Introduction 1
About This Book 1
Foolish Assumptions 3
Icons Used in This Book 3
Where to Go from Here 3
Part 1: Introducing the Parrot — Your Wild Child 5
Chapter 1: Meeting the Parrots, Just the Basics 7
Introducing the Parrots 7
From pet to companion 8
A little bit of wilderness 9
Home Tweet Home: Welcoming a Parrot into Your Home 10
Making birdy comfortable 10
Parrot paraphernalia 11
Parrot Care 101: Taking Care of Your Bird 11
Health care 11
Nutrition 12
Parrot Behavior: Checking How Your Bird Acts 12
Normal behaviors 12
The parrot monster 12
Parrot Pals: Socializing with Your Bird 13
Making friends with your parrot 13
Breeding parrots: Use caution 13
A Caveat to the Wise 14
Chapter 2: Knowing What to Expect with Your Companion Parrot 15
Defining a Companion Parrot 16
Just Being Themselves 17
Recognizing the Joys of Parrot Guardianship 18
Pondering Important Points about Buying or Adopting a Parrot 19
Recognizing who’s getting the parrot 19
Answering why you want a parrot 20
Factoring in the parrot’s personality 20
Contemplating the parrot’s home 21
Going on vacation 21
Remembering parrots have a longer lifespan 22
Dealing with allergies 22
Estimating the costs of parrot ownership 22
Being cognizant of the responsibilities of parrot guardianship 23
Spending time with your parrot 24
Preparing for mess and more mess 24
Getting used to the noise (Sorry, I can’t hear over my screaming parrot) 24
Understanding What a Companion Parrot Expects 25
Tolerance 25
Empathy 26
Sense of humor 26
Attentiveness 26
Decisiveness and action 26
Constant companionship 26
A loyal friend 27
Living with a Parrot around Nonbird People 27
Chapter 3: Choosing the Right Companion 29
Keeping Certain Considerations in Mind As You Choose a Species 30
Parrots are individuals 30
The chemistry between the two of you 30
Not all species are created equal 30
Noise: deafening or extremely deafening 31
Space: Bigger is better 31
Lifestyles of the neat and messy 32
From easily affordable to taking out a loan 33
Talking ability 33
Child-friendliness 33
One, two, or more 34
Looking Closer at Species Profiles Commonly Kept As Companions 35
African grey parrots 35
Amazon parrots 36
Brotogeris 38
Budgies 38
Caiques 39
Cockatiels 40
Cockatoos 40
Conures 45
Eclectus 48
Hanging parrots 48
Hawk-headed parrots 49
Lories 49
Lovebirds 50
Macaws 51
Other parakeets 54
Parrotlets 57
Pionus 58
Poicephalus parrots 58
Quaker parakeets 59
Vasa parrots 60
Chapter 4: Purchasing or Adopting a Parrot 61
Considering Your Parrot Options 61
Comparing handfed versus parent-raised birds 62
Choosing an age 63
Contemplating degrees of tameness 66
The talker in the bunch 67
Finding the Perfect Parrot for You 68
Pet shops 68
Bird shops 69
Online classifieds 69
Reputable breeders 70
Flea markets 71
Bird shows or expos 72
Adopting a Rescue Parrot 72
Identifying which birds are available for adoption 72
Completing the rescue application 74
Being prepared for the rescue home visit 74
Looking for a Healthy Parrot 75
Bright eyes 76
Clear nose and nares 76
Beak 76
Shiny feathers 76
Feet 77
Vent 77
Attitude and stance 77
Requesting a Guarantee 77
Knowing What to Ask Before You Buy or Adopt 78
Part 2: Bringing Home Your New Parrot 81
Chapter 5: A House to Call Home: Choosing Proper Housing 83
Matching the Housing to the Species 84
Finding the Right Cage for Your Bird 84
Cage shape 84
Sturdiness and material 85
Housing bottom 86
Door types 87
Cage dangers 87
Building Your Own Cage 88
Placing Your Cage to Ensure Your Parrot is Comfortable 89
Cleaning the Cage 90
Simplifying your cage cleaning 90
Choosing the right cleansers 90
Considering an Aviary 91
The flight cage 92
The habitat 92
Chapter 6: Going Shopping: Avian Supplies and Accessories 95
Giving Your Parrot a Place to Stand: Perches 95
Wooden perches 96
Concrete and cement perches 96
Rope perches 97
Plastic perches 98
Keeping the Food and Water Accessible: Coop Cups 98
Entertaining Your Parrot: Toys 99
Ensuring safety at all times 100
Considering different types of toys 102
Creating the Right Ambience: Bird Lighting 106
Setting Up the Cage 106
Considering Play Gyms and Stands 107
Lining Your Cage: Litter and Bedding 108
Covering the Cage: Nighttime Covers 108
Preventing Mess 109
Mess accessories 110
Air filters 110
Chapter 7: Bringing Home Birdy: Making Introductions and Parrot-Proofing Your Home 111
Making the First Night Stress Free (As Much As Possible) 112
Naming Your Bird 112
Thriving on Routine with Your New Parrot 113
Welcoming Your Parrot as a Family Member 114
Being unafraid; being very unafraid 114
Introducing people 115
Introducing pets 116
Introducing other birds 118
Quarantining your parrot 119
Understanding the Relationship between Parrots and Children 119
Realizing the commitment to owning a bird 119
Establishing some basic rules 120
Familiarizing Houseguests to Your Parrot 123
Parrot-Proofing Your Home 124
Part 3: Caring for Your Parrot 127
Chapter 8: Eating Like a Bird: Proper Parrot Nutrition 129
Starting with the Basics: Water 129
Keeping everything clean 130
Adding supplements to your water: Yay or nay? 131
Recognizing a Parrot’s Dietary Requirements 132
The digestive system 132
Eating in the wild 133
Identifying Nutrition-Related Disorders 134
Vitamin A deficiency 134
Calcium deficiency 135
Comparing Seeds versus Pellets: The Big Debate 136
Eyeing What the Cooked Base Diet is 138
Purchasing and Storing 138
Knowing Which Vegetables to Feed Your Parrot 140
Focusing on Fruit to Feed Your Feathered Friend 141
Being Aware of Pesticides 141
Giving Your Bird Snacks 143
Adding Table Foods to Your Bird’s Diet 145
Avoiding Toxic and Irritating Foods 145
Considering Grit and Clay 146
Contemplating Nutritional Supplements 146
Feeding Nectar Eaters 148
Getting a Parrot to Eat 149
Making Some Easy Recipes 150
Parrot muffins and bread 150
Parrot mac and cheese 151
Parrot omelet 151
Parrot juice and smoothies 151
Parrot pancakes 152
Parrot grain 152
Creating a Healthy Diet Routine 153
Chapter 9: Pretty Bird! Grooming Your Companion 157
Examining What Your Bird Fusses All about: Feathers 157
Fluffing up: Your bird’s feather types 158
Looking closer at feather anatomy 159
Recognizing what you can do 160
Clipping Your Parrot’s Wings 160
To clip or not to clip 161
Examining how flight effects parrot behavior 161
Considering options in between 162
Dealing with clipped and unclipped parrots 163
Clipping Your Bird’s Wings Properly: The How-To 164
Holding the parrot properly — Toweling 164
Clipping the flight feathers 165
Considering special circumstances 167
Clipping Your Parrot’s Toenails 168
Grooming the Beak 169
Beak breaks 170
The misaligned beak 170
Bathing Your Parrot 170
Caring for Molting Parrots 173
Dealing With Blood Feathers 175
Chapter 10: Taking Care of Your Parrot: In Sickness and in Health 177
Taking a Closer Look at a Parrot’s Anatomy 178
Eyes 178
Ears 178
Feathers 178
Preen gland 179
Feet 180
Beak 180
Cere 182
Tongue 182
Neck 182
Skin 182
Syrinx 182
Skeletal system 183
Muscles 183
Respiratory system 183
Digestive system 184
Circulatory system 184
Reproductive system 184
Recognizing Indications of Illness 184
Choosing an Avian Veterinarian 186
Finding a qualified avian vet 186
Knowing what to look for at the first visit 187
Divulging important information 188
Identifying Common Health Disorders 189
Nutritional disorders 190
Parasites 190
Bacterial infections 191
Viral infections 192
Fungal infections 192
Foot disorders 193
Feather disorders 193
Reproductive disorders 194
Being Aware of and Preventing Common Dangers to
Companion Parrots 194
Predators and animal bites 195
Standing water 196
Nonstick cookware 196
Household products 197
Poisonous houseplants 198
Ceiling fans 199
Toxic foods 199
Electrocution 200
Feet and doors 200
Lead and other heavy metals 200
Mirrors and clean glass 200
Night thrashing 201
Temperature changes 201
Frostbite 201
Overheating 202
Oil on feathers 202
Broken blood feathers and bleeding nails 202
Physical injuries and seizures 202
Flying away 203
Unsafe toys 205
Humans 205
Caring for an Older Parrot 205
Handling an Emergency 206
Medicating Your Parrot 207
Creating a Hospital Cage 207
Creating a Parrot First-Aid Kit 208
Part 4: Parrot Behavior Made Simple 211
Chapter 11: Understanding Your Wild Child’s Instincts 213
Looking At a Daily Life of Parrots in the Wild 214
Appreciating the Plight of Wild-Caught Parrots 217
Differentiating between wild caught and captive bred 218
Getting involved: Conservation organizations 219
Understanding Your Parrot’s Instincts 220
Being the prey 220
Finding a high spot 220
Flocking 221
Sleeping 221
Vocalizing 222
Making a mess 223
Blending into the background — Camouflage 223
Making eye contact 223
Picking a mate — gender preference in parrots 224
Chapter 12: Recognizing Normal Companion Parrot Behaviors 227
Examining Your Parrot’s Most Natural Behavior — Flying 228
Heading to the Heavens — Climbing 228
Hanging Out on the Ground — Foraging 229
Gnawing to His Heart’s Content — Chewing 229
Staying Completely Still — Freezing 230
Chatting Up a Storm — Vocalization 231
Contact calling 231
Screaming 232
Hissing 232
Growling 232
Begging 232
Differentiating between Beak Clicking and Clucking 233
Getting Clean and Looking Pretty — Preening 233
Clearing His Ears — Yawning 234
Hearing Your Parrot — Beak Grinding 234
Bobbing Up and Down to Say, “I Love You” — Regurgitation 234
Cleaning His Face — Beak Wiping 235
Considering Different Tail Behaviors 236
Exhibiting Breeding Behavior 236
Being Annoyed with Their Cage Mate — Bickering 238
Identifying Eating Habits 238
Rub a Dub Dub — Bathing 239
Taking a Nap — Sleeping 239
Getting Rid of Dirt and Itches — Scratching 239
Achoo! Bless You — Sneezing 240
Warning You to Back Off — Nipping 240
Reading Body Language 240
Flapping wings 240
Crest position 241
Fluffing and ruffling 241
The please dance 242
Head down 242
The attack stance 243
Stretching 243
Bowing and bobbing 244
Head shaking 244
Leaning forward, wings shaking 244
Quivering wings 244
Beak language 244
Potty language 244
Chicken scratching 244
Eye pinning (dilate/contract pupils) 245
Wing drooping 245
Wing flipping 245
Blushing 245
Back down, feet up 245
Recognizing When Your Parrot is Training You 247
Training method 1: Noise 248
Training method 2: Display 249
Training method 3: Biting 250
Training method 4: Plucking 251
Chapter 13: Handling More Than One Bird: Multiple Parrot Households 253
Keeping More Than One Parrot: The Pros and Cons 254
The pros 255
The cons 255
Interpreting Different Parrot Interactions 256
Parrot pals 257
Parrot enemies 258
Romeo and Romeo 259
One-sided love 259
Keeping the peace 259
Falling in love 260
Introducing a New Parrot 260
Wondering Why Everyone Just Can’t Get Along 261
Changing Your Relationship 262
Chapter 14: Addressing Behavior: When Good Birds Go Bad 263
Figuring Out the Problem 263
Understanding Dominance 264
Height dominance 265
Aggression 267
Socializing One-Person Parrots 267
Preventing possessiveness 268
Reversing one person-ness 269
Dealing With a Screaming Parrot 271
Trying these strategies for a screaming bird 271
Staying away from these remedies for a screamer 272
Handling Bad Words and Sounds 273
Taking a Chunk out of You: Biting 274
Considering why birds bite 274
Responding after your bird bites you 276
Paying attention to your bird’s biting body language 276
Addressing Fears and Phobias 277
Considering the causes 278
Trying these tactics with a fearful bird 279
Identifying and Handling Hormonal Issues 280
Pulling Out Her Plumes — Feather Plucking 281
Figuring out why parrots pluck 281
Helping your feathered friend stop plucking 283
Figuring Out What’s Bugging Your Bird 284
Maturity 284
Other birds 284
Environmental changes 285
Cage placement 285
Temperature 286
Noise 286
Sleep 286
Helping or Hurting: Why Your Actions Are Important 287
Hiring a Behavior Consultant 288
Considering the Last Resort: Rescue and Adoption 289
Part 5: Taming, Training, and Beyond 291
Chapter 15: Bird Brains: Understanding Parrot Intelligence 293
Taking a Closer Look at Mr Smarty Pants er, Feathers 294
Studying What Parrots Really Understand 295
Introducing Alex the Amazing Grey 296
Helping Your Bird Understand You 298
Teaching Your Parrot to Converse 299
Comprehending Why Parrots Talk 300
Chapter 16: Taming and Training Your Parrot 303
Beginning Training When Your Parrot is Young 304
Understanding the Importance of Socializing Your Parrot 304
Seeing how socialization affects a parrot’s quality of life 305
Socializing your parrot: The how-to 306
Bonding with Your Parrot 308
Building trust 308
Creating the bond: The how-to 309
Praising Your Bird: Positive Reinforcement Goes a Long Way 311
Considering Different Training Strategies 313
Finding your bird’s motivation 313
Considering clicker training 314
Teaching the Step-Up Command 316
Training a tame or semi-tame parrot: The how-to 316
Using stick training for this command 317
Whittling down to teach this command 318
Taming a Bronco Parrot 318
Disciplining a Parrot 320
Considering Some Simple Fun Behaviors You Can Teach 321
Potty Training Your Parrot: is It Even Possible? 323
Teaching Your Parrot to Talk 324
Recognizing what you need to get your bird to talk 324
Focusing on breeds that are known for talking 326
Getting your bird to stop talking 327
Dealing with a bird that doesn’t talk 328
Chapter 17: Taking Your Training to the Next Level: Advanced Techniques 329
Determining Whether Your Bird Learn Advanced Skills 331
Getting Started on the Right Foot 332
Discovering your parrot’s favorite treats 332
Giving praise 333
Recognizing other items you need to begin 333
Implementing Preference Training 334
Incorporating a Target into Your Training 335
Adding Colors to Your Training Regimen 336
Differentiating between Yes and No 338
Developing Your Bird’s Vocabulary 340
Playing Games with Your Parrot 340
Focusing on “more” or “less” 341
Playing war 341
Training How to Count 342
Handling Wrong Answers 344
Chapter 18: Breeding Parrots 345
Taking Heed: A Warning Before You Begin 346
Having Realistic Expectations When Breeding 347
Realizing how much time and expense is required 347
Considering the associated risks with breeding 348
Finding homes for the babies 350
Getting Started: Breeding with Paired Parrots 350
Recognizing What Breeding Equipment You Need 351
Meeting Nutritional Requirements When Breeding 352
Understanding the Breeding Process: A Timeline 353
Incubating Eggs When the Parent Parrots Aren’t Interested 357
Hatching — Time to welcome the new peeper 357
Making your own brooder 358
Using Leg Bands — A Bird’s ID Tag 359
Handfeeding Baby Parrots 360
Recognizing the equipment you need 360
Choosing a formula 360
Handfeeding your birds: The how-to 361
Being aware of handfeeding potential problems 362
Weaning Baby Parrots 366
Parrot Genetics 101 — Just the Basics 368
Chapter 19: In the Ring: Showing Your Parrot 371
Being Wary — Words of Warning for Showing 372
Looking into Parrot Clubs and Societies 373
Walking You Through How a Bird Show Works 374
Knowing the Show Standard 375
Looking at Different Show Equipment 378
Conditioning Your Bird for a Show 378
Preparing Your Bird: Show Training 379
Helping Out at the Show 380
Part 6: The Part of Tens 381
Chapter 20: Ten Things All Parrots Should Know 383
Understand the Step-Up Command 383
Comprehend Stick Training 384
Know Her Carrier 384
Identify Windows and Mirrors 384
Say Her Name and Phone Number 385
Recognize Her Cage As a Safety Zone 385
Know How to Take Medicine 386
Be Able to Trust You 386
Eat Well 386
Understand the Word “No!” 387
Chapter 21: Ten Ways to Entertain Your Parrot 389
Feeding Him — Food 390
Entertaining Your Bird — You’re the Star 391
Stimulating Your Parrot’s Mind — Parrot Toys 391
Turning on the TV and Some Music 393
Spending Time Outside — The Great Outdoors 393
Letting Him Spread His Wings — Flying 394
Shaking Your Groove Thang — Dancing 394
Belting at the Top of Your Lungs — Singing 394
Introducing a Friend — Parrot Pets 395
Training Him Different Tricks 395
Chapter 22: Ten (or So) Tips When Traveling with Your Parrot 397
Being Prepared — Packing Your Parrot’s Suitcase 398
Thinking Safety and Comfort — Bringing the Right Carrier 399
Hitting the Friendly Skies — Traveling by Air 401
Taking a Road Trip — Traveling by Car 402
Keeping Your Bird Hydrated — Bringing Bottled Water 403
Sleeping for the Night — Staying in a Hospitable Hotel 403
Feeding Your Bird — Helpful Travel Tips 404
Dealing with an Emergency — Finding an Avian Veterinarian on the Road 404
Relying on Help — Using a Parrot Sitter 405
Chapter 23: Ten Surprises for Parrot Guardians and How to Respond to Them 407
Handling the Inevitable Mess 407
Being Ready for the Noise 408
Feeling Guilty 409
Requiring Constant Supervision 410
Preparing to Open Your Wallet — The Expense 410
Bonding with You to an Extreme 411
Seeing How Funny Parrots Are around Mirrors 411
Recognizing How Smart Parrots Are 411
Figuring Out Who Inherits Your Parrot When You Die — Estate Planning 412
Being Prepared for the Unexpected — When Your Parrot Dies 413
Index 415
