“Help!!! My Parrot Swallowed My Earring!!!!”

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The earring my Blue and Gold Macaw stole.

 

After reading that heading, anyone familiar with my flock will immediately know that my Blue and Gold Macaw named Fid, has been at it again. If there is a way for him to get into trouble – he’ll find it. This week he added the title “Jewel thief” to his resume.

 

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Fid loves goldfish.

 

It was one of those awfully ...

 

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The REAL Deal About Seed in the Parrot Diet

From the arid grasslands in Australian to the humid rain forests of South America, nearly every species of wild parrot incorporates native seed into their diet. Seed has fiber, magnesium, potassium, and vitamin B6. It is rich in omega-3 fats and vitamin E. Seed helps maintain brain function, nourish red blood cells and fights inflammation. It is important to the well-being of our bird’s eyes, skin and feathers.

So why is seed so vilified in the companion parrot diet? There are a few very good reason:

You ...

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How Much Should My Congo African Grey Weigh?


Congo African Grey

Q: I have asked a lot of people what is the normal weight for my congo African grey and everyone gives me a really different answer. What do you guys have to say?

-Stan L., Jacksonville, FL

A: It doesn’t surprise me that you have gotten a variety of answers, in a way it’s a trick question. In reality, the normal congo african grey weight can be anywhere between 400 -700 grams. That information is not ...

 

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Setting Up Obtainable Goals for Rescued Parrots

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Setting up obtainable goals for rescued and re-homed parrots: What is progress, and how do you know if you’ve made it?

 

The question of knowing whether you’ve progressed at all can be surprisingly difficult to tell! With our neurotic pet-shop cockatiel, for instance, we had to decide what was her personality, and what was emotional ‘damage’ from her past. Progress for her came in very tiny steps. It took time for me to get that a super-quiet bird may be that way because it is ...

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Are Human Snack Foods REALLY Bad For Birds?


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Q: I was on another bird site and someone said that potato chips were toxic to birds. I have given chips to my african grey many times and he has never gotten sick. He loves chips and I don’t want to have to take them away from him unless they really are bad for him. Are they safe or not?

-Michelle B., St. Petersburg, FL

A: There is a big difference between something being toxic and being bad for ...

 

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Gardening for Parrots and People: Ten Easy and Nutritious Foods to Grow for Your Flock

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My Senegal Parrot helping my garden

Gardening for parrots is not the nightmare you might imagine, and that’s coming from someone who doesn’t have a green thumb! Now that spring is here, it is the perfect time to start planting for you and your flock — or to begin planning for the summer. Start small. Anyone with a garden or little patch of grass can grow their own produce, and doing so is a great way to save money. Feeding your flock is, after ...

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