Screaming and other Vocalizations.
a) Contact with Flock Members. Parrots in the wild often screech so they can
keep track of each other. They primarily do this at dawn and dusk. Mated pairs sometimes “duet” and vocalize together.
a) Sentinel Behavior. This has been seen in African grays, cockatoos, and Pyrhurra Conures. Parrots often scream in response to something they perceive to be a potential threat.
d) Wants Attention. Parrots will vocalize to get attention.
e) Mating Season. Parrots will screech more often during mating season to advertise their territory and to attract a mate.
How to Respond to a Screaming Parrot:
-Note that all parrots make some noise. Behavior modification is only needed if the parrot screams non-stop for long periods of time. Some parrots, such as Aratinga Conures, Nanday Conures, Patagonian Conures, Amazons, Macaws, and Cockatoos are known for being quite loud.
a) Don’t Yell Back. This will reinforce the behavior.
b) Be sure the Environment isn’t too loud. Loud households often produce loud parrots. Place the parrot in a quieter area, but make sure that the spot is not too secluded, and that the bird will still receive lots of attention.
c) Teach it a New Sound. Encourage the parrot to whistle, talk, trill or beep when it wants attention.
d) Toys, Attention. Make sure the parrot has enough to do and that it isn’t too lonely.
e) Provide White Noise. Play a radio quietly to mask other sounds that could be bothering your parrot.
f) Anticipate the screaming. Figure out when the screaming usually starts and provide a distraction. For example, give it a shower at that time so it’s busy preening.
Thursday, 14 October 2010
Feather Picking: Why?
Feather Picking: Why?
This is one of the more frustrating problems a parrot owner can face. Feather destruction by overpreening, shredding or plucking, is a symptom of another problem rather than being a disease itself. It’s most common in Cockatoos and African grays, and it is also common in Quakers, Conures, and Eclectus parrots. And, although it’s been seen in all parrot species, it is rare in Amazons, Pionus parrots and Poicephalus parrots. It can often take some detective work to figure out what’s wrong.
a) Health Reasons
i. Giardia. The presence of this intestinal parasite can cause a parrot to shred the feathers just below its neckline.
ii. Skin Problems. Itchy skin, external parasites, feather cysts, or a skin infection can all cause discomfort that could cause a parrot to destroy its feathers. Many pet stores sell flea, tick and lice remedies for parrots. Never use these without receiving advice from a vet. External parasites are not common in house birds.
iii. Malnutrition. A bad diet can give a parrot dry, itchy skin that may cause it to pluck or shred its feathers.
iv. Bad Wing Clip. If the parrot was clipped too severely and cannot glide to the ground if it slips, the resulting anxiety could cause feather plucking. It you’re not sure how to clip a bird properly, consult someone who does and get his or her help.
v. Psittacine Beak and Feather Disease. This is a viral disease that causes the feathers to look very abnormal. If the bird’s head feathers look bad, this could be the cause.
vi. Internal Pain. If a bird picks at one spot, this could be the cause. For example, a bird with fatty liver disease may pick at the skin above its liver.
vii. Zinc toxicity. Heavy metals can be toxic to parrots. Very old cages may have bits of metal flaking off. If the parrot ingests these, it may become ill.
viii. Allergies. These can cause dry itchy skin.
b) Psychological Reasons (These are the cause of most feather destruction problems)
i. Grief. Parrots may pluck if the lose a favorite person or mate.
ii. Stress. A number of things can cause stress. For example, an anxious shy parrot may feather pluck if it’s placed in a noisy area with nowhere to go where it feels safe. If a pet parrot starts destroying its feathers, try to determine if anything in the environment changed when the problem started.
iii. Boredom. A parrot with nothing to do may feather pick because of boredom. Make sure the bird has a big cage, and lots of toys, and that it gets plenty of time out of the cage.
iv. Overpreening. The parrot may not be preening its feathers properly, or it’s doing it too much.
v. Hormones. Some female birds pull some breast feathers out of their chests during the breeding season. They do this to create a brood patch, or a warmer spot on the skin, to use to incubate eggs. However, this is not common in pets. Other birds may pluck out of frustration with not having a mate.
This is one of the more frustrating problems a parrot owner can face. Feather destruction by overpreening, shredding or plucking, is a symptom of another problem rather than being a disease itself. It’s most common in Cockatoos and African grays, and it is also common in Quakers, Conures, and Eclectus parrots. And, although it’s been seen in all parrot species, it is rare in Amazons, Pionus parrots and Poicephalus parrots. It can often take some detective work to figure out what’s wrong.
a) Health Reasons
i. Giardia. The presence of this intestinal parasite can cause a parrot to shred the feathers just below its neckline.
ii. Skin Problems. Itchy skin, external parasites, feather cysts, or a skin infection can all cause discomfort that could cause a parrot to destroy its feathers. Many pet stores sell flea, tick and lice remedies for parrots. Never use these without receiving advice from a vet. External parasites are not common in house birds.
iii. Malnutrition. A bad diet can give a parrot dry, itchy skin that may cause it to pluck or shred its feathers.
iv. Bad Wing Clip. If the parrot was clipped too severely and cannot glide to the ground if it slips, the resulting anxiety could cause feather plucking. It you’re not sure how to clip a bird properly, consult someone who does and get his or her help.
v. Psittacine Beak and Feather Disease. This is a viral disease that causes the feathers to look very abnormal. If the bird’s head feathers look bad, this could be the cause.
vi. Internal Pain. If a bird picks at one spot, this could be the cause. For example, a bird with fatty liver disease may pick at the skin above its liver.
vii. Zinc toxicity. Heavy metals can be toxic to parrots. Very old cages may have bits of metal flaking off. If the parrot ingests these, it may become ill.
viii. Allergies. These can cause dry itchy skin.
b) Psychological Reasons (These are the cause of most feather destruction problems)
i. Grief. Parrots may pluck if the lose a favorite person or mate.
ii. Stress. A number of things can cause stress. For example, an anxious shy parrot may feather pluck if it’s placed in a noisy area with nowhere to go where it feels safe. If a pet parrot starts destroying its feathers, try to determine if anything in the environment changed when the problem started.
iii. Boredom. A parrot with nothing to do may feather pick because of boredom. Make sure the bird has a big cage, and lots of toys, and that it gets plenty of time out of the cage.
iv. Overpreening. The parrot may not be preening its feathers properly, or it’s doing it too much.
v. Hormones. Some female birds pull some breast feathers out of their chests during the breeding season. They do this to create a brood patch, or a warmer spot on the skin, to use to incubate eggs. However, this is not common in pets. Other birds may pluck out of frustration with not having a mate.
Interpreting Parrot Behavior - Why do Birds Bite?
Biting: Why do Birds Bite?
a) The Bird is a Baby.
Baby parrots use their beaks to explore the world and to test things. This behavior should be discouraged. However, a dramatic response (loud yelling or laughing) may encourage the behavior. Harsh punishment also won’t work. Teach the bird “step-up” so you have more control over the bird. Be sure to practice step-ups with your parrot every day. Some parrot behaviorists recommend “laddering” a bird if its being nipping. This involves making the parrot do several (6 or so) step ups in succession between your two hands. You can also try the “earthquake” method. Shake your arm or body when the parrot nips to distract it. Do not, however, cause the bird to fall.
Some books may recommend giving the parrot a time out in its cage. This often does not work because the parrot may forget why it’s in the cage by the time you’ve gotten it in there.
b) Parrot is Territorial.
Some parrots will guard their cages, play stands, or favorite person. It is often a good idea to teach such a parrot to step up on a stick. That way, you can remove a cage-guarding parrot from its cage without being bitten. Many birds become quite territorial during breeding season. Male Amazons are particularly prone to this because in the wild they are the ones who build and guard a nest.
c) Parrot Does Not Want to do Something.
The parrot is trying to control you. If you show fear and always back off, the parrot will become even more aggressive. Be sure to do step-up practice daily so you can better control the bird.
d) Redirected Aggression
This can be a problem with parrots on shoulders. If the bird sees a rival person come in, something annoys it, or it becomes startled by something, it may bite its owner. In this case, the bird may not mean to bite the owner, but rather it became aggressive and just bit the nearest target. If you let a bird on your shoulder, be sure it is trustworthy and that it always gets off when you tell it to.
e) Fear
Frightened parrots will generally try to flee from danger, but if they cannot, they will bite whatever is scaring them. Never punish a very shy, fearful parrot.
f) Parrot is Overstimulated
This is common in the very active parrots, such as Amazons, Cockatoos, Caiques, and Conures, although any bird may do this. During playtime, the bird may become very excited and then bite its owner because it’s not thinking straight. Let an overly excited parrot calm down before you pick it up to avoid bites.
a) The Bird is a Baby.
Baby parrots use their beaks to explore the world and to test things. This behavior should be discouraged. However, a dramatic response (loud yelling or laughing) may encourage the behavior. Harsh punishment also won’t work. Teach the bird “step-up” so you have more control over the bird. Be sure to practice step-ups with your parrot every day. Some parrot behaviorists recommend “laddering” a bird if its being nipping. This involves making the parrot do several (6 or so) step ups in succession between your two hands. You can also try the “earthquake” method. Shake your arm or body when the parrot nips to distract it. Do not, however, cause the bird to fall.
Some books may recommend giving the parrot a time out in its cage. This often does not work because the parrot may forget why it’s in the cage by the time you’ve gotten it in there.
b) Parrot is Territorial.
Some parrots will guard their cages, play stands, or favorite person. It is often a good idea to teach such a parrot to step up on a stick. That way, you can remove a cage-guarding parrot from its cage without being bitten. Many birds become quite territorial during breeding season. Male Amazons are particularly prone to this because in the wild they are the ones who build and guard a nest.
c) Parrot Does Not Want to do Something.
The parrot is trying to control you. If you show fear and always back off, the parrot will become even more aggressive. Be sure to do step-up practice daily so you can better control the bird.
d) Redirected Aggression
This can be a problem with parrots on shoulders. If the bird sees a rival person come in, something annoys it, or it becomes startled by something, it may bite its owner. In this case, the bird may not mean to bite the owner, but rather it became aggressive and just bit the nearest target. If you let a bird on your shoulder, be sure it is trustworthy and that it always gets off when you tell it to.
e) Fear
Frightened parrots will generally try to flee from danger, but if they cannot, they will bite whatever is scaring them. Never punish a very shy, fearful parrot.
f) Parrot is Overstimulated
This is common in the very active parrots, such as Amazons, Cockatoos, Caiques, and Conures, although any bird may do this. During playtime, the bird may become very excited and then bite its owner because it’s not thinking straight. Let an overly excited parrot calm down before you pick it up to avoid bites.
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