INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Mites will not be visible on your bird during the daytime, but your vet can check the cage to confirm there is a mite infestation. Keep in mind mites live on your bird, not in your bird’s cage. But depending on the extent of the infestation, you may need to also treat your bird’s cage to remove the mites. The most effective medications for mite will need to be dosed specifically for your bird’s body weight and breed, so always use a prescribed medication to treat mites. Over the counter mite medications will not provide long term treatment of the infestation and may not be effective for your bird. Your vet will prescribe a topical treatment or possibly injections to help treat the mite infestation on your bird. You will also need to schedule follow-up appointments with your vet to ensure the mites have been eradicated from your bird. Scaly mites in birds are very contagious and it is important to treat all your birds if one bird is diagnosed with mites. This is a good precaution in the event the infected bird somehow contaminates the other birds in the household. Mite protectors are often found in pet stores and online, and claim to prevent or control mite infestations. But they are not always helpful at preventing an infestation and many of these products contain paradichlorobenzene, or mothballs, with can be harmful to your bird and can cause liver damage, respiratory tract problems, depression and increased risk of some cancers. Exposing your bird to these fumes can be dangerous, so avoid them. Some pest control companies are qualified to treat bird mites in your home. If the infestation is extensive, consider hiring an exterminator sooner than later so the infestation does not get any worse. Some companies will inspect your home free of charge and give you an estimate of the extermination. Try to find a pest control company that specializes in bird mites as they will use the correct chemicals to remove the mites and prevent another infestation. You can access a database of qualified exterminators here.

SUMMARY: Bring the bird in his cage to the vet for treatment. Get a prescription for topical medications, according to your bird’s needs. Treat all birds in the household for mites. Avoid using mite protectors. Consider hiring an exterminator to remove mites from your home.

In one sentence, describe what the following article is about: The gemstone is not quite as valuable as pearl and does not appear in chain store jewelers frequently, but small jewelers and online merchants are more likely to sell it. Buying amber in person is preferable to buying online, though, since fake amber is commonly sold as the real deal and is easier to check if purchased in person. If you do buy amber online, only buy from trusted, certified merchants who have a decent return policy. Amber is made from fossilized pine tree resin and usually has a rich golden honey or light brown hue, but one shade is not necessarily better than another. Blue amber even exists, but since it is quite rare, it tends to be expensive. Amber is not a gemstone that is meant to look smooth. In fact, some of the most valuable and expensive pieces contain inclusions of insects, plants, or pyrites. The inclusions and veins found in amber give it more character and do not ruin the quality or durability of the stone. Amber floats in salt water, but plastics meant to mimic amber usually sink. If you buy the amber as loose gemstones instead of in a solid piece of jewelry, the float test is a good way to test for fakes. Heat a needle and gently touch the needle to the bottom of the stone. Real amber will give off the scent of pine when heated. Fake amber will usually smell acidic or otherwise unpleasant. Wipe a cotton swab dabbed in acetone over the amber gemstone. Real amber will feel the same way before and after, but a fake will feel soft and sticky afterward.
Summary: Use caution when shopping for amber. Consider the color. Expect to see veins and inclusions. Do a float test on the amber. Perform a hot needle test. Test the amber with nail polish remover containing acetone.

There are different ways people are shy. You can be shy in more than one way. Seeing the forms of your shyness can help you focus your effort to overcome it. If you are not a medical professional qualified to diagnose psychological conditions, then you will need to see one in order to find out which of these apply to you:  Anxious shyness includes not just social anxiety, but also extends to social phobias. These conditions can be managed by a therapist, psychiatrist or other properly licensed individual. Introversion gets often cited in cases of shyness. Shyness related to introversion is very common, and may exhibit itself in roughly 50% of the population to some degree or other. This is a personality trait, and can be managed with regulated extroversion (building extroverted skills and traits). Record your experiences of shyness and your attempts to be outgoing. Write down how you feel and as many details as you can remember. You can look at your journal later to see if any strong patterns emerge.  Make this a daily habit, if possible. Incorporate it into your routine. Give yourself a treat for completing a journal entry to solidify it into your daily routine. Be honest with yourself. If you catch yourself trying to rationalize what you're saying, chances are, you could dig a bit deeper into the true meaning of what you're trying to express. Instead, try and state it as plainly as possible. Pay special attention to how you feel. Mark your emotions when you feel them. This way you can take control of your feelings. What you choose to do can have a big impact on how much you interact with other people. Staying at home instead of going out means there will be very little opportunity to socialize. When you do this all the time, you get used to it. Ditch your mobile phone.  Leave it at home when you go out. Put it in the freezer or microwave (no cooking) for a few hours, until you forget about it. You're more likely to talk to other people.
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One-sentence summary -- Determine how your shyness works. Keep a dated journal. Watch for isolating habits.

INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Seek out products that do not test on animals and do not contain chemicals that require big CAUTION or WARNING notices on the label.  There are increasing numbers of products called “natural” or “organic” available, but it never hurts to look at the labels.  Choose products without excess packaging.  It was annoying enough when you had to wait for your Dad to dig out your new action figure from that plastic blister packaging; think about the excessive waste such over-packaging creates. Buy local products when available.  Maybe your area has a little candle-making factory or engraver where you can pick up a nice Mother’s Day gift.  Not only will you be helping your local economy, you will be saving the energy usage and pollution required to ship goods long distances. They don’t take up much space but can prevent a lot of waste.  Ever notice how plastic bags seem to always end up stuck in trees or on grassy hillsides, or seen news reports about the giant swirls of plastic junk floating in the middle of the oceans?  Every plastic bottle not made and plastic bag not used helps a little bit. Just because you don’t want them anymore doesn’t mean someone else wouldn’t be happy to have them.  People always seem to assume that all teens need to have the newest everything and discard perfectly good things that are no longer “cool” enough.  Prove them wrong.  Buy used and vintage items as well.  Freak out your parents by buying a shirt from their high school days and declaring it “so retro.” Can you use some parts from your broken-down old bike for your science fair project?  Or use your (or, okay, maybe your parents’) old CDs to make a collage or mobile for art class? From clothes to paper and plastic, recycle everything you can. If your municipality has a recycling program, make sure your family uses it.  Does your school make recycling convenient?  If not, isn’t that something that student councils are for?  Help turn recycling into a habit for everyone.

SUMMARY:
Buy eco-friendly products. Carry a tote bag and reusable water bottle. Donate old clothes, toys, electronics, etc. Get creative before throwing things out. Recycle everything you can.