From time to time someone who is thinking about getting a parrot asks me what my opinion is. Should I get a cockatoo? Or do you think an African grey? Wow. Those are two very different species. And if I don’t know you, I probably don’t have a very valid opinion. It’s all about your [...]
It’s been a regular avian grumpfest around here lately. The falcons are on an all-you-can-eat diet and the molting has commenced, meaning falcons who have no use for me and are nearly impossible to handle. The pigeons or making ostentatious and impossibly loud overtures to one another. Meanwhile, the parrots are touchy and feathers abound in the house. [...]
These are the five books I think should be on every parrot owner’s bookshelf. Click on the titles to read a lengthier review of the books. (and to add your own review if you agree or disagree!)
Parrots of the World by Joseph M. Forshaw
Everyone should have a book to pull off the shelf when they [...]
December 13, 2009 – 5:10 am
I had a dream the other night…a nightmare, really, that I couldn’t take it anymore.
The animals were too much. I decided that I had to give up my African grey, Ty and my Brittany spaniel, Booth. Worse. I was desperate. I wanted them out of my life immediately.
And so, I left the grey in a [...]
November 23, 2009 – 12:19 pm
I realize that you have already chosen a new BFF and I was never possibly going to be a contender anyway. But Girlfriend, you have GOT to call me. That parrot isn’t a plaything. I know you were smitten by Joey McFarland’s parrot, Smokey. And I understand that meeting an amazing grey parrot makes you [...]
October 11, 2009 – 5:00 am
I realize this isn’t Martha Stewart’s direct doing. A good CEO delegates, but delegates to people who are considered a direct extension of “the boss.” So I can still say, “Oh, Martha! What were you thinking??”
An article online on Martha Stewart Weddings suggests renting lovebirds for your wedding. Hmmn. On one hand it is better [...]
This is always my least favorite discussion when it comes to new parrots, mostly because I think we get carried away. People slip and hit their heads, killing themselves in bathtubs and on stairs, but we all still have bathtubs and most of us still use stairs. Accidents happen and being overly paranoid doesn’t always [...]
I frequently get asked how to find and vet behavior consultant. This is mostly because I recommend that part of a behavior modification program involve the consultant coming into your home to help you see what he or she is talking about. Unfortunately, people call me from all over the United States. I often don’t [...]
From “A Parrot For Life” here is a list and some thoughts on why you might NOT want to get a parrot.
1. I don’t have enough time for a dog.
Sorry, but my parrots take way more time than my dogs. The eat more than kibble, require more direct attention, are more difficult to manage and [...]
I have gotten so many great responses from this month’s issue of Bird Talk (May 2009) and my article How to be a Better Trainer with three important things to train your parrots. This is perhaps the seventh or so full length article I’ve written for the magazine, but mostly I figure no one reads [...]
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