Sarasota

You are not a bad person! Different homes have different needs for birds....BUT, don't ever let a groomer push you into something. There is a shop owner in Los Angeles that practically INSISTS all birds have clipped wings. She will rant and rave at customers about the dangers of unclipped birds - until the poor owner is practically bullied into having it done. Do it for you and the safety of your birds/children, etc. I don't clip wings - for many reasons. And I've actually stopped shopping at the store because of the owner's aggressive attitude.

You just never know. I encounter this with pigeon folk all the time. They claim they can tell male from female from behavior and head type. You really can't be sure without DNA or an egg popping out. Most guesses (even with the experts) runs about 50/50. The dimorphic species are so much easier!

She looks like she's adjusting very well. How darling!

Jeff, I heard a wolf whistle, step up and hi baby. A few of the phrases definitely have cadence so it sounds like she's going for something - but I can't make it out.

Nancy, you are a LUCKY woman! I have to provide rules, entertain, train, clean and feed all by myself. Yikes!

Burt is a 30+ year old wild caught TAG. He’s a very inquisitive, intelligent little guy. His one request of me is that I don’t touch him, and I’m cool with it. Even with that requirement, he’s a very interactive bird. Burt’s favorite training toy is the colored ring game. He will come down from his perch, on to my desk and wait for me to hand him colored rings to put on the posts. He’s a very motivated bird and willingly trains infinitely, or until I get too tired to keep up with him. One day I was working at my computer when I felt a little nudge on my arm…from the bird who shuns all physical contact. I was so taken aback – and excited – I quickly rewarded him with a sunflower seed and played the ring game with him. (The long time parrot owners are chuckling as they read this…with a knowing smile). The second nudge was more insistent, the subsequent nudges more bold - until, finally exasperated with me, Burt give me a little nip on the arm. “Come on, Mom! I want to play!!!” I tell this story because it’s an example of how simple it is to “train” a bird to bite us. Burt progressed from a nudge to a nip very quickly. One nudge got him a treat and attention….surely a bigger nudge would get the same reward? And when trying to extinguish the behavior, a bird can get very frustrated and make the behavior more exaggerated in order to get the same payoff. That cuddly creature with the exploratory beak is going to grow up one day and experience hormones. If he’s already been rewarded for beaking your hand, it’s going to be a hard habit to break – and that young beak gets A LOT stronger. Every bird is a unique individual. Most cockatoos LOVE loud vocalizations. Yelling at them when they scream – that’s a party, man! Whooooo! Everyone is vocalizing!! Spending time interacting with your bird will tell you what motivates it, what works and what doesn’t work. With Burt, I realized my mistake fairly quickly in time to redirect him to another behavior. The cuddly creature that turned hormonal and bites hands? That’s my other bird, Sondheim. And it’s my daily struggle to reduce the behavior. For me, what’s important is to take responsibility in creating the behavior and do my best to find a solution. I sincerely hope this post made you smile…or gave you pause to think about interactions with your own bird!! If you’re like me, your bird(s) take up a big part of your life…and your heart.

Yes, keep us posted! And - give it time. Sometimes it can take a few weeks (or more) before results are obvious. Also, since I don't think you mentioned it, does he bathe regularly? Regular baths can help with itchy skin. Some owners will also use aloe with the water, or a product like Harrison's Rain.

As Dave and Dan point out - I don't think this is intended to be a flight harness (notice there is no reference in the video to flight, or examples of flight). From what I can tell, it's designed for the bird to wear while on your shoulder, perch, etc. Parrots, like all flighted birds (leave out ostrich, penguins, emus) have hollow bones. However, the legs of flighted birds are the heaviest in the body - it sort of forms a center of gravity in flight, landing, etc. So, I see a few problems with this product: If the bird startles while wearing the tether, its center of gravity is thrown (the clasps have to add a certain weight to the bird), and it's likely to put the bird off balance. The bird could injure itself physically and, in some cases, mentally and emotionally. A bird makes a quick connection between see scary object, try to flee and crash to ground, don't allow things near legs in the future. It's a very simplistic scenario, but sometimes it's better to stay on the side of caution. The other issue is that it could be an aversive. We can only know that by examining your bird's behavior. I know some birds that might not mind it, and other birds that would do anything to avoid their legs being touched. The birds shown in his video are generally motionless. That could be (can't know for sure) because the tether is very inhibiting. Dan, I look forward to hearing about how it works. Video! Video!

Dave, you hit the nail on the head!! I've had my CAG since he was only a few months old. He's completely bonded to me....and let me tell you, it can be exhausting. Especially in the summer when displaced aggression runs high! I brought my TAG home in his late 20s. While we will never have the close contact relationship so many parrot owners desire, he's a fantastic bird. Cuddles and head scratches? No way.

There are many reasons why a bird mutilates its feathers - nutrition is one aspect. I feed it to both my greys and they love it. I would give it a try and see if it helps at all.

Hey! I'm a she!

This is one of those situations that we can offer practical advice on - but it's the emotional side that is so difficult. I live alone, so I don't have this issue, and when I had a roomie, it never came up. My simple suggestion is to find other ways to bond with your bird. If you are getting bit, hands off for now. Try a little target training to begin with. Find those *Super Special* treats and make sure your boyfriend never feeds these - only you. The bird will quickly associate you with the good stuff! It's so easy for me to say "don't take it personally," but I'm pretty sure I would as well.

It's a wonderful book! We'll have to agree to disagree on this one. But let me offer this: Wild parrot research shows they do not bite each other and draw blood. Biting is not natural for a parrot in the wild, and we shouldn't accept it as the norm as parrot owners. The bird is strongly sending a message of fear and/or discomfort. If we suggest to each other "take the hit!" we are asking for more biting. They are amazingly smart. They quickly learn that a bite makes you go away, put them down, return them to the cage, etc. so they bite again, and harder. There's a reason that positive punishment training is so popular - it's extremely rewarding for the trainer. Give it a try. Ask an unknown bird to step up on you by thrusting a stick at it, or your hand. Or work quietly for several sessions offering a favorite treat. It may be slow going, but that bird will come to trust and respect you. And then when it comes time when the fire alarm goes off and you have to grab it and shove it in a towel...the relationship won't be irreparably damaged.

I did not miss that part of the video. And at no point did I see "emergency training." If a raptor can be trained using positive reinforcement, there's absolutely no reason that a parrot cannot be treated with respect and dignity when learning to step up. Force and coercion are simply not necessary and creates further behavioral problems. Refer to Murray Sidman's "Coercion and its Fallout." http://www.amazon.com/Coercion-Its-Fallout-Revised-Edition/dp/1888830018 Any trainer suggesting that you "take the bite" should carefully review their training skills and ability. Sorry, it's just bad advice.

Looks like he's loving it!!

I'm awful. When I lived in NYC I would take my Pekingese on the A Train without a carrier. Hey, they were Pekes! And they got to be pretty well known too.

Excellent advice from thenabrd. First thing I would do (as mentioned above), is a complete vet check and, if you desire, microchipping. They can also take care of anything you don't was associated with you, like nail and/or beak trimming. Second, sit back and enjoy the bird. Don't change anything right now with food, etc. No forcing of training, no children try to pet it, no neighbors staring into the cage. Just let it take in the surroundings, you, the household, etc. It will be overwhelming for the bird. They are very sensitive, intelligent creatures. If she has been clipped her entire life, it will be awhile before she is capable of full flight. My TAG was clipped and/or kept in a tiny cage for 25+ years (from what I can gather from his history). Once I got him I let his flights grow out. It was still several months before he was strong enough for flight (and his landings are still pretty wonky). I actually had to "train him" how to fly by getting him to flap his wings on cue.

A few quick answers: Yes, you can have a DNA test done to determine the sex of your bird. If you post a picture, members might be able to give you an estimate of your bird (fully feathered? Eye color, etc.) Being in public can be very stressful for a bird. Check to see if his wings have been clipped, or he may be too young for full flight. He may get used to being sprayed with water, or try offering him a bowl of water for self bathing. Yes, nails can be trimmed. As it can be traumatic to bird and owner, you may want to investigate if there is a bird groomer in your area. These are basic answers to a few of your questions. Behavioral questions are more complicated without a complete picture of the bird, environment, health status, age, etc.

Oh Nancy! I am so very, very sorry. Does the vet think it is just his advanced age? Maybe it's something that could be treated? My heart goes out to you.

Wow! Great resource...thank you. And Rocky looks like he's having a ball!

Oh yeah! I love to kiss that little "flat spot" on the top of birds' heads. Delish!

Timnehs were originally considered a sub-species of Congo. Recently, they were split according to genetic and other differences. They can interbreed, although hybrids are rare. I think the hybrids are sterile (like a mule). Anyone?

Now that is a cute bird!!! I think he probably enjoys the way the sound reverberates in the shower stall.

Love this thread. And it brings to mind what the great George Schaller said about animal behavior...that to truly understand what an animal is doing, we need thousand hour eyeballs.