Cockatiel

Before we talk about owners, I think it’s important to talk about their birds first: I do not believe in so-called beginner parrots, or graduating from one species to the next in order of size. This is because I believe that all parrots are made equal. The number of grams they weigh does not define them as ‘beginner,’ ‘intermediate’ or ‘advanced’ – in essence, buying a budgie will only ever teach you how to work with budgies.

My parrotlet is an aggressive, somewhat bipolar fellow ...

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“My amazon parrot sent me to the emergency room for stitches last night. He has never bit me like this before and even though I know it happened because of hormones I’m afraid of him now.”

-Gina B., Dayton, OH

This is an important topic – especially for a time of year where people are frequently bitten. A bird’s behavior in the spring (and to a lesser degree in the fall) can seem erratic and unpredictable. ...

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 ...

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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I posted the above photo on our Facebook page the other day. The comments that followed were curious to me. It would seem that the practice of giving REAL Easter bunnies, ducklings and baby chickens is not something that is practiced worldwide. Just as I was heaving a sigh of relief, I received a message from someone, a bird lover, who didn’t see the harm. I promised to address the topic here on the blog…