Hyacinth Macaw

Ok, you have finally picked out the perfect type of outdoor aviary for your parrot to spend his days basking in the sun and taking in all the outdoor sights and sounds….let me just say Congratulations on making one of the most important decisions you can make for your pet parrot!!!!

I’m sure you have some toys and some really exciting ideas for decorating your birds new “outdoor” world. You are now completely excited and just can’t wait for the day it arrives and you can put it together and get ...

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They go by many names: climbing net, play net, parrot hammock, rope gym and others. Whatever you wish to call them, they are a fantastic addition to your bird’s play area. The only problem with them is that they will set you back about $75-$150 depending on the size. You can find the one pictured here.  They are so easy to make, however, that you don’t need to shell out that kind of cash.

Find a good rope company, and buy in bulk, ...

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Hyacinth Macaw

In the wild, parrots, with the help and guidance of their parents and other flock members, learn their way around the plant life in their native lands.  The day may begin with a visit to their local clay lick to help them ward off the toxins produced by the plants they forage on.  They manage to provide themselves with a healthy and well balanced diet without human intervention.

In a captive setting, I always make sure to vary fruits, vegetables and the other foods I serve to my parrots ...

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Congo African Grey Parrot

Have you ever noticed how dry your hands get in the winter?  Or how the  texture of your hair changes?  Sometimes your throat and nasal passages can become dry and sore. This is due to the low humidity in the air, often during the winter months when our heaters are in use.

Underneath all of those beautiful feathers, a parrot has skin that needs care just as ours does.  When skin becomes dry, it gets itchy – when we’re itchy, we scratch.  Skin conditions are sometimes the underlying ...

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Camelot macaws, blue throated macaw, Galah

Is the mess, the chores, the feeding, and the constant need for attention starting to get to you?  It’s called burn out, and don’t worry, you aren’t alone. There are some mornings that I get up praying that the cockatoos will find it in their hearts to refrain from their dramatics for just this one day. I often don’t get my wish. Today was my day off and I had a long list of things to accomplish.  As I looked over the list, I couldn’t ...

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In keeping in touch with the avian community, I find more and more people who are coping with the heartbreak of their parrot’s feather plucking, barbering or mutilation.  The biggest problem with feather destructive behaviors is that we don’t know why it happens.  There are NO experts in this area, because, frankly, no one understands why they do this. There are people with a great deal of experience with pluckers who can recommend changes to make that they have seen good results with.  But ...

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