September - October 2006
Worms, Germs and other Pests - Dealing with Aggression Part 1.
 
"Many have forgotten this truth but you must not forget it.

We remain responsible forever for what we have tamed"

(Antoine de Saint-Exupeny)

Steve Irwin "A voice for the Animals"

We are very sorry to have lost such a great person who was such an inspiration to so many people around the world. Our heart felt thoughts go out to his family and friends. I personally will remember Steve as someone who lived life to the fullest, lived and breathed his passion for the animals and helped give them a voice. I hope more people realise how powerful the animal kingdom really is and continue to give the animals a voice.

Steve helped people realise that animals have a personality, a character, an attitude, love, compassion, trust, feelings, emotions and were actually humans that did not have a voice. The only way to make people see these traits is to provoke, to excite, to stimulate and encourage an animal to react instinctively. Please always support those who support animals as they are true genuine people who have a heart!

Thank you Steve for your hard work, you will never be forgotten and will be forever missed.

Help continue Wildlife Warriors Click here

By Zarita Garozzo

 
Virtual Adoption


Have you had the chance to visit our website in the last six months, you will notice that we have updated and added many sections on the website. One of our newest categories is the Virtual Adoption Program, which enables you to adopt a parrot without having to take the responsibility of having the parrot yourself. With your monetary donation we maintain the care of that parrot at the PRC, and join you in on the fun, sadness and stress of owning parrots. Because other countries are unable to take on our parrots, it gives you who are international supporters the chance to adopt one of your favorite Australian Native cockatoos online. When you adopt a parrot from the PRC we provide you with the following:

  • A Certificate of Adoption for your bird or birds.
  • A photograph of your adopted bird or birds with a biography of each.
  • A data sheet giving biological information about your bird's species and a biography of your adopted bird.
  • A map showing the natural habitats of your bird.
  • You may request up to two written updates.
  • E-mail communication concerning your bird's health, diet and life here at The Parrot Rescue Centre.
  • You are welcome to send special bird-safe toys or treats specifically for your bird.
  • Visits (groups of 2 maximum) to your parrot at our sanctuary by appointment, maximum of 2 visits per year.



Take this opportunity to help support the PRC by Virtually Adopting your favorite PRC parrot!

For more information Click here
My name is cockles and i am in permanent care at the PRC. I am 58 years old and suffer from rickets, so am not able to move around very fast and cannot fly. My sight has been deteriorating for the last year and just about a month ago i became blind. My carers and i where very stressed for a few weeks, but now i have adjusted in my new surroundings and am happy again. I now love when humans come up to my cage and talk to me, this gets me very exited and i dance and let them know i am a "Pretty Boy". Please show your appreciation for the amount of time and care that my carers put into me by supporting the PRC.
Worms, Germs & Other Pests- By Verna Shannan


Most pet shops will tell you that your bird should be wormed four times a year and they will sell you a bottle of wormer as part of your essential bird kit when you purchase a pet bird. I disagree. I have a friend who has a Sulphur Crested Cockatoo which has not been wormed in thirty years. The bird is flighted and spends a lot of time outside either walking or flying around, under her strict supervision, of course.
However I am not suggesting that our birds should live on a wing and a prayer but that we should be having them tested four times a year, as my friend and I do religiously.
I believe that random worming is a hit or miss practice at best and that no worming formula covers all worms. More often than not worming is avoidable and there is no need to put this unnecessary stress on our birds.
Using the wrong worming formula for the worms that may be present is useless. Even putting the right formula in water is a haphazard practice because some birds can go for days without drinking and they usually do so because they hate the taste of the formula and it makes them feel ill.

Another negative aspect of Do-it-Yourself worming is that if the bird has a lot of worms the administration of worming formula can sometimes be fatal. The situation needs to be carefully monitored by an avian vet or the worms are likely to die and clog up the system, thus killing the bird along with them.
I have seen the inside of a bird that has died from worm infestation and it is not something you would wish to happen to any creature.
I recommend all pet bird owners send a dropping to their avian vet four times a year to test for worms, if their birds go outside or live in outside aviaries. If the bird never goes outside without being in his cage and the cage is not in a place where wild birds will land on it worming is unnecessary after an initial worm test comes back negative.
When posting a dropping to your avian vet the main thing is for it still to be moist when he/she gets it. Place some plastic wrap or aluminum foil on the bottom of the cage, wait for a fresh dropping then wrap it up and put it into a Snaplock plastic bag. Send it by express post or drop it in if you live close by and warn your vet by phone that the dropping is on the way so that it can be tested while still fresh.
If it turns out that the bird has worms you will be told which worms and with what to treat them. Your avian vet is the best person to administer the worming formula directly into the bird’s crop. However if you live too far away from a vet the next best thing is to have the formula posted to you. Take it and the bird to a breeder or to someone who has experience in crop feeding.
If you do live a long way from an avian vet you would do well to take a course in crop feeding from a breeder or pet shop which specializes in birds. Kellyville Pets in Sydney do a good one and I’am sure there must be others.
When a bird gets sick it often dies from dehydration before it can be tested and medicated because it is too weak to drink or eat. Crop feeding with something like Poly-Aid Plus from Vetafarm can often keep the bird alive until the medication or its own immune system can kill the disease.
I have even learned, from an avian vet, how to administer an injection into the breast muscle of a bird while it was still in its cage and too scared to come out, thus saving the bird the trauma of a trip to the vet. Not everyone has the stomach for this but it can be a lifesaver if you live hundreds of miles from a vet.
I’ve done a small survey which shows that most avian vets charge around $15 for faecal flotation which is the test done for worms and checks for the eggs of gut parasites such as (ascarids, capillaria, acuaria and coccia).
While you are at it you might be well advised to have a gram stain done on the same dropping, this will cost around another $15. From this test you will be told if the bird has bacterial or fungal gut flora, for example megabacteria (now called macrorhabdos), gram negative bacteria (common in seed only diets but abnormal in healthy birds) and yeasts like candida, although protozoa such as giardia and hexamita CANNOT be detected in these samples, nor do I believe that chlamydia tests are accurate on such samples..
The appearance of the dropping can sometimes lead your vet to suspect other problems, for instance pancreatitis. If this is the case further tests will then be recommended.
If you have more that one bird mix up one dropping from every cage and/or aviary and send a small sample of the mixture to the vet because if one bird has something you will probably need to treat the lot anyway.
While I’am on the subject of avian vets I have asked a couple in the past to give me the costs of their Well Bird Check and what those costs include. I have recently asked and received a reply from one avian vet in WA and thank him very much for his help on this and several issues I was unsure of in the past. His reply to my question is below.
Obviously it depends a bit on how far the client wants to go, species of bird, value of bird and whether breeding or pet.
  • Basic would be: physical exam $40
  • faecal gram stain and flotation $30
  • blood smear in house $15
  • Next steps full blood profile $120
  • chlamydophila test $40
    +/- depending on anesthetic and endoscopy esp. of gonads $33
    above factors PBFD/IPD/polyoma tests $40 each
  • xrays $80
One thing that a well bird check should consist of is having your bird weighed; this is usually included in the physical exam. Once it has been weighed ask the vet if that weight is good for that particular bird. The vet will be able to tell by feeling the bird. Books will give you averages but every individual bird is different just as there are averages for people but they come in all different sizes. The best time to weigh a bird is first thing in the morning before it has eaten anything so try to get an early appointment and remove the food the night before.
My next Pet Parrot Pre-School, one day workshop, will be held on Sunday the 7th of January 2006, at the Parrot Rescue Centre on the Gold Coast in Queensland. If you live nearby or are planning a visit to the Gold Coast call or email me for details or contact me if you need help or advice with your parrot/parrots and I will send you a list of my fees and services.

Birdbrains@bigpond.com Mobile: 0407 911 474
 
Published in Talking Birds Australian’s Avian Newspaper
NSW Placement and Adoption

The Parrot Rescue Centre have dedicated volunteers in NSW (Sydney) to help with the placement and rehoming of pet parrots that are unable to be cared for by there current owners.

NSW Placement and Adoption Coordinator is Naomi Britten who is a dedicated parrot carer.

If you would like more information on placing your parrot with the PRC or rehoming your parrot through the PRC adoption program in the NSW area, please contact Naomi on the below details

The PRC is very fortunate to have a volunteer such as Naomi. Naomi manufactures and distributes her own line of gem stone jewelry and because of her passion for parrots, she has decided to donate any profits made from her jewelry that is referred from the PRC website, back to the PRC, to help cover transport costs, vet bills and associated adoption costs.

If you are in New South Wales, Sydney areas and surroundings and need to place your bird up for adoption click here.
  Parrot Behaviour & Enrichment Consultations

How do I stop Biting and Aggressive behaviour?

Part 1

FAQ by Parrot Behaviour & Enrichment Consultations

1. How do i stop Biting and Aggressive behaviour? Part 1

Over the next few issues I’d like to respond to a few questions on managing biting and aggression in pet birds. With each issue I’ll focus on a specific context that is often observed in pet parrot situations. To start off we’re going to have a quick look at the influence of a major species-specific difference and how our lack of awareness of this difference can result in biting when handling.

Here’s a common question that I often receive around this time of year...
`We recently purchased a 6 month old Alexandrine parrot. We’d love to be able to give him scratches but if we try to scratch him he bites. How can we get him to allow us to scratch his head without being bitten?’

Different Strokes for Different Folks
Biting behaviour can occur in many contexts and this FAQ is a great example of how a little understanding and appreciation of the differences in the way parrot species interact naturally can help guide our handling expectations with pet birds and prevent biting from occurring. The species we are dealing with here is an Alexandrine Parrot. Alexandrines belong to a group of parrots commonly referred to as the `Asiatics’ due to their predominantly Asian distribution. All of the Asiatic parrots are birds that do not naturally indulge in intense mutual preening in the same way that we commonly see with the lorikeet, cockatoo, conure and macaw groups that are also commonly kept pets. Asiatics are not alone in their non-physical pair bond nature. Eclectus parrots and Australian long-tailed parrots such as the King Parrot and the Rosellas also do not mutually preen each other in the wild. How this translates in captive, pet situations is that these species retain an aversion to being `preened’ around the head whilst those species that do normally mutually preen readily allow this interaction to take place with their human carers. Over the years I have known many Alexandrines, Eclectus and King Parrots kept as pets that resorted to biting due to owners forcing preening expectations on them. When the behavioural indicators tell us that such an interaction is not desirable we need to listen, reshape our expectations and hopefully avoid conflict. Knowing that we have a species that would not normally tolerate intrusive handling around the head helps us to develop more sensitive handling approaches to these birds.

In the next issue I’ll look at territorial aggression and some tips on how to manage this in the home. In the meantime, if you were keen to learn more about the science of parrot behaviour and enrichment then I’d love to meet you at our next workshop experience at Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary. For full details check out my website at http://www.pbec.com.au

Kind Regards, Jim McKendry
Parrot Behaviour & Enrichment Consultations
http://www.pbec.com.au
jim@pbec.com.au
mobile: 0421 175 841

www.pbec.com.au
Presented By: Jim McKedrey (Parrot Behaviour Consultant)
Place: Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary
Date: Sunday Oct 1st: Level 2 Workshop
Time: 8:00am – 3:30pm
Cost: $165* ($145 for second member of household)
   
For Bookings please phone: Cait Feldmann, Education Manager CWS, via phone on 07-5534 0846
PRC TIPS - Companionship


     
In the wild I live in a flock! You will never see a parrot on its own in the wild, it is always with its mate or with a flock of birds of its own species. It is an essential survival tool for birds in the wild to always be around other birds. Because this behaviour is a natural inbuilt instinct, it is important to a bird in their mind to always have a mate or family. This is why parrots become such loved companions because they normally choose one of us to be their mate. The problem with this is that their natural instinct is to be with their mate 24/7. Humans can not possibly provide this amount of time to a parrot, so the PRC always recommends for people to have two companion parrots, so as when the humans cannot be around the birds always have each other. Birds are like bright and demanding children that never grow up. They require lots of mental and physical stimulation with double the amount of love and attention.
 

Weekly Special!

The Parrot Rescue Centre will be promoting a few toys, accessories and food each week at a special discounted price for your parrots. Please provide your parrot with lots of toys rotated on a regular basis, this will keep their mind stimulated and will prevent boredom. Would you like to be locked in a cage with the same boring old things day in day out!

Take this Special opportunity to stock up on some toys at a discounted price!

Be quick limited stock available for this special offer!

Item
Normal Price
Special Price
Hol-ee Roller
$14.95
$8.95
Securapet Bowl Small
$9.95
$7.95
Nobbly Wobbly
16.95
$12.00

 

You must purchase one other item that is not on special to take advantage of this offer.

Hol-ee Roller

Size Compatibility: Any parrot from Ringnecks to Macaws will enjoy this product.


Safety Rate: 100% safe and non toxic


Durability: Very durable tough 100% natural rubber

Tips: Rotate toys regularly to prevent boredom. Hide treats inside, fruit and vegetables, wood, leather pieces, and watch your parrot spend hours emptying it out!

Excitement Factor: Has a bell inside that gets the birds very excited.

 

This product is available from the PRC shop, price includes delivery.

All profits from the PRC Shop go directly into helping the daily operations of the PRC.

Thankyou for your support
Monthly Special!


The PRC would like to offer your pet Dog and Cat or even companion parrot a special
gift
See Details Below

Do you have a pet Dog or Cat as well as your lovely parrot/s, well we have a special offer for you, spend over $50 and receive FREE 2 dried pork pigs ears for your dog or 50g of dried tuna fish for your cat. But wait, if you do not have a cat or dog you still are able to take the special deal, as the dried pork pigs ears are a good treat for your parrots, hang one up from the top of the cage and watch you parrot chew chew chew! (The pigs ears are high in fat, so moderation is the key. One lot per order, please note in comment section of your payment if you would like dog or cat treats.)
New Product Range

The PRC has indroduced new toys and accessories to the PRC Shop. We only strive to provide quality, safe and non toxic toys, that are made from genuine strong and durable materials. Some toys that we provide are designed to be destrucitble.

A toy destroyed is a toy enjoyed!

Some of our new products include acrylic toys (which have heavy duty chain, links and are basically unbreakable), stainless steel toys, links, toy parts, insight small bird toys and lots more.....

Please Click here for our full product range.

 
Support the Parrot Rescue Centre
The Parrot Rescue Centre spends a lot of time and resources in doing what is best for the parrots 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 and Jamie. To help fund the PRC Zarita and Jamie have created the PRC shop and bird boarding services and also rely on the generosity of the public. The PRC does not receive any financial assistance from the government or other organisations.

We need your help and support to continue to provide a high standard of care to the PRC parrots.

 
How you can help:
Purchase toys and accessories from the PRC shop click here.
Make a monetary donation click here.
Provide us with our need list items: (New or Secondhand)
  • Heavy-duty vacuum cleaner
  • Large Powder coated cages
  • Aviary Mesh
  • Steel tubing
  • Toys (all sizes and parrot safe)
  • Portable hospital cages
  • Dog and Cat transport carriers
  • Stainless steel food cups
  • Ceramic water dishes.
  • Paper Towel
  • Large Dark coloured blankets or mats
Parrot Rescue Centre

Po Box 797

Mudgeeraba, QLD 4213
Alternatively contact me directly on 0755692840 to discuss
how you would like to give your support

Thankyou for your kindness.

Yours truly,

Zarita Garozzo
PRC Director

Member Moments - Story of the month

Agro and Lucy!

Nicky Munro has won best story for the month of September/October!

Nicky is one of the Parrot Rescue Centre most dedicated Foster and Adoption carers. For me the photos presented show and tell you so much about this dedicated lady who now owns six sulphur crested cockatoos, four which she has adopted from the Parrot Rescue Centre. In the last few months one of her original two finally paired up with one of the girl sulphur's adopted from the PRC.

Nicky does not breed parrots, she only keeps pet birds and provides a large and enriching environment where they can live out their lives happily.

Nicky houses the cockatoos in an large aviary that is approximately 12metres long x 6metres wide x 3metres high and she also has smaller aviaries for introducing birds etc. On a regular basis she buys lots of toys for her birds and keeps them on a good quality diet, including browse, pellets, seed, fruit and vegetables.

The PRC rarely meets people as dedicated as Nicky and is honored to have her as a friend and PRC carer

A special THANKYOU for your dedication and love for Parrots especially the COCKATOOS!

Written by Zarita Garozzo

 
How to Enter Your Member Story:

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, weather 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!


“From the Avian Vets Desk” HOUSEHOLD DANGERS FOR THE PET PARROT


The home can be a very dangerous place for a pet parrot. Parrots are inquisitive and curious and they need to chew. In one respect, they are very similar to young, human “toddlers”; everything new goes into their mouth. As a result, the household environment is fraught with dangers for the pet parrot. These dangers generally pose no threat to our
dogs and cats however, because parrots have wings and a beak, they explore territory and chew on things that have the potential to cause life-threatening injury, poisonings and death. Many well-meaning but misguided pet parrot owners don’t like to see their birds caged and therefore, give them unlimited, free access to their home. As an avian veterinarian, I am constantly seeing the end result of pet birds that come to grief as a result of unsupervised, free-range of the house. Just as we would not allow young children to be left alone in a house, we should not allow our birds unsupervised, access to the household environment. It can be a death trap!

 


Household accidents and traumatic injuries

Free-flying parrots that are unsupervised and untrained often end up in my surgery as a result of traumatic, household accidents. Commonly occurring accidents include the following:-
• Collision with ceiling fans
• Drowning in toilets, sinks, bath-tubs
• Scalding from landing in sinks full of hot water
• Burning legs and feet from landing on hot plates, in pans of hot fat, saucepans of mashed potatoes etc.
• Flying into window panes and mirrors
• Being stood on, sat on
• Rolled on by wheeled computer chairs
• Falling behind the fridge
• Flying out of open doors and windows
• Attacked by pet dogs and cats

Common Household Substances that are toxic to your parrot

It is not just traumatic injuries and accidents within the home that can prove fatal to your pet bird. There are also many ordinary household substances and products that can be toxic if chewed on, ingested or inhaled by your parrot. Things such as:-

• Match heads
• Candles
• Incense
• Nicotine
• Medications meant for humans or other pets
• Soap
• Insecticides
• Rat Poison
• Many household cleaning products
• Fumes from Teflon coated cooking pots and pans
• Plug-in Air Fresheners
• Snail Bait
• Motor Oil
• Electrical leads

“Fur ball” impaction caused by chewing fabric and fibre

One of the main dangers of parrots free-ranging in the house is their instinctive chewing behaviour. Parrots need to chew to keep the beak in shape and trimmed. They are also “hard-wired” to forage for food. Parrots that chew on carpet fibres, curtains or upholstery fabrics are in danger of ingesting these fibres and threads and causing a foreign body impaction in their gastro-intestinal system. I have treated many birds with impactions of the crop and stomach. I have also performed post-mortem examinations on birds that have been so severely impacted and in such weakened condition when presented that they died.

Heavy Metal Poisoning.

One of the most common causes of household poisoning is metal toxicity. Parrots are attracted to shiny items. Most parrot owners will be familiar with their pets’ fascination for jewelry. Gold and silver do not poison birds. However, there are many other sources of metal within the house that are toxic to parrots. Copper, lead, zinc, aluminum, chrome, brass all cause varying degrees of toxic reactions. Some common causes of heavy metal poisoning within the household include:-

• Lead-light ornaments
• Lead weights at the bottom of curtains or vertical blinds
• Fishing sinkers
• Foil from wine bottles
• Lead paint
• Lead solder
• Metal toys
• Christmas tinsel and glitter
• Slivers of aluminum from the tracks of sliding glass windows and doors
• Bases of light bulbs
• Batteries
• Electrical leads
• Copper wire
• Galvanized wire

Exotic house plants

Many commonly kept house plants are toxic to parrots. Some plants merely make your bird sick, but others can kill them. It is best to keep your parrot and your indoor plants separately. Some plants that cause problems for your birds include:-

• Philodendrons
• Ivy
• Oleander
• Onion
• Avocado (fruit and seed)
• Poinsettia
• Weeping fig
• Mother-in-laws tongues
• Rubber trees
• Azaleas
• Dieffenbachia
• Asparagus Fern
• Elephant Ears
• Ribbon Plant
• Yucca

Symptoms of poisonings

Bloody droppings, excessive drinking, vomiting, diahorrea, convulsions and paralysis are some of the signs and symptoms of possible poisonings. Irritated skin around the mouth is another sign to watch for. Any of these symptoms should be investigated by your avian veterinarian.

How to avoid the dangers of the house

In order to avoid the pitfalls and dangers of the household environment, use some common sense. Always supervise your parrot when it is out of its cage. Make the cage an attractive and interesting refuge for your bird. Furnish it with perches from native trees and foliage from native plants. Don’t have the parrot free in the kitchen when you are cooking meals. Remember that your parrot is inquisitive and likes to chew and be aware of the potential for trouble that these characteristics can cause.

 

Written by Peter Wilson
BVSc MACVSc
Avian and Reptile Practitioner

To contact Peter Wilson Click Here
Bird Boarding

Do you need a guilt-free holiday?

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.
Bird Boarding Health Check Requirement

All Boarding Parrots are required to undergo a health check by a qualified Veterinarian preferably an avian specialist or vet that has a special interest in birds, please Click Here to find your nearest suitable vet.

Health check should include:
  • 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:

Zarita Garozzo

Parrot Rescue Centre Co-coordinator on:

Ph: 07 5569 2840

Email: zarita@parrotrescuecentre.com

Meet some of the family


Species: Yellow Sulphur Crested Cockatoo

Name: Cobber

Age: 13 years

Sex: Male

About: Cobber is my (Zarita's) pet cockatoo. I thought my boy was worth mentioning considering he is one of the reasons why the Parrot Rescue Centre is here today. Cobber has taught me so much about the parrot world and continues to challenge my knowledge. He was a constant screamer and attacked everyone that would come near me or him. After years of time and patience he now tolerates other people and no longer screams excessively.
Parrot Rescue Centre Special Supporters
Please remember to purchase the latest copy of Birdkeeper Magazine to read the article written by Jim McKendry about the Parrot Rescue Centre.

 
Profits made from Ruby Jam jewelry that has been referred from the PRC website is donated to the PRC, to help cover transport costs, vet bills and associated adoption costs.
 

If you have received this mailing in error, or if you no longer wish to receive email from
Parrot Rescue Centre, please send a blank email, with:

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

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All Rights Reserved Parrot Rescue Centre 2006 ©.