Animal Planet - Pet Trends blog

Valentine's Day is For The Birds

I can't forget about the bird lovers out there!  Here are some Valentine's Day gift ideas for your tweet-heart and for the bird watcher in your life too.

Gifts for Bird Lovers:

Mosaic Hummingbird Bird Bath
Get ready to enjoy beautiful birds flocking to this handcrafted birdbath -- makes a great dog bowl too!

Blown Glass Hummingbird Feeders
These gorgeous blown-glass feeders will delight the hummingbirds and your special someone.  April and May are the best months to attract hummingbirds so get prepared now.

Gifts for the Birds:

Smart Bird Toys
Birds love to play and this website has colorful wooden toys that will keep your bird entertained from day to night.

Love Shack, Baby!
Your birds will have the whole shack shimming with this clever toy!  The love shack, that's where it's at!

You could also try creating your own bird treat by taking a stale bagel, cover it in peanut butter and then roll it in bird seed.  Tie a string around it and hang from a tree limb.  Then watch your feathered friends  eat it up!

Yackity Yack Please Talk Back!

Often times I look over at Dixie and she has this look on her face like she just wants to say something in English.  Sometimes, I'm thinking it's, "Give me a bite of that, will ya?!"  Other times its, "Maggie, you are so nuts.  Stop dancing around the apartment, head to your party and let me have a few minutes to myself to snuggle under the blanket in peace." 

If I wanted a pet who could talk however, I would have gotten a bird.  This thought prompted me to research just how is it that people teach their birds to talk.  Here's what I discovered:

Some breeds of birds are better at learning to talk than others.  Smaller breeds such as parakeets and cockatiels are not the best talkers.  Lovebirds are also not the best talkers.  Perhaps no words are needed for such a love.  The best mouthpiece is the African Gray Parrot. 

Another trait that usually goes hand in hand with being a good talker is a bird that is a bit of a mean biter.  These birds like to use their mouths!  There are CDs you can get to help you tutor your bird.  Check out Birdie Talk CD.  I love how it boasts "family friendly vocabulary." That's no fun!  How funny would it be to have a trash-talking parrot?!

Check out this popular YouTube video of a beat-boxing parrot!  He's got some skills!

So I guess for now, between Dixie and I, I'll stick to doing all the talking.  Growing up, they didn't call me the Mouth of the South for nuthin'!