timotian

How to Befriend an African Grey Respect the needs and pesonal space of the bird.. Greys have been described as "arch-conservatives," which means they are skeptical of change. If you're someone new in the bird's life, he'll be checking you out for a while before he decides if you're part of the flock or a potential danger. Be sure to give the Grey space during this period. Never stick your hand in his cage. Sit near him, but be busy doing something else until he gets used to your presence. Converse from a distance. Don't put your face up to his cage by any means, but talk to him from a safe distance. Two to three feet away is probably good for most. Start talking in a friendly tone on a consistent basis.They respond well to flattery and praise. Tell him he's "good" and "pretty," which are words he probably understands. Use any other words he knows, and keep your voice calm and positive. Reward, or bribe if you will, your bird. There will be some treat that the bird adores; peanuts and grapes are often favorites, but you might have to try a few safe food items (any unprocessed fruit or vegetable except spinach and avocado) to discover what he loves. If he's been on an all-seed diet, those fruit-flavored parrot pellets might seem like a treat. Give him one tiny piece of treat after each time you talk to him, so he associates you with good times. If he won't take the treat from your fingers (through the cage bars), drop it into his food dish. Train your bird by positive reactions. If you can get the Grey to react to you in any positive way, you're on the way to a beautiful friendship. He might begin to say a certain word whenever you're nearby; say that word back to him. If he bobs up and down in a "dancing" motion, do a little dance with him, all the while praising him extravagantly. Greys love attention even more than treats, so you will win him over if you can teach him to do anything. Start with something he already wants to do, and be sure to reward him with a tiny bit of treat whenever he responds correctly. Pet your bird when he starts to trust you. Have someone that the bird trusts already pet him while you speak to him if this is possible. Eventually, he will let you do it on your own. www.ehow.com

How to Teach an African Grey Tricks The first step in teaching your African Grey new tricks is to determine what the bird’s favorite treat is. It could be a favorite food item, or a favorite toy. If you know what your bird’s favorite food is, then have a handful handy. If you’re not sure, then watch when you feed your bird to see what the first item is it picks from its food. This is a good indicator of what it likes best. Positive reinforcement is vital with your African Grey, and giving your bird a treat when it properly performs a command is the best way to encourage the bird to do it again. Move onto simple tricks first. When your bird is eating well and old enough to be handled, one of the most vital things to teach it is to accept handling and petting. Keep your treats handy, and gently touch your bird. As long as the bird stays comfortable and relaxed, stop petting it and offer it a treat. Repeat this, handling the bird for longer and longer periods, giving a treat each time it stays calm. If the bird gets angry or irritated, stop and do not fuss over the bird. Fussing or punishment reinforces the bird for it’s bad behavior, and it will not be able to tell the difference. Only treat the bird when it does well. When the bird is comfortable being handled, it’s time to move onto more complex tricks. “Step Up” is an invaluable command with your bird. It teaches them to step onto your hand, or a perch if necessary. Allow the bird to come out of the cage on its own. Place your hand or finger close to the bird, and repeat the command “Step Up” every few seconds, until the bird moves toward you. As soon as the bird makes a move in the right direction, reward it and say “Good Bird” or whatever word you choose to show the bird it was right. Now you can repeat the command, only rewarding your bird if it comes in contact with your hand. Continue with the treats and “Good Bird” until the bird learns that “Step Up” means every time it steps into your hand, perch or other location comfortably and calmly. Talking is something that most African Greys will do during their lifetime. Words that are said repeatedly are most often the ones learned quickest, and you can use this to your advantage in training your bird. For example, if you say the word “food” every time you put new food in the bird’s cage, it will associate you feeding them with the word “food.” You might also notice that your bird associates certain sounds with words. Your bird might say “Hello!” every time that the phone rings, since you say “Hello” when you answer it. You can also teach your bird other words with that same repetition idea. Keep your treats handy, and say the word of your choice to your bird. It will take time, but eventually repeating a certain word again and again to your African Grey will result in the bird speaking it. Once the bird makes the effort to say the correct word, reward it and praise the bird. You can teach your bird any number of tricks with the same request and praise idea. If you want your bird to Wave, start by touching the bird’s foot with a small dowel or blunt pencil. When the bird picks up it’s foot, give the command “Wave” and praise the bird. Eventually your bird will start waving in response to the command. African Greys are extremely smart birds, and can be taught hundreds of commands, with simple praise and a good deal of patience www.ehow.com

How to Identify a Wild African Grey Parrot Understanding that there are different types/species of Wild African grey parrot's is the first key to identifying one when you see it. The first species is called the Congo, which is typically considered extremely intelligent but temperamental. The second species of wild African grey parrot is a little smaller and more laid back and is called Timneh. Commonly found in the Congo, Wild African grey parrots can also be found in western and central Africa. Some wild African grey parrots have also been reported in the western edges of eastern Africa. Look not to the skies, but rather the tree trunks when you are searching for wild African grey parrots. Unlike many birds, most wild African grey parrots seem to be more comfortable climbing than flying, even though they are more then capable of flying. It is not unusual to spend an entire day observing a group of wild African grey parrots and never see them take flight if they're not approached by a predator. If you plan on raising your own African grey parrot, you should plan on providing him with plenty of items that he can climb and chew. Take note of the bird's coloring. Wild African grey parrots have a body that is completely covered in grey feathers. The back and wing feathers are the color of steel, while the wild African grey’s belly feathers are an interesting mix of lighter and darker grey feathers that make the parrot appear to have a brindled breast. Look at the bird's beak. Wild African grey parrots have dark beaks. Look past the parrot's beak at the parrot's face. You will notice that the face of the wild African grey parrots are white, and circles surround both of the parrot’s eyes. Observe the color of the wild African grey parrot’s tail . The color depends on what species of Africa grey it is. The Congo’s tail feathers are bright red, while the Timneh’s tail is a mix of maroon and brown. www.ehow.com<br><br>Post edited by: timotian, at: 2009/05/20 08:31

How to Choose a Cage for an African Grey Parrot Choose a cage that is large enough to allow your African Grey room to move about and play. The cage should be at least 36 inches wide and 24 inches deep. The height of the cage is not as important, but it should be tall enough to allow plenty of space between the top of the bird's head and the top of the cage. Most cages designed for parrots of this size are at least 36 inches tall. Measure the spacing between the bars. One inch spacing is appropriate for Congo Greys, and 3/4 inch for Timneh Greys. Wider spacing can cause injury, since the bird may get his head trapped between the bars. Spacing of 1/2 inch or less, while not dangerous, will make it much more difficult for the bird to climb on the bars. Take a close look at the cage's construction. African Grey parrots have unusually powerful beaks for their size, and can bend and break the bars if they are not very sturdy. Stainless steel is nearly indestructible and easy to clean, but can be very expensive. Powder-coated cages are an excellent choice, as long as the bars are not too thin. Look for a cage with 10- to 14-gauge bars. Look for a cage that has a square or rectangular shape for easier cleaning. If the cage has a grate, make sure it slides out easily. Since cages for African Greys tend to be quite large, one that collapses or can be easily disassembled will make clean-up easier. Whenever possible, choose a cage that includes a stand with wheels. Large cages can be quite heavy and difficult to move without these features. The top of the cage should be at about eye level, or slightly higher, while it is on the stand. Check the latches on the cage, including those on any feeding or nest box doors. African Greys are notorious for escaping, so the latches must be only accessible from the outside of the cage. Feeding and nest box doors often do not close securely, so padlocks may be necessary to prevent unsupervised excursions. www.ehow.com<br><br>Post edited by: timotian, at: 2009/05/20 08:30

I believe greyforums is our family. welcome to your family. and really zico is perfect grey. I love it.

welcome to your home Ashlen. I am pleased to meet you.

I am really pleased

I am deeply grateful<br><br>Post edited by: timotian, at: 2009/05/17 21:43

The Most Common Behavior Problems Biting and excessive screaming are the most prevalent complaints the lay behaviorists hear of especially in the springso this article will address each of these issues in depth. Biting Oddly enough, the term biting first needs to be clarified. Contrary to the belief of some inexperienced caretakers, biting does not include a human just being touched by a bird's beak. A good rule of thumb for estimating the true severity of a bite is encompassed by questions such as, "Did you bleed?" A real bite is characterized by either bleeding or bruising, and "nipping" would be defined as pinching, sometimes with minor bleeding or bruising. Biting Isn't "Natural" ?? It is important to understand that wild parrots rarely seem to use their beaks as weapons against other flock members. If necessary, the beak is used as a defense against predation, but not against other members of their own flock. In their natural environments, competition and/or conflict between parrots rarely appears to escalate to physical violence-instead, they vocalize or use body language by strutting, posturing, and fluffing feathers to make themselves look bigger. (This appears to be the psittacine equivalent to the popular street phrase, "Yo' mama.") Consequently, beaks are used for climbing, eating, playing and preening... not for fighting. In a dangerous situation, flight is the first choice of prey animals such as parrots-not warfare. However, for the captive parrot, flight is curtailed by either wing clipping or caging; therefore, biting becomes the primary solution if a bird finds itself in close proximity with something it perceives as a threat. This means that biting may not be an instinctive flock behavior, so biting behaviors are not, in my experience, difficult problems to resolve. Biting is probably an example of what ethologists call a displacement behavior. Natural behaviors designed for survival in the rain forest are not generally possible in the average living room, so others take their place and these are displacement behaviors. These improvised responses are not all negative, incidentally. A positive example of displacement behavior would be a parrot's ability to bond to a human in the absence of other psittacids, and to accept the humans it lives with as members of its flock. Why Is The Bird Biting? The first question to ask when dealing with a biting parrot is why- under what circumstance is this happening? Generally speaking, birds bite for one of two reasons: survival or control. The category of "survival" would include a bird biting when it is terrified (i.e., when a smoke detector goes off and a shouldered parrot freaks out and bites off a chunk of a person's ear) or when it is hurt. (Vet hospital personnel have learned from experience that the old saying that "Animals can sense if you're trying to help them" is not a truism.) Other behaviors that would fall under the category of survival would include hormonal behavior, cage territoriality, and veterinary appointments. Under the category of control would include, for example, biting the owner's significant other, or biting the owner to keep them away from their significant other. Survival and control will be discussed in greater detail in subsequent paragraphs. Hormonal Behavior Hormonal behavior is related to reproduction, so aggressive behavior during nesting season is logically categorized under survival. An increase in aggression is common with many life forms when hormone levels are raging- human teenagers being a good example. However, if controls are established before puberty's onset, the frequency and severity of aggressive incidents are greatly reduced. A parrot in a dominant position will give orders and expect them to be followed, often enforcing its wishes with violence. Conversely, parrots in a submissive position within the human flock will look to the dominant flock members for direction, thereby decreasing aggressive incidents. Learning a bird's body language will go a long way toward preventing problems during this time and the advice is simple: when a parrot is in full sexual display, the owner should not reach for it. Instead, it should be left alone until it settles down. Hormonal behavior is one of many reasons why experienced lay behaviorists strongly recommend parrot caretakers perch train their birds, in addition to hand training them. This eliminates the handling dangers if a bird becomes seasonally aggressive. As an aside, despite common opinion, increased aggression is not always the hallmark of hormonal behavior. Indeed, some parrots become incredibly affectionate during this period, soliciting physical attention much more than at any other time of year. Survival Situations - The Veterinary Hospital A prime survival situation, as far as a parrot is concerned, is encountered in the office of the avian veterinarian. Many practitioners are extremely short on time, so they may neglect to properly introduce themselves to the psittacine patient. This negative situation is exacerbated by the veterinarian or veterinary technician swooping down from behind with a towel, to capture the unwary parrot. As an avian technician who used to train veterinary students, I admit to personal guilt in this area, since I taught countless vets and veterinary students how to capture in exactly this manner. Indeed, with imported or untamed parrots, this is still the capture technique of choice to protect both the bird and the handler. However, a majority of the parrots currently seen in the US are domestically raised and do not perceive humans as predators. Hence, the Harpy Eagle Catch8 is not only unnecessary, it is detrimental. I have found that the stress of handling and restraint is greatly assuaged by what I call the Frontal Towel Approach.9 This technique is not only friendlier, it is also more realistic. Prey animals like parrots have their eyes on the sides of their heads, so their peripheral vision warns them of a forthcoming predatory attack; therefore, the Harpy Eagle Catch serves only to throw a parrot into a full fight or flight response as it is captured in the towel. Once this physical response is initiated, the resulting adrenaline rush causes the bird to fight the restraint frantically. An autonomic nervous system response is not a process that is easily shut down like a light switch. The Frontal Towel Approach In contrast, the Frontal Towel Approach does not elicit this kind of response. When placing a parrot under restraint, I do the following. Talking quietly, I step the parrot onto my hand and pin the feet, while smiling in a friendly and relaxed manner. While talking to the bird (not the owner), I catch one corner of the towel in the fingers of the hand on which the parrot is sitting, and wrap the towel around the parrot while it sits on my hand. Then, I gently put the bird under restraint. Even parrots that are terrified of towels can be captured in this manner. These birds generally flip backwards as the towel approaches, but since their feet are pinned, they cannot escape. The towel is then wrapped around the upside down bird, it is lowered to the table or floor, and restraint is commenced as usual. Consequently, a full autonomic response has not been initiated, and the bird settles down very quickly. This capture technique can easily be done by the owner, who then hands the towel-wrapped parrot to the veterinarian or technician. If the veterinarian is not comfortable having the owner do this, then the veterinarian or technician can accomplish this in the same friendly, non-aggressive manner. It is absolutely unnecessary, in my opinion, for a tame parrot to be grabbed from behind or by first turning off the exam room lights. I have been using this frontal approach for over a decade, and have not yet been bitten using this technique - and thanks to this method, most birds seem dramatically less stressed by restraint. How To Turn A Nice Parrot Into A Biter If biting in parrots is a displacement, not an instinctive behavior, it is logical to assume that the behavior must be rewarded in some way or it would not continue. In other words, if it did not accomplish something positive in the parrot's experience, then the parrot would not continue to do it. It is vital to understand that companion parrots are actually rewarded for biting - by humans who simply do not understand how differently parrots can perceive things. The following are classic examples. "The Teething Stage:" Young parrots often have no idea what their beaks can do, especially if they were raised isolated from other baby parrots. During "The Teething Stage," the baby parrot is learning to eat and explore with its beak, and an unfortunate scenario is often acted out. The youngster, in the process of investigating with its beak, encounters those fascinating things called fingers. If the human makes the mistake of using these extremities as toys in the baby's mouth, sooner or later the baby will bite down harder than the owner of the fingers might like. If the human responds to this accidental nip by yelling (as in, "Ow, NO BITE!!!"), then they have inadvertently taken the first step towards actually teaching their baby parrot to bite. Contrary to human beliefs, parrots often enjoy it when humans shout at them. Parrots frequently scream simply for the fun of it so it is a fallacy to think they perceive that yelling is a reprimand. On the contrary, they may interpret it as positive feedback, since it is a drama reward.10 The groundwork has now been laid for the parrot (baby or adult) to bite again, because the behavior was inadvertently rewarded. The Indecisive Pick Up: This scenario usually occurs when inexperienced caretakers are not clear in their signals to their parrots. For example, when offering a hand for the bird to step on, novice caretakers often aren't quite sure of themselves so their hand motion is uncertain. A young parrot is generally eager to climb on, but like a workman unsure of the stability of a ladder, it will reach with its mouth to steady the human perch, using its beak as a hand. Humans who are afraid of the beak, then pull their hands away. Confused but still eager for interaction, the baby will probably grab the hand with its beak the next time it is offered. Once again, the bird has now taken the first step in learning to bite a human for control. Fear = Lost Control: When people pull away when parrots reach with their beaks, the birds begin to learn the use of lunging and biting as an effective technique with which to control the humans, and the birds will remain in control for as long as the humans remain afraid. Parrots can sense when someone is frightened and will take advantage of the situation every time. If people cannot get over their fear response, then they will probably never gain control of their parrots. Bad Advice: There is a lot of outdated and incorrect advice being given about biting parrots. People are often told to grab the bird's beak and shake it and yell NO!! This doesn't work because ornithologists have now realized that grabbing a parrot's beak (what experts call "Beak Wrestling"), is considered to be play behavior between parrots. So once again, in the human effort to give negative feed-back to parrots, they have only succeeded in rewarding them. It also doesn't usually work to punish by putting a parrot in its cage. By the time the door is closed, it has probably completely forgotten the connection between biting someone and being locked up. Obviously, the bird can't bite anyone again because it has been removed from human proximity, but it hasn't learned anything about not biting. In addition, since parrots often spend prolonged periods in their cages while caretakers work, it is not logical to use the cage as punishment. Effective Response In actuality, it is quite simple to discourage a parrot from biting. If the owner has already established a relationship of nurturing guidance with their bird, then the bird already perceives the person as higher in rank and it is already trained to step onto a hand when told "up". To reprimand the bird, the owner needs to do the following things immediately. First, the owner should show displeasure by giving the bird an extremely dirty look. Parrots are extremely empathic creatures who watch facial expressions closely. A parrot will understand the owner's displeasure if the owner frowns sufficiently. Simultaneously, the owner should step the bird from one hand to the other several times while saying Up in a very firm and negative but not loud voice. This is a non-abusive technique to give the parrot negative feedback because parrots really understand this as a reprimand. This technique is called "Laddering" and it is an exercise in controlreminding the bird that it does not have sufficient rank in the flock for that kind of behavior to be tolerated. If the owner is firm and consistent, reminding the psittacid of this will put it back under control. Without the positive feedback that it inadvertently received before, and through the judicious use of the laddering exercise, the biting should be curtailed. For this reprimand to be most effective, it must be done the second the bird bites. The owner should not take the bird into a neutral room to perform this exercise - the time lag will negate the effectiveness, since the bird will probably not make the proper association. Under NO circumstances should the owner show any aggression at all, since aggression begets aggression and facilitates a lack of trust. When dealing with a youngster in the Teething Stage, it is also quite simple. When a baby bites too hard, the owner should say No in a firm but quiet voice and give the baby a dirty look. The young parrot will understand that the human is unhappy and will try very hard not to do it again. When humans are interacting with baby parrots, it is also often useful to have a favorite small toy within reach. If the bird starts getting too excited and overly rough, the owner can introduce the toy as a distraction, thereby preventing a bite. The human should also immediately lower the parrot's excitement level by slowing and quieting the activity. Excessive Screaming Excessive screaming is a more complex problem and not as easily resolved. Parrots are not by nature quiet animals, as attested by those who have observed them in the wild. Nature has equipped them with prodigious voices, and they seem biologically driven to use them. "Normal" sound levels vary with species. Cockatoos are known to sound off with an ear-splitting racket twice daily, dawn and dusk, whereas the macaws seem more inclined to vocalize (loudly) off and on throughout the day. Some species are reputed to be "quiet," but this is completely relative. To be considered quiet in the parrot world, a species need only be quieter than the avian species that are considered to be noisy, which would be like saying a terrier is quieter than a beagle. As the saying goes, If you want a quiet pet, get a reptile.11 However, screaming non-stop for hours at a time would obviously be considered excessive. Any individual who repeatedly engages in the same behavior over and over can be said to be obsessive. Incidentally, the time of year can also be an important factor with excessive noise. The moment the days start to lengthen, many parrots respond by starting to scream much more than is "normal." This is strictly seasonal behavior, and if not inadvertently rewarded by the caretakers, the birds will settle back down on their own after a few weeks. Time Limits and Problem Humans: The problem of unreasonable noise is often exacerbated by a limited time frame, since many people do not seek help until an ultimatum has been set by family members, neighbors, landlords or even the local police. It takes time to create behavior problems and it takes time to change them. Consequently, these issues are not fixed overnight, which is of course what the caretakers need. However, the judicious use of ear plugs can often prevent the dilemma from worsening while the caretakers are trying to improve the situation. Often, angry neighbors are mollified when they hear the caretakers are actively working on resolving the problem. From my experience, the primary obstacle to improvement in parrot behavior is the impatience of the caretakers. Simply put, parrots who scream constantly are birds who have been rewarded for screaming. Giving birds what they want to silence them is easy to understand, since obsessive screamers can be a nightmare with which to live, and people reach a point where they will do almost anything to get the birds to stop. Consequently, they offer treats, let them out of their cages, etc., thereby rewarding the behavior. It is also no mystery why so many screaming parrots end up abused. To change an unwanted behavior, the caretaker must be clear, consistent, and above all, patient. The caretaker must also change his/her behaviors that created or exacerbated the bird's behavior. If there are multiple humans in the household, there must be a group effort whereby all members have to be consistent in their approach to the bird. With biting problems, one member of the household refusing to work with the bird does not impact the rest. Regrettably, this isn't the case with the excessive screamer, because one person rewarding the bird for inordinate noise will undo any progress the others might make. Step By Step: Dealing with screamers requires a step by step approach. As with all "behavior problems," a medical work-up should be done first, to make certain there is not a physical reason for the racket. Other fundamentals need to be reviewed, such as proper diet (meaning not what the caretakers feed, but what the bird actually consumes), hours of sleep, and cage placement. The normal noise level of the home must be reviewed as well. I remember one phone call from a woman complaining bitterly about her noisy parrot - but the conversation was almost obliterated by the background noise of a blaring television, barking dogs, and shrieking children. Noisy environments beget noisy parrots. Redundant screamers are birds who are unable to amuse themselves in acceptable ways, so this problem can be perceived as a failure of independence. Consequently, the caretakers need find to lots and lots of acceptable activities for the parrots, such as chewing wood, beating up on wonderful toys, eating (and throwing) lots of interesting and delectable foods. The birds need to be encouraged to find other outlets for their energy. Caretakers who give their parrots frequent long, soaking showers and flapping exercise times often have substantially quieter birds. The next step would entail having the caretakers train their parrots as explained previously, thereby establishing themselves in a position of higher rank. Parrots respond best to those they perceive as being higher in rank. Keeping A Diary: It can be extremely useful to caretakers to see if there are patterns to obsessive screaming episodes, so all people living in the household should keep diaries for a couple of weeks. Whenever the bird has a screaming incident, they should note such things as: a. time of day b. day of the week c. phase of the moon d. mood of the people around the bird e. the bird's apparent mood f. what is happening at the time, and g. any other information that might have a bearing on the parrot's behavior. After 10-14 days of collecting information, the people get together and review the information, looking for patterns in the bird's excessive vocalizations. They should not to go over their notes or discuss the content prior to that time, so that artificial patterns are not created. If there are patterns to the screaming episodes, then they can change the pattern before the screaming starts, thus preventing the problem from even beginning. For example, most dominant birds scream when the caretakers have company. If so, caretakers can move the bird (in cage) to a quiet part of the house before the company arrives. Giving the bird a soaking shower prior to the move, then a new or different toy, lots of safe branches with bark for chewing, etc. will give the bird plenty to do in its isolation, and likely prevent the problem from beginning. Caretakers must stay ahead of this behavior, not wait until it begins. As an aside, getting complaining neighbors in this activity can be very positive, since they have now become a part of the problem resolution process. Rewarding Good Behaviors and Ignoring The Bad: Human flock members need to start rewarding their birds for sounds they like, and ignore the sounds they don't like. Consequently, if a bird talks, people should answer it. If it whistles, they should whistle back. If it screams while people are in the same room, they should give the bird a dirty look and turn their backs on it. This is an example of using the bird's own body language to express feelings, since this is what parrots do when they are not pleased with something. If the racket continues, they should give the parrot another dirty look and leave the room. The absolute worst thing the caretakers of a screamer can do is yell back, since that is a prime example of the drama reward. If the bird is screaming in another room, caretakers can do absolutely nothing. Any attempt at reprimand would be perceived as a reward, since the birds are getting the attention they crave. Instead, care-takers should wait until the birds stop squawking- even for a couple of seconds- before entering the room. They cannot enter the room while the birds are screaming without rewarding the behavior. If caretakers are consistent, their parrots will learn that screaming does the opposite that it used to do- but this will take time and people must be patient. As always, under NO circumstance are people to use punishment or aggression. Aggression and punishment can destroy any potential for a trusting relationship with parrots and it doesn't work, anyway. Again, there must be full cooperation from everyone in the environment. Birds will not change their behaviors if even one person is yelling at them and therefore reinforcing their noise with drama. So the process of rehabilitating screamers is not to 'unlearn' the behavior. Since the birds have been rewarded for their racket, they have learned that yelling is a successful activity. Instead, caretakers have to teach their birds that other behaviors are more successful. By replacing the screaming with new behaviors that become habits, the excessive squawking becomes extinguished.12 The Exceptions: Parrots appear to have an instinctive need to vocalize loudly when the human flock comes home, and this is not a behavior that can be eliminated. Instead, the human caretaker needs to respond to this call. Rather than ignoring the bird, the human should go directly to the bird and greet it. Ideally, the bird should be removed from its cage and physically acknowledged, then given a treat to eat and returned immediately to its cage. Caretakers can then go about their business, leaving the psittacid to munch at leisure. The other exception is one that can cause far-reaching ramifications if the caretaker mishandles the situation. Very young parrots can go through a stage that aviculturist-behaviorist Phoebe Linden calls "Lost in the Woods." Ms. Linden feels this happens around the time parrots fledge13, and these babies often act extremely anxious and vocalize excessively. Ms. Linden says: "A baby who feels 'lost in the woods' may call repetitively and plaintively, pace or weave back and forth as if they are going to jump from their perch, jump down from the perch, seem unsettled and nervous, and crave attention." 14 Ms. Linden feels a baby like this needs comfort and reassurance and caretakers should respond to the bird's crying. This stage should last less than a month, at which point the youngster should settle down again. Conclusion By establishing themselves in a position of higher rank through the patterning and constant use of simple commands, parrot caretakers place themselves in a position of authority with their companion birds, giving them clear guidelines for acceptable behaviors. Then as problem behaviors manifest, the people can use positive reinforcement to replace negative displacement behaviors with ones that are more acceptable in the human habitat. With a clear understanding of what parrots are and are not, caretakers can get a better grasp of what can be expected from their psittacids in terms of behavior. By not inadvertently rewarding unwanted conduct with confusion and drama, annoying behaviors need not become established. Clear controls, consistency, patience and non-aggression will prove to be successful when dealing with common unacceptable behaviors we see in companion parrots. This article was printed first in the proceedings for the annual conference of the Mid-Atlantic States Association of Avian Veterinarians, April, 1999. 1 Blanchard, S. "Problems With Parrots On Shoulders." The Pet Bird Report, Issue #25, 1995. 2 Athan, M.S. "The Importance Of Being Tall." Guide to a Well-behaved Parrot. Barrons, 1993, 64-66. 3 Davis, C. "New Techniques in Pet Avian Behavior Modification." Proceedings of Annual Conference, Association of Avian Veterinarians. 1989, pp. 183-189. 4 Wilson, L. "Behavior Problems in Adolescent Parrots: Guide to a Well-Adjusted Pet." Proceedings of Annual Conference, Association of Avian Veterinarians, 1995, pp. 415-418. 5 Harris, J. Behavior round table discussion, AAV Annual Conference, 1996. 6 Foush_, D. "Play Therapy." The Pet Bird Report, Issue # 23, pp. 30-32. 7 Doane, B. My Parrot, My Friend. Howell Book House, NY. 1994, pp. 110-155. 8 Blanchard, S. "Trust Building Towel Handling Techniques," The Pet Bird Report, Issue #14, pp. 36-37. 9 Wilson, L. "Phobic Psittacine Birds - An Increasing Phenomenon?" Proceedings of Annual Conference, Association of Avian Veterinarians, 1998, pp. 125-132. 10 Blanchard, S. "Games Parrots Play." Bird Talk, Nov. 1991, Vol. 9, No. 11. 11 Anonymous 12 Athan, M.S. Personal communications, 1999. 13 Fledging, the developmental stage prior to weaning, generally happens around 21/2-3 months of age for medium-sized birds [amazons, greys], and at 3-41/2 months for large macaws and cockatoos. 14 "Socializing Baby Parrots", The Pet Bird Report, Vol. 2, No. 6, pp. 12-15, 1992.<br><br>Post edited by: timotian, at: 2009/06/03 17:20

Vitamin D tightly regulates calcium metabolism in birds as in mammals; it decreases renal clearance and increases intestinal absorption of calcium. The metabolism of vitamin D is closely controlled by parathyroid hormone secreted from the parathyroid glands in response to low serum ionized calcium concentrations. Birds acquire vitamin D3 from a combination of endogenous synthesis and dietary supply. The natural synthesis of vitamin D3 begins with the conversion of cholesterol to 7-dehydrocholesterol by isomerization. This reaction occurs in the featherless epithelial cells of the bird’s skin and requires radiation in the 285-315nm wavelength (ultraviolet [uV]-B) spectrum. Poultry have been shown to have 30 times more provitamin D on the featherless skin of the legs compared with the back, indicating the importance of this area for vitamin D metabolism. Only small amounts of provitamin D were found in preen gland oils in the same study. Poultry do not have a dietary requirement for vitamin D if they are supplied with adequate UV-B radiation. If vitamin D3 is supplied in the diet, it can be absorbed with 60-70% efficiency in birds. Vitamin D can be toxic, causing soft fluorescent tubes tissue calcification and renal failure if fed to excess. Some species of psittacine birds, Harrison’s High such as macaws, seem more susceptible than others to clinical signs of vitamin D toxicosis. To prevent toxicity, dietary vitamin D is supplied as the inactive precursor, cholecalciferol, which requires metabolism by a two-stage hydroxylation to become biologically active. Failure to provide adequate light in the UV-B spectrum to poultry while feeding diets with low calcium or vitamin D3 content will lead to a breakdown in vitamin D metabolism and, subsequently, clinical signs of hypocalcemia. Rickets is a common abnormality in commercial poultry reared with inadequate calcium, vitamin D3 or light in the UV-B range. In commercial poultry flocks, the incidence of skeletal abnormalities is 1.72%. Hypocalcemic birds also show poor reproductive performance. In most situations with commercial poultry, there is a compromise between the amount of dietary vitamin D3 administered (on the basis of economy and toxicity) and UV light supplementation provided for adequate vitamin D metabolism. Hypocalcemia in captivity is a well-recognized syndrome in African grey parrots (Psittacus erithacus), although its etiology is still unconfirmed. Affected adult birds present clinically with a variety of neurological signs, ranging from slight ataxia to seizures, which respond to calcium or vitamin D3 therapy. In juvenile grey parrots, osteodystrophy is a common presenting clinical sign, Radiographs of affected birds will show curvature of the long bones. Histopathology of the parathyroid glands and bone from osteodystrophic juvenile grey parrots suggests a diagnosis of nutritional secondary hyperparathyroidism. Although hypocalcemia is reported in other psittacine birds, it appears to be most prevalent in African grey parrots. It is possible that the syndrome could be due to either primary hypoparathyroidism or hyperparathyroidism secondary to inadequate husbandry. Captive grey parrots are usually fed seed-based diets containing low levels of calcium and vitamin D3 with high levels of phosphorus. This would be expected to lead to a secondary nutritional hyperparathyroidism but does not explain why grey parrots are more susceptible to hypocalcemia than other captive parrot species. These birds are indigenous to West Africa and live in open forest with low shade where they are exposed to high levels of UV light. South American species live below a dense tree canopy, which reduces their exposure to UV-B radiation. In captivity, parrots are usually kept indoors with limited access to UV light. This might suggest that African grey parrots require more UV light supplementation than other psittacine birds and may explain the increased susceptibility of this breed to hypocalcemia. Initial studies have shown that the provision of adequate UV light might be important for behavioral responses and, in particular, mating rituals in companion psittacine birds. Over 68% of psittacine birds have UV-reflective and fluorescent plumage, the former of which has been shown to have a significant effect in the selection of a mate in budgerigars. Bulbs providing UV-B radiation have recently been marketed in aviculture circles to encourage improved breeding performance. However, the role of UV-B radiation in the control of vitamin D metabolism has not been researched in psittacine birds. The majority of captive reptiles require artificial lighting that emits radiation in the UV-B (315-285nm) spectrum. Failure to provide adequate lighting leads to inadequate calcium metabolism and subsequent metabolic bone disease, often with accompanying pathologic fractures. This condition may be difficult to treat, as the patient is often presented in an advanced clinical state, and animals usually succumb to secondary renal hyperparathyroidism. One might expect this to be the case as well in psittacine birds indigenous to countries with high UV light levels. However, artificial lighting has not traditionally been considered necessary for captive psittacine birds. Michael Stanford, BVSc, MRCVS<br><br>Post edited by: timotian, at: 2009/05/17 07:37

Top 10 Common Foods that Can Poison Your Bird Because birds are such social creatures, many owners allow their pets to be included at mealtime. While sharing food with your bird is a lot of fun - not to mention wonderful for your pet's emotional health - there are many common human foods that can be harmful or even fatal to your bird. Owners need to know which foods are fine for sharing, and which pose a serious risk. Read on to find out the top ten foods that are hazardous to your bird's health. 1. Chocolate Chocolate is a wonderful treat to share with human family members, but it can be harmful or fatal to your pet bird. Chocolate poisoning first affects a bird's digestive system, causing vomiting and diarrhea. As the condition progresses, the bird's central nervous system is affected, first causing seizures and eventually death. 2. Apple Seeds Believe it or not, apples - along with other members of the rose family including cherries, peaches, apricots, and pears - contain trace amounts of Cyanide within their seeds. While the fruit of the apple is fine for your bird, be aware that in addition to the poisonous seeds, there may be pesticides present on the fruit's skin. Be sure to thoroughly cleanse and core any apple pieces that you share with your bird to avoid exposure to these toxins. 3. Avocado The skin and pit of this popular fruit had been known to cause cardiac distress and eventual heart failure in pet bird species. Although there is some debate to the degree of toxicity of avocados, it is generally advised to adopt a "better safe than sorry" attitude toward them and keep guacomole and other avocado products as far away from pet birds as possible. 4. Onions While the use of limited amounts of onion or garlic powders as flavorings is generally regarded as acceptable, excessive consumption of onions causes vomiting, diarrhea, and a host of other digestive problems. It has been found that prolonged exposure can lead to a blood condition called hemolytic anemia, which is followed by respiratory distress and eventual death. 5. Alcohol Although responsible bird owners would never dream of offering their pet an alcoholic drink, there have been instances in which free roaming birds have attained alcohol poisoning through helping themselves to unattended cocktails. Alcohol depresses the organ systems of birds and can be fatal. Make sure that your bird stays safe by securing him in his cage whenever alcohol is served in your home. 6. Mushrooms Mushrooms are a type of fungus, and have been known to cause digestive upset in companion birds. Caps and stems of some varieties can induce liver failure. 7. Tomato Leaves Tomatoes, like potatoes and other nightshades, have a tasty fruit that is fine when used as a treat for your bird. The stems, vines, and leaves, however, are highly toxic to your pet. Make sure that any time you offer your bird a tomato treat it has been properly cleaned and sliced, with the green parts removed, so that your bird will avoid exposure to any toxins. 8. Salt While all living beings need regulated amounts of sodium in their systems, too much salt can lead to a host of health problems in birds, including excessive thirst, dehydration, kidney dysfunction, and death. Be sure to keep watch over the amount of salty foods your bird consumes. 9. Caffiene Caffinated beverages such as soda, coffee, and tea are popular among people - but allowing your bird to indulge in these drinks can be extremely hazardous. Caffeine causes cardiac malfunction in birds, and is associated with increased heartbeat, arrhythmia, hyperactivity, and cardiac arrest. Share a healthy drink of pure fruit or vegetable juice with your bird instead - this will satisfy both your bird's tastebuds and nutritional requirements. 10. Dried Beans Cooked beans are a favorite treat of many birds, but raw, dry bean mixes can be extremely harmful to your pet. Uncooked beans contain a poison called hemaglutin which is very toxic to birds. To avoid exposure, make sure to thoroughly cook any beans that www.persianpet.org

The following plants are considered non-poisonous. Any plant however, may cause an unexpected reaction especially in young children and pets. Acacia African violet Aloe vera Aluminum plant Angel's tears Arbutus Asparagus fern Aspidistra (Cast iron plant) Aster Australian Ivy Palm Baby’s tears Bachelor buttons Bamboo Begonia Birds nest fern Blood Leaf plant Boston fern Bougainvillea California Maidenhair Camellia Chickweed Chinese Fan Palm Christmas cactus Climbing Rose Coleus spp. Corn plant Cornflower Crab Cactus Creeping Charlie Creeping Fig Curly Palm Dagger Plant Dahlia Deer's Foot Fern Dogwood Donkey tail Dracaena Echeveria Edible Fig Emerald Fern Fig Fuchsia Gardenia Giant Yucca Grape ivy Hare's Foot Fern Hens-and-Chickens fern Hibiscus Honey Plant Hunter's Robe Ivy-leaf Pepper Jade plant Java Fig Kalanchoe Lady Palm Leather Fern Lipstick plant Magnolia Mango Marigold Monkey plant Mother-in-law's Tongue Nasturtium Norfolk island pine Olive Oriental Bamboo Parlor Palm Passionflower Peperomia Petunia Piggyback plant Prayer plant Purple passion Pygmy Date Palm Rose Rubber plant Schefflera Sensitive plant Spider Fern Spider plant Swedish ivy Sword Fern Thyme Tomato (fruit) Tree Fern Tropical Hibiscus Umbrella tree Wandering jew Wax plant Weeping fig (Ficus) Windmill Palm Yellow Bamboo Yucca Zebra plant www.wctropicalbird.com

The following plants can cause serious or life-threatening poisoning. Angel’s trumpet (Datura) Castor bean Death camas (Zigadetius) Foxglove Hellebore Jequirity bean Jimson weed (Thorn apple) Monkshood (Aconite) Mushrooms Oleander Poison hemlock Rosary pea Tobacco Water hemlock Yew The following plants contain a wide variety of poisons . If eaten in large quantities, some may cause more serious poisoning. This is not a complete list. Acorn Anemone Arrowhead vine Avocado ~ leaves Azaleas Baneberry Bittersweet Broom Buttercups Cactus (certain varieties) Caladium CaIIa lily Cherry laurel Crocus, Autumn Daffodil Daphne Delphinium Jack-in-the-Pulpit Jerusalem cherry Jessamine (Yellow jasmine) Devil's club Devil's ivy Dieffenbachia (Dumb cane) Elderberry Elephants ear (Caladium) English ivy Four o’clock Holly berries Horse chestnut Horsetail reed Hyacinth Hydrangea Iris (Flag) Ivy (Boston, English and others) Jonquil Laburnum Larkspur Laurels Lily-of-the-Valley Lobelia Lupine Mistletoe Morning glory -seeds Mother-in-Law plant (Caladium) Narcissus Nightshade (Woody, Black, Deadly) Oxalis spp. Peace lily Periwinkle Pieris japonica Philodendrons Poinsettia Poison ivy Poison oak Poppy Potato - sprouts, leaves Pothos Privet Ranunculus Rhododendron Rhubarb Skunk cabbage Stinging nettle Tomato - vines, leaves Waxberry Wisteria www.wctropicalbird.com<br><br>Post edited by: timotian, at: 2009/05/15 08:01

Haemochromatosis: Haemochromatosis is a condition in which excessive amounts of iron are deposited in the liver parenchyma. birds affected are commonly members of the toucan, toucanette, mynah and starling families. in the wild these species often live in iron poor soil areas, and their digestive systems are therefore adapted to absorb as much iron as possible. when presented with an iron rich diet, especially with high levels of vitamin C, which encourages iron absorption from the gut, too much iron is absorbed. this iron is then deposited in the liver, leading to liver damage and failure. clinical signs include ascites, dullness, dyspnoea(due to the ascites pressing on the air sacs), abdominal swelling and sudden death. diagnosis is based on breed predilection and clinical signs, but frequently requires a liver biopsy to assess iron levels. this can be a dangerous procedure, particularly if the bird has ascites. there is then a real danger of rupturing air sacs and drowning the bird. reference: www.persianpet.org

all right. thanks so much danmcq. I need to your admonition in this forum. I am persian and this is not extraordinary that I do not know all about birdtricks. excuse me for this mistake.

this text not for Confirmation or Confutation birdtricks. I am fully independent and Responsibility with birdtricks.

no jane, I dont work for everybody. I am fully Independent. this is only Quotation.<br><br>Post edited by: timotian, at: 2009/02/15 11:52

<br><br>Post edited by: timotian, at: 2009/03/13 11:49

yes this is result play with dogs.

I can not read arabic too. text is persian. please try using microsoft translator with persian to english;)

please accept my warmest thanks. i have 3 pets. "VICTOR" he is a black great dane and 1 year old. "TENA" she is a black doberman and 3 years old. "BOBO" he is a african grey parrot and 2 year old.he can speak alittle but not good yet.he can say "HELLO" but in persian and he can say "COME ON" in persian. there are my pets but I love all of animals specialy birds.specialy when I can help to them to countinue their life against diseases. I hope never any pet die because diseases. I am ADMIN in one forum in Iran that this forum about all pets that have petshop and great animals hospital. www.mypet.ir <br><br>Post edited by: timotian, at: 2009/02/13 11:23

Hi all I am happy that i can be one member of this forum. I am dr.moghadam (timotian) veterinarian and specialist in birds diseases and from persia (Iran). please accept me "one of your friends".