How to Prepare Yourself for Rescue Work

Birds' Arrival 244

Senegal Parrot waving “hello.”

 

If you dream of opening your own parrot rescue or sanctuary (and let’s be honest, it crosses the minds of a lot of us once we’ve seen how birds suffer in the wrong environments!), the most important step of all is to get yourself ready. Many owners find that they are not suited mentally, physically, or emotionally.

What is the difference, first of all, between a parrot rescue and a parrot sanctuary? A rescue typically rehabilitates an ...

Read the rest or post a comment »

Continue reading

Five Quick Tips for Handling Animals with “Group” Mentality

DSC00156

Macaw flock at the Island Parrot Sanctuary

 

Evolutionarily speaking, gathering in numbers is advantageous for everyone. Predators don’t know who to munch first unless their prey is noticeable, and thus, the fittest animals survive while the weak and sick get eaten. Parrots, dogs, and horses all find security in their groups, and tend to not like being separated from them.

I work on a farm with 1,500lb horses who all have the capacity to kill me – even though they are all wonderful animals. As ...

Read the rest or post a comment »

Continue reading

Should You Change Your Parrot’s Name?

IMG_0046

Senegal Parrot “Mavi”

 

Can you change your pet parrot’s name – yes; should you change it – my opinion – no, not under ordinary circumstances.

If you haven’t yet watched the Cornell Lab of Ornithology video entitled “How a Parrot Learns its Name in the Wild,” you should definitely take the time to look it up. There is a growing amount of research into the science of parrots’ names, which is pretty cool.

Personally, I won’t change my birds’ names. Whatever they come with is there ...

Read the rest or post a comment »

Continue reading

The Hardest Thing About “Owning” Birds…

IMG_0185

The newest member of my flock – Charlie (Galah/Rosebreasted Cockatoo)

As I type this, the newest member of my flock, Charlie the galah is with his avian vet and I’m not sure that he’s coming home. I’m sitting next to my mobile phone waiting for news. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve checked to see if my phone is working. I know I charged it but maybe it has gone flat super fast? Nope. It’s working. It’s also too soon for the ...

Continue reading

When Wild Birds Move Into Non-Traditional Habitat

IMG_1649

Two of my birds bathing under a sprinkler. (For those who are concerned about water conservation: I use tank water.)

 

One of my flock’s favourite ways to bathe is outside under a sprinkler. I set the sprinkler up on top of their aviaries and let the water fall down on them just like rain would. Everyone except for my macaw happily screams and shouts and plays under it. My eclectus gets as close to the sprinkler as possible as he prefers to ...

 

Continue reading

Teaching Parrots to Be Touched All Over

004

Senegal Parrot

 

People instinctively crave touch, as to us, it means empathy, love, and affection. To a parrot, however, touching outside of the head, neck, and feet means that you are initiating sex, very simply. A parrot can be perfectly happy without touch, though many love it.

We should not be touching our parrots outside of the head, neck, and feet, as it brings such frustration to our birds. If continued, human touch can actually spur hormonal attacks in our feathered pets. There are a ...

Read the rest or post a comment »

Continue reading