I couldn’t let this special holiday pass without sharing with you some of the brilliant costumes a couple of friends have come up with for their birds…

First up…the always fabulous Cody, who reinvents himself on every holiday so we may bask in his magnificence.  Cody couldn’t decide what to be this year…

Photo of umbrella cockatoo by Sandi

Photo of umbrella cockatoo by Sandi

photo of umbrella cockatoo by Sandi

And Carl, the bare eyed cockatoo, and flock mate Duchess (Duch), congo african grey, in years past and present…

Photo of bare eyed cockatoo and african grey by Julie

Photo of bare eyed cockatoo by Julie

Photo of african grey by Julie

I don’t know about you, but I can’t stop giggling!

Hyacinth Macaw

Your bird’s feet have to do double duty serving both as feet AND hands. The nails at the end of those jointy toes play a big role in their grasping and maneuverability. Nails grow long and sharp and we need to be certain to keep them well maintained to keep them safe in their cages. Your will know your bird is in need of a trim when the nails is long enough to prevent the ends of the toes from laying flat and naturally against the surface he stands on. In fact, they’re probably overdue at that point.
A parrot’s nail is made up of keratin, the same substance that composes our own.There is a blood supply that runs through the center called the quick which is usually not visible because of the density and dark color of the nail. It is the quick that one needs to be aware of when opting to clip your bird’s nails. When you accidentally cut into the quick it is painful for the bird and there will be blood. These accidents do happen.

Military Macaw

Keeping a bottle Kwikstop, a coagulant powder available at just about any pet store that carries bird supplies, is a good idea.This will stop the bleeding but won’t help you keep your bird be still and cooperative the next time around.  Birds remember everything, seemingly forever.

Flour or cornstarch will usually stop the bleeding in a pinch, which is what I had to resort to one day when a combination of bad eyesight and a bad aim caused me to cut deep into Linus’s (umbrella cockatoo) quick during a nail trim. He is the only one of my birds that I use clippers on, the rest get filed, but it’s still a good idea to run a file over the clipped nails to remove any jagged edges that might cut into the skin when they lift their leg to scratch.

Mitered conure

When Theo (goffins cockatoo) first came to live with me she did not like her toes to be touched, one of many oddities about her. She would stand on your fingers, but wouldn’t allow you to hold her toes. When it came time for a trim I took her to the vet. I was working hard on trust issues with her and I preferred that they be the bad guys who toweled her and did her nails for the time being. They informed me that her quick traveled down nearly the entire length of her nails and they recommended filing for her because it was too easy to misjudge the amount to be clipped. Her nails never grow really long like like Linus’s do, but they can get as sharp as cat’s claws.

I also file the nails of my small birds. Some people use fingernail clippers, but I have seen the bad results of clips done with these clippers that seem to dull easily. A dull clipper will crush the nail instead of slicing through it, which causes splintering and pain. There is no reason to risk this when a few passes of the file will get the job done adequately. (It is equally as important to be sure that the blade in the dog nail clippers you use on your larger birds is replaced often for all the same reasons.)

With my larger birds, I will generally clip or file the nails when they are hanging on the side of their cages. It works well because they are positioned to interact with you (although this may not be what they had in mind exactly) and their beaks are somewhat prevented from interfering with the process. I will talk softly to them as I manipulate the toes into position and before they even realize, we’re done.

Military macaw

Be sure not to clip the nails too short even if your bird has a short quick.Their nail are used in manipulating objects with their feet and if you cut them too short they lose some of that ability. Further, their agility in climbing can be hindered.  Linus, likes to hang upside down in his cage and swing wildly back and forth.  Without good length to his nails, he might slip and fall. Try not to go with the idea that if you clip a little extra now that it will be that much longer before you have to do it again, this is how we have accidents with the quick.

I am not a fan of sandy perches because the rough surfaces are hard on and unnatural for your bird’s feet. I keep those and cement perches in areas of the cage that are not used for long, such as the feeding stations. They will help keep the nails in shape, but as in the case with a couple of my birds with foot issues, I am not willing to risk the problems that could arise through constant use.

blue and gold macaws

I miss my birds terribly when I am away from them. Sometimes when I am at work, a coworker will see me staring off into the distance with a big smile on my face and will automatically know I am thinking about my feathered family. Sometimes all I want to do is go home and cuddle up to one of my cockatoos, arms holding him tightly against me, nose buried in soft, white feathers. But, as appealing as the thought of this is, I know it is a bad idea – and not just because my employer would object to my running off in the middle of the day.

african grey

We all know about the importance of spending quality time with our birds – about how it works out any unsettled issues of trust and how well it builds the parrot/owner bond and so much more. But there is a blurry line between an acceptable amount of physical attention and the place where a bird begins to see you as a potential love interest. We are flock members to our birds but never should be viewed as a mate, and an overly affectionate owner is presenting himself to his bird in just that way.

This will only lead to acts of aggression when your bird’s future advances are then ignored or rejected (regurgitation is one such advance). As difficult as it is to resist those liquidy eyes, our hands-on time with our birds is definitely better spent with training or play sessions than it is curled up on the couch together.
I’m sure that you’re aware that cockatoos are the cuddlers of the avian world. If you have never had the opportunity to cuddle a young cockatoo you’ve missed out on something special. It is the coolest thing about them but also the thing that lands their species in rescues more than any other bird. A cockatoo is it’s own worst enemy.

goffins cockatoo

A constantly cuddled cockatoo will grow into an overly needy and demanding adult bird who can’t get through the day without his chosen person. They often never learn to play independently because they are constantly seeking human attention. They become seriously high-maintenance birds, screaming until they get what they have grown to expect from their human flock member. This is the main reason that I don’t recommend cockatoos to those new to bird ownership. It takes experience to know when and where to draw the line, and a lot of discipline to actually do it.
Cockatoos are not the only birds at risk for the behavioral problems that come as a result of too much cuddle time. Any bird that allows or wants physical attention from their owners are in danger of following in the footsteps of their white, cresty, love-starved counterparts. By no means am I saying that you shouldn’t enjoy loving on your birds. Just be certain to keep their best interests in mind by making it the smallest part of their out of cage interaction with you.

Camelot Macaw, Blue Throated Macaw

About six years ago, I suffered the loss of my dear, wonderful cockatoo, Abu.  I was reeling for months following her unexpected death. I had considered getting another bird, but was still in that place where it hurt too much to think about it and it seemed somehow disrespectful to her memory to “replace” her so quickly.
During that period of time, my daughter and Jamie knew each other from online.  It turns out Jamie and Dave were looking for a good home for their umbrella cockatoo, and my daughter convinced them that I could provide such a home. From my end, I readied myself to take the plunge again. It was beginning to feel too quiet around the house with just the cockatiels and myself.  Enter Linus.

Umbrella Cockatoo

When Linus came to Austin to be my new roommate, I was living in a small apartment. Having had experience with cockatoos, and living with one for so long, I knew they were not good apartment birds. I was not expecting, however, that Linus would scream from morning until night for the next four months. It was not a fun time and I was longing for that too quiet house again. I can say now that Linus has turned into such an affectionate and cherished companion that it was all worth every effort, but it wasn’t easy.
I thought I would share some tips with you about how to ready yourself and the neighbors for the arrival of a potentially loud bird. No matter what species you bring home, and regardless of their level of difficulty in handling this new experience, birds make noise. Period. It’s best that everyone be prepared.
Before Linus came to Austin, I began preparing my neighbors. I spoke to everyone in the immediate area, especially those with walls connecting to my apartment. I let them know that there would be an excess of noise coming from my place for a while and implored them to be understanding. I explained how emotional and sensitive parrots were and that they needed extra care and consideration in these circumstances.  Everyone seemed to be on board.

Rose Breasted Cockatoos and African Grey

The night that Linus arrived, I took him around to meet the neighbors so they could put a cute face to the new sounds coming from my apartment. He couldn’t have been more charming and he made several new friends on his first night here. It’s a good thing I did this that very night because as of the next day it was months before Linus was handleable again. He was crazy angry about his new living arrangements – and loud.  Very loud.  And angry.  Did I say that already?
As much as Linus had endeared himself to the neighbors, I knew patience was going to run out. So I rushed to cover those bases by purchasing gift cards to the local cinemas and giving them to my neighbors as a form of bribery. I wrote a note of thanks to each of them and explained that this transition was proving to be more difficult for Linus than was anticipated. I gave them the option of seeing a movie or two on me if things got too loud.  Also, it’s hard for someone to complain once they have accepted a gift in exchange for their silence. Sneaky? Yes. Effective? Very.

Umbrella Cockatoo

After I was successful with this approach, I posted it on a number of bird boards and It was used often by readers there facing similar dilemmas.  Gratefully, every new bird you bring home isn’t going to terrorize you in the same special way Linus did me. But some birds, even the smaller ones, seem to have penetrating or shrill calls that can be annoying not only to your neighbors, but to those in your own household. Conures seem to have this knack.
There are a few things you can use to dampen the bird sounds in your home:
Fabric:  Drapery, curtains or wall tapestries can cut down on a huge amount of noise that travels inside the house or through the walls.
Carpet:  This works in the same way as fabric. Noises that would normally bounce from wall to wall, or floor to ceiling, can be disrupted and absorbed by carpet.
Furniture: The emptier a room, the noisier it is. Filling a room up with stuff will dampen sound.
Plants: I don’t have an explanation for why these work well. But they do.  I guess they qualify as stuff.
Professional soundproofing:  This may be going too far in some households, but it is an option, albeit an expensive one.

Camelot Macaws

In the wrong circumstances, an angry neighbor can cause of you to have to part with your beloved bird.  There are laws governing how much noise can emanate from your house and yard.  Know and understand the species of bird you are planning to bring into your home (and neighborhood), and prepare ahead of time.

Camelot Macaw

There are three phrases that I teach all of my parrots when they first come to live with me.  None of them are meant to be repeated by them (although sometimes they are), I only wish for the words to be understood. They are in place mainly for the sake of convenience when I require patience, cooperation or understanding from my birds in certain circumstances.

“WAIT A MINUTE”
I don’t know what causes a parrot to be patient one day and intolerant the next.  Sometimes when I am preparing dinner for the birds, one of them will begin hollering and carrying on as though he hasn’t eaten in a week.  Of course, I happen to know that this isn’t true because I personally prepared his breakfast.  This is when I pull out “wait a minute”.  My birds all understand it means that I am acknowledging their needs and that something is forthcoming. Usually it inspires patience. Usually.

Military Macaw

“I’M SORRY”
I mentioned my use of this term in a previous post. I use it a lot because I can be a klutz. I remember one time when I was rotating toys in Linus, my umbrella cockatoo’s cage, I managed to hit him with one and knock him completely off his perch. He looked at me with hostility from the cage bottom and started to make his way towards me with thoughts of retribution. I reached down, all apologies, and he stepped right up without incident.  Forgiveness was instantaneous. I am very grateful for his appreciation of this particular phrase.  Somehow my birds just understand that it defines the difference between an accident and an intentional act.

“IT’S OKAY”
My birds trust me and often look to me for reassurance whenever something is frightening or amiss in their world. Whether a car backfires or a flash of lightning tears through the sky, my birds can remain calm as long as I use this familiar phrase. These are the words that get us through 4th of July every year. I try not to use these words unless things actually are okay.  For instance, I never say “it’s okay” when one of my birds reacts to the sight of a hawk. Their instinct tells them clearly that things are NOT okay when a predator is in the vicinity, and I’d rather not get caught in a lie.

Umbrella Cockatoo

All three of these phrases get a lot of use around my house and have served me well in times of need. I have carefully selected the phrases I use and never vary them. I purposely avoid using phrases like “hold on” (in place of “wait a minute”) because that is what I say when I am moving cages around for cleaning and it has a totally different meaning to them.

You will notice that this list does not include the use of the word “no”. My experience has taught me that the word “no” is counterproductive with parrots, and especially cockatoos.  Saying “no” to a determined parrot has the same effect as a yellow traffic light does on the motorist who is late for work.  It simply means: hurry up because you are about to be stopped, and I’m pretty sure my cockatoos delight in escaping me when I tell them “no”.

Rose Breasted Cockatoo

Your best chance at a healthy and successful diet for your parrot is in the variety of foods you put in her bowl. By rotating the different foods available in the different food groups such as vegetables, fruits and grains, you increase the chances of hitting upon just the right combination, at the right time, for your individual bird.
In the wild, some birds will dine on the same food source for weeks until it is used up, or gone out of season. They then move on to another food. In our homes, birds don’t have the luxury of choice. They get what we serve, and may not always be what they need at that time.

Every species has different requirements for their diet. A macaw needs a diet that is lower in protein and higher in fat than a cockatoo who requires the opposite. Amazons need abundant vitamin A, african greys need calcium, and so on. Even this is a generalization. Within the macaw family, for instance, the hyacinth needs an even higher fat percentage than the average blue and gold. To further complicate things, each individual bird has nutritional needs unique only to them.
This creates a lot of challenges for parrot owners. Since we aren’t able to determine the exact set of needs in a particular bird, and since you will never hear your bird say “Polly want a vitamin D3 supplement”, there’s a lot of guess work involved. The best way to cover all the bases is to offer a bit of everything. Your bird knows what she needs. When she goes through a picky phase, she may be telling you that she needs a change in her diet.

Try stepping outside your comfort zone by trying veggies that you are unfamiliar with. I had no idea what bok choy or kohlrabi was before I had parrots. Throw in the left over parsley. Serve whole carrots and beets with the tops attached. Give a piece of whole grain toast for breakfast, or with peanut butter later in the day for a snack. Has your bird ever tried a parsnip? Mine love them. Try to change the menu as often as possible and include as many foods from as many groups as you can.Your bird will have a healthier diet and be more willing to try new foods in the future.