Senegal Parrots

The Senegal Parrot is very near and dear to my heart as some of you may know. That's because I have a Senegal named George.

Alot of People believe that Senegal Parrots are one of the easiest parrots to own and raise and I have to say that I agree. George has been a great bird and I look forward to many more years with him!

I have updated the Sengal Parrot portion of my web site so check it out when you have a few extra minutes. There's some great information available as well as the option to sign up for a free training video. So until next time Happy Training!

Thinking of Getting a Pet Parrot?

Parrots aren’t really “rare” pets anymore. Even small pet stores carry large birds, and most people know at least one person with a parrot. Captive breeding provides a good selection of species at a wide range of prices. Hand-rearing has gives us birds that are apt to see people as friends rather than monsters. It’s easy to find a pet parrot these days. Maybe too easy. It’s not uncommon for people to acquire one in less-than-well-thought-out circumstances. This leads to many unwanted birds. Parrots are ending up in rescue situations almost as frequently as dogs and cats.

One sure way to decrease unwanted parrots is to educate potential owners. Chances are many of you already have a parrot, but some of you are still be mulling over the idea. You’re doing what you should be doing, which is thinking, so good for you! It’s much better to sort things out carefully than to make a snap decision you regret later. While some parrots are bought on impulse, there are people who think ahead of time and still wind up making a poor choice because their motives weren’t in the best interest of the bird, and/or they were given bad information.

Be sure you have the right motivation for getting a parrot in the first place. Don’t think it’s a good way to impress people. Don’t try to complete your tropical island décor with a live prop. Don’t get hung up on the whole “because it talks” thing. Get a parrot because you want a smart, active, engaging pet that wants to be and can become part of your family. And because you don’t mind that sometimes it’s stubborn, noisy, messy, destructive and demanding. Sort of like a kid that will never grow up. If you’re cool with that, then maybe you’re good to go as far as your motives are concerned.

Your expectations about what you’re getting in a bird need to be clear and based in reality. Plenty of people end up unhappy with their feathered pet because of the difference between what they expected and what they actually got. They thought they were getting a relatively low-maintenance pet that didn’t need much in the way of daily care or training, one that would want to be played with and held at their convenience, and always be the sweet big-eyed baby they cuddled back then.

These are unfortunate, common misrepresentations that you hear get tossed about as easily as yesterday’s seed mix. No matter where you seek your bird, you may be told “You just have to feed him this seed and take him out once in a while”. Or “He’s a hand-fed baby so he won’t need to be trained”. Or “You don’t need to give him toys because you want him to focus on you”. Or “Any vet will do”. And you can really get a good story from the people with the “for sale” ad in the paper who claim they’re getting rid of their bird because they a) have to move; b) are having a baby; c) just got a new job; or d) insert various other excuse for getting rid of a bird here. But what they really should say is “We had no idea what we were getting into. We can’t take anymore a) noise; b) mess; c) biting; d) insert various other reason for getting rid of a bird here and just have to get him out of here!”

I’m kinda painting a dark picture here, and if parrots were always bad, no one would have them. But they are one of the more challenging pets to keep if you’re going to do it properly... especially with species like the African Grey and Cockatoo. You need to be prepared to spend money on more than just the bird, provide a varied diet, spend lots of time socializing and training, possibly drive long hours to find a good vet, and be adept at picking up all sorts of parrot-related messes. Parrots may be exotic, they may talk and they may be impressive, but they aren’t low-maintenance, inexpensive or automatically well-mannered. The more you accept that going in, the more likely you are to be a parrot-worthy home. The next step is to figure out what species you might want and where to get it! Looks like you still have lots of thinking to do. Good thing I have more for you to read….

Parrots as Pets: Undemanding and low cost? Not!

Today I'm excited to announce a new voice to my blog. There's so much bad information on the internet about parrots, that I've made the decision to scoop up a few of the real experts and convince them to post some really breakthrough, and accurate information to my blog on a regular basis.

It's my hope that over the next several months I can attract some of the most advanced parrot behavior specialists in the world and get them to share their thoughts, articles and insights with you for free on this blog.

This website attracts over 7,600 visitors to it a day, making it one of the highest trafficked parrot websites on the internet. So if you know of a good parrot behavior specialist who you think might want to contribute their knowledge to this blog then contact me at info@birdtricks.com I don't know why no one has ever assembled many great parrot trainers in one place where they could share their thoughts and advice with you... but the wait is over, and on a weekly basis you can now check back to this blog for up to date training information and insights to help you strengthen your relationship with your parrot.

So with that said... here's the first article from one of our new writers, Kim Bear!

Parrots as Pets: Undemanding and low cost? Not!

Usually when I write, I have a clear plan of what I want to say. Sometimes that plan doesn’t take. Originally, I was going to present standard “is a pet parrot right for you?” information, and go over the pros and cons and whatnot. But then I read something that changed my focus. Now it’s more of a rant.

This rant pertains to the very medium you’re using right now, ironically, and how one must be careful when using the internet to look for information. It started out innocently enough. I was searching for statistics about where parrots rank in the pet population. I’d read something a while back that says they’re the 3^rd most popular pet, and I wanted check that out.

So, like many people looking for answers, I did an internet search and got several sites. The first one I visited was one of those large “we cover everything” sites where people post all sorts of articles, so you can read about everything from how to conquer bad breath to how to get a good rate on your mortgage refinancing. And, evidently, how to choose a pet. Hey, this site even has one of my ads on it! How cool is that?

I wasn’t long into reading one particular article before I started looking for the statement “and these are all myths about pet parrots”. But that statement never came. Anyone who reads the article would get a very wrong impression about parrots.

Phrases used to describe them included “less demanding” than dogs or cats, “less involved” in the family, and not needing “the same amount of attention and training” as other pets. Oh, and also “not as expensive to maintain”. That sound you hear? It’s probably the collective “HA!” and “YOU’VE GOT TO BE KIDDING!” sounds coming from parrot owners who know better.

Now I’m not saying the author doesn’t know anything about parrots. He has written several articles on that site, though I didn’t see much about his parrot-related credentials. He may actually be an expert. But he certainly has a different perspective than other experts I know. People have the right to form opinions based on their own experiences, of course. And it may be that in this man’s experience, his statements are true.

But I wonder how much has he ever expected from his parrot? Perhaps he has never realized his parrot’s potential. Never noticed just how involved in his life the bird would be if given the chance. Never thought to buy lots of toys or build a play gym, to teach trick training or take his bird to the park. And maybe he’s been lucky and has never had to take his parrot to the vet.

But that’s the thing about the internet--There’s so much out there, and you have to sort through it. I feel for you folks who are just beginning to research whether or not a parrot is right for you, and what type of parrot that may be. You’re in a mine field, so tread carefully. Most websites these days are nicely designed no matter who is actually behind them, and the information looks like it’s coming from people who know what they’re talking about. And, for the most part, you can gather good information.

But you can also get a hold of some very not-good information. Like one of the other articles on that same site that says something along the lines of parrots not being picky eaters. Listen carefully...you may hear more scoffing from parrot owners as they toss out yet another uneaten bowl of pellets or scrape another slice of banana off the wall.

So ends my little “reader beware” lesson. Please gather your sources carefully. Feel free to check up on me so you can decide whether or not I’m credible, since I’m pointing fingers here. Oh, and I did find out where parrots rank as pets. One site said they are the second most popular pet in the U.S. But you know what? I think I will keep checking. I don’t want to believe it just because I read it on one website.

Tips for finding quality parrots for sale

Finding quality parrots for sale isn't easy. My brother Dave and
I recently created a product to help show people how to make
sure the next parrot they buy is from a reputable place... we even
videotaped that footage, and offer it in a full blown
How To Buy Your Next Parrot system.

But the reason I bring this up, is because one of my subscribers
just sent me this short, simple question that reminded me that
I'll never be able to stop telling people how important it is to know
what to look for when searching to buy a parrot, here was the
message:

Dear Chet,

Can you please tell me where I can find cheap red fronted macaws
for sale down here in florida?

Thanks,
NAME WITHHELD

Messages like this really scare me. Not because the person wan'ts
to save some money on purchasing a parrot, that's natural. But that
the only thing this person was concerned about was the cost of the
macaw.

Now I don't pretend to read minds, and I'm not going to judge this
person, but their quesion brinds up a great point...

Thousands of parrots are abandoned every year by people who
got into parrot ownership because they just wanted a pretty creature
living in their home. They're only concerned about price, and they're
soon to find out that without proper care that pretty little bird WILL
turn into a terror.

So before you think you need another parrot, please make sure to
stop and think:

Does the parrot I already own get enough attention?
Am I already spending an hour with them every day?
Will I have the time to train mynew parrot properly?
Is my family willing to cooperate with the training process so they
don't end up teaching the new parrot bad habits too?

And most importantly, have you done your homework on whether
or not you're buying your parrot from a reputable breeder, and
not just trying to save some dough.

All breeders are not created equal, so make sure you check your
parrot's breeder out, you wouldn't want to end up with a bird
destined to be a feather plucker, die of a disease that could have
been prevented, or turn into a biter.

Why I need new parrot bird cages

Well this Christmas was a bit of a surprise for me. And has caused me to realize that I need some new parrot bird cages. And I think this picture shows why? See why my parrots need some new bird cages? (I do want to note that if you look closely, my foot is in this picture -- meaning this was highly supervised. A puppy should not have access to a birds cage on the floor. I'm actually clicker training the dog in this picture to remain calm while near the bird -- and relaxing his body language) My beautiful wife Sally and I had talked about getting a puppy around the middle of January... but she surprised me this year with a little bundle of Joy we now call Bauer. Our 8 week old Golden Retriever Puppy. Luckily I've been doing my homework when it comes to picking out some new bird cages for our parrots, as I new we'd be needing a bird cage soon, just not this soon. So today I'm ordering a new parrot bird cage from Cages By Design. It's a great company that has recently been featured on the mammoth hit TV show, "Extreme Home Makeovers" and is really starting to come on the seen as a premier builder of parrot bird cages. And I think the main reason they're doing so well is because they don't just offer bars and food holders. They have actually created bird cages that solve parrot's behavior problems. These parrot bird cages come with fully installed 'Full Spectrum' lighting, which has been proven to increase vitamin K production in indoor parrots who don't get natural sunlight. Because windows filter out the light, and leave our parrots little bodies starving for what nature intended -- sunlight. And in case you don't read all my newsletters and already know this... 'full spectrum' lighting has been proven to decrease feather plucking. And Cages By Design is the first company to preinstall full spectrum lighting into a parrots bird cage in a way that looks beautiful, instead of clunky. Plus their parrot bird cages also come with automatic bathing systems, that can be set on a timer to give your parrot a bath on a regular basis. But I'd like to ask you a favor... I'm wanting to know if this company treats it's customers right before I start recommending their cages to everyone. So If you're at all interested in a new bird cage for your parrot, or at least interested in adding some better features to your parrot bird cages, then I'd like to ask you to go over and sign up to have CagesByDesign send you one of their full color catalog chalked full of all their parrot bird cages. And tell me how they treat you? And I'll be sure to post some new pictures of the parrot bird cages I purchase, and show you some of their cool features if the company can deliver like they promise -- which I hope they can. Because more parrot's need to be living in bird cages like these. I'll keep you posted on how I like my parrots new bird cage! ... and here's some more pictures of Bauer