As a professional performer who happens to work with parrots, I meet thousands of people each week and I get invited to a lot of parrot rescues because of this.  Now I know that most of the rescues I’ve been to sure meant well, but the fact remains that only a few are making a difference like Christy is at Zazu’s House Parrot Sanctuary just north of Seattle.

I was in the middle of loading my illusions into the arena in Everett, when I received a picture message from one of our tour managers.  She had taken a picture of a Hyacinth in a pet shop across the street from us, and told me it was “the most amazing shop and birds are out everywhere!”  She was right about it being an amazing shop.  I walked into Apollo’s Bird Store and struck up a conversation with the owner, Bunni.  You could tell instantly that she was a fan of birds and was willing to do anything to make sure they go to good homes.

Photo by Jamieleigh
Location: Bothell, WA
Pictured: Blue and Gold Macaw

It was then, that I first heard about Zazu’s House.  It was this mysterious rescue that I needed to know more about.  Bunni mentioned how the rescue lives off of donations and that once a year the pet shop holds a silent auction to raise money for Zazu’s House.  Last year they raised almost $10,000 which went towards the construction of a new building.  It was this drive that made me realize I needed to see this amazing place.

Within a couple days we had an appointment with the rescue, and we followed Bunni out while trying to make sure we got back to Everett in time for shows that evening.  When the gates opened up and we drove up to the estate, I was blown away.  This wasn’t just any old rescue, this was a heaven! 

Photo by Dave
Location: Bothell, WA
Macaw Haven Aviary in Zazu’s House

There were two sections.  One was for “special needs” and the other was for macaws only.

Since I choose editing video over writing to relay my message, I scheduled another visit so that I could film this incredible place, and share it with you.  I felt inclined to donate, and hope that if you’re in a position to do the same that you do so without hesitation.  Just watch the video above and you’ll soon know why.

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.

Selecting a species of parrot is probably the most important decision you need to make if you are considering bringing one into your home. Size and color aside, each species has its own sets of quirks, talents and needs.

I have had a lot of animals in my life: dogs, cats, rodents, raccoons, rabbits. I have loved and had wonderful experiences with each of them.  Dogs and cats have been domesticated for thousands of years. Not so with birds. They can be tamed, but they are not domesticated. Many of the pet parrots today were literally yanked from the forest and placed into a human environment, or their parents or grandparents were. We are only two or three generations into a domestication process, with literally centuries to go.

When you bring home a bird, and keep it in a cage, you take on a new level of responsibility. Dogs and cats tend to love those who feed them. Birds do not offer unconditional love. Their respect is earned on a daily basis, and relationships must be maintained. They are highly intelligent, complex beings. It is this fact that makes life with them so fascinating, and challenging.

So how do you go about choosing the right species? The first thing to look at is your lifestyle. Ask yourself these questions:

Do you work alot of hours? Do you have the energy to handle a very active species?

What type of building do you live in? Are there neighbors nearby who might object to the noise? How much cage/play-area room do you have?

Are you fastidious about the cleanliness of your home? (Will seed on the floor or mango on the walls make you crazy?) Do you have allergies?

Are the other members of your household supportive of your decision to bring home a parrot? Will they take part in its care? Do you have children and other pets in the home?

Can you handle the financial burden of large bird toys which can cost over $50 and might be destroyed in days? Can you commit to adequate vet care? Will you have fresh fruit and veggies in the fridge and spend the 20 minutes or so to prepare them each day?

Are you willing to spend quality time with them and provide them with enriching lives and foraging opportunities?

These rainbow Lories (or lorikeet) are stunning to look at, but they require a specialized diet and are considered to be very messy.

Next consider carefully what you wish for and expect in your parrot:

How much noise can you handle?

Do you want one that might talk?

Do you want a bird that will interact with you physically? Are you afraid of the beak?

Photo by Missi Bellande

A first time owner might consider a small or medium sized bird. Cockateils, for instance, offer all of the personality of the bigger parrot, but are easier to care for and house. Did you know that a budgie is considered to be one of the best talkers of any sized parrot? The larger birds, like macaws, are better suited to those with a few years of experience under their belts. Cockatoos of any size are a handful, and can quickly take over the household of the unsuspecting and unprepared.

If you are getting your first parrot, I have one word for you: google. There are vast amounts of information available to you on the different species out there as well as many parrot owners willing to share their stories and experiences. Log on to a bird forum and ask the members about species that interest you or just spend an afternoon reading their posts. You will get an eyeful about their birds’ antics, health issues and behaviors. Keep in mind, however, that just because you read about african greys that can recite passages from Moby Dick, it doesn’t mean that yours will. It may not speak at all, prefering instead to imitate every annoying noise made in the modern world. Each bird has it’s own personality and level of ability. It is fair to say, though, that the more you put into your parrot, the more you will get back. Somewhere out there is the perfect species for you.

It is very important that you do the research and not buy impulsively. Rescues and sanctuaries are full to the brim with unwanted parrots, abandoned by well-intentioned people who did not know what they were getting themselves into:  “Unwanted Parrots – A growing problem” by Carol Highfill.