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Answered by Ellen K. Cook, D.V.M.:

Hi Cind, A PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) probe is a DNA test done on a blood sample to determine the presence of DNA segments of specific viruses or other organisms (Chlamydia, Mycoplasma) in the bird's blood. This does not always mean the presence of disease. Laboratory tests must be interpreted in the light of a complete history and physical examination by a qualified avian veterinarian.

Thanks for the great question!

Dr. Cook

Answered by Jamie Gilardi:

Dear Cindi,

We sympathize with your situation and applaud your impressive commitment to help so many of these birds in need of good homes. There are of course many factors which have contributed to the situation here in the USA; many of these birds are wild caught birds which were legally imported in the past, some have been illegally imported since, and certainly many people bred and bought birds which they never should have bred or bought in the first place.

Just as we all must make choices about our time and efforts as an individual, we must do the same at the Trust. With regard to parrot welfare, we feel at this time that we are able to do the most for the largest number of parrots by focusing our expertise and resources on the wild parrot trade, both legal and illegal, around the world. Although it is unrealistic to hope for successes on the scale of the EU import ban to come along every year – changes which spare millions of wild birds – there is still a great deal of trade involving tens of thousands of wild parrots annually. Focusing our attention on the major exporter and importer nations is by far the most effective way we feel we can make a significant difference for parrots and their welfare.

Naturally, we do a lot of educational work as well, both in developed and developing countries, to raise awareness about parrots in captivity, their proper care, and the huge commitment involved in taking responsibility for one of these birds. While there remains a lot of work to be done, I feel there is now a great deal more understanding about these issues than there was even five or ten years ago,

I’ll answer your second question first as it’s much more straightforward. For the most part, in the USA, Europe, and Australia, the ‘pet trade in exotic species’ is effectively decoupled from the fate of wild parrots. That is, buying or not buying, breeding or not breeding parrots here in the USA (etc) really has no direct bearing on the conservation status of wild parrots. In the past, this was not the case, but import bans and other regulations have been quite effective in ensuring that such markets are, by-and-large, unrelated. That cannot be said for domestic markets within parrot range states, where local demand and price is very much related to harvest of birds from the wild. In these cases, however, one can easily argue (and many do) that widespread captive breeding is the best way to reduce demand for the wild birds.

Your first question is really a series of questions packed into one, including:

a. Can the Trust advocate for ending all exotic pet trade?
b. Could we do this gracefully?
c. Would ending this trade save all the future suffering of parrots?

The short answers are a. yes, b. probably not, and c. no; here’s why: In our focus on the conservation and welfare of all parrots, we could as an organization advocate for just about anything we feel would substantially further those aims. Our expertise, however, is limited primarily to parrots and other birds, and we know little about trade in lizards, frogs, snakes, fish, anemones, shrimp, live rock, small mammals, etc.. So it is unlikely we would ever be in a position to advocate for the elimination of trade in exotic species in general - or for the promotion of it for that matter - simply because we know so little about it.

Although it never ceased to amaze me how complex and multi-faceted our campaign to end EU imports became over the years, that effort was a million times more straightforward than attempting to end all exotic pet keeping in the developed world. So, could we do it gracefully? I really can’t see how, even if we completely changed who we are as an organization, and redirected all our resources in this direction.

Maybe more importantly, would we stand a chance of succeeding if we did decide this was our highest priority? There are massive organizations and big money on both sides of this issue, so any one organization would have very little chance to make a meaningful difference. When we have been able to make a difference on a policy like this as in the EU trade ban, it was because there were lots of big groups who were willing to join us and imports were very much against the interests of the EU ... so it was mostly a matter of helping them see that truth.

Ending all future suffering of parrots? That’s certainly a laudable goal, but I think I’d be much more comfortable with language like “eliminating unnecessary” suffering, or “minimizing” suffering whenever possible. There are a few of issues worth bearing in mind here: two about wild birds, one about captive birds. First, there are millions of parrots in the wild. Their lives generally end in ways that are very unpleasant and involve considerable suffering – most often being eaten alive by predators, but also suffering debilitating diseases, sustaining life-threatening injury … and then in their weakened state, often being taken by a predator in the end. Although it is nearly impossible to study, most available evidence suggest that very few of these birds thrive for decades and peacefully die in their sleep.

Second, wild parrots generally live in places where there are a number of serious predators; cats, snakes, primates, and other birds like hawks, eagles, and owls. Their only protection from these threats is to be smart, alert, and to hope for the best. It is fascinating to watch parrots go to roost in the wild for example, as their behaviors suggest that darkness brings with it a number of very substantial fears … every night of their lives. And judging from the piles of parrot feathers one finds on the forest floor at frequent intervals, these fears are not imaginary, they are very real. Of course, this fear at dusk is not suffering in the sense of feeling physical discomfort, but many would argue that experiencing intense fear is suffering on another level, particularly for highly intelligent species like parrots. Note that while we wouldn't for a moment suggest that these are reasons for taking birds from the wild - such experiences are entirely natural and parrots evolved in exactly such environments - that doesn't for a second mean that life in the wild is one that lacks suffering.

Third, you are absolutely right that there is a lot of suffering among captive birds as well; sometimes this is due to ignorance, sometimes it’s because people just don’t care, and sometimes it’s because they are simply unable to provide the bird with what it needs to thrive. Some of our closest friends and colleagues feel there should be no parrots in captivity. While we respect that view, we do not share it. In our collective experience, there are many parrots which are very well cared for in captivity, they live stimulating, healthy, fear-free, and often very long lives, and they often enrich our lives in many and profound ways. Perhaps more importantly, as a result of our being captivated by them, we have a deep appreciation for these creatures and we are powerfully motivated to save both the parrots and their habitats around the world.

So, no, I don’t think ending the exotic pet trade would “save all future suffering” of parrots. Such a step may in fact severely curtail awareness, appreciation, and respect for these birds, as well as potentially undermining support for their conservation. That said, we can do a lot to minimize this suffering by eliminating the trade in wild caught birds, and further educating people around the world about how to care for parrots, and about the many challenges of providing captive parrots with healthy and happy homes.

All best wishes,

Jamie

Answered by Dr. Brian Speer, DVM:

Laura - there are must be environmental, behavioral and nutritional stimuli that are responsible for supporting your birds reproductive drive during those times of year. Realistically, these need to be carefully evaluated and corrected, using ethically and ornicologically sound principles. The wood chewing behavior, realistically, is probably associated with nest building behaviors, I would anticipate. Although the calcium carbonate present in Tums is a good source of Calcium, unless a large number of other variables are addressed (dietary fat content modification, etc), this will at best be a short term solution - kind of consistent with your experiences, to-date. Furthermore, I would not anticipate that the antibiotic, Ciprofloxacin, should have much of any merit in treatment of most birds with the clinical signs as you describe - uterine bacterial infections are generally far less common in parrots as compared to the metabolic issues that should be present. I would strongly recommend that you consult with your attending veterinarian and make sure that you are approaching this issue in the most balanced manner possible.

Pasted below are some excerpts from a prior conference proceedings for veterinarians that I have published in the past:

Chronic egg-laying in the pet bird poses a significant threat to the health and behavioral well being of many pet birds. When a hen lays repeated clutches or larger than normal clutch size without regard to the presence of a normal mate or confined breeding season, a myriad of secondary problems can follow. Ultimately, functional exhaustion of the reproductive tract poses risk of metabolic and physiological drain on the bird, particularly on calcium and energy stores. All of these ultimately predispose the hen to egg binding, dystocia, yolk coelomitis, oviductal impaction, oviductal torsion, cloacal prolapse and osteoporosis. Although chronic egg laying is seen in many companion bird species, it is most commonly described in the smaller species, including budgerigars, cockatiels, lovebirds and finches. Medical intervention has traditionally focused combinations of environmental management, counter-hormonal therapies and surgery. In general avian medical practice, counter-hormonal therapies, including leuprolide acetate (lupron), seem to be the more common treatments recommended for chronic egg laying, and salpingohysterectomy, and environmental/behavioral recommendations seem to be less commonly implemented. The purpose of this paper and presentation is to outline the function of the female reproductive tract, the etiopathogenesis of chronic egg-laying, and to critically review and ethically prioritize potential medical interventions to resolve or address the problem.

Unlike many of the more common pet domestic mammal species, avian reproductive function is predominately initiated by extrinsic or environmental stimuli, as opposed to intrinsic cyclicity. Once the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis is triggered, a predictable cascade of events and consequences can occur. These events include endocrine, physiologic, behavioral and anatomic changes and activities in birds. Even what has been described as signs of reproductive behavior (paper shredding, nest building, hiding under papers, and/or seeking dark places), in reality, are predominately controlled by activity of the pituitary-gonadal axis, and are not necessarily involved with the triggering of its activity. In this sense, nest-seeking behaviors are merely the result of an already activated pituitary-gonadal axis, and are predictive of more direct reproductive activity in birds. In an ideal clinical preventative setting, by effectively controlling the triggers of the pituitary-gonadal axis should be most preventative, if not curative. In clinical settings with more advanced reproductively linked disorders, after the immediate clinical problem has been successfully addressed, efforts on a preventative level still are an essential part of complete medical care.

Most non-domestic avian species are breed opportunistically, and are reproductively active only when favorable environmental conditions exist. These are typically birds adapted to tropical or desert climates, and, if the climate allows, these birds may breed. In the absence of supportive environmental conditions, reproduction does not occur. In a given year, the proportion of birds in a wild population that actually breed can be low, and some species breed only every other year or every few years. Parrots are mainly monogamous and, in the case of larger species at least, pair for life. The bond between pairs is constantly reinforced by a variety of behaviors, such as allopreening and feeding. This strategy is perhaps adaptive, because of the high proportion of learned (as compared to instinctive) behavior exhibited in parrots: pairs that know each other well and have experience of one another breed more successfully.

Environmental cues that can stimulate reproductive activity and ultimately lead to oviposition in avian species include photoperiod, temperature, rainfall, available food supply, the presence of nesting material, and/or the presence of a mate (real or perceived). The perceived photoperiod by birds is understood by many as a very important environmental cue for reproductive activity in most avian species. Its role in parrot species is not as well studied as it is in many other taxonomic groups of birds. Rainfall is known to stimulate reproductive behavior in many tropical and desert-dwelling species of birds. Rainfall and temperature often directly affect the available food supply, which is another critical factor affecting reproductive activity. The presence of nesting sites and appropriate nesting materials is a powerful reproductive cue for many parrot species. Abnormal “mates” can include an owner or other human, some items within the cage, and toys. Another bird housed in the same cage, the same room, or even simply within hearing distance may strongly stimulate reproductive drive. In some species, there is a genetic predisposition for chronic egg-laying and lack of normal reproductive hormonal balance. Pet chickens and waterfowl are common species representations of the genetic predisposition for chronic egg laying. Pair-bond enriching behaviors such as include regurgitative feeding, copulatory behaviors, nest site inspection and mutual preening are acknowledged as triggering cues for reproductive activity.

Medical intervention generally is guided along the ethical guidelines of “Least intrusive, most effective”. A hierarchy of treatment options that progressively move up this scale, as-indicated in specific cases is vastly important. Many of the more intrusive treatment options, when not preceded by some of the more foundational and less-invasive recommendations for excessive egg laying should be realistically predisposed to a higher degree of failure. Degrees of intrusiveness of a recommended treatment can be tested by the amount of induced stress, physical pain, and cost. In addition, treatments that require repeated administrations should be challenged for their compatibility with this hierarchy in-toto. Degrees of effectiveness can be tested by their short term and long term effect at directly achieving their goal, as well as their effect at preventing recurrence in the future. Reduction of the probability of potential side effects and their adverse consequences on the health and welfare of the bird is also a very important test of effectiveness of a treatment.

Prevention
Many young parrots sold as pets are “mentored” and taught by their new owners only one form of social interactive skills (pair bond enrichment behaviors), as opposed to the typical array of social skills that would have been taught by the parents of their wild counterparts. Deficits in normal social interaction skills, foraging activities, learned inappropriate pair bonding behaviors, inappropriate diets, the provision of nesting environments and other factors are common. The first and foremost component of healthcare and prevention of excessive egg laying comes from the identification of existing risk factors at routine examination, client education, appropriate recommendations, and careful follow up on recommended actions with owners. Recommendations for enrichment of normal lifestyles, positive reinforcement training for guiding flock interactive behaviors, dietary recommendations, foraging training, and cage environment improvements all are essential foundational preventative maneuvers. In essence, enrichment of these types of behaviors is a key aspect of the routine annual examination.

Environmental and Behavioral Interventions
In the presence of excessive egg-laying in companion birds, a series of recommendations and training / enrichments should be outlined for bird owners. Specific recommendations are guided by signalment, history and physical examination findings. Although many of the needed recommendations require the “removal” of reproductively associated stimuli and behaviors, more ethical recommendations should also concurrently package and emphasize the training of normal behaviors to replace what is removed. The stress that can be generated by environmental and behavioral deprivation, although it can add to short-term “effectiveness”, should be viewed as less ethical than a behavior-change strategy that is based on differential reinforcement of alternative behaviors. Environmental and behavioral deprivation can easily result in an increase in behavioral problems, ultimately adversely affecting the health and welfare of these patients. In most circumstances and when applied correctly, environmental and behavioral interventions should be viewed as most ethical, least intrusive and most effective treatments for uncomplicated chronic egg laying.

Environmental stimuli may need to be altered, and every recommendation should be carefully balanced with an enrichment or differential reinforcement plan for alternative behaviors. The photoperiod may need to be altered and reduced for some species. Nest sites, toys, and other items to which the bird has a sexual affinity should be removed from the enclosure. Access to a nesting environment (shredded papers, a box, or other dark cavities) should be prohibited. In the event that a pet bird is showing nesting behavior and laying eggs in a designated site within the cage environment, removal of eggs from the nest should be avoided for the normal incubation period for each species to discourage the hen from laying another clutch. Any perceived or actual mate should be removed from the cage or room environment. In some situations, and with some species such as the Cockatiel, visual and auditory separation from a “mate” may be necessary. A “one-person bird,” with only a single household member who exclusively handles and cares for the bird should be potentially viewed as an established “mate relationship”, which may serve as a trigger for reproductively driven behaviors and activities. Stimulatory petting by the owner, such as rubbing the pelvis, dorsum, and cloacal regions should be stopped. “Flock” interactive behaviors should be encouraged in preference to one person or “mate” interactions in the home. The cage location and internal set up (perches, toys, etc) should be changed and rotated periodically to provide a “new or changing” environment that is less stable and less reproductively stimulating. Inappropriate nutrition that is identified should be corrected to improve the hen’s dietary plane to decrease the severity of metabolic drain. Dietary alteration with a reduction of caloric intake appears to significantly reduce or stop egg production with many companion parrot species, as well as enable training and behavior-change strategies.

Medical Therapy
Medical therapies for chronic egg-laying tend to focus on drug therapies to reduce or stop egg production. Pharmacologic options have included medroxyprogesterone acetate, levonorgestrel, human chorionic gonadotropin, Norethidrone/mestranol, testosterone, and leuprolide acetate (Lupron). With the exception of leuprolide, most of these drug or hormonal therapies have variable effectiveness and significant adverse side effects. Although leuprolide acetate appears to be a safe alternative, this product is expensive, requires repeated use, and does not alone correct the causative cascade of reproductive activity in the female bird.

Surgical intervention
Surgical salpingohysterectomy or endoscopic salpingohysterectomy may be indicated in specific patients that are plagued with chronic egg laying problems. Ethically, this option should be pursued only if environmental, behavioral and/or medical therapy has not been successful, the relative risk to the overall health and welfare of the bird is gauged to be significant, and if there is no intent to breed the particular hen. Surgical treatments carry the greatest cost at their outlay, require advanced training in avian soft tissue surgery or endosurgery, and also carry the greatest immediate risk of procedural complications and death. Salpingohysterectomized birds still retain their ovary, and hence may still be predisposed to estrogenic behaviors, hyperestrogenism, cystic ovarian disease, internal ovulation and egg yolk coelomitis.

CONCLUSIONS
Chronic egg laying issues in companion birds can be successfully addressed, most effectively, least intrusively by applying an ethical hierarchy to treatment recommendations. Behavioral and environmental changes are essential and often are effective when applied in a first-line approach. Medical treatment options and surgery are more intrusive, and still require behavioral and environmental changes in order to be effective. Ethical guidelines for treatment of chronic egg laying in companion birds are essential components of the standard of care.

Answered by Jamie Gilardi:

Dear Cindi,

I think that's maybe several questions in one! You're right that the remaining Vinaceous Amazons are distributed in patches and have suffered a great deal of habitat loss. They are also targets of the illegal trade, primarily for the domestic markets in Brazil, Paraguay, and Argentina. Aiding the recovery of this species is unfortunately not as straightforward as buying or restoring habitat between these patches, and there may even be movements among some of the patches which would negate the value of such corridors, at least for the parrots. Moreover, working on supporting enforcement of existing laws, educational campaigns, and other efforts to protect the birds in the wild may be the most cost effective and rapid way to support the recovery of this species.

Over the past 20 years, we've come to understand that there are a number of really important components in any successful conservation project, and chief among them is the presence of a local researcher or NGO which is competent and enthusiastic about saving the species. Where I think we can be very helpful at the Trust, is working through our networks of researchers, identifying collaborators who are going to get the job done, then doing our best to provide them with the funds, tools, and technical support to make the project a success. Asking these kinds of questions is a GREAT place to start, as we can help give you a sense for where we think such support can be most effectively spent, both in terms of geography and in terms of the species in question.

For the Patagonian Conures, it's not possible to buy El Condor itself, and there is a great chance that it will receive full protection very shortly. On the other hand, there may be other colonies where a land purchase (or other creative arrangement) may be possible, and it may make a big difference in the end. That said, one of the primary threats to this species was the widespread and LEGAL harvesting of this species for the European pet trade. As this has now stopped, the Argentine government is no longer allowing thousands of these birds to be taken from the wild each year.

All best wishes,

Jamie

Answered by Jamie Gilardi:

Dear Cindi,

Great question!  We were thrilled with the initial donation and the fact that it inspired so many people to contribute, effectively doubling the outcome.

And yes, by all means, simply contact us at any of our branches by either email or telephone and we’ll work with you on how best to proceed.  To set up a matching campaign like this requires a bit of work, so it really only makes sense when the added value more than compensates for the staff time required to set it all up and to get the word out.  One thing that works very well is for supporters to talk to their good friends who care about nature conservation in general, to see if they can make the initial pledge more significant from the get go.  There are few things more convincing than someone making a compelling case for something and for them to be putting their own funds forward to support the cause in question.  So the idea my be that you can grow your initial sum by several fold, then take that sum and use it to catalyze a matching funds campaign. 

Please let us know if we can help with more details or suggestions along these lines, and thank you for your enthusiastic support!

All best wishes,

Jamie

Answered by Glenn Reynolds:

Hello Stephen,
Birds don't naturally molt of sections of feathers. They molt feathers in a way that they will still be protected and able to fly. For an Eclectus Parrot the grey down feathers are normal and should be there. There could be numerous reasons why this is happening. Some more information would be helpful. How old is your bird? Is he caged with a mate or other bird? Is your bird kept indoors at all times or does he get outside? What sort of diet is he on? Has he been looked at by a avian veterinarian? Is he kept in a very dry area? Does he have a lot of toys to play with and things to keep his mind occupied?

Nutrition is of utmost importance, so a good diet consisting of a mix of a formulated diet with vegetables, fruits, and some nuts is a good place to start. Raw nuts are the best choice. Stay away from nuts with salt on them. There are very few nuts in the shell Eclectus Parrots can get into. I use almonds with mine. I recommend staying away from peanuts. There are a lot of fungal issues with peanuts. I also partially crack other nuts like hazel nuts, and brazil nuts. They can work their way into them if they are pre-cracked. Parrots also need minimal and regualr exposure to direct sunlight (shaded areas are fine). All windows filter out at least part of the sun's rays. You can use full spectrum lights, but there is no replacement for natural sunlight, and full spectrum lights need to be replaced often.

The problem could be caused by feather mites. An avian veterinarian should be able to resolve that easily after examination.

Since most parrots come from tropical to sub tropical climates proper humidity is important. Dry skin can cause them to pluck. This seems to occur more in dry winter months than in the warmer more humid months.

If your bird is caged with another bird the other bird could be over preening the male Eclectus. This is not at all uncommon with captive birds caged together. This is easily resolved by caging the birds separately.

Heavy metal toxicity such as lead or zinc can cause feather picking. You will normally see nuerological symptoms and/or blood in the stool with heavy metal toxicity. If you are observing either your bird needs to be seen by a qualified avian veterinarian.

Unfortunately feather plucking is rather common with Eclectus Parrots. In my experience males seem to pluck more than females. The chest area and on their back between the shoulders seem to be their favorite places as well as the legs. I have seen self-mutilation of the legs in Solomon's Island Eclectus to the point that they pull the tissue off of their legs. In most cases there is no apparent reason, but any of the above can cause it. I can say that in my experiences I have seen healthy Eclectus Parrots with proper husbandry grow out of their feather picking behavior with age, but some of them don't.

If your bird is caged alone (ruling out over preening from another bird) regardless of the origin you need to start eliminating causes. The best place to start is an examination by a qualified avian veterinarian. They will be able to physically examine your bird and make recommendations on where start.

This can be very frustrating, and sometimes there is no reason (other than behavioral/psychological/hormonal problems) or cure. It's probably one of the most difficult challenges of owning a captive bird.

I wish you the best of luck,
Glenn

Answered by Ellen K. Cook, D.V.M.:

Hi Cindi,

This is an excellent question and, unfortunately, one which causes much controversy. Some experts say there is no problem with ozone generators, others say the constant exposure of very low levels (0.12 parts per million) causes scarring in human lungs which can lead to respiratory disease.

You put it very well: "... a bird's respiratory system is so very sensitive". I would be concerned that repeated, frequent ozone generation, even at this very low concentration, would be detrimental to my bird's health.

My safest recommendation for the birdroom is to go with HEPA filters only, not air purifiers/sterilizers that produce any amount of ozone.

Thanks for asking!

Ellen K. Cook, DVM

Answered by Steve Martin & Staff:

Dear Miriam,

My name is Jared Morgan and I am an avian trainer with Natural Encounters, Inc. I recently received your question regarding the loud calling and whistling from your African grey parrot. I hope to be able to provide you not only with some possible solutions to your problem but with some strategies that can add to your relationship with your parrot as well.

Firstly I want to commend you for your desire to work through your problems with your African grey. The ownership of a companion parrot can at times be very challenging and it could be easy to give up on them, but your determination to instead improve you situation is to be commended. From reading your email I saw what I think are two possible issues I could help you with. First is the piercing whistling sound that your African grey is making. Second was a possible worry about the relationship between your grey and your partner. Let’s begin with the screaming.

Screaming or noise making is very common in parrots. These behaviors in the wild occur most often around sunrise and sunset. It is a way for these birds to communicate when they may not be able to see each other. It is common then in the household for parrots to still scream in the morning or at night and possibly also when you go out of their sight as you may be considered a part of "the flock". I saw two ways you attempted to combat this, first by putting him in a time out cage and second by saying no. It is likely that, since the first thing that happens when he whistles is that you pick him up to put him in the cage, that it is not the time out cage, but rather being picked up that he associates with whistling. In addition, if you make any noise in response to his whistle, including raising your voice to scold him, it is probable that your bird will interpret this only as you calling back to him. Both of these things would likely reinforce the behavior, making it more likely that it will occur and occur more often.

The best strategy that I can suggest is to train what we would refer to as an "incompatible behavior". This could be anything you could train your bird to do that would mean he would not be able to scream while he does that other behavior. We would suggest you reward the vocalizations that you do like. If the bird mimics any sounds you like or is making soft calls you could reward your bird by responding back. This you can do from outside of the room when the calls most often occur. It is important to still ignore the vocalizations you don’t want as well. You could also train him to do other behaviors and make sure he is being quiet while doing them. This could be any number of things like having him go to a certain point in his cage, playing with a toy, or standing, and being quiet. This training will be good for your bird’s mental stimulation as well as your relationship.

To get started with training, the first step is to find a treat to use to reward your bird for behaviors that you want to see more often to replace the unwanted vocalization. To find what treats to train with we suggest you put a bowl of food in your grey’s enclosure with all of the things you feed your bird in one bowl. Whatever it is that he eats first is probably his favorite item, and should be removed from his diet except for training, which will make sure that it keeps its special value. You could also remove a few treats so you could vary what you reward your bird with. You can then use these treats to reward the behaviors you want and to ignore the behaviors you do not want to see as we talked about above. If done consistently you should be able to see an increase in the desired behaviors and a drop in undesired ones.

We also suggest using small steps to help your bird learn what you are interested in teaching him. For example if you would like to train you bird to put his beak on a bar you may begin by rewarding him for coming close to the bars, then reward him for touching the bar with his beak briefly, then increase the time he touches it before rewarding. It is important to make sure that you take steps at the pace your bird is ready to make them, and to allow yourself to move back a step temporarily if and when needed.

It also could be helpful to establish what we refer to as a “bridge”. This is a word, noise, or movement that signifies to your bird that what it just did at that moment is going to get a reward. Here at Natural Encounters, we use a verbal bridge - the word “Good”. It is used to "bridge" the time between a desired behavior and when you are able to give your animal a reward. You can establish this by making a noise or movement and then immediately afterwards giving that special treat to your bird. After some time of doing this your grey should begin to associate the bridge with the reward and the bridge can then be used to let him know exactly when it was that he did what you want. To test if your bridge has been established make the noise or gesture and see if your bird responds.

On to the second issue, the relationship between your bird and your partner. If you would like to establish a better relationship between your grey and you partner there are a few things you could do. It would be helpful for a time to pull yourself back a little and have your partner do many of the things like feeding or training of the bird. I know this can be difficult for both you and your bird but it is natural in the wild for parrots to move on to new partners when theirs die or disappear, as well as to leave the parents when reaching maturity so he would be ready to form a new relationship readily. After they are able to improve their relationship, you can reintroduce yourself back in and reestablish your relationship again, now as part of a “three bird flock”.

It may take some time to train and maintain these behaviors, and it is important to remember that behaviors like loud vocalizations are natural and may never disappear completely. The strategies I suggested should however lead to a significant decrease in the undesired behaviors, as well as an increase in desired behaviors and a process that is great stimulation for your parrot and beneficial to your relationship with him as well.

We hope that your relationship with your bird continues to grow, and that the advice we’ve provided helps to build your levels of skill, sensitivity, and enjoyment of your bird for many years to come. If you are interested in learning more about the care and behavior of companion parrots, please check out our website at http://www.naturalencounters.com, which features a variety of papers and articles on the training, enrichment, and behavior of companion parrots. Best of luck, and we look forward to hearing about your future successes!

Sincerely,

Jared Morgan
Avian Trainer
Natural Encounter, Inc.

Answered by E.B. Cravens:

Dear Bettina, The short answer to your question is we would offer African greys a nesting box out of thick wood (not metal or plastic!) which was 8 inches by 10 inches interior floor size, 30 inches tall, 4 to 5 inch round opening at the top under a large overhanging roof board. It needs to be facing a private area so the hen and cock do not always have to be looking out of their box and seeing other greys interested. Food and water should be near at hand so the pair does not have to compete for nourishment or choose to eat and drink less because they do not want to leave their egg clutch and venture far.

Inside we place coarse wood chips (not sawdust) and a few chunks of bark and rotting log material for them to chew up, also a small green bough of eucalyptus, rosemary, etc. to deter bugs. Depth of chips is four inches to start, then they add to it usually by chewing.

The longer answer to your question would be "why are you breeding African greys" at all. As can be seen from your eight rescue Greys, there are so very many unwanted parrots of all kinds out there, and sometimes it seems best not to bring more babies into the world where good 'forever' homes are increasingly hard to find...

Do you have a plan for the chicks you might get? Is the space they are kept in large enough for three, four, six or more extra Greys? Are you making a decision to breed to sell or adopt out? How old are you and your family, and is everyone committed to long term care for the young parrots?

Now, I am not trying to be negative here. There are some fine ethical reasons for permitting a pair of African greys that wish to become sexual and have a family, go ahead and do so. But it can become complicated, certainly in a colony situation where all birds are not firmly bonded and paired up. In the wilds we know that greys nest in "communal" types of situations--but captive parrots can have issues about territory and baby noises coming from a box and extra food treats (pairs with babies being fed need four or five times the food that everyone else gets and it often needs to be special, i.e. premium greens, extra nuts and cooked beans and sprouted pulses, corn on the cob, pomegranate and fig seeds, soft food, etc.) Your situation may make it hard to provide extra nourishment to the pairs setting on eggs and feeding chicks without making other birds jealous or assertive.

There are also the serious questions of double and triple clutching breeding parrots. It is early in the season still. Do you plan to let the parents do the fledging and weaning, or take away babies for human feedings?

Anyway, I applaud your concern and the fact that you were willing to take on the care of eight needy, unwanted grey parrots. Just think carefully and proceed slowly with this next phase and realize there are many options, like hard boiling or addling the eggs and giving your pairs a chance to copulate and interfeed and set on eggs to term in a peaceful family pair way--without actually producing more captive Greys.

Good luck to you,
With aloha, EB Cravens

Answered by Dr. Brian Speer, DVM:

In an older cockatiel, there can be a variety of problems that can develop in the uropygeal gland (preen gland) area. There are a small handful of tumors, cystic problems, and some types of infections that can be seen. I would recommend that you re-visit your veterinarian, and ask for either:1) Referral to a specialist for evaluation and diagnosis, 2) a discussion of options that may allow for diagnosis. These may include the use of fine needle aspiration, surgical biopsy, or other methods. Although it is probably not fair to expect a veterinarian to visually assess the structure and factually tell you exactly what is going on, it is fair to ask how this answer can be obtained, should it be needed. "Lancing" and draining a preen gland, alone, may be a bit inappropriate for some of the types of problems that I have listed above.

Answered by Dr. Brian Speer, DVM:

I suspect that what you are seeing is a normal apteryal area on your bird. Most birds do not have a solid set of feathers everywhere on their body, and the central sternal area and that over the crop are non-feathered skin, or apteryal regions. When the feathers become wet, this makes them more visible.

Answered by Jamie Gilardi:

Dear Sandra,

Your question is a very good one, and one we are often asked at WPT, and if you don't mind, I'm going to assume you're asking about field work on wild parrots. Although there is a lot of student interest in such work, I'm afraid there aren't a lot of slots out there waiting for new students to come along and show such interest. One short answer to your question is to simply spend time on Google Scholar searching for as many current papers on parrots, conservation, behavior, and the other things that interest you, read the papers, learn which professors are focused on things that interest you, and narrow down your search that way.

In addition, because parrots mostly live in countries other than where these graduate schools are located, there are nearly always language and cultural challenges which need to be addressed. If you haven't already traveled to the country or area in question, when possible, we encourage students to take the time to do so, and to try to visit field sites while they're there. That usually gives you a very clear and direct experience with all sorts of realities which will be crucial to designing and carrying out a successful field research program. It also helps you make a credible case when you're approaching the faculty members you've selected as to why you've chosen that country (or site or species), how you think you can get the work done, and what research questions you think are important and answerable.

In my experience, most faculty feel they have a full plate most of the time. But they are also inspired by new students who have shown initiative and have taken several steps toward the launch of a serious graduate research effort.

Best of luck, and I look forward to one day hearing from one of my parrot colleagues about this "highly motivated new student named Sandra ...."

All best wishes,

Jamie

Answered by Dr. Brian Speer, DVM:

These types of color changes can and do occur. There is the possibility of a shift in hormonal production, and some hens actually will develop an active ovotestes as they age that begins to product testosterone. There also health issues that could be of concern, and some forms of tumors could be of concern here too. For this reason, if you have not already had this done, a good physical evaluation of your bird is appropriate.

A change in dietary preference for soft food items could merely be a sift in personal preference, or it could be related to pain and increased sensation of the tomium and occlusal ledges of the lower and upper mandibles. A physical examination is most certainly a worthy consideration here too

Answered by Dr. Brian Speer, DVM:

You have done a good job, taking the time to challenge some of those simple statements. Why do these types of comments about toxic risk to parrots exist out there? In part, by taking known fact from some species and correlating it to others where it is not known to be a problem or even where there is no problem; in part "just to be safe", and part simple error. This is one of the inherent risks of taking some pieces of information, without verification - sometimes, we end up really out and removed from reality. The catch here: We do not know what parrot species will do that are non-native to areas where Juniper grows, or if there could be a problem in those species..

Here is an excerpt from a summary discussion about Juniper poisoning:

Juniper, Juniperus sp: There are many species used commonly for landscaping. They are all shapes, sizes and colors and are widely distributed throughout North America. The fleshy seed cones are used as a food source for birds, rodents, deer and humans. Some of the toxic principles are diterpene acids, believed to be responsible for abortions in cattle and sheep; terpine-4-ol, responsible for diuretic effects; and sabinyl acetate which causes fetal malformations that are well documented in rats. The other clinical signs after large amounts of Juniperus are eaten include premature births, stillborns, small or weak newborns in cattle and sheep with the dam also being ill. It is not recommended that pregnant animals have access to these shrubs.

The toxic principle seems to be oriented towards abortions or fetal malformations - an issue that kind of seems to be centered about placental mammals - not birds who do not do that pregnancy thing.

Answered by Susan Friedman & LLP Course Graduates:

Hello Jade, Thank you for sharing your question with us (in very fine English).

Behavior is a tool, part of our biological endowment, to change the environment in some way that has value for the individual behaving. In other words, behavior serves a purpose.

To determine why an animal repeats a behavior pattern such as the one you describe, the first step is to identify the consequences (outcomes) that have been produced by doing the behavior in the past.

The behaviors you describe sound very much like the pattern a baby parrot learns to demonstrate to get food from its parents. It is not hard to imagine that if these behaviors result in other outcomes, such as food or attention from you and your husband, your bird will offer the pattern more, as a general "I want" communication.

If the behavior is reinforced only occasionally, it may make it harder for you to identify the maintaining reinforcer. Intermittent reinforcement of the behavior will also make this behavior pattern exhibited by your bird more persistent -- in the same way that intermittent reinforcement results in persistent gambling behavior.

These four questions help us focus on the ways in which behavior and environment interact:

1. What does this behavior look like (use observable, measurable terms)?
2. Under what conditions does this behavior occur (when is it most likely to occur)?
3. What is the immediate consequence (outcome) the behavior produces for the animal (what purpose or function does it serve)?


From your description, I can posit the following assessment:

Antecedents: When Jade and husband are on the sofa watching TV
Behavior: the bird comes to husbands leg, vocalizes with a "duck cry", and crouches and quivers his wings
Consequences: Sometimes we [fill in the blank]

You can think about the different outcomes this behavior has produced in the past that account for your bird repeating this pattern under the conditions your describe in the Antecedent term above.

It sounds like your bird has good independent play skills since, when you distract him from the behavior, he flies away and engages in some activity on his own. That is what we strive for, to keep our birds active, independent and behaviorally healthy. If you want to reduce this behavior (which is not always necessary, of course), first determine what the reinforcer is that maintains it, and provide that reinforcer for a behavior you want to see more.

We hope that helps!
All best,
Susan and Gay