10 Things You Should Know Before You Get a Parrot.

…but no one told you.

Things Everyone HAS Told You

• Parrots Bite

• Parrots Scream

• Parrots Make a Mess

Is it true…sort of….

Parrots Are Wild Not Domestic

• Behave as prey species

• Bring the wild to your home

• Have no chosen traits

• Not motivated to respond to your displeasure

Parrots Come in Species Not Breeds

Canis Familiaris

Felis domesticus

Poicephalus senegalus and Poicephalus rufiventris

Psittacus erithacus and Ara chloroptera

What the difference in a species?

• Different diets

• Different behavior

• Different body languages

• Different preferences

Parrots Have Strange Body Language

Birds have very different body language from dogs and cats and it is far more subtle.

• Feathers

• Wings

• Dilating pupils

Parrots Require Complicated Nutrition

• Parrots need variety ( you can’t get it all from a bag)

• Different requirements for different species

• Require more fresh food and longer prep time at meals

• Different dangers from the table

Parrots Have Complicated Physiology

• Specialized veterinary care

• Different diseases

• Less identifiable illnesses

• Sensitive respiratory system

• Delicate bone structure

• Different Dangers, diseases, poisons

Parrots have Complicated Brains

• Parrots need interaction

• Parrots need time outside of the cage

• Parrots need enrichment

• Parrots need a challenge

• Parrots thrive in an environment worthy of investigation

Parrot Training is a NecessityNot a Possibility

Training is about communication and choices.

Parrots need interaction and some control of their environment.

Why Train?

• It’s a conversation

• It’s a relationship builder

• It’s forward thinking

• It’s fun!

You Have to Have a Lifelong Plan

A large parrot may be with you for the rest of your life. How sure are you about what you’ll be doing with the rest of your life?

5 Heartbreaking Reasons Parrots Need New Homes

• Assisted Living

• Senility

• Unexpected Illness

• Foreclosure

• Divorce

You Need A Lifelong Commitment to Learning

Scientist learn new things in the laboratory and in the field every year. There’s much to learn still about parrots.

• Nutrition

• Physiology

• Behavior

Just Because You Hear it Often Doesn’t Mean It’s True

Common Wisdom is only common. There’s rarely any wisdom involved…

10 Things You Should Do Before You Get a Parrot…

…or now that you already have.

• Find an excellent vet

• Find an avian consultant

• Join a parrot club

• Subscribe to magazines (Bird Talk and Good Bird especially)

• Buy some videos

10 Things Continued

• Learn about applied behavior analysis

• Hone your positive reinforcement skills

• Go to workshops and lectures

• Go see parrots in the wild

• Buy my book!