How do we know parrots enjoy anything? Another question recently asked on Quora was “what do parrots do for fun”?
We know parrots prefer “working” for food versus simply eating from overflowing bowls of parrot food.
We know correlation does not necessarily imply causation but can we infer that work & play are one and the same for a parrot?
Did you know statistically 96% of dogs turned into rescues have had no obedience training?
We haven’t found the statistics for birds and parrots but we suspect they are just as high.
Many people get infatuated with only the bird. The beautiful feathers, the possibility of speech and having a lifelong companion.
Do birds in cages suffer all their lives?
Define suffer? If you don’t know any better how do you know you are suffering?
As good as our intentions are met by many things, they don’t necessarily meet our bird’s “instinctual expectations”.
Define a “cage”. If you talking about a big metal thing with bars that sits in your family room? In reality the entire home is a (bird) cage because the bird is not allowed to leave it unless it’s in a smaller travel cage
You’ve been elevated to zookeeper
Dear Mitch,
I need advice in so many “bird” areas that I don’t know where to begin. It seems that all the personal bird stores are disappearing and even the good vets are a rarity. I have been involved with birds for almost thirty years.
I ordered a small crock on Amazon about a year ago and that is how I became “connected” with Windy City, your Sunday newsletters, etc. It is the result of a vision “issue” that discourages me with the computer and I do much better “talking”.
Calling all veterinarians and PhD’s
to answer this one simple question
(none of you return my emails or respond to my Facebook questions)
How does artificial light really aid enable vitamin D/D3 syntheses in birds?
What is the best parrot for an apartment? The answers thus far have been pretty limited (on Quora).
We (Mitch & Catherine) used to (until 2019 when we migrated to Indiana) live in a three-flat apartment building, erected circa 1885 in the geographical center of the city of Chicago’s Ukrainian Village neighborhood.
It’s 1800 ft.² with 9 1/2 foot ceilings. The all-brick building is quite solid.
We like parrots. We are in the (caged bird) pet supply business. It’s our job to know about them.
For the record, we don’t sell any birds. We simply teach proper care for about 750 captive bird species out of approximately 10,400 species of birds on the planet.
Elucidating Parrot Problems Posted in Aug 2017
How can I make a constantly loud parrot permanently silent (or at least quieter)? from Quora
With between 300 and 400 species of parrots across the planet to say they are ALL noisy is patently untrue.
Mitch,
Have you written about “bird sleep”? I watched an eagle chick go from hatchling to fledgling and during the process, both the chick and parents seemed to sleep only periodically, preening much of the night.
The question “How are African Grey Parrots to keep as pets?” came from Quora
“Come on, fess up!
You’ve done the unthinkable. You’ve actually thought of getting an African Grey but the horror stories of screaming, biting and plucking keep you “centered” or “sane”.
What if you had a mentor?
That’s why you have me!
Learn Amazon parrot care from one of Windy City Parrot’s customers – who gets it.
Hello, Mitch
I’ve followed your blog for quite a while and always appreciate your perspectives and insights. I was pretty much gutted when I read your article on Sunday … “Birds in cages suffer all their lives.”
I want my bird to have a happy and healthy a life as possible, but I read and hear so much contradictory information that I’m really not sure if I am providing what she needs— and I do try.
