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Summary: Should be read by everyone before buying a bird
Review: As a new macaw owner, I looked through dozens of "instructional" books filled with fabulous, glossy photos of incredible birds.....and very LITTLE helpful information! This book focuses on information rather than eye-appeal, and is actually co-written by an avian veterinarian. Information is current, accurate and complete. Anything you want to know about your bird, you will find it here! New and experienced bird owners alike will benefit greatly from this book, and your happy, healthy birds will thank you!
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Summary: The reviews are in!
Review: Here's what the experts say about "Birds For Dummies":"Gina Spadafori and Dr. Brian Speer have done a remarkable job on 'Birds For Dummies.' I found the book to be everything I hoped it would be. The information is first-rate and helpful to anyone with an interest or love for pet birds. ... You will not be disappointed." -- Walter J. Rosskopf, Jr., DVM, Dip. ABVP (Avian Practice) "At last -- a book that contains more than just pretty bird pictures. This was fun to read. It is clear, concise, factual, useful, and understandable. Truly a book worth reading for new and old Avian Addicts." -- Linda Biggi, Owner, Bird Gardens "Squawk about this! This is one light-hearted, easy-reading, and thoroughly informative book about the care and maintenance of our fine feathered friends. A must-have for every bird owner." -- Gary A. Gallerstein, DVM, author of "The Complete Bird Owner's Handbook" and "First Aid for Birds" "...'Birds For Dummies' is the most complete discussion of the pros and cons of pet bird ownership that I have ever seen. If more people read this book before they bought a bird, I would see fewer sick, maladjusted, and behavior-problem birds. If you own a bird, you should read this book; if you are thinking about owning a bird, you MUST read this book." -- Michael J. Murray, DVM "... This book is filled with the information every bird owner ... needs to keep their pet bird healthy and happy." -- Joel Murphy, DVM, Dip. ABVP (Avian Practice), author of "How To Care for Your Pet Bird."
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Summary: Not just for dummies!
Review: I have been around birds my whole life and I think this book is fantastic. I never even wanted to look at one the "For Dummies" books just because of the title, but I was pleasantly surprised to find the information here was far from "dumb". Covers all the basics and more. I've had birds ranging from pigeons to lovebirds to budgies to grey cheeked parakeets.
The great part about this book is its organization: it tells you everything you know to get started, little extras you might want to get your bird, common mistakes to avoid, answers nearly every question you might have, has good references for more info (wh of course you will need once you have decided on which bird is right for you), and much more! Fun to read too!
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Summary: Best of the lot
Review: I'd never owned any birds other than budgies when I came into an unwanted African Grey. I went to the library and read everything I could get my hands on. This was far and away the best book. It contains virtually everything you need to know (although I also hired a behaviorist, a nice luxury). I recommend reading this BEFORE you get a bird, if possible.
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Summary: Wonderful reference book, and teaches the new bird owner
Review: My boyfriend and i are interested in buying a bird, and are still deciding on what bird is right for us. But in the mean time we are reading as much as possible to learn and get ready for the future adoption. This book is a wonderful starter book and a reference manual. If you are interested in adopting a bird, this is a great place to start. It teaches just how much effort is needed to have a bird in your home and how much joy you can out of it. Adopting a bird is in no way like having a cat or dog, it requires lots more time and effort, and i think this book conveys that.
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Summary: Good Start
Review: Overall, this book is better than the others, but still nowhere near as complete as a bird book ought to be. Birds are difficult pets to have, and for first-time owners who qualify as bird "dummies", this book spells out way to little. Having owned an African Grey parrot for the past year (which was my first bird), I've read (and glanced through) many different books and magazines regarding companion birds. None of them adequately address all the issues of caring for birds, and none of them accurately convey to the reader the amount of work and money that goes into caring for parrots. Now, some books are just completely out of touch with the realities of owning a bird. This one, however, is pretty down to Earth. Still, it would be nice for a book to, perhaps, spell out a weekly routine for a bird. Things like the average amount of time one should spend holding their bird, the average amount of time you'll have to spend per week keeping the cage clean, the average amount of time it will take you to vacuum the debris from your carpet. The average amount of time you'll spend cleaning up soiled newspapers. The average number of soiled newspapers you can expect to have to throw away per week. As ridiculous as these things may sound when given as 'instructions' on bird care, these are the realities of owning a bird. Time, mess, money, and of course, a great deal of love. Like all other books, this one doesn't help much in dealing with behavior problems. My Grey, for example, will whistle at the top of his little lungs whenever I leave the room, trying to stay in communication with me I guess. Since I'm a student and live in an apartment, a few chapters on dealing with this problem would be extremely helpful to me. I know, reasons for screaming may be different, but it would be nice for a book to give you a list of scenarios and step-by-step descriptions on how to deal with them. Instead, this book, like most, simply tells you why birds may scream and gives you a couple half-baked attempts at solutions. This book, like the others, doesn't tell you much about ways to make cleaning the cage more convenient, or give you information on how to keep mess to a minimum. Or, at least, it would be nice if the book simply says, "there's no way to minimize mess!".
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Summary: The place to start.
Review: Start with this book before you get your first bird, and you're likely to choose the right pet (which might not be a bird!). The book has loads of great information about the many wonderful birds out there, what to expect behaviorally and financially, and how to keep them happy.
This isn't merely a collection of pretty pictures (though it has plenty) and it doesn't suggest that you simply pick the bird you think is prettiest. Instead, it attempts to provide all the information you need to choose the right bird, and it covers preventive medicine, providing great care, and creating a good relationship between bird and human. It also discusses the ethics of breeding, a very relevant topic today because of bird overpopulation.
Like any bird book, however, Birds for Dummies can't give you the hands-on experience that will tell you if a bird is the right pet for you, and, if so, which type of bird you should choose. Bird ownership is a major commitment (often a !lifelong one, since many birds can live for 40 or even 100 years), and after reading the book, it's a great idea to visit a few quality bird shops or breeders, handle the kinds of birds that interest you (and even some that don't), and find the bird you click with, whatever the species. (I volunteer for a parrot-rescue organization, and many of the birds there lost their homes because they were chosen for the wrong reasons--this is very traumatic and sad for people and birds.)
Dr. Speer is a great vet (he's local in my area) and he is extremely well regarded. He and Ms. Spadafori have written a very entertaining and informative book; it's a must-have for all bird owners and the most thorough introduction to life with parrots available.
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Summary: Very helpful! Easy to understand!!
Review: This book is a MUST for anyone considering a bird, or a new bird owner. I just bought a small Souance conure, and needed some help. My vet suggested I buy this book, and it has taught me so much!!! MUST BUY FOR ANY BIRD OWNER OR LOVER, novice or expert.
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Summary: Birds For Dummies
Review: This book is a must-have for any bird owner or prospective bird owner. It is full of accurate, up-to-date information that has been very difficult to find in one place in the past. Reading it will help bird owners have healthier, more well-behaved birds and prevent trips to the vet. It will help prospective bird owners make better decisions about the bird/s they choose. I wish it had been available when I got my first bird 25 years ago. I consider it a mandatory part of anyone's library about caring for their birds. Thank you, Dr. Speer! (My vet for the past 10 years.)
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Summary: Should be read by everyone before buying a bird
Review: This is a great book for anyone thinking about buying his or her first bird. I wish it had been around when I bought my first bird. Twenty years ago I bought a bird based on one criterion: I wanted the largest bird I could afford. As it turned out, that bird was a nanday conure. I had no idea they were the noisiest things on the planet, next to a 747. It was a horrible experience for me and for the bird, which ended relatively well with the bird moving into an aviary at a local zoo. It took me twenty years to get enough nerve to try again. I made up my mind I was going to do my homework this time, and I started with Birds for Dummies. This book has every bit of information I needed to avoid all my past mistakes and many others that had not even occurred to me. For example, I would have known that nanday conures were extremely noisy. I also would have known that yelling at a bird only reinforces that bird's tendency to scream. According to the descriptions in the book, it looked like a budgie was the bird for me: not too loud, not too expensive and loaded with personality. "Trust them," the book said. I was skeptical, because I always thought of budgies as a child's pet. However, I followed the book's advice to the letter and, when I was sure I was ready, bought a budgie. Things have worked out better than I could have hoped! We are getting along great. I trusted the authors and they were right. You can trust them too.
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