Five Ways To Pamper Your Parrot

We are all busy these days and I know it’s hard to meet all the demands in your life. But, it’s time for a breather. Take an some time with each of your feathered kids and give them the royal treatment. I know some of you out there have multiple birds, so it doesn’t have to be all the parrots in the same day! Get into the habit of doing at least a short version of this regularly. Your parrots will thank you! Some birds are more 'social' than others. Two of mine I can pick up and snuggle with without fear of needing stitches. The other one I have to be really careful with. I use a stick as his main form of transport. No matter what level of 'snuggliness' your parrot prefers, you can adjust each step to your parrot’s comfort level.

I hope both you and your feathered kids have a great time. Not only is this a great time for your bird, but you get a relax a bit as well. For an added bonus, turn the phone off!

Spend some quality one-on-one time

Just hang out together. Let them help you pick up around the house. My cockatoo likes to help me fold laundry. One of my African Greys prefers to chat in English back and forth. My other African Grey likes to sit on me and get scratches while I lay on the couch.

He runs up and down me, the couch and sometimes perches on my knee and just sits there. You could put on some rainforest or classical music and just sit quietly together for a little bit. There are no rules, the point is just to give your bird your undivided attention.

Share a meal

Fix up some nice vegetables, fruit, pasta or any other bird-safe dish that pleases your parrot’s palate. Share with your bird, heck, eat off the same plate. One bite for you, one little bite for them. Of course, remember to give them their own spoon or fork so you don’t give them your icky human germs.

Interactive Play

Hand toys like birdie bagels, barbells or marbella shapes; a piece of rope, a popsicle stick, a towel, even a wadded up piece of paper can be really run interactive bird toys.

There are hundreds of safe and fun things to play with. Lighten up and show your bird a good time. One of my African Greys loves to play catch with a wadded up piece of paper. When catch time is over, he loves to shred it up. It doesn’t have to be expensive, it just has to be fun!

New Toy

Give your parrot something new to do when hanging out in inside the cage! Remodel a little. Rearrange the toys that are in there and purchase a new one. Parrots get board! Why not buy an extra toy or two for later while you are at it. You could rotate the toys when your parrot loses interest in it. I have a birdie toy box that all my toys go into. Periodically, I pull their current toys out and put some from the box in. The others go back into the toy box for later use. If the toys are damaged quite a bit, see if you can use the parts from several toys to make a new toy. Rotating and recycling toys prevents boredom, saves you money and gives your parrot a change of scenery regularly.

Shower

What pampering session would be complete without a nice shower or bath? Depending on your parrot’s preference, let them splash around in the sink or tub. Mist your bird with a squirt bottle or for a finer water spray you could use a birdie mister like Mr. Mister. I use a Mr. Mister for all my parrots, in fact they have their own shower perch. Whatever they prefer, make it fun!

by Taylor Knight - Your Parrot Place

Emergency Preparedness Planning for Parrots

No one likes to think about emergencies which threaten the lives of family, friends, or parrots. Such experiences can be intense, upsetting, and scary, to say the least. Nevertheless, planning and practicing for those moments when you need to act quickly to save lives, both human and avian, can help make the experience safer and less stressful.

Emergency preparedness covers a wide range of conditions and there is no way to be ready for every situation. An emergency could be as small as an extended winter power outage, as intensely personal as a house fire, or as generally dangerous as a forest fire, flood, wind storm, volcanic eruption, or earthquake.

The primary goal of emergency preparedness planning is simply to be as ready as possible in case of evacuation or the loss of normal day-to-day amenities such as utilities, phones, or even a reliable transportation system. You cannot be prepared for EVERYTHING: be a generalist, be inventive, adapt and improvise!

Here in Alaska, the 1996 Miller's Reach fire -- which devastated a huge area north of Anchorage -- made it painfully apparent that some kind of orderly emergency response process was necessary for animals in addition to the established plans for humans. While there was a great outpouring of assistance from the general community during the fire, it was often uncoordinated and, sometimes, ineffective. In addition, some people were sleeping in their cars with their pets because the human shelters would not allow them inside with their companion animals.

In response to these circumstances, People for Emergency Preparedness Planning for Animals in Alaska (PEPPA) took form in August, 1996 two months after the Miller's Reach fire. Working with other volunteer organizations brought together under the umbrella group called Voluntary Organizations Active in Disasters (VOAD), PEPPA's goal is to provide emergency response sheltering and veterinary assistance for animals who are the victims of emergencies.

Since PEPPA's inception, the topic of animal emergency preparedness has come up in a number of places across the country. Many local and state governments have either already included animals in their emergency response plans, or are trying to figure out how to do this. Even the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has recognized the importance of considering the needs of animals in emergencies.

Other than our obvious personal needs for saving our non-human companions, for emergency response organizations there are three big benefits in incorporating animals in disaster response planning: 1) If people with animals have to evacuate, they tend to leave with less delay if their animals are allowed to evacuate with them; 2) People who have evacuated their animals are less likely to return to a dangerous area to retrieve their pets, an act that endangers themselves as well as any emergency response personnel who have to retrieve or rescue them; and 3) stress levels for people in emergency shelters tend to be reduced when their loved ones and animals are safe.

However, while emergency response organizations are immensely helpful during disasters, WE are the first line of defense in protecting our families, human and otherwise. It is vitally important for pet owners to have appropriate supplies available and to practice personal response to emergencies and evacuations. For the first 72 to 96 hours of a major disaster, self-reliance can make a huge difference in the quality of life for ourselves and our animals.

Prepare your human family disaster kit first! FEMA, the American Red Cross, and local emergency agencies have lots of information about what to have in your disaster survival kit. If you cannot take care of yourself and your family, you aren't going to be of much help to your birds!

Finally, many of the guidelines and suggestions in this presentation assume the availability of some kind of emergency evacuation shelter for your birds. This may be the home of a friend or family member, or a shelter established by emergency response agencies. Check with your local emergency response people and see what their plan is for animals. If they give you a deer-in-the-headlights stare, make your own arrangements, then get active in your community and make emergency shelters a reality.



WHAT DO I NEED, AND WHAT DO I DO WITH IT?

Here are some suggested bird-related items to have on hand in case of an emergency in addition to the supplies set aside for human use. Remember that you may have to adjust the quantities and types of items mentioned here to fit your flock! Also, it is better to have a little more than necessary, but not so much that you cannot easily transport the supplies.

WATER: 1 to 2 quarts per day for large birds, for drinking and bathing. A good rule of thumb: keep track of how much water you give your birds each day, double that amount, and store a seven-day supply.

FOOD: store a seven-day supply. Pelleted diets, dehydrated fruits and vegetables, pasta, seeds, and other "dry" foods should be kept in airtight containers. On a regular basis, rotate the emergency food into the daily food supply and store fresh food in the emergency containers. Do not assume that there will be cooking facilities available for special foods; if you shelter at home, you may not have power or gas for refrigeration or cooking, and an emergency shelter may not have a kitchen at all.

SPRAY BOTTLE: for cleaning and misting the birds

FOOD AND WATER DISHES: something non-breakable and easily cleaned.

GARBAGE BAGS, PAPER TOWELS, BIRD-SAFE DISINFECTANT: for general cage and carrier cleaning. Nolvasan, a 1:20 bleach:water solution, OxyFresh: use a product that you are familiar with as your emergency disinfectant.

PORTABLE CAGES OR CARRIERS: collapsible models are commercially available, as are airline kennels. Special cardboard carriers may be available from some vets or pet supply stores. Write your name and address on the carrier using an indelible marker, or on a tag attached to the carrier or cage.

CAGE COVERS: old sheets or large towels work well. Blankets may be more appropriate for cold weather emergencies. Even if you do not normally cover your bird at night, an emergency cover is a good idea because in the shelter other birds and animals may be visible to your bird, adding stress to an already upsetting environment.

TOWELS: for restraining birds for handling, exams, or treatment. Many folks prefer having their bird held in a towel from home, rather than one which was already used on another bird.

NEWSPAPER: or other bird-safe, easily disposable cage/carrier lining.

BIRD CAGE TOYS: select something familiar from the regular cage, or similar to normal cage toys. This can help ease the turmoil of evacuation or special sheltering conditions.

MEDICINES: keep all pet medicines in one location at home, preferably in a waterproof container which can be grabbed on the run. Store special instructions for administering medications and any other important medical history with the medicine, or with the identification documentation.

AVIAN FIRST AID KIT: this can be the general kit for use at home, or preferably, an emergency kit stored with the other emergency supplies.

BIRD IDENTIFICATION DOCUMENTATION: ideally, have two photographs of each bird; you keep one, the other goes with the bird. You can write important information on the back of each photo, such as your name; phone number; address; a description of the bird; the name of the bird; microchip ID if appropriate; tattoo ID if appropriate; pet insurance policy number; leg band numbers; and any other information which links your bird to you.

BABY BIRD SUPPLIES: if you have breeding pairs of birds, plan for baby bird emergency supplies as well. Store and periodically rotate a supply of hand feeding formula. Also store a supply of syringes, spoons, pipettes, or whatever is used to feed the babies. Set aside some type of portable, durable emergency brooder for the babies, such as 2-1/2 gallon buckets or plastic containers. Also, consider a heat source for the babies: a heating pad is OK if electricity is available; a hot water bottle can also be used if there is a way to heat water; a third alternative is a chemical "heat pack" which can be stored until needed.


WHAT DO I PUT ALL THIS STUFF IN?

A large, lidded garbage or large Rubbermaid storage container makes an excellent place to store emergency avian supplies. Supplies can also be stored in a pet carrier, crate, or kennel.

Make sure the supplies and birds will fit your vehicle! An evacuation event is not the time to discover your carefully prepared emergency supplies don't fit in the car! If necessary, make arrangements with friends and family for emergency transportation. Have backup plans, and backup-backup plans for transport.


PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE!

Just as with family fire drills, it is important to practice quick, safe evacuations of your birds. Since the evacuation drill can be stressful to your birds, consider using stuffed animals for practice. Another possibility is to turn the drills into a game for your birds so they will be easier to handle in case of a real evacuation. You will need to decide the best way to handle emergency drills with the members of your animal family.

If a speedy evacuation becomes necessary, trying to assemble pet carriers or portable cages may take up valuable time, so try to store them in an assembled state. If this is not possible, consider the use of "cable tie" plastic strips to connect the top and bottom of pet carrier shells. As an alternative for birds, a pillow case or small cloth bag could be used; the pet carriers or cages can be assembled later and the evacuees transferred to them from the bags. The ultimate goal is to have emergency evacuation containers which are almost-immediately available if necessary.

SMALL-SCALE EMERGENCIES

SHELTER-IN-PLACE: Follow standard guidelines for making sure your house is safe to stay in. If you use auxiliary heating, cooking, or power generation equipment, make sure they are adequately ventilated so that a carbon monoxide buildup is not a hazard.

EVACUATION: Animal assistance organizations may not be activated. Talk to family, friends, and/or your veterinarian ahead of time for emergency housing arrangements.



LARGE-SCALE EMERGENCIES

SHELTER-IN-PLACE: Follow standard guidelines for making sure your house is safe to stay in. If you use auxiliary heating, cooking, or power generation equipment, make sure they are adequately ventilated so that a carbon monoxide buildup is not a hazard. 72-96 hours may pass before full recovery efforts are underway, so be prepared to feed and house your family and flock for at least that long.

EVACUATION: Listen to the radio for evacuation and shelter instructions. Standard transportation routes may be unavailable, so plan for alternate routes as needed. Transport your birds to the nearest safe haven or animal evacuation shelter.

If you own or have easy access to a recreational vehicle, such as a camper, trailer, or motor home, it may serve as an excellent emergency shelter, depending on its size and how it is equipped for heating and ventilation.



EVACUATION AND THE SHELTER ENVIRONMENT

If you do have to evacuate to a public shelter, remember that they are for people only; health and safety concerns make it impossible for animals to coexist with humans at such a shelter. For this reason, if an emergency animal shelter has been established, it will be in a separate facility. In a "normal" emergency, you will register your pet at the animal-related facility first and then register yourself with the agency operating the human shelter.

Be prepared for an environment of "controlled chaos" at the shelter, depending on the severity and scope of the emergency. Veterinarians and/or emergency vet technicians should be available at the animal-related facility. A triage process will be in place; injured animals will be stabilized and transported to veterinary facilities, and healthy animals will be transported to safe housing.

Life in the emergency shelter will be strange and stressful, especially when compounded by worry about your human and animal family members. Sometimes, visiting your pets at their shelter may be possible; it all depends on the nature of the emergency. For this, and to help reunite you with your companion animal after the emergency is over, being able to link each animal to their human is vital.

For this reason, it is very important to have your name and address on the carrier or cage, a photo of your animal, and other backup identification information.

In review, take care of your family emergency preparedness plan first, then work on your kit for the birds; be flexible in how you can respond to an emergency; prepare to take care of yourself and your family (human and otherwise) for up to 96 hours; and practice evacuations so that the process is easier to deal with when it is time for the real thing.

How To Choose The Right Bird Toys

Birds are intelligent creatures with active minds and they can soon become bored if they had not kept entertained. Birds that are bored and start to exhibit a desirable behavior such as squawking a lot and pulling out all the feathers. One way to keep your bird amused even when you're not around is to make sure that you provide him with a variety of bird toys.

One thing to think about when picking out toys for your bird is whether or not the toys match with your bird size. Toys designed for small bird like a parakeet might not be safe for a large parrot because the powerful beaks of the bigger birds can easily break the toys into pieces which can be dangerous for your pet.

Different sized birds do seem to enjoy different types of toys but one toy that all birds seem to like is the ladder. you want to be careful, however, that you choose the right side letter for your bird obviously smaller birds will meet once with wrongs that are closer together.

Swings and hanging ring seemed to be a bit more popular for the smaller pet birds. That's not to say that larger birds don't enjoy them as some do but in general the smaller birds seem to have a lot more fun. Hang a couple in your pets cage and you soon see him swinging around and hanging from them and just having a heck of a time.

The bigger birds seem to like maize toys and puzzles especially if you can put some of their favorite treats inside the toy. They also like ropes that have leather knots which they can unknot with their beaks. This gives them something to work out of their mind instead of hanging around doing nothing.

Birds have the mentality of small child and just like children birds can really get enjoyment out of a play gym. you can find these In all shapes and sizes, but typically they either sit on a table on top of the birds cage and when he is out of the cage they provide him with a variety of interesting things to play on including ladders seesaws and swings. Not only will your bird entertain himself on these though probably entertain you as well!

When you are shopping for bird toys there are some you might want to think twice about buying. Although most birds love mirrors and love to look at themselves, it does might not serve the purpose you want if they actually think it's another bird they may bond with their own reflection and not care so much about bonding with people.

Always evaluated toy for safety purposes toys that are not well made and can come apart and harm your bird should be avoided. Also toys that have little areas that might pinch your bird's toes or that he can get his head caught and should be avoided. Remember, your bird can get his little beak into just about anything so you want and make sure the toys are tough enough so that he can't break anything off and swallow it which could be disastrous and possibly even fatal.

Your pet bird doesn't necessarily need expensive toys to play with, many birds love things like paper towel tubes and tongue depressors. Just be sure that if you do you keep your bird toy like that that you make sure he doesn't rip apart and start eating it - it might not be a bad idea to stay around and watch them whenever you give him any new toy.

Because your pet bird gets bored easily you want to rotate his toys. Put a few toys in his cage and then hide the others away where he can't see them. After a week or two remove the toys that are in his cage and replace them with the ones you hid away. You can take this opportunity to clean the toys that he has already played with, then hide them away for a week or two. When you bring them out again he'll think he's got new toys to play with!

Birds Need Toys Too!

Because birds are such intelligent animals, they need mental stimulation. Bird toys and accessories help provide this mental stimulation. They can also help in maintaining the beak and nails at their proper length.

Providing your bird with toys and appropriate chew items will go a long way towards eliminating undesirable behavior such a screaming or nipping. That's because your bird will not have so much pent-up energy that it becomes unmanageable when you want to play with it.

There are a variety of bird toys available; some are better suited for certain types of birds. Select toys that are appropriate for the type and size of your bird. Toys that are too small will break and shatter with large beaks. Toys that are too large will frighten smaller birds.

Plastic toys and metal toys with bells are ideal for the smaller birds, such as Budgerigars (Parakeets) and Cockatiels. Rawhides, wooden toys, metal toys with bells, and rope toys are also suggested.

Plastic toys should never be given to a larger parrot, such as a Macaw. A large parrot can dismantle a plastic toy in seconds and could ingest the pieces. Instead, provide big birds with larger durable rope toys, rawhides, leather, and large wooden or acrylic toys.

All toys should be made with nontoxic materials. Leather should be untreated or vegetable dyed. Wood should be untreated or colored with a nontoxic coloring.

Make sure the toy is sturdy. It should not have small parts that could be broken off and swallowed, or clasps that could pierce the beak, mouth or eyes. Toys with smooth edges are best. Toys should be strung on sisal or cotton rope, or a closed-link chain (where each chain is welded shut). When the end of a piece of rope begins to unravel, clip it off so your bird does not become entangled.

Purchase several toys and frequently rotate them into the cage to keep it interesting for your bird. Wash and disinfect toys when they become soiled and discard them if you notice excessive wear.

Are Plastic Bird Toys Safe For Your Bird?

Is plastic a safe product for my bird? Are there any unnatural chemicals used? I have read about phthalates, is that still used in plastic? Will my bird swallow plastic? Will plastic pass safely through if accidentally swallowed? Will my bird like playing with plastic? Why use plastic toys for my bird? What are some advantages and disadvantages of plastic toys compared to wooden toys?

Powder coated paint is plastic. Bird cages that are powder coated are painted with plastic paint. Birds living in powder coated cages without the presence of metallic or other harmful additives are healthy and have no known adverse effects from the plastic paint.If zinc or other metallic additives are added to the plastic paint to help it adhere to the metal better, the zinc can cause a health problem. But don't throw the baby out with the bath water, as most plastic does not have any metallic additives. The photo shows a powder coated cage with a playtop. My Greater Sulphur-Crested Cockatoo is very secure, healthy and happy with her plastic painted surfaces and toys.

As a general rule, birds don't swallow non-food items like wood or plastic except by accident. Plastic requires 400 degrees of heat to break down. Due to this high-heat requirement, plastic will not melt or be compromised in your birds system. Anything small enough to swallow should pass right through their system and come out as "confetti bird poop."
Plastic was first widely used on toys in my area of Texas in the early 1990s. Alphabet letters, airplanes, dominoes, dice, animal figures, and boats were the first plastic items many of us used on bird toys. These plastic toys continue to be great favorites of many parrots.

In 1998, the plastics industry began changing its softener from phthalates to natural citrus softeners. Citrate Esters is the name usually associated with the softening of plastic this natural way. Today's plastic is a clean product that can be completely disinfected after purchase. I clean bought toys with 50% hydrogen peroxide and 50% water, rinse well and dry outside in the sunlight to kill any germs the cleaner missed.

My observation is that birds who are afraid of toys are attracted to acrylic toys. Acrylic is a plastic. If the bird can see through a toy the timid bird feels better about the toy. Acrylics like pacifiers, see-through beads and buttons, and any sturdy acrylic part delight some birds that have never played with toys before. The Umbrella Cockatoo in the photo sleeps snuggled to her translucent toys. (See Picture of snuggled Cockatoo)

Many birds adore plastic based toys and attack them with enthusiasm. People often say that plastic toys are the only ones their birds will play with. Wooden toys are used for beak conditioning, and the plastic ones are courted, danced for, and completely enjoyed by parrots. (See Picture of my Umbrella dancing with her plastic toy.)

I am privileged to share my heart with a male Moluccan named Cowboy Dallas. His 2 wooden toys have been hanging in his cage since Christmas morning, over 6 months. He plays with plastic toys, using his wooden toys for leveling off his beak growth. He is a happy, strong, handsome boy and his plastic toys are a big part of his joyful and exuberant personality. (See picture of Dallas)Plastic's affordability to manufacture, friendliness to the environment, and cost-effective shipping costs due to lighter-than-wood weight makes it a product our parrot's can enjoy for hours and hours when they can't be out of the cage playing. Wood can not be as completely disinfected as plastic due to its porous nature.

Some food dishes are plastic and no ill effects have been reported. To relieve cage boredom, provide more toys at affordable pricing, and just for the fun of it, see if your parrot would enjoy the plastic lid from a can or a soda straw or coffee stir. To see if your bird likes plastic toys, you can try toys with wood and plastic parts like the toy pictured with Skeeter the Eclectus. (See Picture of Skeeter)

Match the bird's size and strength to plastic toys. A powerful Moluccan can play safely with tough plastics and pliable plastics. A smaller parrot can play with a wider variety of plastics safely. Plastics have proven to be a safe part of today's avian products. For more than 10 years we have housed our parrots in plastic coated cages and offered them toys of plastic. Today's citrus-softened plastics have given parrot keepers new and exciting plastic products to enrich our parrots lives.

Bird Toy Safety

Is plastic a safe product for my bird? Are there any unnatural chemicals used? I have read about phthalates, is that still used in plastic? Will my bird swallow plastic? Will plastic pass safely through if accidentally swallowed? Will my bird like playing with plastic? Why use plastic toys for my bird? What are some advantages and disadvantages of plastic toys compared to wooden toys?

Powder coated paint is plastic. Bird cages that are powder coated are painted with plastic paint. Birds living in powder coated cages without the presence of metallic or other harmful additives are healthy and have no known adverse effects from the plastic paint.

If zinc or other metallic additives are added to the plastic paint to help it adhere to the metal better, the zinc can cause a health problem. But don't throw the baby out with the bath water, as most plastic does not have any metallic additives. The photo shows a powder coated cage with a playtop. My Greater Sulphur-Crested Cockatoo is very secure, healthy and happy with her plastic painted surfaces and toys.

As a general rule, birds don't swallow non-food items like wood or plastic except by accident. Plastic requires 400 degrees of heat to break down. Due to this high-heat requirement, plastic will not melt or be compromised in your birds system. Anything small enough to swallow should pass right through their system and come out as "confetti bird poop."

Plastic was first widely used on toys in my area of Texas in the early 1990s. Alphabet letters, airplanes, dominoes, dice, animal figures, and boats were the first plastic items many of us used on bird toys. These plastic toys continue to be great favorites of many parrots.

In 1998, the plastics industry began changing its softener from phthalates to natural citrus softeners. Citrate Esters is the name usually associated with the softening of plastic this natural way. Today's plastic is a clean product that can be completely disinfected after purchase. I clean bought toys with 50% hydrogen peroxide and 50% water, rinse well and dry outside in the sunlight to kill any germs the cleaner missed.

My observation is that birds who are afraid of toys are attracted to acrylic toys. Acrylic is a plastic. If the bird can see through a toy the timid bird feels better about the toy. Acrylics like pacifiers, see-through beads and buttons, and any sturdy acrylic part delight some birds that have never played with toys before. The Umbrella Cockatoo in the photo sleeps snuggled to her translucent toys. (See Picture of snuggled Cockatoo)

Many birds adore plastic based toys and attack them with enthusiasm. People often say that plastic toys are the only ones their birds will play with. Wooden toys are used for beak conditioning, and the plastic ones are courted, danced for, and completely enjoyed by parrots. (See Picture of my Umbrella dancing with her plastic toy.)

I am privileged to share my heart with a male Moluccan named Cowboy Dallas. His 2 wooden toys have been hanging in his cage since Christmas morning, over 6 months. He plays with plastic toys, using his wooden toys for leveling off his beak growth. He is a happy, strong, handsome boy and his plastic toys are a big part of his joyful and exuberant personality. (See picture of Dallas)

Plastic's affordability to manufacture, friendliness to the environment, and cost-effective shipping costs due to lighter-than-wood weight makes it a product our parrot's can enjoy for hours and hours when they can't be out of the cage playing. Wood can not be as completely disinfected as plastic due to its porous nature.

Some food dishes are plastic and no ill effects have been reported. To relieve cage boredom, provide more toys at affordable pricing, and just for the fun of it, see if your parrot would enjoy the plastic lid from a can or a soda straw or coffee stir. To see if your bird likes plastic toys, you can try toys with wood and plastic parts like the toy pictured with Skeeter the Eclectus. (See Picture of Skeeter)

Match the bird's size and strength to plastic toys. A powerful Moluccan can play safely with tough plastics and pliable plastics. A smaller parrot can play with a wider variety of plastics safely. Plastics have proven to be a safe part of today's avian products. For more than 10 years we have housed our parrots in plastic coated cages and offered them toys of plastic. Today's citrus-softened plastics have given parrot keepers new and exciting plastic products to enrich our parrots lives.