Pets of the Month

of the parrot family are intelligent and social animals and enjoy the stimulation of toys and interaction with humans as well as with other parakeets. A common behavior is the chewing of material such as wood, especially for female parakeets, which comes from their nest-building instinct.

Your Bird’s Health

Most pet birds are diurnal species, rising at dawn and settling into sleep at dusk. Like people, sleep is of great importance to a bird’s health; they require between 10-12 hours of sleep each night. Exposing companion birds to artificially long days by household lights or televisions can cause sleep deprivation, which puts your bird’s health at risk.

Owning a bird usually means seeing a vet specialist, either an avian vet or an exotic pet vet. Exotic pets refer to any animal other than a cat, dog, or a farm animal. These vets treat sick or injured animals but also handle preventative healthcare, which can extend the life of your bird. For assistance in locating an avian vet, consult the Association of Avian Vets website at www.aav.org. The AAV has more than 1700 members comprised of veterinarians, veterinary technicians, veterinary students, and allied professionals that work in private practice, colleges and universities, zoos, government, and industry. To ensure a long-term and rewarding relationship with your bird, it is important SHNOOKUMS to select your pet’s health professional carefully.

With proper research, owning a companion bird can be a wonderful experience. Do your homework first, and you will find the perfect bird or bird for you!

Jaime Stephens lives in Alexandria with her husband, John, tripod cat, OJ, and tuxedo cat, Pookie. For now, her bird companions are limited to the hummingbirds that come and

Sources:

Association of Avian Veterinarians www.aav.org The Spruce Pets www.thesprucepets.com Petsmart www.petsmart.com American Veterinary Medical Association www.avma.org

Bath & Primp • Nail Trim & fi le • Full Haircut Deshed • Theraclean Treatment • Teeth Brushing Hair Coloring • Exotic Grooming Gianna Schjang, Gabriella Brown • Paw Spa LLC

315 South Washington Street, Alexandria 22314 703-517-4428 • www.thepawspava.com Love. Brush. Groom. Repeat.

PETS OF THE MONTH

4101 Eisenhower Avenue Alexandria, VA 703-746-4774 alexandriaanimals.org Mon-Fri, 1-8 pm Closed Wed Sat & Sun, 12-5 pm enjoy their feeders each summer.

Senior, Female, Red-Eared Slider Turtle Shnookums recently celebrated her 100th day at the Animal Welfare League of Alexandria, so our summer campers threw her a physically-distanced party to help her mark the occasion. They helped decorate, presented certificates and a specially commissioned portrait and brought treats of course! Shnookums can’t wait to celebrate with a family to call her own soon. Could it be you? Set up an adoption appointment and learn more about

Shnookums at AlexandriaAnimals.org/Adopt.

LUCY Adult, Spayed Female, Brown Tabby Domestic Short Hair Lucy is as sweet and affectionate as her beautiful eyes are green. A little shy on first acquaintance, Lucy quickly turns into an outgoing love-bug who demands love and affection from all of her friends. She gets so excited at the thought of cuddle time that she begins kneading biscuits with not two but all four paws in her signature Lucy “happy dance”. Yes, it is as adorable to watch as it sounds. If you would like to see how excited Lucy is to meet you, set up an adoption appointment and view Lucy’s adoption profile at AlexandriaAnimals.org/Adopt-ByAppointment.

BOWSER Adult, Neutered Male, Brown and White Terrier Bowser’s big smile is infectious. You can’t look at his happy face and adorable, wagging tail without grinning yourself! Behind Bowser’s handsome smile is one smart brain, and he loves working on clicker training with his volunteer friends at the Animal Welfare League. Bowser has perfected his “sit” and can’t wait to learn more. When Bowser isn’t showing off his smarts, he loves cuddling with his friends. While you pet him under the chin, he even puts his paw on your arm. Belly rubs are also a particular favorite of this big ol’ love-bug. If you’re interested in meeting Bowser in-person or virtually, set up an adoption appointment and view Bowser’s adoption profile at AlexandriaAnimals. org/Adopt-By-Appointment.

Adopt by Appointment at the Animal Welfare League of Alexandria virtually on Zoom or in-person at the Vola Lawson Animal Shelter! The AWLA is upholding ALX Promise standards to welcome visitors back to the shelter safely for adoptions and other community services on an appointment basis. Learn more at AlexandriaAnimals.org/Adopt-By-Appointment.