Parrots For Dummies E-Book

Nikki Moustaki

• Herausgeber: John Wiley & Sons
• Kategorie: Lebensstil
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 770

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2021

Beschreibung

Repeat after me: Parrots aren't just for pirates! While parrots have a historical reputation for being a pirate's best friend, in the modern-day U.S.--where birds are the nation's third most popular household pet-thousands of landlubbers are in on the act! And that's not surprising--parrots are as affectionate, friendly, and fun to be with as a dog or cat. They are also relatively low-maintenance, with no rude 5 a.m. awakenings with demands for food or punishing walks. Renowned avian care and behavior consultant Nikki Moustaki is your friendly guide to the colorful world of this intelligent and chatty pet. In this book, you'll be introduced to the vibrant diversity of the parrot world, which covers a wide variety of Psittacidae family members, including macaws, cockatiels, and parakeets. You'll also learn the best ways to choose, care for, and love your resplendently feathered companion. * Pick your perfect parrot * Devour the latest on nutrition * Tame and train * Make the perfect home Whether you're just setting out in the parrot world or are a seasoned voyager on the parrot-y seas, this 2nd edition of Parrots For Dummies has something for you and your pet--and will repay the hard-won pirate gold you spent on it a thousand times over!

Leseprobe

Parrots For Dummies®, 2nd Edition

Published by: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774, www.wiley.com

Copyright © 2021 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey

Published simultaneously in Canada

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Library of Congress Control Number: 2021930394

ISBN: 978-1-119-75361-2;

ISBN: 978-1-119-75368-1 (ebk); ISBN: 978-1-119-75363-6 (ebk)

Parrots For Dummies®

To view this book's Cheat Sheet, simply go to www.dummies.com and search for “Parrots For Dummies Cheat Sheet” in the Search box.

Table of Contents

Cover

Title Page

Copyright

Introduction

About This Book

Foolish Assumptions

Icons Used in This Book

Where to Go from Here

Part 1: Introducing the Parrot — Your Wild Child

Chapter 1: Meeting the Parrots, Just the Basics

Introducing the Parrots

Home Tweet Home: Welcoming a Parrot into Your Home

Parrot Care 101: Taking Care of Your Bird

Parrot Behavior: Checking How Your Bird Acts

Parrot Pals: Socializing with Your Bird

A Caveat to the Wise

Chapter 2: Knowing What to Expect with Your Companion Parrot

Defining a Companion Parrot

Just Being Themselves

Recognizing the Joys of Parrot Guardianship

Pondering Important Points about Buying or Adopting a Parrot

Understanding What a Companion Parrot Expects

Living with a Parrot around Nonbird People

Chapter 3: Choosing the Right Companion

Keeping Certain Considerations in Mind As You Choose a Species

Looking Closer at Species Profiles Commonly Kept As Companions

Chapter 4: Purchasing or Adopting a Parrot

Considering Your Parrot Options

Finding the Perfect Parrot for You

Adopting a Rescue Parrot

Looking for a Healthy Parrot

Requesting a Guarantee

Knowing What to Ask Before You Buy or Adopt

Part 2: Bringing Home Your New Parrot

Chapter 5: A House to Call Home: Choosing Proper Housing

Matching the Housing to the Species

Finding the Right Cage for Your Bird

Building Your Own Cage

Placing Your Cage to Ensure Your Parrot Is Comfortable

Cleaning the Cage

Considering an Aviary

Chapter 6: Going Shopping: Avian Supplies and Accessories

Giving Your Parrot a Place to Stand: Perches

Keeping the Food and Water Accessible: Coop Cups

Entertaining Your Parrot: Toys

Creating the Right Ambience: Bird Lighting

Setting Up the Cage

Considering Play Gyms and Stands

Lining Your Cage: Litter and Bedding

Covering the Cage: Nighttime Covers

Preventing Mess

Chapter 7: Bringing Home Birdy: Making Introductions and Parrot-Proofing Your Home

Making the First Night Stress Free (As Much As Possible)

Naming Your Bird

Thriving on Routine with Your New Parrot

Welcoming Your Parrot as a Family Member

Understanding the Relationship between Parrots and Children

Familiarizing Houseguests to Your Parrot

Parrot-Proofing Your Home

Part 3: Caring for Your Parrot

Chapter 8: Eating Like a Bird: Proper Parrot Nutrition

Starting with the Basics: Water

Recognizing a Parrot’s Dietary Requirements

Identifying Nutrition-Related Disorders

Comparing Seeds versus Pellets: The Big Debate

Eyeing What the Cooked Base Diet Is

Purchasing and Storing

Knowing Which Vegetables to Feed Your Parrot

Focusing on Fruit to Feed Your Feathered Friend

Being Aware of Pesticides

Giving Your Bird Snacks

Adding Table Foods to Your Bird’s Diet

Avoiding Toxic and Irritating Foods

Considering Grit and Clay

Contemplating Nutritional Supplements

Feeding Nectar Eaters

Getting a Parrot to Eat

Making Some Easy Recipes

Creating a Healthy Diet Routine

Chapter 9: Pretty Bird! Grooming Your Companion

Examining What Your Bird Fusses All about: Feathers

Clipping Your Parrot’s Wings

Clipping Your Bird’s Wings Properly: The How-To

Clipping Your Parrot’s Toenails

Grooming the Beak

Bathing Your Parrot

Caring for Molting Parrots

Dealing With Blood Feathers

Chapter 10: Taking Care of Your Parrot: In Sickness and in Health

Taking a Closer Look at a Parrot’s Anatomy

Recognizing Indications of Illness

Choosing an Avian Veterinarian

Identifying Common Health Disorders

Being Aware of and Preventing Common Dangers to Companion Parrots

Caring for an Older Parrot

Handling an Emergency

Medicating Your Parrot

Creating a Hospital Cage

Creating a Parrot First-Aid Kit

Part 4: Parrot Behavior Made Simple

Chapter 11: Understanding Your Wild Child’s Instincts

Looking At a Daily Life of Parrots in the Wild

Appreciating the Plight of Wild-Caught Parrots

Understanding Your Parrot’s Instincts

Chapter 12: Recognizing Normal Companion Parrot Behaviors

Examining Your Parrot’s Most Natural Behavior — Flying

Heading to the Heavens — Climbing

Hanging Out on the Ground — Foraging

Gnawing to His Heart’s Content — Chewing

Staying Completely Still — Freezing

Chatting Up a Storm — Vocalization

Differentiating between Beak Clicking and Clucking

Getting Clean and Looking Pretty — Preening

Clearing His Ears — Yawning

Hearing Your Parrot — Beak Grinding

Bobbing Up and Down to Say, “I Love You” — Regurgitation

Cleaning His Face — Beak Wiping

Considering Different Tail Behaviors

Exhibiting Breeding Behavior

Being Annoyed with Their Cage Mate — Bickering

Identifying Eating Habits

Rub a Dub Dub — Bathing

Taking a Nap — Sleeping

Getting Rid of Dirt and Itches — Scratching

Achoo! Bless You — Sneezing

Warning You to Back Off — Nipping

Reading Body Language

Recognizing When Your Parrot Is Training You

Chapter 13: Handling More Than One Bird: Multiple Parrot Households

Keeping More Than One Parrot: The Pros and Cons

Interpreting Different Parrot Interactions

Introducing a New Parrot

Wondering Why Everyone Just Can’t Get Along

Changing Your Relationship

Chapter 14: Addressing Behavior: When Good Birds Go Bad

Figuring Out the Problem

Understanding Dominance

Socializing One-Person Parrots

Dealing With a Screaming Parrot

Handling Bad Words and Sounds

Taking a Chunk out of You: Biting

Addressing Fears and Phobias

Identifying and Handling Hormonal Issues

Pulling Out Her Plumes — Feather Plucking

Figuring Out What’s Bugging Your Bird

Helping or Hurting: Why Your Actions Are Important

Hiring a Behavior Consultant

Considering the Last Resort: Rescue and Adoption

Part 5: Taming, Training, and Beyond

Chapter 15: Bird Brains: Understanding Parrot Intelligence

Taking a Closer Look at Mr. Smarty Pants … er, Feathers

Studying What Parrots Really Understand

Introducing Alex the Amazing Grey

Helping Your Bird Understand You

Teaching Your Parrot to Converse

Comprehending Why Parrots Talk

Chapter 16: Taming and Training Your Parrot

Beginning Training When Your Parrot Is Young

Understanding the Importance of Socializing Your Parrot

Bonding with Your Parrot

Praising Your Bird: Positive Reinforcement Goes a Long Way

Considering Different Training Strategies

Teaching the Step-Up Command

Taming a Bronco Parrot

Disciplining a Parrot

Considering Some Simple Fun Behaviors You Can Teach

Potty Training Your Parrot: Is It Even Possible?

Teaching Your Parrot to Talk

Chapter 17: Taking Your Training to the Next Level: Advanced Techniques

Determining Whether Your Bird Learn Advanced Skills

Getting Started on the Right Foot

Implementing Preference Training

Incorporating a Target into Your Training

Adding Colors to Your Training Regimen

Differentiating between Yes and No

Developing Your Bird’s Vocabulary

Playing Games with Your Parrot

Training How to Count

Handling Wrong Answers

Chapter 18: Breeding Parrots

Taking Heed: A Warning Before You Begin

Having Realistic Expectations When Breeding

Getting Started: Breeding with Paired Parrots

Recognizing What Breeding Equipment You Need

Meeting Nutritional Requirements When Breeding

Understanding the Breeding Process: A Timeline

Incubating Eggs When the Parent Parrots Aren’t Interested

Using Leg Bands — A Bird’s ID Tag

Handfeeding Baby Parrots

Weaning Baby Parrots

Parrot Genetics 101 — Just the Basics

Chapter 19: In the Ring: Showing Your Parrot

Being Wary — Words of Warning for Showing

Looking into Parrot Clubs and Societies

Walking You Through How a Bird Show Works

Knowing the Show Standard

Looking at Different Show Equipment

Conditioning Your Bird for a Show

Preparing Your Bird: Show Training

Helping Out at the Show

Part 6: The Part of Tens

Chapter 20: Ten Things All Parrots Should Know

Understand the Step-Up Command

Comprehend Stick Training

Know Her Carrier

Identify Windows and Mirrors

Say Her Name and Phone Number

Recognize Her Cage As a Safety Zone

Know How to Take Medicine

Be Able to Trust You

Eat Well

Understand the Word “No!”

Chapter 21: Ten Ways to Entertain Your Parrot

Feeding Him — Food

Entertaining Your Bird — You’re the Star

Stimulating Your Parrot’s Mind — Parrot Toys

Turning on the TV and Some Music

Spending Time Outside — The Great Outdoors

Letting Him Spread His Wings — Flying

Shaking Your Groove Thang — Dancing

Belting at the Top of Your Lungs — Singing

Introducing a Friend — Parrot Pets

Training Him Different Tricks

Chapter 22: Ten (or So) Tips When Traveling with Your Parrot

Being Prepared — Packing Your Parrot’s Suitcase

Thinking Safety and Comfort — Bringing the Right Carrier

Hitting the Friendly Skies — Traveling by Air

Taking a Road Trip — Traveling by Car

Keeping Your Bird Hydrated — Bringing Bottled Water

Sleeping for the Night — Staying in a Hospitable Hotel

Feeding Your Bird — Helpful Travel Tips

Dealing with an Emergency — Finding an Avian Veterinarian on the Road

Relying on Help — Using a Parrot Sitter

Chapter 23: Ten Surprises for Parrot Guardians and How to Respond to Them

Handling the Inevitable Mess

Being Ready for the Noise

Feeling Guilty

Requiring Constant Supervision

Preparing to Open Your Wallet — The Expense

Bonding with You … to an Extreme

Seeing How Funny Parrots Are around Mirrors

Recognizing How Smart Parrots Are

Figuring Out Who Inherits Your Parrot When You Die — Estate Planning

Being Prepared for the Unexpected — When Your Parrot Dies

Index

About the Author

Supplemental Images

Connect with Dummies

End User License Agreement

List of Tables

Chapter 8

TABLE 8-1: Vegetables to Feed Your Parrot

TABLE 8-2: Fruit to Feed Your Parrot

Chapter 9

TABLE 9-1 Pros and Cons of Clipping

List of Illustrations

Chapter 1

FIGURE 1-1: These tame budgies are wonderful companions and are as close to off...

FIGURE 1-2: Parrots have some funny behaviors, like this caique eating a big co...

FIGURE 1-3: Baby parrots are ugly-cute, but breeding them is best left to peopl...

Chapter 2

FIGURE 2-1: This wild, green-winged macaw not only enjoys flying — it also

need

...

FIGURE 2-2: Parrots can be lot of work, but they’re worth it.

FIGURE 2-3: When humans truly understand and respect parrots, a positive relati...

Chapter 3

FIGURE 3-1: Umbrella cockatoos have large, all-white head crests.

Chapter 4

FIGURE 4-1: This untamed Amazon parrot pair was adopted, and his new owner love...

Chapter 5

FIGURE 5-1: Stainless steel is thought to be the premium caging material.

FIGURE 5-2: The guardians of these macaws have built them a very large habitat ...

Chapter 6

FIGURE 6-1: Many parrots love playing with elaborate toys such as this rope geo...

FIGURE 6-2: This combo swing and ladder is made of soft wood that these poiceph...

FIGURE 6-3: This play gym is stocked with lots of toys, giving these parrots so...

FIGURE 6-4: This baby eclectus’s owner had to get creative to prevent mess.

Chapter 7

FIGURE 7-1: Spend quality time with your bird by petting him, talking gently to...

FIGURE 7-2: Supervise your dog and parrot at all times.

FIGURE 7-3: Kids and birds can have a great relationship as long as there’s adu...

Chapter 8

FIGURE 8-1: A parrot’s digestive system is more complicated than a human’s.

Chapter 9

FIGURE 9-1: This poicephalus parrot enjoys supervised flight.

FIGURE 9-2: Proper toweling technique used for clipping and examination.

FIGURE 9-3: Proper wing-clipping technique.

FIGURE 9-4: Proper toenail-clipping technique.

FIGURE 9-5: Most parrots, like this caique, don’t need much more encouragement ...

FIGURE 9-6: There’s more than one way to bathe a parrot.

FIGURE 9-7: Note the pin-feather sheaths peeking out from under the feathers in...

Chapter 10

FIGURE 10-1: The typical feather is made up of thousands of interlocking parts....

FIGURE 10-2: Parrots’ zygodactyl feet make for good grasping and climbing.

FIGURE 10-3: A parrot’s beak is made of two parts: the upper and lower mandible...

FIGURE 10-4: An overgrown beak can indicate malnutrition or mites.

FIGURE 10-5: Plucking can indicate illness rather than frustration as with this...

FIGURE 10-6: When you visit the avian veterinarian, be sure to take your bird t...

Chapter 11

FIGURE 11-1: In South America, wild macaws like this blue and gold regularly vi...

FIGURE 11-2: A sleeping cockatoo.

FIGURE 11-3: Parrots are natural acrobats. Their feet are built for climbing an...

Chapter 12

FIGURE 12-1: Nesting mated pairs and parents feeding chicks regurgitate for eac...

FIGURE 12-2: This sun conure, nanday conure, and caique are preening each other...

FIGURE 12-3: Birds flap their wings to get some exercise.

FIGURE 12-4: Raising the head crest can mean excitement, fear, and joy, among o...

FIGURE 12-5: This African grey is in attack stance.

FIGURE 12-6: This Amazon parrot is in full display.

Chapter 13

FIGURE 13-1: Two buddies.

FIGURE 13-2: Unlikely buddies.

FIGURE 13-3: Even though these ringnecks are the same species, their interactio...

Chapter 14

FIGURE 14-1: These parrots are displaying aggression and/or territoriality towa...

Chapter 16

FIGURE 16-1: This Goffin’s cockatoo enjoys a nice under-wing rub.

FIGURE 16-2: A scratch under the chin is a great way to bond with your bird.

FIGURE 16-3: Trick training can be good bonding time for you and your bird.

Chapter 17

FIGURE 17-1: You can use foam letters to help your birds learn the alphabet and...

FIGURE 17-2: Even highly trained birds can be naughty sometimes.

FIGURE 17-3: Jennifer uses note cards to help her birds learn the concepts of

y

...

FIGURE 17-4: Teaching math is a highly advanced skill, but doable for most bird...

Chapter 18

FIGURE 18-1: A hatchling’s egg tooth.

FIGURE 18-2: This parent budgie is very protective of its fluffy babies.

FIGURE 18-3: The baby at five days.

FIGURE 18-4: The same baby at nearly a month old.

FIGURE 18-5: The same baby at about six weeks old.

FIGURE 18-6: The same baby at about ten weeks of age.

FIGURE 18-7: The same baby at three and a half months old.

FIGURE 18-8: This little parrotlet is still a chick, but it won’t get much larg...

Chapter 19

FIGURE 19-1: The cockatiel standard.

Guide

Cover

Title Page

Copyright

Table of Contents

Begin Reading

Index

About the Author

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Introduction

Welcome to Parrots For Dummies, Second Edition, a detailed guide to parrothood. Get ready to dive into the wonderful world of parrots … and the not-so-wonderful world of parrots. Though a parrot may seem like the perfect pet, you’ll see that parrots aren’t even pets at all, but wild companions to be respected, catered to, and cared for with extreme attention to detail. I wrote every sentence in this book with the human/parrot relationship in mind. I know, that might sound over-the-top now, but keep reading, and I promise that you’ll understand.

About This Book

Parrot care and behavior can be baffling. Most of it is counterintuitive because human intuition doesn’t work well with parrots. You have to learn what they need and want, because recognizing those things aren’t in your natural hard-wiring. You’re programmed to read subtle cues in other humans and even in some other mammals, but not so with parrots. But when you live with parrots long enough, and you take the time to understand them, your human intuition shifts, and you begin to think using their modes and standards.

In this new edition, I add some new and updated information about the following:

How to teach your bird to know colors, to count, and maybe even read

How to communicate with your parrot on a higher level

How to make a parrot piñata for your bird to play with and destroy

Ten things that may surprise new parrot guardians

Updated nutrition advice and meal plans

You can read more about the following topics here to discover more tips and tricks to being a parrot guardian:

The lowdown on different parrot species and which type of feathered pal is right for you:

From the tiny parrotlet to the giant macaws, you have a lot to choose from. I also help you figure out where and how to purchase or adopt your bird.

The practical nitty-gritty of sharing your home with a parrot:

You can find what you need to know on providing parrot housing and accessories, bringing a parrot home, parrot-proofing your home, and properly interacting with your parrot from day one.

The care for your parrot:

Parrot nutrition, grooming, and health care are important topics.

The ways parrots behave:

Parrot behavior isn’t simple. Parrots do the funny and odd things that tend to baffle guardians. Read about normal and abnormal companion parrot behaviors, as well as advice for living in a multiple-parrot household.

The ins and outs of taming and training and more:

No matter whether you’re a new parrot guardian or an expert parrot guardian, you can find some strategies for beginning and more advanced training your bird. You can also find out more about breeding and showing your birds in bird shows.

Getting inside the mind of your parrot is important. It’s not going to happen the other way around. I have had parrots nearly all of my life (for all my adult life), having bred them, rescued them, gone through just about every avian illness and injury with them, tamed and trained them, and lived with them as companions and friends. I worked in pet shops for most of my teens and early 20s, and managed an all-bird shop for a while. I learned a lot in those years, dealing with just about every species you can mention, and my personal flock grew as I took in many homeless parrots.

I became heavily involved in large and small bird clubs in my area and even wrote a newsletter for one of them for a couple of years. I had wonderful “birdy mentors” in those days, people who had been involved with birds for decades. I kept myself in the birdy loop, reading everything I could on the topic (and still do). My whole life was birds. Eventually, I became a birdy mentor too, and started my avian behavior and care consulting practice.

I use he and she interchangeably in this book when referring to parrots. I didn’t want to settle on one pronoun, because both are commonly used in the parrot community. (Parrot guardians sometimes even use it.) In general, people usually assign a gender to their parrot when they first get it, usually starting with a name, and then they use the corresponding pronoun. This can backfire, however. Case in point is my African grey parrot, Hope, who turned out be male after I confirmed his gender with a DNA test. I mention this particular bird quite a bit in this book.

Foolish Assumptions

I wrote this book assuming any of following about you, my dear reader:

You’re considering getting a parrot and you’re doing your birdy homework.

You a new parrot guardian and are looking for all the basic information to get started.

You’ve been a parrot guardian for a while and want to find some valuable tips and information.

No matter how much experience you have, I give you some sophisticated methods of parrot care, taming, and training. So whether you’re parrotless for the moment or you have a whole flock, this book is for you.

Icons Used in This Book

Every For Dummies book has pictures in the margins called icons that help you navigate the text of this book, and this one is no different. Here’s the lowdown on what each icon means:

Gives you practical information that you can put into practice right away.

This icon tips you off to dangers to your parrot’s health and safety. Please heed these warnings.

Here’s where I repeat important information, generally for clarification. This is good info to tuck away as you become more involved with your parrot.

Where to Go from Here

Chapter 1 is a good place to begin if you want to get a solid overview of the rest of the book so that you know what to look for as you read. If you want to dive right into things, start with Chapter 2. If you’re looking for something in particular, the table of contents is a quick reference to a basic section. For a much more thorough reference, check out the index. You can also go to www.dummies.com and search for “Parrots For Dummies Cheat Sheet” to access some other helpful information.

Part 1

Introducing the Parrot — Your Wild Child

IN THIS PART …

Discover the essentials of what it’s like to live with a parrot if you’re considering welcoming one in your home.

Find out what you can expect from parrot guardianship.

Uncover the important characteristics and details on the variety of the more popular parrot species.

Recognize how to choose the best parrot species for you, your family, and your living arrangements.

Chapter 1

Meeting the Parrots, Just the Basics

IN THIS CHAPTER

Announcing the parrots

Creating a good parrot home

Reflecting a bit on parrot behavior

Becoming friends with your parrot

Welcome to the wonderful world of parrots. It may be wonderful, but it’s not utopia. There’s a lot to know and a lot to do in order to make a parrot happy and keep him healthy in the average home. This chapter gives you an overview of this entire book and shows you where to look for the important information you’ll need to get started with parrots.

Introducing the Parrots

If parrots were human, they’d be supermodels. They’d want their spring water and their carrot sticks, and they’d want them now. Parrots are beautiful, temperamental creatures that need a lot of handling from a good manager — that’s you, the parrot’s guardian — to make sure they’re cared for properly (see Figure 1-1). It’s in the fine print of the parrot’s contract: You’ll do the bird’s bidding, and you won’t ask any questions.

Photo by Priscilla Schmidt

FIGURE 1-1: These tame budgies are wonderful companions and are as close to officially domesticated as parrots get.

Well, doing the bird’s bidding sounds a little un-fun, doesn’t it? I don’t mean that you’re the bird’s servant, though it can sometimes feel that way. What I mean is that parrots have a lot of requirements that need to be met or else. The or else means high veterinary bills, a very unhappy parrot, and perhaps even a dead bird. The or else isn’t a place you want to go.

You have to feed the parrot right, house him right, and give him your full and total attention. You have to provide him with toys, friends, things to do, health care, and everything else he needs. A parrot is a complicated companion, far more so than a dog or cat. If you read this book cover to cover, you’ll have a great handle on how to properly care for your bird.

From pet to companion

The first and most important thing to know about parrots is that they’re not like other pets. They’re companions. Rather than being the owner, you’re the guardian. This is the vocabulary I use throughout this book. The language you use to describe other people is how you perceive and relate to them, and the same goes for the language you use to describe the animals in your life. You can find out more about all of this in Chapter 2.

MASTERING SOME BIRD LINGO

Here’s some lingo you might see or hear in bird circles. Most of these definitions apply to the bird world:

Birb: A playful internet nickname for birds, mostly used online for videos or photos of birds behaving silly or cute. According to www.knowyourmeme.com, the first example of the word used online was on Twitter in 2012.Borb: Chunky bird.Fids: Feathered kids.Floof: Fluffy bird.Hooman: What a birb might call you.Parront: The hooman guardian of a birb.Seeb: Bird seed.Scritches: A combo of scratches and itches, used when you gently pet a bird’s head or face, usually against the feather growth.Smol birb: An adorably tiny bird.

I use some of these terms throughout the book.

A little bit of wilderness

Having a parrot in your home is like bringing a little bit of the rainforest, grasslands, or plains inside. A parrot is a wild animal and always will be, no matter where the parrot lives. When you live with a parrot, you have the unique responsibility of caring for a truly natural (not human manipulated) creature, one that hasn’t been domesticated in any way. Captive parrots and wild parrots share the exact same instincts, developed over millions of years of evolution to keep them safe and help them find food, shelter, a mate, and rear babies. See Chapter 11 for more details on how instincts inform your parrot’s behavior.

Some parrots are indeed easier to care for than others. Which parrot you choose should depend on how much space and time you have. There’s never really enough time in the day to give a larger parrot the attention he wants because a parrot that’s bonded to you will want to hang out with you all day, the way he would with a mate in the wild. Smaller parrots, such as parakeets and lovebirds, are often kept happily in pairs, which is a great option when you can’t interact with your bird enough. Large parrots love each other’s company as well. Because parrots are social, flock-oriented animals, they tend to like to be together. Chapter 3 gives you the lowdown on which parrot species might be right for you (as in Figure 1-2). Chapter 4 shows you how to choose a healthy parrot from the right kind of place.

Photo by Shari Markowitz

FIGURE 1-2: Parrots have some funny behaviors, like this caique eating a big cookie with one foot.

Home Tweet Home: Welcoming a Parrot into Your Home

The average home must be modified to accommodate a parrot, whether it’s a little budgie or a large macaw. You have to parrot-proof your home the way you’d kid-proof it for toddlers. Parrots can get into even more trouble than toddlers, because not only can a parrot open the cupboard under the sink, but he can also get up to the cupboard above the refrigerator. He can eat through drywall, pick at the chipping paint near the window, and dunk itself in the toilet. He can get outside and never come back again. Parrot-proofing is crucial. See Chapter 7 for parrot-proofing ideas.

Making birdy comfortable

After you’ve parrot-proofed, you have to find acceptable housing for your bird. In parrot circles, the idiom bigger is better is applied to bird cages, aviaries, and habitats. Birds are meant to fly, so it’s great if you can offer a safe flying space. Flying is essential for healthy respiratory, muscular, and skeletal systems.

Where you place the bird’s housing is also crucial. Parrots like a secure spot close to a wall, out of drafts, and in a room where there’s a lot of traffic. A parrot relegated to the garage or back room is a lonely and miserable bird. Chapter 5 gives you lots of housing do’s and don’ts.

Parrot paraphernalia

After you decide on housing, you need a lot of parrot paraphernalia. Fortunately, manufacturers of birdy stuff have gotten incredibly creative over the years, and a cornucopia of parrot accessories are out there that will make your bird more comfortable, give him things to do, and perhaps even save his life. Check out Chapter 6 for your parrot shopping guide.

Parrot Care 101: Taking Care of Your Bird

There’s a lot more to know about parrot care than tossing some seed and water into a cage and hoping for the best. Much research has been done on parrot health and nutrition in the last three decades, bringing parrot people to a new level of awareness and allowing parrots to live longer, healthier lives. Though some species of parrots are long-lived, some with a lifespan of more than 80 years, most don’t even live past a decade. The information throughout this book shows you how to ensure that your parrot lives out his full lifespan. Most people think that budgies (parakeets) only live a few years. With the proper care, budgies can actually live to be well over 15.

The following sections highlight health care and nutrition — two areas important for taking care of your bird.

Health care

Parrots are complex organisms that have very different systems than humans do. Common household items that don’t bother humans at all can kill a bird instantly. For example, the fumes from nonstick cookware, avocadoes, and aerosol sprays are deadly for birds. By far the most deadly thing for birds, however, is lack of proper health care. Getting your parrot to an avian veterinarian is crucial to keeping your bird healthy and alive. Check out Chapter 10 for more information on illness. While you’re at it, delve into more health tips in Chapter 9.

Nutrition

One of the most deadliest things for most parrots is poor nutrition. A parrot that’s suffering from vitamin and mineral deficiency has a weakened immune system and is susceptible to many diseases and ailments, not to mention behavioral problems. Read Chapter 8 for a lot of good tips on proper parrot nutrition.

Parrot Behavior: Checking How Your Bird Acts

It’s too bad parrots don’t come with owner’s manuals — well, until now. You’ve got a great one in your hand. But as with just about everything, you’re going to discover more about parrot behavior by trial and error. If your parrot bites you, hopefully you’ll figure out what caused the bite and won’t repeat the events leading up to the incident. Chapter 11 gives you some insight into wild parrot behavior and why your bird behaves the way he does.

These sections examine what you need to know when your parrot is acting like a typical parrot and what to you need to know when your parrot is driving you nuts.

Normal behaviors

Some behaviors that seem really odd are actually quite typical. You can’t try to understand parrots by using human intuition. It’s very easy to anthropomorphize parrots, giving them human qualities. They definitely do some things that seem quite human, but for the most part, the things they do are all part of a complex communication that’s really designed for other parrots. From body language to vocalization, your parrot’s behaviors all mean something. The key is to get inside that feathered head and figure out what the parrot is trying to tell you. Check out Chapter 12 for more on normal parrot behavior, body language, and vocalization. Chapter 15 is all about parrot intelligence and will help you understand your feathered pal as well.

The parrot monster

Some of the behaviors that are normal for parrots can be annoying or baffling to their human guardians — screaming, biting, beak banging — they’re enough to make a human guardian pull her own hair out. Because parrots aren’t really meant to be kept inside a home, they can come up with some terrible behaviors due to frustration and loneliness, such as feather plucking and loud vocalization. Chapter 14 fills you in on how to handle birds gone wild and gives you options for getting help.

Parrot Pals: Socializing with Your Bird

Most people want a tame, hands-on parrot companion. Some people do have watching only birds (birds that you don’t handle, but enjoy in an aviary or flight cage), generally the smaller parrots, but when referring to the medium to large parrots, many guardians seem to be looking for a friend. That’s great, actually, because parrots bond well to gentle, kind humans who have their best interest at heart and behave accordingly. But remember, you can’t just intend to do right by your parrot — you actually have to walk the walk — and sometimes a parrot simply doesn’t want to be befriended. This section takes a closer look at socializing with your parrot and breeding birds.

Making friends with your parrot

Most relationships go bad when expectations exceed actuality. In a parrot/human relationship, it’s usually the parrot that loses, which is pretty tragic for him. Check out Chapter 16 for advice and step-by-step tips on taming and training that will help you make good friends with your parrot and help you have the correct expectations. This chapter helps you discover how to create trust and a lasting bond with your bird. Chapter 17 goes above and beyond standard training to show you how to train your parrot to read and to communicate on a more human level.

Breeding parrots: Use caution

Breeding parrots isn’t a great idea for a variety of good reasons:

Way too many parrots already are homeless, most in shelters or sanctuaries that are full to capacity.

Breeding birds is a risky business. Your veterinary bills will likely far exceed any money you make, and you put your parent birds in danger of illness and death, not to mention how delicate the babies are.

The endeavor is one of the most time-consuming things you’ll ever undertake.

That said, some of the smaller birds, such as budgies, lovebirds, and cockatiels, have a healthy following of hobbyists who do breed them for show (refer to Figure 1-3). Note: There’s a shortage of good homes for parrots, so check out a local parrot rescue organization before you breed your birds. If you’re interested in this, or you just want to find out how your parrot came to be, check out Chapter 17.

Photo by Mary Jo Yarberry

FIGURE 1-3: Baby parrots are ugly-cute, but breeding them is best left to people who are experienced.

A Caveat to the Wise

Hundreds of books about parrot care and behavior are available, and you can find thousands of websites offering tips and advice. Everyone has a slightly different way of doing things and a slightly different parrot philosophy. There are different parrot camps, each with its own intense convictions. I try my best here to offer you a variety of viewpoints. Mainly, I focus on what has been successful for me all these years working with parrots, both my own and those of my clients in my care and behavior practice.

You’re not going to find absolutely everything you need to know about parrots in this book. This book is a great primer to get you started, and even intermediate and advanced parrot people will find a lot of valuable information here. In any case, you’re going to run into situations that you may not know how to handle, and perhaps you’ll remember something from this book that will help you deal with the problem, or at least point you to a good reference where you can find some solutions.

Chapter 2

Knowing What to Expect with Your Companion Parrot

IN THIS CHAPTER

Loving parrot guardianship

Considering the details before buying a parrot

Making your parrot happy

Gathering data on what a companion parrot expects

The reason this chapter isn’t called “Knowing What to Expect from Your Companion Parrot” is because it’s your job as the human to make your parrot’s life great, not the other way around. I want you to be more interested in what the parrot wants out of life than what you want from the parrot.

Yes, parrots do add a lot to their humans’ lives — friendship, music, color, company, humor, love, and great photo fodder for an Instagram account — and though I don’t want you to think of the relationship as one-sided, I do want to stress that the one with the opposable thumbs is pretty much accountable for the one with the feathers. This chapter discusses what your parrot expects from you and why those things are important to having a good relationship with your avian friend.

Defining a Companion Parrot

All parrots, no matter where they live — whether in a rain forest, desert, grassland, or in your living room — are still wild and have the same needs. Parrots aren’t cows or even dogs or cats for that matter.

Parrots aren’t domesticated. They still have all their wild instincts intact. They don’t rely on people for survival unless they’re kept in captivity and have no choice. It’s kind of like keeping a whale in a backyard swimming pool. Sure, someone can feed the whale, clean the water, and love the animal, but it’s still a wild animal with wild-animal needs, and its life isn’t really going to be complete and healthy.

I’m not trying to make you feel guilty here. Remember, I have parrots in my home too. I love them and feed them and clean their housing. But do they have everything they’d have in the wild? Nope. Not even close. It doesn’t make me a bad parrot guardian, it just makes me … well, a parrot guardian. That’s the situation companion parrots have been given. It’s too bad for them that they’re so beautiful and intelligent. If they weren’t, most people wouldn’t want to keep them, and they’d probably be better off. Check out Figure 2-1 to see a wild parrot in its element.

Photo by Bonnie Zimmerman

FIGURE 2-1: This wild, green-winged macaw not only enjoys flying — it also needs to fly for survival.

PARROTS AND DOMESTICATION: NOT YET

Bear with me for a moment. Somewhere around 9000 B.C., people realized that they could get more from wild cows than just meat and began milking them. Eventually, through selective breeding, the cow became what it is today — a docile creature that some humans use for meat, milk, and leather. There are more than a thousand different breeds of cattle. Some produce a lot of milk, and some are very lean. This process is called domestication. The same was done with dogs, which is why the Pug and the German Shepherd look and behave so differently. Other animals, such as horses, cats, sheep, and pigs, have also gone through the domestication process.

The process of domestication, which takes many years, hasn’t been realized in parrots. They don’t really “help” from mankind the way cows and dogs do, so not a lot of effort has been put into making parrot species into breeds. The closest thing to a domesticated parrot is the English budgie. This large version of the native Australian budgie isn’t found in the wild. It was bred to be large and have certain features. A budgie society in England sometime in the early 20th century decided that being big was an asset, and so they bred big budgies to other big budgies, and eventually the English budgie became its own breed. Like the dog, it’s different just because people encouraged it to be that way through breeding practices. However, this bird still behaves like and has the same needs as its smaller wild cousins.

Just Being Themselves

There are some lovely ways to keep parrots that allow them to be themselves and get more of what they need in captivity. In the past few decades, zoos around the world have been exchanging their philosophy of small cages for natural habitats. It’s clearly far better for any captive animal to have as much wilderness as possible. For parrots, that includes a safe place to fly. In fact, flying is the healthiest activity for parrots. Let parrots just be themselves (see Figure 2-2).

A cage is a synthetic environment for parrots. They know as well as you do that they aren’t supposed to be living their life in a closely confined area. Being a creature of boundless space is in the parrot’s DNA. A lot of private parrot guardians have managed to allow their birds to enjoy a natural setting. Smaller parrots do great in an aviary setting where they can fly. Larger parrots need a much larger place to fly, so you’d have to have substantial space and funds to create a secure and practical area for a larger bird to exercise its right to flight.

Source: 123 RF, Sarah Richardson

FIGURE 2-2: Parrots can be lot of work, but they’re worth it.

Before you throw up your hands and toss this book into your parrot’s cage for use as a shredding toy, let me say that I have cages for my parrots. I’m also an advocate for free flight and habitats. I’m realistic in that not everyone is going to create a habitat for their parrots, though it would be great if everyone could. I’m not going to tell you not to get a parrot unless you can build a flying space or aviary, because most people reading this book probably already have one or more parrots. I simply have a responsibility to tell you how to properly use both options. Chapter 5 discusses parrot housing in greater detail.

Recognizing the Joys of Parrot Guardianship

Living with a parrot can enrich your life and bring you lots of joy. They’re wonderful companions, but they’re nothing like dogs and cats. They don’t have a pack hierarchy, as do dogs, and they don’t consider themselves rulers of all they see, as do many cats.

Most parrots expect to be treated as equals. They don’t like to be talked down to or shoved aside as just another thing in the house. That attitude is part of the joy of having a parrot in your home. You can truly be friends with a parrot as equals. Here are some things that a parrot offers its human guardians:

Parrots are relatively long-lived, depending on the species.

Parrots offer some joyful noise to a household. Well, joyful to certain ears, in any case.

Parrots talk. Depending on the species, you can carry on a simple conversation, even one based on clicks and whistles.

Parrots are intelligent, allowing you to really have a friendly relationship based on being equals, not on a hierarchy.

Parrots are beautiful and funny, giving you a lot of shareable photo and video opportunities. #birb #sillybirb #lovebirb

Parrots give you social opportunities to meet and engage with other parrot people.

Pondering Important Points about Buying or Adopting a Parrot

Becoming a friend to your parrot isn’t difficult if you take its needs and its psychology into consideration. You can’t expect the bird to do this for you, so you have to get into parrot mode to come to a mutual understanding. The workings of your parrot’s birdy brains are different than yours. As predators, humans have reactions to certain stimuli that are much different than those of prey animals, such as birds, and so communicating with birds isn’t intuitive for people. Most of the time it’s counterintuitive, which means that you have to figure out how to do it because the behavior doesn’t come to you naturally. I talk more about this in Chapter 11. For the moment, this section discusses some things that make a regular human into a spectacular bird pal.

Recognizing who’s getting the parrot

The first consideration before even thinking about getting a parrot is: Who’s going to take full responsibility for its nutrition, veterinary care, housing, basic care, and attention? A parrot of any size shouldn’t be bought on a whim. You have to consider whether you’re the right person for this particular bird. Do your homework, and look at the personality traits of each species before making your decision. A bird isn’t a good impulse purchase.

For example, take two birds of relatively similar size: a sun conure and a caique. The conure is persistently noisier and the caique is beakier (uses its beak to test out the world, which would include your fingers). They’re both equally beautiful. Which one you choose has everything to do with what you can handle as a guardian.

Answering why you want a parrot

Just because a parrot is easy to shove inside a cage and close the door on doesn’t mean it’s an easy companion. Sure, it doesn’t need to be walked, but a parrot’s care is actually a whole lot more complex than a dog’s care. Speaking as someone who lives with, trains, and writes a lot about dogs, I can vouch for that. In the time it takes to make the food for the parrots every morning, I could walk the dogs, give both of them a bath, and play a hardy game of fetch. As it stands, the dogs just hang around in the kitchen waiting for some of the parrots’ food to fall. See Chapter 8 for more information on feeding your parrot properly.

If you’re getting a parrot because you can’t have a cat or dog, remember a bird isn’t a substitute companion. But if you really want a parrot and you know that you can deal with whatever comes up in the relationship and that you can offer proper care, then you’re on your way. If you really want a puppy but you settle for a parrot, you’re likely to be disappointed.

Factoring in the parrot’s personality

Parrots aren’t hatched sweet and tame. They’re hatched with a full set of instincts that tell them to flee from predators and danger and to fight back if threatened. It’s amazing then that they can adapt to the average human home. Just about everything humans do to parrots can be seen as threatening to a prey animal. Yet they accept people voluntarily if treated well and even come to think of some guardians as mates and flock members. As far as I know, marriages between human and parrot aren’t legal yet, but don’t tell that to the parrot in love.

Parrots require a lot of attention to remain as sweet as when they are babies. The wild-child part of a parrot’s personality does emerge if the bird is neglected. Some parrots — lovebirds, for example — will revert (become cantankerous and wild) if left without handling for only a few weeks, and even the bite from a small parrot, such as a lovebird, can be fierce.

The reason why parrot sanctuaries are overflowing with birds is because parrot personalities can change, often drastically, and sometimes overnight. Teenage and adult hormones can kick in, someone or something frightens the bird, or the bird is just a “little” neglected for just a “little” too long, and before you know it you have a beautiful barbarian on your hands.

When the biting starts, guardians usually become afraid of the parrot. The more afraid they are, the less trust the parrot has in them, and the parrot becomes fearful, which can show itself either as aggression or fleeing behavior. The parrot gets neglected even more and may begin screaming and plucking. It’s a nasty cycle.

At that point, many guardians decide to relegate the parrot to the basement or back room, give it away, or get it a mate, hoping that will help. The parrot gets shuffled from home to home, or it may land in a sanctuary. What could have been a great relationship wasn’t even given a chance. It’s certainly not the parrot’s fault. So, know ahead of time what you’re getting into with a parrot. The bottom line is, if you meet all of the parrot’s needs possible in captivity, its personality should be pretty constant (with the exception of breeding season, which I discuss in Chapter 17).

Contemplating the parrot’s home

If you don’t have room for very large housing for a very large parrot, don’t get one. Size down to what you do have room for. If you really want a macaw, but you don’t have a lot of space, consider a mini-macaw or an even smaller bird. A small bird in the largest space you can provide will be a lot happier than a large bird in the same area.

Parrots are hardwired to thrive in boundless space. See Chapter 5 for more information on how to best choose your parrot’s cage or habitat.

Going on vacation

Who’s going to take care of the parrot when you’re away? It’s not like a cat or dog. Most pet sitters are used to cats, dogs, hamsters, and the like. Birds don’t show their illnesses until it’s too late for someone unfamiliar with the bird to notice — usually, the bird is belly up in the cage by the time a pet sitter figures out that something’s wrong. You, as the bird’s guardian, will notice small changes in behavior or eating patterns that can indicate illness. You’ll also be able to detect changes in feather quality and in the droppings. Someone else watching the bird may not. I know people who never, ever take vacations or go out of town because they’re so worried about their birds. This is an extreme situation, however. If you choose a good parrot sitter, you should be able to leave town!

Of course, you can always take the parrot with you. I give you some good travel tips in Chapter 21, including finding a parrot sitter.

Remembering parrots have a longer lifespan

When considering welcoming a parrot into your home, be aware parrots have longer lifespans than other traditional pets. Some smaller parrots, such as parakeets and lovebirds, live about 15 years with proper care. The medium-sized parrots tend to live 20 to 30 years or more. Greys are said to live about 50 years, and Amazons more than 70. The larger birds, such as the large macaws and the cockatoos, have been known to live more than 80 years. A blue and gold macaw named Charlie, once thought to be owned by Winston Churchill (who taught the bird some choice language that will not be repeated here), is said to be 114 years old. Look for his story online. He’s remarkable.

Where will you be when your parrot is 15, 20, 50, or more? For a larger parrot, you’re going to have to consider who’s going to care for the bird when you can’t anymore. Leaving a legal trust for parrots is becoming popular these days. You’ll have to see a lawyer to draw up the necessary paperwork, and you’ll have to designate a trustee — someone who knows and loves your bird — as well as a sum of money for the trustee to receive for caring for your bird. That’s one other expense to think about when you’re tallying up your parrot financial bottom line. Refer to the section, “Estimating the costs of parrot ownership,” later in this chapter for other costs.

Dealing with allergies

Before you get a parrot, make sure that no one in the household is allergic. Some parrots — like cockatoos, cockatiels, and African greys — emit copious feather dust, which can trigger allergies in some people. However, these aren’t the only birds that cause allergies.

If you’re allergic, placing a good quality HEPA filter near your parrot’s housing can help, as can misting the parrot every other day or so with clean, warm water. Don’t use an ionic filter or ion setting near your bird, however, because they can cause respiratory problems (the same goes for humans).

Estimating the costs of parrot ownership

Speaking of the parrot total cost, parrots aren’t cheep … er, cheap. After the cost of the parrot itself, housing is the next most expensive proposition on the list and can be more costly than the parrot. Here are some basic costs:

Parrot:

$15 to $30,000

Housing: