White Budgie

I was lying on my bed watching the History channel this morning, when Theo, my goffins cockatoo, toddled up to the side of the bed wanting to come up.  I swung my leg over the side of the bed and she hopped on my foot waiting for the elevator ride up.  She marched right up and took her usual spot on my chest, resting her head on my chin.

It was just a couple of minutes before I could feel all of her body weight on the side of ...

Read the rest or post a comment »

Camelot Macaw

Your parrot’s feathers speak to its overall health.  A healthy parrot will have soft, vibrant and well-formed feathers.  Flaws in the feathering, such as discoloration are often a sign of poor diet or the lack of sunlight, but can also be attributed to illness and the subsequent use of antobiotics.   It can also signal serious organ problems or PBFD.  If you have noticed a change in your parrots feathering, you should seek the attention of an avian certified vet to rule out any significant health issues.

A good, varied ...

Read the rest or post a comment »

Umbrella Cockatoo

I made an interesting discovery this week. I had planned to be away for five days starting this weekend, and my daughter was going to take care of the parrots for me while I was gone. Since she works full time, I decided to simplify things and buy frozen vegetables for her to serve to the birds. Normally, I buy fresh, often organic, with the exception of things like lima beans, which my birds love, and out-of-the-pod peas.

My plans were unexpectedly cancelled, and I was sitting on a freezer ...

Read the rest or post a comment »

There are feathers everywhere in my apartment, from little gray or green ones to large white ones. Do I mind this extra mess? Not even a little bit!  It signals the end of breeding season, which is a beautiful thing. Of course, the one rule...

Read more »

Blue and Gold Macaws

If you choose to smoke, that’s your business and your right.  This post is about secondhand smoke, and how smoking around you birds affects affects their health.

What is secondhand smoke?

Secondhand smoke is the smoke that is emitted from a cigarette, from either the burning end or the filtered end.  It contains thousands of different chemicals that fill the air as either gases or particulates.  Following are facts about secondhand smoke by the National Cancer Institute and the EPA:

• “Secondhand smoke contains over 4000 chemicals, including 69 compounds that ...

  Read the rest or post a comment »

Blue throated macaw

The word enrichment means to enhance and make fuller.  It has become a very popular word among bird owners.  It’s a wonderful thing that humans are considering ways to improve their parrots lives.  I usually hear the word enrichment used in connection with toys and foraging opportunities.  These are huge ways to better a parrots life, but there are SO many other applications.

Enrichment means maintaining or improving health through diet and exercise. When our finicky eaters turn their beaks up at the new food you have introduced, ...

Read the rest or post a comment »