"Biting the Hands that Feeds You - Part 1 "By Gary Colvin

One of the most disheartening things to happen, is when your pet parrot bites someone, or even worse, if it bites you. The main problem is that as humans, we look upon this act, by our bird as so unexpected and we also tend take it so personally, and this is where the main problem lies.
    Sadly, a parrot that bites is less likely to be handled, less likely to be able to come out of his cage for exercise and enrichment, and more likely to be let loose or taken to a refuge, where if it is aggressive, will have little chance of being re-homed. Considering the life span of some of the parrots especially the larger ones such as cockatoos and macaws, a lifetime in a cage with very little physical interaction, is a very sad existence indeed.
Before a parrot finally bites us, there has been a lot of communication given, in the form of body language, posturing and sometimes vocalization, but as humans we either miss it, or do not know how to interpret these signs, which can sometimes be very subtle. Flattening of feathers, lowering of the head, pinning of the eyes, can sometimes be so fast, that we clumsy humans can easily miss a lot of important language, given by the parrot as warnings.                                  

Sometimes the aggression can be caused by us trying to force the parrot to do something it does not wish to do, but as owners we think the parrot should do, just because we want it to. Sometimes we have to learn that it isn’t all about us and try and show some understanding and see life through our parrot’s eyes.

   Aggression can come in many forms from just vocalization and body posturing, right up to striking, or even biting, to the point of causing bleeding. There are many bases of aggressive behaviours such as territorial or control, fear or anxiety, sexual and resource guarding, redirected or displaced, which can be caused by pure frustration, as well as many other forms of aggressive behaviour.
  We have to realize, just like all other behaviours, aggression is context specific, and to be understood, has to be looked at in the entire situation of what, who, where, when, to try and see a possible why it occurred.     When trying to deal with aggression in our parrots we have to first get rid of some of the old myths, which I believe have seriously hampered us in dealing with our parrot’s behaviour.
    Firstly, the old myth of it is natural for a parrot to bite and being bitten is all part of owning a parrot, should be thrown out straight away. We do not accept biting in any other companion animal, yet for some reason, a lot of owners will accept it from their parrot. I suppose a large dog could do a lot more damage, though I have heard of some pretty severe parrot bites, especially from cockatoos and macaws. Unlike our other pets, parrots do use their beaks as another foot, for climbing, holding on and just investigating, but they must learn that this must be done gently when holding us.

We only have to look at parrots living in the wild, to see that biting, especially to the point of bleeding, does not occur. Even over vital resources such as food, nesting sites and potential mates, there can be a lot of vocalization, posturing even in extreme cases leading to body slamming and striking, but very rarely, if at all, will you see two parrots biting to the point of drawing blood.
    If we are seeing biting as one of the more common behavioural problems in companion birds and not in the wild population, then we must start looking at the way in which we are keeping these highly intelligent and interactive animals and possibly why these problems are occurring. Enabling our companion birds to live and perform as many natural behaviours as possible, should help prevent some problems
       When dealing with any behavioural problem, such as aggression, we must try and look at situation holistically. There are a few obvious problems we should address such as, diet, sleep and rest, environmental enrichment, cage size and set up, wing clipping and various other topics which I have covered in other articles, but one of the most important things we often over look, is the restrictions of letting our birds make up their own minds how, when and why to do something. I firmly believe this taking away of any decision making and freedom, is at the root of many problems, including aggression. Don’t get me wrong, I do not believe that we can let our parrots have their own way and do whatever they like, whenever they choose to, as this would just cause bedlam and be unrealistic, not to mention dangerous for our parrots, and probably cause just as many problems. No, I believe through training, we can come to a very happy compromise, where we can manipulate situations so that our parrot chooses to do what we want him to, causing a win/win situation. By using these techniques, we can give the bird back control of his environment.
    Whenever we look at any behaviour, you must look at it simplistically and try and decide what is the motivation for the animal to perform this behaviour. It all gets back to …….What’s In It For Me? Positive Reinforcement is a powerful tool in training and is going on all the time. If a parrot does something, and receives a desired response, or reward, it is more likely that the parrot will perform this behaviour in the future.
     This can also be a problem when a parrot has been practicing aggressive behaviour for a long time and really honing his skills. After many times of a parrot doing all the right behaviours of signally and posturing his displeasure, and after many times of us seeming to ignore all of his warnings, sometimes the parrot decides to take short cuts. Basically, the parrot thinks why should I go through all the motions of trying to warn you and tell you stop, because it just doesn’t work, but biting does stop you. I will go straight to the bite each time I want you to stop, as I now know this is the quickest way to control the human’s behaviour. The parrot bites and we move away….Positive Reinforcement, it worked!
    Next, is the old myth about height dominance, or even the bird wanting to dominate us. You hear people constantly saying….”Never let a bird on your shoulder, as it puts the bird in a dominant position!”  or “Do not let your bird get on top of his cage as it makes the bird taller than you and puts him in a “dominant “position”.  If we look at these things sensibly, you can see there is no reason for a bird to try and “dominate” us, and I truly do not believe our parrots have any concept of this. Studies have shown that this theory does not apply in the wild, and so would have no function to a companion bird.
    I have a few rules that cure both the above problems and it has a lot more to do with, common sense, training and good manners than anything to do height dominance. Firstly, if a parrot bites, then why would you be silly enough to have it on your shoulder where it has very easy access to very delicate body parts that are very dear to me, e.g., my ears, eyes, nose and lips. My parrot earns the right to be on my shoulder by acting in a well mannered and appropriate manner, which does not include hurting me. If I am ever handling a parrot that is not mine, I would never dream of putting it on my shoulder, unless I knew that parrot exceptionally well.
    As far as being in higher positions than me, I will only let a parrot get in these positions, as long as I know that he will “ Step Up”, or “ Step Down” on command. Having a parrot in a position that is taller than you, just gives him an advantage of being able to avoid being reached easily, should he not want to follow your instructions. If a parrot is hard to reach and doesn’t want to come down, then it starts to become a very frustrating game, in which he has the advantage.
      If for some reason a parrot that is not well trained has got it self into a position where it is higher than you, do not get into a battle in trying to get it down. Go and get a chair, a ladder or some way that gives you easier access to this bird and if not well trained, use a stick to get him to Step Up. It is more about easy access, than a “dominating” position. An even better way, if you have the time, would be to ignore the unwanted behaviour and get some of the parrots favourite treats and lure him back down. These situations usually occur when a parrot has been out playing and it is now time to return to his cage. I personally make coming back down from playing, or going back into the cage, a special treat time, so that my parrots is looking forward to returning to his cage. Sometimes all it takes to avoid potential situations where aggression behaviours are occurring, is a bit of forward thinking, such allowing enough time to train and handle any situations well, rather than having to rush and reach confrontational situations.
   It can be easy to say and a little bit harder to put into practice, but if your parrot is biting or showing any forms of aggression the most effective way to start dealing with this problem is to apply the three “A’s”  Anticipate potential trigger situation. Be Aware of your parrot’s body language and what it may be trying to tell you, and finally, Avoid any potential situations where the parrot can either be intentionally, or unintentionally rewarded and reinforced for unwanted behaviours. Remember, the more a parrot performs a behaviour, the better it will become at it, be it a wanted or unwanted behaviour……practice makes perfect!
     In dealing with aggression, one of the hardest things to do is to try and address the problem unemotionally. Usually there is a lot of hurt, both physical, as well as emotionally, but retaliation or aggression back towards your bird, should never be considered in any way. It is non productive and can cause emotional, as well as physical damage. If you feel yourself not coping with the situation, either you or someone else should put your parrot away in his cage and remove yourself from the situation, till you are calm and relaxed again.
    Steve Martin explains about training with your parrots as being like a bank account. You should be constantly trying to make positive deposits, so that you can build up a healthy account/ relationship based on trust.  If you are making more withdrawals than you are making deposits, you may just find your account/ relationship bankrupt
    This is a huge subject and you really need far more detail to address behavioural problems such as aggression. You could write books on the subject and people already have. Each case of aggression needs to be addressed individually and made sure that all the right questions are asked and addressed and all the facts and situations are taken into consideration. The advice I have suggested is meant as a guide line only and a way to avoid and hopefully train to avoid potential dangerous situations. If you have a problem with aggression, you should always seek help from someone with experience in this field, or a Veterinary Behaviouralist.
     In the next article, I am going to explain simple training techniques to help build good manners and the best relationship with your parrot, which can assist in avoiding potential aggressive situation.
 
        

• Foraging Treat Boxes Hexagon chipboard foraging box can be filled with your choice of food.
• The honeycomb insert prevents the food from falling out. The bird must work through each individual compartment to continue finding additional food items.
• Two Sizes available Small contains 6 boxes, 2 leather strips and 1 connector. Large contains 5 boxes, 2 leather strips and 1 connector.

The PRC Parrot Shop currently has lots of toys on special, please look out for products that are marked in Red. Don't Miss out, there is limited stock available. Click here

Need advice and support to achieve your Companion Parrot behaviour, training and enrichment goals?

I would like to let PRC supporters know about three different workshop opportunities for companion parrot enthusiasts that have been scheduled for the new year - 2009!

The first event will be the `Step Up - Parrots & People Learning Together' workshop event that will be organised by the Parrot Society of Australia and will be held in Brisbane. It will feature Barbara Heidenreich from the USA who will be making her only visit to Australia in 2009 for this event. Barbara will be delivering a full day seminar on Saturday June 5th that will cover a huge scope and sequence of learning opportunities for novice and experienced parrot keepers, bird trainers, avian consultants and veterinary staff alike. To obtain a registration form please contact Parrot Society of Australia Inc Promoter Shane Hancock via events@parrotsociety.org.au or visit www.parrotsociety.org.au for further details!

The second event is a special workshop day that is being organised for Sydney companion parrot enthusiasts, titled `Set Up for Success'. It will be held on Saturday July 4th at Taronga Zoo and will be limited to just 20 participants. The scope of this workshop has been tailored by the organisers to cover a set of discussion and learning topics that are of most interest to companion parrot owners today. If you live in or around Sydney then this is not to be missed. Contact event organiser Kate Morris via iadoreparrots@yahoo.com.au

The final event will be the annual Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary Companion Parrot Workshop. This event is the most successful and longest running companion parrot workshop experience in Australia and will be offered on Saturday September 26th. It features a wonderful learning program filled with opportunities to deepen your understanding of creating the best possible environment for your companion parrot to succeed in!

More details and contact information for enthusiastic parrot owners to find out more and participate in these events can be found at http://www.pbec.com.au/calendar.html

I hope to see many of you there, supporting ongoing education for the companion parrot community of Australia

Kind Regards, Jim McKendry
Parrot Behaviour & Enrichment Consultations
http://www.pbec.com.au

Jim proudly supports the PRC by purchasing Parrot Toys and Accessories from the PRC Parrot Shop, Answering any of your FAQ and continually referring clients to the PRC Services and Programs. We greatly appreciate Jim's support. Please show your thanks by showing your support of Jim's initiatives.

For more information about Jim McKendry please visit:

www.pbec.com.au

The Parrot Rescue Centre spends a lot of time and resources in doing what is best for the parrots in its care by ensuring the birds are regularly vet checked, given fresh food, enrichment, clean aviaries and cages, providing natural habitats and by building larger enclosures.

The PRC is not a large organisation, it is privately owned and managed by Zarita, volunteers and Family. To help fund the PRC Zarita has created the PRC Parrot Shop, Bird Boarding services and the Sanctuary Program and also relies on the generosity of the public. The PRC does not receive any financial assistance from the government or other large organisations.

We need your help and support to continue to provide a high standard of care to the PRC parrots and also to continue to provide the Website, Newsletter and other services such as Sanctuary, Rescue, Rehabilitation, Adoption and Placement programs.

Thankyou for your kindness.

Yours truly,

Zarita Garozzo

Thankyou for your support.

Story of the month of May/June - TRUE LOVE by Darryn

My story begins like this, well three years ago me and my partner had two rainbow lorikeets, one male the other female. I was much closer to the female as I think they tend to bond better with the opposite sex in human form. Sadly after being with them for about three years our relationship broke up and I lost my two birds and  to be totally honest I was  more devastated losing those gorgeous birds than the relationship itself.

A few months went buy and I was still grieving the loss of my birds so I decided to go look in the pet shop and see if I how I felt about getting another bird. It always breaks my heart to go to these pet stores and see especially parrots in such small cages. As I looked around my eyes fixed on a cage with about four rainbow lorikeets in it. How could I choose, how could I leave the others behind, I really didn’t know what to do. I slowly approached the cage and one of them in particular kept hanging on the front of the cage chirping at me. I went closer putting my face very close to the cage and this bird was trying to lick my face, I started to give him kisses and he loved it. I think he chose me.

I went over to the counter and said I wanted him and could I pick him up in a week, yes no problems they said. I really couldn’t afford him to the end of the week but hated leaving him behind. Well every day in my lunch break I came to visit and couldn’t wait to the end of the week to get him home.

The first few days I had him in a cage next to my bed until he got used of me and the house then moved him to a much larger room at the other end of my home. I set him up so he could go outside into a very big cage with plants and toys and a water feature, this cage was attached to a sliding door and he could come through inside to his indoor cage whenever he wanted. It worked perfect and he was so happy. Our relationship was amazing, we played together , he came for drives with me also to the parks we were just best mates.

After having him for over two years I often wondered if I should get another bird for him. Yes I was great company for him but I couldn’t be with him as much as I wanted too.

At work one day I was telling one of the cleaning ladies I had a rainbow lorikeet, she said she did too. Well on hearing this I was asking all these questions about her bird. Well I was nearly in tears, she was saying it flew in her door one day and she keeps it in a small cage all day while she is at work, it never gets out and she was feeding it seed, I later found out it was screaming all the time and rarely had clean water. I just decided on the spot to ask her if she wanted it. She said I could have the bird and she could bring it to my house in a few days.

When she brought him over my bird(bubbie) was very curious but didn’t appear to like the idea of another bird around. The new bird(mr mr) seemed curious also but looked very scared and anxious.

I kept them separated for the first week , they had separate indoor and outdoor cages and after that week I removed one panel between the big cages so they could interact during the day still keeping a close eye on them.

As the months went buy they slowly started getting on a bit better. The new bird (mr mr) wanted to sleep with bubbie in his cage but bubbie hated it and he was relegated to a lower perch. As more time went by mr mr worked his way up on the same perch and they began sleeping side by side.

Then to my amazement bubbie produced a egg so my boy was actually a girl. She sat on the egg for over three weeks on the floor in the corner of the room but there was nothing in it and she eventually gave up and went back to sleeping in the cage.

We have recently moved house and they are now set up even better if possible than before. They look out onto a pool, they have a lovely big sunroom where they sleep at night and they can go outside from inside whenever they want into their big cages nestled into some beautiful greenery.

I have never seen these two so happy, they now sleep nearly wrapped around each other each night, they play all day with each other like little children and the sounds they make are all very happy sounds.

Even though my relationship with bubbie is very different now I would much rather see her in as normal a life as possible to how birds should be. I can still kiss and cuddle her and even mr mr through all his mistreatment is allowing me to be affectionate to him also.

Mr mr persevered with bubbie , he just tried so hard to win her over. It took him many months but he finally won and you now never see them apart. It could go down as one of the greatest love stories ever.

They are taken outside quite often and they love having the hose lightly sprayed on them, they come out and walk and play around the pool, and they always have good sleep and have a great routine.

No happier birds you will ever see or a greater love for each other

How to enter the monthly draw to win a PRC recommended parrot toy and have your birdies picture and story part of the PRC Newsletter.

· Fill out the Parrot Rescue Centre Membership Form
· Write a story about your feathered friends, whether emotional, funny or silly
· Send it to zarita@parrotrescuecentre.com
· Include a photo of your bird as an attachment on the email.

It’s that easy! We look forward to hearing your stories!

HOW OFTEN DO I NEED TO WORM MY PET BIRD OR TREAT IT FOR MITES AND LICE?

I often have pet bird owners asking me this question and I always say don’t treat anything unless it has been diagnosed by an avian veterinarian.  Pet birds aren’t like pet cats and dogs that need to be wormed every 3 months and consistently treated for fleas.  Cats and dogs need to be wormed and de-fleaed regularly because they are outside, mixing with other animals that could pass on parasite problems to them.  Whereas, your pet bird who doesn’t come into contact with wild birds or other birds with suspect health, is unlikely to pick up parasites.

Over-the-counter wormers are often outdated drugs that worms have become resistant to.  Some of them taste so bitter, that the bird resists drinking until the next day when the worming mixture is thrown out and replaced with fresh water.  When wormers are put into drinking water, it is impossible to give the bird a measured dose. The best way to check if your bird has worms is to get its faeces tested by your avian veterinarian.  If worms are diagnosed, the correct dose of wormer according to the bird’s weight, can be administered via a crop tube. If your bird has a heavy infestation of worms, simply using a wormer can be very dangerous.  Dead worms can cause blockages in the narrow intestines of your bird.  Often paraffin oil has to be crop tubed to help the dead worms pass from your bird’s gastro-intestinal system. Your veterinarian will also be able to give you advice on how to prevent re-infestation.

In the same vein, unless your bird has been diagnosed with lice or mites, don’t treat it with mite or lice spray.  Many pet bird owners don’t understand the need for their pet to groom and keep its feathers in good order.  They confuse the grooming process with an animal itching or scratching as a result of an irritation.  Consequently they unnecessarily spray the bird with insecticidal mite sprays.  Constant exposure to toxins in the form of mite and lice sprays can be fatal to your bird.  If your bird has mites or lice, you will be the first to know.  You will see them crawling amongst the bird’s feathers and they will also crawl over you.  Birds should only be sprayed for mites and lice once they have been diagnosed by a qualified avian veterinarian.

Most avian veterinarians see more pet birds with problems caused by over-the-counter parasite treatments than they see birds that actually have parasite infestations.  If you suspect that your bird has a parasite problem see your veterinarian for an accurate diagnosis and correct treatment.  There are many different types of mites and lice and intestinal parasites and many different types of drugs to treat these problems.  The important thing is to get an accurate diagnosis combined with the correct treatment and advice on prevention.  This will eliminate any problem and prevent the re-appearance of the pests.

Written by Peter Wilson
BVSc MACVSc
Avian and Reptile Practitioner

To contact Peter Wilson Click Here

This article will be published in Paws and Claws Journal

Leave your precious birds with understanding and knowledgeable parrot carers.

We provide quality care for your pet birds including clean housing, healthy diet, enrichment, interaction and training (extra fee).

Your bird will not have time to be bored or sad, so stress and frustration will be less likely.

All funds made from bird boarding are directly used by the Parrot Rescue Centre to help with caring and maintaining the sanctuary birds environment.

• Tested negative to Psittacosis
• Tested negative to PBFD
• Faeces Tested negative for worms and bacteria
• Examination suggests that the bird is clinically free of illness or infection and is considered in sound physical health by the examining veterinarian

For more information please contact:

Bella Garozzo

Ph: 07 5569 2840

Email: bella@parrotrescuecentre.com

This advertising section is for Businesses who directly support the PRC in some way, either through free or discounted magazine advertising, services and donations etc.

The PRC is very grateful for your support. THANKYOU

Thankyou to everyone that we have not listed below that continues to support the PRC.

Remove from Mailing List in the subject line, to zarita@parrotrescuecentre.com

You will be excluded from future mailings