Question?

From Karla…

I wondered if you could include some advice and information in your next newsletter about babies (human) and companion parrots.  My partner and I are trying to get pregnant with our first child.  However a constant source of worry for me is...' How will the birds cope?'  I have a little Green Cheek and an Eclectus who live in our lounge room and are our best friends.

What tips do you and others have about making the decision to have a baby when you have pet birds? Are there specific things that work for others in this same situation?  I never want to give up my parrots as they mean so much to me and I just know that we can give them the best life.  I appreciate your time and consideration of my request. Just thought it might be a topic that other readers could benefit from too.

Answer!

Hi Karla,

Thanks for being a PRC supporter, for sharing your question, and for so obviously caring about and considering your parrots as you encounter the prospect of parenthood and the implications that has on your relationship with, and management of, your birds. This is a question that perhaps has no definitive answer as all of our circumstances, lifestyles and capacity to cater for our parrots differ significantly from one situation to the next. The best I can do is to offer some insights into how I have managed this sort of change in my own life, having a child of my own and the impending arrival of two more! Ultimately, the decisions you will make will be based on where your approach and goals lie.

Firstly, predicting how any companion animal will `cope’ with significant environmental change is extremely difficult. Parrots are so incredibly individual that you just won’t know until you get there. Having a newborn in the home does indeed result in a completely different schedule and routine from what most families and households without children have been accustomed to. One of the first considerations is how you plan to balance that schedule and ensure that your parrots still have access to the most essential of their daily activity and social routines in and around the new demands that will be placed on you. To be perfectly honest – you simply won’t have the same amount of `spare’ time, or the energy, that you had prior to having a baby or toddler in the home. I’ve actually found that to be one of the hardest changes to cope with personally – I just don’t have the time I used to have to do all of the things I used to do. Accepting that is probably the first and most important step in ensuring you don’t get depressed about no longer having as much time for your birds as you previously had because quite simply – you won’t. Caring for a human baby and toddler is just not even comparable to looking after the needs of a bird – despite what some people might want to suggest. Finding that balance is more than likely going to require compromising to some degree the flexibility of the time you can currently spend with your birds. Here are perhaps a few things to consider that might support both you and your birds during the times ahead…

Make sure that you consider the current placement of the bird’s cages and think realistically about how sustainable that will be. Both you and your parrots will benefit from establishing areas within the home that are dedicated to just the birds and just the baby. You will need space and areas within the home where you can concentrate on one responsibility – not be trying to feed a crying baby with two parrots squawking away at you at the same time. That won’t be good for your nerves.

As your time with your parrots will inevitably be reduced, start building in daily environmental experiences for them that will, to some degree, compensate for that. Simple things like partitioning their daily food at multiple times of the day to keep them occupied during the times when you need to attend to your baby. Introducing a rotational schedule for enrichment so that, once again, distractions and redirections away from dependency are achieved.

If your husband/partner is willing and able then start shifting some of the daily husbandry routines his way. Allow the parrots time to learn the new routine and new people that will be necessary in building relationships with them if they are to support you in working as a team.

Consider an outdoor enrichment flight aviary. In my opinion, there is nothing better that we can provide for our companion parrots than daily opportunities to engage in experiences that can only be offered within an outdoor enclosure. Access to rain, natural light, wind, movement of foliage, greater scope for foraging and exploration – these are all perfectly natural daily experiences for parrots that reduce the need for human companionship and increase the level of independence in the behaviours of our birds. It also helps in establishing daily routines where you can indeed have your quality time with family and bring the birds into that on your new schedule.

You’re actually in a better position than some already in having two parrots and not just one. The presence of the second parrot makes a huge difference to a parrot’s ability to cope with reduction in time spent with a companion human carer.

For many of us, the thought of not spending as much time with our birds as we were perhaps once able to is not a thought we are comfortable with. What we need to remind ourselves of though is that parrots have basic needs that can be catered for in many more ways than just through interactions with human carers. Over the past 15 or so years I have gradually changed my own expectations of my birds. I’ve looked for ways that I can create larger, outdoor environments for them to spend their day active and behaving functionally without the constant need to be interacting with me. The end result has been a greater level of enjoyment in birdkeeping for me personally and, I’m sure, the sort of lifestyle that is a closer approximation to `natural’ than that provided for them when I kept them all indoors.

I wish you and your husband all the best and hope that you guys will have a new addition to your home in the near future. Your story and experience will be a valuable one for others so consider keeping a diary and perhaps one day write an article to share with us how you managed such a change.

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

In this DVD, the topics covered are:

1. How to identify Commonly Kept Parrot Species, by Dr Jeleen Briscoe, VMD Dipl. ABVP Avian. This chapter covers very basic anatomy, good breed descriptions and scientific names, as well as common names used, with very good visuals, which run for about 19 minutes.

1. Housing Your Pet Bird – Housing and Caging Materials, by Dr Greg Burkett, DVM Dipl. ABVP Avian. This chapter has a good description of what should be considered as minimum cage sizes, though does recommend that owners buy the largest size cage they can afford and fit in their home. Dr. Burkett describes the pros and cons of different shape cages and what they are manufactured from. Again Australian audiences are considered, with a conversion from inches to centimetres. As well as cages, different types of perches and where to position them is discussed, as well as toys and environmental enrichment. This is a huge subject, but in the short time of 20 minutes, a lot of useful information is shown.

1. Basic Avian Nutrition, by Dr. Susan Oros, DVM PhD Dipl. ABVP Avian. In this chapter basic nutrition is shown as well as the importance and ways to help make your parrot forage for its food. Dr Susan Oros describes feeding strategies in the wild, as well as describing healthy foods, she also tells you how you can make it  more interesting to feed your bird. This chapter is only 10 minutes long and probably could have been longer and described more foraging techniques, but Dr M, Scott Echols has already covered this in his foraging DVD, AND I would not be surprised if it is covered again in one of the Expert Companion Birds following volumes.

1. Household Dangers and Toxins, by Dr. Laura Wade, DVM Dipl. ABVP Avian. Dr Laura Wade tells the viewer many of the hidden dangers that are lurking in our homes and also the importance of watching our parrots when they are out of their cages. This chapter runs for approximately 7 minutes.

1. Identifying When Your Bird is Sick, by Dr. Paul Gibbons, DVM Dipl. ABVP Avian. This chapter is very important and what I liked about what was shown, was that not only did Dr Paul Gibbons describe illnesses, the videos shown, were really relevant. For a novice bird owner, these images could help make them aware of what to look out for and teach them to get to their avian vet much earlier. This could help save many companion bird’s lives. There is also a description on birds dropping and what to look out for.

1. How To Select An Avian Veterinarian, by Dr Kemba Marshall, DVM Dipl. ABVP Avian. This chapter lets you know what to look for and what qualifications are available to vets that specialise in avian medicine. There is a description of questions you may wish to ask you vet and also tells you questions your vet may ask you when you go for a visit. This is important, as it can prepare you to gather the relevant information before you arrive at your appointment, which can make history taking a lot easier for everyone.

    Each different presenter expertly covers each chapter giving the viewer a wealth of well thought out information. There is also a chapter on each presenter, giving their credentials, experience and different organisations and boards they are on, which I found interesting.
    Some of the information is American based, and I am sure the way Dr. Jeleen Briscoe pronouns “budgerigars” will bring a smile to your face, but with very few exceptions, all the information is highly relevant to bird enthusiasts here in Australia and a must for anyone seeking quality, up to date information. When describing different bird weights, even though imperial measurements are mentioned, a conversion to metric is also shown, for our benefit.  Also in the chapter on How To Select An Avian Veterinarian, this DVD also lists the organizations here in Australia to look for.  As this DVD was manufactured in America, I really liked and appreciated that extra bit of information, in considering Australian audiences. Whether you are a novice parrot owner and enthusiast, or professional seeking more information, this is definitely a DVD worth owning and one for parrot professionals involved in the industry to highly recommend to their clients, whether you be a veterinarian, breeder, or pet shop owner.
    This is the first volume in series of ‘Expert Companion Bird’ series, which I am sure will build into a comprehensive library of information, that is a must have in every bird enthusiasts resource list. In upcoming volumes, future topics are: History of Bird Keeping by Dr. Christal Pollock, How To Select a Bird That Fits your Lifestyle, Dr.  Lauren Powers, Where To Obtain Birds, By Michelle Gluck-Specialty Bird Pet Stores, Commercial Pet Stores-Tom Edling, Aviculturists-Rick Jordan, Julie Murad from the Gabriel Foundation, Diane Starenes from NPRPF, and Ann Brooks from Phoenix Landing.
    They will also be covering, Behaviour Modication, by Susan Friedman, Avian First Aid, by Paul Gibbons, Basic Grooming, by Laurie Hess, Positive Reinforcement Training, by Barbara Heidenreich, Zoonotic Diseases, by Dr. Tom Tully, Parrots in the Wild, by Jamie Gilardi, Routine Examinations and Labwork, by Dr Geoff Olsen, DNA Sexing and Identification, by Dr Joy Halverson, How To Administer Medication at Home, by Dr Cindy Brown, Handling Your Bird For Home Treatments, by Dr Brian Speer.
    After viewing Volume 1, I know you will be anxiously awaiting the following volumes to help build your library and learn so much more, so watch out as Volume 2 is expected to be released August 2010, Volume 3 – December 2010 and Volume 4 August 2011.
    This DVD is now available from The Parrot Rescue Centre.

The PRC Shop currently has new Food, Parrot Toys and Toy parts available, please check out the

New Products Category

Testimonial Page Coming Soon!

We would love to hear your feedback about the PRC Shop products and services.

With your permission, this information may be used for our new PRC Shop Testimonial page.

Please email your feedback to zarita@parrotrescuecentre.com

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 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.

Snippets for the Month

We would like to say a special Thank you again to Sheryll Steele-Boyce from Australian Bird keeper Magazine who has kindly donated an ongoing Adoption advertisement in the Australian Birdkeeper Magazine.

Your continued support of the PRC is greatly appreciated.

Parrot Rescue Centre is now on Facebook

Ahmad Tabbouch kindly purchased a selection of toys from the PRC shop to be given to the PRC Sanctuary parrots. Ahmad has a female Sulphur Crested Cockatoo "Kaka" who is in the PRC Sanctuary program. We would like to say a big Thankyou Ahmad!

Here are some pictures of the birds with their new toys. The parrots where given 10 new toys on that day!

QLD Parrot Behaviour Workshop

The CWS Companion Parrot Workshop experience will take participants on an educational journey encompassing the following key learning topics and events throughout the day…

• Parrot Enclosure Design & Management
• Environmental Enrichment Essentials for Parrots
• Diet Management - Establishing a healthy, species appropriate diet
• An Introduction to Positive Reinforcement Training
• An Introduction to Applied Behaviour Analysis
• Applying ABA principles to problem solve common parrot behaviour issues
• Multiple Q&A opportunities offered throughout the day for great interaction and advice sharing amongst the participant group
• Special `Behind the Scenes’ tour of the Free Flight Bird Show aviaries and Zoo Food Preparation Areas

All participants are also provided with a resource kit to take-away with them. Lunch provided!!!

ESSENTIAL INFORMATION FOR 2010 WORKSHOP...

• Date: Saturday December 11th
• Time: 8:30am to 4:00pm
• Venue: Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary, Gold Coast.
• Cost per Participant: $125 ($75 for second household member)
• General Enquiries: Please contact Jim McKendry via phone on 0421 175 841 or e-mail via jim@pbec.com.au for all general pre-booking enquiries.
• Bookings: Please contact the Education Manager CWS, via phone on 07-5534 0846. Numbers per workshop are strictly limited to ensure enhanced quality of learning environment so book early to avoid missing out!!!
• Additional Information: Cost includes Sanctuary admission, workshop experience & detailed workshop booklet. Lunch is provided. For morning and afternoon tea breaks please BYO or take advantage of the excellent food offered at the Sanctuary cafes. Participants are free to access the Sanctuary exhibits after the completion of the workshop.

Want to train, educate and understand your parrot?

Positive Reinforcement Training

With Verna Shannon

From Bird Brains

• No Biting
• No Uncontrolled Screaming
• Stop Feather Plucking
• Toilet Training

Your bird can be happy, healthy and well adjusted!

For all enquires phone Carmen on 0411 299 529

We would like to say a big Thank you to Jodie Kuriata and John Korvin for their recent donations of $100 (Jodie is a regular donator to the PRC). Thank you also to Derek Willcox who recently donated $1000 and Jamie has kindly donated $2000 (his labour for processing natural toys) to the PRC Aviary fund.
All our 2010 donations are currently going towards the PRC aviary fund, so that we can build some new facilities for our special needs parrots.
The fund currently stands at $4067
We are looking at raising $6000
Help this fund grow by donating to the PRC
No matter how big or small the donation, it all makes a difference!
To donate online please click here or email zarita@parrotrescuecentre.com for other payment methods.

Thank you to everyone for your ongoing support.

This story proves how a toy that is considered to be made out of safe Stainless steel hardware and parts is still dangerous!

Please Click here to read the following TOY SAFETY information on the PRC Website to ensure you are aware of potential dangers with toys.

If you know of any Toy Safety tips that we have not covered on the PRC website then please email them through to zarita@parrotrescuecentre.com

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!

Pet birds that stay up late with their owners are always in an artificial state of summer. High fat diets, seasonal changes from cooler to warm weather and from prolonged dry spells to increased periods of rainfall can also trigger the single pet female bird to lay. These factors once again create an artificial spring/summer state when the temperature is warmer and food is abundant.(ideal conditions for raising chicks) However, one of the main contributing factors to the chronic egg laying syndrome is the single female bird that is strongly bonded with her owner. This bird will be inadvertently stimulated by “courtship” type behaviour with the owner e.g. mutual grooming or preening, taking food from the owner’s mouth, being stroked on her back and under her wings.  These types of behaviours can trigger a hormonal response which results in egg laying.

Chronic egg laying can cause metabolic exhaustion in the bird.  The bird’s calcium level is depleted and hypocalcaemia (low blood calcium) may result.  With the calcium at a low level, uterine muscles are unable to contract to enable the egg to be laid (egg binding). This is a serious problem which requires veterinary intervention.  Other serious health problems caused by chronic egg laying include; retained eggs, egg related peritonitis, uterine prolapses, seizures and death.

There are a number of changes that an owner can institute at home in order to prevent the cycle of chronic egg laying.  Make sure that the bird has a nutritionally balanced diet at all times; add extra calcium supplements during the egg laying period.  Do not remove the eggs as they are laid, as this can actually encourage the bird to lay more eggs.  Leave the eggs in the cage for three weeks so the bird knows that she has a clutch.  This may contribute to her “switching off” her egg laying/hormonal activity.  Decrease the “day-length” time of your bird. Optimally, parrots require 12 hours of light and 12 hours of dark.  Their 12 hours of sleep time should be uninterrupted – the cage should be placed in a dark, quiet room. Shorter day lengths create an artificial winter and help to stop hormonal/egg laying activity.  Discourage mating behaviour with the owner (vent rubbing, tail lifting, regurgitating food). Where practical or possible obtain a suitable mate for the female bird and allow her to go through a full breeding cycle.  This only works in younger birds who have not become to mal-imprinted on their owners.

However, if these measures do not stop the chronic egg laying behaviour, veterinary intervention may be necessary.  Hormone treatment can temporarily stop the egg laying. However, prolonged hormone therapy is not without side effects.  In some cases a hysterectomy may be warranted.  Behavioural consultations may also help the owner to understand the reason for chronic egg laying and take steps to prevent it.  Ultimately we need to remove the cause of chronic egg laying.

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 and interaction.

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.