Pierre at Summer Camp

This is Pierre. She (yes, she) is a yellow nape amazon. She is back for daily daycare and finds her days quite exciting! A chance to go outside and get showered! Wow, does she ever love getting wet! Look how she folds her head down and covers herself with her wings. Typical amazon bath immersion. I've never seen her so animated and joyful! You can't help but smile when a parrot is having this much fun.

Who's The Boss?

Meet Boss. He is a sweet and engaging 17 year old goffins cockatoo. He has no faults! Well. . . . . he can be a tad bit noisy ... (can't they all?) but mostly he is a happy, easy to handle, playful and talkative little man. I am responsible for finding him a good home. I usually only take on one Peace of Mind Placement bird at a time. I am still tempted to keep Marley, the Blue Crowned Conure, as a companion for Ben. However, if the right match comes along, I would prefer these guys to be in loving homes where they will get lots of one on one attention. Know anyone who can offer lots of love to a wonderful bird? email me parrotnanny1@gmail.com

Fingers Crossed

Here is a photo of Buster taken today. Buster has had feather issues for years. I, like many others, try various remedies to alleviate the feather picking. What has caused this seemingly successful turn of events? I can only speculate. There is no way to truly know. One thing that I am doing lately is giving him a large portion of the new muffins that I make each night as I "tuck him in". They are loaded with nutritious ingredients and I believe he spends the restless moments after being covered munching on the muffin. They have no wheat or corn in them and the ground flax seed meal may be a key to success. All I know is that he loves the muffins and I keep them handy whenever I feel he needs something to do. I've certainly tried everything else including light, humidity, preening toys, foraging, and more. I hold my breath knowing that any morning I may have a fuzzy grey bird perched above a pile of clipped feathers. But for now, this chest of scalloped feathers is a wonderful sight. Way to go Buster!

New Favorites

I have some new favorite things that have recently been introduced to my flock. One is Timothy Hay! You can find it in the rodent/rabbit section of the pet store. It smells sweet and is nutritious if your parrot eats it. I use it in the foraging cages instead of shredded paper. The Timothy Hay reminds me of the barn where I kept my horse as a teenager. Buster and Joshua love pulling it out and making a mess (what fun!) to get to the hidden treasures inside the cages. In this photo, you will also see some hanging edamame beans. I found these "fresh from the farm" at Trader Joe's and hung them inside the bird cages. They love it! One by one the parrots pick a pod off and open it up. I tried to get a candid shot of one of them doing this but, alas, they stop all activities when I aim the camera! But take my word for it, they love the hanging Sweet Beans. Trader Joe's also sells some animal crackers that are low fat and low sodium that the parrots seem to relish. Also at Trader Joe's are Freeze Dried Strawberries that are unsweetened and unsulfured. These are crisp and even parrots that won't eat mushy fruit seem to get excited about these! I wrap them in napkins and stuff them in the hay filled foraging toys along with other treats. Makes for a sweet smelling quiet house. You can see that an excursion to Trader Joe's is a hunt for bird goodies too!

One Great Parrot Looking For A Home

Marley is such a great parrot. I thought about keeping him to be a companion for Ben, my elderly blue crown conure. However, Marley is more into people. He craves one on one attention and will talk to anyone who will listen. I caged he and Ben together for some time but they never really clicked. ie No shared preening experiences etc.

I posted Marley on Craigslist hoping to find just the right person to adopt this wonderful guy. So far, no match... If you know someone who has the time to dedicate to this outgoing little man, please contact me. He will make someone an interactive companion with laughter every day. email: parrotnanny1@gmail.com

Yoga for Indy

Indy consistently invites me to play with him. Here he solicits me by hanging plaintively and I know he would step up the minute I offered my hand. However, I'm a busy gal! And...he would get more and more insistent if I allowed his smiling face to engage me in play every time I walked by. It's funny because when I want him to step up, he can be quite reluctant. The games they play!

Indy is a strong bird and when he decides to hold on to something, it's quite a task to "unhook him". Hanging out on the Atoms gives Indy a good chance to stretch and exercise. Somehow no cage is big enough to allow the full range of hanging and climbing. If you're going to have a big bird, you're going to have to make room!

Bead Pacifier Strings

One of the most successful toys that I often provide for nervous birds is the string of pony beads. They act as a pacifier and calm the anxious bird.

Greys and Goffins seem to especially appreciate the beads. They hold them and pass them through their feet and beak. Here you can see Joshua holding his Bead Pacifier.

I make these each night and have quite a few accumulated. If anyone would like to buy some, just ask. I sell them for $3.95 to $7.95 each (depending on complexity, length and bead size).

Fresh Clean Water - Bath Time!

Some birds, like Salsa here, can't resist diving into the water bowl. On this sunny morning, he joyfully emptied the water dish. Luckily I was at hand to dutifully and patiently wait for the culmination of the activity and then fetch a fresh bath, I mean dish of water. I do worry, however, that people that have someone pop in to check on their bird may come home to find their bird without any water. This is just one reason to use my boarding services. At least remember to install two or more water dishes if your bird is likely to jump in the water when you leave your bird during the day. You also might want to take the time to thoroughly bathe the bird before you leave. That will be a happy activity and will give your bird plenty to do while you are gone. Preening is a natural busy activity....like bathing! Yippee!

AP Class in Foraging

Joshua is a busy guy. He can get an almond out of any toy faster than the eye can see. When I pack his new stainless steel foraging cage, I now wrap the almonds inside of paper and place them inside with lots of other items. Then, since that isn't enough to deter him, I wrap the entire foraging cage inside a paper bag! These cages are great for busy birds. They are easy to fill and provide enough of a challenge for most parrots. I got this one from Chopper Toys. By making the treasure hunt more difficult, Joshua was busy most of the day!

Bonding With A Bell

What is it with Blue Crown Conures? When Ben first came to me, he was totally bonded to a bell that he considered his companion. He had a bell and a mirror. To this day if he is near a bell he will stick his head under it and wear it as a hat. It appears to give comfort.

Now I am working with a new Blue Crown Conure named Marley. He is much younger but is also firmly attached to his bell! Luckily both birds are outgoing and play well with other toys.

They are now caged together and I am hopeful that the companionship of another bird will alleviate the "need" for the bell hat. However, for now, the bells are left in to insure their "security blanket."

I don't feel it is a good thing to allow a bird to be so attached to one object. Whether it's a bell, a mirror, or any other object, I suggest that it be moved around and even removed for short periods.

Your judgment and observation is required when working with an insecure bird. You certainly don't want to stress them out. But gently and slowly desensitizing them to the object of attachment is warranted. As you move or remove the beloved bell, introduce some other fun and engaging toy to distract the attentions.

When a parrot is too bonded to one object, it decreases his or her activity and makes him more inhibited and shy.

You can see Marley in this photo and how stationary he is! His need for the bell seems to be mainly in the late afternoon when he is tired. So, I let him have it to calm him. He's such a good bird!

Go Ahead, Make My Day

In the late afternoon, there comes a time when the parrots have to come indoors. On these beautiful summer days, sometimes they don't want to.

Indy, here, is very good at playing the game of "Make Me!" He climbs into the corner and holds on for dear life with both feet and his rather powerful beak. When he is fastened to the cage like this, he is very difficult to extricate. But, he always has a smile on his face! It easily becomes a game.

My typical reaction, or should I say lack of reaction, is to turn away and do something else. I go ahead and take the other less obstinate birds inside. He watches me and wishes I would come play his game instead. When the others are all inside getting their afternoon "crackers", he somehow knows that he is missing out. Alas, he succumbs to the request to "step up" and in we go.

It does no good to get frustrated and stressed. In fact, that would make it much too much fun for Indy. Thank goodness I'm not in a hurry and I can take my time. Indy is so much fun and he has a fabulous sense of humor! What a guy!

A Wild Bumble Bee

I'm watching Caesar again while his family is on vacation. He is a fully flighted little budgie and he resides in a small cage. Of course, at home, he is allowed out to fly around. Here, I find it very difficult to get him back into his little cage at night because he zips around like a bumble bee. So, I put his entire cage inside my large Exotic Enclosure. He can now fly around to his heart's content and I don't have to worry about him. When it gets dark, and the rest of the birds are covered, he goes back to his little cage. Then I cover him up. He is now a happy camper!

My Arrival Is Welcomed

When I arrive at a home to care for the parrots, I almost always get greeted with happy anticipation. Parrots do feel separation anxiety when their family is absent.

Zukee here, soon forgets how lonely he is and becomes bent of devouring his fresh breakfast. After the chores are done, I sit and talk to him and sing little songs. He talks back and we have developed a very good rapport.

I much prefer to have the parrots come to my home for boarding. I hate to think of them alone in their homes without the camaraderie and interactions of others. A brief visit doesn't do them justice.

Lucky for Zukee here, he has a field of view out his window of turkeys and quail and loads of ground squirrels!

He also has a little housemate, Spicey, a lovebird. They talk to each other and never feel truly alone. Zukee is one of the best talkers! His vocabulary is extensive and he speaks quite clearly!

Munch Muffins A Big Hit

Every afternoon, to soothe the savage beasts, I walk around and hand out my delicious Munch Muffins.

These are all organic homemade with oat and barley flours and loads of tasty ingredients. They are relished by the regulars around here.

Indy, this gorgeous hyacinth macaw, is trying them for the first time. He could be a poster boy for their good flavor. See his smile? Of course, Indy, like all hyacinths, always has a smile on his face!

Hyacinths are big and strong and playful. They have a bold sense of humor and can turn into precocious brats if you don't keep the upper hand. This is where verbal commands are quite important. "No, I don't want to!" is a behavior that comes naturally to a hyacinth. It takes lots of patience and "cajoling" to see that the good behaviors are rewarded. It is also important not to reward the bratty behavior with any drama. Simply turn your back and come at it in a different way.

Hearing Protection Suggested

I have a room dedicated especially to conures this week. Here you can see, from left to right, Kiku, Marley, and Ben. Three Blue Crown Conures in one room is something to hear. Actually they are very sweet and talkative. However, should someone drive into the driveway, all hell breaks loose and the sound is deafening. Conures are the best door bell ever. No one sneaks up on this house! These three little guys had a fun day with their cage doors open and the freedom to come out and play on the ropes and toys in the center of the room. They fraternize and go into each others cages and socialize freely. What fun!