre thought that I wanted to marry him. I wanted to propose to him that minute. His dancing made me believe he would be a great father, a wonderful lover, and a man to be counted on. Hmmm, what was I thinking?<h4>Coming attractions...Ducks are quacked</h4>Did you know that 97 percent of all bird species have no penis? Ducks on the other hand have penises that are as long as their entire bodies! What's up with that? Find out on the next installment of "Birds do it, bees do it.'' By Sally Schloss for WebVet By Sally Schloss for WebVet Birds Animal sex: The scent of a woman http://www.webvet.com/main/article?id=2262 <a href="http://www.webvet.com/main/article?id=2262">Animal sex: The scent of a woman</a>   <h4>"I am calling you-ou-ou-ou-ou-ooo!" </h4>Whether bringing individuals together from miles away or from right next door, sending and receiving chemical signals is the oldest form of communication on the planet. Whether secreted from skin, tongues, or glands, sexual "pheromones"  -- wafted through the air, suffused in water, or deposited on the ground -- send their distinctive "come hither" message to the opposite sex:"I am ready. Now!" The word ‘pheromone' comes from the Greek, pherin, to transfer, and hormon, to excite or stimulate. While pheromones perform a variety of functions -- like identifying male territory, and warning away rivals -- sexual pheromones are designed to attract and arouse the opposite sex. <h4>How it works</h4> Animals produce hormones. When secreted externally they become pheromones. The "scent" is received by the opposite sex through the ‘vomeronasal organ,' a part of the olfactory system -- the system by which animals smell things and get their brains stimulated. The effects of all this olfactory ‘Morse Code' are as diverse as the animals that employ it, as these examples show: <ul><li>Female pigs become sexually aroused by the sex pheromones in the saliva of male pigs. </li><li>Golden male hamsters are stimulated to mount females after getting a whiff of vaginal pheromones. </li><li>Female goldfish release their pheromones into the water at night, and the males, picking up the scent, find themselves producing sperm for fertilization. The next morning, when the females are ready to spawn, the males enthusiastically make the journey in search of the goldfish beauties with that alluring scent. However, it's a little disconcerting to discover that all the guys in the neighborhood are making the same commute. </li></ul> <h4>That signature scent</h4> Part of the work of sex pheromones is to help members of the same species identify each other, so it won't be a waste of time to have sex. For instance, there are thought to be 150,000 to 250,000 different species of moths, but there is only one particular, chemically correct, sexual pheromone per species. A male silk moth will receive a female's sexual invitation from as far away as seven miles, but he won't bother to waste his time and energy flying over -- making himself vulnerable to predators and competing with all the other males she is beckoning to -- unless the pheromone is from a female of his own kind. When the right call gets the attention of the male's antennae, it's then pretty much irresistible. <h4>How about them red garter snakes?</h4> Nature is never satisfied until a species evolves the best strategy for mating and surviving. So it should come as no surprise that some animal groups will break or bend the pheromone attraction rules. Take the case of the Manitoba red-sided garter snake. Some males mimic the pheromones of the females, thereby tricking other males into trying to have sex with them. Yes, that's right; they become "she-males." Manitoba garter snakes spend the entire winter in the frigid Canadian region between Lake Manitoba and Lake Winnipeg, arriving by the thousands, after slithering their way over miles of rocky terrain. Males and females hibernate together in crevasses as small as six feet wide and sixteen feet deep to keep from freezing to death. When spring arrives, each den disgorges as many as 10,000 snakes. The males are the first to emerge from their winter retreat. When the females finally appear, seething balls of hundreds of male snakes form around one female. These snake balls remain intact, rolling around the rocky terrain until one male has successfully mated with the female. <h4>Trick or treat?</h4> Here's the interesting part. Some mating balls have no female. In that writhing horde of snakes, the only way a male can identify a female is by her pheromones, secreted through her skin. Snakes flick their tongues in and out, picking up chemical cues from the air, and transfer them to a sensory organ in the roof of their mouth. So, why would any self-respecting male garter snake become a she-male? One theory is that this subterfuge keeps the other males from "getting the girl" and passing on their genes. They're all busy mistakenly trying to mate the imposter. <h4>Are we at the mercy of our body chemistry?</h4> Do humans also emit and receive pheromes? Do we "smell" as good as the rest of the animal world? To find out you'll have to read my next Animal Sex blog-"The Scent of a Woman." [LINK to the blog] <h4>Coming Attractions</h4> Next up on Birds Do It, Bees Do It, you'll read about a sea creature with a penis that can grip like a hand. "What is tugging on my leg? Oh noooo..." By Sally Schloss for WebVet By Sally Schloss for WebVet Birds Top 10 signs of sexual frustration in birds http://www.webvet.com/main/article?id=2089 <a href="http://www.webvet.com/main/article?id=2089">Top 10 signs of sexual frustration in birds</a> Does your finch seem frustrated? Is your parrot being petulant? Canary acting crazy? If so, it might be raging hormones that are turning your usually tame pet into a feathered beast. Below are the top ten symptoms of sexual frustration in pet birds:<ul><li>Screaming. If your once-quiet bird now cranks at decibels similar to a jet engine on takeoff roll, it’s likely frustrated. New toys and other distractions might quell the chaos a bit.</li><li>Biting and aggression. When you dare to walk past the cage, do you hear the “thunk” of an angry bird striking the bars in full attack mode? Do you now buy bandages in the bulk size?  “We can see aggression toward people, other birds, animals, and objects as a manifestation of sexual frustration,” said Dr. Byron J.S. de la Navarre of the Animal House of Chicago.</li><li>Chewing and gathering. Has it been weeks since you’ve used your paper shredder because your parrot now does the job? Feathering a nest is hard work, but apparently those Victoria’s Secret catalogs make luxe linings when properly torn to bits.</li><li>Allofeeding. Humans take a date out to dinner. Birds share their food through the slightly less appealing manner of regurgitation. If your pet is attempting to feed you, the cat, or a favorite toy, he’s trying to be romantic. Conversely, if you hand-feed your bird, that can be stimulating to the bird. Foods that are sexually stimulating fall into two groups: easily digested sugars, such as fruits and corn, and high-fat food, such as seeds, nuts and fried foods.</li><li>Feather plucking or chewing. Feather destruction in birds is a complicated syndrome with many possible causes, and is always best evaluated by a veterinarian. However, if everything checks out fine, it’s possibly a sign of sexual frustration. </li><li>Nesting and incubating. Some birds (male or female) will actually create an imaginary nest and incubate a surrogate egg. Usually this involves dragging a toy or other appropriately sized object into a food dish and sitting on it for hours on end. Removing the object usually doesn’t help because the bird will just find another. Be very cautious about interfering with the “nest,” because your pet will defend it vigorously.</li><li>Masturbation. Yes, birds do it. If your pet attempts to perform a lap dance on your hand every time you pick it up, it is displaying sexual behavior. Do not react with anger or disgust, or the rejected bird might lash out in frustration. On the other hand, do not encourage the bird because you think it’s cute or funny, because it might escalate to biting and aggression.</li><li>Posturing and display. Peacocks aren’t the only birds that strut their stuff when trying to impress a mate. Parrots, especially male Amazons and cockatoos, will stalk around with fanned tails and ruffled neck feathers, grunting and growling in a macho manner. Some male finches perform complicated dances, and male canaries sing their hearts out. Female birds usually crouch down, quiver, and stare directly and longingly at the object of their desire. There are exceptions: Some young or submissive males will act like hens, and some very bold females can out-macho the guys.</li><li>Soliciting and begging. A submissive yet sexual bird will often ask for a “date” (see #4 above) by crouching, quivering, and begging loudly for food or, attention. It’s similar to the behavior shown by chicks begging for food, but in a sexually mature bird it is usually done with a different purpose in mind.</li><li>Egg laying. Female cockatiels are the most likely suspects here, but all female birds can, and occasionally do, lay infertile eggs without the benefit of male companionship. Some hens will attempt to incubate the eggs, while others show surprisingly little interest. It’s best to leave the eggs with the female until she loses interest, because removing them might stimulate her to lay another clutch.</li></ul>Another thing to keep in mind is that birds can be sexually stimulated by the length of daylight. After a period of short light (winter), the lengthening day stimulates the hormones of courtship. Birds that exhibit signs of sexual frustration may benefit from shorter light exposure times. “It’s always best to have the bird evaluated to make sure there is not any underlying medical condition,” said Dr. de la Navarre. “Then just be patient. The hormonal period is somewhat seasonally related, and with time will subside.” By Gayle Soucek for WebVet By Gayle Soucek for WebVet Birds Should you get another bird? http://www.webvet.com/main/article?id=2088 <a href="http://www.webvet.com/main/article?id=2088">Should you get another bird?</a> If you're the happy owner of a pet parrot, you've probably pondered the possibility of getting it a cage companion. But are two birds twice as nice or double the trouble? That depends on many factors, say the experts.Ask Mina Tweti, the Los Angeles-based author of the newly published "Of Parrots and People'' (Viking, 2008), and she'll tell you that getting another feathered friend for your bird is a usually good idea, provided you choose the second parrot carefully and have the time and temperament to care for two birds properly."Research shows that the single best enrichment for a pet parrot is another parrot,'' Tweti said. "From the moment a parrot hatches in the wild until the day they die, they are typically never out of eyesight or earshot of another parrot, which is why their voices are so loud. They're always surrounded by their flocks, mates and family unit.''Kristen L. Nelson, DVM, Veterinary Creative, in Scottsdale, Ariz., agrees that acquiring a companion bird for your pet parrot is a good idea. "I believe birds like having other birds around for company,'' Nelson said. "I advise clients to get two birds, although most live in separate cages. If they are of the same species, they may be introduced.''<h4>When two's a crowd</h4>Not all bird experts agree that pairing a parrot with another is the best decision, however. Dr. Greg J. Harrison, DVM, said that it's "not critical to get a second bird for your first. Hand-raised birds, or those not born in the wild, have a tendency to only want to be with people.''If you're going to get a second bird, "it's probably best to give it its own cage,'' Harrison said. "Unless you really want to breed two birds, you probably shouldn't keep them caged as pairs.''Harrison said that one of the risks pet owners run is that the first bird, which has probably formed a strong, dependent bond with the owner, will form a stronger bond with a second bird introduced to the cage, resulting in the owner being ignored or even attacked.For these and other reasons, Harrison recommends not allowing two birds to share the same cage.<h4>Second parrot preconditions</h4>Harrison said pet lovers too often rush into a decision to purchase a second companion parrot without weighing the ramifications. "Two birds take 'x' amount of time, which usually equates to up to 60 minutes a day that you need to spend separately with each bird giving them independent attention, followed by up to 60 minutes spent playing with them together,'' he said. "People think it's really neat to give their bird a playmate, but then they don't spend the proper amount of time socializing with both birds.''The parrot species that are most compatible as pairs, according to Harrison, are small to mid-size birds such as:<ul><li>African greys</li><li>Conures</li><li>Small cockatoos</li><li>Senegals</li><li>Pionuses</li><li>Cockatiels </li></ul>Parrots with a higher incidence of behavioral problems as pairs include: <ul><li>Amazons</li><li>Macaws </li><li>Large cockatoos</li></ul>According to Harrison and Nelson, choosing the right second bird is a crucial decision that should factor in the age, size and temperament of your first bird:<ul><li>If you have an older first bird, it's wise to get a second one of the opposite sex, as there's less chance of competition.</li><li>If your original parrot is young, aim for a second bird of the same sex. </li><li>If you get opposite sex birds, be prepared for the male and female to bond even if you don't want them to. </li><li>Avoid housing birds of different species together, as the smaller bird is often brutalized by the larger.</li></ul><h4>The great parrot-pairing project</h4>Before bringing a second bird home, Nelson said it's important to take it to an avian veterinarian for a physical exam and laboratory testing. To avoid expensive testing or illnesses, do your homework on the source of your new bird. Make sure they have records and veterinary recommendations for common illnesses such as PDD, Circo virus, psittacosis, and polyoma disease. Also consider your new bird's family history. It's best to choose a bird with a family tendency to be great pets with no obsessive and compulsive behavior such as screaming, biting and feather picking.Once you bring it home, quarantine the new bird in a separate cage and separate area for 30 to 90 days and work hard at establishing an equal-time relationship with both birds.After the quarantining period, "introduce the two birds in stages,'' Nelson said. "Let the birds hear each other first. When they're comfortable, allow them to have visual contact at a distance. Slowly move the cages closer together until they are two feet apart.''"Breaking the ice'' between two newly introduced birds takes time, Harrison said. "You have to warm them up properly. When you walk into the room, don't pay attention to either bird. Instead, play with a ball or another pet just to break the silence. Don't create a habit where you take them out of the cage right when you walk in, or else they'll selfishly demand your attention. Try to break up your warming up routines by alternating who gets let out of the cage first.''<h4>When parrots collide</h4>When it's time for a face-to-face parrot meeting:<ul><li>Do so in a "neutral'' area such as a playpen, Nelson said. </li><li>Hide food in the area and skip the morning meal. Hopefully, the birds will be more interested in foraging for food than each other.</li><li>Play with your original bird first to get the newer bird used to the fact that playing with people is exciting, Harrison said. </li><li>Next, put the first bird close to you but not on your shoulder. </li><li>Then, play with the newer parrot and alternate attention between the two, giving positive reinforcement. </li><li>Start playing games like rolling a ball on the floor to see how they interact with each other.</li></ul>Over time, continue to allow supervised play time in the neutral area, Nelson said. "If no fighting is observed, introduce both birds to a new cage with two separate feeding stations. The new cage should be twice the size of an individual cage so that each bird has their own space.''Ultimately, Nelson said, "remember that patience is the key to a successful introduction. This process may take weeks or months to accomplish.''"Common sense will tell you if the birds like each other - you'll just know,'' Tweti said. "If they don't it will be really clear.''<h4>When all else fails</h4>Keep in mind that some birds quickly develop jealousies and aggressive behaviors toward other birds that won't go away, no matter how hard you try to socialize them together, Harrison said. "It's possible that your birds will never be compatible. That depends on how well you did your homework and on how strong your first bird has bonded to you,'' he said. If it's obvious that the two parrots are not compatible over time, "it's probably in everyone's best interest that you find another home for the second bird,'' Tweti said. By Erik J. Martin for WebVet By Erik J. Martin for WebVet Birds