– Deanna, C. – Saginaw, MI

A: The use of essential oils is an age old practice that has earned itself a valid and respected place with those who use aromatherapy and have witnessed some pretty remarkable results.

Not only can you use them around your birds, but you can use them to improve your bird’s general well-being and to conquer health issues – as long as you ...

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Camelot macaw

Birds have been around for millions of years, long before the human race was a twinkle in the eye of evolution. Since the very first their species made an appearance on this planet, the world has undergone many changes that presented numerous challenges to overcome. Their longevity can be attributed to an intense survival instinct, part of which is a well-developed understanding of the need for proper diet. After all, a weak parrot cannot outrun a predator – or survive an ice age. They have always known what to ...

Blue and gold macaws

This summer I had the opportunity to meet Chris and Misty, a couple that Dave Womach worked with on a behavior consultation involving their moluccan cockatoo. They were at the Womach’s house graciously offering their time to disassemble some of the indoor cages for the Womach’s final move to Idaho.

In talking to them, I realized that Dave had managed to drive home a really important message during the consult. Chris said to me that he was relieved to find that the source of the problem was him ...

Q: Is it safe to feed uncooked pasta to my birds?

-Julie B., Syracuse, NY

A: It is fairly common knowledge that pasta is safe for parrots. However, most people would no sooner think to serve it to their birds uncooked than they would eat it that way themselves.

Dried pasta is has a couple of distinct advantages. It is firm and holds its shape making it ideal as a safe vessel for foraging or as a plaything. Additionally, even though it’s food, it does not collect bacteria while dry making ...

Cockatiel.

Each of my birds has been instrumental in teaching me something, be it the importance of certain aspects of their lives, like training, or that persevering does pay off. But Mishka the cockatiel taught me nearly everything I know about birds. It was usually slow going. She was not the best teacher, true, but I was not always a fast-study, either.

I mentioned in my first post, here, that she – who is actually a he, by the way! – came to ...

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Q: Should I peel my bird’s fruit and vegetables?

-Christopher B., Jackson, MS

 A: Many rinds or skins taste bitter to humans and it is our habit to remove them. It seems right to prepare our parrot’s foods in much the same way as we prepare our own. However, we are short changing them when we do. Not only do parrots like a lot of bitter tasting things, but some of the best nutrients in produce are found in the parts we typically throw away or avoid eating.

• Kiwi – the fuzzy outer skin of the kiwi ...