Parrots are very productive creatures.  All of their daily activity shows purpose and a striving towards a goal.  There is nothing that they do that doesn’t benefit them in some way.  Foraging for food, preening, nest building all serve a clear purpose.  Even play is beneficial.  A young bird learns about the agility of its body.  It learns about defense, how to apply and withdraw force and builds its confidence.  Birds are very social beings, and play continues throughout adulthood.  And they perform other behaviors, the purpose for which may be less clear.

Screaming is a behavior that is hard to understand, especially when the outcome is usually an angry owner and a locked or covered cage.  So where is the benefit in that?  Consider the scream a call for attention, or to call your attention to some need.  While you’re running around trying to figure out what to do for him to get that screaming to stop, he has already gotten what he wants: your attention. Also, your frenzy was probably quite amusing to him to watch  – benefit #2.

Don’t confuse screaming with the twice daily (or so) contact call.  In the wild, this is normal morning and evening behavior.  In the morning, it’s a greeting, in the evening, a call to bring the flock home for the night.  This is what parrots do.  It’s healthy flock behavior, and to be expected.  Don’t try to discourage it – there’s a reason and purpose for it.

Photo by Missi Bellande

Parrots don’t bite without cause.  It might be a warning because they feel threatened, or an outright attack after you’ve failed to heed the warnings (they are always there).  They have also been known to bite just to watch you dance around the room yelling “Ow, ow, ow.”  How fun is that??

Another thing they do that puzzles me, but I find hilariously funny, is teasing.  We’ve heard the stories of the african grey that perfectly mimics a ringing phone and cackles with laughter while the owner scrambles across the room to answer a dial tone.  Or the parrot who whistles for the dogs and then yells at them  (in the owner’s voice) to go back in the other room.  What is the benefit of this?  Practicing manipulative skills?  Most likely it is just amusement and fun.  You can’t put a price on that.  Maybe your parrot sees it as their job to shake things up every now and again when things get too slow for their quick thinking minds.

Parrot toes

One of the things that distinguishes parrots from many other birds is their zygodactyl feet.  It sounds really prehistoric, but it simply means two toes forward and two toes back, specifically the second and third toe point forward, and the first and the fourth point back.  This configuration of toes allows for greater ability in grasping and manipulating objects like food and toys, climbing and perching.

Perches

Since they are on their feet 24/7,  many perches should be made available in your parrots cage.  They should vary in texture, material,  and in width or diameter.  Sandy or cement perches should not be the main perch for the cage.   These textures are unnatural for them and their time on them should be limited.

Don’t use them as a means to get out of nail trims.  It is the parrot’s skin that has the most contact with the surface. If the nails are so long that they are making enough contact with a sandy perch to actually be filed, they are not perching correctly.  This could lead to tendonitis or arthritis.

Poor perching opportunities, dirty or wrong sized perches and frequent perching on rough surfaces can cause pressure sores on the bottom of the feet, which can become infected.  This is often referred to as bumblefoot and can be moderate to severe.  The skin is so thin on the bottom of a birds feet that bacteria passes easily through.

Once a skin infection sets in on the bird’s foot, it can quickly turn into a bone infection as there is not much between the skin and the bones in their feet.  If there are any red or shiny/smooth spots on the bottom of your parrot’s foot, find more suitable perches for your species of bird.  Watch the sores for signs of infection and call the vet for direction.

Are parrots left or right…footed?

An interesting question, right? Studies have shown most parrots to be left-handed, meaning that they prefer to eat or hold objects with their left foot.  Mine seem to fall in line with this.

However, they will sometimes lead with their right foot.  When I reach to step Linus up with my left hand, he will lead with his right foot. This may be because he sees the area closest to my thumbs as a wider, more stable, perch and prefers to stand on it to steady himself before applying all of his body weight.  If I reach with my right hand, he will step up with his left.  When he steps off of my hand onto a flat surface, he might use either foot.

What about the parrot that has no feet at all?

You read that right.  There are accidents, birth defects, or diseases that sometimes require the amputation of toes, feet or entire legs.  When you consider how important a function these body parts provide for an active bird, it might seem like the end of the road.  This simply isn’t true.  Most carry on quite well and learn quickly to adapt.

A friend took in a pair of african greys from a breeder whose parents had bitten their feet off when they were just a few days old.  One has only stumps at the end of his legs, the other fared a little better, and has slight remnants of feet, but not enough to really support balance.  He looks a bit like it would if you put a child’s feet on a man’s body.

Both bird’s have had handicap cages ingeniously devised for birds that lack the ability to grasp and climb well, including ramps, and soft, flat perches.  Everything is nearer to the bottom of the cage, to reduce the need for bar climbing and to prevent a falling accident, while still encouraging exercise.

Neither of these birds has a clue that they are different.  They are happy, well adjusted, playful and full of themselves.  They will flip over on their backs and play with foot toys just like any other, except, no feet.  There really isn’t much they can’t do that a footed bird can accomplish.  If they don’t feel like there is something wrong with them, why should we?  They’re perfect just as they are.

Veterinarians say that obesity is the most common health problem they see in companion parrots today.  Many experts say that owners tend to overfeed their birds, offer too many snacks, or are just poorly educated about nutrition.

Parrots suffer from the same ill effects from obesity as do humans. An obese parrot is predisposed to cancer. They are at risk for  atherosclerosis, where fatty substances are deposited on the walls of thick and hardened arteries, including the ones leading to the heart.  This can lead to collapse and sudden death.

Amazons and african greys are species that are prone to obesity and are most at risk, but it effects all species if proper diet and exercise are not a way of life.  We know inactivity and a poor diet contribute to all kinds of health problems in humans, and the same applies to our parrots.  A good rule of thumb is:  if it isn’t good for you, it isn’t good for your  parrot.

You can go online and google what your species of parrot should weigh, but I don’t recommend it.  My experience is that it is never accurate because each parrot is an individual.  My umbrella cockatoo is large and, therefore, weighs more than the average umbrella, my goffins cockatoo is smallish and weighs less.  Of my two male standard cockatiels, one is large and weighs 104 grams while the other weighs in at 74 grams.  Both are just right for their size.

A better way to determine if your bird is a healthy weight is to check for the prominence of the keel bone.  It should be level with the muscle on either side of the bone.  If it protrudes, your bird is thin, and you should see the vet to make sure there is no illness present.  If the breast extends out beyond the keel, your bird is overweight.  Cleavage on a bird is not a desireable thing.

Birds are muscular creature. Feel along the sides of their body.  If you feel something that feels more like fat than muscle, it probably is.  Once you determine that your bird feels a healthy weight, your vet can help you with this, weigh him and use that weight as a guideline to monitor his health.

How much to feed your bird is a difficult question to answer.  Some people say that a large parrot should be served 3/4 of a cup of food each day.  Keeping in mind that parrots are very messy eaters, and will take a couple of bites of one thing, drop it, and go onto another piece of food, it’s very difficult to gauge exactly what they are getting into them.  Also keep in mind that if food is coarsely chopped, a measuring cup will fill up much more quickly and leave a lot of air pockets than if is is finely chopped.

Think of how small the crop is, and consider what it takes to fill it.  My umbrella cockatoo loves cooked yellow squash.  I cut it into slices and serve it warm.  He eats a maximum of 3 tablespoons before he walks away stuffed.

Some parrots are fine with free feeding.  They can be offered food in any amount and only eat what they want and will leave the rest untouched.  Others will gorge on whatever you put in front of them.  This is another situation where you have to know your bird, set limitations, and make the best choices in the foods you do offer.

It IS possible to change the eating habits of the most stubborn parrots.  I takes time, though,  and patience.  Make him work for the foods he does eat.  Move the perch next to the food bowl and make him climb back and forth to get each morsel.  Teach him to forage for his dinner.

Some of my parrots are very picky eaters.  Most of what I serve them, winds up on the bottom of the cage or on the floor.  Those are the good days.  It’s when the food remains untouched in the bowl, that I feel discouraged.  I know that if they are flinging it, it has at some point been in their mouth, which means it has at least been tasted, and maybe, just maybe, a little has or will be eaten.  Playing with food is often the first step to eating it.  I served, and disposed of, my umbrella cockatoo’s uneaten broccoli for two years before he finally decided that it was good to eat.  Never give up.

Obesity encourages laziness.  A cycle then begins.  The parrot overeats, and doesn’t move from its perch to work off any excess calories.  An obese parrot needs to have a feeding routine established.  Make a dietary plan and stick to it.  This doesn’t mean your parrot has to suffer or be deprived of any treats.  Think of it like this:  If you are watching your weight, and you plan on having that piece of cake after dinner, you will be eating a salad for lunch.

This spring, Jamieleigh successfully rehabbed a client’s obese parrot.  You can see the incredible transformation in Storm the the blue fronted amazon.

A few weeks ago, I was going out of town for a few days. I was very busy around the house getting things together and although I had prepared their food for the rest of the day and had their care for the rest of the week handled, I hadn’t spent my usual time with Roxanne, Charlie, and Skittle. I rushed out the door anyways, but I didn’t make it to the end of my street when I had the overwhelming desire to turn back around and spend a few more minutes with my birds before I went without them for a few days. I came back into the house and into the room where they all sat- just kinda looking at me, almost astonished to see me back so soon. I didn’t have much time to spend, but what kind of individual quality time could I possibly give 3 parrots in a 10 minute span?

Living day in and day out with these 3, it is only natural to come to know what specific things will make them the happiest. Charlie (blue and gold macaw) loves playing, chasing and even more playing with toys. I took her our put her on her playstand and proceeded to let her play to her little hearts content while I talked to her and made her feel like she was a big deal! I know for Skittle, like most conures, snuggling and being close is his favorite way to spend time with me, so out of the cage he went and he immediately started into my shirt and snuggled onto my shoulder while he contently grunted.

And then there’s Roxanne the newly adopted grey. With skittle and Charlie I am able to just walk into our bird-room and they are ready to come out and spend time together. But with Roxanne, no matter how many times I may go into the room on any given day, she still needs to see me for a few minutes and get used to me being in the room with her before she will even consider stepping up without trying to bite. So here I am with just a few minutes left to spare so what do I do? Do I approach her rushed anyways and try to spend some sort of time with her for the day even tho I know she will be scared and try to bite? No. I already know how she operates so to make our time worthwhile, I need to make her feel secure. I ended up (with Skittle still in my shirt, and Charlie on the stand) leaning over and gently speaking to Roxanne while giving her some sunflower seeds. I am currently able to have Roxanne step up, but not on an abrupt command like Charlie and Skittle- but I don’t even go there to risk jeopardizing the trust I am building with Roxanne. The clock was ticking and I needed to be on my way. Charlie and Skittle went back into their cages without a fight to stay out and I gave Roxanne one last sunflower seed.

It felt good knowing that in just a small amount of time I could spend time with my parrots. I may feel like I spent more time with Skittle and Charlie because I was able to actually handle them and love on them. But the time I spent just talking and giving seeds to Roxanne is just as good according to Roxanne because as I was walking out of the room to leave I said “Goodbye guys” only to be responded by Roxanne with “Love you more!!”

It is obviously important not to let your parrot’s nails get overgrown. If they are too long, the have a higher likelihood of getting broken and are sharper which would cause anyone holding the bird discomfort. Some people freefly their parrots or have them in particularly natural environments so they don’t cut the nails but I would say they are the exception to the rule.

Given that your parrot lives in a cage at home, it is understandable that it is not exposed to the natural claw cutting things it would encounter in the wild. Naturally the nails keep growing to compensate for the rate at which they are used. At home they are not used, so they become overgrown. Since we live in unnatural environments and use tools/helping devices for different things we have to cut our own nails and our companion parrot’s.

There are basically three ways to keep a parrot’s nails trimmed:

1) Cut them with a nail clipper

2) File them with a nail file

3) Provide filing perches

I use all three of these and highly recommend that you use all of these methods. I would like to describe the benefits of each of these.

The advantage to cutting the nails is that it is relatively quick and leaves a clean cut. The end of the nails is very blunt and it takes a longer time for the nails to grow back from this stage. The downside is that it is a dangerous/stressful process. If cut incorrectly, the bird can bleed to death so it is important that you have a vet or bird expert do this.

To prolong the benefit of the cut nails, I file my bird’s nails every few weeks. By doing this, I can stretch visits to the vet or bird store from once every two to once every three months. I would have to file the parrot’s nails every other day if I wanted to avoid having to get them cut altogether but it is difficult to find the time to do that. So instead, I just blunt out the tips every so often. By holding my bird for nail filing every so often, it makes her more used to the process and better behaved at the store when she gets trimmed.

The disadvantage to nail filing is that it is a lot of work for a little benefit. One filing session takes as long as one nail cutting session because each toenail has to be individually worked on. But unlike the cut, the amount of nail scaled back is barely noticeable. The other problem with filing is that even if the nails are kept short, they end up getting sharper and sharper. A cut every now and then helps to keep the nails blunt and not cut your hands when your bird is on them.

Finally, I provide my parrot with natural branches with bark and filing perches to keep the nails trimmed. Unfortunately, this does not seem to help that much. It does help me prolong the duration between visits to four months because filing and perches take about a month off out of every four but it is not enough by itself. Also the filing perches seem to make my bird’s nails sharper while keeping them shorter. This forces me to have to file them by hand every so often to dull the points. However, because filing only takes a little bit off at a time, it doesn’t take long for the nails to get sharp again.

Even if I cut the nails myself, I still find benefit in taking the parrot by the bird store every quarter. At the bird store I bought Kili from, the women that runs it is quite expert in birds. It is reassuring to me to have an outside expert take a look at my bird for a quick assessment. Vet checks are very expensive and in my experiences, general veterinarians aren’t very proficient with birds. An exclusively bird veterinarian is very hard to come by. But by bringing the parrot by the store every so often, I can have an unbiased glance over health inspection, nail trimming, and beak trim all in one.

So what I recommend is to have your bird’s nails cut but to use filing perches and manually file them in order to prolong the duration between required cuts. Following these steps will help ensure your own comfort and bird’s safety.

None of my parrots are great talkers.  Aside from Theo, my goffins cockatoo, who has never uttered anything sounding remotely like human speech, they all have a small repertoire of words which they use when they choose to.

Libby, my quaker, is probably my best talker and has made big leaps in his vocabulary over the past year or two.  He likes to watch Pluto the quaker parrot videos over and over, and is eager to learn whatever Pluto says.  He is a long way from having the Quaker Song down, but he’s off to a great start.

Linus, my umbrella cockatoo, greets me everyday with a boisterous Hi! How doin’? when I return from work, and informs passersby that I’m a bird when he’s outside.  He associates words with objects and will call them by name IF he feels like it. I know he can talk because he does when it suits him, like the cute and VERY clear hello he purrs when I’ve caught him in the act.

I asked a friend of mine, a retired school teacher in Louisiana, if I could read the vocabulary journals she has kept on her scarlet macaw Fergie, and Blusher, her red fronted macaw.  When I opened the attachments, I was surprised to see hundreds of entries.  Some were cute and funny,  some were impeccably and appropriately timed, they were all amazing.  I just had to share a few of them:

Their correct usage of pronouns is astonishing. One example:

I was on the floor after cleaning cages.  Fergie was “owning” the floor.  I ended up on the floor with a toy.  Fergie finally came to me.  Blusher was on the swing and tried every way to get me.  She tried “Up,” “Mama,” “Step up.” and finally “I up.”

This was a conversation his owner had while trying to order something by credit card over the phone with Fergie nearby:

Once upon a time I had to have hand surgery.  The PT that followed required my doing exercises.  I got my hand level, started the exercises, and counted them off: “One, two, three, etc.”  My bird started learning the numbers.  I thought that was cool until I realized that he could not say the number “four” clearly.  I feared the worst, so I quit saying the numbers.  Not to be deterred, he somehow managed to learn a few numbers, his favorite being “five.”

Weeks after this I was making a phone call and I had to give my VISA number (or account number, or some such thing).  My bird was on my arm.  The conversation went something like this:

Me: Two one six.

Bird: Five.

Clerk: Two, one, six, five.

Me:  No.  There is no “five.”

Clerk:  OK.  Two, one, six.

Me: Three two nine.

Bird: Five

Clerk: Three two nine five.

Me:  No.  There is no “five.”

Clerk: OK.  Three, two, nine.

Me: Six, two, three.

Bird: Five.

Clerk: Six two three five.

Me:  Sir, there is no “five.”  Could you wait while I put my bird down?

Note:  She has recently noticed that the birds are not just using numbers arbitrarily.  Lately there has been a correlation between the number and how many items are present.

A conversation with Blusher:

Blusher:Mama?
Me:Yes, Blusher?
Blusher: Want up.
Me: Blusher, we’re going to take a nap now.
Blusher: Mama?
Me:Yes, Blusher?
Blusher:Want up? Do you want up?
Me:No, Blusher. I want to take a nap.
Blusher:Mama?
Me:Yes, Blusher?
Blusher: Want up.
Me: Blusher, we’re going to take a nap now.
Blusher shrieks and shrieks and shrieks.
Sound of Blusher’s guts coming up.
Blusher:Mama?
Me:Yes, Blusher?
Blusher:Get up.
Me:No, Blusher. I’m going to take a nap.
Repeat the above for 5 (at least) minutes. I finally give up and don’t answer her. She continues alone for a long time then gives us about 20 minutes of quiet. Then she starts again.
Blusher: Mama?
Blusher: Want up.
Blusher: Mama? I want up.

Fergie requesting to go to bed:

While I was at computer; she had said “light” and I told her I couldn’t go to bed now that I was working on the computer.  She said “light” a few more times then said “night night.”

The next night she said “Light” three times and each time I told her I was busy and couldn’t turn off the light.  Then she said “Night night” three times and each time I told her I was busy.  She then flew off my shoulder and stayed somewhere behind me.  She kept saying “Light.”

I knew she could not get in any trouble back there, so I ignored her until the lights went out.  She had flown to the top of the piano and had reached up and grabbed the light switch, saying “Light” until she finally got it to turn off.

As soon as the light went off, she let go of the switch and it popped back up and the lights came back on.  She had not pulled it completely down, but she knew exactly what she was doing.

And another from the journal:

Tonight I heard the sound of two birds “fighting,” but they were in their cages.  It had not really dawned on me what I was hearing until Blusher said, “Hey, you two.  Break it up.”

Sunshine is an african grey that came through a shelter in need of a new home.  While he was adjusting to his life at the shelter, this video was made.    (In another, he repeats a one time conversation his former owner had with, perhaps,  a carpet cleaning company, he spells out the owner’s last name and starts to spell Albuquerque – which I just had to look up!)