Basic Behavior

Parrots placed in our Adoption Program may require behavior modification for a variety of reasons:

Screaming

Ignoring the bad behavior and rewarding the good behavior can turn an excessive screamer into a wonderful companion. Quick fixes such as squirting with water, covering
the cage, or yelling only encourages the parrot to scream louder! You must be prepared to
ignore the screaming and then reward them when they are quiet. Remember, birds want
your attention and they will do whatever it takes to make sure they get it.

Biting

Be prepared to take a bite. ALL parrots bite occasionally but some have a biting problem due to fear, dominance, territoriality or sexual frustration. We recommend removing the bird
from their cage and take to a quiet and neutral territory and work with him/her on a daily basis. Continuously reinforce the step up/step down commands. Laddering is also a good
way to stay in charge.

Sexually mature parrots can be very unpredictable. Their body language will alert you if
you watch for the signs. To avoid them seeing you as their 'mate' do not rub the bird under it's wings and at the vent area.

Feather Plucking

Mostly parrots pluck because of stress or boredom. Sometimes it's as simple as changing
where the cage is located to adding more toys. Don't confuse feather plucking with molting.
Molting occurs 1 - 2 times per year. Some of the other causes of feather plucking can be:

• Malnutrition/poor diet

• Lack of proper sleep - birds need 10 to 12 hours of uninterrupted sleep

• Improper lighting

• Exposure to smoke/nicotine

• Medical issues

This behavior problem is the most difficult to correct and needs to worked with on an individual basis. Please feel free to call us and we will try our best to work on the problem
with you through different techniques. We strongly recommend that the bird be vet checked
first to rule out any medical issues.