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2: Finding the Parrot of Your Dreams

You can find a fabulous lifetime avian companion in any number of places. However, some places are more likely than others. Breeders and specialty pet stores are more likely to provide you with a healthy companion who has been socialized in such a way that his diet, manners, and experience of the world is on a track to success as a companion parrot. To continue this successful start, introducing your parrot slowly and carefully to his new environment and the creatures that will be sharing life with him is very important. Remember, you’re choosing the companion of a lifetime. Take things slowly; plan. Impulse purchases almost always create an unhappy family and an unhappy parrot.

Sources of Parrots

The many sources of parrots today can confuse even the most experienced bird person. Sources include pet shops, breeders, rescues, and other sources such as friends or newspaper or online ads. According to Amy B. Worell, DVM, Dip. ABVP, in an article in the Journal of Exotic Pet Medicine, the sources of birds have changed dramatically since 2009, from aviculturists to major pet store chains. Worell reports that, previously, birds came into the pet trade through breeders and private aviculturists to bird-specific pet stores. Because of the economic recession, many breeders and small bird stores have given up their businesses. Karen Windsor, Executive Director of Foster Parrots, Ltd. presented a paper at the 2012 Association of Avian Veterinarians reflecting the point of view of many rescue organizations: that some breeders, more interested in profits than animal welfare, are responsible for an “overproduction” of parrots. Whether the source is an aviculturist, a pet store, or a rescue organization, most pet parrots are bred in the country in which they are purchased, especially in the United States, where, since 1992, the Wild Bird Conservation Act made importation of wild parrots for the pet trade illegal.

In the United States, parrots are no longer imported from the wild; they are hatched out and raised by breeders.

Desirable Characteristics of Companion Parrots

What veterinarians and rescue organizations together have learned is that a physically and emotionally healthy parrot is more likely to stay in his original home longer and to make a successful transition to a second home, if necessary. Factors associated with these physically and emotionally healthy and therefore successful companion parrots include:

•The bird was raised by and with his avian parents, so that he has a sense of identity as a bird.

•The bird learned to fly before his first wing clip, so that his flight skills and physical confidence were fully developed.

•The bird was fully weaned before he transferred to his new home, so that he was confident about his ability to find food to provide for himself.

In the 1990s many people believed that successful companion birds should be removed from their parents just after hatching and subsequently should be raised by human beings. Although this procedure created parrots who attached to human beings, the unintended consequence was that this method also created parrots who had no sense of identity as parrots. In other words, the parrot imprinted on human beings. When those human-raised parrots reached adolescence, the mates the parrots looked for were human. This created many of the behavior issues that caused parrots to lose their homes after they had made their transitions to sexual maturity.

In addition to needing their identities as birds, parrots also need confidence in their physical abilities, including the ability to fly. Surprisingly, parrots, especially the heavier-bodied parrots, can take quite a while to learn to fly. If those parrots are not allowed to move through this normal process, which can be difficult to watch because of their clumsiness, the birds also never become fully confident in their balance, climbing, and perching abilities. This lack of physical confidence leads to all sorts of difficulties that a first-time bird owner would never imagine. A frequently seen example of this sort of trouble is that parrots become fearful of leaving spaces they know well.

Finally, the longer lived a creature is, the longer the creature’s process of development and maturing from birth (or hatching) to a young, independent bird. A parrot’s complicated needs are best filled by his parents until he is of an age to separate. Although the idea of hand-feeding appeals to the nurturers among pet lovers, the complications that can result from improper hand-feeding and rearing are significant.

Many species of parrot are available, and they differ in size, disposition, talking ability, and many other attributes.

Selecting Candidate Species and Sources

So, if you want to find a parrot companion who exhibits these three requirements—a parent-raised bird, fully fledged, and weaned—then what is the next step? The most advisable next step is to begin reading about different species of parrots, their suitability as pets, their species characteristics, and their care requirements. In addition, future parrot parents need to meet as many individual members of your “candidate species” as possible, keeping firmly in mind the notion that you are familiarizing yourself and your family with your potential companion species rather than beginning the process of selecting your dream parrot. While gathering information about your candidate species, you will meet representatives from the major sources of parrots: pet shops—specialty and chain—rescues, and breeders.

Whether you find your dream bird in a specialty pet shop, a rescue, or a breeder, the critical point is how much support you can expect if and when you run into questions and problems in caring for your new companion. As you consider the various sources, ask yourself this question: “If I have questions or problems, can I rely on this source to help me through and succeed with my new best friend?” If you’re unsure of the answer, move on to another source.

A second aspect of finding your dream bird species is to consider the cost of the species over its lifetime, not the initial cost of purchasing or adopting your bird. Although you might find a perfectly lovely bird of your species that someone is “giving away,” the odds are that you will, after several days, discover the reason that the bird is “free.” Healthy birds with good manners and habits are usually not given away “for free.” This is because rescues, specialty pet stores, or breeders want to be sure that the person acquiring this sort of bird cares enough to recognize his value. Specialty stores and breeders who produce only a few birds each year usually are in business to recover the costs of raising and caring for the birds. (Good-quality food and supplies are the products that allow these stores and breeders to continue to operate, not the sale price of the birds themselves.)

Third, follow your instincts. Plan to visit a variety of sources prior to making a decision about a species. Then visit more sources before making a final decision about acquiring a specific companion. Meet many birds. Talk to these sources about the species, as well as about the individual birds. Every bird is different, and not every bird is a representative of its species’ normal behaviors. If you feel that the rescue or specialty store is not clean and the birds do not seem content, move on, even if you are attracted to a single bird. And never acquire a bird because you feel sorry for the conditions in which it is living. Although this may be tempting, birds raised in such environments are usually not healthy, may carry communicable diseases, and will be expensive and heartbreaking to care for.

Acquiring a bird of the species of your dreams requires a bit of looking, return visits, and lots of thought. But if you follow these steps and make an informed decision, you can find the right species. By taking shortcuts, people often find species that make them feel as though they are living a nightmare.

Once you’ve made the decision to acquire a companion bird, you will need to narrow your choice to a few species. Following this, you’ll need to locate a reliable source for your bird species and get help, including a veterinarian, in selecting a healthy companion of your chosen species. Although making each decision is exciting, move slowly and take the time to think through each step because this is an important decision. In addition, if you have a family, the agreement of everyone in the family is important.

Do I Need to Get a Pair?

Many times, people believe that they need to get a pair of parrots because an individual bird will become lonely. The European Union agrees and has recently passed legislation that requires birds, which are flock animals, to be kept in small flocks—in other words, in a natural family grouping.

In general, birds are more comfortable in a small flock. However, the practical realities of keeping a small flock of birds are difficult for most people. This is one reason that the smaller birds, ones that have smaller cage and play area requirements, are easier, especially for first-time bird keepers.

The advantage of a pair or small group of birds is that they keep each other busy. The disadvantage is that unless you handle them a great deal, they often prefer each other’s company to yours.

The answer to whether you need to get a pair or three birds depends on your situation. A pair of budgies or cockatiels makes an excellent situation for first-time bird keepers. Similarly, two small conures, such as green-cheeks or maroon-bellied conures, would be a delightful situation.

If you insist on a larger bird as your first, you might have a more difficult time finding two who get along, not to mention the space requirements and the handling challenges this will entail. In addition, in contrast to most dogs and cats, which eventually sort out a hierarchy, birds, especially larger, mature birds, such as male cockatoos, definitely do not get along with others and have been known to harm or kill their cage mates. This is particularly a problem when the birds feel crowded or when multiple adult birds are housed together.

If you decide to get a pair of birds, get help from a behaviorist or avian veterinarian in putting together a pair or small groups of birds who can live happily together.

A cockatiel is one of the very best choices for a first-time bird-keeper.

Narrowing the List of Species

The information in Chapter 8: Selected Species should be helpful to you in narrowing your choice to just a few species. Although the process may seem bewildering at first, the key decision points include: (1) lifespan, (2) personality and temperament, (3) noise level, and probably (4) size. If you are a beginning bird-keeper, please consider a bird that is suitable for your knowledge and abilities. If you decide that bird-keeping is for you, you’ll have many birds over the course of your lifetime; you can get that raucous pink bird or the very expensive purple bird later, after you’ve learned to handle an easier species first. For this reason, I recommend budgerigars, green-cheeked conures, cockatiels, and perhaps a pionus or a lovebird for first-time keepers. In addition, although I have no hands-on experience with them, lineolated parakeets are recommended as first-time birds by many experts.

These birds are relatively inexpensive, require small to moderate-sized cages and furnishings, and have dispositions that tend to make them easy to handle during the time you and your family are developing your bird-handling skills.

For apartment dwellers, small birds have served as cheerful pets for centuries. Many people I know believe that the best pet for someone who wants a bird is a budgerigar (commonly called a parakeet or a budgie). Beginning with a shorter-lived and less demanding member of the psittacine family gives you much of the pleasure of a larger bird without many of the more difficult problems. For those who question whether smaller birds can be satisfactory as pets who can learn to speak, I direct you to YouTube videos of Bingo, the parakeet with his own channel. As every bird-savvy person will tell you, no one can tell whether an individual bird will learn to talk or not. However, this is one of the benefits of adopting an older bird—you’ll likely know if he can speak or not.

Bird specialty stores are often good places to find a pet parrot as well as a lot of information about them.

Locating a Reliable Source for Your Bird

Finding a good source for a lifelong companion requires searching and patience. Because excellent health, temperament, and socialization are the qualities you want in your companion parrot, the most promising sources are small-scale breeders of birds for the pet trade, specialized exotic bird stores, and parrot rescue networks that have fostering and educational programs. Although you will find birds for sale in newspapers, on Craig’s List, and from Internet suppliers, you take a significant risk that your new pet will be unhealthy, unsocialized, or unsuitable as a companion. Furthermore, if you purchase a bird from one of these sources, you have very little recourse if the bird is not as advertised. Think of it this way: would you choose a partner of twenty years based on the recommendation of someone you don’t know? That’s what you’re doing when you purchase a bird from those sources.

An even worse way to acquire a bird is because someone else doesn’t want it. If you want to acquire your bird from a rescue, that’s a commendable aim. Have the owner relinquish the bird to the rescue organization. Most rescue organizations will do at least some health and behavioral assessment and help you acquire the skills you need to be successful with your new companion. The online advertisers’ interest is making money, not in successful lifelong placements.

Breeders

The best bird breeders raise a small number of birds, specialize in a few species, breed for ideal pet characteristics, and sell only fully weaned birds either directly to clients or through small specialty stores. These breeders spend a good deal of time educating potential buyers about the species’ needs, as well as about the needs of the individual birds. The best breeders, generally members of associations such as the American Federation of Aviculture, may have received certifications for their breeding operations and aviaries, attesting to the quality of their breeding program and the health conditions of their birds. Breeders become experts in their species, understanding their natural history and the dietary requirements of their particular birds and in providing the amenities that a particular species of parrot needs.

Because their birds were raised with care, these breeders want families to take good care of their new companions. Some breeders will ask you to return your bird at any point in his lifetime if you need to give him up for any reason. Again, this is because of their concern for the welfare of their individual birds.

Visiting a breeder or two who specializes in the sort of bird you are considering is an excellent step to take in the process of finding the right parrot for you. Most breeders are happy to share their knowledge if you contact them and make an appointment to see or speak with them. Many breeders maintain websites with extensive information about their species’ natural history, suitability as a companion bird, and requirements for well-being as a lifelong companion.

You will need to do some work to find these breeders, but they can be located with a little research and some telephone calls. A good place to begin is the American Federation of Aviculture (AFA), a local bird club, or national bird group, such as the American Cockatiel Society (ACS). Even if a breeder of your species of interest is not listed for your local area, try corresponding with representative from your region. People from your region are more likely to know others with the same species who live near you. Explain your situation: you want to meet with a local breeder who raises a small number of your chosen species as pets.

Visiting a breeder of the species that interests you allows you to meet several different birds and pick the breeder’s brain.

Pet Shops

Many pet shops in North America have rethought how they provide their buyers with access to healthy and happy animals. Both local and chain pet stores have partnered with humane societies and animal welfare groups to feature animals that need new homes. For the most part, pet shops feature only small mammals and small birds, including parakeets (called budgerigars outside the United States), finches, and a few of the smaller conures. Despite hard work on the part of these stores to educate their staff and screen birds taken in for sale, the fact remains that the care of the birds is uneven, and some staff members are not able to distinguish when a bird is not at his best. Bringing together birds from various suppliers means the opportunity for disease introduction is significant, despite best efforts. However, many stores work hard to create a well-informed staff that can provide high-quality care for their animals and for the companions who purchase them.

The advantages of spending time in pet shops, especially those that specialize in birds, is that you will have the opportunity to see a variety of species, observe the care provided to the birds, and gain some feeling about what will be required to care for your bird.

Exotic Bird Stores

Although many pet stores sell birds, few have staff members who are extremely knowledgeable about birds. However, you can learn a great deal about your chosen species at one of the few remaining stores that specialize in exotic birds. You can sometimes find these in major metropolitan areas. Locate these stores by using your online search skills and by talking with other parrot people you meet through your research. Even if the store is several hours away, the effort of making a weekend trip and visiting several times over the course of a couple of days will be a worthwhile experience.

Equipped with a knowledgeable staff, exotic bird stores are more likely to have time to work with you and your prospective bird, especially if you call ahead to make an appointment to visit on one of their less busy days and times. Not only will you be able to see a variety of species, but you can spend time observing the staff, the birds, and the various chores associated with keeping a parrot. In fact, you can learn quite a bit about bird handling and caretaking simply by watching.

One caution about an exotic bird store as a source is the possibility that a particular bird might not be as healthy as you would like. Although specialty stores do their best to protect their investment in the birds who pass through their shop, the birds are brought together from many different breeders. Whenever this happens, the potential for disease is higher than it is when you acquire your bird from a small breeder. However, like every reputable breeder, most specialty stores offer a health guarantee. If the store is unwilling to do this, don’t take the chance.

Another caution is that once the birds come to the store, staff may have little time to continue each bird’s socialization. As a result, each individual may not receive the attention he needs to support his emotional growth. You will be able to observe the staff in the store and the attention that each bird receives. This is a good reason to visit the store several times, even if you have to stay overnight. Nevertheless, most exotic bird stores do their best to create good matches and to provide you with the information and training you need to be successful with your bird.

In addition, many specialty bird stores offer wonderful educational opportunities that you can take advantage of before you choose your species and your individual bird. These stores often arrange for well-known and respected bird behaviorists to visit and hold seminars. Attending one or more of these seminars is another way to learn more about the various species and the demands of caring for fascinating and sometimes difficult psittacines.

Parrots and Kids

Although many kids get along fine with larger parrots, a safer approach, particularly for a first parrot, is to consider a budgie or cockatiel. These child-size birds are gentler. Their beaks, although still able to provide powerful bites, are nowhere near as powerful as those of a larger parrot.

In addition, the cages and accessories are small enough for the child to take an active role in the care, feeding, and training of the pet parrot.

The quick movements and squawks of birds can sometimes frighten children. In addition, the high-pitched voices and quick movements of children sometimes frighten birds, especially those not accustomed to children.

The best approach is to go one small step at a time. Birds are curious and will respond to a child’s patient reading, singing, or feeding through the cage bars as a first step. Likewise, children often enjoy the “magical” properties of birds—their soft feathers and their ability to fly.

Children can learn much about responsibility by caring for pets; however, it is an unrealistic expectation that a child can be entirely responsible for a creature as complicated to care for as a bird.

Humane Organizations and Parrot Rescue Networks

Shelters or rescue organizations are another place to meet your species. Most humane societies have birds for adoption, as do bird rescue organizations and exotic bird clubs. Keep in mind, however, that a foster and rescue network serves the increasing number birds given up by the people who purchased them. Knowing the reason your potential companion was surrendered is important. Owners who made poor choices about pet selection may be surrendering birds with behavior or diet-related health problems. In addition, the emotional and physical health of these birds is often compromised. Even though a bird may be healthy at the time he’s adopted, the stress of being relinquished, kept at a shelter, and then relocated again does not create the best conditions for maintaining a healthy immune system.

Accordingly, as you look at the birds and talk with the organization’s staff and volunteers, keep your requirements and questions in mind. The best situation is one where you can visit several sources of the species of most interest to you and take a few days to consider what you’ve seen. Your relationship with your bird may last twenty or more years, so be selective.

To find a reputable rescue organization, look for a group that has been operating successfully for a number of years, has a board of directors who oversees the operation of the rescue, and is known to local veterinarians and bird clubs as a reputable and careful rescue. A rescue is not a place to acquire “free” birds. In fact, most reputable rescues have a lengthy adoption process and require you to complete a basic bird care course, and many will visit your home to ensure that you have adequate space and can safely care for a bird. Rescues operate in this way because, when people relinquish their birds, the rescue organization takes on the responsibility to care for the bird in a proper manner. This means finding families who will care for the bird long term.

In effect, rescue organizations will typically take you through the list of questions at the end of Chapter 1, making sure that you are ready for a bird. In addition, they’ll ask you to complete some education to ensure that you know how to care for the bird of your choice. Finally, they’ll visit you several times after your adoption to ensure that you are doing well with the bird you’ve chosen. For the rescue organization, it’s about finding the best home for the individual bird. That’s their focus.

Unfortunately, many parrots are given up to animal rescues and are waiting for their forever homes.

Seven Safety Tips for Interspecies Relationships

1.Clear bird areas of food debris that attracts other pets.

2.Clip cats’ toenails.

3.Confine cats and dogs when your birds are out of the cage.

4.Keep aquariums covered.

5.Leave a buffer zone between animal species.

6.Separate snakes, large lizards, ferrets, and other predatory pets from your bird zone.

7.Stop stalking behavior immediately.

Other Sources

Other sources of parrots include individuals or companies located through advertisements on local bulletin boards, newspapers, or online sources. Unless the source is well known to you through a web group you’ve been a member of for some time or through a bird professional, steer clear. The more barriers between you and the individual providing the bird, the greater the chance that something can and will go wrong.

This is not to say that all such sellers are hiding something or are dishonest. This is merely to say that you have many choices in where to acquire your lifelong companion. Why wouldn’t you choose a source that is well-known to you and to others in your area (including veterinarians), so that you will have the assistance you need in the years to come?

Exceptions exist. For example, a well-known breeder and expert on eclectus parrots may be downsizing her group of birds because she is aging. She’s begun to talk about this on a list-serve that American Federation of Aviculture members participate in. If someone wants a companion eclectus, a bird acquired from this person would be the best imaginable companion. This professional aviculturist has been an acquaintance and friend for more than 20 years, she’s been an active member of local bird clubs, a speaker at national meetings on the Eclectus parrot, and is a well-published author on the species. In other words, there’s nothing anonymous about this person.

Contrast such a well-known person with one you meet through an online advertisement. The bird has no band, no microchip, no health certificate, and the owner offers you no health guarantee. The bird has never seen a veterinarian because “he’s never been sick.” Sketchy? Yes, definitely.

A different advertisement tells you about a bird who has come to a local bird club because the owner has recently passed away. The bird has a record at the local avian veterinarian, has a band, was microchipped, and is well-known to the vet and the technicians in her office. This is a different situation. You know something of the bird’s history and socialization, and the bird club is handling the placement of the bird. Their interest is in the bird and not the sale.

When it comes to other sources, use your best judgment. You should be able to find how the bird has been connected in the local community through veterinarians, boarding facilities, caretakers, a bird club, or a national organization. With two or three people telling the same story, you have some idea about your bird’s history. Without that, the advice of most professionals is to pass on the bird. Let me repeat: never purchase a bird because you feel sorry for its condition. Especially as a beginning bird keeper, you’re in for heartbreak—this is a guarantee.

Young Bird or Old Bird?

Birds of all ages are available, from the newly weaned to the senior bird. Since bird life expectancy is 20+ years, age should be a consideration. Mature birds—birds over one year of age—provide the advantage that their personalities are fully formed, their coloration is developed, and their habits are well established. You have a realistic glimpse of your lives together from the beginning. Newly weaned young birds offer a completely different experience. In this case, you have the short-lived pleasure of watching your bird mature and the responsibility for socializing this curious and perhaps clingy creature over the course of your first six months together. Whether you think that a young bird or a senior is right for you, do get to know an adult bird (or maybe several adults) before choosing a youngster.

Reputable sources of parrots will provide a health guarantee for their birds.

Hand-Fed vs. Parent-Raised Birds

The best companion birds have been handled by the breeder very early in their lives. Whether young birds have been raised by their bird parents, by humans, or by a combination, the key is that they have been exposed to and handled by people from the earliest part of their lives. An advantage to birds at least partially raised by bird parents is that they are not imprinted on humans. In other words, parent-raised birds are clear that they are birds of the parent’s species. They identify themselves as birds and are clear that their potential mates are birds. Hand-raised birds (meaning removed from the parents’ nest and raised only by humans) become imprinted. Generally, these birds are needy and prone to behavior problems. For this reason, many good breeders share rearing with the parents, leaving the chicks in the nest until they are fully feathered and flighted.

Visit Your Potential Bird More Than Once

When you’ve identified several potential birds, spend time with each in an environment that mimics your home. Bathe the bird or feed him. Observe how the staff handles him.

Discuss the purchasing process. What paperwork does the seller provide? You should expect to receive:

•A bill of sale that provides a description of the bird, the sales price, and the hatch date and band number of the bird

•A care sheet that describes the bird’s routine

•A health guarantee for your bird, explaining the right of return. A health guarantee usually provides several days for you to have your bird seen by a veterinarian.

If your prospective seller is unwilling to provide these things, move on, no matter how much you like the bird. An unwillingness to provide them indicates that the seller may not be reliable.

If your prospective seller provides these things, you should return at least one additional time to spend time with the bird you like most. Again, ask to help in the bird’s care. Watch the process of caring for your prospective bird and other birds. Talk with the seller about suitable veterinary care in the area, a local bird club, and other resources that may support you in your efforts to become knowledgeable about your companion.

Once you and the seller are agreed, a final step in the process is the health examination. For this, you should use a veterinarian who devotes a large part of her practice to birds. The veterinarian should do a well-bird exam and provide a health screening as a part of this process. As you will learn more in Chapter 7, birds should be screened for the more common diseases that afflict this species. For the screening, expect both blood and feces to be collected from your bird.

Health Check

As you begin your selection process, rely on a bird’s general appearance as the best indicator of health. A healthy bird has clear eyes and cere (where skull and beak meet, containing the nostrils), smooth feathers, all his toes, and clear legs and feet. His vent (where he eliminates feces) will be clean. The bird should be active, show curiosity, and perhaps approach you. If you’re not sure whether a bird is healthy, or if the cleanliness of the facility is suspect, move on. Remember, a healthy bird is both physically and emotionally healthy.

Molting birds or birds growing new feathers create confusion for a new bird person. The spiky, coated feathers sometimes cause people to assume the bird is ill. Developing feathers poke through the bird’s skin from the inside, and new feathers emerge covered with a waxy coating similar to your cuticle. This is normal. Birds replace all their feathers once each year, and, between molts, they replace individual feathers year round.

Another health indicator is the appearance of the bird’s enclosure. The room should be well-lit and relatively clean. The cages should not show a buildup of feces or dried food. The birds’ food and water should appear to have been changed twice daily. Although birds are messy, the facility should appear clean and the water and food fresh.

No matter whether your bird will be young or old, you want to select a healthy bird. Once you have done the initial screening and eliminated some sources of birds from your list, you can look more closely at a specific bird. You will need to have that specific bird checked by a veterinarian for those things you cannot see. This may be impossible to do before you actually purchase or adopt the bird. If so, make arrangements to have a vet examine the parrot within a few days of acquiring him and have the source agree that nothing is final until you get a clean bill of health from the vet.

Why all the fuss about getting a healthy bird? Your bird is a substantial investment of time and emotional energy. In addition, your financial investment in the purchase of your bird, annual medical care, and proper housing, including toys, is equally substantial. Ensuring that you have a healthy bird from the beginning means that you are unlikely to make these investments and then spend many more dollars providing medical support to a bird who was unhealthy from the beginning.

A healthy bird has clear eyes and smooth feathers.

Choosing the Right Parrot

To find the parrot of your dreams and not the pet of your nightmares, potential parrot parents must be honest with themselves. The first decision is about the parrot species. Only after that decision has been made should the family begin to consider individual parrots as potential pets. Liz Wilson, a well-respected parrot behaviorist who was known to say the things that everyone needed to hear—but not everyone wanted to hear—published widely on this subject. In choosing the best parrot species for a family, Ms. Wilson suggested the following questions be part of an honest family conversation about acquiring a parrot before the decision is made:

Question 1: Does everyone in the household agree that a parrot would be a happy addition?

If the answer to this question is yes, then the next step is to decide on the species.

Question 2: Are there chronic health issues in the household that might affect the decision about a pet parrot?

One of the most frequently seen health issues, especially with children and older adults, is allergies or respiratory problems. If any family members suffer from these sorts of health problems, have them handle multiple species of birds. By handling various species and being exposed to the feather dander, they can determine whether there is a species of bird that does not aggravate their health condition. For fragile individuals, potential parrot parents should consult with a physician because, despite air filters, birds produce a certain amount of “feather dust,” and frail individuals may become increasingly sensitive over time. For these families, an alternative to purchasing a bird of your dreams is to share responsibility with a friend for a bird or to work with a bird rescue organization. There’s no reason to purchase a pet you know will aggravate the health of a family member.

Question 3: Are you limited financially?

If your family is limited financially, this will restrict your choice of species to a smaller, more common parrot. Not only will the price be smaller, but also the size and price of cages and toys will be smaller. For a larger species of parrot, the initial purchase price can be more than a thousand dollars; the toys and furnishings, including cages, can be more than twice the purchase price; and the ongoing costs of toys, veterinary care, and a proper diet can cost as much each year as in the first year.

Most people find as much joy in a small parrot, including budgerigars (parakeets), as in a bigger bird, and there is the relief that they are not financially extending themselves more than is comfortable. Not only are these small parrots cheerful, busy, and interesting to watch, but also they are amusing in their antics. Many budgies can learn to talk and make excellent companions. In addition, budgies have a life span of no longer than ten years or so. If you feel insecure financially and insist that you must have a parrot in your life, consider a budgie.

Question 4: Are you already too busy and feeling stressed about getting everything done?

Parrots need lots of daily interaction to remain psychologically healthy. If you must have a bird to be happy, Ms. Wilson always suggested considering a songbird, such as a finch, rather than a parrot. Finches, like other songbirds, do not require the same commitment of face-to-face interaction that all parrots do.

Question 5: Do you live in a noise-sensitive situation?

If you live in an apartment or in a neighborhood where the houses are close together, you need to limit your species to those parrots who are considered “quieter.” Being a “quieter” species, of course, is a relative thing because there is no such thing as a truly quiet parrot. However, some species, including budgerigars, cockatiels, and members of the Pionus group are somewhat quieter than most other parrots. Ms. Wilson famously said “trying to keep a parrot quiet so it does not aggravate others invariably leads to excessive screaming.”

Question 6: Does everyone in your family feel comfortable with your choice of bird?

If family members are frightened of the enormous beak of a macaw or cockatoo, then you must look at smaller birds that aren’t so intimidating. No matter how much you want a particular species of parrot, the feelings and opinions of others in the environment must be considered. Otherwise, you’re saying that your desires are more important than those of other household members; this is unfair to everyone, including the bird.

If you live in an apartment, you will have to select a quieter species, such as a masked lovebird.

Bringing Your Bird Home

Bringing your parrot home will undoubtedly be an exciting time. Although you are looking forward to this occasion and are excited about your new family addition, your bird may need more time than you do to become enthusiastic about his new surroundings. Depending on your bird’s temperament, the best thing for you to do when you bring your bird home is to make this a non-event. Simply follow the routine you’ve thought about and planned for, and keep excitement and handling to a minimum to give your bird time to adjust.

Several things may be helpful in the process of adjustment. First, keep to the same feeding routine for the first few days or weeks. Everything will be unfamiliar to your new best friend; do him the favor of keeping a few vital things the same. Be sure to provide a favorite toy, exactly the same one he’s already used to. If you can also keep to his familiar schedule of “lights out” and “time to get up,” this will help your bird make a large number of adjustments more easily. As with any situation that involves relocation, the stress is enormous.

Prior to bringing your bird home, you will have decided on his housing and purchased all the necessary supplies. Those many decisions and the options available are presented in Chapter 3. His cage will be on site and in place. In addition, you’ll have a suitable carrier to bring your bird home in. The carrier should be one he’s familiar with. You may want to take the carrier to your breeder so that she can familiarize your bird with this over a series of days in an environment that is familiar and not stressful.

Your breeder will supply you with some food, and you should get the name of the supplier and a local outlet, if available. You should also receive a list of the fruits and vegetables that your bird has been eating, along with any special treats he is fond of. You might also look at the appearance of the food the breeder offers because, again, familiarity creates a better experience for your bird.

At the time of purchase or adoption, you should receive a health guarantee, along with the name of the veterinarian your breeder uses. Also, you should ask for a copy of the bird’s health records to date. Most breeders also keep records of hatch date and weights at various stages in your bird’s development. Finally, she should also supply you with several toys that your bird particularly likes. Hold at least one of these back, so that you can use this toy to offer to your new bird to help him in his adjustment to the new play gym, cages, and all his other new things. You can also do this with a particularly favored food treat.

Some birds adapt quickly and act as if nothing has changed. Other, more sensitive birds will need more time to adjust. Don’t rush the process. Let the bird go at his or her own pace. As with any creature, things take as long as they take.

Your new parrot will be nervous in his unfamiliar surroundings for several days or even weeks.

Introducing Your Parrot to Family and Other Pets

Bringing your parrot home is a time of great excitement and enthusiasm for you. For your parrot, the experience may be quite different. Although your entire family will be anxious to pick up the bird, feed the bird, talk to the bird, and dance with the bird, the fact is that your bird will not be anxious to meet your four children, the cat, and the dog, all in a matter of hours.

Consider the fact that your parrot’s emotional development is similar to that of a two-year-old child. Now imagine if you brought a two-year-old, new to you and your family, home. How would you go about introducing the people and animals in your household to this new child? Although parrots and children are not the same, the idea will help you understand the experience from the parrot’s point of view.

Introduce Over a Period of Days

A reasonable idea would be to bring the parrot home during a time when your children and other pets are elsewhere. Give your parrot a few days to acclimate to his new surroundings. Then, one by one, introduce the children and the other pets, giving your parrot plenty of space and time to adjust.

Plan introductions to coincide with your parrot’s active times of day, when he has had enough rest and has eaten. Your parrot will need plenty of sleep during his period of adjustment. And proper meals are important, so that he has the energy to cope with the change of just about everything in his life. Again, think about that two-year-old. Without enough sleep and a decent meal, anything, even something that should be pleasurable, will be a trial.

How to Catch a Parrot in the House

The strategic elements of catching a parrot indoors are: (1) calm, (2) darkness, and (3) a gradual reduction of the area in which the parrot can fly or roam. The tools you need are either a net or a sheet or pillowcase, depending on the size of the bird. This scenario assumes the parrot can fly and is not yet socialized.

If you have a family of five, designate two as the bird catchers. More participants do not equal more success. Next, if you know which room the parrot is in, close the doors between that room and the rest of the house. If you don’t know, close off every room, and search one room at a time. Make sure doors and windows to the outside are closed, and lock the outside doors so that no one can accidentally let the bird outside, which will make your job much harder.

Next, confine any other pets. Keep the interior lights off and close the drapes. This will prevent your bird from flying toward the light and injuring himself on the window. Birds are calmer in small, dark places.

Once you have discovered which room your bird is in, gradually close off hiding places, such as under beds or behind desks or dressers using blankets or sheets. Guide (don’t frighten) your bird into a smaller and smaller spot. If your bird will go willingly into a cage, bring his travel cage and his favorite treat. If your bird will not go willingly into a cage, sit with his favorite treat and see if you can entice him to come out. If your bird is not tame, position the sheet, pillowcase, or net over him and gently immobilize your bird’s head so that you will not be bitten. Do this by placing your thumb and forefinger around the back of the bird’s skull and gently but firmly holding his lower jaw near where it joins the skull. Carry your bird gently and calmly to his cage. Make sure he has fresh water and some high carbohydrate food, such as fruit or seeds. Cover the cage to allow both of you to recover from a very stressful experience.

Prepare the Family Members

Prepare your children to talk quietly and to keep their approach slow and soft, especially if your parrot was not raised around children. Their high voices and sudden movements take some getting used to. Slow, short, and quiet first meetings leave your parrot curious and wanting more.

Make the first introduction through the cage bars, and allow family members to offer a piece of fruit (or other treat your parrot particularly likes) or to sit next to the cage and talk quietly with the bird for a few minutes. If your bird retreats to the back of his cage, allow this, and don’t encourage him into a situation in which he feels unsafe. Instead, have the visitor back up and give a bit more space. When your parrot feels safe, he will approach because his curiosity—eventually—wins.

Birds are quick to pick up on a person’s energy. Never try to force a bird to come out of his cage or go to a person he doesn’t want to. This is not a good beginning to their relationship and an expectation that your bird should simply obey you is not productive.

Although these first few days are excellent for establishing your parrot’s manners and behavior, what is not appropriate or useful is for you to expect that “manners” will overcome fear. This doesn’t work for children, and it doesn’t work for parrots either. More about this will become clear in the chapter on training.

Of course, this is the time that the family will establish ground rules for handling the bird, for making sure the doors and windows are closed and opened according to a set of rules, and who has responsibility for feeding and making sure the bird has clean water at set times of the day.

Neutral Space

Often, introductions go well in a neutral space, particularly if your bird is older and has a history of being a bit protective of his cage. You can provide a neutral space outside the cage on a stand, such as a play gym. If your bird is without the protection of his cage, allow even more space between the family members to be introduced and the bird. Each bird, each situation is different. Try to consider things from the bird’s perspective. “Everything is new, and I’m not sure about any of this.” That’s probably what your bird will be experiencing for the first few weeks in your home.

A great thing for a family to do together, with your parrot perched on his play gym, is to watch some videos—either purchased or from the library—about your species of parrot and some basic handling and training techniques.

Parrots and Other Pets

Mixing birds with other animal companions is tricky. We know this, but we are encouraged to dream about perfect interspecies relationships because we’ve all seen the YouTube videos with the parrots playing with dogs, cats, skunks, horses, and pot-bellied pigs. As your mother would say, “Just because all the kids are doing it doesn’t mean it’s a good idea.” Although some birds do enjoy playing with other species, the videos never show the heartbreaking stories that happen more often than you would imagine. When a cat’s claw nicks your parrot’s air sack, your parrot has a “collapsed lung” and will require extensive veterinary care of a surgical nature. If your dog punctures your parrot’s skin accidentally, a week-long course of antibiotics is needed for your bird. Of course, if your dog closes his jaws just a little too hard, your avian friend can sustain even more serious, perhaps life-threatening, injuries. For every fictional bird hero, there’s a real-life story of heartbreak. Every individual—bird, dog, cat, or ferret—is different, but we can generalize about things that transcend individual animals’ personalities.

Your bird and your other pets will not necessarily get along. Introduce them carefully—if at all.

What’s Natural?

Birds are prey animals. Whether your pet dog or cat or ferret will act on the thought that your parrot smells like food, your parrot will probably see your mammal companions as the carnivores and predators they are. Your parrot depends on you to keep his territory and body safe from the creatures that, if he were in the wild, would eat him—a tricky business if you have other pets at home. Factors that affect the success of a parrot mixing with other species include the age at introduction, the species, and companion-enforced limits and supervision.

Cats and Dogs

Well-known parrot behaviorist Mattie Sue Athan has both cats and birds. Athan has explained that parrots, because they are social by nature, can have meaningful relationships with other pets. A typical playful relationship between parrots and dogs and cats is a game that parrots start. In this game, the bird calls the pet, sometimes by name, then hangs upside down or flaps to taunt the pet. When the pet comes very near, the parrot screams and lunges at the pet. This game is relatively safe when the parrot plays from inside the cage.

By the way, many parrot-people have stories of their dogs becoming indifferent to being called. By accident, usually, they discover that the parrot has been calling their dog, often by name, and then shouting, “Bad dog,” when the dog appears. The parrot finds this game incredibly amusing. Again, think of the joy of controlling such a fabulous toy—which is what the dog becomes from the parrot’s perspective.

With cats and dogs, larger parrots have the advantage because of their hard beaks, intimidating size, and domineering personalities. Small birds that flutter, like parakeets and cockatiels, however, become irresistible to both cats and dogs. Both dogs and cats will bump cages in order to evoke this response from the birds. This creates an impossible situation for the bird, which is constantly being frightened. The only solution is to ensure that the dog or cat cannot reach the area around the cage. This is more easily done with dogs than with cats.

Because of the range of dog breeds, it’s hard to generalize, but behaviorists Sally Blanchard and Athan mention two cautions. Larger parrots, such as cockatoos, macaws, and Amazons, may develop a screaming habit if they are housed with barking or noisy dogs. These habits, once established, are very difficult to eliminate. Their other caution is that once a dog (or cat) has traumatized a bird, the parrot may be unable to tolerate that species, even one of a different breed.

The goal is to keep your parrot as flexible and as well-adjusted as possible because, in the long life you have together, you have no idea what will happen next. Preventing trauma that could create life-long terror is relatively simple, although it takes knowledge and planning. Dealing with the long-term results of a terror of dogs or cats could be difficult for a family, as well as a constant source of horror for your parrot.

It is always best to keep cats and birds separated; any meeting between the two is a potential disaster.

Other Companion Pets

Reptiles represent minimal danger to birds, except that large snakes at liberty have been known to eat pet birds. Pond and aquarium fish and aquatic turtles are not a threat to birds, but their aquatic habitats are drowning hazards. Ferrets have been known to kill even large parrots, so small parrots like budgies and cockatiels are a bad choice for mustelid lovers.

Success Factors

Experts do not agree on a preferred species mix or whether animals must be caged or allowed to roam free. They do agree that training, thoughtful introductions, and limit setting are factors that promote mixed-species relationship successes.

Each species has a different way of indicating comfort and discomfort. Each species has a different tolerance for the other. Pet owners, in order to avoid heartbreak, must learn the body language of each of their pets; additionally, the pets must understand the body language of the others. What does “You’re too close to me” look like in the language of each animal? Training of some sort, whether from a professional, a good how-to book, or a friend who has had success, will reduce chances of interspecies injuries or death.

Well-planned introductions help establish the tone of pets’ relationships. Introducing young animals is best. Next best is a slow, supervised introduction, one-to-one at a time. Athans claims that cats raised with companion birds become trustworthy with that particular kind of bird. As a precaution, she suggests claw clipping in advance of meeting and underlines that any break in a bird’s skin by a cat requires antibiotics to prevent that bird’s death from a bacterial infection. Athans suggests that introducing a dog into a home with parrot should be done with the guidance of a dog behavior professional.

Sally Blanchard, in her Companion Parrot Handbook, emphasizes limit setting. “People who have happy, well-behaved dogs usually have well-behaved parrots.” Good behavior comes from the companion’s background of rule setting and correction when rules are broken.

Both Athans and Blanchard agree that close supervision of interspecies friendships is essential. Just like small children, pets cannot be depended on to behave in the manner they know you expect. Unfortunately, the price for the parrot can be very high. My suggestion is not to allow interspecies interaction.

The best approach is to keep a neutral zone between your parrot and dog or other pet. This is a space where neither the second pet nor the parrot is allowed. A space about three feet wide is enough to keep the parrot from pitching out food to the other pet. In addition, the space gives the owner enough room to come and go without having the dog slip through to the cage or the other way around. There is nothing a mischievous parrot enjoys more than taunting another pet by calling it or tempting it with food. Of course, the parrot, like a small child, will have no idea of the potential consequences of a too-close encounter. As a pet parent, one of your jobs is to protect all of your pets.

Training, thoughtful introductions, and setting boundaries are factors that promote mixed-species relationship success.

Meeting the Parrot Before He Comes Home

An alternative to having the entire family meet the parrot after he has come home is to have the family, one or two at a time, meet the parrot in his former home. This has the advantage of letting the parrot feel as secure as possible and having the newcomers learn some handling basics from the breeder or shop owners. Similarly, if your bird is coming from a rescue, this is an opportunity for the entire family to take the course that is required by most rescues as a prerequisite for adopting a bird. In addition, this allows the family to become familiar with the bird, and vice versa, prior to the decision to finalize the adoption.

Handling Basics

Handling basics can be learned by watching and through practice. You must be committed to keeping your bird’s comfort in mind and as the priority. With this commitment, anyone can learn to competently handle a well-mannered parrot. A key to good handling is to learn the body language of the parrot. In the same way that people judge whether or not to approach a dog or cat based on their body language, parrots “tell” you whether they wish to be approached or not. The difference is that a parrot’s feather and body movements may not be as familiar to you as the posture of anxious dogs or arched-backed cats. Nevertheless, once you’ve learned what to look for, parrots give signals that are every bit as clear.

In addition, never force a family member to handle a bird in a situation that feels uncomfortable for that person. The anxiety of a bird handler can cause negative behaviors, including threats and biting by your normally well-mannered parrot. Parrots can feel stress in their handler. A confident handler calms a sensitive bird. A stressed handler stresses a normally confident bird.

The most important skill to learn is having your bird step onto your hand so that you can move him to a perch and then off your hand and onto a perch. Similarly, you need to be able to return your bird to his cage when it’s time for him to go in.

If you did your homework during your visits to the breeder, you and members of your family have observed the process of asking your bird to step onto and off your hand. Again, this is another point on which you and your family should agree. The “commands” or “requests” that you make of your bird should always use the same recognizable word, so that your bird understands what you are asking of him. In addition, you want to create a situation in which your bird sees an advantage in complying with your requests. For example, as you are becoming familiar with one another, try rewarding your bird with one of his favorite treats for returning to his cage willingly. In fact, for the first few times you invite your bird off your hand and onto a perch in his new cage, offer the new treat as a lure to make stepping onto that perch a very attractive and potentially rewarding decision.

If you have a family member who is nervous about handling the bird, try placing your parrot on a stand where the person can read, talk to, or sing or dance with the parrot, away from the cage. This neutral area keeps both the parrot and the nervous person on the same footing: neutral ground. This is not the parrot’s cage, so he doesn’t have to defend it or oppose going back when he’s having a good time out of the cage. And the person doesn’t have to enforce anything. She is simply there to interact with the parrot in a neutral spot, to establish whatever connection is possible between the two.

Parrots, like all learners, must have the power to operate positively on their environment to live behaviorally healthy lives. We facilitate this power when we interact with them in such a way that they choose to do what is required of them. This makes for lasting companionship in our homes.

For more information on handling and socialization, see Chapter 5: Behavior, Training, and Life with a Parrot.

Do not force your parrot on anyone who is nervous or frightened of handling him.

A Summary of Parrot Qualities

The Quieter Species

The species listed here tend to be quieter and less prone to screaming than most others. However, every parrot is noisy sometimes, and each bird is an individual.

•budgerigars (parakeets)

•cockatiels

•eclectus

•pionus parrot

•Quaker parakeets

The Best Talkers

The ability and desire of a bird to talk is not only related to his species, but also to that individual bird’s personality. The only way to be sure you acquire a bird who talks is to find an older bird who already talks. Still, you won’t know the extent of the vocabulary the bird can acquire nor the conditions under which your bird will use it. Bird species that can produce individuals who learn to talk very well include:

•African greys, Amazons, and budgerigars.

Parrots Who Are Best for First-time Owners

The American Veterinary Medical Association suggests that both budgerigars (parakeets) and cockatiels make excellent first-time birds. Both these species come in a variety of colors, can sometimes talk, and have a life expectancy of between five and twenty years (as opposed to the longer life spans of larger birds). In addition, these species tend to be relatively easy for beginners to manage. Because these are smaller birds, their cages and furnishings also tend to be less expensive.

If you believe you will not be happy with either of these types of bird, but you are still convinced a bird is for you, try a Quaker parakeet, one of the small African parrots (including Senegals, Meyer’s, and Jardine’s), a pionus parrot, or possibly a green-cheeked or maroon-bellied conure, members of the quieter side of the conure family, the Pyrrhura.

If the parrot of your dreams is not one of these, I’d recommend fostering a bird for a few months prior to purchasing or adopting another species. Some people are extraordinary animal handlers from the beginning, but most people find that parrots are a larger commitment than they first imagined and that their exotic animal handling skills develop more slowly than they wish.

•Best bets: budgerigar or cockatiel

•Alternatives: Quaker parakeet; Senegal, Meyer’s, or Jardine’s parrot; pionus parrot; lineolated parakeet; lovebird; or a green-cheeked or maroon-bellied conure

Parrots Who Are Best for Experienced Owners

•Amazons

•cockatoos (all except cockatiel)

•lories and lorikeets

•macaws

Parrots Who Are Good at Learning Tricks

•caiques

•cockatoos

•conures

•macaws

•Quaker parakeets