Normal parrots

I've noticed lately that people are finding my blog by using the word "normal." For example, "normal macaw behavior" or "is it normal that my grey doesn't like to bathe." When I was first living with parrots, I know I had many of the same questions. I wanted to make sure I was doing the best I could for them, and comparing their behavior to the behavior of other individuals of the same species seemed like a good way to do it. If they were doing something odd or abnormal, it must be due to a deficiency in the care I was providing.

The more I lived with them, and my experiences with my caiques in particular, drove home the truth that parrots are individuals. While there are generalizations that can be made, what's normal for one bird may not be normal for the next.

I do think it's important to realize what's normal for the individual bird so that when deviations happen, appropriate action can be taken to remedy the situation. For example, I know a woman whose normally loquacious grey suddenly stopped talking. Two days later, the grey had died. The change in behavior was the first sign something was wrong; who knows if her life could have been saved with quicker action.

If I wrote out personality descriptions and detailed behavior observations of my caiques without identifying what types of birds I was talking about, I doubt anyone would think I was describing the same species. They are very different, yet they are both healthy and very happy. What difference does it make if what they're doing is "normal"? What does that even mean, especially with wild animals evolved to live in nature who are spending their days in my living room?

Here I go anthropomorphizing again, but it's a way that helps me to see certain concepts more clearly. Take me for example. Some of my interests: classical music, running, knitting. Are those normal human interests? I wouldn't say they're abnormal, but I'd say there are more humans out there that don't share them with me than those who do.

That's why it bothers me when people make all-or-nothing statements with regards to these individuals. With a few exceptions, of course. I do believe that people should never physically abuse parrots, for example. But I've seen/heard some of the following statements: parrots' wings should always be clipped, parrots' wings should never be clipped, never give a box to a nesty parrot, never feed any seed, etc. I'm very wary of most always/never declarations because it's not taking into account the individual parrot, her environment, and her personality.

As long as parrots are healthy, I say focus on making them as happy as they can be. This means getting to know each parrot as the individual he is and finding ways to enhance that relationship. Forget what's "normal," which may only lead to disappointment when your grey doesn't talk, your caique doesn't hop, or your cockatoo doesn't like to cuddle.

Where's Rocky?

Training update

Getting my confession out was exactly what I needed to get back into the groove!

My main focus has been Max. I really want her to learn to retrieve, plus she is the parrot that most loves training. I'm hoping to get the others to that point, but in the meantime, their training sessions are shorter since I want this to be fun for everyone!

I'm starting by having Max put a large bead into an empty yogurt container. When we started last Thursday, she flung the bead on the floor well over 80% of the time; by yesterday, she was placing the bead in the container well over 90% of the time. Next I have to move the container further away to see if this continues, but I don't think we're to that point yet!

UPDATE: On Wednesday morning, after 15 perfect repetitions where she placed the bead in the cup, I moved the cup so that she'd have to slightly stretch to place the bead and she did 5 reps. She gets it! Next step is making her walk with the bead in her beak to place it in the container.

I've been training Max twice a day -- in the morning before I leave for work and in the afternoon when I get home. My running friends would call this two a days.

I usually beat Thomas home. I'd noticed the parrots' behavior towards his return before. As soon as they hear the garage door open, they get so excited! The greys and Beeps fly into the kitchen and Rocky runs in as fast as he can. Max dances, Stella gets as close to the door as she can, Rocky makes vomit sounds, and Beeps greatly increases the intensity of his beeping.

What I hadn't noticed, until Max and I were spending more time training when he's on his way home, is her behavior a couple of minutes before he gets home. She stops everything and cocks her head a few different ways, as though she hears something. Then she starts dancing a bit and refuses to do any further training. The first time she did this, I was baffled, but after a couple of days in a row, I realized she did this a few minutes before Thomas gets home.

I'm assuming she must hear his car. Does she get like that every time the same model car is in the area, or does something identify his car in particular? Occasionally he does errands in what must be her hearing radius. Is she sitting at home, all excited because she thinks he's coming home, but he's only grocery shopping?

Bath time!

Yesterday, to reward Max for a great training session, I sprayed her down (she loves baths!) Then I put her in her cage and took Stella out for her training session. If Max is out while Stella is being trained, she starts buzzing us because Max loves training and apparently wants it all for herself!

When we returned to the living room, I saw Max attempting to bathe herself in her water dish. She rarely does this as she prefers being sprayed with the bottle. I took this as an invitation to spray her. I went through an entire water bottle and then decided to take a few videos.



At the end of the first video, I pan to Calypso who had been begging for a shower. I told him to go to his cage door if he wanted some. Max, Calypso, and I have worked out an understanding -- when they wants to be sprayed, they go on their door, and when they need a break, they leave the door. When Calypso leaves, he's done for the day; when Max leaves, she just needs a short break.

I went through two bottles of water with Max. I seriously wonder whether she'd ever voluntarily stop (she came back for more after I stopped taping).

Sunday breakfast

Sunday morning, Beeps was in major attack mode. Thomas and I were eating breakfast at the table and reading the paper. Beeps flew at me six times in a row. He doesn't seem to be hormonal anymore but he seems to have emerged from his hormonal period with a new list of things that set him off. One of those things is me sitting at the kitchen table. I don't understand this as Beeps rarely spends time on the kitchen table (unlike the greys and Rocky) so it's not like he's defending his territory!

When he flies at me, I just lift something (like a piece of newspaper) up and he normally does a U-turn and flies back to his stand. One time he briefly perched on the piece of paper and used that to catapult himself into my hair. We extricated him before he could bite me, though.

Finally, Thomas had enough and told Beeps he had to hang out on his lap. Rocky had been chipping wood on the floor at Thomas's feet, but when he saw that Beeps was in his lap, Rocky climbed up his pants to join the party.The greys had been taking turns drinking the leftover soy milk from Thomas's bowl. In this picture, that's Stella helping herself.

Rocky weirdness

Saturday morning, Thomas and I ran a half marathon, which meant that the parrots' routine was altered. We couldn't spend as much time with them as we usually would before having to leave. I'm not sure if this had anything to do with events later in the day, but it was the only unusual thing that happened.

We got back from the race early afternoon and let the parrots out of their cages. Rocky was acting terrified of Thomas. Rocky was running away from him (usually he runs to be near him), wouldn't take food from Thomas, and was generally acting very strange. After a few minutes, Rocky ran under the kitchen table.

Thomas knelt down and started talking softly to him. Rocky approached him, as you can see here, stepped up on his arm, and then was back to normal.You can see nosy Stella and Beeps having to check out what's going on. Max was also watching this scene, but didn't make it into the photo.

After this, Rocky was normal the rest of the weekend.

Caught mid-buzz

Saturday evening, Rocky was hanging out in front of the door, preening the blanket. Usually, Max shows no interest in what he's doing, but she decided to go over there as well. For a few minutes, they were hanging out on opposite sides of the blanket, occasionally raising their feathers and threatening each other.

The first picture I took of this turned out blurry, and the second one captured some unexpected action:Max, in mid-buzz. She flew really close to Rocky -- you can see that the feathers on her right wing are enmeshed in his -- and then retreated to the stairs.

Give someone an Easter Bunny

Not a real one, of course! Several of my friends, both in real life and online, are involved in rabbit rescue. I absolutely love rabbits and hope to have one someday! My friends have been overwhelmed by rabbit surrenders so far this year and are discouraged by the fact that rabbit surrenders typically rise after Easter when those purchased for that holiday are no longer wanted by their families.

So instead of a real rabbit, how about purchasing a stuffed one!
Just go here for more information. I believe that the order must be placed by this Monday (April 6) to receive the rabbit in time for Easter.

Following are pictures of an online friend's foster bunnies:
Aren't they so adorable? When we were considering adopting a rabbit, we used this website as a great resource of information.

We ultimately decided that we need to wait a few years before making the commitment to adopt a rabbit. There are so many in rescues and shelters looking for the perfect home, just like parrots!

Training confession

I've gotten a little lax in the training department lately. I'm hoping that by posting this here, and making my issues public, I'll be accountable and more motivated. I used to train the parrots every day, without fail. That has turned into 2-3 times per week at most. Also, instead of teaching new tricks, we've just been reviewing stuff they've had down pat for years.

Yesterday, after an e-mail conversation with a friend who's also ramping up her training, I realized I needed to get my act together. The birds love it and it's such an amazing bonding experience.

Why did I stop? I've been thinking a lot about that, and I think it's partly because of my parrots' reactions when I'm training someone else. They all love training so much that when I'm training someone else and they're out of their cage, they show their displeasure.

Rocky screams. Max buzzes the other bird and sometimes me. Stella flies down and pecks at my feet. Beeps comes over, starts doing the tricks I'm asking the other bird to do, and then threatens to attack me when I don't acquiesce and give him treats instead.

The madness must stop! I will take the birds out one at a time and train them at least 5 days a week. I really want Max to learn how to retrieve. I've worked on this with her in the past but have gotten frustrated when she doesn't get it quickly. I need to be more patient and persistent with her.

And now that I've written it down here, I'll have to follow through!

Where's Rocky?

The parrots pretty much have free access to the lower level of our home when we're there. Usually they choose to stay near us, but occasionally, they'll be in the living room when we're in the kitchen or vice versa.

A few days ago, Thomas and I were cooking dinner. The greys and Beeps flew in. Calypso and Daphne always stay on or in their cages in the living room (due to the size difference, Daphne is allowed out of her cage only when we're there to supervise -- I don't want anyone taking off her beak). Surprisingly, Rocky did not follow Thomas into the kitchen.

When I can't see the parrot, I check in on him or her on a regular basis to make sure that nothing untoward is happening. When I went to check on Rocky, I couldn't find him. Lately, he's been spending a lot of time on the couch, but all I could see was this nicely folded-up blanket:
I asked Thomas if he'd seen Rocky and feared that he'd climbed upstairs. Then, out of the corner of my eye, I sensed a little bit of movement:


When he realized I was there, he had to come out to check things out.
He climbed inside the folds of the blanket and was hanging out in there, motionless. I'm not complaining as he wasn't destroying anything or screaming, but usually he messes up the blanket and works it over to achieve some sort of strange severe macaw nest. He must have been in an orderly mood!