A common issue we face at Cheeky Beaks is that the term fostering means different things to different people – some of our applicants believe that fostering is a step before adoption, some believe that they will get ‘first pick’ of the birds they are fostering and others believe they need to protect the bird from the previous owners to the greatest of their ability. 

All the above beliefs are incorrect regarding fostering for Cheeky Beaks – listed below are the different kinds of fostering we offer – please always make sure you understand on what basis you are fostering a bird to prevent hurt feelings due to misunderstandings. 

1.) Foster to rehabilitate 

Foster to rehabilitate is our most valuable sort of fostering but unfortunately the one with the least volunteers. 

This kind of fostering allows owners facing difficult behavioral issues with their bird to place the bird in care for a set period (usually a month) – the foster then works to reduce or eliminate these behaviours and encourage healthy behaviours instead. The bird is then returned to the owner. 

This kind of fostering is so important because it prioritises keeping birds with their families – a bird that is removed from his family (no matter how dysfunctional the environment) will inevitably mourn for his original ‘flock’ – Cheeky Beaks thus always tries to keep birds with their families where possible. 

2.) Standard fostering 

This is the fostering most often seen in our organisation – a

surrendered bird is placed in a foster home and the foster works on any issues the bird may have. Once these issues are resolved the bird is made available for adoption. 

Very rarely do we get surrenders who are in perfect mental and physical condition – thus a lot of work and patience may be required to allow the bird to trust humans again. 

The period of this fostering depends on the issues faced by the bird and can be anything from several weeks to over a year. The goal of this fostering is to get a bird ready to live his best life in a home uniquely suited to him – so although it may be difficult, a certain amount of selflessness is required to ensure the best interests of the bird. 

3.) Long term fostering 

There are two broad categories that fall under this term: 

3.1) Strays 

A stray bird is fostered for however long it takes to find the owner – this could be a day or the rest of the birds life. 

The stray is to be incorporated where possible into family and flock life. 

3.2) Community assistance fostering 

Due to the dire economic circumstances faced by many over the last decade – many bird owners have lost their jobs and in some cases even their homes. 

This sort of fostering gives the bird a safe place to stay while the owner gets back on their feet – this can take a very long time.

In both the above cases the goal is to reunite the bird with his owners – this is understandably very difficult emotionally for the foster. In some cases where it is deemed reunification is not possible Cheeky Beaks’ discusses the future of the bird on a case by case basis. 

4.) Medical fostering 

This kind of fostering can be quite daunting to new fosters as it involves dedicated, often around the clock care of a sick or neglected bird – there are inevitably a lot of vet visits involved with this kind of fostering. 

Again there are two categories: 

4.1) Standard foster birds 

In severe cases birds can be surrendered in a critical state – a medical foster will then become involved to care for the bird until they are stable and their conditions well managed. The bird can then remain with the medical foster on a standard fostering basis or can be moved to another foster for standard fostering. 

4.2) Project-Ray birds 

We often get referred cases where a dedicated owner has fallen on hard times and cannot afford a medical procedure for their bird – these birds are then fostered where they are taken to the vet and cared for by the foster until they are well and then returned to the owner. AWe wish we could help all owners in this position but unfortunately due to our own funding constraints we have to make tough decisions on who qualifies. 

5.) Foster-to-adopt 

In the rare event where you find that a bird fits perfectly into your

home and it is determined you are the best choice for the bird – youwill be asked to sign a foster to adopt contract – this is a three month period to see how you get on with the bird throughout his transition as he becomes more comfortable in the environment – during or at the end of the three months you can withdraw your intent to adopt if the bird isn’t settling well. If after the three months you choose to adopt you will be charged an adoption fee and sign an adoption contract. 

This type of contract is also given to the majority of our adopters (especially those who adopt large parrots and birds with special needs) – the adopter then also has three months to see if the bird is a good fit for their home. 

From this we hope you have a better understanding of the different kinds of fostering and a better idea of what is expected of you when you foster a bird.

1. Support

We are here for any questions/concerns you might have about your foster bird. If you are unsure about food, behaviour or illness you should contact the adoption adviser to discuss. If the adviser is not available, you can contact any of the Cheeky Beaks Team Members. 

If you, at any time, feel uncomfortable with or overwhelmed by your foster bird or your circumstances change and you can no longer foster the bird in your care ,you can contact the Adoption Adviser, who will arrange for collection of the bird. 

1. Medical Expenses

All surrendered birds require a general vet check-up. This and any other medical expenses will be paid by Cheeky Beaks. You are required to obtain approval for medical expenses by contacting the adoption adviser in charge of your parrot, prior to taking the bird to a vet to ensure funds are available. If you are required by the vet to pay for it yourself (at some practices we do not have a company account and cannot EFT the payment directly to the vet), then you need to submit a detailed invoice and your proof of payment, whether that be a PoP from the bank or a credit/debit card slip, as well as your banking details, to your representative.

1. Transport

We will arrange transport of your foster to your home. We usually assign a regional representative to do this.

1. Cages

If required, Cheeky Beaks can assist with a loan cage. This would depend on availability in the area.

This is always a tough topic to discuss as our fosters often expect us to cover all aspects of the foster bird’s care – and in an ideal world we would do so gladly. Unfortunately we live in a world where we get up to ten surrenders a week, very sick surrenders requiring long and costly treatments, and so many surrenders coming in without a suitable cage or even a toy. 

What does Cheeky Beaks cover? 

We cover any vet bills the foster bird may incur – in an ideal scenario this will only be a health check approving the bird as an adoption candidate or in severe cases this will involve multiple vet trips, multiple medications, and even surgery. 

An issue not often considered is that almost all avian vets demand instant payment – the foster will often have to pay the amount and claim back from Cheeky Beaks later that day. This can get tricky for a bill of several thousand Rand. 

We cover fuel costs for long distance trips (usually greater than an hour’s drive) to pick up foster birds/cages or to take birds to a vet in remote areas – again this process involves claiming back. We reimburse fosters for fuel costs at a rate of R2 per litre used, so we require proof of the amount of kilometers that has been driven for Cheeky Beaks’ purposes.

We prefer our fosters to have one or two spare cages, but we will provide a spare cage for the foster bird if necessary. 

We also do sponsorships for enrichment items for our foster birds, where we post a notice on our social media platforms and then wait for a kind supporter to deposit the money for an enrichment hamper that we then order from small businesses – but again, it is ideal if the foster can purchase their own toys. 

What am I expected to cover? 

The foster is expected to cover food costs for the foster bird (we sometimes get food donations that the foster can request but this

is not a common enough occurrence for it to be relied upon) 

The foster is expected to cover transport costs for picking up the bird and taking the bird to the vet if it is less than an hours drive. 

We give preference to fosters who can assist with their own spare cages, buy the foster bird their own toys, and can help cover some of the smaller vet fees but this is not a requirement. 

Learning to say no. 

The typical foster is usually an animal lover of note who feels physical pain when they see a bird in distress – they act on emotion and immediately agree to foster the bird. 

A foster can quickly become resentful and stressed if they take on more birds than they are financially able to care for and this is not a sustainable situation. We thus ask every foster to critically look at their accounts and decide based on this how many birds they are able to accommodate – and when they are at capacity they should learn to say no. 

This is hard, very hard. We can however assure you that we will always find a foster even if it takes some time – you need to focus on your own health and the health of your existing birds instead of trying to rescue every bird that comes into Cheeky Beaks – we appreciate you but we value you too much to allow you to burn out.

So you have been given a foster bird, this might be your first, tenth or fiftieth one but the same outline for a first vet visit will always be applicable. 

Firstly, if there are any medical concerns whatsoever, you should contact the adoption adviser immediately to ask them to make a booking at an avian vet ASAP (since many do not take walk in’s due to COVID-19). 

Worried that your foster bird might be ill? Check out the general signs of illness in birds.

Do you have an injured bird and you’re not sure what you can do until you can get him/her to an avian veterinarian? Read this source on basic first aid for parrots.

If there are no immediate health concerns, it might be a few days until an appointment is made for the bird to see a vet because we are a non-profit, volunteer-run organisation. Our funds go to the birds who are in need of it the most first, then once those have seen a vet, we start sending the others who are not in need of immediate vet care. Please do not book a vet visit yourself, as we do get a rescue discounted rate at some vets and every cent saved helps a lot. You can recommend vets in your area that you have experience with, but it is not to say that you will be able to go to one of them. 

At this first appointment, birds usually get a basic health assessment, beak and nail trim (when needed) and additional tests if the vet recommends them (PBFD, blood work, etc.) We do not DNA sex parrots, as this is an extra cost we can not afford in most cases, and we leave this for the future owners to do. Cheeky Beaks prefers keeping all out birds fully flighted if they have been flighted previously – only clipping their wings if absolutely necessary and only when circumstances call for it (discuss this with your adoption adviser). 

We usually recommend paying close attention and trying to remember as much of what the vet says about the bird and their health as you can and try to relay this information to the adoption adviser when you speak to them afterwards, because this saves us needing to bother the vet with following up to find out what might be wrong. Knowing which potential issues they face, will also help us when we start looking into finding them their forever homes (African Greys, for example, are quite prone to scoliosis and liver issues, which require ongoing medical treatment – so potential adopters need to be made aware of this. Seed junkies who are converted onto a healthy diet, often develop liver problems, which need to have an eye kept on). 

If the vet prescribes medications that need to be given to the bird and you are not sure how to do this, please ask the vet to show you how. If you are not comfortable giving medication (don’t worry. We’re not all good at things like that) please inform your adoption adviser ASAP so that an alternate arrangement can be made. This does not make you a failure or a bad foster. We all have our strong suits and yours might just not be giving medication. Needing to relocate a foster is never a bad thing if it’s in the best interest of the bird. 

Now that you’ve given this article a read, you should be prepared to take your fosters to the vet and know what to look out for and how to handle the situation. Never hesitate to ask questions if you have any. That’s why we’re here.

Hygiene is incredibly important to keeping healthy parrots and preventing illness (and trips to the vet), some tips to help in this process are listed below:

• If your parrot is housed in an aviary during the day, make sure that you sweep the floor out daily
• If they are housed in a cage during parts of the day remember to change their newspaper daily, you can put the newspaper on top of the grate to minimise the cleaning process. If your parrot does not destroy the newspaper.
• Cleaning the area that they occupy in your house like play stands, ect., must be done daily as well
• Thoroughly cleaning your cage or aviary every week or more if needed is very important to maintain a hygienic environment.
• In this cleaning process you can make use of brushes, sponges, brooms, disinfectants like F10 SC (you can only use a parrot-safe disinfectant), you can use dish-washing soap (e.g. Sunlight Liquid) and just thoroughly wash it off afterwards.
• While cleaning the cages make sure all the faeces are removed from the floor, wire, toys, and perches.
• Clean food and water dishes daily to prevent illness because of the bacterial biofilm that can be identified by the layer of slime that is on the bottom of a water bowl.
• Stainless steel and round bowls are also preferable for cleaning to properly clean it. Square and plastic bowls are hard to clean.

Parrot-proofing your home can be very important to prevent injuries and injecting dangerous substances, although we never recommend leaving your parrots unattended it is still important to prevent accidents. Some tips are listed below: 

• Preventing your foster from getting in touch with electrical wiring or technological products 
• Removing any dangerous items from your parrot when they are roaming around, see list below.
• Ensuring that the cage that they are in is rust free as to prevent heavy metal poisoning
• Ensuring that dangerous appliances in your kitchen are not on while your foster is out, for example the stove.
• Switching off the fan in your households when your parrots are out
• Ensuring that all windows and doors are closed when your foster is out and flighted.

Pictured: Cage setup by Team Member Marianka Meiring for her special needs citron-crested cockatoo, Chloe.

Is it safe to mix parrots with other animals in the home?

The short and simple answer is: not really. Pets like cats and dogs are naturally predatory creatures. In the wild, parrots fall beneath them on the food chain, so it is likely in most homes that the same rules would apply. 

Baring in mind the dangers posed to parrots by predatory animals, there is also the risk of zoonotic diseases that can be passed back and forth between cats, dogs, and parrots. Parrots are very fragile and sensitive animals health–wise, and there are certain viruses and bacteria that could be fatal to them if they are kept in close proximity with other pets. In fact, even being exposed to a single cat hair can 

cause illness in some parrots. Please also remember that a single scratch from your cat to your parrot, can lead to death, because cats always carry bacteria on their nails that will in turn be detrimental to the parrot. 

What If I Can Supervise My Pets Constantly? 

By being able to provide constant supervision with your parrots and predator animals is a good way to avoid any accidents from happening, but, by constantly having to supervise, doesnt always allow you to give undivided attention to the parrot, because you will be trying to keep an eye on the other animals too. Parrots need lots of time and attention, and will need to socialize with their foster/owner. But please, dont forget to also give your cat/dog enough undivided attention. 

So many people are under the impression that in order to be a good bird home you need to be home only for birds. We don‘t believe this, in fact, many of us have multi-pet households. What we do believe is that these situations need to be monitored at all times, and safety is to be ensured for all animals. 

We do not believe that predatory animals should have any interaction with prey animals. This means that birds and cats, dogs, ferrets, rodents, or any other predatory animal, should never interact with your bird. 

Many people will argue that they’ve had successful interactions between their birds and cats or dogs, for many years, but all it takes is one time, and everything changes. 

Mammal saliva is toxic to birds – this means that the ingestion thereof, as well as wounds inflicted by mammals, often prove fatal to beloved pet birds. This isn’t always done out of aggression: birds, and dogs cats are built very differently, they interact differently and they play differently. What your dog may see as playful behaviour, could result in a scratch going unnoticed on your bird, and then the race against time begins, hoping that the expensive treatments work in time.

It’s just not worth the risk.

Unfortunately, around 95% of parrots surrendered to Cheeky Beaks have been fed a seed-heavy or seed-only diet their entire lives up to that point.

Please note that it is absolutely vital not to force your foster birds to change their diet immediately, as this can lead to very serious health complications and even starvation. It is a gradual process that takes place over a few months. Avian veterinarians also warn that attempting to do this too quickly, can lead to possibly fatal strokes. Keep a close eye on them during the diet conversion process and make sure to consult with an avian veterinarian regularly.

Diet conversion is not always easy, sometimes it can be extremely frustrating. However, it is extremely important that we persevere for the sake of our birds. Majority of parrots who are fed a seed-only diet suffer from malnutrition, liver and/or thyroid issues, and a shortened lifespan. The main technique for diet conversion is slowly reducing the number of seeds offered, and replacing them with healthy foods. The following is an extract from “Conversion of a Parrot from a Seed Diet: One Method” by Pamela Clark. 

“When you see pieces of the Chop Mix on the cage floor, begin to decrease the seed mix. Below is an example, using our original portions of 1⁄4 cup seed mixed into 1⁄4 cup of Chop.

• Week One: 1⁄4 cup seed (four tablespoons) in 1⁄4 cup Chop.
• Week Two: 3 tablespoons of seed in 1⁄4 cup of Chop.
• Week Three: 2 tablespoons of seed in 1⁄4 cup of Chop.
• Week Four: 1 tablespoon (three teaspoons) of seed in 1⁄4 cup of Chop.
• Week Five: 2 teaspoons of seed in 1⁄4 cup of Chop.
• Week Six: 1 teaspoon of seed in 1⁄4 chop of Chop.
• Week Seven and onward – 1⁄4 cup of Chop in the morning with a few pieces of fruit on the side (no seed at all in the diet, except for training.)”

This extract replaces seeds with chop but will work for pellets too. Along with this main method, there are many tips that can convert even the fussiest parrot. 

• Starting by switching from plain sunflower seeds or millet to a healthier mix that is of higher quality and contains a greater variety of ingredients can be a great way to get the ball rolling. Offering sprouted seeds also tricks parrots into eating healthy seeds. Many parrots love cook mixes, which contain a variety of grains, legumes, and some seeds. 
• Try different pellet brands. There are many uncoloured, healthy pellet brands on the market (AviPlus, Monati, Nature’s Nest, Animal Zone Natural, Nutribird P15, TOPs, etc.) Some birds have a preference, so it is worth exploring different options.
• Pellets can also be used to bake bird-safe bread, pancakes, and muffins. Veggies and seeds can also be mixed into these recipes. There are multiple bird-safe bread recipes online.
• Sprinkle crushed pellets over fresh foods. If your parrot eats chop, but not pellets, try sprinkling the pellet powder over their chop. They will taste the pellet as they eat. 
• Crushing pellets and adding warm water can create a yummy porridge. This reminds many parrots of the formula they ate as a baby and are keen to eat it. They then learn to love the taste of pellets. 
• Using herbs and spices to add flavor to your parrot’s meal can make mealtimes far more exciting and enticing. You can roast veggies in spices such as turmeric and mint for extreme flavor 
• Many parrots have a preference regarding the size and shape of their veggies. Some like eating large blocks of veggies, others prefer them grated or chopped fine. It is also worth adding a whole vegetable (such as a whole carrot) into your parrot’s cage for them to destroy as a toy while tasting the veggies in the process.
• Smoothies- add fruit and veggies into a blender to create a juicy delight for your parrot.
• Using a different bow: this may seem odd, but believe it or not, can make a difference.  Stainless steel versus plastic versus ceramic, deep versus shallow, white versus green (or whichever colours) all worth trying.
• Float fruit in their water. Just as you enjoy a slice of lemon in your water, your parrot may enjoy some berries in their water bowl or perhaps some apple slices. 
• Different textures- raw/mashed/roasted/fried (in coconut oil)/steamed. 
• Vegetable mash with seeds mixed in- the seeds will have mash suck on them so the bird cannot eat the seeds without eating a small amount of mash.
• Mix it all together! This method has a good success rate. Add seeds and pellets to the chop and mix everything well. If your parrot tries to pick out their favorite foods, they will taste everything else in the process. 
• Share a meal with your bird! We all know how parrots are always so keen to eat what is on our plate, so why not use that to your advantage? Prepare a yummy salad and dig in. Make sure that your parrot is nearby and act as if you don’t want them to eat your food, but “give up” and let them have a taste. Be careful as you do not want to teach/reinforce your parrot to steal food off plates.  Do not do this method often.  It can be a nuisance in the home. 
• Feed healthy food in the morning when they are the most hungry. They may be more open to experimenting like this.

While undergoing diet conversion, it is important to monitor your parrot’s behaviour and weight. If there is a rapid change in one of those two, take your bird to the vet for a check-up. Do not starve your parrot to force them to eat healthy foods. Do not rush diet conversions as it can make them ill.”

Always speak to an avian veterinarian immediately if you are concerned about anything.

Need some chop inspiration? Check out our YouTube guide on how to make basic parrot chop.

Curious to learn more about making sprouts? We have a quick online video tutorial on our YouTube that will introduce you to sprouting.

Foster parents play a vital role in setting newly surrendered parrots up for adoption success; introducing basic tricks and training can help their adoptive family immensely to bond and be able to handle them better. In cases where you foster cage-bound parrots as well as parrots that are afraid of hands, it is highly beneficial to their adoptive family to at least have training in place to work through it as they might not be able to or have the time to spend a lot of time training through those problems. 

Basic training that you can teach your foster are listed below as well as steps to train them, these are quite easy to train but may be hard for some parrots to achieve which is completely understandable: 

Clicker training 

A clicker serves as a replacement for verbal praise like “good job” or “good boy”. It is a marker that lets the bird know that they have done something correctly. It has been proven to be much more efficient than praising with words, as it marks the exact moment that they did something correctly. Although you can always incorporate verbal praise when they have done something exceptional. 

1. Each time you click, the clicker offers a reward 
2. They will eventually make the connection between click=good things are coming

Target training 

Target training and the process you will follow depends on the on the parrot you are working with, this will also depend on how fast they will catch on. This is by far one of the most important tricks you can teach your foster as it forms the basis of many tricks and teaching them to be more comfortable with unfamiliar spaces and objects.

1. Gradually introduce the target stick starting about 2 rulers’ length from the parrot. If you notice that they are weary of the stick, move further away. 
2. If you see that they are comfortable with that distance, move towards them in small increments, clicking and rewarding when you move closer each time. This might only take a few minutes with birds that are not fearful of sticks.
3. Keep training sessions short about 5 to 10 minutes at first – or shorter, if you notice that they are not interested anymore. 
4. Once you can hold the stick directly next to their head, see if they are curious enough to touch it. If so, click and reward with verbal praise or a treat. 
5. If they are not interested enough to touch it, you can put a treat next to the stick and if they take it, click. 
6. You can then gradually start to move the treat further away from the end of the stick. Usuall they catch on relatively fast. If not, persist – they will eventually. 
7. If they start to get the hang of it, increase the distance between them and the stick so that they must move toward it – they need to stretch to touch it in order to get a treat. Remember to click immediately when they have done something correctly – there is about a 2-second window in which parrots associate something as a reward for a past action. 

Spin 

Spin is a great easy trick to teach your foster bird. There are two ways that you can approach teaching spin: luring (covering a high value treat for them to follow) and targeting. You can approach both in approximately the same way.

1. Once your foster is targeting successfully or if you have a very high value treat, position the stick next to your parrot and let them touch it. 
2. Do this in very small increments – each time moving around your foster bird.
3. It is important to remember that once you have rewarded them for touching the stick, they should be encouraged to move back to their original position.
4. Once they can go in a full circle and you are only rewarding once, move the stick a bit further away from them (keep indicating in a circular motion).
5. Once they can do this, gradually introduce your finger instead of the stick.
6. You can then choose any hand gesture that you would like to signal the spin. When introducing a new gesture, just approach it slowly, moving from your old gesture to the new one and incorporating the two together. 
7. If you would like to add a voice command, you can do so by saying the word each time they spin. This process takes a few sessions of training.

Step-up

Step-up, like spin, can be trained either by luring or targeting; the steps for training step-up is simple, although it can potentially be very difficult for them to learn.

1. It is firstly very important to desensitize your parrot to hands. Show them your hands from from far away and move closer when they are comfortable with that distance (not recoiling or moving away).
2. You can make a fist with your hand in front of your foster bird while holding the target stick on the other side of it. 
3. They will have to reach over your hand to get to the target stick. Gradually increase the distance so that they must put their foot on your hand (usually a fist is less threatening than an open hand).
4. Remember to reward them (give them a treat or praise them) when they reach over to step-up with their beak. You can start to open your hand once they are comfortable with interacting with your fist.
5. Keep practicing step-up and step down, rewarding each time they do it till they can do it reliably, then you can move on to training them to step-up from your shoulder. This follows the same process as previously mentioned.

If your foster is afraid of hands, you can substitute that with a stick or a play stand. 

Flight training 

Flight training can be a great way to improve the behaviour of mischievous or aggressive birds, as it will in some cases be rooted in frustration of having an excessive amount of energy and not knowing what to do with it. It can also be greatly beneficial for parrots that have muscle atrophy.

Flight training can be a very tedious process and can in some cases take very long. There are many ways to approach flight training. We will be covering 3. 

1. Hold out your hand in front of your parrot and ask them to step up while they are sitting on a chair or perch that is about elbow height.
2. Gradually increase the distance from the chair or perch  so that they must stretch to get to your hand. They will often use their beak to grab onto your hand. Within reason, if it is safe for you, it is best to allow them to do this (they will likely use their beak for grip, not for biting).
3. Eventually there will be a big enough gap so that they can’t reach anymore. Now your foster bird will either begin to hop to your hand or reach and flap their wings.
4. Gradually increase the distance again by a few centimeters each time. This is often the part that birds get the most frustrated – if you notice them giving up, take a step back and decrease the distance.
5. Before increasing the distance, wait for them to successfully master that distance a few times before you move on.
6. Often the hardest part for parrots is to figure out how to land on your hand. This will only improve with practice.
7. Gradually increase the distance until they are flying to you.
8. Remember to reward them every time they land on your hand or the chair/perch (you can teach them to associate that object with the command “station”, to help them recognize an anchor point to return to). 
9. Once that is achieved, you can encourage them fly long distances, around corners, you can stand on a few steps above the bird (like on the steps of a staircase) and you can sit on the floor. This is to practice their ascending and descending skills. Remember that birds do not instinctively know how to descend – this is something that has to be taught to them. That is why parrots often get stranded in high trees when they escape from their homes – they don’t come down because they don’t know how to. Ascent and descent is a vital skill to introduce them to.

You can follow these exact steps, but just substitute your hand for another chair; you then gradually increase the distance between the chairs. Remember to use chairs that are not slippery and have much to grip on when they land. This can be an excellent way to give parrots that are afraid of hands, the opportunity to do exercise out of the cage.

The next technique you can follow is to is cover food on either side of a V-shaped perch or 2 chairs organized in this pattern. They will then make the decision to cross on their own. Gradually increase the distance between where the 2 perches meet.

Tips for training

• Remember not to ever push them past the point where they aren’t comfortable, as this can be harmful to the training process. If you do realize they are becoming uncomfortable or flying away, immediately move back a step or two.
• Finding a high value treat can make the training process go a lot faster. Refrain from offering this treat to them in any other context.
• Finding other ways that motivate your parrot can be very important. Things like affection, praise and cheering him on can be very helpful if they are not food-motivated. It all depends on the specific bird – some techniques will work and some not. 
• When target training, you can use any object as a substitute for a stick. This can help with fearful parrots. Feathers are one example that you can try.
• Rewarding for your foster bird for touching the target stick softly is important. In other words, rewarding them for acting aggressive towards the stick will damage your training. You don’t want them to associate the target stick with fear or other negative emotions. That is defeating the purpose.

When dealing with a parrot that is afraid of hands, it is important to not force hand interaction.

During their first week with you, try to minimise exaggerated hand movements near them. Do not wave, or lift your hands up too fast or too close to them. Try to not place your hand in their cage as this is their safe space. If it is needed, do so as quickly and swiftly as possible. They will flap and try to stay far from your hand whilst your hand is in their cage, respect this and do not try to touch them. Allow them their space. Remember, they see your hands as a threat, you will need to try to show them your hands are a helping one.

By the second/third week, they should start to get comfortable with your hands cleaning inside their cage, or placing food for them. They may even be okay with taking treats from your hand whilst they are out of their cage. Every time they get closer to your hand, reward them. Target training will be of great help to get them to be comfortable around your hands.

As they slowly get used to your hands going near them, you may have a few interactions where their beak will touch you, or even bite! It’s important to not overreact after getting bitten, just shake it off and walk away calmly. Remember the bites are normal, and it is just them testing the waters as they are starting to trust your hand.

It will take time. Not every parrot will be hand tame and that’s okay. Each parrot has their own personality and needs. All they need from you is love, care and understanding. 

It won’t happen immediately. You will have to persist, and show your foster parrot that you will love them regardless. And when they are ready, and decide that your hand is no longer a threat, it is the best feeling in the world.

A large percentage of birds in our network portray signs of hormonal behaviour. In the wild, hormonal behaviour may be triggered by factors that change with the seasons, such as extended hours of sunlight, higher food abundance or warmer weather. While seasonal procreation is natural for parrots, constantly comfortable conditions in the household setting may contribute towards year-round hormonal behaviour in some parrots, while others remain affected only seasonally. 

While parrots are capable of reading birdy body language, this understanding does not come as naturally in humans and must either be observed or learned. We love to anthropomorphise our pets and this is a huge mistake in parrot ownership. Misunderstanding your bird’s body language can lead to issues such as screaming, biting, fear, aggression and hormonal behaviour. Many of these lead to the surrender or rehoming of the bird.

What does hormonal behaviour look like?

Hormonal behaviours can look different across species, so we encourage you to do your own research on the species you have in your home so you are best able to identify these behaviours and avoid any long lasting issues with your bird. The attached videos are good examples of some of the most common behaviours listed below.

Common signs of hormonal behaviour include:

• Regurgitation on people/objects, or for other birds 
• Masturbation
• Territorial issues
• Wing dipping/flapping 
• Tail fanning
• Panting
• Nesting
• Egg laying
• Aggression
• Feather plucking on legs and chest

Why shouldn’t I encourage this behaviour?

In the wild, parrots engage in allopreening with a friend or mate. While head scratches are common, birds seldom get touched on their bodies unless there is intention of mating. Petting/touching on the back, under the wings and near the vent are mating signals in birds and can lead to sexual frustration in your feathered friend. Encouraging a bonded/mated relationship with your bird can cause your bird to become territorial over you or pluck its feathers, lead to seemingly unprovoked biting habits or screaming when you are out of sight and also increase the chances of egg binding in females. Feather plucking is a major concern in parrot ownership. Many times it is exacerbated by unaware owners unknowingly encouraging hormonal behaviours/failing to determine the underlying causes of the plucking in time (although this is only one of the many reasons a bird may pluck).

How can I prevent this and what can I do to help if it does happen?

There is no cookie-cutter solution to fix every situation. Most of the listed behaviours can also be a cause for medical concern so it is important to discuss any changes in behaviour/concerns you may have with your avian veterinarian. In some cases, medical intervention may be required in the form of a hormonal implant/injection should there be an underlying cause for the overactive hormonal behaviours. 

If you have a young bird then set it up for success from the start. In the wild, young birds are fed and preened by their parents until they are mature enough to take care of their own survival. Encourage independence and foraging behaviours in young birds. Focus on enriching your bird’s life through target training and activities which engage their minds, rather than solely cuddling them. Do not touch your bird in a repetitive manner other than on their heads. Assisting them with their pin feathers is a great way to bond as a flock member, rather than as a potential mate. Avoid having nesting sites or mirrors in the cage and ensure your bird gets a good 10-12 hours of undisturbed sleep per day.

This article does not serve to diagnose or treat hormonal behaviours in parrots. The purpose of this article is merely to educate unaware owners of the factors contributing towards hormonal behaviour and steps they could take to reduce this in their homes. Always consult with your veterinarian if you may suspect there is something wrong with your bird.

What do you do with a disabled bird? 

Special perches can be easier for special needs birds to stand on. This can help with the prevention to fall or the struggle of movement. 

Always keep an eye on how the bird moves in the cage so you can constantly  upgrade the setup till its 100% convenient for your bird. 

Not all disabilities are permanent depending on disability. Always ask your vet what  you can do and what would be the best for your bird.  

Always do research for more information on the specific disability for new insight. 

The best way is to create a routine they can get use to. A program of what you do in  the morning, evening and afternoon.  

They can also be very picky with food and toys. Keep an eye on feeding times to  see what worsens the “tics”.  

Here are a few disabilities in birds:  

Splayed legs: Treatment involves gradually bringing the legs back under the bird if the bird is still young enough and there are no fused joints or broken bones. You will do this with the help of your avian vet. Alteratively, if the bird is already mature and the legs were not/could not be corrected, you need to set your cage up so that there is easy access from perch to perch. Use multiple platforms and ladders and keep your toys localised to the edges of the cage/areas where it won’t constrict movement or take up climbing space.

Deformed feet/One leg: You can ask your vet how to go about this. It also  depends on the severity of the deformed feet. (This is part of where you get flat or cornered perches).  The important thing to remember, is that these birds are just as active as able-bodied birds. We should not treat them as if they are made of glass. They are perfectly capable of climbing from one end of the cage to the other to get to their food and toys –  try to set your cage up so that they are encouraged to use all the space that is available to them. These birds might be prone to being very stationary, so you will need to encourage them to get moving, build up their confidence and increase their fitness levels. Foraging baskets are great for birds with one leg or deformed feet that cannot grip their toys. Deconstruct some toys and add the usable parts to a plastic basket. Shred some newspaper and throw in some plastic bottle caps. You can hide treats in these baskets for them to dig out. Try to use large baskets so that they can sit inside and dig for the snacks (dehydrated fruit or vegetable pieces, healthy seeds, dried spices, etc).

Deformed beak: There is various elements that can be the cause of this: disease, parasites, nutritional deficiencies, genetic abnormalities, or blunt trauma (fight with another bird or an accident). You can look at getting them enrichment items with lots of cork, paper and cardboard instead of the commercial hard wood toys. Remember that these birds might need regular trips to the avian vet to keep their beaks trimmed. 

If you’re new to the world of parrot keeping (or just trying to brush up on your knowledge), it’s important to know the best ways to set up a parrot cage. What should the cage look like? What should it contain? 

Your parrot will be living much of its life inside its cage, so make sure you get things right! Keep reading to find out all about what a parrot cage should look like. 

Size 

Let’s start with the most problematic factor: cage size. Many new parrot owners don’t realize that a parrot cage should be quite a bit larger than is commonly believed. Teeny tiny cages for budgies, finches and lovebirds are unfortunately still easy to find in pet stores. This leads to the idea that birds do fine in a space that’s smaller than the laptop screen I’m writing this article on. 

Unfortunately, keeping your parrot in a small cage leads to a range of issues including stress, obesity and atrophied muscles. Taken together, these drastically reduce the potential lifespan of your bird.

Get a cage in which your feathered friend can spread its wings. Try checking out the full cage size guide over at the Center for Animal Rehab if you’re not sure what size to go for, though keep in mind that the sizes listed here are the absolute minimum. You’d do well to go for something even bigger than it says on the list! 

Shape 

One factor that’s rarely considered is cage shape. It actually matters! The ‘classic’ bird cage has a dome shape, but unfortunately this is not ideal for your parrot. These are prey birds that can easily feel unsafe and become stressed, which leads to health issues in the long run. 

The problem with dome cages is that they have no corners, giving your bird the feeling that it can’t hide anywhere. 

There’s also the issue of horizontal versus vertical. Most bird cages are vertical because it simply makes it easier to fit into your home, but the ideal cage is actually longer rather than taller. This is because parrots don’t tend to use vertical space as well: they stick to the upper levels and the rest of the cage kind of goes to waste. 

A horizontal shape allows for more flight opportunity and better use of the cage. If you do get a vertical one, try to ensure it’s not overly tall and skinny. 

An example of a parrot cage that has a good toy selection but is the wrong shape and too small to serve as more than a travel cage.

Bar spacing 

Parrots, even small ones like budgies, are always trying to find ways to escape their cage so they can explore their surroundings. This even applies when the bird gets plenty of time out of the cage! 

Bar spacing is important to prevent two things. First off, parrots can get stuck and possibly pass away when they stick their head through wide cage bars. Second, they might actually manage to escape, flying out through an open window and subsequently getting lost. 

It’s really important that the bars are not too wide! For recommended bar spacing, I’d again like to refer to the article by the Center for Animal Rehab. 

Placement 

Cage placement is yet another important factor related to parrot cage set-up that is often overlooked. It really does actually matter, for a few reasons: 

Your parrot cage should not be placed in a location that might be harmful to your bird’s lungs in the long run. Keep parrots out of the kitchen or bathroom, where cooking fumes and perfumes can cause problems with their extremely sensitive lungs. 

Your parrot cage should be in the center of the action. I can’t stress enough how social these birds are. A lone bird especially should not be tucked away on the balcony or in a spare room. It’ll feel excluded from the human flock and become bored and stressed. 

Your parrot cage should be in a spot that allows the bird to feel safe. Try pushing it against a wall to prevent your parrot from always feeling like it has to watch every direction at the same time: they don’t realize that danger can’t get to them in their cage. Don’t place the cage directly in front of a window either. A passing neighbour, cat, a hawk or even a thunderstorm can send your bird into a blind panic. Your parrot cage should be away from air conditioning units and heaters. Rapid changes in temperature are not good for birds’ health, so place the cage in a more stable spot. 

Perches 

Let’s start having a look at the inside of your parrot’s home!

When you buy a parrot cage, it tends to come with plastic or wooden dowel perches that stretch from one wall to another. These are unfortunately not the best choice and you’re honestly better off tossing them. They are too thin and too even for your bird’s feet, causing irritation in the long run. 

So what does a good perch look like? Natural and with an uneven thickness is best. This way the toes don’t always have to be in the same position. The rough texture of some natural woods can additionally help keep the bird’s nails from overgrowing, which is helpful since sandpaper perches made for this purpose are actually best avoided as well. 

As mentioned earlier, parrots like spots that are higher up. They’ll mostly ignore perches that are placed at the bottom of the cage unless they serve a practical purpose like accessing the cage door or food bowls. For long-term chilling and sleeping, your bird likes its perches in a spot that’s as high up as possible without forcing it to hunch. Be sure to leave plenty of flying room as well! 

Here are some more tips about appropriate perches from an amazing US-based parrot rescue.

Toys 

This is such an important element of your bird’s home. It should be able to spend multiple hours a day outside of the cage interacting with you and simply exploring, but that doesn’t mean the cage itself can be bare. 

Parrots are extremely curious and their brains need constant stimulation. Ideally, you should have a big drawer of parrot toys that you switch out every week or so to keep things fresh. 

There should be a variety of toys: ones that your bird can chew up and destroy, ones that are colourful and possibly have something rattling inside for entertainment, and foraging toys. The latter especially will keep parrots entertained for hours, as they have to work to reach a small treat. 

Be sure to avoid unsafe toys. Avian Avenue has a thread discussing toys that might seriously injure or even kill your parrot, so be sure to have a look and avoid them.

Tip: short on cash? You can totally make parrot toys yourself. Get creative with egg boxes, empty toilet rolls and more. You can even entertain your bird by regularly heading outside and picking wild grasses and bird-safe branches such as eucalyptus! 

Common mistakes in parrot keeping 

With the information above, you should be able to set up a pretty nice cage for your feathered friend. However, a proper cage alone is not enough to keep a bird happy and healthy. 

Let’s briefly go into some of the other common issues that are often overlooked by (new) parrot owners! 

Diet 

The myth that parrots can persist on just seed is still quite pervasive. Parrot diet is not as simple as offering some seed mix every day! 

Like all other living beings, parrots need a varied diet to stay healthy. Yes, they love seed and it doesn’t have to be shunned, but you should also be offering plenty of other foods. 

Try fresh veggies, fresh fruits, parrot pellet food, cooked foods like unsalted wild rice and even foraged options like pesticide-free edible garden weeds and edible flowers. 

Viewing a parrot as decoration 

There still appear to be many people who buy a parrot intending to keep it in a cage just to look at. This simply doesn’t work for these birds. 

A parrot that doesn’t get the proper mental stimulation, attention and time out of its cage will develop a range of issues. It might start screaming incessantly, suffer from obesity or even mutilate itself as a way to attempt to deal with the stress that comes from loneliness and boredom. 

If you want something that serves primarily as home décor, you’re probably better off getting something like an aquarium, although even that requires frequent cleaning and care.

Not valuing smaller parrots 

Did you know that everything we’ve discussed above applies just the same to small parrots like budgies (and other species like finches and canaries)? 

Yes, they’re cheap, which leads to them being viewed as disposable. But do they really deserve an unhappy and shortened life because they’re small and easy to buy? 

Like all other parrots, small parakeets need a large cage, frequent attention, out of cage time, toys, a varied diet and all the other bells and whistles. 

Smaller parrots like budgies are still affectionate, social creatures that need proper care. 

Not realizing what parrots are all about 

A parrot (yes, even a small one) is an extremely intelligent being. If you’d like to own one, consider that they are about as much work to maintain as a dog or cat.

Between giving attention, training, cleaning and other tasks, you’ll be spending quite a bit of time tending to your bird on the daily if you want it to live a happy life. 

Like dogs and cats, parrots can be noisy and messy. They can have behavioural issues like biting or screaming. Don’t get one unless you’re willing to work through that with your bird: they have incredibly long lifespans so it’s not just a matter of waiting until it dies. 

Shelters are already exploding with parrots from people who didn’t keep all this in mind when buying them, so I really recommend not getting one unless you 100% know you’re ready to commit for a long time. 

Not going to the vet 

Many parrot owners don’t feel the need to go to the vet with their bird when it’s sick unless it’s an expensive species. This, again, appears to come from the idea that (small) birds are disposable and not worth spending money on because they are so cheap to buy. 

If you’re not willing to spend some cash taking your parrot to the vet when it gets sick, you might want to reconsider adding one to your family. Even if you’re short on money, you should always have a little emergency fund in case your bird falls ill. 

Be sure to find a vet before anything happens: it can sometimes be a challenge to locate one who is willing to see birds. 

About the author 

Mari is a long-time parrot enthusiast and the owner of the parrot-centered website Psittacology.com. As a writer of informative parrot articles, she hopes to help others keep their bird happy and healthy. 

Originally from The Netherlands but living in Spain, she spends her days working on her articles from home in the company of her two budgies.

Pictured: cage setup by Team Member Marianka Meiring for her citron-crested cockatoo, Jewel.

Cheeky Beaks Rescue can only function because of the incredible foster network we have. We are not a sanctuary who keep the surrenders they receive permanently or semi-permanently. We also do not have a central facility for the sole purpose of rehabilitating our surrenders. Our foster network is vital to the functioning of our organisation. Every single voluntary foster we have makes space for a new surrendered bird and ensures we can save, or improve the lives of, parrots (and other birds) across South Africa. 

Foster fails are inevitably going to happen. If a bird has chosen you as their owner, then sometimes it is worse for the bird to be rehomed after its stay in foster care. If it is in the best interest of the bird, then we do allow our fosters to adopt. 

However, we have had fosters volunteer themselves only to adopt the birds they receive in their care. Being a foster does not fast-track the adoption process for a bird you may want. If you intend from the start to adopt then you are, unfortunately, not the type of person we require as a foster. 

If you are unsure whether a bird would do well with you or not, or if you are suited to a particular bird, then we have foster-to-adopt contracts partly for this purpose. A bird is placed in your care for 3 months and if it works out well for both the owner and the bird, then the owner can formally adopt the bird. 

If you feel that have bonded with your foster, then chat to the bird’s adoption advisor. We deal with cases like these individually and have no hard and fast rules. It all depends on the situation and there are many factors that come into play. The reality is that even though you and your foster bird have built a strong relationship, chances are that it means the bird has learnt vital socialisation and adaptive skills, and will easily thrive in another household, too. It is natural for fosters to feel attached to their foster birds because of all the work that they have done together, but we place a lot of emphasis on the fact that our Rescue works so well as a foster-based organization, because of the fact that birds are taken in to foster care, assessed and rehabilitated and then processed out. If you are the only other family that the bird has spent any significant amount of time with since being surrendered, and you’ve done your job with training and rehabilitation, then chances are that the foster bird will have established some kind of bond with you, but that still does not mean that you are the best home for that parrot in the long run.

Even though we have no standardized ways of dealing with situations like these, we generally try to allow at least two candidates to meet a parrot in foster care (unless it is a bird with very low interest or that is in a remote location). We look at things such as financial stability over a long period, how you have been able to uphold standards of care for any existing parrots, proximity to an avian vet, access to transport, the dynamics of the foster parrot within the existing flock, living conditions (space and proximity to neighbours that could be triggered by noise, etc.) and how well you have adhered to our process and interacted with our representatives thus far.

A good rule of thumb to follow is to only volunteer to foster birds that are from a species you generally would not be interested in adopting. If you have a species preference, then it should only be because of your living conditions or skill set that means you are only able or best suited to accommodating certain species over others, not because you would be interested in owning a bird like that.

If you are interested in adopting your foster bird, you will be asked to complete an adoption application just like any other interested party in order to be taken into consideration. In the majority of cases, a final decision will only be made once you have allowed other candidates to come for a meet-and-greet session with the bird in your care. The decision is not made by your adoption adviser alone, but the entire Adoptions Department of Cheeky Beaks Rescue. It needs to be signed off on by multiple representatives and at least one director before anything is finalized.