Parrots are really like people – but is it enough to share?
Sometimes it is a matter of a parrots breed. Generally speaking, conures are aggressive so they may not share with you.
Of course, it is a lot more about the individual parrot’s personality. Some parrots are more easy-going. My Orange-winged Amazon, for example, is pretty chill. I adopted him as an adult and he’s never been too warm. I don’t know his history, but he was obviously spoken to, but not handled much. He has warmed up more so that he lets me pet him and pick him up – sometimes – but overall, if you don’t cause him problems then he is a great boy. And, he’s great with other parrots too. I’ve never seen any sign of him being aggressive with any of my other parrots. He even shares his perches and his food with LunaLove, my Cockatiel.
Milo, on the other hand, used to be LunaLove’s best friend. Milo begged LunaLove to be kind and to be a freind when she was a baby. Now? Milo is an Indian Ringneck and she’s typical in the sense that she’s independent, doesn’t share and she can be mean. She chases my Mexican Red-headed Amazon when she is given the chance… even though he’s bigger.
Yes, parrots share, especially with their mates – who they feed. They will also share with other parrots that they like, parrots that are ‘in their flock.’
The parrots in my flock are a lot like people. They have likes, dislikes, preferences; they can be in a good mood, talkative or grumpy and loners.
But they are always adding to my bliss!
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Have a questions about parrots?
As the author of “The Parrot Bliss Bond,” I love and welcome questions about having a parrot and creating one of the best experiences of your life!
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My 💖 Star Parrot: Mexican Red-headed Amazon
Living with parrots is a little like living in a soap opera…
What’s gong on now?
Who squawked?
Who bit who’s toe?
Why is the Macaw yelling outside?
Sometimes the drama is awesome:
“I knocked on your door and Zeus said, ‘Come in!”
They’re cuddling sweetly!
He learned the trick!
A lot of what goes on is hard to catch on my phone because by the time I reach my phone or turn my camera on, the behavior often stops. Of course, all of our parrot’s behaviors can be monsterous (I say that with love) or they can stir my soul. Some of the soul-sirring and heart-melting stories are short and sweet but they make my day-
So, I thought I’d focus once a week or so on a fantastic thing one of my parrots has done to make them a “Star” parrot ⭐!
⭐ Ursulus, My Star!
Ursulus is our (drum-roll for the scientific name, please!) Amazona viridigenalis – known as Red-crowned parrot, Green-cheeked Amazon or Mexican Red-headed Amazon in the US. Ursulus is a character, a very endearing one. On the one hand, he’s only a year and a half old. Lorenza (Yellow-naped Amazon – Amazona auropalliata) and Tikko (Orange-winged Amazon – Amazona amazonica) were both adopted as adults, so we don’t know how old they are. Lorenza has some health issues, diagnosed by one of our avian veterinarians, so she acts a little like a tired, old lady. Tikko is younger, but he acts like an emotionally scarred man whose personal space you have to respect.
Hence, Ursulus doesn’t have a young whipper-snapper to hang out with, because he doesn’t ‘click’ with the young African Capes or Caiques.
My daughter is a Conure girl first and foremost. She likes smaller birds because they aren’t as intimidating as, for example, my Mac’Girls (our two Macaw parrots). Her Conures will sit on her shoulder two to four at a time; they will hang out with her and, as she moves, they surf to the motion. A sight to see!
Ursulus is friendly, learns tricks and is becoming a great talker. He’s approachable, inviting and loving. We have parrots that are like this, like our Caiques and her Conures, but she also wants to connect with a bigger bird. And Ursulus reciprocates the desire for friendship.
Parrots are prone to becoming one-person birds, meaning that they choose a ‘mate’ that is like their ‘best friend.’ They bond with that one person, while also maintaining a connection with the full flock, but the relationship is different. Their one mate is a special relationship. Since I spend a lot of time taking care of my parrots, many of them like me and relate with me. Parrots require meaningful time be dedicated to them, more so than other pets like dogs and cats, in order to connect. Ursulus is my is my star because he is so good at being open with everyone, my husband, myself and -my daughter-.
⭐ He’s A 💖 Star
He is the one medium to big-sized parrot my daughter truly enjoys and plays with more. Animals can be like miraculous healers; they can save our souls, especially when life and people are hard on us. Animals can be confidants, true friends that we can open our hearts to, and therein lies some magical healing.
As such, Ursulus has a large heart and he is good at opening people’s hearts. So, he’s my star this week because my daughter has been developing a connection with him and it warms my soul to see them enjoying each other and doing fun tricks together, or just hanging out.
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Have a questions about parrots?
As the author of “The Parrot Bliss Bond,” I love and welcome questions about having a parrot and creating one of the best experiences of your life!
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Bonding With Two Or More Parrots
If You Love Them Parrots, They’ll Love You Even If They Are Two
Parrots are curious and they like to be with, nibble on and explore people – at least, that’s been my experience. The number one ingredient to create a bond with your parrot or parrots is time. You have to spend a fair amount of time with your birds on a daily bases.
Two Parrots Are Better Than One
Parrots are highly social animals. In the wild parrots live in flocks which can be as ‘small’ as 20 birds or as large as a thousand. Yes, they are accustomed to being with their tribe all of the time. They tend to help each other, preen one another and feed their mate. They are intimate with one-another and they find bonding, connection, survival, well-being and safety and security in their flock and their mate.
Yes, you can play the role of mate if you want a close bond with your parrot, but you’ll never fulfill the same zygodactyl feet (that’s what their feet are called because they are the only class of birds who have two toes pointing forward and back)! You may love your parrot and take great care of your parrot, but I don’t imagine you will regurgitate for him or her nor that you’ll preen his or her feathers with your mouth!
And, why would you? You don’t have to be a parrot to fill those toes! Just have two parrots. When you have two parrots, depending on the species, you’ll find that they play together, cuddle and engage with one another almost all of the time – and then they often sleep or nap cuddled up together.
Humans Are More Interesting Than Parrots
I always recommend getting two parrots because there are only benefits to doing so:
If you like spending a lot of time with your parrots, then having two means twice the fun
Your two parrots will be curious about and interested in you. If one likes you more than another then that one will engage with you, showing the other that you’re fun! The second will likely follow and decide you are fun too.
If you have someone else at home, two parrots means that you each get to spend time with a parrot; you each get ‘your own,’ which can be special for the parrot and human which each get to have a special bond.
If you don’t have a lot of time to bond with your parrot, you should have two. They will keep each other company and, while they may not be friendly with you — which would have happened anyway if you don’t have time to dedicate to your parrot– at least your parrot won’t be sad or lonely. Yes, this can lead to health problems like feather plucking (depending on the species, some are more prone to plucking than others) or it can lead to your parrot losing his or her well-being. The need to be social and have a flock or mate is a need. Unfulfilled, it can cause emotional and then physical issues. When people are incarcerated and put into solitary confinement, their ‘flock’ is also removed — and it is considered a harsh punishment.
Sometimes parrots are moody or busy playing or sleeping. Having two parrots means that, if you are in the mood to play or spend time with your parrot, you are likely to have at least one parrot available!
Yes, if you engage with your parrots, they will want to bond with you. I have found that two is a magic number – and it doesn’t matter whether they are male and female or two of the same gender. When you have three or more parrots together, they tend to retain or go back to more of their ‘parrotness,’ and are more likely to lose interest in you. Of course, if you spend a lot of time with three or more, it may not matter, but most people aren’t able to dedicate several hours a day, or more, to their parrots.
What Kind Of Time Is Parrot Time?
Is there a formula for how much time you should spend with your parrot? No, there isn’t. We can generalize and say that smaller parrots require less time than larger parrots. This means that the largest of parrots, like Macaws, need more time and engaging time spent with them. My Macaws want to be held, be played with, spoken to… Whereas our Parrotlets want to be with us, but just being with and around us seems to make them happy.
I think of the time you can spend with parrots as two kinds of time: engaging time and co-existing time.
Engaging Time
Parrots like to be on you, they like doing and learning tricks with you – going for a walk (or ride, they are usually on my shoulder), or being spoken to, petted. When you engage with them, you are relating with them as if they were another person or a young child. At night you could practically read them a bed-time story! This time is the kind of time “mates” would spend together – it creates a more intimate connection.
Depending on your parrot’s personality and their species, most parrots need at least 15 minutes twice a day of good, engaged time spent with them.
Co-existing Time
I also think it is important to spend time with your parrot in the same room just doing what you do. Your parrot likely has a perch or play area with toys or something they do so that you are both doing your own thing and you are near each other. This is more of a ‘flock’ behavior in the sense that the flock is together, but tending to different things.
The Most Important Time Aspect: Love
I have several parrots and I don’t have enough time in a day to give each parrot ten minutes of engaged time! However, most of my parrots like to engage with me. They want to step up, touch me with their beak (they experience life though their beak since they don’t have hands) and see what I’m doing, see if I have something interesting they can destroy (like my nice pens – ah!) or if I have something that they might want to eat.
I attribute this to their having parrots around them and, most all of them, having a cage mate. Our Catalina Macaw, Kailani, was about 10 months old when I started to see that she was bonding too much to me. Although I love her and (having hand-fed her) I’m comfortable with her (and her large beak) and I love cuddling with her, I felt that she needed a Macaw of her own! So we got a second Macaw! Sure enough, they seek each other out — and enjoy each other almost as much as they seek us out and enjoy being with us.
So, my parrots have their needs fulfilled. They have clean cages, clean water and food (including pellets and fresh vegetables) every day. They are allowed to be birds, which means sometimes they squawk loudly, bite or get territorial about a perch or a person, and we are understanding — though not tolerant of anyone being injured. We do everything we can to make sure they have good lives and they seem to know this and appreciate it. Maybe they even think we’re great flock members for it!
Have a questions about parrots?
As the author of “The Parrot Bliss Bond,” I love and welcome questions about having a parrot and creating one of the best experiences of your life!
Now, you have to take what I say with a grain of salt, because I really love all my parrots. They are all unique and special in their own way. Each species is unique, for example in it’s talking ability or it’s diet, and then each parrot is unique within a species.
Given that, one of my favorites is my Senegal, Heromione.
What You Can Expect In A Parrot
Some parrot characteristics I look at include:
Talking Ability
Diet
Personality
Neediness
Ease Of Taking Them With Me (Out To Eat, For Example)
Cost
Cleaning
Snuggle Factor!
Parrots can be pet-like or a lifestyle choice. Let me translate that for you, parrots can alter your life-style because they take so much time and attention, which is generally true of the larger species, or they can be pet-like, generally the smaller parrots, allowing you to still travel, go out and do other things. They can require a lot of care (feeding, cleaning): surprisingly more so than a cat or dog when they are large, or they can be easy to take care of when they are smaller.
What I love about Heromione is that her personality offers me the best of all worlds.
Senegals As Companions That Are Easy To Care For
Talking & Noise Level
Heromione isn’t really a good talker. She does say some things some of the time, but her voice is not easy to understand. She has a ‘parrot’ voice – African Greys, Amazons and Cockatoo parrots tend to be the better talkers. Generally speaking, you could say that Senegal parrots are under-spoken since they aren’t known as talkers and they aren’t very loud. Unlike Conure parrots or Cockatoo parrots, you may not even know there is a parrot in your home with a Senegal, or Seni as they are often called.
The African-continent parrots tend to be sharply smart; I think they are smart enough to be mellow too. It’s like they can’t figure what there is to freak out about. Even when Heromione was injured, she was very relaxed about letting me inspect her injury and tend to it. She surprised my veterinarian-father and I because she didn’t fight us or try to bite. She just let us take care of her.
Senegals aren’t like most parrots with each other, they don’t cuddle – like Lovebirds – or preen each other. Actually, they tend to stay at opposite ends of their cage. I’m not sure how they procreate… I asked Tony Silva, who is a world-psittacine expert – about Senegal parrots. He confirmed that they almost ignore each other until mating season. Nevertheless, Heromione and her cagemate at the time, Harry, ignored each other until they fought. Heronione was injured a couple of times. The first time, I ignored it because I had seen no issues. The second time I had to take her to the avian veterinarian and she no longer shares a cage with Harry.
Harry isn’t tame. He flies away from me and, although I’ve gotten to the point where I can pet his beak and the top of his head, he doesn’t spend time with me; he prefers to be in the bird room. Heromione, on the other hand, is very sweet with me. I adopted them as adults and she’s taken to me.
Parrot Yoga
There are many things about Heromione that I love. She is easy to be around, she literally hangs out on me, even when I’m doing my yoga!
Heromione hits all the boxes: she’s easy to be with, not too loud – although she does screech sometimes. She is a great eater and is big enough for me to enjoy her, and although her personality isn’t as pronounced as a big parrot’s, she is sweet with me, she’s playful and I she understands that I take care of my Parrotlet parrots. They are five times smaller than her, but she never goes after them. By accident I learned that I can walk into the Parrotlet aviary and she doesn’t leave my shoulder. I don’t worry about her attacking, eating there food or acting aggressively – though I watch her. It isn’t uncommon for a larger parrot to attack a smaller one, especially if the larger feels threatened or jealous.
Because she’s a ‘medium’ sized parrot, she isn’t terribly messy. No big 💩 piles from her! And, Senegal parrots are ‘inexpensive’ – at around $1,000. She’s not a ‘needy’ parrot, although she does like to spend as much time with me as possible.
Harry, On The Other Hand
Harry isn’t tame, so I can’t rant and rave about him. While I would choose a friendly Senegal parrot if I didn’t have any parrots and could get only a couple; of course, I would choose one because Heromione is such a fantastic parrot. I don’t bond with Harry, although I have tried spending some time taming him. I was struck by how quickly he caught onto what I was doing. He understood that I was trying to connect by touching his beak; that I wanted him to walk toward me when I had a treat. He just seems to know what I’m doing and he’s on board.
What More Could You Want In A Parrot?
Intelligence, sweet, cuddly and affectionate. Not loud and easy to be with. A true companion! Whether I’m working on my computer, cleaning or doing yoga, Heromione is a companion. A gem.
My Senegal parrot is one of my favorites, and I love them all, but having experienced nearly 20 different species of parrots, these guys are in the top of my list. Awesome parrots!
Have a questions about parrots?
As the author of “The Parrot Bliss Bond,” I love and welcome questions about having a parrot and creating one of the best experiences of your life!
How Does Milo, Indian Ringneck, Get Along With Other Parrots?
Are IRN (Indian Ringneck) Parrots Social?
Parrots are social – and there are over 350 species of parrots (maybe up to 400+, depending on how they are classified). So, of course, there are exceptions to the ‘parrots are social’ rule.
I had a friend, who recently got an IRN, ask me if my IRN gets along with my other parrots. She’s used to letting her parrots be a flock together. Her Back-caped Conure, Cockatiels and Parrotlet all get along. But the IRN is different. There’s always a dominant personality, a leader emerges, which used to be her Conure. However, now it’s her new, young, IRN and he’s not always a friendly leader.
IRN Are Less Social
IRN are both social and not. I’ve seen videos of them in India, flocks of hundreds or thousands, but they aren’t terribly social. I had gotten two cage mates for my IRN, which didn’t work out. IRN are social when they have a lot of space to distance! Most parrots allow you to house them with another of their same species with no issues. On the contrary, I think it’s good for them. They seem to like the company and like being with a companion. However, the same doesn’t seem to necessarily apply to IRN.
Mine attacked her mate. Off to the avian veterinarian we went…
She no longer has cage-mates.
How Does Milo Get Along With Other Parrots?
Milo is a character and I love her. She’s beautiful, independent (typical of an IRN), wants to spend some time with me, but mostly wants to do what she wants to do.
She has a Cockatiel friend that she chose when she was a baby; she’s always liked Luna Love, but I don’t cage them together or leave them unsupervised alone. I don’t trust Milo. Unfortunately, she doesn’t enjoy my ‘Open Door’ cage policy in which I like to leave my parrot’s doors open for them to choose to come out. With Milo, she’s proven herself untrustworthy. I can let her be outside in our enclosed lanai with larger parrots, like my Macaws or African Greys, and she can be around Luna Love and our Budgies or Lovebird when they are in a cage, protected.
So, Milo does have parrots that she likes, her ‘frineds.’ However, unless a parrot is larger than her, you might call her a bully. I wouldn’t say that because I understand that it’s her nature. IRN are great survivors, so I find it to be programmed into her. Milo is a strong parrot, which is good for her, but can be hazardous to other parrots.
Milo is an Indian Ringneck. Kalyn hand-raises them in West Palm Beach, Florida — you can meet the current babies on the Indian Ringneck page.
Have a questions about parrots?
As the author of “The Parrot Bliss Bond,” I love and welcome questions about having a parrot and creating one of the best experiences of your life!
I must say, “small” parrots often get forgotten for larger ones because larger parrots have a larger presence and talk more clearly, generally speaking. I would even say that my larger parrots are more easily felt and heard when they are asking for or demanding our attention!
Does Size Matter For A Parrot’s Brain?
I can’t say it does. Yes, certain species are remarkably smart, but sometimes I feel like “they’re very intelligent!” is used to describe every species that’s talked about…
However, a parrot’s cleverness is pronounced at any size and, a 🦜 personality is going to be more enjoyable and noticeable when you dedicate time to them, regardless of their size. This applies to anything in life, like a hobby, a relationship or a job…
In this light, smaller parrots can be a lot easier to live with and take care of. The mess they make is so much less noticeable and they literally, of course, take less space. My Macaws practically take the living room whereas my smaller lovebird doesn’t even have cage! He thinks he is an old, free soul who can’t be contained!
Poop Size Matters; Actually, It Really Matters
In case you aren’t familiar with parrots, a smaller parrot’s poop isn’t something you want on your shirt or on your couch, but a Budgie’s poop or a Parrotlet’s can be flicked off. It’s really not a big deal; you may not even notice it. A Macaw’s poop, on the other hand… it’s about the size of a Budgie or Parrotlet! It might splatter some and it can’t be ignored – at all.
Similar to many other large species, Macaws are messy. Really messy. Sure, all parrots are – by nature’s design. Parrots are programmed to drop half the food they are eating, thereby spreading food and growing their natural environments. It’s like they are nature’s farmers, seeding the ground. Again size dictates the amount of mess that gets ‘farmed.’ Small parrots can make a mess of their food, but larger parrots can make a significant mess of their food, of their destroyed toys and any wood they encounter.
Plus larger parrots crave more attention.
Now don’t get me wrong, large parrots have amazing personalities- and it is easier to hug them than it a three-inch tall parrot. But a large parrot requires you embrace a certain life-style that includes noise, constant cleaning and loving. A small or even medium-sized parrot leaves room for you. For you to enjoy your life, to pursue interests other than cleaning and they allow you to enjoy a more peaceful home (if you love a little bit of bird sounds, but don’t like parrot quaking)!
The argument can be made that a smaller parrot is easier to keep healthy and happy, therefore giving you more time to enjoy their incredible personalities.
Parrots come in a variety of sizes from a couple inches to several feet long (including their tails); but the magical gift of a companion that is keenly personable and loving comes with all of their feathers.
Have a questions about parrots?
As the author of “The Parrot Bliss Bond,” I love and welcome questions about having a parrot and creating one of the best experiences of your life!
I took my cat to my mom’s so that she could have a pet while she snow-birds in Florida. The cat FREAKED out! He spent the first day under her hutch and the first night yowling. The second day was spent in her dark closet… a parrot would never behave this way.
Parrots are vastly different as pets. Actually, I think they need to be thought of as a different category than “pet” because they become family members more so than most other pets; demanding family members! They become companions and best-feathered-friends which require a special diet, naturally make HUGE messes and are LOUD.
I Love Amazons!
Amazons are one of my favorite parrot genus-
When I take my Mexican red-headed parrot, Amazona viridigenalis, or my Yellow-naped Amazon, Amazona auropalliata, to my mom’s they are uncomfortable and quiet, but they stay with me. They don’t hide and when they see lunch being served, they quickly shift out of being nervous and into being hungry for my lunch.
Sure, a dog would accompany me to my mom’s for lunch too, and she does, but my Amazons stay on me. My dog abandons me for the kitchen the minute she’s in the door! My parrots are interested in being with me because I’m ‘in the flock.’ I may even be their BFF too, their best-feathered-friend. They are more interested in being with me than chasing a rabbit or eating treats that my mom is handing out.
Amazons, like most parrots, are first and foremost, social and dedicated to their companion.
Unlike a dog, once Ursulus (in the pic) feels comfortable with my food, he helps himself. A true gentleman, he used a spoon to feed himself at lunch. No, pets don’t do this, but a parrot who have zygodactyl feet can hold things. With his foot Ursulus raised the spoon to his mouth, making it easier to eat the quinoa in my salad. No other birds can do this, only parrots, psittacines.
Amazons Talk & Cuddle
The next amazing Amazon characteristic is that they cuddle. In this picture Lorenza is cuddling with me. She can be quite tender and loving with me. She talks to me when she wants attention or when she wants something. If I’m eating, she is often heard saying “Want some?” meaning that she wants me to share. No, she’s not parroting because she ONLY says this when she wants some. She doesn’t say so when there is no food around or when I’m eating something healthy…
The downside to the Amazon genus is that these parrots can be one-person birds, meaning that they can choose their BFF and no one else is even allow around them and their person. Unfortunately, Lorenza is like this, although Ursulus is not. Lorenza, who I adopted as an adult, is possessive or highly protective – depending on how you see things. She knows my daughter is important to me, so she is particularly intolerant of my daughter. This means that Lorenza will try to lunge at, attack or bully my daughter. Fortunately, my daughter is a parrot whisperer, so she doesn’t scare at all. She handles all our parrots with grace, elegance and without hurting them or without getting hurt, so she knows how to stand up to Lorenza and get her to back down.
Still, this is a down-side. It’s something we have to be careful and aware of because Lorenza’s logic is simply to be aggressive when my daughter is around or anyone else she doesn’t want around us. She bites, trying to show everyone how things should be, and I tend to be the closest to her beak…
Having your parrot be a one-person parrot (African Greys and Macaws can be like this too) can be avoided when multiple family members handle them on a regular basis. Urusul is not like this, on the contrary, he’s friendly with everyone he knows. He is young and this is the time to socialize him with ‘all of the flock.’
Low Fat Zone For The Zons
As much as Polly may want a cracker, and I have it on excellent authority that processed wheat is not beneficial for parrots, nuts and seeds are also important to avoid if you have an Amazon. There is something fascinating about feeding a walnut in it’s shell to a Macaw and watching her hold the walnut, crack it open -in to time at all- and happily eat away at it, as she should.
How Bad Could It Possibly Be To Feed An Amazon Parrot Nuts Or Seeds?
I’m in South Florida and the parrot life here is fantastic. We have exotic bird stores around and avian vets. I know that some states don’t have an avian veterinarian in-state. I have compassion for people who don’t have a avian vet close by because at times taking your parrot to the vet is critical-
One of the veterinarians that I go to told me, when she saw Lorenza on my shoulder, that she’s had people come in with their Amazon and she’s had to explain to them that holding the parrot might crush it’s bones! Yes, that is how frail their bones can become due to a high-fat seed diet. Their beaks and nails also grow irregularly in unhealthy ways. My vet even said that their nails grow long and get caught on their cages so that when the parrot pulls their foot, they break bones! Yikes!
How The Hell Could That Be?
Does that sound crazy-ridiculous to you? Me too, let me tell you. However, you are what you and so is your parrot. One problem with feeding any parrot a seed-based diet (or giving them too many seeds) is that seeds prevent the absorption of calcium. If a parrot is eating seeds daily, how is his body going to get the calcium it needs for ALL his systems in addition to his bones, nails and feathers?
What a grim picture…
Yes, parrots use calcium in all their body’s systems. Seeds are never so readily available to them in nature. On the contrary, seeds are only available once a year, at best; the rest of the time parrots have to eat the plants, vegetables and un-ripe fruit that they find through foraging. That means that they expend a lot more energy flying and searching for food in nature. In our homes they tend to be less active, burn less calories and should have a lot less fat in their diets.
Amazons, like several other parrots, need a strict diet made up of pellets with fresh foods (vegetables and greens mostly) and treats that are things like carrots, dry papaya pieces, dry spicy chili peppers… in other words, ‘treats’ that are beneficial to their health.
(picture is of an Orange-winged Amazon, Amazona amazonica)
Amazons Are Performers
Maybe Amazons are like Hollywood stars, they need to exercise and eat a super healthy diet to keep themselves in a prime physical condition in order to sing and talk for their captive audience!
I don’t know of any others parrots that can sing the way some Amazons can – I once was in one of my favorite exotic bird stores. I greeted an Amazon parrot who was boarding, and in return he started singing “Happy birthday” to me! Have you ever heard an Amazon sing? They can belt out a song! My African Grey will sing a line, but Amazons can sing a full song!
So, you can’t let them eat seeds because it will clog their arteries and -break- their bones (not right away, but by the time the damage shows, it’s too late so it’s easy to be tricked into thinking that seeds or fat are innocuous…)
Cuddling Is Fat-Free
Keeping a loving, affectionate Amazon happens more-so when you keep them healthy. An unhealthy parrot gets moody and grumpy and isn’t as much fun. A happy, bright and healthy Amazon will dedicate her life to you. She’ll love you, talk to you and stay on your shoulder (which vets don’t recommend, you have to make sure you trust your parrot not to bite you) for decades, a true companion.
Have a questions about parrots?
As the author of “The Parrot Bliss Bond,” I love and welcome questions about having a parrot and creating one of the best experiences of your life!
How my Yellow-naped Amazon chose me turns into proof that I’m having Macaw issues! LOL!
Have you had a parrot choose you?
If you are getting a new fid, meaning a new feathered-kid/family member, it’s exciting! Frankly though, you look at the parrots and you probably wonder, which one?
Lorenza made it easy for me. She talked to me! Oh, and my daughter pointed out that she was watching me, talking to me and following me with her body as I walked around the store!
Yes, parrots sometimes choose their keepers – I don’t know if I would have believed it if I hadn’t experienced it myself…
Lorenza has been my BFF – best feathered friend. From day one she has talked with me, preened me, been gentle with me and been a sheer joy. I have other parrots that are fabulous, amazing and wonderful. Many! I love them all, but Lorenza and I like to take it easy together, go on walks together and share a salad. No, she still won’t eat spinach or anything else that’s green on my plate, but she’s starting to eat more carrots, so we’re making progress.
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Have a questions about parrots?
As the author of “The Parrot Bliss Bond,” I love and welcome questions about having a parrot and creating one of the best experiences of your life!
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A Lorenza & Heromione Update (Amazon & Senegal Parrots)
Parrots are like people!
They can be trouble, fun, and worrisome!
Cats and dogs are wonderful, easy pets (we have 3). I don’t worry about these four-legged critters. They cuddle, keep us company and are wonderful members of the family.
Our parrots are similar, but…
Heromione never wants to get off of me. She stays on, swings and goes upside-down as move my body through my yoga routine. Lorenza tells me she loves me, fiercely tries to keep people away from me (because she thinks I belong to her) and preens me. She’s probably twice the age of any dog and could have another ten plus years in her.
Yes, parrots are a different kind of pet- more like companions who you have to take care of. Clean, boiled water, freshly chopped daily vegetables and plenty of love and attention are required for a parrot’s well being. These feathered creatures are anything but easy!
🦜Lorenza’s Fatty Liver Disease
I took Lorenza to the vet recently. Lorenza hadn’t been feeling well and I thought I’d heard her breathing heavily. Even though her gram stein test showed nothing, my vet agreed that her breathing was labored, so she fortunately prescribed an antibiotic, which changed her behavior and breathing for the better – yay!
Unfortunately, the vet found that Lorenza’s X-rays show that she is older, which we suspected. She lacks calcium and her bones are weak; her veins also have fat built up in them. It was a sad confirmation of what I really already knew 😥
Lorenza will be on supplements for the rest of her life – liquid calcium and Glucosamine for her bones.
🐦 Heromione’s Bloody Toe
Heromione is a sweetheart. She’s really taken with people and she will spend time on most anyone’s shoulder. So, I was surprised to find blood dripping from her foot when I came to her cage several days ago. Her cage mate, likely, hurt her. We had seen them quarreling some, but it didn’t look bad or serious and parrots do bicker. Now that Heroione’s foot was cut and bleeding, I no longer trust them together.
They immediately got separate cages. Her mate will go to a friend who has more space for his cages and has a female. My male isn’t tame, so I think this will suit him best, as well as Heromione.
To clean Heromione’s foot up, we sprayed Chlorhexidine to disinfect. Next we gave her some of our CBD for Parrots oil because parrots tend to pick at and make their injuries worse. To protect her toe temporarily, we wrapped vet tape around it. Then we put her in a carrier cage to limit her mobility and put her in a dark room (with food and water, of course) so that she’d relax and sleep.
Heromione was fine, but looking a little under the weather. So, I visited a new vet with Heromione, which was great. This vet was super-helpful. She told me that Heromione had lost enough blood for her tongue to change colors, to be lighter than usual. I didn’t know that happened! She also reported that Heromione’s crop was empty, and fortunately she then started to eat some of her pellets in the carrier. The doctor also found a small crack in her cere and a little cut at the corner of her mouth, probably from the altercation with her cage mate!
She gave Heromione an antibiotic and pain medication – and my little African Senegal is doing much better!
🩺 Yes, Parrots Are Problematic & Charismatic Like People!
Have a questions about parrots?
As the author of “The Parrot Bliss Bond,” I love and welcome questions about having a parrot and creating one of the best experiences of your life!
The Story Of How Annie (Parrotlet Parrot) Found Her Home
Parrotlets
Parrotlets are adorable! They are only about 30 grams and a couple inches tall. They are active, friendly and curious!
Annie
I do a little Parrotlet breeding – well with Annie’s parents, I didn’t know that the parents should have some seeds in their diet, but not when they are feeding babies. This is because they regurgitate the seeds to the babies and the seeds can get stuck in their crop (an upper part of their neck where they store food).
So, when Annie was just 5 grams and only a couple days old, I had to take her out of her nest box and try to get her crop working again, try to get the seeds to pass so that her digestive system could go back to working unimpared.
A Lot Of Handling
I generally let parents raise the babies until they are around 10 to 14 days. I take them out and hand-feed so that the parrots become used to people; I want the babies to be friendly and loving so that people have an easy time falling in love and connecting with them because this increases the chances of people taking the best care possible of them.
Annie (and her brother Bun, who became a pet) was handled quite a bit. I also kept her in the nursery for the next nest of babies. In this role, an older ‘sibling’ helps me take care of the babies, shows them how to start to eat on their own and also shows them that I’m trustworthy. And Annie did a great job!
Annie Needed A Friend
One thing I love about parrots is that they tend to be good, loving and caring toward their flock. Whether they have one other parrot or several, they form a bond. Some parrots have a call that is unique to their flock, similar to a ‘secret handshake.’ They preen each other, feed each other and play together, especially with their best-feathered-friend, which can be a mate.
Annie took to me and is more oriented towards me than the other Parrotlets. This means that no matter who we put her with, she didn’t seem to ‘click’ well or be too happy. I thought she’d been happy with Chickoraffe, who grew up around the same time as she did, but my daughter thought Annie had attacked this sweet boy’s toes!
This morning Xelha, my daughter, brought Annie to me and said that Annie seemed unhappy in the aviary. We agreed to just let her be loose in the house for a while. When she is, she flies to my shoulder, hangs out on a perch or goes an eats – she gets free-reign.
I had placed Chickoraffe in the nursery, because he also doesn’t seem to belong anywhere. So, I decided to let him out.
Sure enough, a little later I found that Annie and Chickoraffe were with each other on a light. An empty cage happened to be available and open. A little later where I walked into the bird room, Annie and Chickoraffe were in the cage, next to each other, happily preening as if to say, “Yes, thanks, we’ll take this!”
Parrots (that are not emotionally scarred) tend to be loving first. There is nothing to forgive in their world. They find their buddy or mate and then they wouldn’t dream of doing anything other than loving each other and taking care of one-another.
Have a questions about parrots?
As the author of “The Parrot Bliss Bond,” I love and welcome questions about having a parrot and creating one of the best experiences of your life!
BOOK
Get my book Parrot Bliss Bond at https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0998010065?ref=ppx_pt2_dt_b_prod_image
FACEBOOK
Join Parrot Bliss on FB at https://www.facebook.com/ParrotBliss
Join the flock on FB! https://www.facebook.com/groups/pbflock/
WEBSITE
Visit my site at https://parrotbliss.com/
YOUTUBE
https://www.youtube.com/parrotbliss
Parrot Bliss | West Palm Beach, FL 33412 | (561) 328-4944
Now, you have to take what I say with a grain of salt, because I really love all my parrots. They are all unique and special in their own way. Each species is unique, for example in it’s talking ability or it’s diet, and then each parrot is unique within a species.
Parrot Yoga
Amazons Are Performers