Birds do enjoy frequent baths or showers with a plant mister, some even shower with their human friends. Good hygiene and proper nutrition are the two most important factors in maintaing your birds good health. Good hygiene involves frequent cleaning of the birds cage and is far more important in the prevention of disease then the use of disinfectants. Water and food containers should be scrubbed daily to prevent accumulation of slime and algae. The proper nutrition of a pet bird is one of the most challenging aspects of their care.
Birds have a very high metabloic rate and the smaller the bird the higher the rate.
Most small birds cannot go without food for any longer than 1 or 2 days. Commercial pelleted or extruded diets, are convenient and balanced. Unfortunately, many first - time bird owners believe that seeds and seed treats provide complete nutrition. Seeds are very high in fat and low in nutrients, it would be like us living on a diet of chocolate, potato chips and soda pop. Because they don't have a diaphragm and a hiccup is a muscle spasm of the diaphram.