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Volume 7 September 2005
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PRC Shop Launch, The Cage "Haven
or Prison", Queensland Code of Practice.
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| PRC NEW LINKS | |||||||||
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| Clive Isemonger builds aviaries to your specification or you can choose from a Gallery of pre designed aviaries and cages. Clive uses quality material and he pays great attention to detail always ensuring the finished product looks great as well as being of very sturdy construction | |||||||||
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| Avian Publications offers the finest selection of books and videos on bird keeping, care, training and breeding. | |||||||||
| Positive Reward Training - By Verna Shannan | |||||||||
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The purpose of basic training is to have your parrot behaving in a manner that is rewarding to the bird and to yourself and your family. There is a big difference between a ‘Tame’ bird and a ‘Trained’ bird. It’s a bit like the difference between a dog who takes his master for a walk and a dog that walks to heel, comes when he’s called and fetches a ball without running off with it. An untrained dog may become too much for the owner to manage and soon be looking for a new home. An untrained bird almost always ends up cage bound, going from home to home or worse still being released to starve to death or be killed by predators. First take the bird to an Avian Vet for a ‘Well bird check,’ (See Talking Birds – October 2004). Then get the bird eating a balanced diet, which includes pellets, or dry mix for lorikeets, vegetables and fruit, (See Talking Birds – November & December 2004). Then set the cage up in such a way that there is one high perch at the back of the cage and one low perch near the door, (See Talking Birds – January 2005). |
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Find your bird’s five favourite
treats by taking away all his food in the evening before he goes
to sleep for the night, then put one of everything in his dish the
next morning and see which he takes out first. The next day leave
the number one favourite out and do it again to find the number two
favourite and so on. My Eclectus hen gets one almond, in the shell, every night if she goes into her cage when told, without any argument. She savours that nut like it was the last one she was ever going to get. Sunflower seeds come next, then fresh corn kernels, grapes and cotoneaster berries in that order. Stop putting these favourites into your bird’s food bowl and use them only for rewards. When using wet food as treats, like corn kernels or grape pieces, hook a small D-cup (from the bird department in your pet shop) onto your waistband and put them in there instead of your pocket. Wear appropriate clothing. I have a flannelette, long sleeved ‘Bird shirt.’ The thickness of the material stops the claws from scratching my arms. When my birds see me put the shirt on they know its playtime and become excited. They immediately get into their proper positions at the aviary door and settle down, as they have been taught. Clothes with big patterns or loud colours can be upsetting to a parrot but once a bird knows and trusts you he will probably not be affected by anything you wear. Some parrots are afraid of anything with eyes, either clothes or toys such as teddy bears. Probably because the bird can’t read any signals in eyes which are on an inanimate object. My own birds are unhappy if I have sunglasses on. They can’t glean any information from the expression in my eyes when they are hidden behind dark glasses. I am also uncomfortable talking to someone in glasses that hide his or her eyes from me. Establish a routine for training; the best times are in the morning, before the bird eats breakfast, and again in the afternoon or evening before he has his main meal. NOTE: If you come home from work after dark make sure you have a light,
on a timer, to come on before sunset. There is nothing more upsetting
for a parrot than being crashed in on after dark. |
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| Basic Bird Training STEP 1. | |||||||||
PURPOSE: To get the bird used to hearing his name, understanding the word ‘Good,’ and to have him eating out of your hand. The word ‘Good’ is a ‘Bridge,’ whenever the bird hears the word he needs to know that a reward is coming because he has done what you are asking of him. Without a bridge you won’t be able to reward the bird quickly enough for him to know what he’s done.
Please contact me if you need help with your parrot or parrots and I will send you a list of my fees and services |
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Don’t miss the chance to come to this one-day workshop at the Parrot Rescue Centre on the Gold Coast. Topics covered will be: There will be some hands on work with our birds. It will also involve a tour of the Parrot Rescue Centre and seeing trained native Australian birds free fly outside. |
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Presented by: |
Verna Shannan (Parrot Behaviour Consultant) | ||||||||
Place: |
Mudgeeraba | ||||||||
Date: |
11 September 2005 | ||||||||
Time: |
10am-4pm | ||||||||
Cost: |
$100 per person or $150 for two people | ||||||||
For Bookings please phone: 0407 911 474 |
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Birdbrains@bigpond.com Mobile:
0407 911 474 |
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Published
in Talking Birds Australian’s Avian Newspaper- December
04 |
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| Australia's only newspaper devoted to the care and breeding of birds - including finches, canaries, parrots, cockatoos, budgies, softbills, pheasants and waterfowl. It is full of news, information and feature articles from Australia and around the world. For more information visit: www.talkingbirds.com.au | |||||||||
| Companion Parrot Support Network | |||||||||
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My bird vocalises a lot what does this mean? |
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Companion Parrot Support Network-FREQUETLY ASKED QUESTIONS 1. My bird vocalises a lot what does this mean? In our last FAQ I discussed the nature of `non-verbal’ communication and how our interpretation of the physical expressions of our parrots empowers us with an enhanced ability to interact with them sensitively. In this FAQ we’ll examine the `verbal’ side of communication. Hopefully you’ll develop a few key insights to support your understanding of, and ability to respond appropriately to, the vocalisations of your parrot. The first thing we need to understand is that vocal communication is absolutely essential to the survival of most parrot species in the wild. As we are really dealing with `wildlife’ and not domesticated animals, all of the natural behavioural and vocal tendencies observed in wild contexts are often duplicated in captive environments. Parrot calls have evolved as an effective information transmission tool, capable of being heard across a wide variety of habitats. Unfortunately this often leads to enormous problems and difficulties dealing with the vocal behaviour of parrots in confined spaces such as the family living room. Whilst we all agree that we need to expect some degree of vocal exuberance from our parrots, the question remains - are we left without options if our parrot is a highly vocal one? Recent advancements in our understanding of the nature of parrot learning have provided us with the realisation that vocal communication dynamics are highly flexible and the type, frequency, intensity and duration of calls are what we consider `learned’ behavioural functions. The nature of `learned’ behaviours is such that there is a degree of flexibility that we can positively work with in captive environments. One particular field study has noted that a cockatoo of one species raised by parents of a different species actually developed calls representative of its surrogate parents – not of its own species! I have an African Grey parrot that came to us with a huge repertoire of wild bird calls and the calls of parrots he had shared aviary complexes with over the years. These calls diminished over time and were replaced by the calls of wild birds native to his new environment, and again when we moved there was a further extinction of some of the old sounds and the establishment of new calls. He was actually modifying his vocalisations in response to the environmental stimuli he was interacting with. This indicates that parrots actually `learn’ how to communicate vocally as a result of the environmental feedback in action that either positively or negatively reinforces the behaviour. In short – we can teach, shape and even reshape the calls our parrots make. With this in mind we can modify most cases of excessive vocalisation and reduce such behaviours in very proactive and effective ways. Indeed it’s this flexibility that enables parrots to mimic our own language and as such, can be harnessed to our advantage when working with excessive vocalisation issues. Consider Conures and Cockatoos – species groups notorious for having a strong, natural behavioural tendency to contact call, perform calls at certain times of the day and screech loudly. Even though there is an element of natural tendency to these vocal expressions, the type of call, it’s duration, intensity and frequency are all flexible and can therefore be shaped as a direct response to the way in which we reinforce them. All forms of vocal behaviours convey some
form of communication. Actually understanding what message your
feathered friend is trying
to get across requires careful consideration of a number of potentially
influential stimuli such as… Now consider the history of such behaviour and how it may have been reinforced in the past. Often we tend to be quite lazy in analysing the vocalisations of our parrots and diminish our responsibility as the potential primary contributor. When we look at the `big picture’ we often see a definable pattern in terms of antecedent stimuli (something which motivates the behaviour to occur), the behaviour itself, followed by a subsequent consequence (some action in the environment that serves to reinforce the behaviour). When we find ourselves asking why our parrot is calling in what seems like an excessive, repetitive or highly frequent manner it’s time to reflect on a key point I made in my previous FAQ response. If the behaviour of your parrot is functionally related to the environment surrounding it then modifying that behaviour is largely a case of arranging the environment and facilitating change. When we consider the nature of vocalisations then we realise that what we respond to positively will result in a continuation of the behaviour and what does not receive a feedback response may potentially diminish over time. This is just scratching the surface of what can really be a complex behavioural issue, particularly in terms of remedial strategies. If you’d like to delve deeper into working with vocal issues with your companion parrot/s then I would strongly recommend that you consider attending one of the parrot behaviour workshops being held by either Birdbrains at the PRC or Parrot Behaviour & Enrichment Consultations at Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary. Both opportunities will provide you with the tools you need to respond to vocal behaviours in highly positive ways. For more information about my workshop experience or to receive a pamphlet with information about my consultation services simply contact me via jim@parrot-behaviour.info or via my website at http://www.parrot-behaviour.info Kind Regards, Jim McKendry Do you have a parrot behaviour or care FAQ that you would like me to answer via the PRC Newsletter? If so then e-mail your question to Zarita via zarita@parrotrescuecentre.com Written By Jim McKendry To access information on the Parrot-behviour.info
website and the CPSN initiatives please visit: |
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Don’t
miss your chance to attend the last Companion Parrot Workshop
for the year at Currumbin
Wildlife
Sanctuary. |
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Presented By: |
Jim McKedrey (Parrot Behaviour Consultant) | ||||||||
Place: |
Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary | ||||||||
Date: |
4th December 2005 | ||||||||
Time: |
8am to 3pm | ||||||||
Cost: |
125 per person | ||||||||
For
Bookings please phone: Cait Feldmann, Education Manager CWS, via
phone on 07-5534 0846 |
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| PRC TIPS - Foraging Ideas | |||||||||
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Some natural ways of encouraging your aviary and pet birds to chew
and forage within branches and bark perches are to drill holes under,
on top or on the sides of the perches to hide favourite nuts, seeds
and treats etc (the size of the hole will depend on size of treats
and birds). Also using the v intersection amongst branches is a good
place to wedge pinecones or nuts. |
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Plant Toxins People need to be aware of toxins within plants, seeds and fruits before providing these to your bird. It is important to note that just because you may see a wild bird eating a particular fruit seed, berry or nut etc, this does not mean that it may be safe for your bird to eat. Birds in the wild have a natural process through foraging different foods and materials that counteract the reactions of certain toxins within plants and fruits. For example, Gloria Scholbe an author for The Holistic Bird Newsletter states within her literature that Macaws in South America eat many seeds which contain toxins and to rid their systems of these toxins they eat large quantities of clay per day. |
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Featured Product of the Month from the PRC Shop |
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PRC would like to provide you with some resourceful information each month of selected items from the PRC shop. The PRC personally uses all items provided in the Shop to ensure there safety, durability and excitement factor. Remember most PRC birds live in aviary environments and practice there natural chewing ability 24/7 therefore toys put in our aviaries do not have the same length of durability as a pet parrot kept indoors. When toys are tested with the PRC indoor parrots, the toys have a longer durability rate. |
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Australian Nuts and Pods All nuts and pods sold at the PRC are a bi-product of licensed seed collecting for Land care, land regeneration, farm forestry or nursery industry.
Durability: Depends on the strength and persistence of you bird, some of the PRC parrots chew endlessly at them and they last a few weeks, in some aviaries they last months.
Tips: Treats can be hidden within the cracks of the nuts, such as sunflower seeds or peanuts etc. At the PRC, we drill holes in the nuts and make hanging toys by threading them through rope and leather strips also the nuts can be threaded through wire to make swings. |
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Member
Moments |
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| From the Month of September! | |||||||||
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WALLY'S WORLD
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See Ya, Written By Jan and Trevor Harris. |
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| Bird Boarding: Wally boards regularly at the PRC and is an absolute treasure to look after, he loves the attention of everyone that comes in for a visit. | |||||||||
| Story of the Month: | |||||||||
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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. It’s that easy! We look forward to hearing your stories! |
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| World Parrot Trust | |||||||||
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THE
CHARITY FUNDING PROJECTS AND PROMOTING
EXCELLENCE IN PARROT CONSERVATION AND WELFARE |
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| The Parrot Rescue Centre has become a Member
of the World Parrot Trust and would like to encourage you all to join
as a member of this amazing charity organisation.
The World Parrot Trust aims are: To achieve these aims they: |
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| “From the Avian Vets Desk” - The Importance of a Quarantine Program for New Birds | |||||||||
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During the quarantine period strict hygiene procedures should be followed. Newly acquired aviary birds should be isolated in separate banks of cages, well away from existing flocks. Newly acquired companion birds should be housed in a separate area away from any other pet birds. The separation enables the new bird time to “settle in” and gives the owner a chance to observe and bond with the new comer on a one-to-one basis. It is important that the owner does not transmit infections from the quarantine area to the other birds. Always clean, feed and handle the birds in quarantine last. Don’t swap dishes, toys, perches etc. and always wash your hands before and after handling new birds. In an aviary situation, disinfectant footbaths at the quarantine aviary entrance are a good idea to help combat the spread of infectious diseases. Observation is also important during the quarantine period. Cages should be cleaned daily and faeces should be monitored. Abnormal faeces can be an indication of disease. The birds should be handled to check their condition and they should be weighted regularly. Any significant weight loss can also indicate problems. The vent should be checked daily. Pasted vents or faecal contaminated tails can indicate infection. Faecal build up around the cloaca or cent can cause external constipation. At the end of the quarantine period, the new bird should be re-examined by your avian veterinarian. Firstly, to check if any existing conditions have responded to the appropriate course of treatment and secondly, to ensure that no new diseases have incubated during the quarantine period. Conscientious adherence to quarantine protocol will decrease the likelihood of health problems developing in you birds. If you are careful about introducing new birds and follow quarantine procedures you can rest assured that you’re doing the best you can to keep infectious diseases from spreading into your home an aviaries. |
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Written by Peter Wilson To contact Peter Wilson Click Here |
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| Bird Boarding | |||||||||
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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. |
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| 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:
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For more information please contact: Zarita Garozzo Parrot Rescue Centre Co-coordinator on: Ph: 07 5569 2840 |
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| Meet some of the family | |||||||||
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Species: Indian Ringneck
Name: Lissy Age: 2 years Sex: Female |
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| Can I Adopt a Parrot? | |||||||||
Yes, if you pass the essential assessment process. It is vital that the PRC have a assessment process for people wanting to adopt a parrot, as many of the parrots that have been surrendered to the PRC have been given away because of behavioral issues. The PRC does the best they can through the rehabilitation process to ensure that these behaviors are controlled although when re homing these birds we need to ensure the parrot owner has a good understanding of parrot needs and requirements. These birds do not deserve to be moved from home to home anymore, so if you are adopting a bird from the PRC it is going to be a life long commitment. |
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| A Story From A Far | |||||||||
Lockie (Female Rainbow Lorikeet) was a surrender to the PRC, because she was very noisy and the owner was receiving complaints from neighbours. Lockie has now been rehomed to a lovely couple who own a male Rainbow Lorikeet. Lockie and Kramer now live happily together, tolerating each other at this point. |
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Diego will celebrate
his 6 month anniversary with me on October 3rd 2004. He is happy
and he is loved unconditionally by his new mother. Diego is 5 yrs
old and I am his 3rd (and final) home. The 2 previous owners "didn't
have time for him" and he turned to plucking. He was on an
all seed diet and an extremely small cage. I found him at a bird fair. Though I'm not fond of bird fairs, I go there to try to educate potential buyers on proper parrot care. This little guy just pulled at my heart strings and I just couldn't leave him there. I did not "buy on impulse" as many people do...I have much experience with parrot's and more specifically Macaws. He was taken to an Avian Vet immediately and was given a clean bill of health, which only confirmed that his plucking was behavioural. He has plucked his belly and legs clean, under his wings, on top of wings, and his rump...the new feathers that come in are yanked immediately. He's on a much healthier diet now (pellets and fruits/veggies...which he LOVES), more toys than he knows what to do with, and a mommy that will never abandon him. For 6 months, I've tried with no success to curve his habit of plucking his feathers. It hasn't gotten worse, but it hasn't gotten better either. But, he is the happiest little guy...he smiles all of the time. If he doesn't stop plucking soon, he will permanently damage his feather follicles and will have no chance of feather growth. But, as long as he's happy...I don't mind. He truly is the apple of my eye. He bonded with me instantly and now is my shadow around the house. If I'm out of his view for too long, he'll climb off of his cage (freedom all day) and "pitter patter" around the house until he finds me. I don't see how anyone could've thrown him away...he has such a wonderful personality...especially for a Macaw. Sincerely, Amy and flock of 4: Magnolia (Moluccan), Paulie (Alexandrine),
Sassy (Mitred Conure), and of course my little man Diego (Military
Mac). |
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| Next Month Highlights: | |||||||||
| Positive Reward Training Part 2,
FAQ |
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All
Rights Reserved Parrot Rescue Centre Inc 2005 ©.
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