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.
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?
(above) 2 Illiger’s macaws aka blue-winged macaws named in honor of the German ornithologist Johann Karl Wilhelm Illiger.
Peter D. writes:
Hi, Need help.
I have a 5-year-old female Illiger Macaw. Recently she has picked up an annoying ongoing chirp when she is out of her cage and on her perch.
It’s like she is so nervous she is afraid of her own shadow.
I’m looking for a good quality seed mix for my 4 birds
Darryl Z. asks:
Hi.
I’m looking for a good quality seed mix for my 4 birds – a CAG, a Yellow-Shouldered Amazon, a Meyers, and a Caique.
I’m currently using Vita Parrot by Sun Seed but it’s become really filthy over the years.
I actually, pick out the papaya because it’s so filthy and looks so gross, I don’t want my birds eating it.
So that’s where I’m coming from and I wonder if you could please recommend a few of your top mixes.
Editors note: In the featured image above, Barney was obsessing with the other bird in the mirror as Catherine observed.
We have since blocked access to that part of the mirror and Barney has become far more social (less hormonal). Endnote
One of the reasons we are able to stay in business going up against the likes of Amazon and Chewy is that we answer the phone and can provide useful advice.
And although PetSmart and Petco will answer the phone on a national or store level, good luck with getting information about proper care for your white-capped Pionus.
There is been a definite uptick of calls and emails seeking advice for birds exhibiting bad hormonal behavior.
Original Quora question: What is the mechanism I would use to determine the level of a pet birds’ happiness?
I have had my male African grey parrot for 28 years.
When he matured sexually years ago he started plucking.
I have him on a plumage supplement now and he has lots of new quills and looks much better.
However, he humps my arm with a thick sweater on.
He goes to completion if I let him once a day.
Inna asks,
Hello. We have a 7 year old African grey.
Unfortunately, we made a mistake and did not train him properly.
From a Facebook fan last night
I’ve got a Catalina macaw that has a problem of plucking, I took her to the vet, she has a clean bill of health, now if anyone can help with the feather plucking problem, I would appreciate it, Thanks
From a customer on the West Coast during a phone call this week
“My 14-year-old lovebird began to pluck for no reason at all.
We have him on the best foods we can provide like Harrison’s pellets but we had to put a collar on her to stop the feather loss.
Nothing has changed in her life and she is fully flighted”
Shouldn’t we learn how to find the right foods for our pet birds?
Feathered factoid: as much as 30% of a bird’s calories are used in the production and maintenance of feathers.
Editor’s note: We don’t know what bird food your bird will like any more than what you like on Netflix.
“Transparent”, “Scandal” or “The Walking Dead,” shows are both loved and reviled.
We do know that instinctively your bird has a desire to “search” or “forage” for food seven days a week.