Site Directory.

Hello, and welcome to my site! This blog is primarily about parrots, and contains several articles I have written for various parrot magazines, primarily Parrots. A couple things were also written specifically for this blog, and I also post interesting news stories about parrots and other birds as I find them.

Please click HERE if you would like to go to a directory of the site with a list of all the posts I’ve made.  There are articles about wild parrots, caring for captive parrots, and parrot behavior, along with news articles about parrots.

Click this link to read more about me and my animals:  Introduction to the site.

Peggy, my Jenday Conure

Clicker Training 101

What is Clicker Training?

Professional animal trainers have been using clicker training for decades to train their animals to perform a variety of useful or showy behaviours on cue. Clicker training is also becoming popular among exotic bird owners and there are now books and videos out there specifically on clicker training pet parrots. Clicker training is an effective and humane way to train a parrot to do things like step up onto a hand, go back in her cage, and pick up items with her beak. It is based on numerous studies on how animals learn and is centered on rewarding desired behaviours.

A Galah in a bird show at the Minnesota Zoo.

The clickers often used by trainers are little plastic boxes that have a tab on them that produces a brief clicking noise when pressed. They are available at most pet stores. A clicker trainer will press the clicker as the animal performs a behaviour the trainer is looking for. The clicker serves as a marker that tells the animal what it just did was good and will earn it a reward in the future. However, before clicker training can start, the animal must first associate the clicker with a reward.

Charging the Clicker

The process by which the animal learns to associate the clicker with a reward is often called charging the clicker. This is easy to do: first, click the clicker and then immediately offer the animal a reward. Repeat several times. Through this process, the bird will learn to associate the sound of the clicker with a reward. This will mean that the sound of the clicker will become reinforcing to the bird, and that the bird will become likely to repeat behaviours that earn her clicks.

A Clicker

Food makes an excellent reward when charging the clicker, because food serves as a primary reinforcer for most animals. A primary reinforcer is something that will naturally act as a reinforcer, and will not need to be paired with anything else to act as such. A reinforcer is a consequence of a behaviour that increases the frequency of the behaviour that preceeded it. Animals obviously need food to survive, so animals will tend to repeat any actions that lead to them getting food. For example, dogs that are rewarded with tidbits of food for begging will generally continue to beg.

A secondary reinforcer initially needs to be paired with a primary reinforcer if it is to act as a reinforcer. The clicker is an example. For it to have a reinforcing function, it first has to be paired with a primary reinforcer such as food. This is because the clicker sound alone holds no value for the animal. However, once a clicker has been “charged”, and paired with a primary reinforcer, it will then also become a reinforcer.

There is really nothing magical about the sound of clickers. A word or another sound can be used in place of the clicker, so people who don’t like to use clickers can still apply the principles behind clicker training. However, there are a few reasons clickers are often used by animal trainers. First, the clicker doesn’t really sound like any sounds used in the English language. Therefore, the animal will not confuse any words for a click, and a click won’t be mistaken for any other sound. The clicker can also be used by the trainer to mark the exact behaviour she wants to reinforce. Sometimes, the behaviour a trainer wants to reinforce is only displayed for a second, and a short click works well as an immediate reinforcer. Using food or petting as a marker may introduce a delay between the behaviour and the reinforcer, which will make training take a bit longer. One rule to follow when training is to always reinforce a desired behaviour as soon as possible, because even a one second delay between the behaviour and the reinforcer will slow down the training process. Ideally, the behaviour should be reinforced as it occurs, and this is easy to do with a clicker or word.

Other Considerations

Before a training program starts, a trainer must decide what kind of primary reinforcer she wants to use. Food tends to work well. For parrots, sunflower seeds, bits of nut, bits of dried papaya and millet can all serve as excellent reinforcers. I tend to use sunflower seeds as reinforcers when training my birds. A good way to find out what type of treat is a bird’s favourite is to place several goodies in a dish and see which one the bird takes. When training, always follow a click with a treat of some sort.

Hyacinth Macaw eating a nut

There are also several ways one can increase the value of food as a primary reinforcer. Quite often, whether or not an item acts as a reinforcer will depend on the general state the bird is in. For example, if a bird is hungry, food will act as a very strong reinforcer, but if he just ate, it will not. Likewise, if a bird has a dish of sunflower seeds in his cage at all times, sunflower seeds may not act as a reinforcer for him. Thus, to increase the value of food, hold training sessions at a time when the bird may be a bit hungry and take the food that will act as a training reward out of his regular diet. Do not, however, be too strict in controlling his food intake. Small birds in particular have high metabolisms and shouldn’t go too long without eating. Additionally, training a ravenous animal really isn’t much fun, for the trainer or animal.

Target Training

Once a reward has been chosen and the clicker has been charged, the training can begin. A very useful first behaviour to train a bird to do is to target. A bird that has been target trained will touch his beak to the end of a target stick that is presented to him. The target stick can then be used as a tool to train the bird to go into a carrier, step on a scale, go into his cage, or step up on a hand.

Almost any item can be used as a target. Chopsticks, dowels, Popsicle sticks or spoons all work well. I like to use wooden spoons, because I can place the clicker in the spoon part (which goes in my hand), and I can click the clicker as soon as the bird touches the stick.

To start target training the bird, place the end of the target stick in front of him. As soon as the parrot touches the stick with his beak, click the clicker and offer him a treat. Repeat several times. Then, gradually increase the distance that the bird has to move to get his beak to the clicker. Start so that he only has to move his head a bit to touch the stick. Then, move the stick so he has to lean forward to touch it, and then move it so he has to take a step to touch it and so on.

Many birds, when being target trained, will initially nip the stick to investigate it. However, some birds may be a bit wary or even scared of the stick. If that happens, try changing the type of stick used. For example, use a shorter or duller-coloured stick. If that doesn’t work, place the stick some distance away from the bird – as far as it takes so that the bird shows no fear. Then, start rewarding the bird for merely looking at the stick, even if briefly. Click as the bird looks towards the stick and then offer him a treat. Repeat several times and slowly increase the criteria required for a click. Move from getting him to look at the stick (at progressively shorter distances), to where he has to lean a bit towards the stick, to where he actually has to touch the stick. If the bird starts to show any fear, move the stick a bit farther away. I had to use this type of gradual desensitization to teach my Red-lored Amazon, Ripley, to touch a Popsicle stick.

Ripley

Some birds will grab the target stick and hang on. If that happens, just gently twist the stick out of the bird’s mouth and give him a treat as soon he lets go. If the bird is tenaciously holding the stick and will not let go even if the stick is twisted, just wait and click and treat the second he lets go of the stick. This behaviour often stops once the bird figures out that he just needs to nip the stick lightly to get a click and a treat.

Once a bird has learned to touch a target stick reliably, even if he has to move around to get to it, he can be taught to perform many other behaviours on cue. For instance, the target stick can be used to get him to go into a carrier. Initially, use the target stick to get the bird to go close to the carrier, then towards the door of the carrier, and then into the carrier. Say something like, “Go In,” each time he goes into the carrier. A similar technique can be used to train a parrot to go back into a cage on cue. To ensure that the parrot will go into the cage or carrier reliably, do not shut him in there the first few times he goes in on his own. Gradually phase out the use of the target stick by giving a reliable cue word (like “Go In”) each time he enters the cage or carrier on his own. Soon, he may go in the cage or carrier upon hearing the cue, “Go In.” Rewarding him each time he goes in will help keep the behaviour strong and prevent the common problem wherein the bird refuses to go in his cage.

Step Up

Once a bird has been target-trained, it is simple to teach him to step up either on a hand or a hand-held perch. Just put your hand (or arm, for a large bird) in front of the bird and place the target stick where the bird has to lean forward over your arm to reach it. If the bird seems reluctant to do this, gradually get him to go closer to your arm, until he finally has to step up on it to reach the stick.

Step up can also be trained without a target stick. Some birds may simply step up on your hand or arm if it’s placed in front of them. Reward the bird (click and treat) once he does this and repeat a few times. Even when the bird is stepping up reliably, be sure to still reward it frequently, with praise and/or treats.

If the bird does not step up on a hand when it is presented, reward any gradual steps he takes towards stepping up. For example, click and treat if he merely moves towards your hand, and then gradually increase the criteria he has to meet to be rewarded. Move from having the bird move towards your hand, to placing a foot on your hand, to stepping right up on your hand. Do not push the bird in the chest to get him to step up, especially if he’s nervous or has had bad experiences with people. That may make him fear hands. Instead, teach him that stepping up on hands leads to positive outcomes.

Other Behaviours to Train

Stepping up on cue and target training are two very useful behaviours to teach a bird. It’s also simple to train most birds to ring a bell and turn around on cue.

To teach a bird to ring a bell, use a bell with a little rope or chain attached to it. Teaching a bird to ring one is quite similar to target training a bird. If the bird immediately grabs the chain and rings the bell, click and treat. If not, start rewarding small steps towards the final behaviour, which could include the bird moving towards the bell, touching the chain with his beak and so on.

A “turn around” can be trained with or without the use of a target stick. To train this without a target stick, start clicking and treating when the bird looks either to the left or right (depending on the direction chosen). Try getting him to move his head by wiggling your fingers or another interesting object in a way that will get him to move his head. Once he does this frequently, start to click and treat when he moves his whole body sideways, and then finally when he turns around. Once he turns around reliably, add a cue. For instance, say, “Turn around,” when he does this, and soon, he will know to turn around on cue.

To teach a turn around with a target stick, just move the target stick in such a way that the bird has to turn around to keep it in his view. Say the words, “turn around” as you do this. When using a target stick to teach a behaviour like this, do start to fade the use of the target as soon as possible. Keep using the vocal cue, but start to make the target stick shorter and shorter until the bird responds only to a hand and vocal signal.

Where to train and for how long?

When a bird is first learning a new behaviour, start his training sessions in a quiet area that is free of distractions. This will make it easier for both person and bird to focus on the task at hand. Once the bird has started to understand what is being asked of him, start to practice in different locations. Frequently, if a bird is taught to respond to a certain cue in only one location, he may respond to it only in that location. This is common with dogs as well. Many dogs who are taught to sit, heel, and come on cue in an obedience class will only respond well in the class environment unless the owner practices with the dog in a variety of locations. Gradually increase the complexity of the environment when teaching an animal to respond to a cue in a variety of situations. For example, start in a quiet area, then in an area with a TV or radio on, and then in an area with other people around, and so on.

Most training sessions should be relatively short, but the exact length of time will vary depending on the bird. Initially start with very short (five minute) sessions, and gradually increase their length. Stop when the bird starts to seem uninterested and then use a slightly shorter session next time. The key is to stop before the bird starts to become bored. Try to end all training sessions on a positive note, even if this involves asking the bird to do something very simple. Additionally, keep training sessions positive. If the trainer starts to become frustrated with the animal, the animal may not want to participate in the future.

Common Misconceptions

Many people object to clicker training (or training involving treats) because it seems similar to bribing. Done properly, clicker training rarely involves bribing the animal. This is because bribing involves showing an animal a treat before if performs the behaviour the trainer wants. Clicker training involves giving the animal a treat after he performs a desired behaviour. On occasion, a trainer may try to lure an animal into a desired place or position with a treat, but overall, clicker training need not involve bribing the animal very often.

Clicker training also does not involve spoiling an animal (as many think it does), nor will it necessarily make a bird (or dog) beg from the table. The animal is actually asked to perform a specific behaviour to get a treat, and most clicker trainers are careful not to reward behaviours they do not want to see. For example, if one does not want an animal to beg for food, or squawk for attention, then these behaviours should never be rewarded with treats or attention.

It is also not true that a person must always have a clicker and treats on hand to get the animal to respond to cues. The clicker is most important when the animal is first learning about how to behave. Many trainers only use the clicker (and the treats) when the animal is learning. It is, however, prudent to frequently reward any behaviour one wants an animal to keep displaying. Personally, I only use the clicker when teaching an animal something and don’t bother with it once the animal does what I want reliably. I still frequently give my birds treats for stepping up, and my dogs always get praise, petting or treats when they come back to me when called when they are at the dog park. The result is that the dogs are very reliable when it comes to coming to me on cue.

Micro the Maltese comes back to me at the dog park.

Finally, many people think that one must only use food as a reward when clicker training. That isn’t necessarily true. Food is often used because it’s something all animals need and it can often be delivered very quickly, which means that more repetitions can be done in a session. However, if an animal does increase the frequency of a certain behaviour if it is praised or petted for doing so, then praise or petting will be useful reinforcers for that animal. In fact, my cockatoo will sometimes refuse to take a piece of food from me during a training session and will bow his head to me. That’s his way of requesting that I stroke his head, which I will do for him.

Further Resources

There are many books, websites, and videos out there for people who want to learn more about training with positive reinforcement.

I really like “Clicker Training for Birds,” by Melinda Johnson. This book gives detailed instructions on clicker training birds to do a variety of things and it gives advice on solving parrot behaviour problems using the clicker. All technical terms are also defined very clearly.

If you have a flighted bird and want to train her various flight commands (such as to fly to you on cue, or to fly to a spot being pointed at and so on) try out “Breaking Bad Habits in Parrots,” by Greg Glendell. This book has information on training a flighted bird.

The books, magazine, blog and videos by Barbara Heideinreich are also an excellent resource on training animals using positive reinforcement. Go to www.goodbirdinc.com for more information.

Parrots and Peppers

Mitri eats a habanero pepper

The above photo shows my Lesser Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Mitri, enjoying a habanero pepper. Most of my parrots will eat hot peppers and Mitri in particular really seems to love them.

Most mammals, however, would not enjoy eating whole habanero peppers. They are very hot – much hotter than jalapeno or tabasco peppers. The  main compound in hot peppers that causes a burning sensation in mammal tissue is called capsaicin. Capsaicins have a strong irritant effect on mammal pain sensor neurons (nociceptors), and in particular, they bind to a certain receptor molecule on nociceptors that, when activated, triggers a series of chemical reactions that the brain interprets as pain caused by damaging heat. The venom from tarantula spiders activates a similar pathway. The receptor that capsaicin binds to is called the vanilloid receptor subtype 1 (VRS1) receptor, and it also reacts to heat and abrasive damage.

Birds are different and many do not appear to be bothered by foods with a concentration of capsaicins that would cause great pain to a mammal. Bird nociceptors just don’t respond to capsaicins the way mammal ones do. Birds can therefore eat hot peppers that would badly irritate a mammal.

There may be an evolutionary explanation for this discrepancy. Many plant seeds can be dispersed by birds, if birds consume the fruits the seeds are encased in and then excrete whole seeds in their droppings. Many plant seeds can actually survive going through a bird’s digestive tract. Mammals, on the other hand, are more likely to chew their food than birds are; therefore, it is in the best interest of many plants that their seeds be ingested by birds, not mammals. The presence of a compound that irritates mammals but not birds would greatly increase the chances that a fruit would be ingested by a bird.

However, parrots are not among the birds that can disperse seeds efficiently. Parrots tend to chew their food quite well, and this includes seeds. Parrots are generally considered seed predators, not seed dispersers. Birds like toucans and aracaris, who swallow whole fruits, are often quite efficient seed dispersers.

Chestnut-fronted Aracari

If you’re preparing food for your parrots and decide to add some bits of hot pepper, keep this in mind in case you get some in your mouth: water is not terribly effective at dissolving hot pepper, because capsaicin is a ‘hydrophobic’ molecule. That means it is repelled by water and won’t dissolve in it. Thus, drinking water is not the best way to get the taste out of your mouth. Use (non-skim) milk instead – capsaicin can dissolve in liquids that have some fat in them. Capsaicin can also be washed off of surfaces using soapy water.

Parrots and Pumpkins

It’s that time of the year in North America when pumpkins are available for a low price at most grocery stores. Of course, most people carve faces into them, but pumpkins  can also be an inexpensive source of food for pets and people. So, if you have some pumpkins you plan to carve, save the seeds and some of the flesh for your parrots.

The seeds make great parrot treats and are a good source of several minerals. They are also high in fat, so they should be fed sparingly to species prone to obesity, such as Amazons, Pionus parrots, and Rose-breasted Cockatoos. Parrots seem to prefer roasted seeds (at least mine do). To prepare pumpkin seeds, rinse the seeds off right after you take them from the pumpkin, dry them, place them on a baking sheet sprayed with non-stick cooking spray and bake at 325 F for about twenty-five minutes. Check the seeds after ten minutes and flip or stir them. Do not salt them if they are to be fed to birds.

The flesh of the pumpkin is also very healthful and is an excellent source of beta carotene, which is converted to vitamin A in the body by humans and parrots. A few of my parrots will actually eat raw pieces of pumpkin and I usually give Mitri the cockatoo big pieces to chew up. The flesh can also be pureed and added to muffins or bread.

The base recipe I have used is as follows (from cooks.com):

Pumpkin Muffins
3 1/3 c. flour
2 tsp. baking soda
3 c. sugar
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
Mix dry ingredients and add:
1 c. oil
4 eggs
2/3 c. water
2 c. pumpkin (Puree)
Preheat oven to 350°F degrees.Prepare muffin tins by greasing with vegetable oil or butter and sprinkling lightly with flour. Shake out excess. Fill muffin tins three-quarters full and bake at 350°F for 20-30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

I changed it a bit and took out half the sugar and replaced it with a cup of oats and a half cup of wheat germ. I also added a cup of walnuts. The parrots loved them and I enjoyed them as well.

Peggy on a pumpkin. (Also, I am terrible at carving Jack O'Lanterns).

Talking Cockatoos

Birds of a Feather Talk Together

Click on the above link to see a story about wild, talking cockatoos.

An Excerpt:

“NO NEED TO THINK you’re going bird-brained if you hear mysterious voices from the trees – it’s likely just a curious cockatoo wanting a chat. Native parrots, especially cockatoos, seem to be learning the art of conversation from their previously domesticated friends. “

I was at the botanic garden in Sydney and I thought one of the birds said “Hello” to me.  I guess that’s not all that uncommon of an occurrence.

Here are a few pictures I took while I was there:

Sulphur-crested Cockatoo and Sacred Ibis

Escape Artist Cockatoos

Cockatoos have reputations for being escape artists, and various padlocks and clamps are often needed to keep them in their cages.

MyLesser Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Mitri, can easily open the door from his spare cage downstairs. His main, big cage is upstairs, but he spends a lot of time downstairs. He dislikes all the parrot play stands I’ve gotten him, so he has a spare cage downstairs he can hang out on. He’s rarely ever locked in that cage.

Here he is getting out of it:

Mitri is also very proficient at taking nuts and bolts out of his big cage. My husband had to replace all the regular nuts and bolts in Mitri’s cage with lock nuts that Mitri can’t get off.

Mitri can also easily escape from his little travel cage. He did this when my husband and I took him to a parrot club meeting. He was in his travel cage talking to himself and he suddenly went quiet. I then noticed that he was perched on the seat between my husband and me. After he was put back in his cage, Mitri just popped the door open again, so my husband had to hold the door shut for the rest of the ride.

Mitri taking his cage apart.

There are lots of other Youtube videos of cockatoo escapes. Here are a few more (note that these aren’t my birds):

There are more: just search “cockatoo escape” on youtube.

Cockatoos are really amazing birds.

Two Training Tips

(Note – if you are new to positive reinforcement training, I recommend reading the article on “clicker training parrots” before this one:)

Clicker Training Parrots

Also, while this post starts by focussing on my dogs, the information is relevant to parrot keepers!

Meet Micro, my Maltese:

Micro

I adopted Micro at the Edmonton Humane Society last year. I had recently lost two of my older dogs to cancer (Compy the greyhound and Shayla the American Eskimo) and was left with Pharaoh, who is a golden retriever mix. I didn’t want Pharaoh to be an only dog, so I started to keep my eye out for a small dog that was gentle and calm around birds. I saw Micro’s picture on the humane society website and bolted right down there with my husband, my dog, and my Jenday Conure, Peggy.

Shayla, Pharaoh and Compy

Micro was still available when I got there. Yeah! Maltese tend to be adopted immediately when they show up at shelters around here. I had brought Peggy with me because I wanted to see how Micro would react to a bird. The employee who was helping us out with the adoption had never seen anyone bring in a parrot before, but I really wanted a dog who would be okay with parrots.  I first held Peggy up to Micro when he was behind a window and Micro didn’t react at all. I then walked into Micro’s kennel holding Peggy and again, he did not react to her.  Micro also got along fine with Pharaoh so we applied to adopt him and were approved.

Micro and Pharaoh

Micro is a charming, smart and sweet little dog. I started doing some clicker training with him and he learned fast. He’s also quite athletic for a Maltese and I frequently take him for long walks. Even after a 10 km hike, he still has energy left.

Micro did have one little problem though: he’d get extremely excited if he saw another dog on a walk and he’d start barking like mad. Now, this is not a particularly unusual problem, especially for a toy breed. Micro is not actually aggressive and does not react to other dogs if he’s off leash. Additionally, if on leash, should Micro get to meet a dog he’s barking at, he’ll usually just sniff noses with it and then go on his way.

What to do? I picked up the book, “The Feisty Fido” by Patricia McConnell to get some pointers on dealing with a dog that gets yappy and excited at the site of another dog. The book was helpful and I decided to teach Micro to “watch me” on cue. That way, I could get his attention when another dog came around. Micro already knew “sit” and “down,” so if he saw another dog, I could pull him off the path, get his attention with the “watch me” cue and get him to sit.

I also took the advice in the book to start training Micro in a simple environment with few distractions. Then, I would  gradually add distractions. I first started teaching Micro to “watch me” along with “sit,” “stay,” and “come” in my living room. Then I worked up to teaching Micro with Pharaoh present in the living room. Next came training sessions in the yard with or without Pharaoh, then on a quiet street, and finally, at a park with another dog in the distance.

Everything was going great. Micro would watch me, come, sit and go down in most situations. However, he’d still have a melt down if another dog came close to him.

Now what? I was using some high-quality commercial treats as reinforcers to train my dogs and they worked just fine in most situations. However, if another dog was close (say, within 10 m), Micro just didn’t seem motivated enough to watch me. The other dog was much more interesting!

We did more practise sessions in less distracting situations. I also decided to see if I could find a reinforcer that was more rewarding for Micro. I tried cooked liver. I don’t like dealing with the stuff, but Micro and Pharaoh? They love it. I fried some up and cut it into small pieces and ran the two dogs through some training exercises in the yard. I actually got faster responses using the liver, so I tried some exercises at the park. Again, I got very fast responses from some very focussed dogs. The dogs’ responses to cues were also fast when there were other dogs in the distance.

The big test came and I was pretty confident the dogs would respond to me with another dog nearby. One evening, with another dog passing us on a trail,  I pulled my two dogs aside, asked them to “watch me” and asked them to sit.

It worked! They looked at me, ignored the other dog and sat down. Of course, I rewarded them with a snack of liver bits.

This little story illustrates two principles of good training that apply to many species, so if you are training an animal to give a specific response to a cue, keep the following in mind:

1. When training a new behaviour, start training in an area with no or few distractions, and then gradually increase the number of distractions present.

For example, when teaching a bird to step-up, start in an area the bird is comfortable in and that has few distractions present. Once the bird responds well, try training sessions in a new area that is just a bit different from where the bird first learned to step up. Gradually add distractions and soon, you will have a bird that will step up reliably no matter where he is. Many people will train an animal to respond to a cue in one setting and expect the animal to then respond to the cue in very distracting or stressful situations, such as at a vet’s office. This is a common mistake, because animals who have learned to respond to a cue in one location do not always respond to it in a completely new location. This is why dogs who have learned how to sit during an obedience class may not do so at a busy pet store. Vary your training locations and be patient to ensure that the animal responds to a cue in a variety of situations.

2. If an animal just doesn’t seem motivated or focussed, or if you have hit a training roadblock, try another reinforcer or try to increase the value of your reinforcer.

For example, the commercial treats worked okay with Micro, but the liver worked even better. Real meat tends to be a very powerful reinforcer for dogs and as a bonus, it’s a very healthful treat. Items that often work for training parrots include nuts, dried papaya, sunflower seeds, bits of grape or millet.

There are also things one can do to increase the value of a reinforcer for an animal. If using food, don’t have your the training sessions right after the animal has had breakfast or dinner. A food reinforcer just won’t be as reinforcing for the animal at that time.

Additionally, the specific food that is being used as the reinforcer can also be removed from the animal’s diet except for training sessions. If the animal has access to the food used as a training reward at all times, he may not be as motivated to work to get that food. This isn’t a hard and fast rule, as some birds or dogs may be motivated to work for pellets or kibbles, but frequently, a very tasty but infrequently recieved food will work very well as a reinforcer.

On a final note, some may wonder why I didn’t jerk Micro’s leash, scold him or otherwise punish him for the barking. Many prominent trainers go straight to such techniques in dealing with leash reactive dogs. I do not for several reasons.

First, using leash jerks on a small dog like a Maltese is outright nasty since such dogs are prone to collapsed tracheas.  Secondly, some dogs (especially big dogs with tough necks) actually become desensitized to the leash jerks (or other punishments). Finally, the punishment may make the dog more edgy or nervous on leash, which is not what is wanted. The fallouts of punishment (especially poorly timed ones) can include aggression and stress. Teaching the animal what do to (focus on the owner) can work just as well (actually, even better) than punishing the animal. Finally, the ethical trainer will always use the least punitive approach that gives results.

Happy training!

Enriching your parrot’s life

Look! I haven’t abandoned this blog! Here’s an article about environmental enrichment for parrots.

Enriching your Parrot’s Life

The world of parrot keeping has gone through many changes through the years.  No longer are crates of wild parrots imported for the pet trade, and there are many more types of cages and healthy (even organic) pellets available than there were thirty years ago. Flipping through some of my older parrot magazines, I have also noticed that they contain very few – if any – ads for parrot toys. However, this is not so with more modern magazines! For instance, recent issues of many publications about pet birds contain ads for foraging toys, chew toys, play stands and more. Books about parrot keeping now emphasize the importance of providing toys for parrots, and large pet stores often contain several racks – or even whole aisles – of bird toys.

Toys are often used as a form of “environmental enrichment” for birds, although appropriate enrichments can and should go beyond giving a parrot a few toys. The term “environmental enrichment” is becoming far more common in articles, books and videos about pet bird keeping, and it has also become a major concern among zoo keepers at better facilities. For example, to be accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, facilities housing wild animals must provide appropriate enrichment programs for each of their animals and keep track of their effectiveness.

What is Environmental Enrichment?

Let’s back up a moment here. Just what is environmental enrichment? I’ve seen many different definitions for it, but, in general, environmental enrichment refers to any modification to a captive animal’s environment that gives it an outlet to display its natural behaviors and keep it busy and occupied. Enrichments can include objects an animal can chew on or play with, or hidden foods that the animal can forage for. Enrichments for birds can include different foods, branches, conifer cones, chew toys, plants, ropes and swings.

Why is Environmental Enrichment so Important?

I’ve noticed that more and more parrot owners are trying to provide their birds with an environment well stocked with toys and objects to chew on, but unfortunately, I still sometimes see parrots in pet shops and homes living in bare cages. Some people may not realize that a parrot cannot thrive with only perches, food and water, but a common argument against providing captive wild animals with enriching environments is that captive animals that have never lived in the wild do not know what they are missing. Therefore, they do not need anything beyond the basics: food, water, perches, vet care, and shelter from extreme temperatures.

However, there is plenty of evidence that captive-born wild animals housed in enriched environments have better overall welfare than animals housed in plain environments. “Environmental enrichment” is not merely a trendy buzz word. During the past two or three decades, a vast number of scientific studies on a large variety of species have shown that animals – from mice to domestic livestock to primates – living in enriched, complex environments tend to be healthier, cognitively superior and far less prone to display repetitive, abnormal behaviors than animals living in dull environments.

Very little formal research has been done on the needs of captive parrots specifically, but this has recently been remedied. For example, researchers at the University of California (Davis) have done studies on Orange-winged Amazons (Amazona amazonica) to determine how to minimize feather destructive behavior in parrots and to learn how to improve the welfare of parrots in captivity. I’ll be referring to the work of this group (The Psittacine Research Project, which I’ll abbreviate to PRP) throughout this article. Much of the PRP’s work suggests that parrots kept in an enriched environment are less likely to destroy their plumage than parrots kept in cages with only bowls of food and water. To show this, the researchers started with two groups of eight 16-week old Amazons. One group had access only to food and water in bowls and a couple of perches. The second group had to “forage” for some of their food – in some cases, they had to chew through barriers or pull levers to get at food. They also had toys to chew, climb and swing on.

The parrots in the enriched group were at first wary of the different things in their cages. However, they soon figured out how to get at the food and they learned to use the chew toys. The plumage quality of each parrot was recorded throughout the study. After a year, six of the eight Amazons in the dull environment, and none of the birds in the enriched environment, began to shred or pluck their feathers.

The researchers were able to reverse the effect of feather picking in the six Amazons that did feather pick by putting them in the enriched environment. Initially, they were wary of their new surroundings, but they soon began using the toys. After several months, they stopped chewing their feathers. Each Amazon had been examined by a veterinarian to ensure that the feather chewing was not the result of an undiagnosed medical problem. The parrots all received a healthy, balanced diet, so the feather picking was not the result of any nutritional deficiencies.

The researchers also noted which parrots developed stereotypical behaviors, which are functionless, unvarying, repetitive behaviors. In the Orange-winged Amazons, stereotypies displayed included pacing, climbing in a circle, flipping around in one corner of the cage, and repeatedly chewing cage wire in one spot. The Amazons in the unenriched cage displayed more stereotypic behavior than the ones in the unenriched cages.

An earlier study on Crimson-bellied Conures (Pyrrhura perlata perlata) also suggested that enrichment can alter the behavior of captive parrots in a positive way. Here, researchers started with a group of ten birds, eight of which had plucked or destroyed their own feathers. In period one, the birds lived in a cage with one type of perch and food and water presented in bowls. In period two, the birds lived in a cage with various enrichments, including willow branches to chew on, hidden fruit to find, mineral blocks, egg cartons, newspapers, and fruit baskets. In period three, the parrots had access to a greater variety of perches, including rope and willow perches of varying sizes. In period four, a variety of perches and enrichments were provided to the birds. Before the study, researchers observed the conures to determine how they behaved without any enrichment.

During period three, the conures spent more time flying and in period four, they spent more time climbing and hopping. The presence of enrichment items lead to a decrease in the time spent preening. All enrichments were used, but the conures preferred the fruit baskets and branches. Their feather condition stabilized but the conures did not become fully feathered by the end of the study. Even when feather-plucking tendencies are reduced or eliminated, it can take time for the feathers to molt out and grow back.

Finally, a study done on captive African Grey Parrots done in the Netherlands also indicates that parrots kept in an enriched environment are less likely to display feather destructive behavior than ones in a plain cage.  The researchers divided a group of eighteen African Grey Parrots who displayed feather plucking behavior into two groups: one group had access to a pipe feeder enrichment toy loaded with food, and one had access to a pipe feeder without food in it, along with a bowl of food.  The pipe feeder foraging toy was a tube with hole in it that the parrots could roll or swing around, depending on whether it was on the ground or hanging from the cage roof. Food would then fall out of the tube.

After spending four weeks in either treatment, the birds were switched around: the birds with the loaded pipe feeders were placed in enclosures without loaded pipe feeders and the birds with the empty pipe feeders were placed in cages with loaded ones. The birds with access to a loaded pipe feeder displayed improvements in their overall feather condition. Additionally, the researchers found that the amount of time spent with the foraging toys was related to the birds’ feather condition. Birds that spent more time foraging had better feather condition scores.

Finally, there is evidence that keeping juvenile parrots in enriched environments can make them less neophobic as adults. “Neophobia” refers to a fear of novel stimuli, and it’s a trait that many adult animals have. In a study on juvenile Orange-winged Amazons, the PRP found that juvenile parrots whose enrichment devices were frequently rotated were less neophobic as adults than juveniles whose enrichment devices were never changed. However, this effect did not hold for highly fearful juveniles, which suggests to me that very fearful birds should be gradually desensitized to enrichment devices.

Now we know that, in general, parrots kept in enriched environments are less likely to feather pick or display stereotypic behaviors than parrots kept in dull environments. However, I feel I should point out that there is no single cause of feather plucking in parrots. One cannot assume that a parrot who plucks is being kept in an impoverished environment. For instance, some birds who pluck may continue to do so out of habit even after the conditions that first caused the plucking have been remedied. Feather picking and self mutilation in many different species of birds and mammals has also been linked to maternal deprivation early in life, and poor health and malnutrition may also cause feather plucking in parrots. Even so, while the causes of feather picking are complex, providing a bird with an enriched environment can decrease the chances it will happen. So, how can we enrich our parrots’ environments?

Providing Enrichment for Pet Parrots

i) Chewables

Parrots generally love to chew and shred things. Wild parrots often have to chew shells or peels to get at their food and most species make their nests in tree hollows, so they often have to chew it up to make it bigger. As a result, most parrots like to chew.

It’s easy to provide things for a parrot to chew on and destroy, and one does not necessarily need to spend money on expensive toys to do this. I get quite a few items for my parrots to chew from my own backyard. Unsprayed, non-toxic tree branches make great chew toys or perches for parrots. My parrots love branches and will eat the buds off of them, and then peel off the bark. Wooden toys can also be purchased at most pet stores.

Fergus, a Lesser Sulphur-crested Cockatoo

I’ve also used flowers – mainly lilacs – from my back yard as enrichment items for my birds. Lories in particular should enjoy large, fresh flowers since lories naturally feed on nectar. The usual caveat about giving a bird plants applies here: do not give flowers that have been sprayed with pesticides or are toxic. Flowers from flower shops or gardening centers have usually been sprayed with pesticides and should not be given to parrots unless they are guaranteed to be organic.

Some plants, including many horticultural favorites, are toxic, so make sure a plant isn’t toxic before giving parts of it to a parrot. Safe types of branches to give a parrot include those from birches (Betula spp.), alders (Alnus spp.), willows (Salix spp.), poplars, aspens and cottonwoods (Populus sp), elms (Ulmus spp), grapevines (Vitis spp), magnolias (Magnolia spp), manzanitas (Arctostaphylos spp), and lilacs (Syringa spp). However, I’ve noticed that manzanita wood is too hard for most parrots to chew on. Be very cautious with elm if you live in an area where elms may be treated against Dutch elm disease.

Safe types of flowers to give to birds include lilacs (Syringa vulgaris), carnations (Dianthus caryophyllus), gladiolus (Gladiolus spp.), hibiscus (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis), honeysuckles (Lonicera japonica), marigolds (Tagetes signata pumila), roses (Rosa spp.), and violets (Viola odorata). The leaves and flowers of dandelions are also safe and are actually quite nutritious.

Peggy, a Jenday Conure

What if a parrot ignores the enrichments he is given? If a parrot does not chew on a certain type of wooden toy, try offering wood of a different hardness or texture. Some parrots will ignore very hard woods but will enjoy softer woods. For example, my Red-lored Amazon, Ripley, doesn’t bother chewing very hard woods, but does enjoy softer chew toys. She’ll usually reduce these to shreds quite quickly. Likewise, my Lineolated Parakeets and Australian Parakeets (a Budgie and a Bourke’s Parakeet) like to nibble twigs but they do not chew very hard woods.  A formal study on Orange-winged Amazons by the PRP has also demonstrated that a wood’s “destructability” can determine whether a parrot will chew on it or not. Parrots tend to prefer to chew on items they can actually destroy.

I have also found that plain cardboard works great as a chew toy, particularly for the small parrots who may not always like chewing hard pieces of wood. Some parrots also like to chew on the four-cup holders that fast food places give out with orders for multiple drinks. Plain paper is fine as a “toy” as well. Some parrots will pull paper through into their cage if you place it on top. Then, they can shred it to bits. Fergus, a Lesser Sulphur-crested Cockatoo I fostered for a while, liked to shred rolls of adding machine or receipt paper. Old phone books can be fun for parrots as well. They have been a hit among the macaws and cockatoos I’ve looked after and Mitri, my male Lesser Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, loves to tear up phone books. The inks used in phone books are generally soy based and safe.

Blue and Gold Macaw

Small boxes can also be given to parrots. My Jenday Conure, Peggy, loves plain boxes and I’ll often cut a hole in one and give it to her. She’ll go in and completely destroy the box from the inside.  However, I would not give a bird boxes if she treats them as nesting areas. Small boxes (or plain paper bags) can be used as foraging toys as well – just place some surprise treats inside of them. A bird may initially have to be shown that there’s food in a bag or box before he’ll be motivated to get at it.

Some birds love to shred, preen and destroy peacock feathers. Lucy, my Maroon-bellied Conure, just loves them. When using peacock feathers as toys, only use natural ones that have not been treated with extra dyes or mite sprays. I ran the feathers I gave Lucy through a cycle in a washing machine just to be sure they were safe.

Twigs or Popsicle sticks from a craft store also make great toys for parrots who like to hold items in their feet to chew. I’ve noticed that cockatoos in particular seem to appreciate foot toys, so if you’ve never offered your cockatoo foot-sized chew toys, give it a try! Some cockatoos are also capable of removing the nuts off of bolts and such parrots can be given stainless steel bolts with nuts on them to play with. Clean pine cones can make good foot toys as well. Many parrot owners briefly bake pine cones (or wood from outside) at a low temperature in the oven to kill any pathogens or insects they may harbor.

Mitri, a Lesser Sulphur-crested Cockatoo

Many birds also like to chew on wicker baskets. I buy Mitri baskets made of plain wicker that have not been painted or coated in any other way. Baskets can be hung in the parrots’ cage and various foot toys can be placed in them.  I get Mitri’s baskets at craft stores and stock up when they are on sale. I’ve also been told that they can be bought for a low price at Ikea.

Mitri

A tray of wheat grass can also be used to enrich a parrot’s environment. The wheatgrass itself is non toxic and easy to grow and a parrot may enjoy pulling out the grass, bathing in it (if it’s damp), chewing it, and nibbling at its roots. When I grow wheatgrass, I use plain soil that doesn’t have any perlite or other additives in it. Give wheatgrass sparingly (once a week or so) for parrots that actually eat it, since it is somewhat rich in iron.  Additionally, do not over water a tray of wheat grass intended for parrots. Over watering plants may encourage the growth of mould in the soil.

ii) Food-based Enrichment

Parrot owners can vary both the types of food given to a parrot and the way it is presented to enrich their birds’ lives. I always leave a bowl of pellets in my parrots’ cages but also frequently offer them different types of nuts, fruits, vegetables and various whole-grain items.

Kabobs work well for presenting food to parrots in a new way – just place big slices of vegetables on a stick or blunt-edged skewer and hang it in the parrots’ enclosure. Some pet stores even sell steel kabobs that can be hanged in a parrot’s cage and reloaded as needed. Not only can varying the presentation of food enrich a parrot’s life, but it can even encourage a bird to try new foods. For example, my Australian Parakeets will eat vegetables placed on a kabob but will rarely eat them if they’re in a bowl.

Wild parrots spend a great deal of time foraging, and captive parrots can also benefit from having the opportunity to forage. I’ve already noted that one can try placing goodies (like seeds or nuts) in a bag or a box for the parrot to rip open. There are even products on the market (e.g. like those by “Creative Foraging Systems”) that allow parrots to chew at chipboard to get at food. The same company makes polycarbonate foraging toys that dispense food after a bird has pulled a drawer, turned a wheel or shaken something. Additionally, the Parrot Island shop in Minnesota sells treasure chest foraging toys that can be filled with different toys and goodies. A few birds may be able to figure these toys out on their own and others may need a little bit of training to learn how to get the food out.

Wild Hyacinth Macaws foraging

A foraging tray can also easily be made for a parrot by taking a tray, adding a non-toxic substrate to it (such as plain straw, shredded paper or rocks that a parrot can move but not swallow) and sprinkling some of a parrot’s favorite food over it. The parrot can then move the substrate around to find the food. Little bits of dried papaya and seeds work well for this, as most parrots love them and will enjoy finding them.

iii) Climbing & Swinging

Many parrots love climbing toys. These can include ropes, swings, large tree branches or ladders. Many parrots that enjoy swings (especially cockatoos) will hang on them and flap their wings to make them swing. It’s best to place a swing outside of the cage where there’s more room for the bird to swing around, although they can work well in large cages or aviaries. Ripley’s large swing hangs in the living room by her playstand and Lucy has a few ropes above her playstand that she can climb on. The Linnies seem to love their ladders.

I would like to add a quick note about rope safety here: please make sure a parrot cannot get itself wrapped up in rope or in loose threads on a rope toy. Loose threads can easily become wrapped around a parrot’s toe, and this could cut off its circulation. Peggy the Jenday actually lost a foot before I got her because she got it caught in threads she chewed loose in the plush bird tent she would sleep in. I’ve also talked to other bird owners whose birds have lost toes due to loose threads wrapping around them. Therefore, it’s part of my bird care routine to make sure that my birds’ rope perches and “boings” don’t have any loose threads. I actually do not put any rope or cloth items in Peggy’s or Mitri’s cages since they are such strong and enthusiastic chewers and they can even unravel tightly-wound rope perches.

Peggy loves to chew on little vine balls and these are quite easy to turn into foraging toys. Just stick some seeds or nuts on the inside and they’ll fall out as the bird chews the vine ball. I buy the vine balls at a pet supply store, but they’re also available at some craft stores. If buying vine balls from a craft store, be sure to buy ones that aren’t painted, glossed or scented.

iv) Other Toys

Some parrots like mirrors as toys, but others might become too attached to them. Others may try to attack them, and in that case, they are best not used as toys. Other parrots love bells or other noise makers. In general, there are a lot of different types of bird toys out on the market, and rotating different toys in and out of a parrot’s cage can keep his environment interesting and stimulating. Taking a toy out of a cage and then putting it back in later can make the parrot treat the toy like it’s new. For example, Mitri likes to ring his bell, but he does get tired of that quickly and then ignores the bell. If I take it away and give it back to him later on (after several days), he treats it like it is new and will ring it.

v) Social Interactions

Parrots are social creatures and need to have a human or another parrot to interact with daily. A parrot that’s bonded to a person or people will want to spend time with people and aviary birds should generally have another bird or birds as company. I have several small birds (various parakeets, finches and button quail) that are not tame with people so they are housed with other birds.

There are many ways one can interact with a parrot, besides simply holding and petting him. Training a parrot either tricks or useful behaviors (like step-up) can provide him with mental stimulation. I highly recommend teaching a recall to flighted parrots. Parrots enjoy learning tricks if positive reinforcement-based methods are used and the training sessions are upbeat. Some outgoing parrots even seem to enjoy performing for people.

There is even evidence that captive wild animals who have daily positive reinforcement-based training sessions daily have better welfare over ones who are not trained. This hasn’t been studied in birds, but in one study, macaques who went through daily training sessions displayed fewer stereotypies than macaques who did not.

Detailed instructions on how to train a parrot are well beyond the scope of this article (I could easily write one of similar length on training), but there are plenty of good resources out there on how to train a parrot new behaviors or how to put an existing behavior on cue. I personally like “Clicker Training for Birds,” by Melinda Johnson.

vii) Outdoor Excursions

Almost all parrots enjoy being outside – just be sure your parrot cannot get away by using a harness or secure cage. A parrot kept inside his whole life may be a bit wary of being outside at first, but he will likely learn to enjoy being outside after some time and if he’s gradually introduced to the outdoors.

Ripley loves going outside on nice days and she is also amazingly secure in public places, so my husband and I take her everywhere we can. Any place that sells food is out of the question, but we’ve taken her to small book stores, aquarium stores, movie stores and hardware stores with no trouble. She has a secure travel carrier so she can stay safe in the car. We are also in the process of harness training Mitri so he can go out as well. Harness training a bird can take a lot of patience (and it can sometimes take months of training sessions), but using a harness (use ones designed for parrots) can help ensure that a parrot won’t fly away while outside. Even wing-clipped birds can get quite far if startled and it’s windy outside. If taking a parrot outside, keep him very close so he won’t be taken by a hawk.

Even if they don’t go out much, all pet parrots need some time out of their cages daily. Having a play gym makes this much easier for the owner. A play gym is a spot where the parrot can perch and play with toys that are different from the ones in her cage. These can be purchased or made out of inexpensive material. For example, a cheap play tree can be made by taking a Christmas tree stand and placing a small, parrot-safe tree in it. The book Parrot Toys and Play Areas: How to Put Some Fun Into Your Parrot’s Life also has instructions on how to make playstands. 

viii) Showers

Don’t forget to give your parrot showers. Not only are they essential for his well being, but many parrots love them. Ripley becomes very excited in the shower and laughs and trills while being sprayed. Garnet and Emerald also love showers and hang upside-down and spread out their wings during one. Some parrots, however, prefer to bathe in a shallow dish of water, and some parrots from arid regions of the world, like budgies, like to bathe in dishes of wet greens or wet wheat grass.

Conclusion

In order to thrive in our homes, parrots need more than just food, water, perches and a cage. They need outlets for many of their natural behaviors, including foraging and chewing. Providing a parrot with foraging and chewing materials need not be difficult or expensive and it will increase the quality of life for the parrot and make him a well-adjusted, happier bird.

References

Coleman, K., and Maier, A. 2010.  The use of positive reinforcement training to reduce stereotypic behavior in rhesus macaques. Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 124, 142-148.

Fox, R. A., and Milla, J. R.  2007.  Novelty and individual differences influence neophobia in orange-winged Amazon parrots (Amazona amazonica). Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 104, 107-115.

Kim, L. C., Garner, J. P., and Millam, J. R.  2009.  Preferences of Orange-winged Amazon parrots (Amazona amazonica) for cage enrichment devices. Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 120, 216-223.

Lumeij, J. T., and Hommers, C. J.  2008.  Foraging ‘enrichment’ as treatment for pterotillomania. Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 111, 85-94.

Meehan, C. C., Garner, J. P., and Mench, J. A. 2004. Environmental enrichment and development of cage stereotypy in Orange-winged Amazon parrots (Amazona amazonica).  Developmental Psychology, 44, 209-218.

Meehan, C. L., Millam, J. R., and Mench, J. A. 2003. Foraging opportunity and increased physical complexity both prevent and reduce psychogenic feather picking by young Amazon parrots. Applied Animal Behavior Science, 80, 71-85.

Shannon-Nunn, L. and D’Arezzo, C. 2000. Parrot Toys and Play Areas: How to Put Some Fun Into Your Parrot’s Life. Crowfire Publishing, Springfield, VA, USA.

Van Hoek, C. S. and King, C. E. 1997. Causation and influence of environmental enrichment on feather picking of the Crimson-bellied Conure (Pyrrhura perlata perlata). Zoo Biology, 16, 161-172.

Further Resources

http://www.creativeforagingsystems.com (Foraging toys for birds)

http://parrotisland.mainsecureserver.com/catalog/index.php (Parrot Island)

http://www.parrotenrichment.com/ (From this site, one can download an e-book about enriching a parrot’s environment.  If a bird doesn’t seem interested in toys or foraging, there are even ideas on how to teach a bird to forage.)

http://animalscience.ucdavis.edu/research/parrot/aboutus.html (The Psittacine Research Project at the University of California Davis)

http://eppa.ca/meetings/flowers.html (Edible flowers for parrots).

http://www.mdvaden.com/bird_page.shtml (Safe woods for parrots).

Harness training a parrot – Barbara Heidenreich explains how to harness train a parrot.

Society Finches

Society Finches

How cute is that? Those are my society finches and are the topic of this post. The two at the bottom left are the offspring of the two just above them.

The society finch (Lonchura striata domestica) is one of the more common species of finch kept in captivity. They’ve been bred in captivity for hundreds of years and are considered to be truly domesticated, so there’s no such thing as a “wild” society finch. Societies are likely descendents of the White-rumped Munia (Lonchura striata), and some societies look quite a bit like wild munias. Societies come in several different colours and patterns (as can be seen in the picture above), and there’s even a “crested” variety that has a circular crest on the head. The bird in the middle-right in the above photo is a crested society.

Society finches are sometimes called Bengalese finches. I suspect that they’ve been called “society” finches due to their extremely sociable natures. They will get along with anything that will get along with them, and in fact, if bullied by another type of bird, they will usually just back off. This makes them a nice addition to an aviary that houses other gentle species, such as Gouldian finches.

Societies prefer to be in groups or at least pairs. Even in a cage with several nests, it’s not unusual at all to see numerous birds all jammed in one nest. It’s really quite cute but can be a bit of a problem during breeding season. Often, if several birds share a nest, eggs may not be incubated properly and won’t hatch. The best breeding results tend to be from birds that are paired off or are kept in trios. Birds can be paired for part of the year in order to breed and then placed in a flock during the rest of the year.

Males and females of this species are similar in appearance, although males sing and females don’t. Male societies have a soft, short, squeaky-sounding song. Both males and females incubate eggs and feed nestlings. Societies will breed in nearly anything of suitable size but seem to like the woven bamboo nests, like the one in the picture above.  Most will pad the nest with some sort of nesting material and I’ve given mine timothy hay, straw, aspen shavings or strips of newspaper to use as nesting material. Never use cedar chips, as they will irritate the birds’ respiratory systems. Incubation takes about 13 days and the young fledge in about 21-25 days. Once the young fledge (leave the nest) they will still be fed by the parents for another couple of weeks. Society finches are usually excellent parents, to the point where they are often used to foster eggs and chicks of other, more difficult to breed finch species.

Society Finch Chicks

For those who want to keep societies but don’t want to breed them, the eggs they lay can be replaced with fake eggs right after they are laid, or the birds can simply not be given a nest. Note that even without a nest box, societies may still lay eggs on the floor of the cage. If eggs in a nest are to be taken, don’t just keep taking eggs away without adding fake ones, as the female may just keep laying more and more eggs to replace the lost ones. That can be hard on her body.

I feed my finches a standard finch seed mix, along with some egg food and greens (they love broccoli). I also provide a cuttlebone, since my females do lay eggs, and the cuttlebone is a great source of calcium. I did let my societies raise a couple babies, but I’ve been putting fake eggs in their nests lately, mainly because if I let them raise every egg they laid, I’d be up to my armpits in finches. Plus, I kept both babies that my birds raised and I don’t really want them to breed with each other or back to their parents.

The cage-set up I use involves two of these…

…that I stuck side-by-side. I took off the side doors so the finches can fly back and forth between the cages. This set up wasn’t terribly expensive and it gives the finches lots of room to fly around in. Pet finches really should be given enough room to fly and they should never be wing-clipped like parrots often are since they do not climb like parrots do. I also have two spice finches and four Gouldians in with the societies and they all get along wonderfully.

Gouldian Finches - the one with the ratty head just hasn't finished molting into his adult plumage. He's not missing feathers or anything.

The finches are very different than the parrots I usually write about, since they don’t really rely on people for social interactions the way a lot of pet parrots do. Finches are very tricky to tame, and thus are pets for looking at more than anything. I personally enjoy watching my finches, as they’re quite active and are often busy courting each other, singing, preparing a nest, flying around or eating. They’re really quite active and endearing little birds. They require less maintenence than parrots, but still need some degree of care. Food and water needs changing daily, and the cage should be kept clean. On occasion, a finch may need his nails trimmed, although I’ve only ever had to trim my spice finches’ nails. Finches also should be fed more than just seed. Egg food can give them protein and greens can provide the vitamins that are lacking in the seeds. Finches also don’t play with toys the way parrots do, but they do need space to fly and a variety of perches. Some like swings and bells.

I also keep button quail with the finches. Button quail are usually fine to keep in large enclosures with finches, although the quail should be placed elsewhere if the finches are raising chicks. Any chicks that fall out of the nest may be pecked at by the quail.

Button Quail Chicks

Above are three button quail chicks I raised. I got them at a few days old, so they still needed supplemental heat. I kept them in a 10 gallon aquarium with a heat lamp over it. Their food (game bird feed) had to be ground into a powder so they could eat it. I got the three since my female quail had died (she was at least 4.5 years – old for a button quail!) and my male was left alone. I put one female from the trio with him when she was grown and I left the other two together (and they’re in with my lineolated parakeets). I normally would not recommend keeping quail with parrots but the linnies are not aggressive and leave the quail alone.

Parrot 101: Part B

Basic Parrot Care

This is the second post about the basics of parrot care.  The first post was about life with parrots and what to consider before getting one. This post is about the basics of caring for a parrot, including feeding, training and health care.

Supplies

Choosing a cage: First, most parrots are going to need some sort of cage. Generally bigger is better, but be sure that the bar spacing on the cage is appropriate and that the bird will not be able to get his head stuck between the bars. I find that most cages in “starter kits” are way too small for most birds, especially the ones in budgie and cockatiel starter kits. A cage should be able hold at least four perches, three toys and food and water bowls and still give the bird some freedom of movement.  He should be able to flap without his wings hitting anything and should have sufficient room to climb around in.

Unsafe cages include old antique ones (the metal used is often toxic) and the old-style round cages. Many birds are just uncomfortable in a round cage, and they can get their toes stuck at the top where the bars become narrow. Very tall, narrow cages are also inappropriate. When choosing between cages, a wider one is better so the bird can move from side to side.

Never house birds in antique cages. They are too small and often contain metal toxic to parrots.

Old round cages like this are also not suited for birds. I sometimes see these for sale in classified ads and theyre really only good for fake birds. Never use a rusty cage either - rust is toxic to birds.

Accessories: The number of perches used will depend on cage size, but use at least four of different materials and widths. A good-sized perch will let the bird wrap his feet about 3/4 of the way around the perch. Some perches that are a bit bigger or smaller than this should also be provided.  Natural branches are great since they have a nice texture and can vary in width, which allows the bird to choose a comfortable spot. Dowel perches are okay and often come with cages but these really should not be the only perches available. A lot of birds seem to like rope perches but these are best witheld from birds who unravel and chew them as birds can get their feet wrapped in loose threads. There are cement perches on the market and each of my birds has one of these. I don’t place them in the bird’s favorite sleeping spot though (usually a back corner), because standing too long on one could be hard on their feet.

A few of my birds also have “boings” to perch on. These are coiled, bouncy rope items that a lot of birds enjoy. Some birds like swings and ladders as well.

Most parrots love to chew, so pet parrots should be provided with appropriate chew toys.  What’s appropriate will depend on the bird’s preferences, size and beak strength. Large parrots can often chew harder woods and need larger toys, and small birds like budgies or lineolated parakeets need softer woods to nibble.  Some birds (cockatoos in particular) love to hold items in their feet and chew on them. I give my cockatoo things like pine cones and popsicle sticks to chew on. My Amazon loves softer bamboo wood chew toys.

A pet parrot should not have to stay in his cage all the time, and a play stand will give a parrot owner a place to put the bird when he’s out of the cage but not directly with the owner. A play stand can also give a bird a change of scenery and some different toys to enjoy. Play stands can be purchased or made.

A nice home-made playstand

Obviously a bird will need food bowls. The little plastic ones sold in pet stores are usually fine for smaller birds but big ones often destroy these. Stainless steel bowls are best for birds like macaws and cockatoos. I keep quite a few spare bowls on hand so if I want to stick some in the dishwasher, there are spares available.

Feeding

One thing that all parrot owners should know is that an all-seed diet is inadequate for a pet birds’ needs.  The seed mixes sold in pet stores for birds usually contain insufficient amounts of several vitamins, minerals and amino acids. They are also too high in fat for most pet parrots. There are pelleted diets on the market that are much more nutritious than just seeds and they are fine to use for the base of a parrot’s diet. If one gets a parrot that’s used to an all-seed diet, the parrot should gradually be transitioned to a pelleted diet and introduced to other healthful foods.

Pellets shouldn’t make up all of a parrot’s diet. Parrots can benefit from receiving healthful “people foods,” including nuts, fruit, vegetables, seeds, legumes and grains. As for grains, the best to feed include whole, unrefined grains, like whole rice, oatmeal, quinoa (not really a grain but is cooked like one), bulgur, or millet. Most fruits or vegetables are safe to offer parrots, with the exception of avocado, rhubarb, garlic, or onion. The most healthful fruits and veggies to offer include any of the green, leafy vegetables (like broccoli), ones with dark orange, yellow or red flesh (like mango, carrots or cooked sweet potatos) , and berries. Beans given to parrots should be cooked, and many veterinarians recommend not feeding raw tomatoes to parrots. Avoid feeding peanuts in the shell, as some peanut shells contain a black mold that produces aflatoxins, which can damage a parrots liver.

Additionally, never feed a bird chocolate, caffeine, alcohol, milk, or junk food. Note also that while seeds should not make up all of a parrot’s diet, it is fine to use them as a small portion of the diet, and some of them are quite nutritious.

A few parrot species have special dietary needs.  Lories and lorikeets, for example, eat a lot of nectar and fruit in the wild. There are commercial nectar mixes available for lories but these need to be changed a few times per day. Lories also need some fruits and vegetables in their diet as well and should not be fed foods that are high in iron. Additionally, many Eclectus parrot breeders note that this species does not do well on a mostly-pelleted diet and should be fed a diet with a high proportion (~75%) of fresh foods. Any pellets fed to an Eclectus should be organic with no added artifical colors.

Care

A parrot will, of course, need fresh food and pellets, water and to be cleaned up after. Plain news paper (not the glossy ad inserts that can come with them) is the best substrate to line a bird’s cage with, as it’s not harmful, it’s cheap or free, and it’s easy to change. Never use cedar chips around birds, as the aromatic compounds released by them can damage a bird’s respiratory system. This is true for rodents as well. If some sort of bedding is desired, use only aspen chips or care fresh. Any bedding used will need frequent changing.

A part of parrot care often missed includes a bath or shower. Wild birds will take showers (in the rain) or baths and pet birds need this as well. Some parrots will bath if provided with a large bowl of water and others love showers. Deliver showers with a spray bottle and aim the spray above the bird’s head. Some birds reluctant to take a bath will do so it they hear a vaccuum. There’s something about that sound that makes several of my birds head to their water dish to bath, and if showered, they’ll spread their wings and try to get as wet as possible.

Ripley the Red-lored Amazon enjoys a shower

A pet parrot should also receive at about 9-12 hours of darkness and quiet for sleeping at night. If the owner is away for most of the day (~8 hours) and the house is quiet, 9 or so hours of quiet at night is fine since the bird will nap during the day. In a very busy household where people are coming and going, it may be necessary to have a “sleep cage” for the bird in a quiet area so it gets enough sleep.

Safety

A lof of common household items can be toxic to parrots. Teflon-coated cookware is one example. If anything with teflon on it overheats, it will start to emit toxic fumes that can quickly kill a parrot. Note that it’s not only cookware that contains teflon – items like irons and hair driers can contain it too.

Parrots can easily drown in open containers of water, including pots of water, aquariums and cups of liquid, so these are best kept covered when a parrot is out. Other pets can also be dangerous to birds. Birds should never be allowed to interact directly with cats, even if the cat seems gentle towards the parrot. This is because cats have bacteria in their claws and teeth than can quickly kill birds, even if the initial bite or scratch was not very damaging. Any bird that’s been scratched or bitten by cat should immediately be taken to a veterinarian. Ferrets and parrots do not mix either, as ferrets can very quickly kill birds by biting the backs of their necks.

Caution is warranted in keeping pet rodents in the same area as birds. Be sure that the bird doesn’t climb on the rodent’s cage, as the rodent may bite the parrot’s feet. Believe me, rodent bites can be painful!

Many types of fumes can be damaging to parrots as well. Smoking around parrots is a huge no-no, and smoking should never be allowed in a household with parrots. The smoke is terrible for their lungs and the butts are toxic should a bird find and chew on one. The use of insecticides, incense, candles and air fresheners should also be avoided around parrots, and if a house with parrots is going to be painted or have new carpets installed, the parrots should be kept elsewhere until any fumes dissipate. This can take a week or two.

Training and Social Interactions

Parrots are very social creatures and can enjoy interactions with their owners. Pet parrots tend to benefit from learning to respond to a few cues like, “step up.” If a pet parrot is to be kept flighted, it’s very helpful to teach him to come on cue. Parrots can also enjoy learning tricks, such as waving or spreading their wings on cue.

Parrots do not react well to harsh training methods and are best taught to respond to cues with rewards. To teach a bird new things, break the desired behavior into small steps, and start rewarding any steps the parrot makes towards displayed the final, desired behavior. For example, to teach a bird to step on a hand, start rewarding him for making any motions towards the hand, then for placing a foot on the hand and then finally for stepping right up on the hand. Small items like seeds or pieces of nut make great training rewards.

Further Information

I’ve barely scratched the surface here about parrot care, and I highly recommend that prospective parrot owners read through a book on parrot care before making the plunge and getting one. Stick to newer books, as some old ones contain outdated information. Some good books include:

“A Parrot for Life: Raising and Training the Perfect Parrot Companion,” By Rebecca O’Connor (covers all the basics on parrot care),

“The Parrot Problem Solver,” by Barbara Heidenreich (focuses primarily on behavior),

“Parrots for Dummies,” by Nikki Moustaki (covers various aspects of parrot care),

“The Parrot Companion,” by Rosemary Low,

“Good Parrotkeeping: A Comprehensive Guide to All Things Parrot,” by Robin Deutsch

There are, of course, some good websites with information on parrot care as well. On the side over there —–> is a list of good parrot websites and magazines.

The World Parrot Trust site is quite good. On the left just click on, “Learn about Parrots,” and you’ll be lead to pages with articles on health care, feeding, training, wild parrots and more.

Finally, the below links go to sites on this website with more information on the topics touched on above:

Parrot 101 Part A: Do they make Good Pets?

Clicker Training Parrots

The Importance of Environmental Enrichment for Pet Parrots

The Benefits of Fresh Food for Your Parrot

Parrot 101: Part A

Parrot 101: Do they make good pets?

Or: What to consider when considering a parrot.

I am frequently asked if parrots make good pets, but the answer to this simple question is actually kind of complicated.  Obviously, I love parrots and keeping them actually led me to become kind of obsessed with them (although I’ve always been a nature enthusiast).  I’ve written several articles about them and have even made excursions to view wild them in the wild.  I’m certainly not unique and I’ve met others who have become die-hard parrot fans after getting one.  However, I never outright tell people that parrots make good pets. They can be quite a challenge to keep happy and they have some habits (e.g. they are noisy and messy) that could drive a lot of people up the wall.  Many parrots end up being rehomed shortly after purchase once their owners tire of them or realize they really don’t have the time or desire to provide such a complex animal with what it needs to thrive.

My intention with this post is to outline what living with parrots is really like and what prospective parrot owners should consider before taking the plunge and adopting a parrot.  I think a lot of the problems captive parrots face has to do with the fact that a lot of people who keep them have no idea how to care for them or had unrealistic expectations of them.  This “Parrot 101″ post is about life with parrots – the good, the bad, and the messy – and the follow up post will outline the basics of parrot care.

First, why own a parrot at all? They are, of course, very beautiful, social, and fascinating animals.  One of their biggest attractions is that they talk…sometimes.  As I tell all prospective parrot owners, not all parrots talk, so don’t get a parrot just because they are known for talking!  Additionally, parrots live a long time and the novelty of an animal that talks will eventually wear off so one must truly appreciate parrots for what they are to successfully keep one over the long term.  I think a parrot that cannot talk can make a nice companion and I don’t really care that none of my birds are good talkers.  None of my three conures can talk at all, but they’re playful and friendly. All of them can be taught new behaviors quite quickly and like to be with me while I work or read.  Ripley the Red-lored Amazon is also very pleasant to be around and is content to be out wherever her favorite person (my husband) is.  She laughs a lot and is so calm that we can often take her out on picnics and to certain shops (including aquarium and movie shops).  Mitri the Lesser Sulphur-crested Cockatoo is incredibly intelligent and is simply a fascinating creature. He uses tools, can take the nuts and bolts out of his cage, is extremely affectionate, and learns very quickly.  All of my parrots are incredibly beautiful and Peggy (a Jenday Conure)  in particular has startlingly bright and beautiful colors.

A beautiful, friendly Jenday Conure. Those interested in this species should keep in mind that they have shrill voices!

Of course, living with the parrots does come with a big cost and a prospective parrot owner should consider if the cost is something they are willing to (or can) bear. It’s a lot of work to keep a parrot happy and healthy. Additionally, it’s important for those considering a pet parrot to research the different species and figure out which ones (if any) would best suit their living situation and which would mesh best with the household. Parrots range from the relatively docile, small and quiet Lineolated Parakeets to incredibly loud, destructive, large, and sometimes aggressive cockatoos.

Noise is a big factor to consider.  There are no silent parrots, so before getting a bird, find out what the different species sound like and if it’s something you find tolerable. A small handful of parrots (Bourke’s Parakeets and Lineolated Parakeets, for example) have pleasant voices they use primarily at dawn and dusk and these are the best birds for apartments or people who have a low tolerance for shrill calls.  Budgies aren’t terribly loud either, but they can produce some low-level chirping throughout the day. I personally like the sounds my budgie, Bourke’s Parakeet and Lineolated Parakeets make. Pyrrhura conures (such as Maroon-bellied or Green-cheeked Conures) are also reasonably quiet but can produce some squawking.  One the loud end of the spectrum, there are the cockatoos, Aratinga conures, and macaws. These are among the loudest of all parrots and are frequently rehomed due to their powerful voices. The below video demonstrates what a cockatoo can sound like:

I think that mess is another one of the big factors to consider.  Even my small parrots produce some mess and manage to get crumbs and some molted feathers outside of their cages.  When they come out of their cages, they make more mess under their play stands (in the form of crumbs and poop) that needs to be cleaned daily. Placing a large rubber mat under a bird’s stand or cage can make clean up easier and I actually tiled the room of the floor where my Amazon, conures, and finches are. My messiest bird, by far, is Mitri.  He loves to chew wood and rip up paper and not all of the debris from that actually stays in his cage due to his habit of going to the floor of his cage and kicking out the mess.  He actually likes to throw things around as well. A Blue and Gold Macaw I bird sat for a while was also quite outstanding at getting food and debris everywhere.

Outfitting a parrot with an appropriate living space isn’t always cheap or easy either. A parrot needs more than a cage, a perch, a cup of seeds and a cup of water to thrive. First, good cages can be costly, and expect to spend at least $100 for a cage for even the smallest of parrots. Good-sized cages for the big parrots can run up to $1000 or more.  A cage will also need a variety of perches of differing diameter and material. A good perch will allow a parrot to wrap his foot about 3/4 of the way around it, so most perches should be around that size, with a few a bit bigger or smaller. I give each of my birds a dowel perch, one or more rope perches (except Peggy who unravels them), a concrete perch, and some natural wood perches.

Parrots love to chew as well and need to have items they can chew on. One can buy wooden chew toys for parrots, but clean, safe items from the outdoors (branches and pine cones) can make nice chew toys for parrots as well. One must learn what plants are safe before giving a bird items from outside. Some birds can be like rodents in the amount they chew.  Mitri, for example, needs his dish of chewies (branches, popsicle sticks, etc.) replenished almost daily. There are also a variety of other toys for parrots, including bells, swings, and foraging toys (that birds can get food from) that can all enrich a captive bird’s life.  A parrot cage needs to have room for around four perches, three toys, food and water dishes and still give the parrot room to move around and flap without hitting any toys or perches.  Remember as well that bigger is always better!

Most parrots love to chew

Feeding a parrot also isn’t as simple as dumping seeds in a dish.  Seeds alone are not a sufficient diet for a parrot, as the seed mixes available in pet stores lack a lot of nutrients that parrots need.  I feed my parrots pellets supplemented with healthy natural food like grains, nuts, fruits, and vegetables. A few parrot species have very specialized dietary needs, so again, prospective parrot owners need to research the type of parrot they are interested in. Lories and lorikeets, for example,  are nectar feeders and do not digest seed well, as their crops are not as tough and muscular as those of other parrots.  These birds need nectar (commercial mixes are available) and fruit.

A lot of birds are very messy with their water as well and eat food over their water dish and get crumbs and other stuff in there.  Water dishes in a bird cage need at least daily changing and sometimes twice or thrice daily changing.  For example, Chiku!, my Green-cheeked Conure, dips quite a lot of his food in water before eating it, and he often outright deposits food in there. Thus, his water gets changed a few times daily. He likes to bath in his water dish as well and I’ve noticed he only does that with fresh, clean water.

Like a dog or horse, parrots do need a certain amount of training to adapt to living with people. They also need daily handling to remain tame.  I recommend that prospective owners read up on how to train parrots using kind, positive reinforcement-based methods. I also recommend that prospective owners learn all they can about natural parrot behavior and parrot body “language.” Pet parrots are often rehomed for things like biting, screaming, or generally being unmanageable and I think owners who educate themselves about parrot behavior and how to train parrots before getting one are far less likely to encounter serious problems with their birds. Note that this requires a certain degree of time and effort on the part of the parrot owner. There is a big learning curve involved in keeping birds as pets and I think they are best suited to true animal enthusiasts who enjoy learning new things about birds.  Patience with animals is a necessary virtue for keeping a parrot.  Even very well-behaved parrots may be noisy at times and many parrot owners get bitten from time to time.

Realistic Expectations

It’s important to have realistic expectations when considering a parrot as a pet. For example, as stated, not all parrots learn to speak well and the only way to guarantee that one will get a talking parrot is to buy an adult that already knows many words. Many people also want pets that they can pet and handle all over but not all parrots enjoy being touched.  Many like head scratches and that’s it.  Cockatoos are an exception as most enjoy being petted. However, cockatoos are also incredibly demanding and are quite prone to problems like feather plucking, screaming and biting so they need patient, understanding owners.  Feather plucking is actually something that can happen in any species (but it seems most common in greys and cockatoos) so a parrot keeper must be willing to deal with that, which should involve taking the parrot to the vet.

Would you still love your bird if it feather plucked? Shown is an Austral Conure.

That’s all for this post, and I’ll be doing a second about basic parrot care. Stay tuned!