✂️How To Cut Your Parrot’s Claws & Clip Nails

✂️ What I Like About Cutting My Parrot’s Nail/Claws

First, I’ll say that we call them talons– and then my mentor and my veterinarian correct me and say, “They are nails!”

Ha! They dig in like ice picks, like talons! 

Ok, all joking aside, there are 3 reasons I like to take care of my parrots at home:

  1. It reduces the stress of going to a groomer
  2. Saves 💰 (money) that I can use for other things for my parrots
  3. I can adjust the amount of cutting/clipping

One thing that rubs me the wrong way is taking my parrot to be professionally groomed to a 🧛. It’s not really that I think that the groomers are vampires, but they are too ready and comfortable pulling out a powder to stop bleeding for when they cut a parrot’s nail too much and make it bleed. I’m guessing they do this because they want to make sure their clients don’t return in a week or two saying that their parrot’s nails are too sharp again.

Maybe I’m old-fashioned: I think my parrot’s blood should stay in their bodies. I also understand that any time a body has an open wound, it is susceptible to outside germs getting in. Why make my Caique or my Green-cheeked Conure bleed?

You Can Learn To Cut Your Budgie or Your Macaw’s Nails, Claws Or – If They Are Sharp- Talons!

Tools You’ll Need

To cut your parrot’s nails:

  1. A dremel – A dremel is like an electronic nail file. We got ours on Amazon.com; it was under $20 and is made for cats and dogs. In the future, I’d like to get a more professional one that files more finely for my parrot’s beaks
  2. Nail cutters – Our heavy-duty human nail cutters, which we got at Target and are made for toe nails (thicker than your hand’s nails) are great at cutting our parrot’s nails. These toe nail cutters work on our medium and large parrots; a cuticle nail cutter is a better tool for small parrots, like Budgies or Parrotlets, whose nails are thinner. The nail cutters often leave sharp edges, so it’s nice to have the dremel too. The cutters quickly cut off the end of the nail and then the dremel can round sharp edges.
    PLEASE NOTE: Parrot’s talons (nails) are like your nails. They have “pink” and white parts. The pink bed is connected and bleeds, just like it does for you if you cut your nail below the white and into the pink area. With some parrots, like my Indian Ringneck who is  Palid-colored (almost white), you can see the pink area in her claw. However, for most parrots, their claws are all black, so it is hard to see where to cut. If you cut too high, your parrot will bleed. You may want to have flour or corn starch on-hand to clot the bleeding – or you may want some honey water (literally a little water with honey in it, a natural antibiotic you can use on parrots) in case you cut too high.
    You really only want to cut the sharp tip. You can always cut or file more down with the dremel. Most of the curve of their nail should be left; only the very pointed end should require cutting/filing.
  3. Towel- Having a towel on hand is always handy with a parrot when you are grooming them. If you have a helper to hold your parrot for you, they can use the towel to hold your bird, but if you are doing it alone, you may find that the towel makes it easier to “burrito” your parrot for an easier hold.
  4. Scissors – For wing-clipping.

How To Safely Hold Your Parrot

PLEASE NOTE: I make a point of illustrating how my daugher holds our Budgie and our Caique in the videos on nail and wing grooming because you DO NOT want to hold your parrot in such a way that constricts their breathing. You hand or fingers should NOT go over their throat or chest, as this can make it hard or not possible for them to breathe. The same is true if you place your parrot in a towel. Practice with a stuffed animal: I like to cover their eyes gently so that they struggle less, but leave their nose uncovered; I also try to wrap my parrot at their ‘middle,’ around their wings, so that they can’t get away but I can get to their feet/nails. If I’m clipping their wings, then I let one side of the towel go, which means they can wiggle more, so that I can access their wings.

Granted, groomers have more practice and are better at cutting nails and clipping wings that you and I are. Still, I tend to be more gentle and loving with my parrots than a stranger and cause them to bleed a lot less. Use common sense when it comes to making sure to stop your grooming session of your parrot is stressing out, if he starts breathing too hard, and keep his safety in mind first.

🦜 Wings! Controversy! Why Would You Clip Your Parrot’s Wings?

The only reason we clip wings is for our parrot’s safety. Some of the most bedazzling colors. I hate clipping their wings.

However, some of my parrots walk and fly into trouble. They go harass other parrots. So, we clip their wings so that they don’t fly onto another parrot’s cage/home, which is their safe space. I am a strong believer that each one of my parrots (actually, every creature in my home) has the right to have a hassle-free safe space all their own.

Other parrots, like my Catalina Macaw, are too big to fly around and I walk her- she loves going out on my arm to see what’s up with the sky! She is not trained to free-fly, nor am I willing to take on the inherent free-fly risks at this time, so for her safety and enjoyment, she’s clipped at this time. Things change and their flight feathers grow out, so who knows what to tomorrow will bring, but for now, this is where I feel the best, safest choice is for her.

What Feathers To Clip? 🦜

Your parrot has three rows of feathers. In trying to make our videos, which were requested by some of our FB fans (our FB page is at: https://www.facebook.com/ParrotBliss/) we had to re-do the video a couple times. In doing so, I saw that it was harder to see the three rows of feathers on our Green-cheeked Conure than it was on our Caique – it’s a little hard to see on our budgie too, since she is smaller, and our Indian Ringneck had bathed, so her feathers were wet!

Look For Feathers You Can Put Your Fingers Through

The lowest and longest row of feathers on your parrot’s wing are the flight feathers. These you can put your finger through. The next row up gets into some wing skin, so you can’t put your finger through these; finally, the first row at the top has the most bone and is the most solid.

You only need to clip the end of a few feathers, maybe 4 feathers, to keep your parrot from flying up. In other words, you can choose to only clip the very end of the arc of your parrot’s 4 feathers furthest from their body if you just want to keep them from flying up. If they are still flying up too much, clip a little more and then a little more. If they are still flying more than you want them to fly or if you are clipping them so that you can have them stay on a perch for training, you may choose to clip more feathers – but never go too high on this third row of feathers, it isn’t necessary and you can get into the thicker part of the feather’s core, which may have some blood in it.

The best reasons to clip your parrot’s feathers are so that your parrot can’t fly up to a ceiling fan, into a window, onto the stove or other such places. Of course, parrot’s are so intelligent that you may be able to show them that your window is solid by hitting the glass, but I don’t know that you can teach them to watch out for other problems, such as someone suddenly opening the front door or a window.

Learn how to take fantastic care of your parrot- purchase your copy of The Parrot Bliss Bond on Amazon today!

By Kalyn
Author, The Parrot Bliss Bond, available on Amazon Books & Kindle
Join Us on FB at https://www.facebook.com/ParrotBliss/
Or on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJFYH9z5cP9XXOta6m1KNRA

Senegal Heromione Injured Her Wing But Now She’s Fine – What Are The Signs?

How Did My Senegal Get Hurt?

How do parrots get into trouble sometimes?  I don’t know!

They are little monkeys and even though we avoid plastic toys, rope/yarn that they can get tangled in, and we even try to stay away from colored toys (we don’t believe that even FDA approved colorants can be beneficial and we do all we can to offer our VERY BEST to our flock), they still sometimes get in trouble.

I noticed Heromione at the bottom of her cage with blood around the crook of her shoulder yesterday – freak out! We immediately washed our hands and then held her to wash the blood away and see the damage. I called the vet, but it was her day off, so no-go! Good thing I called from the car when I first got in before I’d driven there!

Lucky me, my dad (bovine veterinarian professor) knows nothing about birds, but was visiting. So he gave us a magic potion – but frankly it was already fine. We checked her wing every day, but as you see in the video, my monkey with wings wants to be with me – and not on camera! She didn’t want to be picked up and taken off her shoulder.

What do you do when your parrot is injured?

First I remain calm! Sometimes I have to stop and center myself to get to calm when I see something’s gone awry!

Have a “hospital cage”

Have a “hospital cage” or bin (with breathing holes) for your parrot, a smaller space that helps them relax. You want to be able to make it warmer than their normal cage by using a heating pad (which you can place under half the cage so they can choose to be warmer or go to the cooler side) in case they aren’t keeping warm enough; you want to cover it with a blanket so that they aren’t stressed by anything going on around them and they can sleep. Giving your parrot a home-hospital space will allow them to ‘go in’ – they can relax, unseen and warm to aid their healing. Of course, be sure to offer food and water too.

Heromione did amazingly well. She was chill the whole time, let me examine her wing and hold her – never tried to bite me. Within a couple of days I could no longer find the injury, it has healed. We’ve returned her to her cage with her partner and kept our eye on her. We did apply my dad’s magic potion once or twice and some antiseptic – trying to avoid an infection. Parrots are delicate but as long as they have something treatable, if you keep your eye on your parrot you should be able to take care of what is needed and have a happy, healthy parrot.

🦜 Z&H – AGs That Pluck, Going To Try CBD Oil

The 🦜 Z&H Chronicles will begin!

 
So, Zeus & Hera — African Grey’s, of course — pluck.
 
When I got them, they were this way- and I see less missing feathers than there used to be. I believe they have improved – but still, pluck.
 

Time for CBD!

I gave some of our CBD (we sell CBD for parrots and cats/dogs) to Tony Silva, who is a world-renowned parrot expert. He said it’s helped with his Hyacinth macaw and that when I visit soon I’ll see how good the macaw is looking.
Yay!
 
We used CBD on Tink, because our sweet Green-cheeked Conure has seizures due to nerve damage (from before we had her). Now I’m going to track use on Zeus and Hera.
 

🦜 Z&H

In the photo: Zeus and Hera are now in “smaller” cages, each has there own because Zeus was pulling Hera’s feathers out! Poor girl was going to be bald soon – agh!
 
I put there cages outside in the morning to let them relax in the chill breeze, light rain today and so that they can enjoy the fresh air, as they watch the sky and pond. Their cage doors are opened; sometimes they come out or not. Eventually they usually do. Hera walks around outside or comes in the sliding glass door and looks for a box, or a book, to shred. All in a day’s shredin’
 
They have each had their own space for about a month and the time apart must be making their hearts grow fonder because they started feeding each other last night (but then went back to their own cages to turn in) and today Hera went over to Zeus’!
 
Ah, young, feathered love!

Tony Silva, Parrot Expert Extraordinaire

What An Opportunity

We live in very unique and interesting times that afford us quite a bit. Ours is an era in which things come in two days on Amazon, information doubles and triples all the time, and exotic parrots from around the world are readily available at your favorite bird store – everything is at your fingertips. Including experts.

Tony’s Parrot Farm

 

A couple of weeks ago my daughter my husband and I went to visit Tony Silva. He must be the original Amazon because he is the Parrot Man. We showed up as strangers meeting in person for the first time to spend some time with him, his parrot farm and to learn more about parrots, a passion of mine. Tony was dressed in work clothes and sweating from having been working outside on his parrot cages: a dedicated, down to earth man. I say that Tony is the original Amazon because, like the online company, his customer service is cutting edge, and he doesn’t have customers! He just gives help: he has taken time to reply to me on Facebook, someone he doesn’t know- he answers questions, signed my copy of his book and hosted us at his house. Even my world-renowned vet says that it’s amazing the way he shares his wisdom. As much as I would like to be special, he helps me just like he helps anyone else.

It’s taken me a while to write this blog because digesting everything that I saw and everything that we talked about has been quite a bit to chew on. For example, I guessed that Tony would have some amazing parrots that I had never seen before; I wasn’t let down. He had amazing parrots and many of them. His Major Mitchel cockatoos were stunning, their pink and peach crowns impressed me so much so that I think I need to print a picture of them for my wall.

Parrot Nutrition Wisdom

Now I pride myself on being pretty nutrition savvy, but Tony knows foods as they pertain to parrots as well as he knows all 402 parrot species, most of which he has bred.

“Oatmeal?” I ask.

“Empty carbs,” he answers without blinking. I’m a little thrown. I consider oatmeal ‘healthy’ for humans and most healthy things for humans, such as kale and broccoli, are also highly beneficial for parrots. I may have to research oatmeal and see whether or not it is benefiting me.

“Peppers? I know they are a fruit, but I’ve heard they are good for them,” I pose.

‘Only hot peppers. They have capsaicin, the sweet pepper do not. The capsaicin is anti-bacterial…’

He’s so right: “Capsaicin and gingerol analogues inhibit the growth of efflux-multidrug resistant bacteria and R-plasmids conjugal transfer.” (Source https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31022566) Next I’m going to have to ask him about feeding ginger, which has the gingerol, to my parrots.

Tony On Fruit For Parrots

Fruit & Seeds

One of the most frequent questions I receive on my https://www.facebook.com/ParrotBliss/ page is whether or not people can give their parrot fruit as a treat – I can also tell that one of the biggest quandaries is on seeds, but people don’t always ask about how to transition their parrot off of seeds or about whether they are part of a healthy diet.

I cringe when I see bags of sunflower seeds for sale at parrot stores because, unless these are sprouted, the lack of nutrition in a seed-only or seed-heavy diet is huge. It is a life-shortening sentence and a recipe for an unhealthy life, especially for larger species like Amazon parrots who are prone to fatty liver disease.

My Flock’s Diet

I like to learn about and research parrots and anything pertaining to them. So, fruits and seeds are not a parrot of my flock’s diet coming from me. My husband and daughter are the ones that give these as treats and training rewards. In limited amounts I’m ok with these, but I thought I’d take the opportunity to ask THE expert, the Parrot Man, Tony about giving fruits to parrots.

Why Ask Tony?

Before I post the video I took and tell you what he said, let me frame his expertise for you. In life, I’ve learned that I don’t know everything and can’t, so I look for experts who have done the research and I listen to what they have to say. I digest what they share and, this way, I tend to be savvy about topics that are important to me such as parrots and diet (for humans and parrots).

Tony has developed himself as an expert, arguably the world’s parrot expert, over the last 40 plus years. He shared a video on Facebook/Instagram in which he’s promoting his new book, Macaws (available here http://www.psittaculture.eu/product/macaws-macaws-in-field-and-aviary-by-tony-silva-book-english-2019/?fbclid=IwAR3RM8m31VPsjAbnEUTmCqDm0HrOKx2n-MrdnBS5M_T2-RXezESkv9hZ8KU In the video he tells a story about when he was young and would cut out of school to take grapes to a local pet store that had macaw parrots. He says that the owner explained that macaws only mate while flying in the air.

Really? Wow! Did we used to believe such make-believe myths about unknown species. Yeah, I think so.

Tony has bred all the Macaw species save one and where others can’t breed difficult species, Tony can and does. He has researched parrots in the wild all over the world and has studied them meticulously. Everywhere I go people speak highly of his character and parrot-knowledge and wisdom.


Yes, his perspective should influence parrot diets everywhere, if you want a happy, healthy parrot.

Apples Ok?

I love an argument based on observation because it is clear of bias. Tony’s study of wild parrots provides hard evidence of a parrot’s natural diet.

Simply put, he says, parrots eat green, un-ripe fruit in the wild. Apples, he said, were more bitter when we were kids because they are now grown to be sweet, or more sell-able. In the wild, parrots avoid larger animals, like monkeys, who eat ripe fruits, so parrots naturally eat green: green vegetables and green fruits.

Ripe fruits, as you know, are high in fructose, or fruit-sugar, which a parrot’s digestive system is not built for.

A parrot’s diet, Tony says, should consist of 60% pellets and 40% vegetables. This 40% should also include some vegetables high in Beta Carotene, like sweet potatoes, carrots or pumpkin. He also stressed the importance of not making their vegetables into chop, because it is prime breeding grounds for bacteria.

Not an issue for me, chop doesn’t look appealing to me, so I assume it isn’t for my parrots either. I cut kale and their vegetables with a knife and serve them up!

Lasting Impressions

He’s remarkable. I wish he was an app because I always have questions popping up in my mind. Blueberries? I’ve heard they are good for parrots. Ragged feathers, does it mean anything? Darker-than-normal feathers? Little 3 inch pumpkins they sell for halloween? Because my parrots had fun playing with these, but shall I get more for them? Seeds for small species, should I rotate parakeet and canary seed-offerings? There’s a new question every day!

I often refer to my copy of Psittaculture: A Manual for the Care and Breeding of Parrots by Tony – as my bird-bible (available at https://www.psittaculture.eu/product/psittaculture-a-manual-for-the-care-and-breeding-of-parrots/)  because it has every species in it and is thick, hard to lug to Starbucks, but I do anyway. I’m a writer- and the current trend of writing short books suits my style. In this age though, how often do you find a complete book with a full breadth of information? You find it from the man who helped breed the almost extinct Spix macaw, The Parrot Man, the one who has been Director at Parque Lorro, a zoo in Spain with the greatest collection of parrots.

 

Why are 🦜parrots so naughty?

Parrot Behavior

If you are religious, it’s because God made them that way.
 
If you are scientific, it’s because they are highly intelligent.
 
If you are a parrot owner, it’s because you are providing a great home/environment and they are having a lot of fun!
 

Happy, healthy birds are creative and curious. They love life and adventure calls to them.
 
Birds that bite too much… that’s a different story, but it does tell you that they feel they have to 

defend themselves more than they should. The question is, how do you increase the feeling of safety and security for them? The answer varies, depending on the bird and what it has experienced- try to give them treats and loving words.

 
These behaviors apply to children as well. And, for both (children and bitty parrots) punishments never work.
 
Rehabilitation in birds or healing in children/people coupled with positive experiences and positive reinforcement will allow parrots or people to come back to their more ‘natural’ happy, playful and fun-loving selves.

How To Handle A Parrot That Bites

What Do You Do With A Biter?

 

My 🦜Teddy-bird Has A Beak-side 🧛!

 
This spring I hand-fed Teddy, a Green-cheek conure that was hatched to us! I just loved Teddy, which is so easy to do, because as babies parrots sleep, love to be coddled and bond sweetly with you.
 
Because I was feeding Teddy every couple hours, I took Teddy to my mom’s house where she slept in a blanket, ate and was doted on! I loved having her with me and close to me.
 
Baby parrots can be very hard to feed. The first thing you have to do is learn how to teach them to learn to eat from you! They are accustomed to their parents (but their parents had been feeding them less, so I was concerned) and it’s an adjustment to take food from a person. They have to be fed the correct way too, because if their food goes down the wrong ‘pipe,’ they can aspirate. Their food also has to be the correct temperature, the correct mixture…. no pressure!
 
It’s a tricky thing with some parrots, and Teddy had originally done really well with me but then we started having a tough time. I was uncomfortable, last week Teddy was eating plenty and then she was hardly taking anything, I had felt. She was too young to be eating on her own, so she had to take formula.
 
How we got through is a bit of a blur… I can probably chalk it up to my being available to feed her when she was willing. You may already know, I’m a strong believer in healthy foods being key to health. She is only 4 days younger than her older brother, the only 2 eggs that made it from the clutch, but she behaved a lot younger. I’d also hand fed him, Edgar, because his crop was looking more and more empty! Ah! These parrots were trying to give me a heart-attack!
 
Once Edgar was eating well, I was able to put him with Markle, who is only a little older. She was thrilled to have the company, but I didn’t feel like Teddy could join them yet. It took a couple of weeks before I let her join them, she just seemed to grow up a little more slowly.
 
Now after all of the bonding and anxiety-producing experiences we shared, I was really surprised when Teddy started biting a couple of days ago!
 

Biting Beaks

Some birds just bite. Ugh!
This doesn’t mean training can’t help shift their behavior. My daughter literally let Markle bite her a couple of times without reacting so that Markle would realize that biting doesn’t produce a result. With her new Crimson, she has been spending time with him, letting him get comfortable (he used to be hand-tame but has been ignored, which is why he was re-homed). By spending time and letting him know that he’s ok, he’s safe and loved, he has started to step up without biting her.
 
Most hand-raised parrots don’t bite. I’m letting my Teddy bird be with her flock, so she’s forgetting me 😢- but spending a little time with her helps.
Parrots with a past 🧳 carry baggage that we don’t know about. They could easily be insecure, at best, because they would naturally be hatched to their parents and then they’d stay with them while they learned how to be a ‘parrot.’ In captivity, they hatch, are hand-fed and then adopted out and re-homed sometimes.
We have a biter who pushed us in the past because he just liked to scream and bite, even when he was doing well and was being given seeds as treats!
As with people, I find that healing a parrot requires giving them the time and space to realize that all is well and that – even when they scream and bite – they will be given the love and caring – of clean food and cage – that they need. Biting parrots are defensive for a reason. We may be threatening them because that is all they perceive based on their past, or they just may not be ready or comfortable. For example, Green-cheek conures tend to be very affectionate and love to be pet but Indian Ringnecks do not like to be pet. So if you are insisting on petting your Ringneck, you are probably getting bitten. Your Green-cheek, on the other hand, is misunderstood for one reason or another.
Talk to your parrot without touching a biter. Give her the time and space. Provide him with other things to bite (toys) and provide understanding. While parrots do not understand all of what we say, they do get a sense of it. Explain that you are going to work with her and let her be however she is.
Be patient. Not every parrot is cuddly, but they come around and even express their happiness with cute sounds and deep looks of appreciation in their eyes, when given the time and space to come out of their shell.

Why Do African Grey Parrots Pluck Their Feathers?

Zeus, My African Grey, The (Chest)-Featherless King of the Gods

Meet Zeus, who loves to meow, before or after I say, “What sound does a kitty make?”

Yes, Zeus is a plucker. I adopted him this way, so I don’t know his history, what he was fed or how long he’s plucked. What I do know is that plucking is common in African Grey (AG) parrots. In an attempt to help Zeus, I’ve researched- and I’m finding that feather plucking in any parrot comes down to 3 basic causes: 1) medical reasons, 2) psychological reasons or 3) environmental causes. In English, 1) causes only the avian vet will find/address, 2) they are unhappy/emotionally imbalanced or 3) their food/cage is missing something.

 

So Your AG Plucks – What To Do?

Zeus & Hera, his mate

Since Tony Silva says in his book (Psittaculture) that 50% of parrots that pluck do so as a result of psychological or environmental causes, the first thing to do is double check your AG’s environment:

  1. 🥗 DIET
    One significant cause of any health problem for any parrot is a poor diet. In the wild, parrots will eat up to 100 different things in a year (as per Psittaculture). Hopefully you know that feeding your parrot a seed-based diet is terrible for them – and can cause several deficiencies; a pellet diet is better, but it is 1 flavor. They are accustomed to hundreds. And micro-nutrients do not live in pellets, so vegetables are a must for a healthy diet. A lack of calcium can occur in AGs, and can cause the feather plucking.
  2. NO SMOKE🚬 🚫
    Make sure there is no one smoking in the home -and- that smoker’s hands aren’t in proximity of your AG. Yes, it stays on your hand and apparently affects’m.
  3. NO SCENT💨
    Make sure no scents are present in your home: no scented candles, air fresheners… parrots are very sensitive to scents. They are accustomed to the cleanest air high up in trees or flying in the sky.
  4. 🏡CAGE COMFORT
    Check their happiness state in their cage. A lot of people think it is inhumane to keep a parrot caged all of the time – but it depends on the parrot. Some WANT to be in the comfort of their own safe space. Their home is clean, has fresh food, water and entertainment (hopefully!) Who wouldn’t want that? Others want to explore and want OUT of their cage during the day. If your AG wants out, then you may need to asses his/her cage/home. Make sure your AG has something to stimulate and entertain his/her super-intelligent mind. AGs are as smart as apes – they can use tools, they are multilingual and they can figure out puzzles. A bored parrot, especially an AG, with nothing to chew, nothing to watch or do can turn to their own feathers. Parrots need wood to destroy. I’ve seen videos of them digging in dirt, they can be active! I believe they are nature’s gardeners, preening wood, leaves… It keeps them engaged and entertained. It’s not easy, because you can’t give them a wood that is too hard to chew. Or one that is poisonous. Or has pesticides. I also wouldn’t do one with mold.
    So, they constantly need new toys, training (engagement) …. If your AG is plucking, up your game in your offerings and see if that helps.
  5. 🎵A CALM ENVIRONMENT
    One of the greatest things about AGs, in my opinion, is that they sing, whistle and engage you – but they don’t scream all day long. They are calm and pensive parrots. Make sure they aren’t near loud birds, like Macaws or Conures. See that there is no construction close by or a dog barking at them. Eliminate anything that might be making them feel nervous or uneasy. I always give all of my parrots a nesting box or a ‘hidden space,’ like a cozy, for them to sleep in or get away in. Like us, sometimes they want a little peace and quiet in their bedroom, undisturbed. I even try to cover some of the entrance to their box so that they feel they have privacy.
  6. 💛 Love
    Don’t forget, parrots are emotionally intelligent and extremely social. This means that they require social companionship; they require a bonded pair. In my flock, I have very few single parrots. I like for our parrots to always have at least one housemate, another parrot they can bond with, or several. If you have just one AG, he or she may not have enough of your time and attention to be in balance. It is almost impossible for us, as humans, to be with them all of the time; it is even hard for us to spend several hours a day with our parrots. Experts say that an AG keeper should spend 3, 4 or more hours a day with their parrot! Consider a mate. Sometimes this alone will stop the plucking.
  7. 🌧️ OFFER RAIN
    Another common cause – a lack of rain in their cage! Parrots can get dry skin, which can lead to medical issues, but can also just make them itchy and cause them to pluck out their feathers. Offer mist. Parrots love water, so place a bowl at the bottom of their cage they can bathe in – and, yes, it will make a mess for you to clean- or mist them, offering them a shower at least 3 times a week, preferably daily.

 

TAKE’M TO THE VET

I’m not a fan of taking my parrots to the vet every time they sneeze because the stress of going to the vet could be worse than my trying to help my parrots at home. However, if your African Grey or Cockatoo (or any other parrot) is plucking out it’s feathers, the cause may be something that only your avian veterinarian can identify and treat. Work with your veterinarian to try to improve the issue. So, here are some causes (as per my research) and then some corrections you or you and your avian vet can look to try:

HARI’s (Hagen Aviacultural Research Institue)  checklist:

  • Diet evaluation and details of your AG’s history (health, lifestyle, behavior, feather condition, etc.) is the primary objective to explore
  • Possible compromised feather structure could trigger the damaging behavior
  • Preening education and skill level
  • Obesity can trigger feather damaging behavior
  • Health of the feet: Sore feet due to arthritis, pododermatitis, etc. may make it difficult to preen efficiently
  • Parasites: May cause disease and discomfort, pruritus.
  • Toxins: Water, cage metal, and toy quality should be taken into consideration as these can also lead to feather damaging behaviorGenetic predispositions
  • Nutritional deficiencies
  • Feather hygiene, frequent misting or bathing is imperative
  • Environmental factors such as indoor heating (dry skin), cigarette smoke, cooking oils, etc.
  • Viral diseases
  • Hormones should be monitored and managed

The question to ask: Is the feather-damaging behavior self-induced or from another source?

As per Tony Silva in “Psittaculture,” 50% of plucking parrots (not just AGs) show no discernible medical cause.

Psychological issues include things like boredom, anxiety/stress, jealousy, frustration, exaggerated preening, lack or loss of a mate, inability to adapt to a new cage. It is believed that the most common causes of plucking are diet or a lack of bathing/humidity.

For African Greys a low blood calcium level can be the dietary lack, coupled with cage boredom. In general AG’s are prone to a vitamin A deficiency, so if you have AG’s be sure to give them a lot of calcium and orange veggies, like carrots or sweet potatoes. Calcium can be easy – take your breakfast eggshells, wash them and then bake them for 20 minutes at 200 degrees (so that they are clean of any bacteria). They will be dry and ‘crispy’ – break them up (I have a mortar and pestal for this) and place them in a separate bowl in your cage or sprinkle them on their morning veggies.

What Are We Doing For Zeus?

Zeus Eating Calcium

Truth is AGs need lots of vitamin A and calcium. So, I’m going to try to SHOVE carrots and eggshells down his throat! Just kidding, but seriously, I am going to try to make some birdie-bread with carrots and/or sweet potato and finely-ground eggshells in them.

I also plan to up my game – even tho I haven’t had him for a long time, and I am guessing he’s been plucking his feathers for some time, I am going to increase the toys in his cage. Since Zeus’s chest is naked but the rest of him is not, I’m guessing he doesn’t have a medical issue. And, Hera is on eggs, so a trip to the vet is out of the question right now. The most likely cause is psychological, dietary or sanitary. He’s bored, needs vitamin A and needs daily misting – or all of the above. 

Zeus is amazing! At night he says “Night-night!” and he dances when I sing to him or play music. He also clicks along to music – so he needs engagement. He likes my husband and nipped at me… so I’m cautious. Still, I’ll plan on trying to spend more time with him when I don’t feel it will take away from Hera’s safety.

One of the challenges with Zeus is that I won’t know what is working, if his feathers improve, for a long time, since their feathers don’t always grow out right away. Until this improves, I will take comfort in thinking that, if I improve his diet and engagement, missing feathers doesn’t have to compromise him in any way; I don’t see that he is vulnerable. Note: there is no smoke, scents or other threats of any kind in the house, so these I’ve already taken off my list. If it is just a habit at this point, there may be nothing I can do. 

Wish Zeus, the King of the Parrot-Gods (at least in his mind) luck!

Kalyn

Author, The Parrot Bliss Bond, available on Amazon Books & Kindle

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Research sources:https://hari.ca/parrots-with-feather-damaging-behavior/
Tony Silva, Psittaculture, A Manual for the Care and Breeding of Parrots

Taming Your Parrot

🦜 First Encounters With Your Parrot


This is Toby, who I have had for a couple weeks-

Toby is friendly, but shy. I’m excited to connect with him too, but daunted by his big beak! He hasn’t wanted to come out of his cage, this is only his second time out. I’ve let him stay in his cage to get comfortable.

Would You Ever Force A Parrot To Come Out?

This timid Severe macaw needs time to adjust

Reading a parrot can be easy – look for the obvious signs. If they are scurrying to the back of their cage and trying to avoid your seeing them, they need time to relax and adjust. On the other hand, if your new parrot stays by the front of his or her cage and watches you, they want to engage. Some birds are in the middle, they seem shy and curious. A parrot who is a little shy and that we can safely handle (a small or medium-sized parrot), we would feel comfortable taking them out. A parrot that is scared I would not push, as this can be too much for them.

I find that the best way to start to tame any parrot is by giving them time and space in their cage. This is their home, their bedroom and their personal space. They know it too, which is why many parrots are defensive of your finger or hand when they are in their cage. This should be honored so that your parrot knows that you are also aware of them and what they want or need.

Coming Closer

From inside their cage you can start to build your relationship. Talk and sing to your bird – a lot of parrots greatly enjoy being sung to, some even dance along! They are curious about our whistling and signing, providing something fascinating about you. At the same time, it also switches their mode out of fear or discomfort.

I strongly recommend a pellet diet for your parrot (with additional veggies). A healthy diet means a happier bird, who is more likely to foster a good emotional bond with you. Pellet and seed mixes allow the parrot to only eat the seeds, wasting the pellets which costs you more money. Another advantage to you giving out the seeds only is that it gives you a way to positively connect with your parrot, since he or she will associate you with the treat.

The barrier of the cage is a great way to start to let your parrot approach you for a seed. Your fingers can remain safe from bites on the outside of the cage and the parrot can feel more comfortable approaching you for a positive experience of taking a treat from you. Let your parrot put their beak at the bars or outside the cage so that your fingers remain safe. If your parrot doesn’t feel comfortable taking the treat from you, be sure to have him or her see you placing the seed on a ledge for them to take when you step away.

Your next step may be to begin to pet your parrot’s head- if he wants to do so, she’ll bow her head for you to begin to pet her behind her neck. Be careful though, African Grey parrots are known for bowing their heads and then biting you! Keep your finger close to the bars of the cage, even when your parrot is out of reach. They are smart and they will figure out that they need to come closer to the bars.

Patience is required!

Monitor Your Feedback

Me! Me! Connect with me!

A lot of people don’t talk about bird body language because a lot of their behaviors can be inviting or asking you to stay away. For example, when a parrot fluffs all of his feathers, it can mean that they are happy, excited. It can also be a warning that they are big and bad, so get back!

There are some behaviors that are obvious though. Children (and adults) share these too, in case that gives you something to relate to.  When a parrot (or person) steps away from you, they don’t want to engage. When they step towards you, they want to more engagement, take a next step so that you slowly get closer and closer. They can get scared if you feel they are coming towards you, so you get too close, so they’ll bite. Go slow. The photo of a Galah here shows him wanting to engage!

Watch their beaks. A parrot’s beak isn’t just for eating. It’s another hand for them to hold and touch the world; it’s also a weapon used to defend or fight. It can also be a way to connect when they feed or preen you or another parrot. This means that a beak on your finger could be dangerous, because a macaw can do damage! Or, it can mean that you are “in,” because you are being cared for, kissed, loved.

Parrot beaks have many uses – here they are preening feathers, grooming

Watch how your parrot uses their beak. Sometimes they open their beak, like they are on the ready, should you step out of line! 🧛 They can also raise their beak, like raising a sword, ready to bite! If you raise your hand to pet them and see this, it’s your warning. This is a no petting time!

It is possible not to be bitten by a parrot, it just requires staying aware of their body language, because most parrots will warn before they’ll bite.

Petting a parrot is exhilarating, and if you’ve got your parrot perched on your finger, hand or palm (depending on the size of the bird), you’re doing great! As you raise your hand, watch to see what direction her beak goes. Not all parrots like to be pet. You may need to spend more time connecting with your parrot, singing to them, starting to teach them tricks and so on, before they may or may never want to be pet.

Toby & Me

In the video, you can see that I try to stay calm, quiet and keep my movements slow with Toby so that I don’t take him by surprise. A parrot that is not accustomed to an environment or a new person can get scared and react easily, so try to keep things calm, especially at first. Don’t let your dog or cat run around or come up to you at this time. 🐈

Toby lets me pet his head, though he keeps trying to feed me. I’m “in” but I’m also seen as a mate. This will lead to frustration for him, since I can’t meet the qualifications of a mate ☺️ I’m working on changing his mode so that we can foster a bond without the birdie love 🧡.

You’ll find that a lot of people, rightfully so, say that you have to be able to dedicate hours to a parrot every day. When you are first bonding and getting to know each other, this isn’t true. It would be great to have their cage in the same room you are in, but you want them to have their space and get comfortable. I only spend a few minutes with Toby, especially outside of his cage, every day so that I don’t overwhelm him. I’ll increase the time as he is comfortable and as I see that we are creating a bond based on tricks, singing, pets or even him relaxing and taking a nap on his perch.

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