Winged Wisdom Pet Bird Magazine - Kitchen Physician V - Herbal Remedies For Parrots and Pet Birds: "Herbal medicine was early man's first line of defense against the many ills and accidents that plagued him. Ancient humans learned from the observation of animals, including birds, how to use leaves, earth, mud and water to make soothing applications. Although the methods were crude, several of today's medicines are based upon sources as simple as those of ancient man.

Presently, the use of herbs as self-prescribed medication is growing rapidly in the United States. It is an industry with more than $1.5 billion in annual sales. Medicinal herbs are the same natural plant drugs that have been used since antiquity. They remain the only form of medicine for a large majority of the world's population that lacks access to hospitals and pharmacies.

Some of the popular herbal remedies for people are:

•Backache: Valerian root •Headache: Feverfew •Muscle Aches: Capsaicum cream •Indigestion: Peppermint or Chamomile tea •Nausea: Ginger (tea, capsules, candy) •Depression: St. John's Wort •Anxiety & Stress: Valerian root •Colds and Flu: Echinacea •Coughs: Slippery elm •Menopause Problems: Black cohosh extracts •Sleep Problem: St. John's Wort or Valerian root

HERBAL TREATMENTS FOR PARROTS
Years ago, only the most experimental-minded of birdkeepers used herbs, because there were no guidelines for their use, nor had dosages for them been determined. As we realized that the potential for harm to our birds by herbal remedies was somewhat less than that of pharmaceuticals, we began to establish dosages by starting with minute amounts and increasing gradually to the optimal level. When using the milder herbs, one might use the method of establishing the correct dosage for a human infant of about ten pounds, and use one tenth the amount for a parrot weighing approximately one pound."