About E.B. Cravens
"If we TRULY believe our captive-raised hookbills are important to world parrot conservation, we must work ceaselessly to ensure that…
Ask An Expert: E.B. Cravens
Browse by category: Parrot Care, Behaviour and Training, Conservation, Ethics and Welfare, Housing and Environmental Enrichment, General, Health and Nutrition
Dear Mr Cravens, RE:Phoenix roebelenii - Pygmy Date Palm, Rhapis Excelsa - The Lady Palm
Thank you for your reply regarding safe plants for our conservatory.We have removed the unsafe Sago palm and listed above are the two palms now under consideration.
I would be grateful if you would kindly confirm that the aforementioned Palms are safe for our conservatory as our parrots are allowed to fly free out there some of the time.
Thank you for your help and advice which is very much appreciated.
Yours sincerely, Sara
Thank you for your reply regarding safe plants for our conservatory.We have removed the unsafe Sago palm and listed above are the two palms now under consideration.
I would be grateful if you would kindly confirm that the aforementioned Palms are safe for our conservatory as our parrots are allowed to fly free out there some of the time.
Thank you for your help and advice which is very much appreciated.
Yours sincerely, Sara
Answered by E.B. Cravens:
Dear Sara, I am by no means a palm expert!(Perhaps if there is one who reads this site, he or she might make themselves available to be our full palm resource:):))
As I understand it both those palms and most all the true palms are safe for parrots.
You might want to use a pruning shears to keep the spines on the date palm trimmed to a non-piercing level....
Cheers, EB
filed under: Housing and Environmental Enrichment
Recently we had a new conservatory built with a glass,self-clean roof. Our birds have been moved into new cages and now live in it. Both my Blue-fronted Amazon parrot (Manitou) and the pair of Lovebirds are so much happier and more active than before.
We purchased two Palms (Cycas revoluta 'Sago Palm') after checking their suitability. Since then I have noticed on the computer that the Sago palm is poisonous to humans and animals.
Would you kindly confirm that this does not apply to my parrot as both He and the Lovebirds will have direct contact with these plants when they are free in the conservatory.
I look forward to your reply.
Yours sincerely
S Mylam
We purchased two Palms (Cycas revoluta 'Sago Palm') after checking their suitability. Since then I have noticed on the computer that the Sago palm is poisonous to humans and animals.
Would you kindly confirm that this does not apply to my parrot as both He and the Lovebirds will have direct contact with these plants when they are free in the conservatory.
I look forward to your reply.
Yours sincerely
S Mylam
Answered by E.B. Cravens:
Dear S. Mylam: What you refer to by the common name 'Sago' Palm is in fact not a true palm at all (common greenhouse names can be confusing!) but is a member of the cycad family and related to the gymnosperms like ginkgo and the pines.You are correct that this plant is not safe for livestock, pets, or humans and should not be in your planted aviary.
Though 'sago' palms produce edible starch, their pith must be processed to remove toxins before being safe to consume.
I would recommend replacing it with a small clumping bamboo, maybe a cluster palm like 'areca', or perhaps a mulberry tree so your birds could eat the fruits.
Cheers, EB
filed under: Health and Nutrition
Hi. I'd like to provide my parrots (especially Basil, my female Goffin's cockatoo who chews her feathers) with fresh browse as a form of enrichment. I have a crabapple tree and an apple tree in my backyard (neither have ever been sprayed with pesticides). Is it safe to give my birds branches (including the leaves) from these trees? From what I've been able to find online, the branches look safe, but I don't seem to be able to find out anything about the safety of the leaves (which I think Basil would love to shred). Also, I've read varying suggestions on ensuring the cleanliness of browse - ranging from simply washing it with water to using diluted bleach.
What's the best approach? Many thanks!
Debbie
What's the best approach? Many thanks!
Debbie
Answered by E.B. Cravens:
Dear Debbie, Both crabapple and regular apple are safe trees. In fact, most temperate fruit tree foliage we have found are not toxic in moderate amounts, including plum, peach and cherry. A great time to feed crabapple and other trees is during and after first fruit set when tiny flowers and buds and green fruit starts make nutritious fare for psittacines.Cleaning of foliage involves a brief visual inspection to make sure leaves are fairly free of wild bird droppings. Pluck or prune any suspect twigs or leaves. You can either hose the branch off in the yard or put it under your bath shower for a few minutes on warm. Boughs collected near considerable automobile traffic should also be rinsed for dust, etc. There is no need to bleach or sterilize tree chewing material.
Here is a picture of Chen, our hawkhead parrot, learning to eat in the apple tree!
Cheers, EB
filed under: Housing and Environmental Enrichment
Hi EB, I was considering adding a female Cape Parrot to my flock. She's about 1 year old now and I've know her as long as she could see. She's very socialized but has never met any of my birds:2 male Quakers 4 & 5 years old and a male Sun Conure 3 years old. They all get along in a common aviary and play area.
Would this Poicephalus wreck the balance of our happy home? And, I have not found the life expectancy in captivity of a Cape Parrot, and that's very important to me as I do not wish my birds to outlive my love. Thank you so much for your help.
Kit
Would this Poicephalus wreck the balance of our happy home? And, I have not found the life expectancy in captivity of a Cape Parrot, and that's very important to me as I do not wish my birds to outlive my love. Thank you so much for your help.
Kit
Answered by E.B. Cravens:
Dear Kit, That is a very difficult question. Flock dynamics depend on so many things. For example, how protective of their home cage are your three male conure/quakers? These birds can be protective of their territory, especially in threes which constitutes a sort of birdie "gang."More to the point, it is never a good idea to acquire a new parrot and then place it in a cage with bird or birds already in the home. All sorts of things can go wrong until you are sure the birds get along--bit toes, competition at the food dishes, stress. An extra cage is essential.
As to cape parrots and other birds. We have had many capes here since first getting into the species in 1994. To a bird, they do not like other parrots (sometimes even their own kind if not raised correctly). Capes are one of the most jealous psittacines we have discovered, right up there with hawkheads and some large lories. Our cape young babies get along okay with others in the house, and if raised into an environment where other birds already are living. Capes are one of the few full sized parrots we have encountered that will go after budgerigars in their cage!
Without knowing the birds and seeing your home, I would give it a 20% chance of success to bring in a cape parrot and expect it to get along in a cage with strange birds. Still, you never know if you had two cages and went very slowly. What about a trial meeting between your birds and she...?
A healthy, active cape parrot should live to be 35 or more.
I would also like to add that there is never any guarantee that any of us keepers will outlive our flock. Some sun conures can live into their 30s and human life can be frail also! There is plenty of parrot love in this world to take care of pets that are left behind if any of us die. It only takes planning ahead and getting the right people or organization in your will so that you need not worry yourself about such time frames.
With aloha, EB
filed under: Housing and Environmental Enrichment
I'm moving to a house where I can have an outdoor aviary for my Moluccan Cockatoo. Space is about 6 feet wide by 8 feet long. What kind should I get? Any recommendations?
Thanks,
Kim
Thanks,
Kim
Answered by E.B. Cravens:
Kim, For a cockatoo you need to get very strong caging wire. Twelve or ten gauge twilweld from England is one of the best. Smaller the opening like half inch by three means less likelihood of rodents passing in and out. We normally do not put an extra safety space on the door area of smaller cages, since it takes up what the cockatoo would have as play space. They need the ground of course and lots of plants in pots or planted in the ground or cut branches hung from the ceiling. I would say it should be at least eght to ten feet high--at least on one end so the bird can experience perching up above human heads. Partially roofed for shade and open for sun and rain on the other side. A big food and water station, toys and logs and stuff to chew on, swinging ropes perhaps, or log on a chain. Some privacy boards in one corner for a place to hide out and nap if wished. Natural wood perches. Maybe a misting system for hot days.Good luck, EB
filed under: Housing and Environmental Enrichment
Dear EB, I am moving my blue-fronted parrot Manitou to a conservatory where he will be able to enjoy the moonlight, extra light from the double glazed windows and see the bird-feeders we have in the garden. I am wanting to make his environment interesting and stimulating and would like to grow the palm nut plant (palm oil palm) out there as I would love to see him pick off his own from the tree itself.
Also we are planning to grow the passion fruit and Kiwi plants, and an olive tree.
I would be grateful if you would kindly advise me if any of these plants would be harmful to him as he will be flying free in the conservatory as well as using a Double Nova cage.
Also please can you recommend sources of information regarding safe conservatory plants as we will always be developing a leafy green environment for him.
Thank you for your help.
Sarah
Also we are planning to grow the passion fruit and Kiwi plants, and an olive tree.
I would be grateful if you would kindly advise me if any of these plants would be harmful to him as he will be flying free in the conservatory as well as using a Double Nova cage.
Also please can you recommend sources of information regarding safe conservatory plants as we will always be developing a leafy green environment for him.
Thank you for your help.
Sarah
Answered by E.B. Cravens:
Dear Sarah, It sounds like you will have room for many different plants in your new bird atrium. All varieties of palms will usually fruit different cluster styles of palm nuts once they are mature (usually seven or eight years or more) so you need not look for the really tall palms. We like cluster palms and arecas since they are easy to control and will take more chewing by large parrots without dying.We have used a variety of olive in the past and our birds showed no ill effects. They liked to eat the tiny green olives and buds.
Passionfruit is not listed as toxic on any of the lists I have seen, but from years of having it here, we notice that our parrots, including the once wild adopted ones, never chew the vine or flowers. That prompted us to stop giving it and only offering the fruit which all our birds love dearly. I think other potential non-toxic vines and berry trees would be a better idea. Also consider the bamboos, prolific orchids, banana, juniper and some other evergreen like Norfolk Island Pine or casuarina.
There is good information online if you google "safe plants for parrots" or "toxic plants parrots."
Good luck in your endeavor.
EB
filed under: Health and Nutrition
Hi EB, I want to ask you if is better to clip or not the wings. I have a baby Congo African Grey and I didn't clip his wings. He is 18 weeks. He is flying a lot and is so happy. Please tell me what it is best for him.
Regards,
Oana
Regards,
Oana
Answered by E.B. Cravens:
Oana, Except in the cases of medical necessity or behavior safety (ie. mate killing, etc.) it is always more proper to leave parrots with flight feathers.It increases their aerobic and athletic health, makes them safer from falls and attacks by animals, increases self confidence and alertness, decreases problems like egg binding, and basically makes birds like your Grey "happier" in a natural way.
There are some dangers with flight--glass windows, parrots that have not been taught to come to an arm or fly down can escape the house, aggressive and jealous species may take to "buzzing" humans they do not like, and so forth.
Also in limited indoor spaces, it is sometimes appropriate to trim two or three of the outermost primary feathers at the front of the wing (one feather at a time over a two week period!) to increase flapping exercise in parrots that seem to be lazy flyers or only have room to glide and land....
Cheers,
EB
filed under: Health and Nutrition
I am writing because it is clear to me how difficult it is for the average person who shares his or her home with a parrot to create an environment where their parrot will actually thrive. Most parrot are social animals and need interaction with members of their social group. Since people often have to work, single parrots are left alone a large part of the day. Parrots evolved to fly in the open sky and we are often forced to keep them in cages. Given the complex nutritional requirements of these animals, it is not always easy to know what to provide as an appropriate diet. Parrots are highly intelligent and sensitive creatures and often do better with people who have taken the time to learn training techniques involving positive reinforcement. How many people can afford the time it really takes to learn effective ways to interact with their parrot? The number of abandoned parrots is powerful evidence of our failure to provide an environment where
both parrots and people can thrive. In addition to parrots that need to be re-homed, another indication of the difficulty of providing a reasonable environment for parrots is the number of plucked and mutilated birds that exist within our communities [see Joe Arbogast’s tribute to featherpickers: http://www.bird-tube.com/absolutevc/avc-view.aspx?videoid=127&categoryid= ].
If you share your life with a dog and you care about your dog, you have a reasonably good chance of meeting a dog’s need for social interaction, adequate diet and exercise. Your job is made a lot easier because a dog is a domesticated animal and has evolved to share its life with humans. In order for a dog to get exercise, it is possible to take a dog running or let it free in the backyard for a period of time. The average parrot person does not have the resources to provide an aviary for their parrots and parrots cannot be set free in the average backyard to enjoy the outdoors.
Parrots are often deprived of adequate social interaction either with their human companions or members of their own species and it is very difficult to give them opportunities to adequately exercise, forage for food and fly. Unlike dogs, parrots have not really evolved to live with humans. Although they are raised in captivity, parrots clearly retain their wild instincts and these instincts shape the behaviors that parrots display in our homes [e.g. parrot vocalizations] and new parrot owners are usually not educated to this reality. Since dogs are relatively common in our communities, people absorb information about how to care for them over time. Most people who share their home with parrots do not have this built-in educational advantage and essential parrot information must be sought out from a variety of experts who have spent their life working and living with parrots. The bottom line is that even if you are fortunate to have learned
about the basic needs of pscittacines, most people will have great difficulty providing an environment where these amazing animals can thrive.
So my question is this: Can we design and build community “Parrot Day Care” aviaries that might meet the needs of our parrots for foraging, social interaction and flight? I know that I, for one, would be willing to pay for “parrot day care” if I thought that my bird was safe & enjoyed the time it got to spend in an environment much closer to its natural environment. I would also be willing to drop my bird off at a facility like this. Further, it might be possible to help other parrot owners learn about how to better meet the basic needs of their birds if concrete examples were available for them to see at a “Parrot Center”. I realize that there would be issues with health concerns & aggression from other birds but I am hoping that these issues might be addressed by requiring health checks/vaccines [frequently already required before you can board a parrot], housing compatible species together (along with monitoring the birds while they were together). So the question is: is this a viable concept? And, if this concept does have the potential to solve more problems than it creates, can we develop guidelines for designing and building a “parrot day care” facility that would minimize dangers and maximize enrichment for our birds?
Thanks.
Terry-
both parrots and people can thrive. In addition to parrots that need to be re-homed, another indication of the difficulty of providing a reasonable environment for parrots is the number of plucked and mutilated birds that exist within our communities [see Joe Arbogast’s tribute to featherpickers: http://www.bird-tube.com/absolutevc/avc-view.aspx?videoid=127&categoryid= ].
If you share your life with a dog and you care about your dog, you have a reasonably good chance of meeting a dog’s need for social interaction, adequate diet and exercise. Your job is made a lot easier because a dog is a domesticated animal and has evolved to share its life with humans. In order for a dog to get exercise, it is possible to take a dog running or let it free in the backyard for a period of time. The average parrot person does not have the resources to provide an aviary for their parrots and parrots cannot be set free in the average backyard to enjoy the outdoors.
Parrots are often deprived of adequate social interaction either with their human companions or members of their own species and it is very difficult to give them opportunities to adequately exercise, forage for food and fly. Unlike dogs, parrots have not really evolved to live with humans. Although they are raised in captivity, parrots clearly retain their wild instincts and these instincts shape the behaviors that parrots display in our homes [e.g. parrot vocalizations] and new parrot owners are usually not educated to this reality. Since dogs are relatively common in our communities, people absorb information about how to care for them over time. Most people who share their home with parrots do not have this built-in educational advantage and essential parrot information must be sought out from a variety of experts who have spent their life working and living with parrots. The bottom line is that even if you are fortunate to have learned
about the basic needs of pscittacines, most people will have great difficulty providing an environment where these amazing animals can thrive.
So my question is this: Can we design and build community “Parrot Day Care” aviaries that might meet the needs of our parrots for foraging, social interaction and flight? I know that I, for one, would be willing to pay for “parrot day care” if I thought that my bird was safe & enjoyed the time it got to spend in an environment much closer to its natural environment. I would also be willing to drop my bird off at a facility like this. Further, it might be possible to help other parrot owners learn about how to better meet the basic needs of their birds if concrete examples were available for them to see at a “Parrot Center”. I realize that there would be issues with health concerns & aggression from other birds but I am hoping that these issues might be addressed by requiring health checks/vaccines [frequently already required before you can board a parrot], housing compatible species together (along with monitoring the birds while they were together). So the question is: is this a viable concept? And, if this concept does have the potential to solve more problems than it creates, can we develop guidelines for designing and building a “parrot day care” facility that would minimize dangers and maximize enrichment for our birds?
Thanks.
Terry-
Answered by E.B. Cravens:
Your inquiry was long and there are so many aspects of it that merit comment.Yes, keeping parrots in captivity is a challenge and many owners fall short in providing stimulating environments, foods, activity, etc. for their birds. On the other hand huge progress in education of psittacine owners has been accomplished in the last 10 years or so and many keepers ARE using imagination and foresight in providing for their pets.
But, it is kind of a glass-half -mpty/half-full discussion since there were so many hundreds of thousands of parrots going into homes the past 20 plus years that it is only logical that many hundreds are going to end up neglected or less than adequately cared for.
In that, parrots are much like dogs and cats and fish and horses and other captive animals living their lives "by human leave." Many are ill treated. Your feeling that meeting needs of these animals is easier is a bit rosy colored. Dogs are abandoned and kept inside or penned or tied up without room to run; cats are let out to fight or fed overly rich foods, or allowed to produce unwanted kittens by the half dozen by some owners; horses overworked or under tended orsimply turned out on lean pastures and expected to stay healthy during poor grass growth; shucks, people even keep bee hives without any consideration to giving the bees water to drink....
Anyway, I disagree that most owners do not have the resources to provide an aviary for their parrots. I find most bird people, even the well meaning ones, tend to spend thousands of dollars a year on themselves, but neglect to get a new cage or an extra special expensive food diet for their bird.
In addition my parrots always get time out in the back yard even for short stretches in winter.....those former wing trimmed ones were placed in trees to climb and chew or hung in carry cages while I was out supervising; the flighted ones were trained to stay put with me watching over them nearby. Harnesses, screen gazebos--all sorts of ways can get parrots outside.
As to your basic question: I think it as a wonderful idea and should someone in an agreeable setting choose to do the day care thing, it would certainly be financially viable. After all, people pay significant daily sums to have their pets boarded at vets, bird stores or other facilities. The same protocols for health checks and safe intermixing of only healthy birds would apply in your case, with the added benefit of having outdoor air and sunlight conditions lessening the chances of many microbes being as highly contagious.
So, I concur, it is a good idea, and one which has infinite possibilities for some enterprising parrot lover. Unfortunately, you will have to move it forward; I have neither enterprising time nor enough parrots in need in my neighborhood to get such a project off the ground....
With aloha, EB
filed under: Ethics and Welfare
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