Congo African Grey Parrot

Veterinarians say that obesity is the most common health problem they see in companion parrots today.  Many experts say that owners tend to overfeed their birds, offer too many snacks, or are just poorly educated about nutrition.

Parrots suffer from the same ill effects from obesity as do humans. An obese parrot is predisposed to cancer. They are at risk for  atherosclerosis, where fatty substances are deposited on the walls of thick and hardened arteries, including the ones leading to the heart.  This can lead to collapse ...

Read the rest or post a comment »

Blue throated macaw, Camelot macaws

Wild birds learn everything that isn’t hard-wired into them from their parents. Everything from what is safe to eat to how to bathe to what to be afraid of is learned by watching.

Many of our companion parrots have been captive bred and have not had the advantage of having a feathered mom or dad teaching them the ins and outs of being a bird.  It makes perfect sense that our parrots learn from one another.

When I first got Theo (goffins cockatoo), she was sedentary.  She didn’t ...

Read the rest or post a comment »

Hyacinth Macaw & Camelot macaw

The very best advice anyone is going to give you is to know your bird and understand its body language. Know what calms them, know what excites them, know what motivates them.  Know what tone of voice they respond best to, and know which actions (or inactions) indicate aggression.  Know their favorite foods.

Know when they’re tired or that they are over stimulated from too much play.  This knowledge is the very best tool in helping you to control their behaviors, assessing their health and preparing their ...

Read the rest or post a comment »

Blue Fronted Amazon Parrot

If you have parrots and potted plants in your house, you have probably watched in awe at the speed with which your feathered backhoe can empty the contents of the plant pot onto your carpet.  You likely have a ground foraging species like the cockatoo, cockatiel, budgie or african grey to name a few.  Digging is a natural behavior for a ground forager and if he’s found his way into your secret garden, you will  have to pretty clever in your attempts to keep him ...

Read the rest or post a comment »

Cockatiels

I have a 2 1/2 year old cockatiel. I refer to her as a she, but I don’t really know what her sex is.  I called her Bobbi, just in case.  A couple of months ago I bought a mirror for her cage, and she sits there by the mirror staring at herself for long periods of time.   We are very bonded, but I am wondering now if she’s lonely and needs another bird to keep her company. Should I get ...

Read the rest or post a comment »

I share my home with five parots: Linus, an umbrella cockatoo; Theo, a Goffin's cockatoo; Libby, a quaker; and Tinky and DeeDee, my cockateils. Since they will be frequently mentioned in this blog, I think proper introductions are in order... 

SaveSaveSave