How to Keep Your Bird Busy

In nature, your bird would be busy the whole day. Birds fly to find something to eat, play with their flock mates, bathe, etc. When we have them in our homes, we generally only spend limited time with them. Even when we don't have to leave for 8-10 hours to earn some food for them, we still have things to do, while they have to occupy themselves when they don't eat or sleep.

How can we keep them occupied? There are many toys that keep them busy for a while, but usually that is not enough. Some birds are happy to chew up all kinds of things, others need challenges, and a toy that is very interesting to one bird may be rather boring for the next. Usually with a little attention we can find ways to entertain them.

So, what can we do to provide stimuli and entertainment when we don't have time to interact with them? One possibility is to provide something to get your bird to work for its food. There are many different toys that do that; for example, Hide-A-Treats, Pyramid Puzzle and Carousel Treat holders. My birds always look to see if something is in there, even if they found nothing the last few times they looked. If they have several of these kinds of treat providers, the goody can be put into another one every day.

There are lots of simple things that give them something to do, like paper, boxes, old socks, etc. With 14 birds, I sometimes have to be very inventive to find the right thing for each bird. For some of my Conures and my Indian Ringneck, the wood blocks to shred can't be big enough. The smaller birds get the rest of the blocks that the bigger birds leave. One of my conures and my macaws don't touch anything but leather. They chew for hours on anything - even just strings, as long as it is made of leather - and turn them into tiny little pieces. My red-fronted loves metal things, which are best when they can be taken apart.

My cockatoo needs challenges. He needs things to take apart, and it is even better when he can rebuild something from them. His favorite is bunches of quick links on a chain. Unscrewing them and putting them on the bars of his cage occupies him for hours. Also, all kinds of chains are another favorite. I have one plastic chain that he tied on the cage bars in a way that I can't get them off anymore. I hope that one day he will get tired of them there and take them off again. He also likes goofy links, because he can take them apart and put them all over the cage on the bars or at the perch or on other toys. He has chains and ropes woven all over his cage. I just hang them there and he produces all kinds of art with them.

Some other birds like things that rattle. My GW, for example, sometimes likes to chew wood blocks, other times she does not even look at them for weeks and takes a sisal rope apart or rattles her plastic toys for hours.

Some birds just like to organize things, so for them some containers with things to take out and put back in are a lot of fun. For example, my grey loves a box on his cage floor, loaded with wood blocks, plastic toys, and pieces of bird kabobs. He takes them out, puts them all over the cage, and puts them back into the container. Sometimes he chews some of them up. The container can also be rolled around and makes wonderful noises that way. Socks also occupy him; he chews the most artistic designs into them.

For almost 9 years, I thought my budgies didn't like to chew anything, until the day I put some balsa buddies in their cage. The thing was gone within a few hours. It just takes the right thing.

It does not do much good to just provide a bunch of toys. We have to figure out the right ones. It sometimes takes awhile and some money, but when we find the right object, it is a lot of fun to watch our little artists working. So, go for it!

by Gudrun Maybaum, Avian Nutrition and Herb Consultant
www.totallyorganics.com E-mail: gudrun@totallyorganics.com

Great Parrot Video

This video just goes to show how amazing and intelligent the avian species really is.

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.

Feather Plucking

Feather plucking by caged birds has been almost totally enigmatic through these past few decades. Some of what I opine to be causes are listed below:

• BEHAVIORAL: This is found mainly in Cockatoos and Congo African Greys. Timneh Greys are not as susceptible to the neurotic plucking that their close relatives tend to do when upset emotionally. Cockatoos pluck out of frustration from lack of attention, being kept covered or away from stimuli because of their loud calls, and/or other physical factors. Once a Cockatoo begins to pluck itself, the whole regime can turn into a nasty mutilation scene. It becomes a vicious circle of irritation, itchiness, more plucking and then mutilation. Unless you can put up with the noise of these magnificent birds, and afford to give it the attention it deserves, then an affectionate loving Cockatoo is not for you. The larger Greys, being very intelligent and sensitive birds, have a tendency to pluck when anything in their environment changes - maybe even a new visitor.

• PHYSIOLOGICAL: Upon medical exam, some birds have been diagnosed with parasites or bacterial infections. Some bacterial infections may be secondary to the cause of plucking and as a result of the irritation.

• DIETARY: Chemical additives in some artificial pelleted diets may well be a cause of plucking in birds that become sensitive to the chemical buildup. Lack of foods rich in amino acids and phytonutrients (fresh produce) can be a cause of plucking. I believe in a varied diet with a good vitamin, mineral, amino acid supplement to keep the bird's system from becoming immuno compromised. Dietary requirements are also species specific in many cases. It's best to do some research on the type of bird(s) that you own before making dietary changes or decisions.

• HOUSING: A happy healthy bird is one that can ideally fly or at least have a cage large enough to be able to hop around and stretch and flap its wings. Extra care must be taken with a bird that has flight, though, to keep it from escaping and to keep it from getting into trouble. Birds need to chew and need stimuli, so a few safe bird toys in its cage will help it to escape the boredom of being confined. I've found that fresh clean sliced or chunked pine 2x4s are the bird's favorites. My breeders chew them vigorously to use as nesting material while the others love them as hand held chew toys.

• ENVIRONMENTAL: Last, but not least is the environmental factor. New carpeting, upholstered or laminated furniture, new sheet rock, and neurotoxic odors from household sprays can be deadly to birds. The first four items outgas the highly carcinogenic formaldehyde for many years. Weather permitting, birds should have a source of fresh air and/or air conditioning. A good HEPA filter air cleaner will do the best job in keeping stale air fresh and bird dust down. Ozone air cleaners are a no-no because of the after effects that are lung irritants. Birds have been known to succumb to fumes from running trucks or cars close to their room. Most everyone is aware of the danger of overheated Teflon™ or Silverstone™ coated pans, utensils, and new appliances.

• MOLD: This should be covered under environmental, but I feel it important enough to be given its own heading. If you can see mold anywhere in your home or aviary, you have a problem that could cause the itchiness in plucking birds. If you have had water seepage or leaks that were fixed or have stopped, you can still have a problem with hidden mold that emits mycotoxins. Mycotoxins cannot be seen or measured, but they can be physically devastating to both birds and humans. Sheet rock is fodder for mold. Bleach does NOT kill mold. It masks it and then leaves a residue that feeds the spores later on. White vinegar is the best cleaning agent that I know of to kill mold. Stachybotrys mold can only be killed at temperatures above 500 degrees! This is one of the most toxic types of mold and can cause CNS (central nervous system) problems, cancer, and many other ailments. Aspergillus (very common) can cause bad respiratory problems that are difficult to cure. There are a few other lesser toxic molds and numerous non-toxic types. I believe that these mycotoxins are the main offender in birds that pluck.

Biting

A common behavior problem reported by bird owners, especially parrot owners, is biting. Parrots have large beaks and their bite can cause severe damage, so this is a behavior problem that needs to be corrected. Several ways are available to help control and reform the offending parrot rather than finding it a new home.

Why do birds bite?

Birds may bite for a number of reasons, and it is important for you to know why your bird is biting. It may influence which behavior modification techniques you use.

Biting in parrots is not a common wild bird behavior. The beak is used to grasp items for balance or climbing as well as eating. A bird uses its beak like a hand. Conflicts in birds tend to be handled with body language and vocalizations not biting.

Baby bird behavior: Just as children and puppies tend to 'mouthe' everything in sight, baby birds use their beaks to explore their surroundings. Young puppies who are playing will soon yelp if a sibling is biting too hard, letting the biter know he overstepped his bounds. Similarly, young birds need to be taught boundaries. Especially if raised alone without other nestlings, the young bird may not realize what pain its bite can cause. Unlike a puppy, who will change his behavior because he does not like the sound of the yelp, a baby parrot will think yelling is a fantastic response and it will actually reinforce the behavior, as we describe later.

Biting may also be inadvertently taught when the new owner reaches his/her hand to pick up the baby parrot. The young parrot will usually reach toward the hand with its beak as a way to grasp it and climb on. If the owner pulls his hand back too quickly, the baby realizes that to get picked up, it better grab quicker next time. And soon grabbing can turn into biting.

Fear: 'Fight' or 'flight' are the common mechanisms used by animals if they are afraid or hurt. Birds in the wild will generally take to flight if they are startled or afraid, and biting would rarely be used. Birds in houses, with clipped wings, however, do not have that as an avenue. They may bite if startled or hurt.

Control or Dominance: As we all know, groups of birds tend to have a pecking order, and the birds we have as pets are often no different. A bird may use biting as a way to defend his territory, and thus his status. This 'territory' may be a cage, another bird, or the human being to whom he is bonded. Some birds soon learn that if they bite, they get what they want, be it the drama of seeing their owner dancing around and yelling in pain, or a trip back to the cage where they can eat. Birds may also learn to bite to avoid doing something, such as getting their nails trimmed or being put back in their cage when they want to stay out.


Breeding behavior: For many species, sexually mature adult birds in breeding mode can become aggressive and much more protective of their mate and more likely to defend their cage as their area. It is important to distinguish if biting behavior may be hormonal driven and more of a 'phase,' or if the biting is a sign of dominance aggression.

Medical: If a bird does not feel well, they will often want to be left alone, just as we do. If biting starts in a bird who normally does not bite, or if you see other behavior changes such as eating or playing less, have your bird examined by a veterinarian.

Playing: During the course of play, a bird may occasionally bite. This can occur if the bird is overexcited, or the bird inadvertently grasps some part of human anatomy to keep its balance.

Learn to read the body language of birds. They will often show you how they feel. For instance, they may show signs they have had enough play or 'outside' time and need to go back to their cage. If you do not recognize this, the bird may start to bite to signal he has 'had enough.'

Correcting the biting behavior

To start correcting a biting problem, first determine the cause and correct any underlying problems such as treating an illness.

Correcting aggressive biting: The human needs to be seen by the bird as having a higher ranking. To start this, the parrot needs to be taught the 'step up,' 'ladder,' or 'up' and 'down' commands, which are used to get the bird to move from the perch to the owner's finger and back to the perch, or from one finger to the other. Short, daily training sessions should begin ideally from the first day the bird is brought home, before behavior problems occur. Training sessions should take place away from the bird's usual environment. If the parrot has already been biting for some time, and the owner is wary of the bird's beak, training may need to occur in a totally new environment. The bird will be much less likely to bite the only human it knows when it is in an unfamiliar place. Try your veterinary clinic, if needed. Family or friends may also let you use their house for the short training sessions.

Parrots respond to facial expressions and verbal praise. This type of positive reinforcement should be used when an appropriate response is given by the bird. If the bird responds inappropriately, raise your head above the bird's level and say "no" in a normal speaking voice. Do not use a loud voice or yell. They may think you are 'squawking,' which they love. No aggression or punishment is involved in the training. The daily lessons need to continue until the bird responds willingly to the commands. Once the commands are followed, discontinue the training but continue to use the commands during the daily handling of the bird.

Higher altitude means higher ranking to birds, so it is important that the biting bird should not be above the human's heart level while in or out of the cage. Do not allow these birds to ride on your shoulder. It increases their ranking as well as puts your face, ears, eyes, and lips at risk of a serious bite. The owners need to learn to anticipate the biting and stop it with a stern look and command before it escalates to a bite.

If a bite occurs, reprimanding needs to be immediate and effective. If the bird is on the hand, the owner can drop the hand a short distance to unbalance the bird. If on the arm, the arm can be rotated causing the loss of balance. The bird should never be made to fall, just lose its balance for a second. The bird should not be rewarded with the drama of yelling. Having the bird do 'step-ups' 5-6 times with a quiet command and a stern look on the owner's face, is also successful in reprimanding the bite. Some birds may need to be placed in a cage for a 'time-out,' but be sure this is not what the bird was hoping for when he bit you. Once the reprimand has been given, the episode is over. Do not continue to punish the bird, such as isolating it for a long period. Take into account the parrot's temperament when providing a reprimand. Some birds respond well to just a stern look, others need a stern look and a quiet verbal no, and others need a time out.

Correcting fearful biting: If a bird is biting out of fear, it is important to determine the exact thing or situation that is causing the bird to be afraid. Sometimes, the fear may be understandable, such as the sound of a vacuum cleaner. Other times, it may appear illogical, but perhaps something happened in the bird's past that causes it to fear something we consider harmless.

Once you have isolated the cause of the fear, avoid exposing the bird to it. If that is not possible, try exposing the bird to it from a long distance, at which the bird is not normally afraid. Praise and give the bird a treat for remaining calm. Over the course of weeks, gradually move the bird closer to the fear-causing stimulus, always staying at a far enough distance to keep the bird calm, and giving it positive reinforcement. The bird may then learn to associate the stimulus with good things happening, and lose its fear of it.

Conclusion

To control biting behaviors of birds, it is important to know why they may bite. Then, with time and perhaps help from an experienced avian behaviorist, you can help your bird be much more fun to be around. Your bird will be happier, too.