Establishing boundaries for your young parrot, one that has yet to reach sexual maturity, is an important first step in laying the groundwork for a happy and healthy co-existence between parrots and people.   By setting and adhering to rules consistently, you are ensuring that your older parrot, who might have become more assertive of his wants, will cooperate with your requests in pleasant and acceptable ways.

Rescues are packed to the brims with unwanted parrots. Many of them have been determined to be a “problem” later in life when owners tire of  misbehavior, destruction and their inability to retrieve their uncontrolled parrot.  Rescue owners frequently report that these behaviors stem from a parrot having been given free reign of the house and never being shown limitations.

The first step in eliminating unwanted behaviors is to find the source of the problem, and place the blame squarely where it belongs, which is always on the caregivers: US!  Whenever a parrot’s behavior goes awry it is the fault of the humans involved.  We have failed in either teaching acceptable behavior, or have been inconsistent in establishing our expectations.  Why would a parrot accept being told no today to something it was allowed to do yesterday?  How can we expect her to follow rules that have not been clearly defined?

Let’s look at the three top reason that people give up their birds, how it relates to us as their teachers, and what we can do to prevent problems in immature birds, or correct an existing problem in sexually mature birds:

BITING/LUNGING:

The young bird:

Baby birds learn with their beaks the same way human babies learn with their hands.  They explore and experiment.  It is not uncommon for a baby bird to nip us without understanding the intensity of the pressure they are applying.  These are not bites in the traditional sense, with the intention to warn or harm.  It is simply the exaggerated action of an inquisitive beak.  Still, this is an ideal opportunity to teach your young parrot how much is too much, and what is acceptable.

When she latches on to your finger or your clothes, quietly detach yourself (a good way to do this with a bird of any age is to gently push into the bite rather than pull away from it) and put her on a nearby perch or cage top.  Discontinue eye contact, don’t speak, turn away and count to ten.  Then you can pick her up again and go with whatever you were doing.  The most important thing is to be certain NOT to make a scene, even if it hurt.  A young parrot, in particular, will turn biting into a game in no time.  Then you will have to start over, but this time you will not only have to teach the right behavior, but undo what has just been learned.  If you are completely consistent in your actions, your bird will have learned that a bite equals only the loss of your attention, nothing more, nothing less.

The older bird:

An older bird that bites has learned somewhere along the way that lunging (threatening to bite) or biting will get her what she wants.  This is a more complex problem because it requires that you first undo the notion that biting is beneficial.  The only way to do that is to STOP making it beneficial.

How is biting beneficial to a bird?  Aside from all the fun drama it creates, which is, in itself, a good reason to bite, a bird can teach its owner to back off and let it have its way.  He’ll think:  “If the lunge doesn’t work, the bite surely will!”  And it usually does.

If your bird bites you, or threatens to bite, when you go to retrieve her, calmly withdraw your hand, but stay where you are standing.  This way you have removed your hand from danger, but have NOT fled in terror.  Continue to engage your bird verbally, using quiet tones.  Offer a toy for the bird to chew on.  This is an incompatible behavior: a bird can’t chew on you and a toy at the same time!  Attempt the step up again,  and again as necessary.  While you may not have gotten the bird off the ground yet, she is learning that threats are not going to be effective.

Take a look at possible reasons for the bite.  Is it possible your bird is reacting out of fear?  Birds have been known to develop hand and other phobias, quite out of the blue to our way of thinking.  If this is the case, you will have to go slowly and re-establish trust. I think the best way to reform a broken bond is by literally starting over.  Interact with her as though she has just come to live with you again.  Move slowly and respectfully around her, letting her learn that you and the home offer no threat to her.

SCREAMING:

The young bird:

Vocalization is natural for a bird.  Your baby will sooner or later learn to use that ability to emphasize a point.  Your peaceful future with your parrot depends on how you handle it today, tomorrow and the days following. Think of the child in the cart at the checkout line in the supermarket who is wailing “But Mooomm, I WANT a caaaandy baaar!!!”  Mom finally relents and says:  “FINE.  Just be QUIET!”  We all know what will happen to Mom in the checkout line next week.  This is not a bad child, in fact, it’s a smart child.   But poor Mom will be paying for this transgression for a long time.

If your parrot is screaming for your attention, and not out of need, don’t give in until there is quiet.  This sends a clear message to your parrot and will save you a lot of frustration in the future.  Problems at this age are usually quickly resolved.

The older bird:

A learned behavior is difficult to change.  As many times as a parrot has experienced it can get away with something, it will take many, many more experiences of NOT getting its way to learn that the game is over.  A single slip up can send you back to Go.  As maddening and incessant as it can become, you must remain consistent in the following while your bird is screaming: Do not make eye contact, do not approach the cage, do not speak to or address him in any way.  You don’t hear anything, you don’t react to anything, your ears are not bleeding, you are not fantasizing about the “special” turkey you will be having next Thanksgiving.

As soon as there is quiet, within seconds, start to make pleasant conversation with your parrot and have a treat nearby to offer him.  Be very aware of your timing in doing this, so that you don’t reward the wrong behavior, and immediately disconnect with the bird once the screaming resumes.

Sometimes a pleasant shower or spray bath will give you a reprieve until you regain your sanity.  Remember not to issue this as a punishment.  Your bird is learning throughout this process that screaming has no gain.  It is expending a lot of energy to no avail, and will eventually give up and stop.  At this point, teach your bird a call to get your attention that is suitable.  I have a different contact for each of my birds.

It is really important that you analyze why your bird is screaming.  Are her needs (clean water and good food) met?  Does she have enough toys and shreddables in her cage?  Is she utilizing the toys you have provided for her or does she have to play with ones YOU thought were cute?  Is she comfortable, too hot or cold?  Is there anything in her environment she might perceive as scary?

Another consideration is that your parrot is screaming to get you to leave the room, which is usually what people do.  If your parrot becomes quiet once you, or the “problem human” is gone, this is pretty clearly the case.  If you leave the room you are rewarding the screaming.  Follow the same procedure as above, but try to ride it out in the same room for a bit.  The best advice I can give you is to go about your business without connecting with the bird in any way and when you do leave the room, don’t leave in a huff.  Just go as if you have business in the other room.  Remember, you don’t hear anything, your ears aren’t bleeding…etc, etc.  These methods work, they really do, as long as you remain unfaltering in your application, and your hearing is covered in your insurance package.

DESTRUCTION:

The younger bird:

Birds chew things. It is natural and normal and to be encouraged.  If you value your furniture and woodwork, you will set up boundaries on this issue right away or your parrot will literally eat you out of house and home.  The most effective way to keep a young parrot from destroying your valuables, is to not let him have access to them in the first place.  It’s hard to explain to a parrot why the wood toys on the playstand are okay to demolish, but not the chair legs.  Instead of wasting your time with this, make areas of the house off limits.  Have a designated area for bird play in your house and only let him outside of the area when he accompanies you and will be on a portable T-stand.

I can practically guarantee that your parrot will make every attempt to step outside of these invisible boundaries to explore, so be alert and react in time before damage is done.  Birds are crafty little devils and will sometimes wander off just to get you to come and get them.  This is a favorite game.  Usually they will be looking over their shoulder to make sure you are watching.  Try not to make this too much fun for them.

The older bird:

Bad habits are hard to break. Damage to the house is probably the best example of the result of lack of limitations.  I am not going to pretend that I haven’t experienced damage, but it’s always been my fault because I have been dumb enough to turn my attentions away from a cockatoo for more than a few seconds.  Several years ago, Linus, my umbrella, managed to open up about two feet of the top seam of my couch in the 30 seconds it took me to go into the kitchen for a drink.  I came back to find him staring at the exposed stuffing contemplating the fun he was about to have.  My bad.

The best way to start with the experienced home-wrecker is to make sure he has plenty to do in the area he is allowed to play in.  When he wanders off, divert his attention in such fun ways that he would rather stay put.  If your parrot enjoys eating a good book, why not give him one that you’re done reading! Over a period of time he will not only learn where the no zones are, but might actually prefer the play area.  Never say: “My job here is done.”  He will continue to surprise you by finding things you didn’t realize he was aware of.

If you are having behavioral problems with your parrot, NEVER RESORT TO hitting, shaking the cage, throwing things, or spraying with water out of anger and frustration.  These methods will only anger the parrot, and/or make him fearful of you, and compound those problems you are already experiencing.  Parrots do not respond to violence in ANY productive way.  Punishment is ineffective in dealing with parrot problems.

The way your bird behaves is all on you.  Birds are not bad, but they are inquisitive and that will sometimes get them into trouble.  The methods I mentioned of dealing with those problems are by no means the only ways, but ways with which I have had successes.

Here it comes!  It’s only January!!  Normally, I wouldn’t see some of the behaviors I have been noticing until well into February.  Perhaps it is because of our change in location, but all the signs promising a very hormonal season are in place with my birds.

I took Theo, my goffins cockatoo, in to watch a movie with me the other day.  Normally, she would be preening herself, preening my hair, untying my shoes and hopping up and down the length of my body while I try to see over her flapping wings. Instead, she was trying to crawl inside my ear.  When she was buried so deeply in my neck that no air could pass between us, she started clucking like a hen and quivering like a jello mold.  Back to the cage she went.

I recently gave Linus, my umbrella cockatoo, a cardboard box filled with strips of newspaper, raffia and other shreddables and wood.  For the first hour, he was having more fun than it should be legal to have: tearing apart the shredders, running miscellaneous this and that up into the stainless steel bucket attached to the side of the cage, gleefully chewing away a side of the box.  When I looked in on him later, the box was in the corner of his cage, upside down, the chewed side was now a doorway, and all the shreddables were lining his lovely new NEST!  I removed the box and gathered up the shredders and put them in his bucket.  For the rest of the day, he stayed inside his bucket, face first, with his butt sticking up in the air.

Libby, my quaker, has been nippy and moody.  The cockatiels, and even Jamie and Dave’s too-sweet-for-words budgies, have been excessively vocal.  Following this new schedule, I can expect to see the traditional levels of cage territorialism and aggression from Linus in about 3 or 4 weeks.

Springtime means extended daylight hours.  The warmth and rain showers encourages plant growth, which means the availability of fresh foods.   These are opportune conditions for breeding and with it comes a surge in hormones that tells your bird that time is right for reproduction.

There is a never ending list of strange behaviors and vocalizations that parrots exhibit when it is breeding season, and while not all birds are affected in ways that bring out aggression, it is a good idea to be cautious when you are working in and around their cages.  Many birds get very territorial during this time of year and would prefer that you keep out!  Since none of my birds have ever offered to clean their own cages, I still have to get in there from time to time.  I move my birds into carriers and out of the room while I tend to the chores and toy replacement.

Here is a link to a post on Handling Hormonal Birds that will give you some tips on what you can do to lessen the effects of hormones and how to keep your bird’s environment free of things that tend to stimulate the instinct to breed.

You will notice, at the beginning of breeding season, that your bird’s appetite picks up quite a lot.  Even the pickiest eater seems to be more willing to to eat fresh foods during this time.  TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS!  This is a great chance to get him to eat fresh foods if he typically turns them down, and it’s the time to offer new variety to the bird who is stuck in a rut.  There’s a short window of opportunity for this, so start now!

Is the mess, the chores, the feeding, and the constant need for attention starting to get to you?  It’s called burn out, and don’t worry, you aren’t alone. There are some mornings that I get up praying that the cockatoos will find it in their hearts to refrain from their dramatics for just this one day. I often don’t get my wish. Today was my day off and I had a long list of things to accomplish.  As I looked over the list, I couldn’t help but notice that every item pertained to the birds except one.  Guess which one didn’t get done?

I got up and chopped the veggies for breakfast.  I needed to set up new caging for the cockatiels.  While the birds were eating, I took the cage parts to the back yard and cleaned them.  While those were drying, I cleaned everyone else’s cage and washed their grates.  I put the tiels’ cage up and outfitted it, requiring the use of the table saw.  I decided to put the quaker into the cockatiel’s former cage and then needed to outfit it appropriately for her.  I stood back to admire my handiwork and decided that there weren’t enough toys and set about making more.  When I was done cleaning and sweeping the bird room, thinking I was done in that room for the day, Linus tipped his bucket of freshly gnawed wood upside down, spilling half of it onto the floor behind the cage. This is how the day started.  I was tired by noon and still had the rest of the list to get through.  Some day off.

Parrots are hard work, time consuming, and when you add these chores to an already busy life, it can seem overwhelming and never ending.  Even though I know this is what I signed on for when I got birds, sometimes I wonder why I am doing this to myself.

The answer to that question became clear enough when I heard the cockatiels joyously singing in their new cage, and when I peeked in on them, Libby, my quaker was beating up her new toys.  It was a heartwarming sight and sound, and it made me feel so much better about the day and life in general.  THIS is why we do it.  The cuddles, the I love you’s, and the laughter they bring makes everything worthwhile.  Why, then, is it so hard to see on some days?

Here are some thoughts and tips on how to deal with burn out:

• We have all heard about how many people get depressed around the holidays.  I believe it has little to do with the holidays, and everything to do with the winter season.  During the winter, the days get much shorter and we spend a lot more time indoors.  With the lack of sunlight, we can be a bit deficient in vitamin D3, something which many companion birds suffer from. This can bring on depression.  Try adding a D3 supplement to your diet.
• If you are cleaning your cages regularly, it isn’t going to harm your birds to skip it for the day.  Instead, get a cup of tea, put your feet up and read a book.  Even better, get your bird out and have fun with her or a have good cuddle session.  Do those things that remind of why you have a parrot in your life in the first place.  It’ll do you both a world of good.
• Rearrange your furniture.  If your cage positioning doesn’t allow for this in the living room, change the bedroom.  This is what I do when things are seeming too routine for me.  It’s amazing how such a change can improve your outlook on life.
• Since you are logged onto this site, I know that your bird means a great deal to you.  Recognize that your bird’s need for your attention means that you are important to him too.  Birds are inquisitive by nature and need to explore everything around it.  So it just happens that a naughty bird is a happy bird, and a happy bird is a healthy bird.  Try to keep this thought when you’re sure you are losing your mind.
• Seek the support of someone who understands.  Heaven knows most people think we are crazy for going to the lengths we go to for our parrots.  (You spent how much for a birdcage??  You cook for your bird??)  There are a lot of us out there.  Go online and find a forum to unload on.  The bird store I frequented in Austin to get my supplies came to know me well.  Sometimes I would go in with a bandage on my hand or a look on my face.  They would say:  “Uh oh.  Someone’s in trouble at your house!”  It helped to have someone to talk to.
• You might even consider a get-away for yourself, or a send-away for the birds. If you have a pet sitter or a boarding facility that you trust, sometimes a little time apart can do wonders.  At the very least, treat yourself to a night out.  You’ve earned it.

It is okay to feel like you’ve had enough.  Don’t beat yourself up or feel like a bad bird owner because it all gets to you sometimes.  Just like with children, we can sometimes get to that point.  Keep a cool head and maybe a little distance from the birds while you sort through it.  Somehow it all magically works out in the end.

The winter holidays are the ones that we spend reconnecting with family and loved ones.  There are more parties per square inch than at any other time of the year.  Between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day we can count on 5 or 6 weeks of total bedlam. This is a great time to look at the things that we can do to keep our birds safe and comfortable during this time of year.

Decorations:

We love our homes to be decorated to reflect the magic that this season brings, but parrot are attracted to shiny and sparkly things. Unfortunately, many store bought decoration are not made with pet safety in mind.  Since beaks, big and small, can so easily disassemble things or break glass and plastic ornaments, it’s in everyone’s best interest to keep these things out of reach.

As an alternative to store bought decorations, you can always make your own from things you can find at your local craft store.  If you look through their selection, and use your imagination, a lot of fun ideas will come to mind.  Think pine cones, small, plain wooden cutouts and beads, raffia and paper.  I often make Christmas baskets for my parrots filled with these items and foraging treats all crammed into a woven basket that can be replenished as needed.  By the end of the season, everything, baskets included, have been destroyed and enjoyed.

Holiday plants:

While our Christmas trees: pines, balsams, firs, and spruces are safe, other holiday plants are not.  Poinsettias, holly and mistletoe, both the leaves and the especially the berries, are poisonous to both pets and humans.  If your traditions require keeping these plants in your home during the holidays, be sure to keep them well out of reach and watch for any fallen leaves or berries on the floor.  Other poisonous holiday plants are the Jerusalem cherry and the bittersweet plant.  Try to think outside the box and decorate your home in new ways with safe plants.

Visitors and parties in the home:

The holidays are a fun but chaotic time of the year. The parties and house guests can be stressful for us and our parrots.  Planning and preparation will help you manage your time and keep your sanity.

• Cooking:   Try to prepare and freeze as many foods in advance as possible.  (Don’t forget about treats for the birds!)  Not only will this allow you to keep a slower pace and actually enjoy the holidays, but it will give you more time to spend with your family and  guests on the day of the event.  Please always be aware of where your birds are while you are cooking!  Kitchens are the most dangerous room in the house.
• Parties: If you are throwing a holiday bash, this might be a good time to consider boarding your birds for the night.  Even your laid back bird could be frightened or annoyed with the party atmosphere. Frightened and annoyed birds are very vocal about their dislikes and a screaming parrot will definitely overpower the Christmas carols.  At very least provide him with an off-limits room where he can have privacy.  Every party has that one guy, wearing a lampshade, who might be drunk and foolish enough to try to handle your bird.  It would be a shame to end the night’s festivities in the emergency room.  Tape a note on the door to his room stating: This parrot bites! – even if he doesn’t.

Managing house guests/chaos:

• Long days:  You just put in a 10 hour day at work and have to head to the mall for some last minute shopping.  Then on the way home, you have to stop at the supermarket to pick up snacks for tomorrow, when your sister and brother-in-law and their five kids arrive from out of state for the holidays.  You’re going to go in early in the morning to finish a report, so you can leave early to go to the airport to pick everyone up.  You finally get home, put the groceries away, and your normally sweet tempered amazon starts screaming at the top of her little pink lungs.  You check on her, she has food and water and plenty to do.  Why is she doing this??
  Stress:  This scenario is enough to make anyone snap.  Before you retreat to sit in your car in the garage, stop, take a few deep breaths and let go of the tension.  Parrots have an uncanny ability to pick up on and relate to your stress.  In the wild, when a a flock mate becomes alarmed, it will set off a frenzy in the entire flock and often frighten them into flight.  This mechanism keeps them safe from predators, so it is in their nature, and their best interest, to respond to tension.  When you lower your energy level, so will your parrot.
• Children and birds:   Children carry a high energy level that your parrot is likely to react to.  It is very important that you lay ground rules about interaction with your birds.  Children will need to understand that if they poke their fingers through the bars of the cages, they may be bitten.  Even the older children must not be allowed to take the bird out.  Be certain that they understand that they must never feed the bird unless you have provided them the treats.  Three year old children will not understand the no chocolate concept.  Constant supervision will be necessary and hopefully the all adults will be on board with this.
• Traffic:  Since children go outside often, but rarely stay outside, the front door will be opening and closing a lot.  If your parrot is out of her cage, this presents multiple opportunities for escape.  Since this will be an extended stay, it seems unfair to relinquish your poor bird to a back bedroom for the holidays. Although, it would be a good idea the have a spare cage set up out of the battle zone for when it is necessary. Out of cage time might be best spent after the little ones have retired for the evening.

• Slowing down to enjoy:  Try to remember that you’ve been looking forward to this since plans were made in September, and that it will be over soon.  Christmas is supposed to all about children, fun and excitement, though it often doesn’t feel that way.  Do your best to limit your stress by NOT worrying that everything is perfect and concentrate, instead, on how much you will enjoy the company of your family.

In the midst of all the holiday excitement, try not to forget about your parrot and his needs.  He has been a good friend to you throughout the year and deserves to be happy and feel safe and loved.  It is Christmas and as a member of the family, it’s a  special time for your parrot too.

Almost all parrot owners have heard that they should not allow their parrots to be higher than them, or above their eye level, because it brings out in them an innate need to express their dominance over us, and that we should never keep a large parrot on our shoulders for this same reason.   I agree that we shouldn’t keep our bigger birds on our shoulders, but not because of height dominance issues.  Logic tells me it is unsafe to have easily startled animal with a hard, pointy contraption on its face anywhere near my eyes.  Ever.

While it might be true that a parrot feels more confidence at a higher level, and that they definitely have the advantage over humans while there, I think a better word to describe it would be height defiance.  It is my belief that when a strong-willed parrot behaves badly at a higher altitude, he likely behaves badly at a lower one too.

When Linus climbs to the top of his domed cage and locks his toes around the bars, it can be a struggle to get him down.  This is where he chooses to go when he feels the need for a good screamfest, announcing to the world:  “I am cockatoo – hear me roar”, and this is the place where he has the best opportunity to really go to town on his cage cover.

He goes to the top of his cage not because he wants to show me who’s boss, but because he has important things to do there.  Once he is done, my hearing reduced, his cage cover in tatters, he comes down.  I keep a chair near the side of the cage for times when I need him to come down sooner, but he manages to get to the other side of the dome before I do every time.  He plays ‘keep away’ when he is on the floor as well.  It truly is a game to him and nothing more.

Height is a natural thing to parrots, they gravitate towards high points.  How they behave once there is a direct result of their training and behavior management.  Or the lack of it.

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.