TheTameParrot.com - Say “BYE” To Your Parrot Problems

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**QUESTION**

My wife and I have two Amazon yellow heads, one is 40 and the other is 20. Both are males and are different kind of yellow heads.

They go in and out of screaming modes, thanks for the advice.  We are trying to get them on a better path of behavior.

The younger bird Cyrano has started to pick the feathers out of the front of his neck. We have had him for 31/2 years before this behavior started. We have taken him to the Vet for a physical and advice.

We spray the birds with aloe Vera and water every day and they get weekly showers. We have changed their diets on the advice of the Vet and our bird groomer.

Cyrano will let the feathers on his neck get almost grown back and then he will pick them out during the night. The next week or so he seems to be in some pain from the picked area and the spot looks kind or irritated.

Do you have any other advice for us?

Thank you

Pat and Bob Young

**ANSWER**

If the vet has done a complete physical did that also include a CBC blood test?

And was this an avian vet?

There is a difference between regular vets and avian vets. Avian Vets are required to take more extensive training in Avian Medicine.

My concern is if he doesnt have a medical issue then have there been any different changes in the home? Such as a change in location of his cage or new changes in the home such as a new family member.

If the parrots owners are under stress and displaying negative feelings or arguments will cause the bird to stress out and it could cause behavioral problems and plucking at its feathers.

Its important to find what is causing his stress in order to stop the plucking.

Does he had toys him his cage? and if so does he have a favorite one or do you rotate the toys from time to time? How much time does he get out of his cage to play and socialize?

All of these are important, because boredom and frustration will also cause plucking. It just I do not see many pluckers in amazons as much as I do in cockatoos or african grays.

I personally would have to spend some time with him to pin point what he is feeling or bothering him.

***QUESTION***

I have always want a cockateil. My freind’s cockateil had babies and I received my “Precious boy” He is so cute. I recently have been able to feed him some seeds by placing them on a little stand in his cage. You see precious bites and I don’t know what to do to get him to stop. In order for me to give him the seeds on the stand, I tell him to go away and then I will give him the seed. He goes over to another perch and allows me to put the seed down on the stand and then I tell him to come and get his seeds and he does. We do this every day about three or four times. He also says hello. However when I go to touch him or get him to step up, he hisses and goes to bite me. Why?

I have Cerebral Palsy and sometimes my hand shakes could that be frightening him. Any suggestions, I certainly would appreciate them. Thanks, I love my “Precious” so much, he is such great company and we spent a lot of time together, I just want to be able to touch him without getting bite.

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Regards,

Judy Waller

***ANSWER***

I have yet to see a young baby bird that doesn’t bite or nibble, this is a much different reason to why older birds bite.

Baby birds remind me of puppies because they like to chew and nibble, they don’t know that it may hurt someone’s finger, but they are learning about the owner by taste and smell.

Now the actions of hisses and trying to bite sounds like the owner is putting her hand in his cage and that is a very normal reaction that most birds will do to their owners unless they trust their owner. A bird’s cage is their safety zone, and anything or anyone the intrudes into the cage will get that reaction.

If you could work with your bird in another room away from the cage you should be able to teach it not to bite, but it is also important to have the wings clipped so you would have better control of training the bird.

As for her Cerebral Palsy I don’t feel that is a major concern, because many birds and even other animals can sense health issues in people and they seem to undertand the person’s special needs.

The shakiness to the bird would be no different then the bird sitting on a rope perch or the wild birds that sit on power lines that can get shaky from the wind blowing.

I have taken many of my birds to special needs groups and it seems the birds just knew these people where special and there was a lot of TLC given to the people by my birds.

***QUESTION***

i have a 16week old galah cockatoo. brought her at 10weeks lod hand reared from a pet store, she is very loving but is starting to bite alot tawards me and my 3 girls when we all want to pick her up,or if we are playing with her, she has no proble stepping up to come to us when she feels like it or to come ut of her cage, but my biggest problem is when she is sitting on y shoder or o the floor playing she is really biting hard with all of us.i have tried the technieck of putting her in her cage when she bites and walking away and coming back 5 or 10 mins later to see if she has learnt her lesson, so il open the cage to pat her again and she loves her head rubbed but then all of a sudden she will bite again really hard. and yet other times she is so loving and gentle and still lets out that little baby bird sound and loves me patting and kissing her, and now all of a sudden she will just lunge out and peck me in the eye or my nose or face for no reason. how do i stop this befor she gets 2 rough.

Kim. Mosbey

***ANSWER***

At 16 weeks old it should be easy to break it quickly. My question is, when the bird bites what kind of a reaction is being given? Reacting verbally can be reinforcing him to bite more.

All baby birds go though their nipping and biting phase. I believe it is their way in trying to test their independence and try to show dominance over the family. As long as the family reacts it only feeds the bird to bite more.

The baby bird needs to know the handler is serious about the “no biting” rule.

From what Kim said about how her bird loves to be petted and love on and then to turn around and bite her shows that the bird is telling her “I am done with the hugs and kisses” and “I am the Boss - The Boss is always the handler of the bird”

The first thing I would do in breaking the biting is not to allow it on my shoulder. He would only be allowed on my hand or arm. Having it on her shoulder gives the bird too much control over the handler, and until he understands who “The Boss” is he will have to earn his place back on the shoulder.

Please post any questions or feedback you may have in the “comments” section below. Thanks!

Cockatiels are probably one of the most common pets that people will own. The certainly are one of the easiest to raise and train. But like any other pet, they require some patience.

You will never be able to train your cockatiel until you have gained its trust. Once the bird is used to you and its surroundings, it will learn quickly what you are trying to teach it.

GET IT AS A BABY

Cockatiels are most easily trained if you can get them when they are very young. That way, you will already have a good idea of their personality and attitudes. With an older bird, you will have to go a lot slower with the training. And if the bird came from a different owner, you have to wait for the bird to become adjusted to its new surroundings. If the bird was abused previously, that will make your job even harder.

Also note that if the bird has any health problems, he will not be easy to train. One common problem with Cockatiels is blood feathers. These are feathers that are not fully developed, and may have become infected. They will be painful if touched, and the last think your bird wants to do is be cuddled and played with. Therefore, do a quick inspection of your bird for any problems before you begin.

LET’S GET STARTED

Cockatiel training is going to involve a lot of repetitive routine. Therefore, try to set a schedule for when you are going to teach your bird. You will want to work with your bird two to three times a day for 15 minutes each session.

Start by getting the bird to be comfortable with your hand. It’s scary to have this large hand reach into your home, grab and secure you, and drag you out of your home! Do you remember your first school days? Yeah…it’s something like that. Birds don’t care for it either.

So begin training your cockatiel by reaching into the cage, but don’t touch the bird. Offer him a treat with your hand. Do not waive your had around, but hold it steady. After a short time he will learn your hand is not a threat.

Next, work on trying to get the bird out of the cage. Place your finder under the birds belly and press in, while giving the command “Step Up”. If the bird nips at you, firmly say “No Bite!” and repeat the exercise.

If the bird still refuses to step up, it may be better to remove it from the cage and try teaching in a different part of the house. Take a towel and capture the bird, wrapping the towel around it so the wings are secured. You can also use this method to secure the bird and hold it for several minutes. Gently talk to the bird while doing this to reassure him you are not a threat. Once away from the cage, continue to work with the “step up” command until he willingly stands on your finger.

After several day so this, you should be able to reach in and remove the bird without any difficulty.

>> My ebook, The Easy Parrot System goes into detail about training your pet birds. If you have a bird that bites, screams, or just will not behave, this book will give you a tremendous amount of information on fixing these behaviors. It’s written in an easy to understand, step-by-step approach to training. Check it out - http://www.thetameparrot.com/cb/

Living with a parrot can be challenging, rewarding, fun-filled, stressful, heartbreaking, nerve-wracking, and many other adjectives. Our parrot’s behavior is directly related to their interaction with us and how we care for our birds. Below are some tips for living comfortably with your pet parrot:

1. Don’t teach your bird to behave badly – Many parrot owners unknowingly teach their birds to behave badly. For example, you’re watching a movie on TV. Your parrot is on the other side of the room squawking loudly so you can’t hear what’s being said in the movie. You turn to your bird and shout “Shut up, Oscar!” Boom! You’ve just taught your bird that s/he can get your attention if s/he squawks loudly when you are watching TV. Completely ignoring the squawking will teach a parrot that the noise won’t get a reaction from you (hang in long enough for the bird to learn!). Turning up the TV volume won’t work because a parrot might squawk louder and louder until its voice can be heard above the TV volume. Be aware of your reaction to your bird’s behavior to ensure you aren’t teaching your bird the opposite of what you want her/him to learn, and also to ensure you don’t confuse your bird. A confused parrot may behave badly because s/he isn’t sure how to behave.

2. Rewarding (or not) – Always, always, reward positive (good) behavior immediately after the positive behavior. This means when your parrot steps up on your finger when you give the “step up” command, reward the bird with its favorite treat (just 1, not a dish full), pet the bird, or praise the bird. In some way, let your parrot know you are pleased with his/her behavior. Your bird will learn this is acceptable behavior. Never reward negative (bad) behavior. For example, your parrot is sitting on top of its cage and it’s time for bed. You ask your bird to “step up” and the bird tries to bite you. You pull your hand back and allow the bird to stay on top of its cage. Boom! You’ve just rewarded your bird for trying to bite you by allowing her/him to stay out. You’ve also taught your bird that biting results in the bird getting its own way. A reward to a bird can be eye-to-eye contact with you, a look from you, you covering its cage and other subtle reactions. When your bird tries to bite you or actually bites you when you are interacting, you should put your hand right back up to your bird and insist the bird step up in order to be put away. You may need to use a perch to get the bird inside its cage. Control your bird; don’t allow your bird to control you.

3. Healthy diet is key – A nutritious, healthy diet is key to your bird’s behavior, psychological (mental), and physiological (body) well being. A variety of nutritious food during a bird’s lifetime will help to ensure your bird stays healthy and happy. Good nutrition for a bird is no different than good nutrition for humans. Fast-food, fried foods, salt, sugar, caffeine, soda, chocolate, avocados, dairy products, and citrus seeds should not be fed to parrots. Raw, clean, pesticide-free vegetables are great, cooked beans/lentils, various fruits, multigrain/wholegrain foods like dry, sugarless cereals/breads, etc. , cooked brown rice, or any other types of food that are healthy and nutritious. Parrots can be finicky about their food, so you might have to try various shapes and sizes to find what suits your bird’s fancy! Piece size should be based on the parrot’s beak size, not the size of the bird. Also, some species of parrots don’t like particular types of foods and some parrots have specific dietary requirements which must be met, so research your particular bird’s species for this information. For example, a lot of parakeets and cockatiels don’t particularly care for fruit, and Lories require fruit, nectar, and pollen in their diets. An important tip about parrots and food – a parrot won’t eat something it doesn’t recognize as food. Therefore, keep offering the new food every day…the bird will eventually try it. To encourage your bird to try the new food, allow your bird to see you enjoying it!

4. Mental stimulation – An often overlooked part of keeping a parrot healthy is mental stimulation. Parrots are intelligent, some more than others. As a result, they need mental stimulation every day in order to stay psychologically fit. Provide challenging toys to fit the type of bird. A challenging toy would be one where, for example, the bird has to find the nut hidden inside; the bird has to open the lid to find the treat inside, a series of rings a parrot can climb through, etc. Many parrots enjoy music (or TV) when you’re away, but watch the type (they can learn to mimic what they hear)! Talk, play, and interact with your bird daily, particularly with cockatoos, macaws, and grays (not exclusively). Allow your parrot to be part of your flock (family)…your bird considers you (your family) his/her flock…by including him/her in as many things as possible with you in your home. Lack of mental stimulation can result in feather plucking, bad behavior, shortened lifespan, and a very unhappy bird.

5. Start with a tame bird – Most people confuse taming with training. Taming is the process of imprinting a parrot to humans so a bird is friendly. Training is the process of teaching a bird tricks, to step up/step down, to fly to you on command, etc. If you want a pet bird, one that doesn’t bite, that will sit on your finger or shoulder, and otherwise be a good companion, you have to start with a tame bird. Taming a bird begins by handfeeding when the bird is very young (about 10 days old). By handfeeding, a baby bird imprints on humans, resulting in a friendly (tame) bird. Once tame, daily human interaction has to occur or tameness can diminish. Don’t fall prey to many pet shop statements “you can start training it as soon as you get it home.” Taming takes much time, patience, and knowledge on the new bird owner’s part. Buy your just-weaned parrot from a reputable parrot breeder who handfeeds their baby parrots so you start with a tame bird. This isn’t to say all pet shops sell untamed birds…you have to do your homework and know what you’re buying. Most pet bird owners want tame birds they can handle right away, so seek out a parrot breeder or search pet shops carefully to find the tame, young bird you really want.

6. To breed or not to breed – It is a myth that parrots should be kept in pairs. The best pet bird is a single bird in the home. This means one parrot in the home can be tame and friendly, but when a second parrot is added, since birds prefer other birds to humans, some or all tameness can disappear. In most cases, one cannot keep pet parrots as breeders. In other words, a bonded pair of birds is either breeder birds or pet birds, but cannot be both. There are exceptions to the latter statement. In addition, if you don’t want baby birds, don’t buy a male and female of the same species and house them together. Baby birds may eventually result and/or the female may become an excessive egg-layer. Before you start thinking how nice it would be to have baby parrots, do some research to see if this would be something you’d enjoy. Dealing with baby parrots is a whole new aspect to keeping birds. Stick with a single bird. If you want multiple parrots, think about keeping different species if you aren’t interested in breeding them.

7. Think like a bird – You have to learn to see the world the way your parrot sees the world. Most parrots have a mental capacity of a 2-year old child. They are very psychologically skilled! Therefore, one should deal with them based on these facts. In addition, be aware that most parrots are afraid of new things, that is, things that are new to them. You might be familiar with something, but that doesn’t mean your bird is! Birds don’t know about things, such as window glass, water running from faucets, hot stoves, sinks of hot soapy water, commodes, the toy your child is playing with, the neighbor or your friend that they shouldn’t fly out of the open door, etc. A parrot does know the cat and/or dog is a natural enemy though! Be aware your bird can become stressed out, frightened, disoriented, and confused by new things. Painting the walls, bringing in new furniture, changing the furniture around, moving to a new home, addition of a child, loss of someone, are examples of some things your parrot might not understand so be sensitive to how your parrot might perceive changes in his/her world.

8. Respect your bird – A bird’s cage is its personal space, its territory, its safety zone. This is the one place in a bird’s world s/he can call his/her own. Of course, bird owners have to enter the bird’s territory to accomplish certain chores. However, when your bird is taking its afternoon nap, put off the cage cleaning until your bird awakens. Our parrots don’t always want to do what we want them to do when we want them to do it! Set up a daily routine of when you service the cage, when your bird naps, when you play together, etc. Birds love routine! There are some days when a parrot might not feel “up to par” or is in a bad mood. Give your bird the time it needs.

9. Time to visit the vet – A trip to the bird veterinarian can be a very stressful experience for a parrot. Some parrots get so stressed out they go into shock and die as a result of a car ride. Therefore, it’s always a good idea to occasionally place your parrot in a pet taxi or small, escape-proof cage, for short trips in your vehicle. Being ill is stressful enough for a parrot. Eliminate added stress and possible death by preparing your parrot for this occasion. If you own a parrot, you will eventually find it necessary to take your parrot to the birdie vet.

10. Lifetime Commitment. Be prepaired for a lifetime commitment. A healthy, well cared for bird will live for a long time. Small birds live for 15 to 25 years. Large parrots live from 30 to 50 years (or more). The birds can easily outlive you! What if your health fails, or an emergency develops where you can no longer care for your bird. Do you have someone ready to take over? Most birds turned over to rescue agencies are the results of an owner passing away, and none of the family members want the bird! Many people think of their children when they prepare their wills…and totally ignore their most loved pets.

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