How Do You Rehabilitate a Biting Senegal Parrot?
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How Do You Rehabilitate a Biting Senegal Parrot?

The following is in response to our feathered community member Patrick.

Hi Patrick B,

I have a 27-year old Senegal.  I was reading your post and thought I would offer a few suggestions to you. First, as Mitch said, try clicker training.  It is basically positive operant conditioning.  Birds do not understand the word “no” and yelling at them will teach them how to scream.  So please give it a try. 

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How Can I Achieve Better Birdcage Environments for My Birds?
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How Can I Achieve Better Birdcage Environments for My Birds?

Hey there, here for the brunch, but I’d like to speak to the manager, I just have a question or two before sitting down: 

So we have a 2 bird, 2 human family.   

The littlest one, a GCC named Pz is the comedian and energy ball of the group, with tons of personality packed into a 70gram feather suit.   

Our sanity these days hinges upon making sure the bird children are well taken care of, as we spend all our days with them now and find it very enriching to be attentive to their unique needs and the interesting ways in which they communicate them to us.

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How Can We Slow Our Cockatiel’s Flight?
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How Can We Slow Our Cockatiel’s Flight?

Scott S. is unsure about free flight (sort of):

Hi folks: My question: is there a “best way” to transition our flighted, little shy of three-year-old ‘Tiel to a quasi-free flight environment (inside a screened lanai).

Buddy is desperate to be with the rest of the flock out on the lanai, he flies and hovers by the door trying to find a way out to us.

Our other “fids” (Feathered Kids) have been great in the lanai but we’ve been “birding” since 1982 and we’ve never had a faster ‘Tiel…he’s a rocket and we’re afraid he may hurt himself if he hits a screen at full boogie.

Any thoughts?

Thank you much! Scott

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Can I Use Costco Washcloths to Clean My Severe Macaw’s Birdcage?
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Can I Use Costco Washcloths to Clean My Severe Macaw’s Birdcage?

Joyce asks: I have another question.

I like to clean my bird’s cages with small white washcloths from Costco.

I have been noticing they are getting very holey. 

I figured they just weren’t that great anymore and then I see Snuggles my Severe Macaw having such a great time talking to them and chewing on them!

Will this hurt him?

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Why is My Green Cheek Conure Biting Me All of a Sudden?

Elena T. is concerned:

 

I have a green cheek conure named Rae and he’s about 2-3 years old.

 

I’m not sure if Rea is a boy or a girl but I got him from the pet store pretty early on so I’m the only owner he’s ever had besides the pet store workers.

 

He’s a sweet bird and my family loves him but recently he’s been biting me.

 

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What Is the Deal With Parrots that Excessively Scream?
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What Is the Deal With Parrots that Excessively Scream?

Excessive screaming is a learned behavior that we teach our birds.

 

Covering your feathered companion with a blanket only teaches him or her that you will cover the cage when the scream gets out of hand.

 

Yelling at a screaming parrot gives the parrot the attention it seeks. Ignoring a screaming parrot is not the answer either. 

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