Q: Do any of the anti-plucking products available actually work?
Gary M., New London, CT

A: There are two types of products on the market that address the issue of plucking: one approaches the problem medicinally, the other physically prevents access to the affected areas.

The following is my opinion. It is based on research of the ingredients in the herbal products and on the opinions of trusted sources who have used them and other products:

Ingestible remedies:

There are a few varieties of these products available, but there ...

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Q: Why won’t MY bird eat fruits and vegetables?

  – Peter L., Minneapolis, MN

 A: Getting your bird on a proper diet is the single biggest challenge faced by bird owners. The challenge itself is two-fold: 1) getting the owner to understand the meaning of the term “good diet” – to which there are many parts, and 2) getting the bird to cooperate. Neither is easy.

To begin with, the owner, especially the new owner, might only have an awareness of a seed and/or pelleted diet. Most people only learn ...

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Anybody who looks seriously into their parrot’s diet, walks away shaking thier heads. Parrot nutrition is a very complex science and we are still learning new things everyday. There are sites online that deal only with parrot diet and nutrition and, more recently, there are pages dedicated solely to a holistic approach to the diet. But on the whole, we are still...

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If I am out shopping and I see a pet store, I am unable to walk past it. My heart melts when I look at puppies and kittens; and heaven help me, the birds, but I tend to walk away from even the best...

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Q: Is it true that I should have my bird’s beak trimmed?
 – Miles.B., Billings. MO

A:  A bird’s beak is made of keratin, the same fibrous protein that forms our nails and hair. And like our nails and hair, beaks are in a state of perpetual growth throughout life. One would think that this would necessitate a beak trim every now and again, but this is not usually the case. If your bird’s beak is normal in appearance, there is no need to have ...

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pacific parrotlets

A questions that we often hear at Birdtricks is: “what is a good first bird to get?”. It’s a difficult question and one that I answer reluctantly. I will try to offer my opinion…

First, I want to say that I don’t really believe in “starter” birds. It is often said that a smaller bird is more suitable for the first time owner. I don’t entirely agree.

All birds are created equally. There is no one species of parrot that requires less care or commitment than the others. Every single species ...

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