Bringing Out The Best In Our Birds

     Our parrot's behavior can usually be traced back to their wild instincts.  Seeing the world through their eyes is essential to managing their actions, both good and bad. 

Recently someone contacted me because their macaw had bitten the owner.  It didn't take long to determine what was going on.  In an attempt to keep him busy and "happy" they allowed him to "play" in a drawer. 

It certainly occupied his time and he was delighted to hunker down and make the drawer his home sweet home.  However, in his eyes, he wasn't playing.  Not one little bit. 

Our parrots are inherently wild creatures whether we can cuddle them or not.  This bird got down to business.  After all, in the wild they have an agenda.  Find a mate, find a nesting space, and defend both with everything in their power.

One of our biggest mistakes when sharing our space with a parrot is creating the wrong type of bond.  We don't make good mates. Knowing this, we cannot allow our parrots to see us this way.  We must cultivate a teacher relationship with our birds. If they don't see us as their teachers, they will try to manage us. 

We need to keep them busy with less aggravating activities such as foraging for food and figuring out challenging puzzles.  Getting into a box is the type of activity that promotes a sexual drive. Sometimes even shredding cardboard can spark this.  So you have to see their world as they see it and be creative to avoid sending them into a nesting frenzy.