• Housing

    Toxic Parrot Food Dishes – BioFilm

    Dishes are something that seems simple enough you go to the store and with all the colourful and cute options you simply pick the one you like. Over time plastic dishes can create something called biofilm which is not good for the health of your bird. To be safe your best option is to use stainless steel dishes since you will be cleaning the dishes every day it’s best to be safe. In general bird, the owners tend to have three dishes, one for water, one for pellets, and one for the chop. I avoid water bottles just because they tend to be more difficult to clean and some birds…

  • Health

    HELP! – My Parrot Has White Spikes On Its Head?

    This is completely normal, so do not fret. These white spikes are new feathers coming in, they are often referred to as pin feathers. What are they? Pin feathers are new feathers coming in. you may notice your bird sheds (molts) old feathers this is normal but birds must get new feathers in if they are losing old feathers otherwise you will have a bald bird. Pin feathers are a new feather in keratin sheathing. What do they look like? Honestly, they look like little white spikes all over the bird’s head usually (as they can’t reach their head). What do I do? With little birds especially you want to…

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  • Food

    Parrot Safe Vegetables

    Just like humans, parrots need a good variety of veggies in their diet to keep them at optimal health levels. Here is a list of good veggies to give a try with your parrot. By trying a variety, you can learn what your bird preferred veggies are as well as textures. Parrot safe veggies – this is not an exhausted list, it is just some common veggies you may find in your grocery store. Zucchini Spinach Carrots Young dandelion greens Cucumber – sparingly – not much nutritional value Green peas Endive Broccoli Cauliflower Beetroot and the greens Bok choy Brussel sprouts Chard Parsnip (peeled) Dark green lettuces – red leaf…

  • Training

    The Foundation Of Trick Training For Parrots! – How To Start

    The foundation of trick training is something that is often overseen. Everyone just wants to jump into the fun tricks and then get frustrated when their bird doesn’t understand what they are asking of them. The first thing you should teach your parrot is to “touch” – often referred to as target training. It is very easy to miss a birds body language cues and push them beyond what they are comfortable with resulting in a bite and the bird learning to bite rather than giving you body language to show that it is confused, tired etc. by doing target training your hands are out of the reach for the…

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  • Food

    Herbs and Parrots – Cheap Way To Provide More Vitamins and Minerals!

    Herbs are often used with humans in cooking for extra diversity in flavours as well as added health benefits. This list is a list of different bird-safe herbs and the different health benefits of each. Herbs are an excellent cheap way to improve your bird’s health! These can be offered dry or fresh! Herb Health Benefit(s)   Dill Source of vitamins A and C Source of Iron Lowers Cholesterol Aids in Digestion Antimicrobial Good source of energy   Parsley Use sparingly High in oscillates     Rosemary Source of vitamin c, calcium, iron Is also a natural anti-inflammatory   Thyme Source of vitamin C, A, calcium, antioxidants Is also good…

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  • Other

    Should You Get A Parrot

    “Should I get a parrot?” this is a question that bird people get asked all the time. Are you the kind of person who: Takes lots of vacations? Would rather go out on a Friday night with friends than stay home? Someone who wants a low-maintenance animal? Someone who works lots? Someone who hates reading/learning? Does not want to constantly buy new toys/perches and rearrange cages? Hates cleaning? Wants your house to be quiet and calm all the time? Wants a short life-spanned animal? Sensitive to dust? Loves candles/does your house smells like candles? Don’t want to get bit by an animal? Will not listen to what an animal is…

  • Housing

    Are Dowel Perches Bad?

    Why do you want perches with variety? – look outside at a tree, the branches are textured and have a variety of sizes and shapes with the knots in the wood. You want to replicate this the best you can for your birds(), this keeps your bird’s feet as healthy as possible. Dowel perches are generally avoided. That being said if your cage has one dowel perch with a variety of other perches like natural perches, it is fine to have a dowel perch in your cage too. What is the problem with dowel perches? The issue with dowel perches is they lack variety in diameter and texture throughout the…

  • Health

    How Long Should My Parrot Sleep?

    Sleep is a very important thing for your bird. If your bird does not get enough sleep, it can become hormonal (thinking it is a breeding season) or tired just like humans. Your bird’s sleeping arrangements should be in a quiet dark place. Your bird should get 12 – 14 hours of undisturbed sleep. Undisturbed sleep Undisturbed sleep is the key to this topic. You can put your bird in its cage for 12-14 hours covered but be watching a movie beside the cage, that is not sleep. Ideally you want to have a space for your bird for night time. Some people have an extra room they use just…

  • Food

    Sprouting For Parrots

    Benefits of providing sprouts to your parrots Great for picky eaters, as they have the crunch of a seed They are packed with all the nutrients of the whole plant in a small little seed Fresher because they don’t have to be delivered to a store then purchased by you Easy to grow Cheap Sprouting releases special enzymes that make digestion easier How to sprout? There are a variety of different products on the market for sprouting. Most common two are; 1) Sprouting trays 2) In a jar (ensure it is a wide mouth jar so you can completely drain the sprouts) Sprouting trays increase the chance slightly of the…