A human shoulder is a naturally wonderful place for a parrot to perch. She has everything she needs right there. A good view, good company, and the opportunity to go wherever her flock goes and see what her flock sees. For many parrot owners, shoulder...
If you have ever brought a new parrot home and asked the social media hive mind how to get your nervous new friend used to you, chances are good that someone has told you to pull up a chair and calmly talk, sing, or a...
Abbi is a thirty year old blue and gold macaw that has one eye and a fused wing after being attacked by a pitbull and never having proper veterinary care. He also did not like women and clearly had a preference for men. When the...
As our understanding of how to keep our companion parrots healthy physiologically and behaviorally evolves with updated veterinary and field research, many companion parrot owners are asking for fully flighted parrots as youngsters or allowing their adult parrots’ wings to grow out. That said, many...
Do you have a parrot that does not stop screaming and you don’t know why? Or has your bird suddenly refused to step up any more and you can’t figure it out? In an educational program at your zoo, does your bird prefer to sit...
Sundays! Aren’t they the best? Long lazy mornings in bed, sleeping while deeply nestled in your pillow long after the sun rises, and slowly opening your eyes to see the world already percolating around you? Not if you have a parrot, I bet you’ve been...
What happens when we are excited to start training our parrots with positive reinforcement but they don't really seem to be motivated to do anything for food? How does one commence training if they can’t even get their parrot to make a move toward the...
In the preceding article about parrot biting, we focused on how to stop bites before they even start. This means having a good understanding of positive reinforcement, learning theory, as well as ethology. It also means shedding the stronghold that myths can have in companion animal...
“How do I stop my parrot from biting my fingers and hands?” Heard this before? As parrot behavior consultants and animal training professionals, we have heard that many times. It’s no secret that parrots can deliver a pretty powerful bite. With a bill that is designed...
Does My Pet Parrot Understand the Word No? When you say “No” to your pet parrot, dog, or cat, does he know what you mean? This is a common question we get asked when we are consulting with our clients with regard to problem behavior, and...