Posts

Caring for Birds in Summer: Tips for a Cool and Comfortable Avian Companion

Birds

Caring for Birds in Summer: Tips for a Cool and Comfortable Avian Companion

As temperatures soar and days lengthen, it’s crucial to help our winged companions stay cool and comfortable. Here’s a guide to ensuring your bird’s well-being during hot summer months, emphasizing the importance of proper bathing, a key aspect of avian summer care.

Ensuring a Comfortable Environment

  • Shade and Air Circulation: Keep your bird’s cage in an area with good airflow, shielded from direct sunlight. Use curtains or blinds to block intense sun while still letting in light.
  • Hydration Stations: Always provide fresh, clean water for drinking. Place several water sources around to encourage drinking.
  • Chilled Snacks: Offer your bird cool (not frozen) fruits and vegetables, especially those high in water content like cucumbers and melons, for hydration and enjoyment.
  • Gentle Airflow: A fan can help circulate air around the cage, but avoid direct drafts that can stress birds.
  • Mist for Comfort: Gently misting your bird with water on hot days can provide relief and mimic their natural habitat. Ensure the mist is fine to avoid soaking the feathers.

Bathing: Key to Summer Care

  • Regular Baths: Increase bath frequency in summer, preferably in the mornings to allow feathers to dry before cooler evenings.
  • Bath Options: Provide a shallow dish with lukewarm water for self-bathing. Observe if your bird prefers this or bathing in their drinking water.
  • Spray Bottles: For birds that enjoy it, use a clean spray bottle with room-temperature water for a gentle shower effect.
  • Safety During Bathing: Always supervise bath time and ensure your bird is dry before nightfall.
  • Variety in Bathing: Offer different bathing methods and observe your bird’s preference.
  • Safe Water: Use clean, dechlorinated water for baths to protect their skin and feathers.

Enhancing Bath Time with Nature’s Nest Feather Sprays

Our range of feather sprays – Aloe Vera, Lavender, Spearmint, and Eucalyptus – are designed to enrich your bird’s summer bathing experience while nurturing their plumage and skin.

  • Aloe Vera Spray: Ideal for dry skin, this hydrating spray promotes a healthy feather sheen.
  • Lavender Spray: Offers calming effects, perfect for relaxation after a busy day or before sleep.
  • Spearmint Spray: Refreshes and energizes, providing a cooling sensation during bath time.
  • Eucalyptus Spray: Supports respiratory health and offers protection against summer pests.

Using Nature’s Nest Feather Sprays:

  • Optimal Timing: Apply during your bird’s usual bath time, preferably in the morning.
  • Application Technique: Spray from about 30 centimeters away for a light and even mist.
  • Watch for Reactions: Observe how your bird responds to each scent and adjust accordingly.
  • Freshness is Key: Shake the bottle before use to blend the natural ingredients.
  • Moderation: Use the sprays sparingly to avoid overwhelming your bird.
  • Please note our sprays are not to be used as a medical treatment, if your bird plucks its feathers the underlying factors like an unbalanced diet, etc should be considered. 

In conclusion, summer care for birds involves creating a cool environment, offering frequent baths, and being vigilant for signs of heat stress. Nature’s Nest Feather Sprays add a touch of luxury to this care routine, each with unique benefits: Aloe Vera for moisturizing, Lavender for calming, Spearmint for revitalization, and Eucalyptus for respiratory health and pest prevention. Integrating these sprays into your bird’s summer care ensures a harmonious blend of enjoyment and health, allowing them to thrive in the warm season.

Source: Nature’s Nest

How to avoid heat stress or overheating your dogs

heat

How to avoid heat stress or overheating your dogs

Dogs cool themselves in hot temperatures by panting and drinking cool water. A dog cannot sweat through their skin like humans do. Their sweat glands are located on the pads of their paws. So instead, they pant to circulate cool air through their bodies and cool their internal temperatures. Drinking cool, fresh water helps to do this – and if there’s no access to water, they can quickly overheat, resulting in permanent brain damage and even death.

Whilst all animals are at risk from heat stress, those with dark, heavy coats and dogs with short noses such as Pugs, Pekinese and Boxers are most susceptible to heat.

Here is what you can do to help your pets on hot summer days:

  1. Ensure your pet always has access to fresh, clean water. Refill their bowls regularly, especially after play sessions or walks.
  2. Hot temperatures can cause heat exhaustion or heatstroke in pets. Limit exercise on particularly hot days and opt for early morning or evening walks when it’s cooler. Hot pavement/asphalt can burn your pet’s paws. Follow the seven-second rule: “Hold the back of your hand on the pavement for seven seconds and if it’s too hot for you, it’ll be too hot for your dog.” Provide Indoor Play: On extremely hot days, engage your pet in indoor activities like puzzle toys, hide-and-seek, or training exercises to keep them mentally stimulated without physical exertion.
  3. Ensure your pet has a shaded area to retreat to when outdoors. This could be under a tree, a canopy, or even a pet-friendly sunshade.
  4. Never Leave Pets in Cars: Even with the windows cracked, cars can quickly become ovens in the summer heat. A parked car, on a hot, summery day of 27 degrees Celsius, even with windows left slightly open “for air” can reach an internal temperature of almost 50 degrees Celsius – in just ten minutes! Never leave your pet unattended in a vehicle.

heat

Symptoms of heat stress include:

  • Intense, rapid panting
  • Wide eyes
  • Salivating, staggering, weak and dark red gums and tongue
  • Respiratory distress or hyperventilation
  • Advanced heat stroke victims will collapse and become unconscious.
  • Depression
  • Weakness
  • Dizziness
  • Vomiting – sometimes with blood
  • Diarrhea
  • Shock
  • Coma

Should your pet show any signs of these symptoms, please immediately take him/her to the nearest veterinarian.

Source: Cape of Good Hope SPCA