I just love this time of year with my parrots. Currently, we’re singing and dancing to rambunctious Christmas carols while hubby wraps presents. It’s time to think about gift-giving for your beaked family.
Homemade toys are the answer, because, like me, you probably have lots of things around, like wrapping paper tubes to make into foraging toys. Husband wraps with the pretty foil paper which isn’t suitable for them.
It is opaque to me as to why caged bird keepers refuse to embrace clicker training. We spend hundreds (thousands) of dollars on birds, equipment, toys, accessories, and food (thank…
Connie S wrote:
I looked at the anatomy of a bird’s brain that you had in a recent email.
I would like to know more about the portion that says: Short Circuit from love to attack behavior!
That is happening with my rainbow lory recently.
He is 18 years old and has suddenly started attacking my hand when I reach to have him climb on my finger.
Otherwise, he hangs out with me with no problem – when I’m sitting in a chair or lying on the bed. (more…)
Editor’s note: you will read these words later in the post:
Hi Catherine. Peaches has always been in my small bird room with the cockatiels, lovebirds, Meyers, Quakers, conures, and a very skittish white-capped Pionus I adopted last year. It’s been a long road to get her to accept me. Peaches doesn’t like to be near (within 2 feet) other birds.
Otherwise she tolerates them so I am sure she is loving all the attention Mitch is giving her. She was out of her cage (24 X 22) morning and afternoon for a total of two hours. She also enjoyed being on the jungle gym in the kitchen area. I have never used a water bottle with her. She doesn’t throw food in her water. Since I am home all day. Water dishes get changed twice a day if needed.
jellenp@……..
Mitch, I learned sooooo much from you in today’s message about bird safety. I’m seeing my household with completely new eyes now. Thank you so much.
We are first-time bird companions of two one-yr-old beautiful little male budgies acquired at the same time from the same breeder when they were still youngsters. They are healthy and active.
Aloha!
I am truly enjoying your email newsletters. Very informative.
Need some of your advice, I have a Timneh African Gray named “Saber”, now I think about 30 years old. I ended up buying him when he was about 3-4 years old. For several months I would visit the pet shop and always stopped by Sabers cage to play and talk with him.
Weighing your bird weekly is the best way to detect illness early. Birds are great at hiding illness and rapid weight change is a positive indicator that your bird needs…
It’s OK for a perch to be a little smaller or larger in diameter. Basically don’t install a perch too large that a bird’s foot can’t grab comfortably (except for manicure perches) and may cause a bird to fall. Conversely, too small a diameter may allow a bird’s foot to wrap all the way around and cause pain or injury to its own foot.
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Windycityparrot.com Helpful Hint: Alpha Male Macaw Solution
A Greenwing Macaw owner and a very good customer were in the shop the other night. We got to talking about the “intimidation factor” of big birds. The man’s children are adults but are not comfortable around his Macaw named Mac.
He and his wife got the bird at 5 months old and have had Mac for about a year and a half.
Hi. I live near Philadelphia, so I need your help remotely.
I have a 34 yr. old double-yellow head that i have had since he was a baby.
He has been in an Animal Environments Cockatoo cage, almond color, dome top for 28 years.