ParrotQuest

As if playing a poker hand, the State Council of China announced Thursday an aggressive carbon emissions reduction target to trump that announced by US President Barack Obama the day before.

In also confirming the attendance of Chinese Premier, Wen Jiaboa, at the UN Climate Conference, China announced it will bring to the discussion table a ‘carbon intensity’ reduction target of up to 45% on 2005 levels by 2020, i.e. emissions measured against its economic output.

Essentially what this means is that China’s emissions will actually continue to grow. However, the most rapidly expanding economy on the planet will lead the world with its concerted efforts to reign in its carbon emissions as it does. Read More

China’s State Council is reported to have said the targets would be reached through better research and development, clean coal technology, advanced nuclear energy and better transportation systems, along with legislation to encourage energy efficiency.

Achieving this ambitious target without compromising their economic growth will see China become a world leader in low-carbon economic development, setting a blueprint for other nations to keep global warming below critical thresholds.

Beat the Parrot Winter Blues

Can you parrot suffer from the winter blues? Sure! Just like we people tend to react to environmental stressors and holiday stressors, parrots can too.

WINTER BIRD SUPPLIES SALE.  COUPON CODE: Brrr (12/9/09-12/12/09)

As I write, the midwest U.S. is being pounded by a blustery winter storm, complete with lots of snow and brisk winds. And, the accompanying dry air. I’m chilled! My skin is dry and itchy. My throat nose is scratchy. It’s just plain uncomfortable for a summer person, like myself.

I’m prepared. I had the furnace checked. I’ve pulled out my flannels and my cozy winter robe. Got my warm, fuzzy slippers out of the box. Bought an electric throw and cleaned up and filled up the humidifier.

But, what about my parrots? They have dry nasal passages, itchy skin and are chilled, too! Thank goodness for Winter Bird Supplies. Visit Chirp n Squawk Bird Supplies to learn how to help your parrot cope with the Winter Blues. You’ll find a plethora of bird supplies to help most sized parrots feel warm and fuzzy this winter. From the Thermo Perch Heated Bird Perch, to parrot Feather Sweaters, bird misters and more.

Bird Food

We were sad to learn that Beak Appetit Bird Foods has gone out of business.   Beak Appetit provided a great bird food diet for 18 years.  Dog gone the economy!

But, we’ve got your back.  There are still plenty of very high quality warm, delicious cooked bird food diets to offer your parrot.  Chirp n Squawk Bird Supplies has chosen a few elite cooked bird food diets to offer your parrot.  You can count on finding a premium cooked bird food diets from them because they don’t sell the “fluff.”  Chirp n  Squawk Bird Supplies offers only the best bird foods for your parrot.

Did you know that Goldenfeast Bird Foods create a versatile, healthy cooked diet for birds? Madagascar Delite, in particular smells good enough to eat. 

 Caution:  DO NOT COOK GOLDENFEAST BIRD FOOD IN THE MORNING UNLESS YOU WANT TO REPLACE YOUR CHILD’S QUAKER OATS WITH THIS DELICIOUS, NUTRITIOUS BIRD FOOD! 

With 18+ flavorful, hard to find ingredients in each Goldenfeast blend, these bird foods not only pamper your parrots’ palate, but they offer superior nutrition that is right out of the parrot rainforest habitat!  Our parrots literally BEG for Goldenfeast Bird Food. Squatting, squawking, flapping their wings.  “Yippy Goldentfeast Bird Food!!!”

You’ve seen our posts and YouTube for Crazy Corn Bird Food.  Again. We offer Crazy Corn Bird Food due to their a huge range of nutritious bird food ingredients. It’s not our staple diet, but part of the 20% Avian Vet recommended “alternative – people food.”  We prefer to freeze our bags of Crazy Corn Bird Food to keep out the bugs (but on the other hand, bugs are full of protein!!!  Yeah!they’re still pretty gross.)  Our parrots covet Crazy Corn Bird Food!  Delicioso, ameno, agradable, exquisito, riquísimo! Yo! Mama! More Crazy Corn Bird Food – Plezzz!

Volkman 15 Minute Soak and Serve AKA Birdie Buffet is also a fast, nutritious bird food mix.  Working folks like fast stuff. 

Just today, I mixed some Goldenfeast Tropical Blend with some Crazy Corn.  Timmy, Smokey and Peachy went nuts!  Can you say “Yum, Yum.  Dirty Beak, Dirty Beak!” 

Please, if you feed you parrot bird food from the table watch the fat, salt and sugar.  Not good for the birdie digestive system.  Spend a little bit of money  so that you give your parrot the best bird food.  Visit www.birdsupplies.com to find the best of the best bird food for your parrot.

1. GET TO KNOW ABOUT PARROTS BEFORE YOU BRING ME HOME – I am not a domesticated pet like a dog or cat. I still have the spirit of the jungle in me. I have special needs which you may find it hard to fill. Please don’t learn these too late for my well-being. And please don’t acquire one of my cousins wild from the jungle—it will jeopardize his survival and well-being, and that won’t be a party for you either!
2. GIVE ME THE LARGEST HOME POSSIBLE – I am used to flying through rainforests or savannas. I have given up this great gift for your pleasure. At the very least, give me enough room to flap my wings and exercise. And, I need toys for my amusement and wood to chew. Otherwise, I might confuse your home with the forest and its trees.
3. GIVE ME A NUTRITIOUS DIET - I need a wide variety of fresh and nutritious foods, even if they take time to prepare. I cannot survive on seeds alone and be healthy. Take time to learn what my needs and preferences are.
4. LET ME HAVE A SOCIAL LIFE – I am a gregarious flock animal, but I am not one of you. I need lots of socialization to learn how to interact with you as well as my siblings. I also need to have adequate quality time with you every day—no matter what your schedule or other needs are. I am a living, feeling creature. Above all, I need to be able to have complete trust in you and count on your predictability in looking after me—every day.
5. LET ME BE CLEAN – I may like to drop food or even throw it, but I need meticulous cleanliness to be healthy. My skin itches without frequent showers, the barbs of my feathers won’t seal if they become oily and, worst of all, I may become ill if my food or water is not always sanitary.
6. I NEED MY OWN DOCTOR – You may not understand my physiology and therefore you may not recognize it early on when I get sick. And, it may be too late when you do, because I hide my illnesses. (Remember what I said about my being an animal of the jungle, where there are lots of predators.) And I need an avian vet—a specialist. (No HMOs for me please.) If you can’t afford one, perhaps you shouldn’t have taken me home.
7. PLEASE DON’T PUNISH ME – Just as I don’t always understand your peculiarities, you may not understand mine. I don’t TRY to get into trouble—remember, a house is not the jungle. If I do screw up, don’t yell at me and never hit me. I have sensitive ears and I may never trust you again if you strike me. Hands are sometimes scary things to us. (Why in the world would you not be zygodactylous like us?) Even more importantly, we don’t learn by punishment. We are gentle creatures who only strike back to protect ourselves; we learn through patience and love.
8. SPEAK MY “LANGUAGE” – I know you get upset with me when I knock over my water bowl, throw food, scream, or pluck my feathers. I don’t do these things to annoy you. I am probably trying to tell you something ( perhaps that I am hurting, lonely, or sad). Learn to speak MY (body) language. Remember that I, alone of all creatures on this planet, learn to speak yours!
9. SEE ME AS AN INDIVIDUAL – I am a unique and feeling being. No two of us are alike. Please don’t be disappointed in me if I don’t talk like you wanted or can’t do the tricks that your friend’s parrot can do. But if you pay close attention to me (and I always empathize with you, whether you know), I will show you a unique being who will give you so much more than talking and playing. Give me a chance to show you who I am; I think you’ll find the effort worth it. And remember, I am not an ornament. I do not enhance ANY living room decor. And I am not a status symbol—if you use me as such, I might nip at your up-turned nose!
10. SHARE YOUR LOVE WITH ME – Above all, please remember that you are my Special Person. I put all my trust and faith in you. We parrots are used to being monogamous. (No bar-hopping for us!) So please don’t go away for long periods or give me away—that would be a sadness from which I may never recover. If that seems to be asking a lot, remember, you could have learned about my needs before bringing me home. Even having a baby or taking a new job isn’t a fair reason—you made a commitment to me FIRST. And if you think that you must leave me because you might die, provide for me forever after you leave. I may live to a ripe old age, but I can’t provide for myself. Remember I’m in a small cage amongst people who are not of my blood.
11. YOUR RIGHTS – You have lots of rights, but I can only assure one. And that is, if you treat me the way I described above, I will reward you with unwavering love, humor, knowledge, beauty, dedication, and a sense of wonder and awe you haven’t felt since you were a child. When you took me home, you became my Flock Leader, indeed, my entire universe—for life. I would hang the moon and stars for you if I could. We are one in Heart and Soul.

Straight from January 21, 2009 Telegraph.co.uk

“A football match between Hatfield Town and Hertford Heath fell into chaos, we report, when a parrot that a woman in the crowd had brought along imitated the referee’s whistle, with devastating accuracy. Fortunately, the smooth running of the sport as a whole is not threatened, since the proportion of fans accompanied by parrots remains low. So, once in a while, normally dumb animals are a useful reminder not to take ourselves too seriously.”

Huh? This reporter just doesn’t know parrots! Anyone who understands the intelligence of parrots knows that this parrot figured out how to lead the “football flock” possibly faster than many of the attendee’s.

Parrots thrive on mental stimulation. And, like people, they use their senses of hearing and vision to figure out patterns. Patterns of the world’s processes. The owner of this lucky parrot was providing important enrichment for her pet. How can you do the same for your parrot?

I got the dreaded jury duty summons. I was apprehensive, yet excited to learn more about the judicial process. So, at 8:30 a.m. I, along with possibly 200 other people, entered the court house to serve my county. We all were funneled into a Jury Waiting Room and assigned a number. There were like 20 civil cases and 250 criminal cases. I sure didn’t want a criminal case! But, like I said, I was bit excited to learn about the judicial process – plus, I took my computer and a good book so I was able to work and entertain myself. I was scared but I had my “toys.”

Okay, so as far as I could tell, the judges were trying to schedule their week. So, every hour or two, the court clerk would call out numbers of potential jurors who might get to serve on a case. These people got to leave the room with permission. Possibly experience some excitement – but at least they got to leave the room! I got called for a case once. A civil vehicular homicide case was scheduled for trial. I got to leave my cage for about an hour, until the and sit on a wooden pew like seat…. that is until the case was continued. Then, I had to go back to my “cage” and wait.

You know, they look for a jury of your peers. Most people were approachable. One of the guys at the computer station area were I was sitting was diligently working on his website. Yeah, I felt a little kinship. Until I peeked at website name. “Sugar Daddy something or another dot com.” Creepy. Then there was an old fellow that must have had difficulty sitting for long periods of time. He paced back and forth, back and forth in front of me, possibly 50 times throughout the day. Each time trying to make eye contact and snoop into my business. I was more than a bit creeped out. I stopped giving him my polite smile at about 10:30 a.m. The dude with tattoo’s on his neck wasn’t someone that I wanted to start a conversation with either. My point….I was caged with people that I did not feel comfortable with. tLuckily, I was released for lunch. 90 minutes out of the cage.During the afternoon, my number was not called once. At about 4:00 I began to wonder if I’d be able to cope with being stuck in this room for the entire week. Heck. How would I entertain myself for that amount of time. I had a headache. I wanted a beer. Okay, a few beers.

Gez. Is this what caged birds feel like? I think that I may have had more enrichment than most caged pet birds do. At least I got to leave the room for a few minutes for the potential vehicular homicide case and then for lunch. I wonder if our intelligent pet parrots become this frustrated. No wonder parrots want to bite and turn to screaming and feather picking! Excuse me. I need to go get my parrots and let them socialize.

Captive parrots are facing an epidemic of overpopulation and homelessness. We’re finding that good bird homes are hard to find. You see, parrots are different than domesticated pets like cats and dogs. Parrots take a tremendous amount of attention and care and when they don’t get it they frequently develop behavior problems. On top of that, many of the larger species can live 40-80 years and often outlive their caretakers. When the caretakers interests change, Polly has to find a new home.

You can help solve this problem by not breeding birds and by adopting a displaced bird rather than buying one from a pet store or breeder if you are ready to make a lifetime care commitment. We suggest that if you are a current bird owner or if you want a bird, learn about their needs for enrichment and make a commitment to provide enriching activities for your parrot. Click here for cool parrot enrichment supplies.

I was browsing Twitter and Facebook recently and came across an entire thread on animal totems. Totems support kinship. And, while American’s liken Totem to Native American culture, similar totemism-like beliefs have been historically present throughout much of the world, including Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Africa, Australia and the Arctic polar region.

Did you know that animal totems offer spiritual guidance? To best understand the lessons conveyed by animals that show up in our lives involves us learning their instinctual behaviors and natural habitats.

According to, Phylameana lila Desy, About.com, Birds in general are survivalists. They will first choose flight over fight. They instinctively know that fighting is a dangerous endeavor. Whereas flight is avoiding trouble: possible injury or death. Birds have superb reflexes. They teach us awareness and adaptability. Birds represent the air element and are also teachers of proper breathing.

Parrots in particular convey meanings and messages of a sunny outlook, color, interpreter, diplomacy. Learn more about Parrot Totems

Did you know that tropical deforestation accounts for nearly 20 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions?

Each year, an area the size of New Jersey is cut down in the Amazon & Borneo, two of the world’s largest rainforests. These fallen trees could be absorbing large amounts of carbon dioxide – the primary greenhouse gas. Or, they could be providing habitat for a vast but declining array of wildlife, including most parrot species. You can help.

Participate in Earth Hour

• Earth Hour 2009 takes place on Saturday, March 28, 2009 at 8:30 pm local time.
• Earth Hour is World Wildlife Fund’s global initiative where individuals, businesses and governments turn off their lights for one hour to show their support for action on climate change.
• Earth Hour is a symbolic event designed to engage people from all walks of life in the climate change discussion to send a strong message to our political leaders that we want them to take meaningful action on climate change.
• The largest climate event in history where millions of people around the world will unite by turning off their lights for one hour, Earth Hour, to demand action on the climate crisis.

Endorse ForestsNow.org

Visit http://www.globalcanopy.org/ and learn how to use your voice and your dollars to save the rainforest.

ACTION ALERT – FROM AFA, ASA, and NAIA, with additional information from PIJAC WE NEED YOUR HELP – WHETHER YOU OWN AN “EXOTIC” ANIMAL OR ANY OTHER ANIMAL. HR 669 IS SET FOR HEARING ON 4/23/09. WE ALL NEED TO WORK TOGETHER TO KILL HR 669 NOW.

THE ISSUE – WHAT IS HR 669? – WHAT WILL IT DO? “ONE GENERATION AND OUT” is not just limited to purebred dogs and cats. Now our “non-native” species” are targets of the animal prohibitionist agenda. Under HR 669, “non-native” basically means if a species of animal didn’t live in the US before the arrival of Columbus it is “non-native”, and if HR 669 passes, most non-native species of animal (i.e., exotic animals) won’t remain in the US much longer. That means your exotic pet bird, reptile, fish, or mammal. HR 669 is a very serious and harmful animal prohibition proposal. HR 669 is not needed to protect our environment.

HR 699 is the legislative equivalent of a nuclear bomb that is aimed at the
entire US exotic pet industry, all US exotic pet owners, and all exotic animals
in the US.

HR 669 is an “anti-animal bill”. There is no amendment that can fix this bill. HR 669 will hurt everyone who owns an animal, and it will hurt our animals. Breeder, pet owner, rescuer, rehabilitator, zoo, service or product provider – it doesn’t matter – we will all be hurt by this bill.

HR 669 needs to be killed at the April 23rd hearing – not amended, not “made better” – HR 669 NEEDS TO BE KILLED. Please contact the Representatives hearing this bill NOW and ask them to KILL HR 669 (see below for contact information).

All import, export, transport across State lines, selling, buying, bartering, or offering to sell, buy or barter, and all breeding, and release, of all non-native species not on the “approved list” will be prohibited – even by zoos, sanctuaries, and licensed breeders. Permits authorizing only “importation” may be issued to “zoos, scientific research, medical, accredited zoological or aquarium display purposes, or for educational purposes that are specifically reviewed, approved, and verified by the Secretary”. There is no requirement that any permits be granted. Even if these institutions are able to obtain the required permits, where will they obtain their imported animals?

Habitat for many species is declining worldwide, many species are endangered or threatened in the wild, and many species cannot be imported to the US under the CITES treaty.

The result of this bill will be to put a stop domestic breeding of most endangered or threatened species in the US for zoos, conservation, or reintroduction programs. Zoos are not immune from the animal prohibitionist agenda.

If you “possess” a non-approved species “legally” prior to enactment of the law, you will be allowed to keep it, but all of the other restrictions pf HR 669 will still apply to your species – you will not be allowed to sell, transfer, transport across State lines, export, barter, trade, breed, or give that animal to anyone else.

Pet owners will not be allowed to take their non-approved pets with them if they
move to another state, and they will not be allowed to transfer them to anyone
else who can care for them. Those pets will be euthanized when their owners
move, die, or can no longer keep their pets for whatever reason. Pet owners and
their pets are not immune from the animal prohibitionist agenda.

“Rescue” and “sanctuary” will not be available for any non-approved species unless the rescue or sanctuary keeps only species found within their respective States. That result has been contemplated for years. Rescues and Sanctuaries are not immune from the animal prohibitionist agenda.

Any person or company manufacturing or selling food or products for non-native (exotic) species will be affected by this act. If non-native (exotic) species cannot be legally possessed, bought, sold, or transferred, there will be no incentive for manufacturers of food, caging, and supplies for these animals to remain in business. Where will non-native (exotic) animal owners obtain the food and materials needed to keep their animals? Freeflight of exotic birds will be prohibited.

THE LEGAL DETAILS OF THIS BILL Under existing federal law, it must be shown that a species is harmful before it is prohibited. That approach is reasonable, and has worked reasonably well for many years. In essence, HR 669 turns that reasonable approach on its head, and substitutes the unreasonable and unjustified approach of “bomb first, ask questions later”. HR 669 requires the government to create an “approved” list of “non-native” species that will be allowed in the US. Any species not on the “approved” list will be prohibited.

HR 669 the “approved” list shall include “nonnative wildlife species that the Secretary finds … based on scientific and commercial information ….

• (A) are not harmful to the United States’ economy, the environment, or other animal species’ or human health; or
• (B) may be harmful to the United States’ economy, the environment, or other animal species’ or human health, but already are so widespread in the United States that it is clear to the Secretary that any import prohibitions or restrictions would have no practical utility for the United States.”

It takes time and money for the government to study any species and make a “finding”. Time and money are always in short supply, and are especially in short supply in this economy. If your species is not included on the original “approved list”, then under HR 669 you can try to get your species “approved” by paying a fee and submitting a proposal to our government to include it on the “approved list”. Your proposal “must include sufficient scientific and commercial information to allow the Secretary to evaluate whether the proposed nonnative wildlife species is likely to cause economic or environmental harm or harm to other animal species’ or human health.” While your proposal is being “evaluated” by our government, you and your animals are still subject to the restrictions of HR 669. Whether your proposal will ever be granted is pure speculation.

There are more than 9000 bird species, and thousands of species of birds are kept in the US. There are many other non-native (exotic) species owned by animal lovers across the US. How many bird or other non-native (exotic) species do you think our government can afford to study and determine that they can be added to this newly created “approved list”? If the required study can’t be made of a species, and the required finding isn’t made about a species, the animal won’t make it to the approved list. That applies to every species of non-native (exotic) animal.

WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP KILL HR 669 Contact your Representatives NOW

• 1. You can use NAIA’s Capwiz tool to send an automatic email or fax to each of the Representatives who will hear this bill to ask them to KILL HR 669. Here’s the link to send your email using Capwiz:<www.capwiz.com/naiatrust/>
• 2. PIJAC has provided us with a PDF flyer which explains to pet owners how HR 669 will hurt all of us and our animals. The PIJAC PDF flyer is attached to this email. The PIJAC PDF flyer provides you with contact information – use it. Please contact your own Representatives NOW, and tell them to KILL HR 669. Be polite and respectful, but be clear and firm in your opposition to this bill. Be brief, and tell them a few reasons why you think it is a bad bill. Short and to the point works best. If you have time, you can also contact all of the other Representatives in your State. Write to your Representative using their contact pages on their websites. Unfortunately, it is sometimes hard for us to contact some of our Representatives – emails don’t often go through, letters aren’t read, and we sometimes have to write individually to our Representatives using the contact pages they put up on their websites. PIJAC has done the work to give us links where needed for these contact pages for these websites so that we can make those contacts (see the attached PIJAC PDF flyer), and NAIA is making “Capwiz” available for the one-shot contact – go to the Capwiz webpage at <www.capwiz.com/naiatrust/> Call and Fax your Representative at the numbers provided on the attached PDF PIJAC flyer. Be sure to contact the local office of your own Representative by phone, and if you can, make a personal visit. Our congressional representatives are now on recess, and will return to their work at the Capitol next week. Let your Representatives’ local offices know NOW that you want them to KILL HR 669. If the local staff hear from enough constituents that they want a bill killed, they will let their Representatives know that their constituents hate this bill.
• 3. Distribute this email, NAIA’s link, and PIJAC’s PDF flyer widely to everyone you know who loves animals and wants to keep them in our lives. In particular, send it to any pet lists you are on. This bill will impact almost all non-native animals. Ask them to contact the representatives and ask them to KILL HR 669. You can see PIJAC’s earlier alert on HR 669 here: <http://www.pijac.org/files/public/US_HR_669.pdf> You can see the full text of the bill here: <http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=111_cong_bills&docid=f:h669ih.txt.pdf>
• 4. If you have a website or belong to a discussion list, post this Alert and the PDF attachment. Ask your friends to do the same. A NOTE ALL ANIMAL OWNERS, AND ESPECIALLY TO BIRD OWNERS Does the Pennsylvania Proposed Ban of the Nanday Conure of 2008 ring a bell for anyone? For those bird owners who fought so hard and so well for the Nanday in Pennsylvania in 2008 – that was just target practice.

HR 669 IS THE ANIMAL PROHIBITIONIST NUCLEAR OPTION – STOP IT NOW. Get your phones, emails, and faxes working and get our troops marching again. We need every one of you to help again, and we need the help of everyone you know. It doesn’t matter if they own a bird, a dog, a cat, a turtle, a hamster, a fish, a snake, a tiger, a monkey, or any other animal. We are all affected by this bill. Don’t let the animal prohibitionists force their agenda on the rest of us. Thanks, Genny WallAttorney at LawLegislative VP, AFA, NAIA Laurella DesboroughLegislative Chair, ASA, NAIA

• Economical & Affordable
• Easy to Clean
• Variable Perch Sizes for Foot Health

I just got back from Puerto Rico. The American paradise! All I can say is BEAUTIFUL. This place is teaming with beauty. I know. Everyone thinks of beach. Snorkeling. Scuba. San Juan. I thought rainforests and the only parrot indigenous to the U.S. The Puerto Rican Parrot.

I’m biased, in that I think all parrots are beautiful. But good grief. Take a look at this beauty! I’ve got an Orange Winged Amazon, Mandolina, a.k.a. “Mandy.” Even so, to be redundant, all parrots hold a special place in my heart. Well, all birds for that matter. I saw some wonderful sea birds on my snorkeling excursions.

But, check this out. The incredible efforts that we are going through as a nation to bring back the Puerto Rican Amazon Parrot. El Yunque Rainforest, just a few miles from my hotel, the Wyndham Rio Mar, offers a conservation program. Oh, I bet you didn’t know this either. El Yunque is in 2nd place as one of the New 7 Wonders of the World. Unbelievable! That is until you see it. OMG.

You know, sad statistic is that there are only about 295 Puerto Rican Amazons counting both captive and wild populations. But as a nation, we’re pulling it together to bring this wonderful parrot back. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service maintains a El Yunque has a Puerto Rican Parrot nursery. Puerto Rico celebrates these parrots. In fact, the municipal of Rio Grande boasts statues of Puerto Rican Parrots at the entry and exit of the town off of Hwy 3. They are actively trying to re-introduce this beautiful parrot back into our only American Rainforest.

I don’t know about you, but I’m an avid ecology advocate. I want my son and his kids to experience a clean, diverse, and rich world. Including the Puerto Rican Amazon Parrot. So, as you read this blog update, please consider the journey that your particular parrots’ ancestors have had to endure. Respect their unique diversity and personalities. Appreciate and enrich their captive existence. So, if you have a parrot as a pet, here is what you can do:

1. Encourage and Promote Parrot Foraging and Enrichment Opportunities.
2. Make Your Parrot Part Of Your FLOCKILY (family and flock) each day.
3. Allow Your Parrot To Fly.
4. Feed Your Parrot The Diet It Needs:

Photo borrowed from 10,000 Birds

We went to a wedding this summer and as part of the reception table decorations, the couple used Male Betta fish. Being the animal lover that I am, I asked what the plan was for all the fish at the end of the event. “We’re going to flush them down the terlet!” the father said proudly.

Even a little innocent fish doesn’t deserve that fate! I couldn’t take them all but I ended up with one new companion. After getting the little guy home I felt like he needed some friends. Now, I have two fish tanks. My male Betta sits in my office at my part time school social work job. The children love to come in my office and talk to him.

My second larger tank is at home, set up in my hearth room where our family can enjoy the calm and beauty. I’ve taken to placing the Parrot Tower Bird Stands close to the aquarium. Smokey loves it almost as much as he loves his Bird Sitter Video!

Training is simply teaching. When we train an animal with positive reinforcement we give it information on what it can do to earn desired outcomes. What behaviors we choose to teach are limitless. In addition to training birds for entertainment, we can use this form of communication to address behavior problems, to manage birds on exhibit, to teach birds to cooperate in their own medical care and/or to allow us to facilitate captive breeding practices.

Training is Science Based
Although training birds in general is not a new concept to avian enthusiasts, understanding the science behind training is just recently gaining momentum. The science behind training is called behavior analysis. This science focuses on how organisms learn. And truly we are all students of this science on a daily basis whether we are conscious of our application of its principles or not. Current trends in animal training choose to focus on using elements of this science that focus on kind and gentle strategies to create desired behavior and reduce undesired behavior. This includes avoiding the use of positive punishment and negative reinforcement. In its place, trainers learn the art and skill of applying positive reinforcement to gain cooperation.

Click Here to Read More

Bird Training

It has been reiterated for years in the companion parrot literature…your parrot must obey the step up command! Obey and command. For me these words carry strong implications. I visualize a parrot with no desire to step up onto the hand being forced to comply. This usually involves maneuvers such as a hand pushing into a bird’s chest, quickly scooping a bird onto the hand, or peeling toes off of a perch. For a positive reinforcement trainer such as myself this is very unpleasant to picture. Why one might ask? Certainly the mentioned strategies can create the desired resulting behavior of a bird on the hand. However the process of training through force involves strategies that rely on aversive experiences. Pushing a hand into a bird’s chest, scooping or peeling toes are uncomfortable experiences for a parrot, no matter how minimal the aversive is.

Aviator Bird Harness

The Aviator Harness for birds combines a harness with a leash.  The Aviator attaches with a single – no buckles, no clips, no snaps, or heavy hardware for a secure fit.  Made from sturdy nylon strapping, the Aviator  Bird Harness is flexible enough to be comfortable. The leash allows for some flight and the length can be increased by adding a flight line or even a retractable leash – giving them even more flight distance.

Why We Recommend the Aviator Bird Harness

Most bird harnesses have several buckles and clips making them difficult to figure out how to use.  The Aviator Harness has 4 basic steps and nothing requires fastening – only tightening. The design also makes it great for small birds.

Recommendations

Buy a toy parrot like the one he uses in the video. The design is simple and the harness is easy to use, but practicing on something with wings would have been inordinately helpful for me. The first time I was all fumble fingers because I knew theoretically how it went on, watched it be put on, but I did not have the grace borne of experience those first few times.

We associate putting the Aviator harness on with outdoor “walk” time with our parrots. Once securely on, we always go immediately outside so our parrots associate it with a fun outdoor activity. Parrots quickly learn that they get to go outside when they see you get the Aviator. 

As a bird owner, I cannot say enough good things about the Aviator Bird Harness.  This product is highly recommended.

Learn to read parrot body language

Reading you bird’s body language is one of the most important skills you can learn to help you build a relationship with your parrot based on trust. 

Learning to recognize your parrot’s normal body language will help you know when he is feeling fine or when he’s ill, as well as when he wants attention or food. Plus, it can help you avoid a painful bite.

Most parrots communicate their mood and feelings in terms of body language. Once you know the signs, it’s easy to tell when your bird is happy, sleepy, terrified, or simply excited just by noticing his stance.

In the Understanding Parrot Body Language DVD professional animal trainer Barbara Heidenreich guides you through the process of looking at a combination of body parts and what they are doing under different circumstances to give you an idea of just what might be going on in those very special bird brains.

Aluminum Bird Carrier

NO more chipping, rusting or cracking paint! 

• Strong yet lightweight.
• Patented front door lock with hidden magnets to ensure the door does not rattle during transit.
• Large swing out door.
• Completely KNOCKDOWN, easy assembly, no nuts, no bolts.
• Carrying handle.
• 2 swing out food doors with 2 plastic food and water cups.
• 1 wooden perch
• Sliding grill and tray with safety triangle to keep grill and tray from sliding out.

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Escaped Parrot that is Flighted

My blue fronted Amazon parrot, Tarah, does not have clipped wings. However like many birds that were clipped during the fledging process, he has never quite learned the kind of flight skills that might earn him the title of a “flyer”. I often said “He’s has his flight feathers, but he doesn’t fly.” One day I learned, the hard way, that this wasn’t exactly true.  

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 I was visiting my parrots as I was moving from southern California to northern California. When I arrived I brought Tarah in his cage to my old bedroom. I opened the door to the cage to allow my bird some much needed free time. Before I knew it, he bolted off his cage, through the bedroom door, took a right and made his way down the hall. He then banked left and flew through the living room. At that very moment my father was just opening the sliding glass door to step out onto the deck. Guess who went through the door too? The deck was on the second floor, so my bird had two stories of lift to assist him on his grand flight down the fairway of the golf course behind the house. Thank goodness he was a green flying brick. He ran out of gas and slowly descended to the soft green grass before a tree offered its branches as refuge. Juiced by adrenalin, my feet barely touched the ground as I ran after my bird.

 I have always been very careful about the choices I make having a flighted bird in the house. But I was very surprised by the amazing flight my bird made on that day. Sometimes birds that we think will never fly do indeed fly. Sometimes birds that have flight feathers trimmed surprise us when feathers return. Sometimes experienced flyers get frightened or find themselves in unfamiliar territory. Whatever the situation, there are some strategies that can be very useful to recovering a bird that has flown to a location undesired by you. The following information is provided to prepare you for that day when your bird may find itself airborne and heading in the wrong direction. These strategies apply if you bird has no flight skills or is a world class flying athlete.

Bird is flying away

• Call to your bird loudly as he is flying- it may help him find his way back to you.
• As your bird is flying, do not take your eyes off of him. Note the last place you saw him, the level of his flight, how tired he looked. He may have landed in that area. (Radio or phone contact for a group of people searching can be very helpful in this situation. Grab your cell phone!)

 Searching for your bird

• If you have a group of people, spread out and circle the area you last saw him.
• If you cannot locate him, call to him. He may call back. Say words or sounds he knows or mimics. Most parrots are located by their screams.
• If he has another bird he likes, put that bird in a cage and bring it to the area you last saw him. Walk away from the bird in the cage. It might encourage the bird in the cage to scream. This may inspire the lost bird to scream. Keep talking to a minimum so you can listen for the scream.
• Look carefully in a limited area (within 1 mile) in the early stages of your search. Parrots usually do not go far unless, blown by the wind, chased by a bird of prey or extremely frightened.
• Keep in mind your parrot may see you before you see him. When this happens, parrots are sometimes very quiet. This may be because the parrot is more comfortable now that you are present.
• Despite some parrots bright colors, they can be very difficult to see in trees. Look for movement buried in the trees as opposed to your whole bird perched prominently on the tree.

We had a fun little outing today at Tanganyika Wildlife Park in Goddard, KS.  About 10 minutes from my home.  We got to see white tigers, Colous Monkeys, Red Panda’s, Clouded Leopards Red Kangaroo’s and a host of other animals, some displayed in interactive exhibits.  Of course, my favorite exhibit was the interactive Lorikeet’s. 

There were 4 species of Lories in the exhibit.  Rainbow, Purple-capped, Blue Mountain and Scarlett.  The kids sure got a kick out of feeding them nectar.  I’m wondering if it is our popular Goldenfeast NectarGold?!

Oh, BTW, Joe has promised to build me an outdoor aviary like this.  OMG.  I think it was about 40′ x 20′.  Definately bigger than my current bird room!  Really, I don’t think I want a permanent structure.  I’ve got my eye on some outdoor aviaries at www.CagesByDesign.com  I like the break down concept so that I can break them down to protect them from winter elements.  Since SpringAir now has Mosquito Traps, I’ll worry less about West Nile Virus.

Make a fun foraging toy for your parrot in five minutes or less!  We used a gallon milk jug with a screw on cap for our large Moluccan, Peachy.  We have used empty Coke cans and cereal boxes, too.  We’ve found that when our parrot watches us “load” the container, he becomes more interested. 

Peachy played with this toy for over an hour before finally figuring out that he had to chew the bottom to get the treats!  Usually he grabs the container handle and turns it upside down so that the treats fall in his mouth. 

Always supervise your parrots play when you give him items that require chewing but that can’t be digested.  And, only use clean food containers, never containers that have contained chemicals or cleaning products.

I sell a ton of Pak O Bird Carriers. And, it’s no wonder, because they are really top quality back pack for parrots.   Once your parrot gets accustomed to it, you won’t want another bird carrier!  Available in several size to fit any bird from Lovebird to Macaw, you can even order a customized Pak O Bird Carrier to meet you and your parrots personal needs. 

Here’s what our customer writes:

Here’s Truely in her new Pak O Bird Carrier. It is very well made with (OPTIONAL) stainless steel mesh front and sides. You can wear it as a back pack or …(PURCHASE) an (optional)  stroller. We left it on the floor with one of her favorite toys in it for a week, so she could get used to it before we used it.

Amazon Parrot

I have a friend whose parrot contracted PDD while boarding during a family vacation.  I have a customer who just got a new baby African Grey who is experiencing symptoms of PDD.  Watching a beloved pet die of this disease is sadder than sad.  But, just last year, researchers discovered a virus that may just be the culprit. The nasty Bornavirus.  This virus is in the same family as the one that causes encephalitis in horses and other farm livestock. 

It will be a while before a reliable diagnostic test can be developed or before a prevention plan can be developed, but the discovery of Bornavirus is a real breakthrough.  For both captive pet parrots and endangered parrots! 

The University of California, San Francisco postdoctoral fellow spearheaded the research.  Using brand new research,  Amy Sistler and colleagues were able to isolate virus samples in 71% of birds tp determine that this strain of Bornavirus was dramatically different from previously identified members of the Bonavirade family.   

Current PDD Knowledge:

PDD used to be limited to Macaw’s, but now, there are at least 50 parrot species that have experienced the disease.  It may even be spreading to softbills such as Canadian Geese and Toucans.  Wow!  Without going into gory details, birds infected with PDD can not digest food and /or absorb nutrients.  So, what ends up happening is that they pass undigested food rather than absorb nutrients and slowly waste away. 

What do You Look For?

1. Weight Loss
2. Depression / Lethargy /Weakness
3. Regurgitation or passing of undigested seeds / food
4. Diarrhea or scant feces or polyuria (abnormal poop)
5. Motor skills deficits such as ataxia, weird head movements, seizures

Please see an Avian Veterinary Specialist shoud you see these symptoms!  An avian specialist will know what tests to run.  Keep in mind that a difinitive diagnosis as of Fall 2009 is oly available through a crop biopsy or via post mortem evaluation. 

What can you do?

• Buy from reputible breeders that allow you to view their breeding faciltity
• Always use safe quarantine practices.
• If you visit a bird fair or other public exhibit where there are other birds, remove exposed clothing and bath well with antibacterial soap prior to visiting your parrots. 
• Never, ever take your parrot to bird shows. 

Everyone that loves parrots wants to have a talking parrot.  I’ve got seven parrots and most of them talk.

Let me introduce you to my flock of talking parrots.  I’ll go from largest to smallest:

Peachy is our 14 year old Moluccan Cockatoo. I got him when he was 3 years old. I had gone into the pet store to look for a Blue and Gold Macaw for my husband, but every time that I walked by Peachy, he’d say, “Hey, come here.” I visited him a couple of times a week over the course of a month while doing a lot of research on Moluccan Cockatoo’s to make sure he’d be a good fit in my family. The bird store personnel told me that he acted much more animated with me than with other customers. I guess he originally picked me. Peachy is a good talking parrot. He says: Hi, whatcha doing (whatcha doing doing!), hey come here, mommy, Max (my son), Hello, step up, and he is always quick to yell out our dogs names to scold them when they bark too much! – The correct name for the dog that’s barking.

Smokey is an 11 year old Congo African Grey. I got him as a young baby and I have to admit, he is pretty spoiled. He is out on his Parrot Tower Bird Stand a lot. When he is around me or others he is a whistler and beeper. He’s also quite the prankster. Several years ago he learned my husband’s cell phone ring. You can imagine how many times Jim answered the phone and no one was there. He also learned that my husband would call me “Hey, Diane!” and I’d answer. One time, I kept hearing my name called from upstairs. I’d answer and get no reply. This happened over and over again until I was starting to get mad! What the H#%** do you want!” Turns out it was Smokey! Other than Hey Diane, Smokey says hello, hi, step up, chow chow, Timmy, Sissy and more.

Timmy and Sierra are 6 year old Timneh African Grey Parrots. I got them both as a young babies and even hand fed Sierra. Sierra is also is a mostly whistler and beeper. She knows a lot of words but prefers to communicate with her people flock  in a series of whistles.  Timmy, on the other hand, is a serious talker.  He says so many things that I don’t have room to list them all. I’ll bet, Timmy can say at least 30 phrases. He also whistles “Take Me Out To The Ball Game.” One of the funniest (and embarrassing) things he often asks the dogs is “Do you have to go pee pee?”  I guess he is determined to keep our carpet smelling fresh!   

Mandolina a.k.a. Mandy is a 6 year old flighted Orange Winged Amazon. I hand fed her from the time she was featherless until she was weaned. The most popular talking Amazon Parrots are the Yellow Napped and Double Yellow Head Amazon’s. Mandy thinks she doesn’t need her cage.  She has an open playtop bird cage and so she goes all over the bird room and the basement.  Mandy does not speak as much parrots of those species, but she knows several phrases. She also has several whistles and coo’s that she uses routinely to determine my whereabouts in the house or to just let me know she loves being out and following me about in flight, as I go about my business. 

Skeeter is a 6 year old Red Bellied Parrot. She is also flighted. She had come from an abusive background but she totally loves me! It’s mutual. Skeeter loves to ride around on my shoulder and preen my hair. Her cage usually has an open door policy as does Mandy’s so they hang out together most of the time. Skeeter loves to explore and can be a little mischievous, too. She has a larger vocabulary than Mandy, probably having about 8 phrases that she says consistently.

  

Mika is a 3 year old Pacific Parrotlet. Unlike the other birds in our flock, who have their own bird room, Mika’s cage is upstairs. I’ve had a lot of customers who tell me that they have talking parrotlet’s, but I’m not sure if Mika talks or not. She tweets a lot, but her little vocal cords are so tiny that I can’t decipher if she is actually talking. Mika loves to ride around on my shoulder. She is pretty feisty and territorial. She’s flighted, too.

 So, how did we get so many talking parrots? One of the earliest things I learned in my friendship with parrots is how important it is to prevent problem behaviors including screaming and biting. Parrots that talk and whistle to communicate with you are much less likely to scream for attention. While not every parrot is a proficient talker, there are a number of things you can do to promote a talking parrot.

1. Develop a training schedule.  Parrots are quick learners with short attention spans.
2. Study Clicker Training techniques.
3. Learn to read Parrot Body Language.
4. Match your parrots voice inflection training in the same tones or vocal capabilities that your parrot has.
5. Teach bird tricks to your parrot.  Each new learning experience adds to the learning momentum.   The more you train your parrot the faster it will learn the next, subsequent trick.

Don’t be alarmed! Peachy just got a new foraging bird toy from Fun Max. Of course, Peachy always jubilantly volunteers to test out new bird supplies before we place it on www.BirdSupplies.com

Go Nuts Foraging Bird Toy

The Go Nuts Bird Toy is a refillable, foraging toy for parrots.  Made from 100% cotton rope, vegetable leather, and peanuts, this 5″ x 4″ bird toy is great for medium to large parrots that love to forage and untie knots. Leather patches have holes that reveal peanuts. But, your parrot has to think and work in order to get at the treats!

To refill, just untie the cotton rope and place nuts inside.

What’s so great about this bird toy, you ask?  It makes your parrot forage!  Foraging is when your parrot has to use it’s natural, inate behaviors to get at a desired item.  In the wild, parrots have to literally problem solve in order to get a meal.  With Go Nuts, your parrot has to problem solve how to get the peanuts.  Untie knots, squeeze peanuts through the holes, etc.  Wanna make it harder?  Get some stainless steel screws and nuts at your local hardware store for your parrot manipulate.   Or, put a larger, harder shelled nut inside!

We suggest that you purchase extra leather strips if your parrot is like Peachy who loves chomping through leather.

One of our favorite bird stands is the Floor Length Java Tree.  Talk about giving your parrot an enriching, jungle like experience!  This bird stand is impressive from the tray up.  The tray is braced well and is very sturdy.  Four swivel casters enhance mobility.  The actual tree arrives in two parts that attach with with steel pegs.  Assembly is a breeze and once assembled, this bird stand is not only sturdy it’s down right attractive! 

I’m planning on customizing my Java Tree Bird Stand.  Firstly, I plan to paint the inside tray surface with  Rubberized Paint available at most large hardware stores.  While I’ve never done this before, I’m hoping that it makes the bird stand tray less prone to wear from acidic bird droppings and easier to clean .  Next, I plan to attach one or two Lixit 10 oz. Lock Down Cups to the tree.  Finally, I’m planning on adding foraging features like those shown on our Captive Foraging DVD.

Have you heard of Parrot Mountain & Gardens located in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee?  I’d love to go!  They advertise that Parrot Mountain is 4 acres of beautifully landscaped gardens with hundreds of tropical birds housed in English Cottage style aviaries.

Racoon123 writes on TripAdvisor:

Please recycle

Have you ever wondered what happens to the used plastic that you unassumingly toss in the trash?

Did you know that it takes 1000 years for one plastic bag to break down?   Tossed out plastic including grocery bags and plasic bottles are ruining our environment and killing wildlife.

“Plastic bags kill animals. About 100,000 animals such as dolphins, turtles whales, penguins are killed every year due to plastic bags. Many animals ingest plastic bags, mistaking them for food, and therefore die. And worse, the ingested plastic bag remains intact even after the death and decomposition of the animal. Thus, it lies around in the landscape where another victim may ingest it.”  http://www.buzzle.com/articles/environmental-pollution-the-harmful-effects-of-plastic-bags.html

I stumbled over this page on a website today and quickly went quiet with the sheer sadness of it. It shows the remains of birds that have picked through trash found in the ocean and died from the plastic they have ingested; the young died from plastic fed to them by their parents.

What can you do?

Five Strategies to Reduce the Environmental Impact of Plastics

1. Reduce your use
Choose products that use little or no packaging. Select packaging materials that can be recycled into new packaging – such as glass and paper. If people refuse plastic as a packaging material, the industry will decrease production for that purpose, and the associated problems such as energy use, pollution, and adverse health effects will diminish.

2. Reuse containers
Did you know that refillable plastic containers can be reused about 25 times?  Choose to reuse containers rather than ss them out. 

3. Require producers to take back resins
Support legislation that gets manufacturers directly involved with plastic disposal and closing the material loop.  Reprocessing can be made easier by limiting the number of container types and shapes, using only one type of resin in each container, making collapsible containers, eliminating pigments, using water-dispersible adhesives for labels, and phasing out associated metals such as aluminum seals. Container and resin makers can help develop the reprocessing infrastructure by taking back plastic from consumers.

4. Legislatively require recycled content
Requiring that all containers be composed of a percentage of post-consumer material reduces the amount of virgin material consumed.

5. Standardize labeling and inform the public
The chasing arrows symbol on plastics is an example of an ambiguous and misleading label. Significantly different standardized labels for “recycled,” “recyclable,” and “made of plastic type X” must be developed.

Borrowed from:

Ecology Center
2530 San Pablo Avenue
Berkeley, CA 94702
Phone: (510) 548-2220 x233
email: erc@ecologycenter.org
Open 11am-6pm Tuesday-Saturday

Wild Kakapo Parrot Research

The Kakapo Parrot, also known as the Owl Parrot, is the heaviest parrot in the world.  Two other features make it extraordinary; it is also the only flightless parrot and the only nocturnal parrot known to man.  Native to New Zealand, the Kakapo Parrots, are critcally endangered.  As of November 16,  2009, there are 124 Kakapo Parrots in the wild.  With such a low gene pool, recovering this unusual, almost prehistoric parrot species has been difficult.

 How did this unique parrot become so endangered?  Prior to settlement, Native New Zealand had two mammals on the islands, bats.  Obviously not predators of the Kakapo Parrot.  With the introduction of the Polynesian peoples and European settlers, came predatory mammals such as rats, ferrets, cats, dogs and more.  The flightless, fearless Kakapoo parrot was defenseless against new mammals.  Not only that, the unusual parrots simply did not even know that they had to retreat from these foreign mammals.  Polynesian and European settlers prized Kakapo feathers and skin, as well as their meat.  Records show that European settlers sent the first found Kakap0 skin to England for examination.  The 1889 study found the Kakapo parrot to be the oldest, least developed parrot known to man, which only made collection of taxidermy specimens of this precious parrot more popular; diminishing their wild numbers yet further. 

By 1952, New Zealand Department of Internal Affairs became alarmed with the diminishing Kakapo Parrot population and thereby started  conservation efforts.  New Zealand terrain and mammal predators make recovery efforts of this beutiful parrot difficult, at best.  Wild parrots had to be moved to outlaying islands.  Kakapo Parrot recovery efforts thankfully have an international appeal.  PLEASE visit the KAKAPO RECOVERY PROGRAMME to find out what you can do to insure the Kapako Parrots’ survival.

So you want to help the Kakapo Parrot Recovery Programme, but you’re not sure how?

Well, the best opportunity as an individual is through fyour inancial support AND SPREADING THE WORD, . Saving endangered species is an expensive, long term business.

Please Donate any amount:

• $100 buys disease screening for one bird
• $250 buys a radio tracking aerial
• $1000 buys a portable incubator
• $1600 buys a radio-telemetry receiver

NO amount is too small – any donation will go directly towards kakapo parrot recovery – thank you SO much for your generosity!

PAYPAL DONATION: kakapovolunteers@doc.govt.nz

Send a cheque:

The Kakapo Recovery Programme
c/- PO Box 631
Wellington 6140
New Zealand

Please ensure you include your name and address if you would like to receive a donation receipt.

FREE SHIPPING ON MOST BIRD SUPPLIES
Coupon Code: CYBERMON

One of the most important aspects of proper parrot care is providing your pet with a premium pelleted diet supplemented with about 20% fruits and veggies.  A premium pelleted bird food such as Harrison’s or Zupreem Bird Food provides a )) amount of nutrients per bite.  Pellet eating parrots have a much better nutritional intake than seed eating parrots, by far.  But even so, avian vets recommend that 20% of a parrots diet consist of a variety of fruits and veggies.  While fresh is best, it can be difficult to offer a huge variety of fresh foods.  Bird foods such as Goldenfeast Bird Foods are an axcellent alternative due to the huge variety of human grade products  in each mix.