POTLUCK - 1:00 P.M.
MEETING - 1:45 P.M.

A - G Dessert
H - P Hot Dish
Q - Z Salad

Please bring your own table service

1982 Officers elected at the December meeting:
President Joe Gordon
Vice President Ron Mercer
Secretary Delilah Quieto
Treasurer Pat McMullan
Newsletter Nikki McClatchie

1982 Executive Board:
Howard Hansel, Past President
Bertha Andrews
Zoe Ann Janowski
Glen Corlew
Jim Mocko
Chuck Arella

The next Executive Board meeting will be held at the home of Joe Gordon, January 29th 7:30 P.M.

Dues for 1982 are now due - $12.00 per person or family. You can pay them at the meeting or send to Delilah Quieto. Dues to be paid by Feb 14th to be listed on the Roster.

1982 Canary bands can now be ordered from Leonard Quieto. Bands are 10¢ each in strings of 25. Add 30¢ postage if they are to be mailed. Dues must be paid before receiving bands.

NEW MEMBERS:
Bud & Lucy Reller, Finches, Love birds
Randy Hordl & Elizabeth Davis, Budgies, Cockatiels
Dolores Ehrlich, Parakeets
Mr. & Mrs. Donald Goff, Canaries, Finches, Hookbills
Roger Erwin, Bird lover
Leon Delisle, Hookbills, Parakeets, Finches, Canaries
Douglas Clark, Borders, Red Factors, Lizards
John Astornio, Columbus fancy, Red Factors, Norwich, Lizards
George Lewis & Barbara Nicoaria, Grey Cheek Parakeet

Welcome to the Club!!

Raffle
Bring an item for the raffle table. As there is no sign up sheet for birds, we could use a few donations.

FOR SALE

Selling out canaries. Nu-color - Domestics. Cages, equipment, etc. Bill Cooper.

Pat McMullan is up to her eyeballs in 1981 hens (canary): Red Factors, Borders, Domestics.

Nikki McClatchie still has some Borders and Glosters left (mostly hens).

The following is an article taken from the Vancouver Island Cage Bird Society Bulletin. Bird Care Workshop conducted by Dr. Robert Dolphin.

Is my bird sick? It is difficult to tell when a bird is sick. We look, but we don't see. Birds are not handled as other pets are, so weight loss is not apparent. They fluff feathers so you can't see. Birds have a high metabolic rate - their temperature is 105 - 100 degrees. They should eat ¼ of their body weight daily. They are really just eating machines.

Birds try to look normal. It is their only defense against predators. They try to maintain territorial distances and to hide signs of sickness. An important point from a diagnostic standpoint is that a sick bird is always cold and always hungry. They are sicker, proportionately, than a dog or cat. The best way to tell if a bird is sick is to count the droppings. Change the paper daily. A normal Budgerigar, for example, will have 40 or more droppings per day. It may appear to you that your bird is eating, but a dying bird will use it's last energy throwing seed around, appearing to eat.

Droppings - birds have a joint cloaca whereby feces and urine are voided together. The green portion is feces, the white is urine. If droppings are all white, the bird is drinking but not eating.

Diarrhea, or what is commonly called diarrhea, is often caused by a change in diet. Diet has a tremendous impact on the appearance of the droppings. Drinking more water or eating more fruit will often give cause for worry. In this case, however, the bird has not been able to concentrate the volume of fluid taken in, so droppings appear loose and watery. Excitement will sometimes have the same effect. In large birds, the droppings should return to normal in about 4 hours. Cockatiels and Conures do 25-30 droppings per day. Bigger birds are less frequent and less consistent.

Perching is an important factor - if the bird does not sit up on his perch is condition is critical. Get attention fast!

Cages If bird is at liberty thru the day, a smaller cage will do for overnight (they do need a bedroom). Avoid fancy cages with wired forming "V"s which could trap head, feet and wings. A bird spending most of its time caged needs enough room to extend both wings. They need this room to exercise to remain healthy. BAMBOO CAGES ARE A NO-NO FOR ALL TYPES OF BIRDS!!!

Diet Most other pet animals have research done regarding their dietary requirements. No so with birds. There are so many different species, each requiring different diets and since it is not possible to reproduce their wild diet, a wide variety of foods must be given, along with vitamin supplements. Unsaturated fatty acids for healthy skin and feathers should be given. Linatone is good for this.

Soft food for babies & breeding birds
1 cup bread crumbs
1 cup wheat germ
1 envelope gelatin
½ cup crushed egg shell
1 cup nonfat dry milk
1 cup oatmeal
1 cup turkey starter (may be omitted)
2 hard boiled eggs
1 heaping teaspoon Tang
½ cup whole kernel corn
1 tablespoon baby applesauce
1 tablespoon cream of corn

Thicken with baby pablum. Cook for 5 minutes (may be frozen).

Supplements
All birds should have their diets supplemented to help balance them. These are suggestions and can be expanded.
Fruit: apples, oranges, grapefruit, papaya, etc.
Vegetables: carrots corn, beans, peas, rice cooked, etc.
Greens: romaine lettuce, celery, dandelion leaves, chickweed, etc.
Eggs: hard boiled or scrambled.
Bread: Toast, crackers, peanut butter can be added.
Twigs from apple, maple and willow trees.
Larger birds will eat them if they are crushed up.
All items should be fed in moderation, as too much of any one food can cause problems.

(to be continued next month)

Nikki McClatchie

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