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A Conversation with Greg Glendell, UK Parrot Behaviorist: Part Two — Screaming

A few weeks ago we began our three part series about a telephone conversation I had with noted UK parrot behaviorist and author, Greg Glendell. Because we talked for about two hours, I found it best to break the highlights of our conversation into the three main topics: biting, screaming and plucking. Part One of the series covered biting. Today I’d like to summarize some of our discussion on parrot screaming.

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Total Cockatiel Personality Change After Death of Cage Mate – What Can Be Done?
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Total Cockatiel Personality Change After Death of Cage Mate – What Can Be Done?

“Poor Popcorn”, it seems we say that a lot. She has such high expectations of us and when we cannot fulfill them for her, she lets us know, but unfortunately we can’t explain “why” in bird speak.

Since we have had her, she has gotten us well trained to serve her, she wants attention when she wants it and not most other times. BUT she does want people time every day.

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Are Himalayan Salt Lamps to Parrots what Coal Mines Were to Canaries?
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Are Himalayan Salt Lamps to Parrots what Coal Mines Were to Canaries?

Editor’s note: some of you may remember my journey enabling my mother’s return to Chicago Arlene (my mom) has been on five of the seven continents. Eight years ago at the tender age of 76, she spent three weeks traveling to China.

The Himalayas span five countries: India, Nepal, Bhutan, China (Tibet), and Pakistan, with the first three countries having sovereignty over most of the range. At the time, China had not closed the border to Tibet and she was able to spend three days there. According to mom the majesty, environment, and the purity of the air you breathe in the Himalayas – cannot be understated.

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Is it Plucking, Molting or Over-preening? Why are those Feathers on the Cage Floor?

A subscriber from our Sunday Brunch writes

I recently adopted a 15-year-old Severe Macaw whose previous owner had a terminal illness.

 

I could tell the Macaw had been taken care of meticulously from the written records of her care from Hatch Papers to recent complete blood panels however I never had the opportunity to question the previous owner concerning details of ‘Bandit”.

 

I knew the moment I saw her that I wanted her as I owned a Severe 30+ years ago and have known several over the years but none as sweet as this little girl.

 

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I Love My Bird – I Hate the Mess – A Helping Guide to Bird Mess Containment
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I Love My Bird – I Hate the Mess – A Helping Guide to Bird Mess Containment

Every parrot owner deals with the issue of messiness with seeds or pellets that get tossed out of the cage or water splashes wetting the cage liners.

No parrot parent likes to have just changed the cage liner, swept or vacuumed debris from around the cage, and provided clean water dishes only to realize that their bird has just decided to soak the entire cage floor and the food by trying to bathe in their water dish or has decided to toss out part of their food in a wide sweep that sprinkles on the newly-cleaned floor, has just taken a poop in their water dish or had poop fall into the newly-served food.

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Why Humans Don’t Use Steel Bars to Wipe Their Mouth
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Why Humans Don’t Use Steel Bars to Wipe Their Mouth

and Parrots Don’t Use Napkins on Their Beaks – Does your parrot need a napkin? Why is he wiping his beak on his perch or cage bars?

Have you noticed that sometimes your parrot wipes his beak on his perch or cage bars? Do you wonder why this behavior happens and what it means? There are two reasons a healthy parrot does this behavior, so let’s look at each reason.

why do humans use napkins, not steel bars?

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My Bird/Your Bird – Break Up Decisions and Creating the Blended Family With Parrots
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My Bird/Your Bird – Break Up Decisions and Creating the Blended Family With Parrots

I started making my way across the earth in the middle of the last century.

I traveled terrestrially and airborne as my father Norman was a vagabond pilot – sure, I’d love to have a coffee and chat about that sometime. 

If you are a baby boomer you may remember probably what was one of the first chain stores – Woolworths 

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Ten Things to Consider Before Getting a First Bird
Young smiling male seller showing cage with canary bird to girl in pet shop

Ten Things to Consider Before Getting a First Bird

or adding another parrot to your life

Taking care of a parrot is a lot of responsibility. Most of you already know this but a few may not.

Your friends that don’t own parrots probably look at yours and think they want one too, so please pass these points along to them so they can make a wise decision.

Whether you are buying your first parrot or your 10th, you need to think these things through as well.

Sharing life with a parrot is very much like living with a poorly mannered undisciplined 3 year old who will not grow up and go away to college.

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Are Your Birds Happy or Sad When You’re Not There?
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Are Your Birds Happy or Sad When You’re Not There?

When you are not with your bird, what quality of life do you provide it?

I’m lucky, I work from home and can spend more time with my birds than most people, but I also find that Mango, my tame, trusting conure, doesn’t want to be with me all the time.

And I have a rehomed budgie, Kiwi, that isn’t trusting due to his early life and Mango is teaching him how to be a bird at two years of age, things he should have been taught as a just weaned baby.

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