The mother of cockatiels’ guide to adoption application success
So you have decided you want to adopt a bird. Firstly, let me thank you for coming here instead of rushing to your nearest pet shop - thank you for not supporting an industry that neglects and exploits animals.You have run into an issue, however - the Cheeky Beaks...
How to Prevent Problem Behaviours: Understanding Emotional Arousal in Your Bird
We all know the top problematic behaviours that often lead to the surrender of a pet parrot: screaming, biting and feather destructive behaviour. All these behaviours are very hard to live with, both for the human and the bird! These are complex behaviours and, if a bird is demonstrating one or more of them, any underlying physical causes must first be ruled out by a qualified avian vet…
First Impressions- Tips For Adopting/Fostering A Rescue Parrot
Introducing a feathered friend to your home can be most exciting. Bear in mind however, that like us, birds come with baggage, trauma triggers, and oftentimes undesirable behaviour. Having the grit to work with that bird, through the good and the bad, can make all the...
How to encourage/discourage different behaviors in birds
How to encourage/discourage different behaviors in birds B.F. Skinner once said; “Give me a child and I’ll shape him into anything”. A rather bold statement to make, but not exactly crazy. Our pets are like our children, we love them, care for them, and want them to...
Air Purifiers
Air purifiers: Why should you consider getting one; and which one do I choose? One of the big challenges, if you have birds in your home, is dealing with the pollution they produce. In searching for ways to deal with this, you may have come across the idea of air...
Dandelions
Let’s talk Dandelions! The common “weed” in your garden is in fact full of nutrients! Dandelions are an amazing source of nutrition for our feathered babies. Their roots contain anti-inflammatory properties and help parrots with digestion. The flower itself is an...
Safe and unsafe cookware
What cookware is safe and how to find out If you’re a bird owner, you’ve probably heard that some cookware (especially non-stick) is unsafe for your feathered children. However, not all non-stick cookware is unsafe. It’s not nice knowing that the things you use to...
Feather Destructive Behavior
Feather Destructive Behavior and what to do? Feather destructive behaviour is a term used to describe a range of behaviours where birds damage their own feathers. Common forms of this include 'barbering' (removing or damaging individual barbs on their feathers) or...
African Grey Permits
The Grey Train Did you know that in certain provinces, Greys require permits? But why do we need permits for Greys, you're asking? Well, we know that Indian Ringnecks need them as they're an invasive species and their escapes or releases into the wild threaten our...