Parrot Personality Profiles

There is no single perfect parrot species just as there is no perfect parrot owner. Each species we breed can make a wonderful pet for the well-informed and realistic individual. Each species is a compromise of positive traits as well as some weaknesses. Many incorrect generalizations and outright myths exist about virtually any species you'd care to name and it is a wrong to take them literally. It is important that they be dispelled up front lest they contribute to bad choices being made. For example, articles and Internet chat postings abound about neurotic feather plucking African Greys, aggressive sexually mature Amazons, moody Eclectus or unpredictable Hawkheads. Every type of animal and all of humanity has individuals with the potential for aberrant behaviors. Most behavior problems with companion parrots occur as a direct result of inadvertent mistakes made by the owner which are further exacerbated by a lack of proper information or unrealistic expectations.

Parrots essentially become what their owners teach them to be, either deliberately or inadvertently. Behavioral problems seem to be reported at the speed of light and tend to overshadow any good news. It is absolutely amazing how a few writers can "contaminate" a species with their words of "wisdom". It is simply incorrect to draw conclusions about a certain species from the reported bad behavior of an individual or even a few individual birds of that species, especially when someone who didn't know what they were doing caused the problem.

There is a great deal that can be done to prevent or correct aberrant behavior in parrots and the solution lies in proper education. It is the new owner's responsibility to acquire that knowledge and bring out the best behavior in any companion parrot. Sally Blanchard, one of the most experienced and respected parrot behavior consultants states very clearly in The Beak Book - "Behavioral problems are NEVER the parrot's fault ".

Individual Personalities:
Just like people, each parrot is an individual with it's own unique personality. Many factors such as genetics, upbringing, socialization, training, life stages, and other environmental factors all contribute to personality development. Therefore it is very difficult to generalize about personality traits for any parrot species. Exceptions to any general trait can exist among different individuals, even among clutch mates.

Domestication:
Although Parrots are now bred domestically, they are far from being domesticated animals like dogs or cats. Domestic-bred parrots are at best only a few generations removed from their counterparts in the wild. They are genetically wild creatures socialized to life in the human habitat. They have no conception of being "owned" or how to be a good "pet". Therefore it is essential not to have unrealistic expectations of them. People must learn to understand, accept, accommodate and appreciate natural parrot behaviour rather than become disappointed when their baby bird grows up and behaves differently than expected because of its genetic programming.

A Lifetime Commitment:
The purchase of a parrot should be viewed as nothing less than a lifetime commitment. With proper care many parrots will live a human life span. Never purchase a bird on impulse, under sales pressure or strictly out of pity for a bad situation. Never acquire more birds than you can properly care for and devote enough attention to or problems will surely develop. No one expects a human child to remain cute & cuddly forever. Some children grow up to be perfect angels, yet others become cantankerous old farts. There is a place in our world for everyone and so it should be with parrots. Please take the time and spend a few dollars up front to become properly educated in the principles of normal parrot behaviour (babies vs. adults). There are many excellent books available written by very perceptive, knowledgeable & experienced authors. This will provide a sound basis for a great lifetime relationship with your bird.

The Plain Truth:
Parrots are noisy, messy, potentially destructive, costly to purchase and keep, and they need lots of time & attention. There are just varying degrees of these factors between different species. Also, all parrots have beaks and they will bite the hand that feeds them under certain conditions.

Finally - The Personality Profiles:
The following information on the species we breed is based on personal experience. It is presented in as unbiased a manner as possible so that people can make an informed decision as to which species is best suited for them. The positive attributes are what you can normally expect from a properly raised, properly socialized and well cared for bird. The potential concerns are what you may encounter with certain individuals under different circumstances.

All Species:
Potential for the development of aggressive or unpredictable behaviour certainly does exist for a wide variety of reasons with mistakes made by the owner and the lack of proper training being primary causes. It seems that every dog owner understands the necessity and importance of proper handling and training of their animal. By comparison, very few novice parrot people understand that the same requirements apply to parrots until bad behavior develops.

African Greys:
Unquestionably, African Greys are the most popular species we breed. Many people choose an African Grey after being disappointed with the talking ability of another species. Warning! If you already have a noisy parrot, getting a Grey may quickly double the problem because of its exceptional mimicking ability.

African Grey Positive Attributes:
* African Greys have a reputation as the best talking parrot species. They can develop an extensive vocabulary and repertoire of unusual sounds. They can also replicate the tone of a persons voice to perfection.
* They are highly intelligent and have a great capacity for learning.
* African Greys can be very cuddly and affectionate, but they require an attentive and gentle owner to stay that way long term.
* They are relatively quiet and make a variety of natural sounds that are pleasant to the ear. As a result, African Greys are considered to be easy to live with birds.
* African Greys are relatively non aggressive as a species, even during breeding.

African Grey Potential Concerns:
* African Greys are special birds that require owners with adequate time, patience and empathy in order that the bird can lead a happy and fulfilled life. They do best in stable homes and often poorly in others.
* Some African Greys are prone to becoming nervous or fearful birds. Fearfulness is the most common problem avian behaviourists are asked to deal with in Greys. Certain individuals do become feather pluckers especially if they were raised incorrectly or are constantly under stress. Mistakes made in their care & handling by owners who don't understand the sensitivity of this species can contribute to this problem.
* African Greys thrive best in an intellectually stimulating environment. They can become easily bored.
* Greys tend to dislike change unless the owner deliberately conditions the parrot to accept change early in life and continuously there after.
* African Greys can easily develop into one-person birds.
* African Greys produce lots of feather dust but not as much as a white Cockatoo. People with respiratory illness in the house should seriously consider a different species.
* Their eating habits can be quite messy and wasteful compared to other parrot species. Some Greys love to pick up a fist full of pellets or seeds and see how far they can throw them.
* African Greys are susceptible to calcium deficiency problems if fed incorrectly or if given insufficient access to natural sunlight or full spectrum lighting.

Amazons:
In our opinion, Amazons fit the bill as the best overall species we breed for the majority of people. They are highly resilient and very adaptable birds.

Amazon Positive Attributes:
* Several species (YN, DYH and BF) have exceptional talking ability, which rivals that of African Greys. Double Yellow-heads are also renowned for their opera singing ability.
* Amazons are normally very confident and particularly gregarious.
* Amazons are one of the very least prone species to develop neurotic behaviours such as feather plucking or fearfulness.
* Amazons are very colourful although many bright colours are hidden in folded wings & tails.
* Amazons are normally very playful & entertaining. They are able to amuse themselves with little difficulties compared to other species while their owners are away at work.
In general, Amazons cope very well with changes in their daily routine and lives.

Amazon Potential Concerns:
* Some Amazons can be relatively noisy at times. This varies considerably among sub species and individuals.
* A springtime hormonal rush can cause temporary aggressive behaviour. Read the article Understanding Amazon Behaviour for detailed information.
* Amazons are prone to becoming obese when fed inappropriately.
* In some sub species such as Yellow-napes and Double Yellow-heads, full adult colouration is not achieved for several years. So patience is needed before some Amazons "bloom" in appearance.

Eclectus:
They are a very unique and beautiful species from the South Pacific. They look, act, and behave significantly differently from all other species.

Eclectus Positive Attributes:
* Eclectus are gorgeous in appearance. They are often referred to as having an elegant appearance. They are especially striking when kept as true pairs because they are sexually dimorphic. Males are primarily Green and females are primarily red & blue. Their unusual velvet/fur like feather structure on the breast & head makes them unique in the parrot world.
* They are relatively quiet birds often suitable for apartment living.
* Eclectus are less destructive chewers than other species.
* They have excellent talking ability and a most pleasant speaking voice.
* Eclectus are not normally one-person birds.
* They do not demand a large amount of hands on attention. Eclectus are quite content to be near their owners and interact on an intellectual rather than physical level with their owner.

Eclectus Potential Concerns:
* Eclectus behave much differently from other parrot species. Owners must become educated in this area to truly appreciate the uniqueness of this species. For example, fixation (delayed reaction) behaviour is normal with this species and is generally misunderstood, especially by people experience with other species. Eclectus simply think before they act.
* Some Eclectus are prone to feather plucking especially if mistakes are made in their diet and care. Red-Sided seem to be the least sensitive sub-species in this regard.
* A lack of adequate beta-carotene (precursor to Vitamin A) in the diet can lead to illness in Eclectus more quickly than in other species.
* Excess chemical vitamins, preservatives and artificial food colour agents in the diet can cause a variety of health, behaviour, and plumage problems.
* Eclectus can at times be quite moody (just like people).
* Mature Eclectus hens can be strongly motivated to make a nest and lay eggs, even without a male present. These hens may not actually want a mate. They just want to go through the nesting process even though they are pets.
Allowing a hen to play in dark areas (kitchen cupboards, boxes, etc.) can
trigger this behaviour.
* Some Eclectus can be quite cantankerous as youngsters. They do out grow this phase for patient and tolerant owners.
* Hybrid Eclectus are quite common in the pet trade. This is a very controversial subject. Hybrids do make good pets but are considered to be unsuitable as future breeders by responsible aviculturists wishing to preserve the pure sub species.

Hawk-Headed (Red Fan Parrot):
Personality-plus is something that all Hawkheads have. They are one of the most adorable bundles of feathers you will ever see. This is a fascinating species even for the most experienced aviculturist. We concur with the statement that Hawk-headed parrots make one of the greatest pet birds possible. Because of their rarity especially in companion bird situations, this species hasn't received nearly all the good press it deserves. It is highly under-rated as a companion bird.

Hawk-headed Parrot Positive Attributes:
* Hawkheads are incredibly energetic birds that thoroughly enjoy verbal and physical interaction with their owner. They take advantage of all the cage space available to them as their playground. They are a joy to watch at play.
* These playful clowns can be very affectionate. They love lying on their backs in the palm of their owner's hand or lap. We've observed ours sleeping on their back in the nest box.
* Hawkheads are very exotic in appearance particularly because of their stand up crest, which resembles an American Indian headdress. They project a very impressive presence for their size. They raise their crest whenever they become excited or frightened.
* They have very unusual and beautiful feather colouration.
* Hawkheads have a cute speaking voice and do have the ability to learn many words and phrases.
* Because of the shape of their beak, Hawkheads seem to us like they are always smiling. They are too cute.

Hawk-headed Parrot Potential Concerns:
* In order to have a well behaved pet for the long term, prevention of negative behaviors is extremely important. Advice on behavior issues should be obtained from someone experienced with this species and not from others. Treated with gentleness and respect, Hawkheads make endearing pets.
* Hawkheads may not be suitable for apartment dwellers as they do have a high-pitched natural call. Having said that, we do not find them to be particularly noisy when kept singly or with other quiet birds.
* Juveniles can have more green on the nape and less-defined blue-edged feathers on the chest. They aren't quite as colourful as the adult.

Conclusion:
Education and an open mind are prerequisites to developing a successful lifetime positive relationship with any pet parrot. All good relationships are based first and foremost on trust and enhanced with proper training. We wish you the best of luck with your choice of bird.

Pet Bird Potty Training

Over the years there have been hundreds of examples of birds who have been potty trained. We have heard of macaws, cockatoos, cockatiels, lories, conures, amazons, lovebirds and greys who have been successfully trained. Because parrots are among the most intelligent of the animal species, it is easy to understand why they can so easily be trained to go potty.

Birds have a much higher metabolism than mammals. Their normal body temperature is over 100 degrees farenheit and food passes through the digestive track of a parrot in about 30 minutes. After eating, food is stored in the crop and is gradually passed into the rest of the digestive tract. For this reason, birds will poop periodically for 2-3 hours after eating.

Birds also tend not to poop overnight, when asleep, and thus the first poop of the day is often a massive one. In addition, birds usually take a poop before they fly.

Potty training an older bird may take more effort, but young birds are relatively easy to teach. Wait until the bird is about four months old, since birds have difficulty in controlling their poops until that age.

Follow the same guidelines used with other animals such as dogs and cats. Observation, positive reinforcement, persistence, patience, and consistency are the keys to successful potty training.

There are a few things which must be understood and decided in order to successfuly complete the potty training process. You need to observe the frequency of eliminating and the behavior patterns the bird exhibits when ready to poop. You should identify any special behaviors the bird makes just prior to pooping. These are signals that the bird is about to poop. You should also decide where you want to allow the bird to go to the bathroom - in the cage, on a perch, in a wastebasket, etc. Additional questions are: Do you also wish to train the bird to poop on command? and Who is going to perform the training - is it one person or a group of people? Whoever does the training must also be committed, be consistant and have patience.

Successful training depends upon positive reinforcement. When the bird does what is desired, it should be rewarded with praise.

Frequency

Anticipating the needs of the parrot by its owner is an important step in the training process. Spend a few days observing the bird. How frequently does it poop?

How often after eating does it take it's first poop and then how frequently after that does it take another one? If the bird has not eaten for a few hours, does the frequency change? Record the number of minutes between eliminations and the situation. Watch the first dropping in the morning. Is it a massive one?

Does the bird poop just before it steps up onto your hand or if it is coming out of the cage? If not clipped, does it eliminate when about to fly? Does it poop when nervous? Learning the specifics will help you in predicting episodes and in training the bird.

Most small birds, like budgies, conures and cockatiels, poop about every 10-20 minutes. They often go when you pick them up. Smaller birds need to eliminate more often than big birds. Time between droppings may vary from 10 - 30 minutes. Cockatoos and macaws can last an hour or more, but many are more comfortable going more frequently.

Our cockatoos are often out for a period of 2 hours at night. Although there is a place for them to take a poop, two of them often go for more than an hour and one of them usually lasts the whole 2 hours. The length of time before taking a poop is shorter if they have eaten immediately before coming out or eat during the time they are out.

Many people report that the longer the bird is out, the less frequently it eliminates. Unless more food is eaten, apparently the source of the droppings runs out.

Behaviors

What behaviors does the bird exhibit when getting ready to take a poop? Learning the particular signs of your bird enables you to anticipate when it is about to go to the bathroom and to intervene for training.

Watch the bird in its cage, and while it is out playing. You will notice that the bird will squat and sometimes raise its wings and back up a bit before going. They will also crouch a bit and lift up the tail to facilitate pooping.

Our birds prefer taking a poop from a height - on a perch, from one edge of the top of the cage or the cage door. If on a bed, sofa, chair, playpen or shoulder, they seem to prefer going to the edge of the surface so that the droppings fall down and away. If your bird moves this way, it may be a sign that it is getting ready to potty.

Others have described getting ready to poop as - a low, crouching stance with the rear end of the bird extended as if stretching. If on a flat surface this is often accompanied by a backward step or two.

Still others refer to the bird as getting antzy or doing a little dance or wiggling the tail.

One pet owner believes that his bird's feet become hot. Another has a bird who makes small noises, and one has a bird who when sitting on her shoulder, fidgets and grabs her ear when it has to go to the bathroom.

Observe your bird and get to know what behaviors it performs when getting ready to poop. Catching the bird as it begins these behaviors, is the time to intervene and train the bird on where to go potty.

Once trained, you may find that your bird will tell you when he needs to potty. The bird may repeat a phrase you have used during training or go over to the place it is allowed to poop on by himself. It may become agitated, wiggle, make noises or do something unique to alert you that it has to eliminate.

Where

Give some thought as to where you want to train your bird to potty. Some people prefer that their bird go only on or in its cage. Others train them to go when on a playpen, perch or chair, over a newspaper, on a wicker basket with a handle, or when over a wastebasket. Some even hold the bird over a sink or toilet.

Others train their bird to go whenever they hear a certain phrase. The bird can be placed over anything its owner wishes and when the phrase is uttered, the bird knows it is all right to take a poop.

It really doesn't matter where you teach a bird to poop, as long as you choose places which are readily available when the bird needs to evacuate.

Teaching a bird to go over a newspaper or paper towels, in a wastebasket, when on a portable perch or on command gives maximum flexibility. Such places enable you to vary the location. If the bird, and the items it has been trained to go on, are taken with you to visit friends or other places, then it is easy to ensure the bird will know where to take a poop.

Methods

Choose a simple word or phrase which you want the bird to associate with taking a poop, such as 'go potty' or 'poop' or whatever seems right for you. Be aware that the bird may learn and repeat this phrase, so choose carefully.

Begin while the bird is in the cage. Watch the bird for the behaviors it makes when it is about to take a poop. When it starts to go, then use the phrase you have chosen. Use a firm, positive tone of voice. When it does poop, then praise the bird lavishly. You can also scratch it's head or perform some petting which the bird enjoys. You want to give the bird positive reinforcement. Continue this for a few days. You want the bird to associate this phrase with the act of pooping.

If you are able, then return to the cage when you expect the bird will be ready to poop again. If you can, try to be there when the bird takes its first poop in the morning. This is usually a large one.

Once you believe the bird has made an association with the words, begin training when you take the bird out to play. Some people make it a game.

When the bird begins making signs that it has to potty, pick it up and take it to wherever you have decided you want the bird to poop and speak the phrase you have chosen. It can be the cage, a playpen, a newspaper or what ever. If the bird is already on the designated spot, then watch it and when it is about to poop, speak the phrase.

Again, lavish praise on the bird when it takes a poop. You may wish to train the bird to eliminate in more than one place. If so, teach it one place at a time or it may become confused.

The time it takes to train the bird will vary depending upon the bird and the amount of time devoted to the training. It could be a few days to a few weeks. Have patience and be consistent. Birds are intelligent and are capable of learning.

Once trained, some birds will let you know when they have to poop by making a special sound, by uttering the phrase you have used for taking a poop, or by performing a special action (we have heard that one bird nips it's owner's ear, another does a dance, another gets nervous). Others will walk over to the designated place on their own when they need to potty.

Expect that there will be times when accidents happen. Nothing is perfect.