Ask An Expert

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

Answered by Jim McKendry:

G’day Josh, Apologies for the delayed reply but as I haven’t ever observed the behaviour you described I spent some time getting in touch with a buddy of mine, Matt Schmitt from Houston Zoo, and I also checked in with Rosemary Low, one of the world’s most experienced Lory keepers. I asked both if they had ever seen the behaviour you described. Unfortunately, neither Matt nor Rosemary has seen a dusky, or any lory, sitting on the head of another - so that makes 4 of us! Rosemary wondered if the Dusky was handraised, in which case we do tend to see quite a few odd behaviours in handraised lories. My own lories that were handraised present some very strange behaviour from time to time that defies explanation. In any case, I can’t offer any insights based on personal experience for this one. My only suggestion, which I’m certain that as a keeper you’ve already considered anyway, is whether the behaviour is resulting in any stress to the poor lory whose head is being used as a perch ☺ If it’s just random behaviour with no resulting conflict or stress in the flock then it will likely diminish over time.

Thanks for asking!
Kind Regards from Down Under - Jim McKendry
http://www.pbec.com.au

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

Hi Jerry- I am quite concerned about your Grey. Her symptoms suggest a serious health condition that needs the attention of a qualified avian veterinarian immediately. Some veterinarians do make house calls; you might check the Association of Avian Veterinarians AAV to locate the avian veterinarians in your area. If you cannot find a veterinarian who does house calls, you must then take your bird to a qualified avian veterinarian.

Sometimes we have no choice but to do stressful things to save our birds' lives. If we don't, we will lose them for sure!

Good luck,

Dr.Cook

Answered by Phoebe Green Linden:

Hello Anne, First, please accept my heartfelt condolences for the recent loss of your husband. You are in a season of profound feelings.

I can tell from your letter that you care deeply about Lulu and her legacy, so it’s important to get this relationship, and decisions about it, right. Thank you so much for asking for my comments; I’m honored to help you and Lulu honor the memory of your husband and Lulu’s great friend.

You and Lulu have been through a lot with each other, in sickness and in health, as it’s said. Your shared history will deepen your relationship, and, as long as you’re willing to keep investing in it, you and Lulu can develop a great companionship.

I could be wrong, but something tells me your husband’s two favorites can make a go of it. Let’s consider how you and Lulu are already compatible: she already goes on your arm readily, you have some nice routines established, and it seems like you enjoy being together, so you have a lot to work with. You’ve been through rough times, but you’re ready to learn, and you want to stay together.

My 13 yr old Blue and Gold macaw, Georgia, says “Go for it!” I agree – let’s get started! We are going to approach your situation using both behavioral analysis and emotional intelligence.

Kick Back, Watch a DVD
First, please order PollyVision I and II and watch the DVD’s yourself first, then with Lulu. Note the behaviors of the wild parrots and note which ones she already does. Have her watch it, too, if and when you are both ready to watch. When we see those wild macaws doing what they do, it makes us stop and think, and it makes us want to get active, too, to change, enhance, and build habitats that encourage parrots to act more and more like real birds. I think it’s really important that our parrots are first parrots, meaning that they flap, climb, swing, talk, preen, interact, hang out and goof off; then, together, we are companions.

What Does Lulu Want?
So, consider some new enhancements for Lulu – check her favorite toy and see if it’s time to order more; be sure the places you put her are designed for her comfort, and with her values, in mind, not ours. Our macaws really like their get-a-grips from WPT supporter Star Bird; they also love the bamboolies from this same line. Between those two enrichments, hours of enjoyment. Giving Lulu a new place to hang out – especially if it’s a place she really, really likes, will signal the beginning of a new relationship. http://www.parrots.org/estore/catalogue/Page8-9_Natural%20Toys.pdf.

Make a list of treats Lulu likes, such as walnut, almond, wheat toast with a smudge of peanut butter, warm corn bread, cracker and withhold these except for as a reward for going into the cage. No more free treats! To start, use pieces that are about ½” x ½”, but keep experimenting with size so that you give the most appropriate amount.

One really great “fact” is that when Lulu does “parrot stuff” (which looks a lot like showing off, being pretty, preening/posing, having a fluff head, etc.,) she’s automatically reinforced. Humans like these behaviors, too. Remember, Lulu is happy to be beautiful and your admiration of her can be genuine, gentle, appropriate and meaningful. When we like and encourage the behaviors she already wants to perform, then we’re working like a team. Or better, like a flock. Lulu will like your praise and as you notice her more and more, you’ll appreciate her more and more.

To Build Compatibility, Note What’s Incompatible
Let’s think for a moment about behaviors that are incompatible with biting. Meaning, if Lulu is doing xyz she is in no position to bite. Behaviors that are incompatible with biting include preening, waving, turning around, turning around and fanning the tail, scratching the head with one foot, then with the other, doing an arabesque and fluff and puff, to name some. When Lulu does any one of these behaviors, it’s physically impossible for her to also be biting. So, you want to catch her doing these behaviors and give her a treat or praise so that these behaviors increase and biting falls away. There are so many things Lulu probably already does that have nothing to do with biting! It’s your great assignment, Anne, to note these and find the reinforcement she wants that leads to more performances of behaviors incompatible with biting.

Approach Lulu and see what she wants to do, if anything, with you at a particular time. She might want breakfast with you, maybe not. Some other time, then. No biggie. If she doesn’t want juice now, maybe later. It’s not a big deal to you (except you know how yummy juice is. . . ) and she’ll probably want it tomorrow, anyway. Maybe she wants to flip her wings, fan her tail, scratch her head or whistle: those are all cool parrot behaviors, so praise her for what she’s doing that’s right.

The Cage as a Treat Delivery Station
Because you’ve isolated the “problem area” to be Lulu’s cage, you’ve given us a terrific tool with which to work. Sounds like Lulu has started to view “going back into the cage time” as an arbitrary decision based on human convenience. One that makes her march to orders and then get jailed as a result. Who wouldn’t rebel?
Instead, let’s construct circumstances in which Lulu goes from out of her cage to inside her cage and back out again, then in again, etc., according to a mutual agreement between you. It’s important for Lulu to be her own agent and participate in decisions. When possible, let her come right back out of the cage after she’s decided to go in it, or after you’ve asked her to go in and she does.

Once she knows that every trip into the cage does not result in solitary confinement, she’ll be more willing to go there and happier to go on her own.
Here’s what you can do: If Lulu is hanging out on her cage, see what she wants to do like puff or whistle or look cute. Select behaviors incompatible with biting, watch for those, and get ready. Tell her what she’s doing that you love and put a tiny bit of walnut or corn bread or toast in her food dish inside the cage. If she doesn’t go down right away and eat it, you know she will later because a) she hasn’t had any treats for a while and b) because she’s a macaw. If she goes down right away and eats it, that’s a good bird, too. Then she can come right back out of the cage if she wants to. That’s one session. Everybody should be happy – she’s gotten a treat, you’ve seen her go into her cage, she’s practiced a very good skill.

In the next session, check the treat cup. If there’s still a treat in the cup, you’ll know it’s not reinforcing enough for her either because she’s not hungry, or because she values something else. If she’s just not hungry right now, don’t worry – she’ll get there, especially for nuts. Now, talk quietly together and wait for her to do something praiseworthy. Immediately put another treat in the cup (not too big, not too small – she needs to be motivated for the treat). Let her practice going into the cage for a treat, then coming out (or not) on her own. Then going back in later for more treats.
My parrots have different treat preferences which they change according to a secret schedule, so they inspire me to be creative. One day it’s cracker, the next it’s black berries, then again, maybe it’s rice.

Also, build some leeway into your schedule and the training situations. For instance, if you have to leave the house at 5:00 PM and she’s still out at 4:59, that’s a planning problem. Instead, at 2 or 3 PM, give her a treat in her cup, have her either go get it on her own right away, or wait for a while. Perhaps she’ll want you to put her in the cage after all (whichever she decides). Then gently close the cage door with a compliment to her manners and put a bunch of walnut pieces in the cage, just because. Set up the cage situation so that Lulu wants to go back into it; comes and goes from the cage as is reasonable and safe; and views the cage as a treat-delivery station.

Random Acts of Cuteness
Additionally, you’ll want to keep noting behaviors that are incompatible with biting, like, say, scratching the head, and be sure you’re either dropping a treat in her cup, or giving her something else she values (like a head ruff) in response to random acts of cuteness.

Anne, I know you want to keep Lulu. And just as important, you want her to be happy. I’m sure that a few skills will help you develop a relationship with Lulu that goes beyond just living together. Please keep writing me, OK? I think it will be interesting for WPT members to read an ongoing discussion rather than just a one-time Q & A. so if that’s something that appeals to you, let’s try it!
All best,
Phoebe Greene Linden
Santa Barbara Bird Farm

Answered by Dr. Brian Speer, DVM:

Yes - this could be a medical condition developing. I would advise that you have your bird examined for diagnosis. Obesity, lipomas, Xanthomatosis, and other skin specific disorders all are possible here.

Answered by Dr. Brian Speer, DVM:

Based on your description, your bird should be physically examined by an experienced avian veterinarian.The passage of undigested material in the feces is not a normal event, and at present time, it seems that your bird is not overtly visibly ill otherwise - offering you the time to obtain a diagnosis and have time to treat most effectively. This should not necessarily be viewed as an urgent thing, but just time to get an evaluation and a clear diagnosis established - whatever it turns out to be.

The lump that you see at the loweer abdominal area may be an egg, but it also could be due to the dilation of a ventriculus or proventriculus, or any other coelomic organ as well.

"Megabacteria" is now an outdated term that we used to describe infection with the yeast organism, Macrorhabdus ornithogaster. This is a very very very very rare diagnosis in macaws, and I'd not be overtly that concerned about this infection in your bird. More importantly, whatever is causing the ventricular dysfunction needs to be named and diagnosed accurately - and for this, it is time to get going to the doc.

Answered by Phoebe Green Linden:

Hi Miriam, Thanks for writing World Parrot Trust and explaining the situation with Nico, your 21 month old African Grey parrot.

All the behaviors you describe are within the bounds of normalcy for parrots young and old. Making some noise? Yep. Trying to get your attention? For sure. Pushing boundaries? If you mean by that exploring what works and what doesn’t, yes, he’ll do that.

Parrots who push their boundaries too vehemently might be too confined. Better for us if we safely and reasonably push back the boundaries we've set for our birds as we train them every step of the way. We allocate space, time and resources to be sure our captive parrots don’t need to ache, beg for or bite to get what they need and want.

If, for example, he wants your undivided attention and gets it when he's "trying to bite," then he'll try to bite more.

Miriam, my advice on puberty is this: don't let thoughts on "puberty" pigeon hole your Grey. We don't want to waste valuable fleeting time with our parrots when so many bright activities and interactions are before us.

He's ready to be taught solutions to any problems, and because the solutions exist, let's get going.

Training by the Book

In Good Bird! author and trainer Barbara Heidenreich reminds us that positive reinforcement works, which is excellent news. So, pick a treat that Nico likes and use it (ultra-small bits of it) for positive reinforcement. If he becomes disinterested in one treat, have substitutes available, including verbal praise, a whistle, tickle or whatever Nico likes. It can not be said enough that the treat has to be something that Nico likes, he has to be ready to receive it. At almost two, he might change his mind tomorrow and like something else, so be prepared!

Hopefully, you'll start to get a long list of things that Nico likes to do, eat or get. Sensitivity and reason will guide you. Also, let the booklet Good Bird! guide you. A copy is coming to you via WPT from me. You can read it through in one evening and start Nico's training off on the firmest footing. Then, if ever you feel "stuck" again, you'll have it for reference. It's invaluable, just like Nico.

Miriam, because you wrote to World Parrot Trust, I know your goal is to avoid doing anything to make Nico event the slightest bit uneasy. Nothing that harms the relationship, and everything that is good for relationship -- that is the goal. The result is a relationship between you and Nico that is built upon mutual trust.

The best way for humans to build trust with parrots is for us to get to know them physically. That's why being able to read parrots' body language is important. It's both art and science as I'm sure you and Nico have already discovered. But there’s more -- the ways parrots use feathers to express their state of being are myriad and deserve more commentary than this space allows, so please refer to the booklet once it arrives, OK?

One behavior, the rouse, is "when a bird puffs all of it's feathers out and then shakes all of its feathers." (p.15) is one of my favorites to reinforce. We call this "fluff and puff" and it gets a lot of praise in my flock. It seems calming and cleansing, like a tension relief behavior.

Emotional Intelligence: parrots’ point of view

Miriam, another way we get to know our parrots is emotionally, so be sure your interactions with Nico center around a compassionate emotional intelligence that guides you as you constantly upgrade the environments in which Nico’s behaviors occur. Positive relationships center around environments that encourage him to be physically active and engaged. Reward him when he makes pleasant noises and be sure those sounds come from a toned, fit and healthy body. Always be on the look-out to ensure that he's staying happily receptive to the rewards offered. If he changes his mind, be nimble.

Throughout training, Nico's point of view might be very different from human perceptions, so extra sensitivity is needed as together, you mold a relationship between companionable species. It's a gentle, pliable community we build, not a clamshell of demands that we clap tightly onto each other's beings.

Praise can be a enthusiastic “Good Bird!!” or a smiling nod – as long as it’s what Nico wants, he’ll try to get more of it.

Check the Environment

Environmental enrichment is always our first, foremost and often ultimate tool in behavior modification.

Be sure you have a current up-to-date list of what Nico likes to do, eat, where he likes to go, at what times and how often. Spend some time just watching him to see new behaviors and note with interest those that increase companionship, exercise and other healthy habits.

It's good to get a lock on objectivity. Let's make sure our parrots live in places where they get to be parrots first, companions second. Look at the objects Nico enjoys and where he likes to hang out. An environment replete with what parrots like is the best environment for parrots. That’s where we see good behavior.

The more environmentally suited your habitat is to supply him with what he needs as a parrot and companion, the more interesting your shared relationship. You challenge yourself in a friendly way to find more and more things and places he likes. The resultant diversity of parrot-appropriate experiences you and he experience together are what challenges him.

When you take a close and compassionate look at Nico's environment, you might notice things he no longer enjoys as much as he did say, 4 months ago. If there's an enrichment he particularly likes (and you can tell because it’s nearly destroyed), try enriching it further, moving it to a cool new place, or adding another one somewhere else. Try to look at his environments -- cage, play gyms, baskets, and so forth -- from his point of view. He might enjoy a new basket or shower perch, or maybe he'll play more with some of his existing toys of they are spruced up and re-situated.

Environments designed from a parrot's point of view are set up according to parrot priorities. There's plenty of space, light, friends and privacy. Stuff to do and a place to get away from it all are available to all.

Timing is important, too

Training sessions stop and start when everyone is ready to learn. Participation can change moment by moment, so if the session feels strained or like it’s taking too long, wrap it up. Parrots like to make the choice to stop any session, too. I always think the best training sessions end when the parrots decide to destroy an ear of corn, search for a bit of walnut, or see what’s going on outside.

Rather than setting up a situation (due to timing, usually) where Nico's hanging upside down with his wings slightly spread causes you a problem, try making the time/space/priority to allow that behavior. It’s a great important exercise for your healthy young bird – see if flapping his wings is reinforcing and encourage him to do so for a good long while and well before sleep time.

If you want him to stop regurgitating, reinforce a behavior that’s incompatible with regurgitating, like flapping. Especially hanging upside down when flapping -- that's really incompatible with regurgitation – but it’s a very cool way for an active parrot to work out. That’s why hanging upside down and flapping is high on our list of Good Stuff to Do.

Wild Guys

Along those lines, I heartily recommend the WPT DVD "Where the Wild Greys Are", a copy of which is also being sent to you with my compliments. I love watching the wild greys and suspect you will, too. A word of caution -- pre-screen it out of earshot by Nico as you will want to turn the volume down in certain parts before he hears it!

The reasons to watch wild greys center around your pre-teen grey who would, I image, be one of the saucy, acrobatic and nimble greys we see in this highly interactive wild flock. Here we see and hear a part of the inimitable culture of greys: landing in and taking off from tree-tops, making racket and singing like angels, mingling, foraging and checking out elephants. This DVD really expanded my sensibilities about the sacrifices captive greys make in order to be our companions. It helps us re-valuate the substitutes we provide to captive parrots.

Rewards that stay rewarding

All in all, Miriam, I know you and Nico will do great together as long as you’re both ready and willing to keep learning. You first! Please read Barbara’ book and keep it handy, watch the DVD for inspiration, get ready to keep making changes, be watchful and sensitive and keep Nico’s priorities at the top of your schedule. Your rewards can be life-long companionship with an amazing creature.

Best regards,
Phoebe Greene Linden
Santa Barbara Bird Farm
Santa Barbara CA

Answered by Dr. Brian Speer, DVM:

Yes, there could be a problem, but there may also not be. I'd recommend that you have your bird examined to allow proper address of your concerns.

Answered by Dr. Brian Speer, DVM:

There is always concern with spoilage, and this should be a bit more of a concern if you are specifically choosing to feed items or products that lack preservatives. Simple recommendation: follow the recommendations of the manufacturer of the diet you are choosing to feed.

Answered by Dr. Brian Speer, DVM:

Dear Cindi, Those are likely "normal" color changes that are in those photos. a bit of rubbing and wear on the outer aspects of the keratin will expose the colors that I see, and this is not uncommon in many dark billed species such as this. It appears that the last bird photo suggests to me that the bird has no abrasive surfaces in its enclosure to enable normal self grooming of exfoliating keratin from the lateral aspects of the upper mandible gnathotheca.

[Editor's note: Changes in beak coloration have also been noted in wild Patagonian Conures. Nestlings and fledglings until they are about 4 months old have white bills.]

Answered by Dr. Brian Speer, DVM:

A pelletized or formulated diet product is, overall, a step in nutritional support for most companion parrot species. The big difference between these products and a seed mixture, is that there is uniformity in what is being consumed, and a balance of the nutrition being delivered - which does not occur nearly as well when birds are fed a varied seed mixture diet. The seeds that would be available for a wild cockatiel to eat are going to also have a very different nutritional make up than those domestically produced seed mixtxures, most likely.

And salt and zinc are both essential nutrients. In excess, both can potentially cause harm. Deficiencies of both will cause harm. Diagnosis of toxicosis is not as simple as many folks may want to believe - leading to issues of overdiagnosis and incorrect and sometimes even harmful treatment regimes. There is alot of incorrect and outright pseudoscience out there, particularly about zinc poisoning, and you need to be very critical of the scientific accuracy of rmany of the information that you may receive.

Answered by Glenn Reynolds:

Hello Elizabeth,
120 grams is heavy for the average cockatiel, but there are some that are larger. A lot of it has to do with blood lines, ethical breeding standards in your bird's background, etc. It would be helpful to know what your bird's average weight has been over a long period of time. Furthermore it would be helpful to know if a qualified veterinarian has determined him to be obese.

If he truly is over weight your only choice is to get him off of the high fat diet and increase his level of activity. There are a lot of reasons beyond obesity to do so. Fatty liver disease comes to mind, as well as diabetes, and simply a lack of proper nutrition.

I don't know that anyone fully knows the correct diet for a parrot of any given species. You will find there are as many diets as there bird owners. This is not to say that people aren't feeding their birds properly. What I am saying is that on the research end; although, we are learning a lot more about feeding parrots, there is still a lot to learn. The magnitude of the number of different species in captive circumstances makes this even harder. Wild parrots are geographically located all over the world and in many cases have diets dictated by food availability in that given region. That said you can't necessarily try to feed a captive parrot the same diet it's wild relative would eat in it's natural environment. Foraging birds burn a lot of fat in their daily quest for food. Captive birds don't. Many wild birds eat food items that aren't fully ripe. Un-ripe foods will have a different nutritional make up than the same food once it has fully ripened. Generally we can't purchase those food items in the same stage of development as it is in when wild parrots are eating them.

A broad range of food items in your bird's diet is the best way to go. I use a mix of pellets (about 50% of the daily intake), mixed fresh vegetables and greens (about 30% of the daily intake) and make up the other 20% with fruits, nuts (for larger birds) and a small amount of high quality seed mix. Many people add sprouts, bird breads, bird muffins, etc. I do too now and then. Parrots' nutritional needs do vary by species, and you should spend some time researching what other people are using successfully with cockatiels.

I have found that in most cases the statement that, "My bird won't eat pellets", or "My bird won't eat vegetables" has more to do with the owner than the bird. I don't mean to insult anyone. I am being truthful. You have to find the motivation to be persistent, and you have to be creative. Your bird's long-term health should be the primary motivation.

In my opinion the first step is for you to make a financial investment large enough to motivate you to follow through. Take your bird for a complete work up at a qualified avian veterinarian to see if he has any obvious nutritional deficiencies. Some deficiencies can be found on physical exam, such as a vitamin A deficiency. Others will require a complete work up including blood tests. Your veterinarian will take a look at the results and make suggestions. If one of those suggestions is to add a formulated diet don't go out and purchase a couple of pounds of pellets or ask a manufacturer for a free sample to see if your bird will eat it. Doing so makes little to no investment on your end and won't result in you being persistent. Purchase enough to last a few months keeping in mind that the pellets should be changed out daily.

Now that you have a substantial financial investment to keep you motivated you need to get creative. Try soaking the pellets in some sort of sweet fruit juice such as pineapple juice to make the smell and taste of the pellets more attractive to your bird. If this works gradually reduce the amount of juice and soaking time until your bird is eating the pellets without the soaking. Try melting peanut butter in a bowl and stirring pellets in to coat them. Once your bird starts eating them gradually reduce the amount of peanut butter. Try mixing the pellets with canned corn kernels, so that the pellets soak up the juice. Once your bird starts eating the pellets gradually reduce the amount of corn. Please note, I am not saying that pineapple juice, peanut butter, or corn kernels is a healthy diet for your bird. These are simply tricks that I have found to work on my own birds. The purpose at this point is to modify your bird's diet and eating behaviors. Always offer up new foods in a separate bowl, and don't starve your bird while you are making the changes. If you add new foods to the same bowl as the seed he is now eating he will most likely dig through the bowl and throw out the new food items to get to what he is familiar with. If you withhold food he will get frantic and fixate on only what he currently knows to eat.

As far as vegetables and greens go you have to get creative with them too. Try cutting them in different sizes. Try hanging them from the cage with a clothespin to make them more like a toy . Try stuffing them in a hole in a toy. Try using them as treats. If you often handle your bird let him see you eat them and offer some to him at the same time. Make them a play time toy.

Above and beyond all of the suggestions I have made, take your bird off of his feeding schedule. You don't want him to know when his next meal is coming. If he does he will always know when he is going to get the foods he likes and hold out on eating the food you want him to eat. Wild birds may forage on somewhat of a schedule, but they often don't know when they will find their next meal; therefore, they are more likely to eat what is available. Feeding your bird off schedule can result in a "psychological hunger" even though your are not actually withholding food. This can create the same results in him being more willing to eat what is available.

Once you have changed his diet you will need to get just as creative in thinking of ways to make him more active. Parrots are smart, but you can be smarter. Invest in his long-term health both monetarily and in persistence. Make it YOUR goal to get him to eat a better diet. You will find the more variety you can get him to eat the easier it will be to add even more new food items to his daily intake.

I hope this works for you,
Glenn

Answered by Dr. Brian Speer, DVM:

There is an allergic pneumonitis issue seen in Macaws (best documented in Blue and Golds) associated with feather dust and dander, often from cockatoos or grey parrots. This condition may certainly occur in other psittacine species, but is much less commonly encountered or documented. I am not aware of this condition being documented in Aratinga species - yet. Generally, a good management start, considering your concerns and concerns, would be to place a good quality air filter near the dusty species's cage, which will functionally remove their dust, and protect your pulmonary health as well as your other pet bird's health.

Answered by Dr. Brian Speer, DVM:

A cockatiel that weighs 4 ounces is approximately 120 grrams. Very likely, your bird is overweight, as you have suggested. I would recommend that you work with your veterinarian to formulate a weight reduction plan that incorporates enrichment of activity (foraging, etc) in combination with a functional reduction of calorie consumption per day. It is probably a bit too intrusive and less appropriate to "force" your bird to fly, as stated.