More Shower Photos!

These three are from the same home. They are slowly getting used to "my routine" of showers. They now thoroughly enjoy them! Phoebe is the Umbrella hen that is totally spreading her wings and bathing to the fullest extent that she can. Ditto, another sweet little Umbrella hen, is taking a different tack. She closed her eyes and relished the drenching. Can you see her smile? Tango, the big Greenwing male, was having nothing to do with the shower at first. Then, once inside, he too became enamored with the warm water on his back. Ahhhh, another quiet day at the parrot nanny's.

Cleo and Lulu From Previous Post

This photo got dropped from the previous post about "my other flock." Lulu in the foreground, and Cleo up high in the background. They are an integral part of the flock. Lulu dances to my singing and Cleo perches above to observe in his reserved way.

I love them all and commiserate with their dad on the feather picking. To separate them seems criminal as they are happy together. And yet, it would undoubtedly stop the destruction. We both agree, as long as they are happy, who cares if the feathers are a bit imperfect.

My Other Flock

This is "my other flock." I care for these macaws frequently when there dad can't be home. Each has a separate and distinct personality. Over the years, I have gotten to know each on a different level. The over-preening is the result of being caged together. They have a wonderful life with all the amenities. Outdoor time, ample out-of-cage time, daily produce, full spectrum lighting, daily showers, high quality nuts, seeds and pellets. They also have each other! Their rapport with each other is fun to observe. Of course, their bonds are strongest with their cage companion. You can see Kona, the Blue and Gold, posturing aggressively to "protect" Red, his Scarlet mate.

Two of My Favorites

This is Ben. He is the closest I have to the rare Bat Parrot of Indonesia. Those parrots are names Bat Parrots because they sleep upside down. Ben, a South American Blue Crowned Conure, spends much of his day upside down too! His legs don't function normally and I think he relieves the weight off of his legs by hanging...or, maybe he just likes this position!

This big boy is Chauncey. He is the light of my life. Anyone who has visited here knows that they will have to answer Chauncey's "How are you?" many many times. Chauncey loves company and teaches many guest parrots to say, "How are you?"

Another Try at Video

Tried to get an action video of Josey Wales on the ropes. He puffed up and preened and squawked...you can't hear the noisy, you're lucky. Still haven't been successful rotating the image! Sorry.

Big Tango Has A Ball

This is Tango. He is a big beautiful Greenwing Macaw. I usually care for him in his own home, but because his home is undergoing a remodel, he is here! This gives me a chance to really get to know him. He is big and shy and, it turns out, playful! He loves to hang out on the ropes hanging from the ceiling in my bedroom! See how he exercises! He hangs and hoists and chews and enjoys every minute. Atoms are tough! Mine is five years old and has had all kinds of birds playing on it and chewing on it. Still seems new. Hanging ropes allows easy cleanup underneath. I rarely put anything down...I just wipe up the mess when it's fresh. Something about the structure of the Atom encourages play. I have the jumbo size and the medium size with three boingggs as well. Lots of fun and a good place to put birds while the cage gets cleaned.

Quiet Time

This is Chauncey. He is doing my taxes. Just kidding. He is loving the chance to get to the roll of adding machine tape that I keep on top of his cage. He loves to shred paper and it cascades down to give him a constant supply.

The three little toys here are examples of distraction items that I use when the decibel level gets revved up. The flamingo, Phil Mingo, is new. While visiting with my friend, who just returned from staying at the Flamingo in Las Vegas, a visiting cockatoo started revving up her voice. I simply showed her this new and novel toy and she immediately stopped and looked on curiously. Simple distractions are an easy way to detour the noise level.

Oro and Azul Playing

This is a test, in a way, because I have never posted a video clip. We'll see how successful it is! I enjoyed watching these kids play and they never got tired. I hope this turns out. The video didn't rotate so you'll have to imagine which way is up! I'll have to get better at this! Enjoy.

It's a bird's world.

This is Simon. His dad sent me some photos of him and his world at home. Simon, Solo, Jasper, and Lexie come to stay here often. I love getting photos so that I can see their world and get ideas for making this parrot house better.


I love the murals on the wall. Parrots are very visual and this must be comforting to them. They certainly seem to have plenty to do. Lexie is foraging in her basket for goodies. Parrots are high maintenance and keeping them busy is a challenge. These are lucky birds!

Eye Contact Intuition

I handle many birds. I am careful and observant to ascertain just when a parrot needs to be watched carefully when I transport him or when direct eye contact makes him more likely to bite. One cannot generalize with such techniques.
With an active and assertive personality, keeping one's eyes on the bird will usually prevent the "I gotcha bite."


However, with a nervous or shy bird, the opposite holds true. By making direct eye contact, you get bitten because the bird is anxious and unsure of its security.

Some birds can be one way at one time, and the other way, another. It is usually better to keep an eye on a male amazon. Greys are more difficult to read because, although they are usually a little anxious or reserved, they also enjoy taking a clamp on your hand to show you who's in charge. Therefore, you might use a combination of eye contact...looking forward but glancing their way if you feel a nip coming on. Large macaws can go either way. Generally, most of the large macaws that I handle seem to need the "no eye contact" way of travel. If I don't watch them, they are more comfortable. Their other common trait seems to be if you're going to get it, you'll get it as soon as you pick them up. After that, they'll go along for the ride. I experience plenty of challenges in this line of work and it is difficult to explain the way I read the birds. Let's just say, the more you handle "other people's children," the more you learn. Hopefully you all have your own parrots figured out!

Sharing Love With A Bird

Chirpy was very cheerful little Cockatiel. He enjoyed a very full and happy life. As you can see by this photo, he sang and made his own music. Our birds give us so much companionship! Enjoy them every day that you have them.

Hanging Jungles

Ever watch parrots in the wild? Most have not had that opportunity. However, you can get a good idea of their antics and natural behaviors by watching POLLY VISION a dvd sold by The World Parrot Trust. This dvd is meant for parrots to watch but you cannot help but become mezmerized by the footage.

To replicate some "wild" spaces in our homes, we can hang ropes and branches. This is much more enticing for exercise than your standard play stand.
You've all seen many photos of my own setup. This top photo shows Oro and Azul, baby Blue and Golds playing actively.
Below it is a photo of another home's version of "the wild." These little Senagals have plenty to do on this structure of "vines and branches." No matter what size bird(s) you have, consider making them a jungle of their own.

Cage For Sale

One of my clients who has four parrots has recently upgraded the flock to larger cages. He is offering his smaller cage for sale. It is a high quality stainless steel cage. Perfect for a small parrot. Anyone who is interested in discussing this cage can call Aaron at 415 999 5288. (San Francisco) email azimpel63@yahoo.com

Large Bird Large Personality

This is Indy. He is big and bold and smart! He can make me laugh, even when he's being a brat. For instance, I was trying to install more chain link toys on the top of his cage. He saw me and went up to challenge this endeavor. He playfully tried to "get me" and then shouted, "No!". Then he just looks at me for a response with his big smile. What's not to love!

When I have him on the ropes in my bedroom/office, he does everything in his power to engage me in play. I will be working on the computer but he's behind me calling out and dangling trying to entice some interaction. Luckily for me, I can always take a break and play. A bird like Indy needs lots of attention. He is too smart to just leave to his own devises. He'll eat your house!

Small Birds Welcome

I have turned my "corner room" into a small bird room. Buster has been moved to the downstairs area. He was beginning to identify himself as a cockatiel.... Now the little guys can have more free time to come out and fraternize. Katie has her big new cage and Munch is watching out for her. Ruby, the little greencheek, get to come out separately since I'm not sure how well she plays with others. Everyone seems to enjoy the room very much.

Dog Training Lesson

This is Moki, my pomeranian. She follows me during my rounds and cleans up any dropped fruits, pellets, and nuts. She savors almonds and can actually gnaw them open to get to the nutmeat. Some of the birds repeat my phrase "Come on Moke!" when I leave the room. Sometimes she dawdles and I usually have my hands full of dirty bowls as I leave the area. Recently I closed the door because she was intent on investigating all the debris on the floor and not mindful of my request to come. After a quick trip to the kitchen, I heard her demanding to be let out of that room. Josey Wales, my cockatoo, has a rather piercing call. Moki is the only one with good hearing in this house! She did not like being left in the noisy room one bit. However, now, she comes right out when I leave! No chance she wants to hang out with the cockatoo again. Too loud!

Comfort vs Team Aggression

This is Cleo. He is a large and quiet Greenwing Macaw. He seems a bit on the shy side and a little unsure of himself. He shares his cage with Lulu a very outgoing Greenwing Hen. Cleo seems to revel in soft blankies. He tenderly plays with the fuzzy edges. For him, his blankie is comfort.

These two are Red and Kona. They are a bonded pair and give me all kinds of grief when it comes to getting them to leave their cage. They team up and "defend" their territory aggressively. Charging and threatening whenever I attempt to enter their domain. This is very common behavior when "nest sites" are being defended. After I do get them out to their playgym, they still defend the area. This makes getting them back a challenge! For those of you thinking of getting a companion for your bird...be careful what you wish for. The dynamics change (for better or worse) when there are two birds caged together. Preening each other can become an overdone procedure as well. In the wild, they would have so much more to do than preen each other. They would also be able to fly away and put some distance between them.

Rains Come Showers Appreciated

When the rain comes in and the barometer drops, the birds get agitated and loud.

I immediately start up the shower process. I prepare breakfast, then I start at one end of the house and place a bird in the shower. While he/she is in the shower, I clean the cage and insert breakfast. When I go get the bird, he/she goes back to the clean cage and warm breakfast. With thirteen parrots currently in the home, this takes a while. It's worth it. The birds settle down and seem quite contented. My birds all know what to expect and thoroughly enjoy the shower routine. See BJ and Lacy (my little old cockatiels) and Molly, my drenched Blue and Gold. Indy, the Hyacinth, on the other hand, is a bit more of a challenge. He sees the shower and tries to evade the inevitable. He flaps and struggles and actually ended up on top of my head the first time. Now, after much soothing and encouragement, he resigns himself to the wetness. (He really does enjoy it. See his smile? He just wouldn't admit it!)