Parrot Parenting. Carol Frischmann

Finches, like other songbirds, do not require the same commitment of face-to-face interaction that all parrots do.

      Question 5: Do you live in a noise-sensitive situation?

      If you live in an apartment or in a neighborhood where the houses are close together, you need to limit your species to those parrots who are considered “quieter.” Being a “quieter” species, of course, is a relative thing because there is no such thing as a truly quiet parrot. However, some species, including budgerigars, cockatiels, and members of the Pionus group are somewhat quieter than most other parrots. Ms. Wilson famously said “trying to keep a parrot quiet so it does not aggravate others invariably leads to excessive screaming.”

      Question 6: Does everyone in your family feel comfortable with your choice of bird?

      If family members are frightened of the enormous beak of a macaw or cockatoo, then you must look at smaller birds that aren’t so intimidating. No matter how much you want a particular species of parrot, the feelings and opinions of others in the environment must be considered. Otherwise, you’re saying that your desires are more important than those of other household members; this is unfair to everyone, including the bird.

      If you live in an apartment, you will have to select a quieter species, such as a masked lovebird.

      Bringing Your Bird Home

      Bringing your parrot home will undoubtedly be an exciting time. Although you are looking forward to this occasion and are excited about your new family addition, your bird may need more time than you do to become enthusiastic about his new surroundings. Depending on your bird’s temperament, the best thing for you to do when you bring your bird home is to make this a non-event. Simply follow the routine you’ve thought about and planned for, and keep excitement and handling to a minimum to give your bird time to adjust.

      Several things may be helpful in the process of adjustment. First, keep to the same feeding routine for the first few days or weeks. Everything will be unfamiliar to your new best friend; do him the favor of keeping a few vital things the same. Be sure to provide a favorite toy, exactly the same one he’s already used to. If you can also keep to his familiar schedule of “lights out” and “time to get up,” this will help your bird make a large number of adjustments more easily. As with any situation that involves relocation, the stress is enormous.

      Prior to bringing your bird home, you will have decided on his housing and purchased all the necessary supplies. Those many decisions and the options available are presented in Chapter 3. His cage will be on site and in place. In addition, you’ll have a suitable carrier to bring your bird home in. The carrier should be one he’s familiar with. You may want to take the carrier to your breeder so that she can familiarize your bird with this over a series of days in an environment that is familiar and not stressful.

      Your breeder will supply you with some food, and you should get the name of the supplier and a local outlet, if available. You should also receive a list of the fruits and vegetables that your bird has been eating, along with any special treats he is fond of. You might also look at the appearance of the food the breeder offers because, again, familiarity creates a better experience for your bird.

      At the time of purchase or adoption, you should receive a health guarantee, along with the name of the veterinarian your breeder uses. Also, you should ask for a copy of the bird’s health records to date. Most breeders also keep records of hatch date and weights at various stages in your bird’s development. Finally, she should also supply you with several toys that your bird particularly likes. Hold at least one of these back, so that you can use this toy to offer to your new bird to help him in his adjustment to the new play gym, cages, and all his other new things. You can also do this with a particularly favored food treat.

      Some birds adapt quickly and act as if nothing has changed. Other, more sensitive birds will need more time to adjust. Don’t rush the process. Let the bird go at his or her own pace. As with any creature, things take as long as they take.

      Your new parrot will be nervous in his unfamiliar surroundings for several days or even weeks.

      Introducing Your Parrot to Family and Other Pets

      Bringing your parrot home is a time of great excitement and enthusiasm for you. For your parrot, the experience may be quite different. Although your entire family will be anxious to pick up the bird, feed the bird, talk to the bird, and dance with the bird, the fact is that your bird will not be anxious to meet your four children, the cat, and the dog, all in a matter of hours.

      Consider the fact that your parrot’s emotional development is similar to that of a two-year-old child. Now imagine if you brought a two-year-old, new to you and your family, home. How would you go about introducing the people and animals in your household to this new child? Although parrots and children are not the same, the idea will help you understand the experience from the parrot’s point of view.

      Introduce Over a Period of Days

      A reasonable idea would be to bring the parrot home during a time when your children and other pets are elsewhere. Give your parrot a few days to acclimate to his new surroundings. Then, one by one, introduce the children and the other pets, giving your parrot plenty of space and time to adjust.

      Plan introductions to coincide with your parrot’s active times of day, when he has had enough rest and has eaten. Your parrot will need plenty of sleep during his period of adjustment. And proper meals are important, so that he has the energy to cope with the change of just about everything in his life. Again, think about that two-year-old. Without enough sleep and a decent meal, anything, even something that should be pleasurable, will be a trial.

      How to Catch a Parrot in the House

      The strategic elements of catching a parrot indoors are: (1) calm, (2) darkness, and (3) a gradual reduction of the area in which the parrot can fly or roam. The tools you need are either a net or a sheet or pillowcase, depending on the size of the bird. This scenario assumes the parrot can fly and is not yet socialized.

      If you have a family of five, designate two as the bird catchers. More participants do not equal more success. Next, if you know which room the parrot is in, close the doors between that room and the rest of the house. If you don’t know, close off every room, and search one room at a time. Make sure doors and windows to the outside are closed, and lock the outside doors so that no one can accidentally let the bird outside, which will make your job much harder.

      Next, confine any other pets. Keep the interior lights off and close the drapes. This will prevent your bird from flying toward the light and injuring himself on the window. Birds are calmer in small, dark places.

      Once you have discovered which room your bird is in, gradually close off hiding places, such as under beds or behind desks or dressers using blankets or sheets. Guide (don’t frighten) your bird into a smaller and smaller spot. If your bird will go willingly into a cage, bring his travel cage and his favorite treat. If your bird will not go willingly into a cage, sit with his favorite treat and see if you can entice him to come out. If your bird is not tame, position the sheet, pillowcase, or net over him and gently immobilize your bird’s head so that you will not be bitten. Do this by placing your thumb and forefinger around the back of the bird’s skull and gently but firmly holding his lower jaw near where it joins the skull. Carry your bird gently and calmly to his cage. Make sure he has fresh water and some high carbohydrate food, such as fruit or seeds. Cover the cage to allow both of you to recover from a very stressful experience.

      Prepare the Family Members

      Prepare your children to talk quietly and to keep their approach slow and soft, especially if your parrot was not raised around children. Their high voices and sudden movements take some getting used to. Slow, short, and quiet first meetings leave your parrot curious and wanting more.

      Make the first introduction through the cage bars, and allow family members to offer a piece of