The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1901-06-06
CARE OF FEATHERED PETS.
How to Keep a Canary in Good
Health-Points to Be Considered II

How to Keep a Canary in Good
Health-Points to Be Considered in
Buying.
"That birds can take cold and he
heirs to many of the ills that beset hui
manity never seems to occur to their
owners" said Miss Virginia Pope, the
bird doctor ct is often through the
kindest intentions on the part of those
who care for them that birds become
sick. Just now for example, when the
warm spring days begin to appear, 1t
does seem a pity not to let the little
songster share in the fresh, fragrant
air and warm sunshine, and the cage
goes into the window or on the We
randa, where a cold draught is sure to
penetrate his plunage and give the
frail mite a chill, and the result Is, Of
course, Just what it would be in the
case OF any other prmia donna-a
cough asthma, loss of voice, or, per-
haps, in the end. consumption.
birds moult from August to Novem-
Der, and are especially sensitive to the
air during that time. For this reason
and because sudden breezes are likely
to rise it is best never to hang their
cages out of doors. If it could be done
for an hour or two during the warn'est
part of the day it would be well; but
company is likely to come, unexpected
events occupy the attention of his
owner. and he is left too long and takes
cold. The cage should always be COW
cred at night, in order to protect its
occupant against the inevitable crop
in temperature.
hi 70 %
Gently was having four or five fits
day. He had been eating strawberries
and other acid fruits too freely, and
was suffering, among other things
with a cankered mouth Another lit
tie sufferer who died last winter was
unable for weeks to bear his weight
upon his legs, but could use his wings
at well as ever. During that period his
favorite position in sleep was on his
back, and a soft, warm bed was ar
ranged for him. To relieve him, a
swinging strap, with two tiny holes,
through which his helpless legs pro-
truded, was arranged and in it he took
his meals and spent much of his time
Fits and other ailments, Miss Pope
said, are frequently caused by wrong
diet, and proper food will often cure
the difficulty. Laxative foods, such as
a bit of fig or apple, will correct con-
stipaton Unprepared hempseed should
never be given to canaries, although
they have a great preference for it.
Softened, it is good for consumption
and asthma and kindred ills, but in it's
natural condition it is indigestible and
causes shedding feathers and loss of
voice. Canaries require seed mixed
especially for them. A good formula
IS one part of Turkish NAV seed, two
of india. millet three of sweet Germon
summer rape and four of the best quail
itv of Sicily canary seed, carefully
cleaned and fresh. Sugar and cake
should be eliminated from their bill of
fare. An occasional piece of apple IS
GOOD for them, as is also the yolk Of a
hard boiled egg, a dash of cayenne pep
per and salads such as lettuce, water
cress, dandelon, ETC., of which they are
very fond Gravel is an essential TO
their digestion, the red kind being the
hest because of the IRON which 1t con-
tains. This takes the place OF the rus
tv nail in the drinking water OF Old
time usage. The gizzard in all birds
takes the place of teeth, and cannot
grind without gravel. A cuttlebone is
necessary, as the birds not only shar-
pen their bills on it. but eat it, obtain
ing from it a slightly stimulus 10 their
appetites, while the substance fur
nisbes lime for the shells of their eggs.
bird mamma is also good for canar IS,
1t is used by the breeders of the Hartz
mountains in Germany to keep their
birds in constant health and song. If
given to bird while it is moultIng t
will usually carry the little singer
through that critical time without loss