Knowledge & information
Consult this page for information on various topics such as care, parenting, nutrition, medical conditions, and more. Use the filter to narrow down the articles to just the topics you're looking for.
Cats
Toxoplasmosis – Guideline
Toxoplasmosis is an infection caused by the parasite Toxoplasma gondii. Infection can occur orally or through vertical transmission. After an incubation period of 10–23 days, the infection usually progresses without or with mild, atypical symptoms.
drs. Jan Hooimeijer
04-12-2025
drs. Jan Hooimeijer
18-08-2025
Parrots
From shortness of breath to shortness of breath in the parrot/parakeet
Breathing problems/shortness of breath is possibly the most common complaint in parrots and parakeets. Most of the causes are preventable and are the result of the owner's ignorance about preventing health problems.
drs. Jan Hooimeijer
29-07-2025
Parrots
Nutritional errors casefile 2
Feeding mistaker, casefile 2: a baby canary, dead from seed obstruction.
drs. Jan Hooimeijer
10-07-2025
Parrots
How do you choose the perfect friend?
To be fair, we humans just want to be able to choose our friends and not just be “stuck” with someone. This is no different for a parrot or parakeet.
drs. Jan Hooimeijer
22-05-2025
Parrots
Nutritional errors casefile 1
Nutritional errors, casefile 1: a 3 year old canary with too tight leg ring, clearly short of breath and molting problems.
drs. Jan Hooimeijer
07-05-2025
Parrots
Do a health check regularly
Because parrots/birds conceal health problems for as long as possible, it is important to regularly check the health of your feathered friend(s). This way you are there in time if something threatens to go wrong.
drs. Jan Hooimeijer
09-04-2025
Parrots
Make them work for their food!
In nature, parrots and parakeets have to make an effort to gather food. We know that if parrots have the choice of food in a food bowl or food that requires effort, they prefer not to eat from the food bowl.
drs. Jan Hooimeijer
26-02-2025
Parrots
Clipping wings is not sad
We regularly hear that people do not want to clip their birds because they find it sad. We explain why that is not the case.
drs. Jan Hooimeijer
19-09-2024
Parrots
Calcium deficiency in African Grey
Calcium deficiencies in African Grey parrots have been recognized in avian medicine for many years. With Calcium deficiencies during the development of a young parrot we see skeletal abnormalities known as Rickets or English disease.
drs. Jan Hooimeijer
15-07-2024
Parrots
Avian veterinarian or bird specialist, what is the difference and is there a guarantee of expertise?
I wrote this article because I regularly received the following question. Avian veterinarian or bird specialist, what is the difference and is there a guarantee of expertise?
drs. Jan Hooimeijer
12-03-2020
Parrots
Parrots and parakeets are victims of the trade
Parrots and parakeets are victims of the trade, of the lack of legal protection, of ignorance and of “good intentions”.
drs. Jan Hooimeijer
23-10-2019