45 things you NEED to know BEFORE getting a parrot! Everything You Need to Know About the Parrot

Things I Wish I Knew BEFORE I Got a Parrot!

SOURCE:Nina & Freya

All what you need to know about parrots

1. The parrot that lives in its parrot world (in a human world)

So there we are. This is the very first post from the Parrots Post and it is also, I believe, one of the most important.
Of course, I will tell you about the behaviors of Coco darling (a lot, passionately, madly ) in these pages, but first of all, it is important for me to make you think about this … you should always try to understand a behavior ( good or not so good ) of your parrot, of whatever species, through the following filter: * your parrot is an animal impregnated with humans, and you will not have the choice to deal with this state, the imprint is irreversible.

2. Your wishes, needs …

In our Coco’s parrot universe, there is often a world of difference between what we consider appropriate for him and his real needs. To manage to coexist well with a parrot, cuddle it, talk to it and love it madly, it’s good, but it’s not enough. Indeed, the minimum of the minimum would be to know its needs, and this, even before trying to understand its behaviors, simply because our bird’s behavior too often stems directly from these needs. By knowing the needs of our parrot, it is easier for us to put our finger on those ( many) who are not satisfied. These unfulfilled needs are also those which generate and maintain several disturbing behaviors of the bird.

3. Sleep? The ritual of pet parrots.

Dodo, but why do? says himself a parrot master…
Several of you have described the ordeal of bringing the parrot into its cage for the night. It shouldn’t be like this. In fact it should be a pleasant moment for the bird, which he should anticipate with pleasure. If it is not, he will resist with all his might, even going as far as the bite to avoid being taken back to his cage or his room for the night. Bedtime and the ritual surrounding it requires a bit of investment on your part. This is what will make the difference between the dream and the nightmare. Here are my thoughts on the subject…

4. Alert! Security need

Today, I’m talking to you about Coco’s precious security need. It will therefore be a fairly long ticket because this need for security is essential to the development of the captive parrot and, as a result, cannot itself ensure its security. Unfortunately, most begin life very precariously. Indeed, the first insecurity from birth: the farming method ( EAM ) which will create a latent insecurity which will manifest itself differently depending on the species, temperament or resilience of the individual. Contemporary husbandry methods include hand-feeding of fledglings, which in practice means …

5. The need to belong: Belong to whom?

Here we go, we are climbing another level in Maslow’s pyramid of needs. We are now going to discuss this ( considerable ) need for belonging among our parrots, gregarious animal if need be! Parrots are social animals that cannot survive without the secure presence of others. Your parrot needs to be assured that it is an integral part of the social group that you form with your family. You will need to integrate it into as many spheres of activity as possible, since it is only under these conditions that it can fully develop within your family. You will have to find the middle ground, your parrot needs to be loved, but not to be suffocated by too much love (even if you have a lot to give ).

6. Do parrots need sex?

♫♫♫ Do you want or you don’t want … is it yes or is it wrong?
Say, you want or you don’t want … (known air). ♫♫♫ This is a long subject and you know what? I do not apologize because it is too important for our pet parrots. We often read that we should not respond to the sexual advances of our parrot, that we have to repel it when it is too enterprising and that it only “thinks about it”. If only it were so easy, if we only had to say “no” and Coco understood. I wrote this text hoping to put you a little in the place of your parrot, to lead you to see the thing from his point of view to HIM.

7. The need for esteem: Why not?

I do not know what is the need for esteem in the wild parrot, but in captivity, as you may have noticed ( I am sure ), the parrot constantly seeks the attention of its human and aspires to a some form of recognition from the latter. To do this, he must learn to behave socially to be accepted and appreciated by other members of the group, in this case your family.

8. Coco serial aggressor? You will tell me so much…

Doesn’t living with a parrot sooner or later face the inevitable bite? Yet you give it all to this little guy ( or girl ); you take care of it, you feed it, play with it, cuddle it and then … Crac! like that, for nothing ( depending on your perception) Coco advises you of his dissatisfaction with one of these devil snatches; you know, those that hurt our hearts even more than our hands. However, I did nothing, you tell me, everything was going as usual! To which I answer you … “This as usual”, this way of doing, how long has it been going on? What is it that today Coco was fed up, that the vase overflowed for him? There is necessarily a reason … because it is like that with parrots, there is always a reason! Whatever you say, the parrot doesn’t just attack like that, “for nothing”.

9. Bite to communicate? And if there was another way …

In the previous post, we saw how easy it is to shape a little feathered Dracula by our own actions and / or reactions, without the main interested party ever realizing that they have done wrong. It’s human that… To do everything to create your own monster, then to complain about him and blame him for his deplorable behavior. Indeed, Mr. Perroquet is convinced of his right when he attacks us. For him, he only communicates and what is more, he does it correctly, that is to say in the way that he was taught to make himself understood. Well, obviously we don’t really like that, a crunch for a yes and especially for a no; it starts to do well! So, we rewind everything and we start on a brand new canvas. Excellent program in perspective.

Warning: The following will serve you in several facets of your cohabitation with Coco, not only for the crunches of communication. I will give you some examples throughout the posts. It will be (I hope) your new art of living with Coco, which will always have to be win-win, for him as for you. How to reduce a behavior or a response ( that we don’t like too much )?

10. What is normal for a parrot?

Well, parrots are a bit fed up with being brought back the “behavioral problem” for all and for nothing. When the bird acts without it being suitable for humans, we immediately point out the “behavior problem”. A little quick on the human trigger to accuse the bird wrongly and through. However, as we saw in the previous posts, there are behaviors which seem disturbing to us and which however are completely normal for them. The parrot is rather “psttadiary” in nature. How many times have I heard, “My parrot does this ; my parrot acted like this ; Is my bird normal or is it a behavioral problem? “” My conure cries all day; my African gray doesn’t speak … “
Well yes, the question arises: What is normal for a parrot? To say that a conure is noisy is almost a pleonasm! Of course the conure knows how to contain itself, but maybe it does not want to. Shouting is the ultimate mode of communication for conures; So, maybe she is a super communicator who has a long time telling you when you return from work? Perhaps it is her way of making you understand that she wants your company and that she does not count for plums? Perhaps it is simply, as conures do in nature, to communicate its location in the house or the direction it decides to take when it flies away? Who can say? Complain about his gray A five-year-old African who does not speak without asking the following questions: Perhaps he is not simply gifted? Perhaps he does not feel the need for it because he manages to make himself understood otherwise? Maybe he just doesn’t want it? Obviously, gray is recognized for its “human” language skills; all of them have the capacity to execute, that is part of their genetic background, but not all of them necessarily see the point in doing so. If your bird refuses or does not feel the need to speak human, can we then speak of an abnormal African gray? In my own human genetic background ( Does he not feel the need because he manages to make himself understood differently? Maybe he just doesn’t want it? Obviously, gray is recognized for its “human” language skills; all of them have the capacity to execute, that is part of their genetic background, but not all of them necessarily see the point in doing so. If your bird refuses or does not feel the need to speak human, can we then speak of an abnormal African gray? In my own human genetic background ( Does he not feel the need because he manages to make himself understood differently? Maybe he just doesn’t want it? Obviously, gray is recognized for its “human” language skills; all of them have the capacity to execute, that is part of their genetic background, but not all of them necessarily see the point in doing so. If your bird refuses or does not feel the need to speak human, can we then speak of an abnormal African gray? In my own human genetic background ( it’s part of their genetic makeup, but not everyone sees the point in doing it. If your bird refuses or does not feel the need to speak human, can we then speak of an abnormal African gray? In my own human genetic background ( it’s part of their genetic makeup, but not everyone sees the point in doing it. If your bird refuses or does not feel the need to speak human, can we then speak of an abnormal African gray? In my own human genetic background (and in yours ), it says that I can do a back somersault, keep my balance on a rope or even run the 100 meters in 17 seconds. Do I do so? Take my word if I say no. I never made the effort to develop these skills, I just didn’t want to, not at all interested in these activities. Am I a normal human doctor?

11. Behavioral or socialization issues?

As I have often mentioned in my works, the parrot is an animal that has only a few decades of life in the company of humans. Unlike our dogs or cats who have evolved to live in the company of men for millennia, the parrot has no successive generations of adaptation to the so-called ‘domestic animal’ life. For this reason, its basic programming ( which took millions of years to build) remained intact. The instincts of the beast are still untamed to this day, that is to say that they have not undergone any genetic or behavioral modification. Even a parrot born in captivity, fed and raised by humans, will instinctively react to a stimulus. However, the response of the bird may be totally unsuitable for the situation since it will not be supported by a solid socialization. Your parrot is an animal of wild instinct! Thus, the many physical and psychological needs of the parrot come up against our human way of life. It is a demanding animal, difficult to satisfy on several levels. From experience, I can tell you that the parrot requires much more time investment, in attention and observation as our dogs and our cats. When we acquire a parrot, we have a preconceived idea of ​​the ideal companionship with this animal. We have expectations, hopes, aspirations, but it is unlikely to happen the way we have idealized this relationship. Because it has the capacity to imitate our language, we tend to think that this animal will adapt to what satisfies us; that what makes us happy will also make it happy; that what is good for us is also good for him. We are wrong! hopes, aspirations, but it is unlikely to happen the way we have idealized this relationship. Because it has the capacity to imitate our language, we tend to think that this animal will adapt to what satisfies us; that what makes us happy will also make it happy; that what is good for us is also good for him. We are wrong! hopes, aspirations, but it is unlikely to happen the way we have idealized this relationship. Because it has the capacity to imitate our language, we tend to think that this animal will adapt to what satisfies us; that what makes us happy will also make it happy; that what is good for us is also good for him. We are wrong!

12. Communicate with your parrot

Now that we have made a little inventory of the world of our parrot ( EAM or not ), today we begin a series of posts on communication … ours, that of the parrot and the interrelation between of them. As we have seen, Coco is a gregarious animal, a social animal, that is to say that it is programmed to live and interact with other individuals; and when one lives with others, ” one cannot not communicate ” ( Gregory Bateson ). Now who says communication, says communication code, that is to say, message sent and message received. Communicating with a parrot is in my opinion the ultimate experience in animal communication,) can come to understand and respond to our intentions and feelings. Because we and Coco have enough common sensory channels to achieve this and despite that it is not perfect ( and it cannot be because we are not a parrot and it is not a human ), you can still reach a level of communication that satisfies both parties. For a long time, animal communication was not considered, we were content to say that animals had “moods”, which was transported for a very long time ( and still is in some circles ). Then came Lorenz ( Konrad ) and Tinbergen ( Nicolaas), the founders of objective ethology, who defined animal communication as follows: Emission of a signal which provokes a response from another animal, which prepares or organizes at a distance or nearby and which ensures or modifies the course of one or more functions in which at least two individuals participate. ‘ In the world of our parrots, there are …

• The individual issuing the signal
• The individual who receives it
• The group of which they are a part and which stems from the interdependence between individuals. Communication is what ensures cohesion and collaboration between the members of a social group ( including that which the bird composes with our family ).

First of all, we must understand that communication requires learning on both sides. So, as with all learning, we will have to HIM and HIM to allow himself the time required for this learning.

13. When Coco calls … Must answer!

We continue on the theme of communication and in this post, we talk about Coco’s natural communication. Not his language skills, we’ll see that later, but his way for HIM to communicate with you and your family, with what he considers to be his social group. We will discover the importance of this communication in the parrot world of your bird. Coco shouts to give us information or to get it. Well yes, it’s normal, but how normal is it? To those who would venture to believe by reading these lines that they will have finally got their hands on a kind of philosopher’s stone which will transform their parrot pipelette into a quiet and soundproof bird, I immediately warn you that you are running into disappointment. Because deciding to live with one or more parrots automatically includes accepting the level of cacophony that comes standard with these charming little birds. It is one of the indissoluble clauses of the contract that you signed (without knowing) with your parrot at the time of adoption. I would not disillusion you, but when you risk talking about a calm or moderate parrot, you are not talking about a voiceless parrot at all. Let’s say that it is quoted in parallel with a deafening parrot because if there is one thing that you must absolutely understand here, it is that a parrot which produces no sound, it does not exist ! It is very early in the morning when I write this post, well installed in my office, with my cup of coffee and my scattered birds around me. I have to compose with the incessant jacqueries and onomatopoeias of the African grays, the “lalalala” of Chichou my daughter Cockatoo which revises its prize list, the “couack, couack, grogne, grogne” from Quita, ara ararauna of his state, who does not know how to grumble in silence, as well as the shouts of Bib, my adorable Timneh, who tears it up with his favorite toy. Only the mutual and above all silent grooming of my two amazons offers a little respite to my ears. It is 7:00 am and I know that I have until 11:00 am of this dissonant orchestra, since finally, it will be the hour of the siesta of the birds and I will be able at that moment to savor the soothing sound of silence. My parrots are not noisy and I do not consider them to be garish, at least, no more than others. They are simply alive, especially at certain times of the day! That’s what it means to live with parrots! I know it and I accept the contract. If you cannot bear this condition, choose a goldfish, a hamster or a tarantula as a pet. Parrots, know it, are animals that express themselves and often, they do it with force and conviction!

14. Master parrot has a long story to tell… Look at it.

Today I’m talking to you about your parrot’s body language, its emotional language. Coco communicates in this way anytime, anytime. He tells you about her life as she goes by. Nothing is hidden with a parrot, no secret, it expresses to you what it feels throughout the day, hours, minutes, seconds. Look at it, right away, observe it, it expresses something, do you see it? Coco communicates its emotions or the intentions linked to it by a sometimes subtle combination of signs called “expressive behaviors” which, all put together, constitute for another parrot or the wise human a readable and clear message.individual or group ). The term ‘expressive behaviors’ designates all the behaviors that promote intra and sometimes extra-specific understanding. To decode the language of your parrot, you will have no choice but to observe it carefully.

What to observe:

• The look
• The dilation of the pupils
• The place where looks
• The shape of the eyes
• Wearing head
• The position of the head
• The posture of the bird
• Positioning of the body and legs
• Plumage movements
• Tail movements
• Bird’s head and body movements
• Alouette… ♫♫♫

15. Language skills of the parrot

Several factors induce our choice in the will to live with a parrot, but where this marvelous animal fascinates us the most, it is this faculty which it has to reproduce the human voice and to communicate with us in our own language. In reality, this is unfortunately a very bad reason. Despite the fact that almost all parrots can speak, only a small percentage of them will execute happily. It’s a shame, it’s one of the main complaints that I receive by email or phone from humans who are disappointed with their parrot: “He doesn’t speak!” However, these birds have so much more to offer us than just entertaining us while chatting. I personally have never put emphasis on the language skills of my birds. No training session, no waiting or request. If some of my parrots have a broad vocabulary, it is quite simply that at home I speak constantly: I tell, I explain, wander, sing according to the situations and my fantasies and it is only from there that comes from their lexicon. My birds are good, free and, I believe, satisfied in their environment. This interaction makes them want to learn to communicate with me, my husband and sometimes with guests ( not always). Although their first choice is generally to communicate in ‘parrot mode’, which is perfectly normal, they still agree to make the effort to address us in our own language. They may have come to the conclusion that they are more likely to make themselves understood by the limited beings that we are… and they would be right!

16. My parrot is talking…

Human as a second language. But yes, the parrot is somewhat bilingual; not perfectly bilingual, but bilingual insofar as he can come to understand human language and communicate in this language which is far from its natural communication. Thus, the parrot can manage to interact with a human by learning some basic rudiments of the language of this last and by using sounds ( words ) carrying meaning. The opposite is unlikely ( no human having learned the parrot language has been listed to date.). The attraction of communicating in the manner of the “dominant” human community is part of the instinct for integration which flows directly from the gregarious instinct. The parrot that shares our life as well as that of other parrots is really multilingual because it lives in a bicultural society where bilingualism ( human / parrot ) becomes essential ( if it has the capacity ) integration into the two groups. As human language is often considered the dominant dialect, parrots often call out to each other when using it. Often this kind of behavior is more like oratorical sparring. Parrots reciprocally send each other their human repertoire without worrying about the meaning of words and the communication of good information; the sounds don’t mean anything anymore and come out pell-mell. It is up to him who succeeds in having the last word… human!

17. Dominance among our parrots!

Coco has just put his bad mood on our fingers, it hurts and we are naturally looking for the reason because again… “he bit us for nothing.” So, it has become the norm, we are turning to social networks, there is someone who will have a ready answer for me. We expose our problem and the answers, especially the solutions are not long in coming. They are very often summed up by this:
Answer: It is because it seeks to dominate you. It is known, parrots are so dominant.
Solution: Don’t be fooled, you must demonstrate to him that it is you who command, that you are the dominant of the group.

So, according to our social media experts, the right question to ask yourself when you live with a parrot would be “Who is the boss?” Who of you or him commands in this house … The dominance of parrots still seems to be a consensus in avian circles today. But where does this proposal come from? Ethologists? Researchers in the field? Biologists? Any scientific research? The answer is: none of these answers! No hierarchy of dominance in parrots has been observed or recorded to date in the groups of parrots in the wild and nothing in their ethogram suggests that these birds have tendencies to dominance.Can a lie repeated thousands of times become truth? With the ubiquity of social media in the world of our parrots, this quote is becoming more and more topical. We have entered an era where the facts are no longer really important; in an era where collective unanimity becomes truth and circulates at great speed “V” on the Internet … We have entered the era of the convenient “Fake news” that we hold for truth simply because it suits us well.

18. Ontogenesis of behaviors … or the maturation of Coco behaviors

We just celebrated Coco’s third birthday and Madame is completely frantic; she thinks she must have done ‘something wrong’ because she no longer recognizes her little bird. ‘He has changed so much lately,’ she tells me on the phone, ‘He is more independent with me, it seems that he prefers my husband, even that he threatens me when I want to take him and that it is placed on him. He never did that! Before, he never stopped being with me or in my arms. Now, I can only interact with him when my husband is not at home because when he is there, it looks like my little Coco hates me. I must have done something wrong. ‘

It would seem that Coco has become what is called ‘the bird of one person’, but it did not happen like that overnight, we taught him to do so. Let me explain…

19. Acquired helplessness

He was there, on the parquet floor in the center of the shop, in a very small cage on which a sign had been affixed ‘ Watch your fingers, I bite.’A band of children got excited around him, shouting and banging on the cage without the staff of the shop intervening, and he, he did not move, did not react, he just bowed his head and close eyes. A pitiful white cockatoo, plump and completely apathetic, which was however, when we first met, a magnificent bird of four months. I know because I had noticed it the previous year, in this same pet store. I remembered very well having asked to speak to the owner of the place and having mentioned to him that the cage of this bird was ridiculously too small for him, to which he had answered me ‘It is temporary my little lady, he just arrived,

I have always been wary of gentlemen who talk to me with a ‘my little lady ‘, I don’t have a lot of social benchmarks to know if I’m being lied to , but ‘ my little lady ‘ is an excellent marker that tells me that this man is absolutely unreliable and the rest of the story generally proves me right. That day, I was in a hurry, I just gave him the most skeptical and bad look of which I am capable ( which has never impressed anyone, I do not know how to compose myself a nasty face ), i paid for my purchases and I left.

20. Observation of behavior

When our parrot emits a behavior, we see it and we can observe it. However, we cannot observe the subjective component of this behavior, that is to say, what the bird feels, HIS perception to HIM of parrot of the situation or event. But the motor component, yes, it’s within our reach, we can observe it. These are behavioral reactions such as flight, agitation, prostration, aggression, etc. And there is also the physiological component such as the acceleration of the heart rate, cortisol secretion or any other modification of the functioning of the organism. But that either we do not see it too much, we can only imagine when Coco emits a behavior of fear or intense joy.

Thus, we do not have access to the feeling of our bird, it is not observed. We can only trust the observable aspect of behavior, what it shows us, and what we know about its history, its route; we have to deal with this thin information. Through his ‘observable’ behavior, Coco gives us part of his point of view on how he perceives an event, how he feels and the emotions that go through it. It is up to us to be attentive to him and to try to explain his behavior to us by taking his ethogram as a base ( we always start there ) and the observation of the behavioral sequence, which is what led to …

Let’s see what our parrot has to say …

21. The parrot and all these things in his head

You who live with a parrot often tell me about his surprising intelligence, his incredible ability to solve problems, his ease of learning and how he knows how to act. For those who live with a parrot, there is no doubt that this animal is terribly intelligent. But how bad is it? What do we know today? How is it going in his head?

Several studies have come to show us that parrots are able to solve complex problems and often more confidently than a young child. Their ability to learn to imitate the human voice ( or that of another animal ) leaves us stunned, but the accuracy of their words overturns us more often than in our turn.

My text today praises the intelligence of our parrots. I am not very objective you say, and you will probably be right. Since the time that I speak about these birds, it is no longer a secret for anyone that I am a fan, very fan! So, my research tends to focus on what amazes me in these birds, rarely the opposite, and I do not apologize at all! I also know that you, the subscribers who read this text, are at least as grouped as me if not more so ( this is no secret either ).

Come on, let’s go have fun and let ourselves be surprised a little more, because you will see, from one concept to another, Coco will seriously put us on our knees!

22. In the skin of a parrot human behaviorist

Client: Hello, I have problems with my parrot. I would like to know if you have any tips to tame it?
Me: I can certainly help you, but I will not give you ‘tips’, and even less to “tame” your parrot …
Client: Ha! I was told that you tame the parrots!
Me: We misinformed you madam, I don’t even know how to tame a flea …
Client: But, you tame parrots, right?
Me: No, madam. I don’t tame anyone; not even my hair this morning …
Client: Are you the parrot behaviorist?
Me: Yes madam, behaviorist as in behavior; not tamer like in taming…
Client: My breeder told me that you could help me correct my parrot, he is six months old and he is dominant!
Me: ( Sigh! ) I am not a parrot corrector either and he is not ‘dominant’; but if you wish, I can help your parrot to adapt its behaviors, if you are ready to do the same with yours …
Client: My behaviors?
Me: But yes, we will start by modifying your behaviors, and since your parrot is an intelligent animal, it will adapt to your new attitude.
Client: Are you telling me that I am less intelligent than my parrot?
Me: If you say so, Madame …
Client: But it’s not me who has to change, it’s him! He is dominant! It’s always him who starts, I do nothing. He’s the one screaming and biting me for nothing, it’s not me who’s starting!
Me: He had to learn before he started as you say. He’s six months old, you socialized him, right?
Client: I didn’t do anything, I didn’t do it soci… socia… social… as you just said there. I never did that to her! I raised him since he was a baby and now that he is a teenager, he has become dominant.
Me: ( my ancestors… very long sigh ) Do you have 10 minutes or two hours? Will I explain things to you?

And off we go for a ride….

23. Because sometimes there is an emergency

The holiday season is upon us and we all know, we who live with parrots, that at this time of the year, Murphy’s law always ends up inviting us into our festivities.

* Murphy’s Law: If there are at least two ways to do something and at least one of these ways can cause disaster, someone ( read: a parrot ) will be somewhere to borrow this way.

This small guide is not intended to replace the precious and essential veterinary care, but rather to stabilize and keep your bird alive until it is taken care of by a qualified practitioner. Because of their particular and especially rapid metabolism, birds cannot wait long in an emergency before being taken care of. Your intervention can make the difference between the life and death of your sweetheart. For each situation, you will know what you can do to make up for the worst and you will also have a description of the veterinarian’s intervention … as well as the reason why it will be so important to consult him.

This guide should be used as help and advice for emergency care ( actions to be taken), but can in no way replace a visit to your avian veterinarian. Seen?

During the holiday season, veterinarians are less available than during the regular period. So, my first piece of advice: find out about the holiday schedule for your favorite vet and if it is not available, ask him for a reference to a clinic or hospital that provides emergencies during the holiday period. This simple little preventive gesture can save your parrot’s life. So, at the end of reading this text, you take your phone and call your veterinarian right away. It will be a good thing and you will have more peace of mind in celebrating happily.

Q- Can you judge the well-being of your parrot by its appearance
R- NO!

As we have seen and reviewed… and reviewed again, parrots are gregarious animals and above all prey animals. The flock of birds takes precedence over the individual and faced with an injured or sick fellow, these instincts may take over. Consequently, the group will hunt the unfortunate bird to avoid attracting a potential predator. The bird thus banished, denied by its society is nothing more than an animal condemned to death!

The parrot will try by all tricks to hide its condition as long as possible from the members of its group, to hide all the signs of distress or illness that may be apparent! There is no reason why he should not act in the same way with you, since this behavior is instinctive and we know it … the innate never disappears!

First of all, I would like to thank Dr. Marie-Josée Hamel DMV for her collaboration. For those who do not know her, Marie-Josée Hamel is the best veterinarian I have known. His sense of diagnosis is a pure miracle; she already spotted a specific problem on one of my birds just watching him walk on the table. Today, unfortunately for me and my birds, she no longer practices, she teaches. The biggest Snif! of my life …

24. Observing behavior

Today, we continue the tour of “domestic” emergencies concerning our parrot. An accident happened so quickly, we are told; an accident is by definition an unforeseeable event and our parrots are the kings of these “unpredictabilities”. During the holiday season, schedules are shaken, there are people at home, we stay up late, we drink and eat too much, in short all the ingredients are there for a psitta-disaster!

This small guide is not intended to replace veterinary care, but to stabilize and keep your bird alive until it is taken care of by a qualified practitioner. Because of their particular and especially rapid metabolism, birds cannot wait long in an emergency before being taken care of. Your intervention can make the difference between the life and death of your sweetheart.

This guide should be used as help and advice for emergency care ( actions to be taken), but can in no way replace a visit to your avian veterinarian. Seen? During the holiday season, veterinarians are less available than during the regular period. So, my first piece of advice: find out about the holiday schedule for your favorite vet and if it is not available, ask him for a reference to a clinic or hospital that provides emergencies during the holiday period. This simple little preventive gesture can save your parrot’s life.

When you have finished reading this text, I will already be on leave ( this is the last text of the Parrots Post of 2018 ). I wish you a wonderful holiday season and an exceptional 2019 without incident with your parrots, but if it ever happens (which I do not wish you ), you will know certain actions to take while waiting to see Coco by a veterinarian.

25. Because sometimes there is an emergency (3)

Here is the first text of the Post of the parrots of the year 2019. As time flies, it seems to me that it was yesterday that I started to write this weekly on our birds and we have already arrived at number 25. Pfiouuu! !! We arrive at the third part of “domestic” emergencies concerning our parrot. I hope you had a great holiday season and that Coco did not show you all the colors. In the next two issues, we will see other emergencies, listed as the most common. I know, you will tell me that it is starting to do a lot, but let’s say that I prefer to rake wider than thin, because you never know …

This short guide is not intended to replace valuable veterinary care, but to stabilize and keep your bird alive until it is taken care of by a qualified practitioner. Because of their particular and especially rapid metabolism, birds cannot wait long in an emergency before being taken care of. Your intervention can make the difference between the life and death of your sweetheart. This guide should be used as an aid and advice for emergency care ( actions to be taken ), but can in no way replace a visit to your avian veterinarian. Seen?

26. Because sometimes there is an emergency (4)

So here we come to the latest text in the series of emergency home care for our parrots. We have already seen a lot of situations in which our rapid intervention can make the difference between the bird that recovers or not. If he enjoys a minimum of freedom to give free rein to his natural ( and healthy ) exploratory behavior , this freedom can also lead him to put himself in a predicament. Our parrot is an ace of dumplings, and as it can walk, climb and fly, everything can become potentially dangerous and turn into “state of emergency”, whether the parrot is small or a giant . Never go to believe that a caged parrot cannot do stupid things, far from it. S ‘6 hours or more a day ), if he is bored, he will display treasures of imagination to pass the time and break this boredom. What will he imagine good ( or bad ) to do?

This small guide is not intended to replace the precious veterinary care, but rather to stabilize and keep your bird alive until it is taken care of by a qualified practitioner. Because of their particular and especially rapid metabolism, birds cannot wait long in an emergency before being taken care of. Your intervention can make the difference between the life and death of your sweetheart. This guide should be used as help and advice for emergency care ( actions to be taken), but can in no way replace a visit to your avian veterinarian. Seen?

27. These parrots that “bite for nothing”

The parrot, like any other animal, can be aggressive in various situations. Normally, aggression behavior follows a behavioral model: Warning, threat, intimidation. If the first threat phase does not work, he will take action by biting more or less strongly, depending on the degree of irritation or danger. After the aggression comes what is called a stopping or calming phase. This is called “reactive aggression”, that is to say that the bird reacts to a stimulus following a normal behavioral sequence.

However, in captivity in the dyssocialized parrot ( eam ), we too often observe a kind of aggressiveness that) and a predatory animal ( human ). I speak here of an aggression where the phases of threat and appeasement have completely disappeared, that is to say that the bird goes directly to the aggression without any other form of warning. Never make the mistake of believing that a parrot born in captivity, dyssocialized, fed by humans and imbued with it will warn you every time of its intention to do you violence. No! It is not that the bird is treacherous or hypocritical, it is only that the method of breeding by hand ( eam ), this primary dyssocialization often accompanied by an * isolation syndrome ( sensory deprivation ), has made the so-called ‘pet’ parrot terribly unpredictable.

At the instrumentalized stage, the parrot presents a secondary hyperaggressiveness with bite ( sometimes very violent ) without warnings or threats and in a very impulsive way.
* Primary Dyssocialization: “This is the most serious developmental disorder leading to aggression” – Isabelle Viera, behavioral veterinarian. It is the failure to acquire social behaviors specific to the species which normally develop at a very young age in the first weeks / months of life ( depending on the species) and which are essential for group life. It is the absence of learning social rules and communication codes. The parrot separated from its parents did not acquire, during its development, the primary mechanisms of social inhibition; he therefore does not know how to behave with his fellows, does not know how to resolve a conflict. This makes it unpredictable, even dangerous.

* Isolation syndrome or sensory deprivation: It is the inability of the bird to properly manage sensory information. This is the result of insufficient stimulation during the development of the baby which, unable to learn enough about its environment, becomes unable to adapt thereafter.

Q.
In the first place, because he does not fear humans. You should know that normally, aggressions, other than those related to predation, occur inside the species ( intraspecific ). So why, the parrot ( prey animal ) does not show any fear towards the human ( predatory animal ) and even worse, has no hesitation in attacking this one ( interspecific aggression )?

A: This is because the EAM parrot identifies with the human species.For the bird, aggression IS intraspecific … because the “eam” breeding method permeates young parrots in humans! Many other aberrant behaviors of the impregnated bird have been found to result directly from the “eam” breeding method, but aggression is certainly the most painful for us.

I know, I’m still talking about it… the “am”, but if we want to understand the reason for the attacks so often encountered in a human-parrot cohabitation ( take a look on social networks, you will see), I can’t help but talk about it. The aggression of an animal prey towards a predatory animal is against nature, except obviously if the prey defends itself against its predator, but otherwise, the kind of aggression by irritation, by frustration or because Coco has the short wick shouldn’t happen. Imagine a dog doing this: it looks like it has a serious behavior problem. Aggressive dogs are “mistakes” and unfortunately, too often euthanized.

With parrots, we ended up imagining that attacks, even very violent, are part of the inevitability of living with these birds. These are bred in order not to fear humans and to do this, we * infuse them with humans ( some breeders even boast) and from this moment, quite rightly… parrots no longer fear humans, they identify with it! Here!

* Filial footprint: “Learning process by which young birds learn to recognize the characteristics of the mother or both parents, of which they have no innate knowledge.” – Bateston- Sluckin – Hess.

The sexual imprint: “Learning process by which a young animal acquires the knowledge of the characters which will enable him later to identify an adequate partner to which to mate. If a young of a sexually” impregnable “species is raised by adoptive parents belonging to another species, this results in outliers. ”

Why do I make lots of quotes? Just that when it comes from me, it looks like it’s less serious. So, I quote behavioral veterinarians, ethologists and biologists … so, if there are confrontations following one of my anti-eam texts, I will not feel targeted … Na!

28. Human violence, the wrath of the parrot

Important note: This text is intended for everyone, not a specific individual. If you recognize yourself, if the hat fits you, do not take it personal, I swear that I am not targeting you personally, but I nevertheless believe that this text could greatly help you and especially, help your parrot. Despite being factual, this post was written with a view to prevention. The personal pronoun “YOU” is used in the sense of “The person to whom we speak and with whom we are respectful.”

Each winter brings its share of brutality towards parrots. Is it the lack of light that makes you so irritable? Winter drags on, you are much less patient, horribly intolerant and all too often, it is Coco who suffers the consequences. During the months of January, February and March, I am called upon because Coco suddenly changed his attitude, because he suddenly transformed into a T-Rex.

How I hate the word “suddenly!” During a routine consultation for aggressive behavior, I waste an incredible amount of time asking questions to try to understand why the parrot uses aggression to make itself understood. Generally, it is a misunderstanding, a communication dysfunction and it is on this that we act. In winter, with my years of experience, I learned to keep it short and no longer waste my time making myself unnecessarily lie on the phone by the human who is looking for a solution to this “sudden” aggressive behavior, I pose the direct question: did you hit him?

Just this week, three times the answer was “yes”. Winter is the ordeal of parrots who live in captivity and who have to undergo the camel mood of their human. In these moments, I sometimes fantasize in my head: more than a pre-adoption course on the behavior of parrots, in my ideal world, it would be the obligation of a compulsory yoga and meditation course to all parrot owners who have had a harsh winter. A little Zen in the relationship with Coco would be beneficial.

During my years of practice, I have seen more than one relationship destroyed by a simple unhappy gesture: a slap, a sharp and brutal blow on the cage, a violent tremor to unbalance the bird until the movement carried away for send him waltzing in the background. A parrot is not a human and if you are not prepared for certain actions ( shouting or biting ) on its part, it is better to inform yourself before adopting one. Most of the problems with parrots, to put it mildly, ALL of the problems with parrots living in captivity come from a single source … human. Take humans out of the equation and there are no more attitude or behavior problems with our parrots.

Today I am speaking to you, yes you human, the machine to manufacture behavioral problems, which have so many expectations and which are always too eager to reach them. To you, humans who overreact for a yes or a no to a behavior of your bird, however natural at the base. To you, who subject the young parrot to an aberrant impregnation to humans, who interfere in its normal socialization process and who subsequently surprise you that it does not know how to behave well to the point of biting you because he did not learn to do otherwise; who really do everything and anything wrong with these birds. Are you that far … I’m not going to finish my sentence to be polite. You guessed it, this is a ticket mood. I’m damn angry!

My question… What makes you think that your actions will have no consequences?

That you have the right to do everything and its opposite in a single interaction with your parrot, to go from tenderness to black fury because Coco accidentally pinched you in the heat of the action or howled you in disarray? Are you so discerning when you hit a little beast that is only a fraction of your weight and height …? So, I’m going to tell you a secret … Parrots learn a thousand times more from what we do, from our actions than from what we try to instill in them. Coco turned into an attacker after you brutalized him? Whose fault is it? Who served as a model?

Do’
Obviously yes … Coco is not a brick!

Can you regain the confidence of your bird?
I would say yes too. However, depending on the outrage, the parrot will remain wary, it will no longer be the blind confidence of the first moments. In our human jargon, it looks like ‘he has forgiven, but he does not forget’. From now on he will scrutinize your interactions more carefully, he will be wary; let’s say he’ll think twice before surrendering. Innocence is broken. Let me explain…

29. Puberty of the parrot and its little miseries

So that’s it, your parrot has grown. He is now a teenager and it’s completely normal, you just have to accept it, we don’t have much choice… All we can do is support him in this transformation which fortunately doesn’t of the meal; it is only one phase of its maturation. Your role will be to help it get through and then find it on the other side, sexual maturity.

Arrived at the puberty stage, the young parrot tries to assert itself, this is also the reason why this period is called the assertion stage. The young parrot becomes more independent, seeks its own landmarks, moves away from its ‘ parents ‘ to live its own experiences.

We must let him go without trying to bully him ( as in: subjecting (qqn) to annoyance or annoyance continuously ) or to punish him ( which would be catastrophic at this stage of development). It is certain that he will no longer act like the nice baby you have always known. He is tall now and will have experiences, not always happy, at least, from your point of view. He will have an immense need for freedom to discover HIS world with his new teen eyes. Through its various misadventures, of course, it risks making you go crazy … you are only human! More than one of my clients has given up in the face of the invasive adolescent period of his parrot, but believe me, it should not be, it is only a passing, a period that will not last in time. If one is prepared for it, there is no reason for it to be the catastrophe announced.

There are two calm periods with parrots: the juvenile period and maturity. Between the two, there is the other, the period of puberty which is a must to return to a more serene period. Take this as a rite of passage before accessing the treasure, that is, perfect life in the company of a mature parrot.

30. Myths and conspiracies about parrots

In the wonderful world of parrots, you hear or read everything and its opposite. Generally, these are assertions that serve no other purpose than to justify our ignorance of these birds, whether it be their needs, their instincts or their ancestral way of life ( which, I remind you, has took millions of years to develop ); or even stuff our heads with nonsense to make us accept the unacceptable.

Adopting a parrot is often a childhood dream for many people and the acquisition of such a bird is often done on the spur of the moment. Most of the time, given the impulsiveness of the gesture, people leave with their small bundle of feathers under their arms without having the slightest idea of ​​the content of said precious package. So they seek advice from acquaintances, friends, breeders, pet store clerks, parrot clubs ( real or virtual)), etc. Unfortunately, in too many cases, the brand new adoptive parent of a parrot, blinded by his enthusiasm, does not take the time to question or assess the relevance of the information he receives. In the scramble of information, we must not forget that popular myths have in common simplistic, accommodating beings transmitted by people who simply do not know enough to be able to discern the quality of information that they lavish. You have no choice but to be responsible for the information to which you agree to give credit. Most people who live with a parrot can only advise from their own experience. Their parrot certainly has an experience, a personality, an environment, socialization or even genetics that are very different from those of your parrot. The temperament of your seven-month African gray has nothing in common with that of your boyfriend’s five-year-old Amazon.

Take the time to verify that the person trying to instill THE way you act with your parrot can follow through on their thoughts. Can it clearly explain to you WHY you should do this or that? Will his advice help your parrot to adapt or is it just a quick trick to make the bird react ( quick fix )? And ask yourself the question … Does this answer seem complete, sensible, coherent, logical? If you doubt, if you answer no to only one of these statements, do not blindly follow the advice …