Hello Everyone!

Hope you are all well and ready for a Happy Christmas and New Year!

The year seems to have flown by!

Thank you again to everyone who has continued to support the PRC through our services and programs. We are so very grateful to you all.

I feel that if we can all live our lives in service to help make another life better whether that be human or animal then we have achieved one of life's great purposes, so thank you to all of you for helping me fulfill one of my purposes.

We have had lots of interest in our Adoption Program since the last newsletter, so thanks to all of the dedicated carers. It is our busiest time of year for surrenders, so please if you are interested in adoption do not hesitate to apply. To find out more about adoption please click here.

We have finally launched the New PRC Website, it is essentially the same site but with a new look! We do hope you all like it. Please let us know what you think or if you experience any difficulties with web pages etc.

We are proud to announce our new Web Designer who has been busy working on the new PRC site. Her name is Jane Bradshaw, please visit her website at www.tallgiraffe.com.au for more information on her services.

Hope you all have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Love and Peace to you all,

Zarita Garozzo

Dear Zarita,
I am hoping you can help me with my silly question. As you know I have an Alexandrine whom is 12 months old now. I buy toys and things for him regularly from the PRC Shop. I want to plant some indoor trees and plants in his play area of the house that he can chew and play on but I have no idea what plants or trees that are safe for him and that would grow inside.
Thanks ~ Jill.

Hi Jill, Zarita has forwarded your question to me for this edition of the PRC Newsletter.

Firstly, it’s great that you are so motivated in keeping up the enrichment for your Alexandrine – he’s a lucky bird! When it comes to suitable indoor plants for parrots, the options are fairly limited unfortunately. If you’re super keen on the idea then my advice would be to stick with palms such as Cascade, Golden Cane or perhaps, at least until it grows too big, an Alex Palm or Bangalow Palm. You could also use some of the Ficus species that grow well indoors or in mixed light conditions. Bamboos can work OK and the leaves are fun for parrots to systematically snip off. It might be possible to try some Lilly Pillies, but they don’t tend to do well without at least filtered light and would be best as a rotational plant with some outdoor time every few days. I can suggest all of those plants because I’ve tried them all with my own parrots. They’ve all been obliterated and I’ve never had a sick bird as a result – just a few with a very satisfied look on their faces after they’ve inflicted the carnage on a once proud and expensive plant :-) The problem with using some of these indoor plants, particularly the palms, is that they tend to attract pests. Palms make pretty good hideout areas for cockroaches, spiders, ants, and even mice. The other hazard would be access to the planting substrate. Parrots tend to want to get straight into the pot and excavate it. These days, most plants come potted with slow release chemical fertilizers and the potting mix itself may harbour a range of potentially hazardous microorganisms so be cautious. Realistically, keeping a parrot from getting its beak dirty and your floor clean can be a challenge that you might want to avoid. If you plan on your Alex being able to actually chew the plants then you will also need to consider the need to rotate the plants regularly to give them a `break’ from being hacked at by a parrot. No leaves = no photosynthesis = no food for the plant = plant dying ;-) In other words, it could become expensive and in reality, the cost/benefit ratio of using plants in this way as an enrichment idea for a parrot is probably questionable.

With the money you would be spending on replacing/restocking indoor plants, setting them up to be safe, vermin proofing etc etc – you would really be better off investing in having an outdoor enrichment and foraging enclosure built for your Alex. This way you can use freshly cut eucalypt and safe tree species branches that can be easily placed in PVC holders and keep all the mess outside instead of in your living room ;-). It also offers a much greater scope for foraging ideas, access to natural light, access to rain showers and access to the stimulation of other birds. Designed well, and with safety and ease of maintenance in mind, an outdoor foraging and enrichment enclosure would be a far better long-term option for your pet Alex than a few indoor plants ever could be.

Good luck – please let us know what you end up trying and perhaps we can share your ideas here in the PRC Newsletter!

Kind Regards, Jim McKendry
Parrot Behaviour & Enrichment Consultations
www.pbec.com.au | jim@pbec.com.au
Clinic Consultations available 3rd Saturday of every month at Brisbane Bird & Exotics Veterinary Service – see website or e-mail Jim for details!!!

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

Jim proudly supports the PRC by purchasing Parrot Toys and Accessories from the PRC 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

Parrots 2010 – Raising the Perch in Avicultural Education

I’m pleased to announce that the upcoming Parrots 2010 Convention planning is really shaping up and promises to deliver the most innovative program ever delivered in Australia. The event will be held in Brisbane from July 2nd to 4th in 2010 and will feature the most diverse range of speakers ever. Overall, 22 presentations will be offered over the course of the event, making it an incredibly comprehensive educational opportunity for delegates. There will be 7 dedicated presentations and workshops specifically designed for the companion parrot community as part of a special `Behaviour Training & Enrichment’ stream. The big news for companion parrot owners is that Steve Martin from Natural Encounters USA and Dr. Susan Friedman USA will be headlining our BTE stream. We are also looking forward to setting up a live parrot training demonstration as part of this program.

If you are serious about learning more about the behaviour and enrichment of parrots as pets then this event is an absolute must experience opportunity. It is also a wonderful networking event, with over 200 national and international delegates coming together for an absolute feast of parrot related learning. The atmosphere is warm and welcoming at the Parrots Conventions and the program caters for all levels of experience and all areas of interest – from avicultural breeding, to veterinary care, to conservation and pet bird training. If you would like to register your interest in being kept up to date on this event and to receive an opportunity to take advantage of an `early bird’ discount on registration then please e-mail the organising team at parrots2010@parrotsociety.org.au

Kind Regards, Jim McKendry
Parrot Behaviour & Enrichment Consultations
www.pbec.com.au | jim@pbec.com.au
Clinic Consultations available 3rd Saturday of every month at Brisbane Bird & Exotics Veterinary Service – see website or e-mail Jim for details!!!

MANY companion parrots never reach their possible life expectancy, mainly because of poor diet.
Lots of medical conditions that are presented at vets can be linked to poor nutrition caused by limited and wrong foods provided to pet birds.
Some behaviours are hot wired into the brain, but most parrots learn how to identify food from what their parents feed them and by watching others flock members during the weaning process.
When birds are hand-raised and wean­ed by humans what is provided in the selection and variety of food will help teach the youngsters what to accept and regard as food for the rest of their lives.
Anyone who has bought a bird that was weaned onto a seed-only diet will know how hard it is to try to correct and convert that bird onto a varied and nutritional diet.

It can be done, but it takes effort and a lot of owners find it difficult, especially when their birds refuse to eat new foods.
The length of time a bird has been on a seed diet and how ingrained that habit is will probably help to decide whether to try to change the diet dramatically, all at once or to gradually introduce the new foods, mixing old and new foods to together in varying amounts.
Ask your avian vet for advice when trying to decide what and how to feed when converting your bird from an all seed diet to a healthier one.

I was very lucky because my parrots came from a breeder who spent a lot of time weaning young birds onto a heal­thy and varied diet consisting of different fruit, vegetables, sprouts and nuts.
Just as in the human world a lot of the things that taste really delicious are not always the healthiest for us.
If given the chance our parrots love seed, especially sunflower, and will pick those seeds out to eat first.
Those seeds have more fat content per weight than Mars bars, so you can imagine what sort of damage a diet high in seed is doing to a parrot’s liver.
So when is a seed a good seed and what should we feed our parrots?
When trying to provide a well balanced and varied diet for my parrots I divide the food into different groups.
The first group, which is the largest, makes up about 40 per cent of their diet and consists of fruit, vegetables and sprouts.
I try to give my parrots as many different types of fruits and vegetables as possible, including peas, beans, carrots, corn, broccoli, leafy greens such as bok-choy, parsley, red, green and orange peppers, chillies, snow peas, ochra, beetroot, squash and\, pumpkin.
To those mixtures I add a variety of fruits such as grapes, paw paw, apple, passionfruit, pomegranate, melons, rambutans and lychees, banana, log­ans and different seasonal fruits that are available.
All of those things are presented in various ways to make my parrots forage for their food.
The next largest amount of food, approximately 40 per cent, consists of a high quality parrot pellet food which is a complete and well balanced food with all the nutrition they need.
 The remaining foods comprise plain pastas, brown rice and large variety of nuts, which are given sparingly, be­cause even though they are healthy and part of a macaw’s natural diet in the wild, they can still be high in fat.
In the wild macaws may fly many miles to feast on nuts, which means they burn off energy and fat, so my guys only ever get a few each day.

The only time I give my birds seed is when I am training them and I use sunflower seeds as one of their treats.
To the vegetables and fruit mixes de­scribed earlier I add what I feel is one of the most important things sprouts, which I prepare freshly myself and add to fruit and vegetables every day.
Those amazing live foods provide an abundance of natural vitamins, minerals, enzymes, trace elements and proteins, and they are bursting with anti­oxidants and chlorophyll.
Once seeds start to sprout the un­healthy high fat content is changed into protein, making them a must in healthy diet.
As a seed germinates it is in a maximum growth stage of the immature plant and all the stored food and enzymes needed for the growth of an entirely new plant are mobilised as the seed grows.
Protein, carbohydrates and fats are broken down so that simple sugars, amino acids and soluble compounds are freed up.
Spouts also supply essential minerals such as magnesium and calcium in chelated forms, which are far better for assimilation.
Sprouted seeds and legumes explode with goodness and very few other food sources offer so much fresh goodness.
Sprouts are really easy to start and you can buy bags of mixes already done or make up your own favourite mixes.
Sprouted seed mixtures can be fed to any size parrot and depending on the bird’s size some seeds and legumes commonly used are alfalfa, fennel, radish, clover, mustard, brown rice, wheat, oats, rye, millet, buckwheat flax, sesame, sunflower, pumpkin, pine, corn, mung beans, green or brown lentils, green peas and many bean varieties.
All you have to do is rinse several times to remove any debris, then clean, then soak for between six and 12 hours, depending on which seeds and legumes you are using.
Then rinse thoroughly and disinfect to prevent seed-souring or mould developing, then they are ready to be served.

You can store them in the fridge for several days while you use them and then have a new batch ready to go.
Even in the short time you have them stored you will see the sprouts growing, so you know that you are feeding your birds food that is truly alive.
Mixes of sprouts are definitely my birds’ favourite food and I see them picking through all the other fruits and vegetables to devour them first, which is great, because I know how healthy the sprouts are and how good they are when maintaining a healthy bird.
My parrots have been complemented by avian vets and parrot breeders on how healthy they are and what excellent feathering they have and I put that largely down to their diet, which includes sprouted mixtures.
When I started sprouting seed mixtures I used plastic containers and sieves and could not really see how special sprouters could make any difference.
About six months ago I decided to road test a sprouter, just to see if it made any difference.
I have found I get a far faster, higher sprouting rate and sprouts done in the sprouter stay fresher for longer, so I am now converted to using a sprouter to do all my sprouting.
If you haven’t made sprouts part of your and your bird’s diet I highly re­commend you should include these great-tasting, organic live bombs of goodness into their daily rations.
Once a bird gets a taste for sprouts you will see how much they love them and they are good for the bird’s health.
 If you are lazy like me make it easy and buy bags of mixed seeds and legumes ready to start sprouting from The Parrot Rescue Centre.
The centre has sprouters for sale, so check out its website or make contact for more information.
If you have a question on how to train or are having a problem with your bird that you need help with, email me at garycolvinau@yahoo.com.au and I will try to provide answers. 

The PRC Shop currently has selected toys on special, please check out the Specials Category.

Don't Miss out, there is limited stock available.

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, Jamie, Bella and volunteers. To help fund the PRC we have created the PRC Shop, Bird Boarding, Sanctuary Program and also rely 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 November/ December

Adopted Parrots.....

Gary has now adopted two galahs "Gem & Becker" and "Nelson" a Long bill cross galah from the PRC. Nelson was a regular boarder at the PRC and due to some personal issues at his previous home he had to be rehomed. He now has found another happy loving home.

Hi Zarita just a quick note to let you know how nelson is.

He has really come out and settled in now . We have got his routine sorted and he is up and downstairs at 6.30 but not without a cuddle . he is still pushing the limits to see how far he can get but he is slowly learning the rules  like how hard he can bite my fingers its more a wrap the beak and softly squeeze now not like a real bite i guess its sort of like a preen however i have noticed he only does this to me maybe he knows i trust him a bit more than others. I have also learned his body language on when he's just playing and when he's getting serious. He is loving anyone who visits here goes up talks to them and gets a scratch and  when Marilyn is home of a evening  he spends a bit of time finding her to get a scratch, when she's not home he goes to her chair looking for her . The night ringing noise has pretty much stopped now,  but he still rings a little in the morning  I have put a bell in his night cage and he is learning to ring that in the mornings to get up and get attention instead of doing the phone ring. When he does the phone we just ignore him until he rings the bell  then i go  and get him out .  All in all he has settled in as one of the family really well

on another note...

Gemm and Becker are doing fine they have made their aviary their own and I think because of breeding season Becker is very funny about me going in there but he only has a go at my feet. Ii wear steel cap boots so its no problem for me.  They destroyed that pineapple man in 24 hrs and most of their other bigger toys takes them about 5 or 6 days so they should work for a match factory. They have their wild visitors every day, we now have at least 2 pairs coming to visit. Yesterday a wild kookaburra came in for the first time,  he came up to the  verandah to have something to eat, he also was eating off my hand, so gentle. I was also permitted to give him a scratch so i am hoping he hangs around .
Anyway i have to get ready for work so i will email again soon with pics cheers gary (gemm becker & nelson) and the rest of the crowd you haven't met.

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!

Feather colour changes are another indication of the disease in some birds – green feathers become yellow; blue feathers become white.  Other birds can look “untidy” or “disheveled”.  The disease is most noticeable in Cockatoo species.  It commonly affects young Sulphur Crested Cockatoos in their first year. These birds lose their powder down feathers and look grubby and dirty. As a result of the loss of powder down, their beaks and feet look shiny They lose their wing, tail and crest feathers. Newly growing feathers develop abnormally; the base of the blood feather becomes constricted and drops out before it has completed its growth. Cockatoos also exhibit beak changes.  The upper and lower beaks overgrow and become very fragile.

The virus weakens the immune system of infected birds.  Like an AIDS’ patient they become susceptible to secondary infections such as other viruses, bacteria or fungi. The life span of a bird infected with the chronic form of the disease can vary from 6 months to 15 or 20 years.  If they don’t succumb to the original circovirus infection, they will often die as a result of secondary infections.

There is no specific treatment for the Beak and Feather Disease.  Secondary infections can be treated and a non-stressful environment combined with a balanced diet may help during the course of the disease. Birds with no antibodies to the virus are unlikely to recover and in these birds Beak and Feather Disease is usually fatal.  Birds that do produce an antibody response may recover or simply become carriers of the disease.
Because of the danger of contagion to other birds, most avian veterinarians will recommend euthanasia for birds suffering from the chronic or acute form of the disease.

Various forms of testing are available to detect the disease.  A simple DNA test can indicate whether a bird tests positive or negative for the disease.  However this test gives no indication of the bird’s immune system.  Another test, that is more expensive, looks for the antibodies that a bird produces to fight the disease.  This gives a more detailed picture of the bird’s disease status.

Pet owners and aviculturalists need to be aware of the danger of this disease.  It is important to be vigilant about quarantining and testing new birds to the aviary or household.  Once a house or aviary is infected, it is almost impossible to get rid of the virus which can remain in the environment for years.

Written by Peter Wilson
BVSc MACVSc
Avian and Reptile Practitioner

To contact Peter Wilson Click Here

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 to support the Parrot Rescue Centre.

For more information please contact:

Zarita Garozzo

Ph: 07 5569 2840

Email: zarita@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.