Which Are the Most Affectionate Parrots and What Makes Them That Way?
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Which Are the Most Affectionate Parrots and What Makes Them That Way?

Just about any bird has the ability to be “affectionate” but we should define affectionate first.

In most cases it goes beyond the affection you would see between a parent and child.

At the end of the day, all thinking animals have one thing in mind and one purpose on earth which is to procreate. (more…)

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Does an Inherited Cockatiel With a Bald Spot in an Aviary Need Foraging Toys?
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Does an Inherited Cockatiel With a Bald Spot in an Aviary Need Foraging Toys?

There is no singular cockatiel related to the title of this post. Aside from providing expert advice to caged bird keepers I also have a passion for Search Engine Optimization as well as improving how I communicate our ideas. Apparently, I am the vortex of a digitally feathered world.

So in these stories, we’re going to talk about four unique cockatiels and their circumstances. Should anyone in our audience inherit a cockatiel with a bald spot living in an aviary with lots of foraging toys – you’re welcome.

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How Do Amazon Parrots Use Light to Synthesize Vitamin D Having No Preening Gland? And Other Captive Amazon Care Questions
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How Do Amazon Parrots Use Light to Synthesize Vitamin D Having No Preening Gland? And Other Captive Amazon Care Questions

How do Amazon parrots use light to synthesize Vitamin D having no preening gland?

As I was curating this post on Amazon parrot questions it got me thinking about one of my favorite subjects, full spectrum lighting and the synthesis of vitamin D in birds.

Amazon parrots are relatively unique having no preening gland (along with doves, pigeons and Hyacinth macaws).

The uropygial aka preening gland oozes a slippery goo which a bird rubs its head and beak against. Then spreads this oil over its feathered body.

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Cockatiels Are More Similar to Cockatoos Than You Might Think
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Cockatiels Are More Similar to Cockatoos Than You Might Think


In this post we have grouped together information requests specifically about cockatoo parrots.

For a more granular discussion about some of the many species of cockatoo parrots – click here         

This post about cockatoos (we found 44 cockatoo species listed at the bottom of this post)  and serves as a counterpoint to the 43 species of macaw parrots we discussed last week.

We found a mere 12 cockatiel mutations.

At what age will a cockatoo stop laying eggs?

Name: Margaret G, Filled out from page: Egg Laying cockatoo
Colorado (United States)

(when you reach out to us using the green button at the bottom of this site, the button knows what page you are on to help us better understand your query)

Margaret

 

Unfortunately, if a birds egg laying goes uninterrupted, that bird will die.

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Problematic budgies (budgies weigh the same as 2 Reese’s peanut butter cups – btw) Help!
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Problematic budgies (budgies weigh the same as 2 Reese’s peanut butter cups – btw) Help!

to Kathryn

Question about Male parakeet.

Every time I put my arm in the cage he attacks it, or he flies at me when I look in the cage.

My female looks depressed like she would rather he move out. She use to be so happy. I got her first, then him a couple months after.

She would sing, and play with her toys. Now all she does is sit on the same perch, and doesn’t hardly move. He doesn’t seem to fight with her.

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Humans Have Lots of Bird Advice – Don’t Get One, They’re Hard to Raise
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Humans Have Lots of Bird Advice – Don’t Get One, They’re Hard to Raise

The following content is from 3 inquiries we received that we thought would be helpful by sharing.

We have four zebra finches in an outdoor aviary, with three walls being the exterior of our house, and the fourth wall is wire mesh.

We are in San Diego, and our nights can drop down to 40-50 degree. We are planning to add plexiglass panels over the mesh at night, and we are trying to decide on a heat source.

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The Truth Is You Are Not The Only Person Concerned About What Are The Pros And Cons Of Having A Pet Bird?
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The Truth Is You Are Not The Only Person Concerned About What Are The Pros And Cons Of Having A Pet Bird?

What are the pros and cons of having a pet bird? was asked on Quora. This answer motivated me to set the record straight.

Pros

If you do it right, you’re going to have a loving companion animal for the next 60 years.

Cons,

If you do it wrong, you’re going to have a very unhappy bird for the next 60 years.

They can live sixty years or more.

They’re loud (a cockatoo’s scream has been measured at over 100db, compared to 130db for a jet engine at 100 feet).

They throw food.

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How Are Indian Ringneck Parrots as Pets?

Sunshine, my Lutino (Yellow) Indian Ringneck Parrot was by far the best pet bird I have ever had of all the birds we had.

My then husband bought him as an unweaned baby and I completed the process. I found that Ringneck Parrot babies need to be hand fed and beg, but don’t open their mouths to accept the syringe, they require a bit of prying open with the opposite hand’s fingers in order to slip in the tip of the syringe or pipette. Then it was no trouble at all.

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What Type of Macaw Makes the Best Pet for a Small Family?
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What Type of Macaw Makes the Best Pet for a Small Family?

Please don’t get discouraged because of one anecdotal story of stupidity. (See other Quora answers below) People die in car crashes every day but most of us still drive.

Here’s a little back story for you. The ancient Greeks kept parakeets. Not necessarily budgies because the Alexandrian parakeet got its name from Alexander the Great.  As the story goes Alexander was gifted one of those around 327 BC

File under more money than brains. We all know how crazy the Romans were but not many people know that they would assign a slave to take care of the family bird which was usually a parrot of some sort.

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