Aside from having feathers, the stories of the Imperial Woodpecker, “Rio”, and 517 Parrot chicks in Brazil do have some things in common. These are topics of conservation that have been trending in the avian community these past few months. Many of us in the avian community are fined tuned into these stories probably with more awareness than the non avian community. And there sure is a story to be told with each… one of total peril, one of a fictitious character that represents a far off truth of a species in true peril, and one of an interception of more than five hundred amazons on their way to a state of potential peril.

85 seconds of the Imperial Woodpecker

While the Imperial Woodpecker is not a parrot species, the many in the parrot community know about the plight of the Imperial Woodpecker as many of us have viewed that rare 85 second video footage from Cornell University. This video is described as the only video in existence of this amazing creature that is now a distant memory of past generations. In short, this was a common bird that thrived in unique and virgin timberlands. The timberlands were destroyed for the purpose of man’s need for paper and wood products: therefore we eliminated this majestic two foot tall bird’s unique environment. Oh, to encourage the woodpeckers’ s demise, timber companies gave the locals poison packets to set out as it was believed that the bird was destroying the timber when in actuality, the bird was feeding off the larvae of the pine beetle. Today, the pine beetle still plagues the timber industry.

96 Minutes of “Rio: The Movie” released by 20^th Century Fox

How about “Blu” the loving and fictitious character portrayed as the last male of his species? In case you didn’t see it, “Rio” has a happy ending. Blu and his mate fly off into the sunset presumably to carry on the species. While entertaining, there are some hints of truth with this story-in that it’s about a blue bird that is deemed as the last male of his species. In fact, some sources indicate that Blu’s character is based on a real live Spix’s Macaw discovered in a pet setting in Colorado years ago. The parrot community compares this character to the condition of the now “extinct in the wild” Spix’s Macaw. While believed to be extinct in the wild, it is the parrot and avian community that regularly discuss the increasing numbers of Spix’s Macaw held in managed captive breeding facilities such as Loro Parque and Al Wabra. Interesting that “Rio: The Movie” based on a plot that nearly touches the truth, brings in nearly 500 million dollars at the box office alone. We can, with a reasonable amount of confidence, assume that it was more than just the parrot community that got a taste of ‘near truth’ about a parrot being the last of its kind. One should question the real message here. But alas, the parrot community did put a spin on this. Reports indicate that the story of Blu opened the doors to parrot awareness, as well as conservation matters. We can only hope that other conservation organizations also took advantage of this acclaimed entertainment value and educated captive audiences in order to fuel public awareness of parrot conservation and perhaps to acheive some fundraising.

Now, the 517 Amazon chicks rescued in Pernambuco, Brazil

In recent weeks, the Brazilian officials thwarted smuggling attempts of over 500 Amazon chicks and the plea to help these chicks spread everywhere in the avian community. The parrot species in this particular interception included Blue Front amazons, Yellow Shoulder amazons, as well as a few smaller indigenous species of parrakeets.

Well, some of these species are endangered. Some species are rather common. And, for the record, this group of parrots was not the only group of parrots destined for anything other than living wild that made parrot conservation headlines this year. Who is to say what is more important-saving a group of highly endangered birds or some species commonly found flying in native lands as frequently as… let’s say…the Imperial Woodpecker 100 years ago?

We at Rolf C. Hagen, Inc. and at HARI salute organizations and individuals that protect our planet’s birds-especially parrot species. And yes, as a corporate ambassador of the avian community that serves the pet industry, we are also proud to support various conservation projects such as World Parrot Trust and Parrots International to name a few. This year alone we have sent Tropican diets, and other HARI Approved products to various conservation projects to promote and encourage the study of parrots in the wild. Yes, the companion bird we love and hold dear is probably a mere generation or two removed from the wild…and that’s ok. After all, our pet birds, be they cherished members of the family or an unpredictable pair of breeding amazons in an aviary setting, really can’t go back to a life in the wild, like “Blu”. There are too many other global conflicts within native ecosystems that makes this idea too challenging- if not impossible. However, there is indeed an obligation to help preserve these bird species in their native lands. Imagine your future generations of offspring watching a video of the last known brown throated conure.

What can you do? Some folks give up their funds allocated for their daily coffee fix for conservation donation. No amount is too small and any funding towards these projects is appreciated and needed. However, you can do something else that would be good if not better… share these stories with one of those out of the parrot community-you know the ones that contributed to the gross profit of fiction-except tell them the truth!

Despite the current disasters such as hurricanes, wild fires, and other maladies of Mother Nature that make international headlines, often the most overlooked disaster for a companion bird goes without notice. This is something that occurs often, yet, rarely makes a headline: it’s a storm of another kind. The kind of storm that can be sudden or perhaps it’s an event that’s actually brewing in the not so far distance. It’s the absence of the avian caretaker. Perhaps this is due to family emergency or unexpected death of the caretaker. Maybe it’s the slow decline of health on the part of the avian caretaker that creates comprises in the bird’s daily care. Unfortunately, a disaster from a companion parrot’s perspective is a disaster indeed…it is the interruption of life from that bird’s normal care.

We at HARI often hear about a pet bird or perhaps a collection of parrots, be it a breeder, a pet store, and even some parrot re-homing facilities in need of assistance due to human related emergencies. With that being said, we’d like to make a few suggestions and reminders for all of the avian community to take charge of their feathered companions before a “storm” actually strikes.

What can you do?

Take Charge!

First and foremost, avian caretakers need to take charge of their own flock. The HARI team encourages pet owners and large flock caretakers alike to keep records and prepare for emergencies. While some emergencies are incredibly unexpected, others are much like the storm in the not so far distance. Life has its challenges for all and if you feel as if the care of one bird or several is getting too difficult, ask for help. You know your bird or birds, and you know who you can count on. Take decisive steps in this matter to avoid someone else making decisions for you and your pets or flock.

Companion bird owners:

Companion bird owners can very easily keep a supply box that includes everything needed for caring for their birds in case of emergency. Keep in mind that should an emergency arise that would give cause of for emergency personnel to enter a household, a simple notice on the refrigerator stating: Pet bird profile located in… let’s say, pantry, cupboard or whatever. This bit of information should include your avian veterinarian telephone, plus contact information for someone that can take over the care of your bird in your absence. Please feel free to review one of our older post , “HARI Approved First Aid Arsenal: Are You Ready?” for list of other items.

Strategies for Bird Clubs:

Bird Clubs usually have a network and committee chairpersons set up for education, speaker, pet bird adoption and other services for their membership. Designate an emergency relief team and protocol. We’re not suggesting that a diehard watch dog team be in place, but perhaps a couple of members that can respectfully network within the bird club membership and be available to members in need.

Set up phone calling trees and encourage membership to have an emergency book on their pets filled out. To get started, make use of the Parrot Profile available from HARI which includes basic pertinent information about a particular bird. An Emergency or Disaster Relief committee might want to organize a presentation on this topic for a regular club meeting. Be sure to include an article on the subject in a monthly club newsletter for members unable to attend meetings.

Strategies for Avian Specialty Retailers & Pet Stores

Some of the best retailers are very familiar with their regular customers and the products they buy for their pets or flock. During the normal course of business it’s easy to lose track of every customer-but usually something will trigger that will make one think, especially when it comes to reordering a particular item because they know ‘so and so’ will be in and need…and then they discover that particular item is still on the shelf. A customer database, especially for routine grooming appointment reminders, is one way of not only creating a database for customer contacts, it’s a great way to keep in touch with the store’s area market and support community outreach projects that benefit the business.

Large Flock management

Whether it’s a breeding facility, a re-home facility or even a home with several parrots, large flock management emergency care is a little bit different. In extreme cases, municipal agencies are the ones who are called to these collections in the event of emergency. And, not every agency is equipped with knowledge of caring for exotic parrots. If the situation is temporary, the birds will be easier to manage without moving them from premise. At any rate, a response team will need to know location of food, particular dietary needs of species, as well other supplies such as nets, disinfectants, extra bowls, that are used in every day operation of a large flock management. Please note that most aviaries are very concerned with security as well as bio-security. Respect for the operation is essential to be of benefit overall. Ideally, the response team should be made up of experienced avian caretakers or facility avian veterinarian educated in large flock management. Efficiently operated large flock facilities will have record keeping system unique to the operation.

These types are record systems are often on computers; therefore, it’s suggested to have a hard copy of some kind that includes a map of facility with the location & identification of each bird, flight, cage as well as location of food, and extra supplies. Contact information for food supplier should be included as well to avoid interruption of the flock’s normal diet.

As avian caretakers, we’re very concerned with the quality of care of all parrot species in the avian community. By this post we’re not endorsing anyone particular group of the avian community, we just want the birds to be protected from storm damage…because it’s not always a Mother Nature
event!

Under the directorship of Mark D. Hagen (MAg), HARI continues as a world leader in psittacine aviculture. From the humble beginnings in a warehouse operation with imported parrot species to the state of the art psittacine aviculture facility located on a mountain side in Rigaud, the HARI Team has learned and shared a great deal in the way of companion bird keeping. While some things in aviculture have changed, some things remain the same such as experiencing the passion of parrots.

What’s changed?

First of all, the vast variety of parrot species that make up the HARI Flock.

At one time the HARI flock consisted of quite a variety of parrot species to include many cockatoo species as well as smaller South American species. Currently, the HARI flock consists of ten main core species that excel as companion pets in today’s society. This is especially beneficial with the HARI developed technique of raising companion birds – the 6 stages of Early Parrot Education. We have touched on some of the stages in previous blog posts, with lessons in towel cradling, flight harness training, bathing, preening as well as nutrition. These lessons are critical in weaning parrot chicks so that they are prepared for their life as a companion pet.

The many faces of the Avian Community reflected in Parrot Life Magazine- the official publication of HARI. Unlike many other companion animal segments, the Parrot community is so varied with interests in companion, aviculture, medical, and especially a topic dear to the hearts of the HARI Team, conservation. While the publication is limited in print, we do invite readers to get the complete volume set in PDF form at the HARI web site. And, not to worry, there will be more!

What’s the same?

Aside from the many challenges the day to day facility brings, it is the passion of parrots that keeps HARI running! As anyone who cares for animals can attest, the caretaker’s day is not always smooth. HARI has experienced aviculture diseases such as Pacheco’s Virus, PDD, as well as everyday diseases that have resulted in depth research investigation in natural therapies. Mark Hagen and members of the HARI Staff have shared their experience and have spoken at Avicultural conferences all over the world. Work in the areas of disease continues as the HARI staff members collaborate with top avian veterinarians and veterinarian techs throughout the year.

HARI continues to serve as the testing facility for HARI Approved products such as Tropican, Tropimix, Prime and Living World products such as foraging and enrichment Natures Treasures Toys and new Clay-Cal.

The HARI Team wishes to say thank you to all that have supported our work and especially to those in the Avian community. IT is truly a shared Parrot Passion that will keep us going for the next 25 years!

Weight

Monitoring the weight of youngsters in the weaning process is a very important tool in determining weaning success. Quaker fledglings should be weighed daily until you are confident that they have successfully weaned. The weight monitoring can then be done every second day. Most baby parrot species should have a 10% daily weight gain until they reach a “plateau-level stage” which usually coincides with the emergence of the pin feathers. Once the “plateau” is reached the chick will usually maintain his weight or lose a few grams from then throughout the end of the weaning stage. The allowable weight loss should be no more than 10% of the “plateau” weight by the end of the weaning process. It is critical to be especially attentive to the weight loss, as too much loss can be indication of unintentional starvation weaning.

Introduction to the Weaning Stages

Syringe feeding continues as spoon-feeding is introduced. At this point the fledgling’s crop has reached its maximum potential and will now decrease in size.

Quaker chicks are syringe fed exclusively with the Tropican Hand Feeding Formula until approximately 5 weeks of age.  At this time gradual introduction of soaked Tropican High Peformance Granules will start to replace the hand feeding formula, spoon fed a few times a day with a following small quantity of syringe fed hand feeding formula. Abundance weaning is recommended; chicks thrive best when syringe fed prior to spoon-feeding of the soaked, warm weaning granules. A chick will regress if it is too hungry, or fed a diet lacking in the optimum fat content. A record of each chick’s progress is monitored by nursery technicians and noted in the Weaning Chart

Pre-fledglings will become increasingly inquisitive nearing their fifth week of age. It is most important to take advantage of this very narrow window of opportunity of curiosity when the pre-fledgling is starting to mnove around and explore the nest substrate to offer a a small bowl of dry Tropican High Performance Granules in their baby pens. As the pre-fledgling is not agile enough to allow climbing or perching, food must be placed in a stable dish on the nest substrate. (note: substrate should never be corncob granules as these are easily ingested and are a playground for yeast infection). Pre-fledglings at this stage should be spending most of their time sleeping, nibbling on dry granules or preening other clutch mates. There should be no toys to distract them from the essentials. The chick pet is covered with blanket top and 3 sides to encourage exploration within the cage.

It is important for the young chicks to start digesting more solid food to prevent the GI tract from becoming lazy. Soaked granules enhance the tonus and motility of the young bird’s crop and should ideally be of the same formulation as the hand feeding diet at this age, a high performance formula.

Weaning Cage Food Set Up

The Weaning Cage only contains Tropican and occasional spray millet to encourage limited independent foraging. The importance of stimulating their young minds at this age must not be overshadowed. Fledglings that are offered over stimulation in the way toys, excessive foods, lose their focus on weaning which can lead to dietary problems in their future. Many nursery caregivers often make the mistake of offering an assortment of foods that do not meet the fledgling’s still developing needs. There is plenty of time after the fledgling has weaned and learned to eat a nutritiously sound diet to then experiment and try other foods such as fruits and vegetables.

We recommend that all feedings be done in the weaning cages, as this will facilitate the successful weaning process. Young birds must understand that food comes from within the cage.

Who can resist the robust, “big parrot-trapped in a small body” personality of a Quaker? Also known as monk parakeets, Quakers are one of the most popular parrot species for companion lifestyle.

While the HARI flock includes many parrot species, the collection includes this ever popular companion species, the Quaker parakeet. HARI Staff  explains the “HARI way” on weaning and educating the owner so they are well adjusted for companion bird lifestyle.

Quakers: Weaning for Success

At HARI, Quaker chicks are typically pulled from the nest at 2-3 weeks of age. A Chick Information File and Chick Growth Chart is set up for each baby. Health is assessed with a physical exam, initial weight monitoring, and logged into the chick’s file. And, it is this critical stage that Quaker chicks begin their “education” process!  In the next coming weeks, the pupils are introduced to many skills such as towel training, technician handling that includes: grooming, observation of choanal papillae, behavior and more.  But, their first lesson, and most critical for long healthy life, is the weaning process.

Initially, fledgling Quakers are housed in a brooder with clutchmates.  To assimilate the sense of security of their nest box, the brooder is kept dark and covered.  They will soon be ready to make a transition to their weaning cage.

Weaning cages should be well thought out with a very specific set up to make the weaning process as easy and as rapidly successful as possible. A weaning cage can also be the Night Cage for fledglings, as both should not have toys, only perches and food. For a nighttime cage, or “sleep cage” we recommend that toys should not be included to avoid hazardous accidents not to be discovered until the morning. Weaning cages, however, should not have toys for entirely different reasons. When fledglings are weaning their inquisitive minds need to be stimulated with food and nothing else as it is too easy for them to be distracted. Instead of toys the cage should contain several food bowls.

You can sometimes add a plastic or cardboard hut to give a hiding place to the Quakers, but this should be used with caution as they may become aggressive when provided with these shelters. We do suggest though that three sides of the cage be covered with blankets or towels during the day, and that all four sides should be covered at night. This will maintain focus and allow for the birds to sleep. Smaller cages are also better for weaning as it will help minimize distractions. We have had failures based on the size of some of the cages we have placed weaning birds into. A cage with too many toys or a variety of foods distracts the fledglings from the main focus of weaning onto a desired nutritional food,   As the birds get older and are maintaining a proper weight they can then go in bigger cages, or Day Cage, where toys and foraging activities are encouraged.

The success of one method over the other depends on the number of birds, the compliance level of the owner, and most importantly, the consistency of the caretaker. Usually a diet change is necessary to prevent malnutrition in parrots, and a veterinarian is usually the instrumental party to a bird’s diet change. Here are some suggestions to get your birds on a healthier diet!

A simple and safe way to convert most pets to a better diet is to start by cleaning the cage each evening, and leaving ONLY Tropican in the feeders (you may sprinkle some on the floor or place a small dish on the floor as well). The following day (usually mid morning to start with), add some of the birds regular food on top of the Tropican. Birds that like fruits and vegetables should have the dry Tropican sprinkled right in with favorite items such as oranges and fresh cut corn. Some birds will start on this moistened form more easily. Sprinkling seed kernel such as shelled sunflower on Tropican will also help some parrots get the idea (i.e. you don’t have to take a shell off all foods!).

Every evening, all of the remaining food should be removed and replaced with fresh Tropican. Seed may be added later on the following day. (As long as seed is provided sooner or later each day, safety is maintained). Most birds are powerfully motivated to search for food each morning and sample Tropican within a few days. You can tell when your pet is eating the new food as their droppings will become a paler color and Tropican will usually be found in the water dish.

Once your pet is eating the Tropican well, keep seed OUT of the cage. Seed can still be given of course, but as a treat fed by hand. Feeding high water content items such as oranges, fresh corn, green peppers, spinach, broccoli, and berries will not unbalance the Tropican diet significantly as the majority of calories will still be taken in from Tropican.

Your bird is sure to enjoy an improvement in feather quality and overall health on such a modern diet. Just ask your pet retailer or avian veterinarian!

Every Other Day Method

Since birds are creatures of habit, they will usually look to their dish for their favorite foods. The owner should place only the new diet, Tropican, in that very dish. In a separate dish, on alternate days, offer the old diet. Always keep Tropican in the bird’s regular food dish. Once the bird is accustomed to the Tropican and the owner can observe the bird consuming the Tropican, the old diet can then be given every two days, then every three days and so on. This method of conversion usually takes about two weeks. If the attempt to convert a bird to Tropican fails, continue with the old diet for two weeks, then repeat “The Every Other Day” method. Even the most resistant bird usually converts after the second attempt. The main thing to remember with this method is to never mix the seed with the Tropican. This promotes picky eating. Once the bird is successfully converted, then the old diet, most commonly a seed mixture, can be offered as a treat or as an incentive for behavior modification.

Flock Conversion

This method of diet conversion plays into the natural instinct of a flock of birds’ desire to survive. A “flock” can be an entire aviary or it can consist of a multiple bird household. Parrots in the wild will eat together. If one bird finds food, he usually calls out to the others and they share food. If a bird chooses not to eat in this situation, he is usually sick and he will not survive. While our domestic pets may be a generation or two removed from this actual behavior, the instinct is still there. Pets or breeders do not have to see each other eat, but they should know that others in the “flock” are eating and they will all soon eat. The caretaker should feed Tropican to everyone in the “flock” at the same time. Offer only Tropican. Out of curiosity, one or two members of the “flock” will pick at the new food while others may show some resistance. In most cases, the ones who start eating it will send vocal signs of eating, and the others will follow. “The Every Other Day” method can also be used with this method of conversion.The caretaker needs to observe the resistant members for signs of starvation. In an aviary situation, this might be a bit more challenging depending on how the birds are housed.

Tropi-Mix Method

For birds that are resistant to above mentioned conversion methods, try moistened Tropi-Mix.  (1 part Tropi-Mix to equal part hot water)  The hot water softens the fruit, corn, legumes, and most importantly, softens the Tropican morsels in the Tropi-Mix.  The softened Tropican coats your bird’s favorite seeds with the nutty Tropican flavor, therefore the bird becomes better accustomed to the flavor.  Since all of the nuts and seeds in Tropi-Mix are already hulled, this can help break the bird’s habit of hulling seeds.  Be sure to remove moisten food from your bird’s cage after one hour. As your bird eats more of this mix, add a higher ratio of Tropican to Tropimix for ultimate nutrition!

Enrich and Forage

This method plays into the instincts of most parrot species and can even be used in combination with Flock Method.

Place a morsel of Tropican, dependant on the size in appropriately sized foraging toy, such as a puzzle box, or Living World Learning Block center. Most parrots natural curiosity takes over!

Keep in mind that not all species forage in the same manner. Cockatiels, and often African Greys, for instance, are ground foragers. If such is the case, have a table top tray with various items that are bird safe; toy pieces, appropriate size stones, and sprinkle Tropican in the mix. As your bird investigates the items on the tray, he’ll soon find something edible-the Tropican! Often when our parrots work at getting their dinner, they embrace that morsel even more!

What is choanal papillae?

When your avian veterinarian examines your bird, one of the first things he or she will inspect is the condition of your bird’s choanal papillae, as this is a fool proof indicator of the bird’s nutritional profile and health. HARI technicians routinely inspect each HARI bird’s choanal papillae. Health monitoring of the HARI flock is an ongoing concern to as part of the research studies in our Tropican products. The HARI flock serves as our quality control testing subjects for each batch of Tropican product produced.  Is this something avian caretakers can do? YOU BET!

“Choanal papillae”  as defined by Avian Medicine: Principles and Applications, Ritchie, B.W., Harrison, G.J. and Harrison, L.R., Winger Publishing, Inc. Lake Worth, Florida, USA, 1994, p. 344-

“The choanal slit is visible as a median “V”-shaped cleft in the palate. There is species variation in the width of the choanal borders.  In pigeons and most raptors, the choana is slit-shaped. In the parrot the borders are more widely spaced, forming a distinct “V” shape. The borders of the choanal slit are lined with sensory papillae.”

In laymen terms: Healthy-sharp, pointed projecting from the choanal borders are characteristic of a sufficient vitamin A assimilation.

On the contrary: The presence of “blunted” shorter, rounded or change in coloration (ex: from a normal black for certain species to a whitish blunted tip) or absence of these papillae altogether is indicative of a lack of vitamin A assimilation.

In our experience, at the HARI facility, chicks can be examined for these choanal papillae at a few weeks of age. Monitoring choanal papillae is part of every health exam performed on our breeding colony, juveniles and chicks.

Hypovitaminosis can reveal other health issues, require an evaluation of the diet offered and actually consumed… i.e caretakers are offering cafeteria style feeding and the healthy extruded granules are not eaten in sufficient amount to ensure optimum nutrient balance.

Individuals birds challenged with obesity, also in our experience, have a tendency to prevent optimum assimilation of vitamins such as Vitamin A.  Monitoring these in your companion bird can be part of your active role as a responsible & proactive caretaker. We encourage you to ask your avian veterinarian to guide you in this routine inspection. And, if you can get a photo of your bird’s choanal papillae, we challenge you to post! Submissions should include species, age, and diet.

Let’s look in depth at the various quarters mentioned in the HARI & Parrot Life series Versatile Living Quarters and Lifestyle for Your Parrot, a study of how this can benefit a long lasting relationship with your avian companion.

The Weaning-fledgling cage

This cage should be used for the fledgling-weaning age till the juvenile age and can then be converted to a sleeping-retreat and boarding cage. The size of the cage should be relatively small. If you can envision the full size of the bird with full wing- span and multiply this by two-three you should have a reasonable space. Once perched, the tail feathers should not touch the bottom of the cage.

Although you will be tempted to buy a larger “starter cage”, remember that at weaning age the chick can be intimidated by a spacious environment, and so favoring this small , secure and comforting cage size  will prove beneficial to the young fledglings first steps.

Considerations for the installation of the weaning fledgling “starter” cage

This cage should integrate comfortable perches such as rope perches initially installed at lower heights adjusting daily to the fledglings grip, agility & confidence. Simple (straight not twisted) natural branches (of maple or apple) can also be installed in the weaning cage when the chick is more agile. HARI does not recommend a self-grooming perch for the weaning cage. Fledglings have delicate and sensitive feet and exposing them to a grooming perch could cause the early onset of podo-dermatitis (bumblefoot). It is unfortunate that the most favored perch for a young parrot often has non-slipper properties. Initiating your young fledgling to having their nails groomed slightly by a rotary tool is definitely less damaging than having to use a grooming perch for this purpose in the future.

Toys should not be integrated within this cage. Focus will be on weaning and sleeping thus there is no place for toys, with the exception of an acrylic foraging toy perhaps!

Several food bowls are positioned to be easily accessible for the fledgling, as it must learn to wean from what is found within the cage. A full spectrum light can be placed near the weaning cage and exposed a few hours per day.

A snuggly fit cage cover should be used to shelter the young fledgling periodically during the day. Initially, 3 sides of the cage and top should be covered during the gradual stages of adaptation to a new environment. The fledgling cage should be placed in a retreated space in your home ensuring a quite, non-distracting, non-invasive environment.

White or recycled newspaper should be used to liner the cage bottom .This will allow visual monitoring of the droppings, essential when ensuring healthy weaning supervision & assessment of what is truly consumed by the chick.

At this weaning age we recommend the chicks be supplementary fed within the cage and not removed to a counter to be fed. Exaggerated and prolonged begging for supplemental feedings can trigger the onset of screaming and restlessness if the chick associates the feeding with the caretaker and retrieval from the cage. An optimum diet such as Tropican High Performance Weaning Granules should be offered in this cage along with a stainless steel or ceramic water dish.

Considerations for the installation Juvenile-maturity sleeping cage

As your chick matures to a separate day and night cage, the weaning cage will be perfectly suited for a sleeping cage. Undesirable behaviors can be quickly managed, and ultimately modified when a comfortable and secure retreat is offered that promotes undisrupted sleep. The sleeping-retreat cage should not encourage playing activities, as this is a place to relax and wind down. Birds may accidentally get caught up in toys during the night and have less chance of being rescued since they are not under supervision.

Grooming perches are usually favored as a sleeping perch by older birds, yet this type of abrasive perch should not be used for night perching. Rope or a natural perch should be offered in the sleeping cage. Offering strictly an optimum diet such as Tropican within the sleeping cage will again favor the ingestion of the healthiest food early in the morning, no fruits or veggies should be offered in the sleeping cage for risk of spoiling overnight. The cage liner should be white paper changed daily, facilitating visual inspection of the droppings each morning for health monitoring. A cage cover (without holes as birds can get entangled in these during the night!) should be fitted to the sleeping cage. A night lamp can be placed in the room near the sleeping cage to prevent night freights and trashing.

The sleeping cage is usually favored as a boarding age, or weekend escape to the cottage cage! Choosing a cage model that is suitable for your bird and fits easily in your car is ideal!

Spacious day cage

This cage should be 3-4 times the size of the sleeping cage. This one will most probably never fit inside your car! Realistically, a suitable quality day cage can easily cost more than the purchase of the parrot itself and so allowing monthly financing for this purchase while the parrot is still at its fledgling age can help disperse the cost over a longer period of time,  ensuring optimum living quarters for its lifetime. Catalogue selection of the desired model can prevent storage challenges for the stores.

The placement of the day cage should be in a well lighted, enriching part of the house.  Television, radio, aquarium, mirrors, windows, visual interaction with other pets (compatible with your parrot of course!) can contribute to enriching the day cage’s environment. A full spectrum light should be installed in close proximity to optimize its’ beneficial properties.

Foraging activities, destructible and indestructible toys should be offered in the day cage, foot toys in a toy basket along with a foraging box. Perches of various textures and diameters can be placed within and around the cage. A stainless steel or ceramic water bowl, a water bottle as well as different feed bowls can be adapted to the cage. This cage should be functional, esthetic, easy to clean & of safe design and construction as you will be seeing this one everyday in your living space!

A reliable avian flight harness to promote controlled and supervised flight training such as the Aviator harness manufactured by the Parrot University should be one of the first investments made when adopting your bird. Hopefully the aviculturist had the opportunity to harness train your chick as a fledgling!

An avian transporter is recommended and should be used periodically to accustom the bird to the safe environment it offers and prevent stress when traveling to and from the clinic for routine or emergency visits. Socially well adjusted parrots travel, and the more functional the transport cage is the more likely you will be to travel with your bird! The size for the transport cage should be suitable for the size of the particular species. A perch, water & food bowl, special toy and easily cleaned liner or substrate should also be adapted for longer travels. The transporter should not be left on the top shelve of the backyard shed! It should be clean, adapted for emergency transport, accessible and visible by all, ideally placed near the day cage. A transport cage should be available for every bird in your home in case of an emergency evacuation.

Note: it is favorable to have your companion comfortable within the transport cage but caution must be taken to prevent a parrot from accessing his transport cage by itself too often, taking refuge in it as it would at a nesting cavity.

A training stand is primordial to encourage and reinforce education. The dark ages when birds were displayed on training stands with wire domes are far behind us, we hope!  This is the equivalent of the pupil’s school desk, and should not be misconceived as an activity center. This stand should provide a comfortable and stable perch mounted below eye level. Training sessions are most successful when positioned in a neutral zone, sheltered from distraction.  Various models offer a collection tray underneath, two bowls ideally for water as training sessions can use food rewards, offered as positive reinforcements by the trainer.

Exercise activity centre

Parrot caretakers must be creative and intuitive by offering enriching environmental stimuli while providing gratifying and challenging occupational activities. Such activities may include foraging, stimulating exercise, daily misting to promote preening. With a little creativity these activities can all be possible at the exercise activity centre. A Christmas tree stand to support a natural tree trunk with numerous branches (java, manzanita, apple or maple) can be the foundation for the creative activity centre. Vinyl tiles or acrylic floor panels are recommended to allow the possibility of misting and facilitate cleaning, as this is the place to encourage shredding, chewing & foraging activities. Rope nets can also be used as a foundation to hang an activity center from the ceiling.

A reliable scale and adapted scale perch for routine weight monitoring is also part of a versatile lifestyle, your companion should be comfortable and rewarded to visit the scale perch daily!

Outdoor flight or cage

Combining ingenuity, creativity, and the availability of safer materials for flight construction, outdoor living quarters should be an essential habitat provided for all companion parrots if possible. It is recommended to have a double wire protection built around the outdoor flight to prevent the intrusion of predators and prevent our cherished feathered companions from escaping or having their feed contaminated with small mammal excrements. Various adaptations to the cage should include the construction of a sun barrier and rain barrier as excessive exposure to direct sun and severe rain can be a health hazard.

Welcome back to a continuation of HARI  & Parrot Life series Versatile Living Quarters and Lifestyle for Your Parrot, a study of how this can benefit a long lasting relationship with your avian companion.

Improvements in the past 20 years for the care of our feathered companions have been proven beneficial, but have we brought on a new era of problems? Could these factors, additionally to the single cage dwelling’s monotonous lifestyle, be contributing to hormonal overdrive?

• Full spectrum lighting offered in excess, daily & throughout the year…are we overexposing –over stimulating?
• Should the only activity center be located on the single cage dwelling’s play top, mimic once again the area guarded surrounding the nest cavity in the wild?
• Caretakers offering an exhaustive variety of foods referred to as “cafeteria style feeding” can mimic the breeding season in the wild when abundance and variety of foods is increased … should this abundance be offered throughout the year?
• Improved diets can provide excess in caloric energy and optimum nutrients year round compared to the variation of availability seasonally found in the wild. Is this contributing to simulate conditions found during the breeding season? Subsequently, the amount of energy expensed by the birds living in a non-stimulating, unchallenging and monotonous environment can be far less than their daily caloric intake, inevitably contributing to obesity.
• Offering shredding or weaning material in the single dwelling cage potentially contributes to hormonal overdrive, interpreted as preparation of nesting material in the” nest cavity”. Shredding activities should be encouraged at an activity center. Our companions should not be encouraged to mark their cage as they would mark their nesting cavity. Offer novelties, distractions and versatility.
• Captive bred, hand fed, chicks that are overly consumed by the human touch can inadvertently mistake their human caretaker as a mate when they reach adolescence. This prevents the development of a healthy relationship. The human caretaker should be viewed as a mentor or leader of the flock and not misunderstood as a sexual mate. The unfortunate outcome of petting parrots near the lower back, down the tail whilst flaring the vent, exchanging foods with a human mouth, petting the beak are inevitably communicating mating courtship. Once again potentially contributing to hormonal overdrive? Birds should experience companionship, foraging, preening with other birds at an early age.
• Probing deeper into the probable causes of hormonal overdrive … is there a possibility that having the same caregiver bring food to the single cage dwelling routinely mimic the mating season when the male brings food to the nest cavity to feed the brooding hen? Perhaps the cycle should be broken, other members of the family should participate & foraging with flock mates (i.e. at supper time while the family is preparing the meal & eating) should be integrated more frequently in the daily activities of your feathered companion.

Come back for more solutions and explanations!  If you have questions or thoughts, tell us in the comments below!