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How To Stop Your Parrot’s Biting In 7 Days

Do you own a parrot that bites? Would you like me to share some proven principals for getting your parrot to stop biting? If so, you’re about to discover how to get rid of your parrot’s biting, using a strategy I call “Target Training”.

Never heard of target training? I’m not surprised. Most so called parrot behavior “Gurus” have been so busy standing on their soapboxes, preaching to everyone that “if we just loved our parrots more, they’d start to be nice” – what a bunch of garbage! And what they’re preaching couldn’t be further from the truth.

Let’s face it. When most people buy a baby parrot, it’s just been hand fed, it’s still a baby, not yet strong enough to bite, and it’s the cutest, cuddliest little thing in the world. And they actually stay that way, for several months & even years.

But then every parrot eventually comes into what I call their “Teenage Years”. It’s basically puberty for your bird. Its hormones are a wreck, it starts wanting a mate, and just like your teenage kids, parrot’s tend to become a bit troublesome during this time, and there’s no amount of love that can turn their behavior around. Instead the magical fix is to do what every therapist says to their emotionally challenged clients when their relationships are in a mess – “work on strengthening your communication”.

And that’s exactly what “Target Training” does. It develops a level of communication with your bird that both of you can understand.

Here’s how it works. You train your parrot to understand simple commands from you, or cues. Then you teach your parrot that whenever he follows these cues, he gets rewarded – usually with a really tasty treat! The more commands you teach your parrot, the better the level of communication and the more your parrot will trust you, and cease to bite you.

The very first and most basic level of target training is teaching your parrot to touch the end of a small wooden stick, or wooden dowel. You reward your parrot every time he touches the end of the wooden dowel by giving him a treat each time, even if when he touches it, he’s lashing out at the dowel.

And with time, the parrot realizes that you’re calling the shots, and that you’re actually opening up a new level of communication to him that he never knew existed. He’ll start to realize that if he follows your cues, and touches the end of the stick like you’ve asked him to, that you’ll reward him… and reward him well.

Your parrot will start to trust you so much, that a well target trained parrot, can be known to actually be trained to do whatever it takes to touch the end of that stick, even by flying or walking over your entire house, just to obey your cues.

By focusing on training your parrot to “Target” or touch the end of a stick, you’ll open up that level of communication it takes to get your parrot to realize you really are a nice person and that he doesn’t need to bite you to get what he wants after all. Making your parrot training efforts MUCH easier!

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Why Parrots Stop Talking

By Anna Hart

Why parrots stop talking is not always the problem. Some people long for their parrots to stop talking, simply because they talk incessantly once they have learned a few phrases. Parrots are very sociable, and want to communicate with other members of their “flock” – which means the people with whom they live. So a talking parrot is probably more common.

There are times, however, when parrots stop talking, and then the worried owner wants to know why parrots stop talking.

Reasons Why Parrots Stop Talking

There are several reasons why parrots stop talking. We cannot give a complete list here, but one of the following may apply to your parrot.

1. Some talking parrots stop talking for a few days when they arrive in a new home. They are adjusting to the change. They find themselves suddenly with a new “flock” in a new environment. Even a talking parrot will take time to sort things out in its mind before it feels comfortable.

2. Sometimes talking parrots stop talking when they are feeling ill. If your parrot has been talking, and stops with no apparent reason, consider health issues. You may need to take it to an avian veterinarian.

3. Talking parrots will “pout” and stop talking when they are unhappy with a change you have made. It may be you have moved the furniture in the room where the parrot spends most of its time. Maybe you are wearing an article of clothing the parrot does not like.

4. Another reason talking parrots may stop talking is the introduction of a new family member, either human or another pet. The parrot must work through the change, and stops talking while adjusting.

5. Sometimes a talking parrot has been frightened, perhaps by a prey animal. The animal may be outside, but visible from the parrot’s cage.

6. Finally, a talking parrot may stop talking if it becomes bored with its own chatter, and hears few words from you. Remember that your parrot talks to communicate with you. It is in a “foreign” land, away from those that speak its language, and is trying to learn your language to communicate.

What to Do When Parrots Stop Talking

There are several things you can do to encourage a talking parrot that has stopped talking.

If your talking parrot is in new surroundings, make it as comfortable as possible. Give it time to adjust, but while it’s adjusting, talk to it gently and frequently. As soon as it decides the new surroundings are safe, it will probably begin talking again.

If you suspect your talking parrot’s sudden silence is an early sign of illness, look at its eyes and feathers. If you detect dullness in either, you may need to have an avian (bird) veterinarian check your parrot.

Sometimes the answer is as simple as finding a change you have made in the previous few days or week. Did you move a vase that used to reflect the light? Did you move the parrot’s cage a few feet one way or another? Try to remember what may have changed and put it back the way it was. Your talking parrot may quickly speak up to thank you.

Check for predators, even though you know they cannot reach the parrot. A large, predatory bird flying past the window, or sitting in a tree outside can be the reason a talking parrot stops talking.

The best solution to helping a talking parrot find its tongue is to spend more time talking to and around the bird. Take it into other rooms with you and the family so it will feel like being a part of the conversation.

Talk to your bird as much as you would talk to a family member or very good friend, and before long, it should begin talking again.

©2007, Anna Hart. An avid reader and researcher, Anna explores many parrot species, and offers other interesting parrot information at http://www.parrots-of-the-world.com If you would like to learn more about how to train your parrot, you won’t want to miss Anna’s advice.
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Parrot Cages: Selecting the Proper Home for Your Parrot

By James Watchfield

So you just got a family pet parrot and you are uncertain what type of enclosure it may like the most. Presently, there a wide range of factors to consider when scouting for the parrot enclosure which experts state best suits your new pet. The essential issue to be aware of when selecting a hutch is undoubtedly basic safety. The following identifies the right way to assure that your chosen parrot enclosure produces the secure and satisfying atmosphere required for your fine, feathered, family friend.

Security

First and foremost, too large is better than too small. Parrot domiciles which are overly small could result in severe injury or perhaps even disease. You should be sure to study exactly what the minimum hutch dimension is for your actual parrot. Next, take into consideration how the vertical cage bars are spaced; they should be close enough to make certain your favorite bird is unable to get its head caught up in between the bars. You should be positive they’re not too tight that the bird’s sight lines outside of its environment is obstructed. Parrots are extremely sociable critters and really need to feel that they are part of the family unit in order for them to remain social and not become withdrawn. This will help keep them healthy as well. Further, you’ll need to take into account bar width. Be certain to obtain bird domiciles featuring thick enough bars so as to support your pet’s weight. Should you keep a sizable or husky parrot, it may accidentally bend or twist lightweight bars. Last but not least, obtain a bird enclosure having food gates to ensure the security of your parrot along with yourself when refilling food and water.

New versus Used Parrot Cages

Obtaining used bird cages can be quite a bit easier as it relates to your price range; nevertheless, it isn’t suggested. The reason behind this is simply because the used hutch could have boarded a sick bird and not have been properly sterilized before it was passed on to you; and even if it was cleaned you will never know if it was done properly. There is only one exemption to this guideline, generally if when acquiring the parrot you also received the same cage in which the bird was housed, it is not essential to go and buy a new one.

Cage Location

Remember, a parrot’s natural habitat is set in a rain forest. This should be considered when positioning your animal’s cage within your home. A spot in a warm area free from cold drafts will suffice. Moreover, another criterion to consider when selecting a spot for your pet’s home is their instinctive sociability and desire to be a part of the group. The chosen site should be in close proximity to where the family spends time together and one that promotes social interaction.

To browse a huge selection of premium domiciles for a new or existing “family friend” head on over to http://innovative-enclosures.com to find our ideal line of parrot cages and enclosures; you’ll be glad you did. You now have full permission to reprint this article provided this box is kept unchanged.

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Talking Parrots – Teaching At Early Age


A young parrot bonds easily with its owner, that is you, which makes teaching it to talk a lot easier.  Just like with any other young pet, if you treat it gently and with patience, it will learn to trust you and feel comfortable when handled.  Most talking parrots were trained at an early age, and as they get used to training, they progress further into expanding their vocabulary or performing tricks.

talking parrotsWhat do you when you bring a newly purchased young parrot home? Give the bird time to settle in its new environment.  Be around the bird and talk to it gently.  It is common for the bird to retreat back when you attempt to touch it in the cage.  Build on the relationship until the bird shows no sign of nervousness.  Do not let children to come near the bird at this stage.

Offering food from your finger is a great way to build trust and confidence.  A millet spray is useful for this purpose because you don’t need to extend your hand too close to the bird.  As trust is built, you can gradually shorten the millet spray to get closer to the bird.  Even when you are not teaching the young parrot to talk at this moment, it is still absorbing the sounds around it and that includes whatever you say to it and the sounds of appliances in the home such as the door bell, telephone, microwave, tv etc.

talking parrotsOnce confidence and trust is built, and you are the best person to know this, your training program to teach your parrot to talk can begin.  There many ways to do this and I have written about this in my previous posts.  I recommend that that you use modern technology to assist you so that you can save your energy for other purposes.  When I say modern technology, that includes the use of CD recorded sounds specially made for teaching parrots to talk, or your voice pre-recorded on tape and played at different times of the day when you not at home.  You can be creative too by letting your bird listen to catchy phrases, or songs from famous singers such as Pavarotti.  You will be amazed by the results your parrot come up with.

Talking parrots are fun to have around as pets.  African Greys, Cockatoos and Ringnecks are popular talking parrots as they are easier to train and absorb and retain sounds better.  If you go to any bird aviary or zoo, you will find that most of the talking parrots are from these species, and you will see that talking parrots receive the most attention.  Even businesses are turning to talking parrots to attract more attention because they are crowd pullers.  It is not uncommon to see Macaws and Cockatoos at car dealerships, or outside a supermarket, or a fairground, with people getting amused at seeing these wonderful talking parrots

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African Grey Parrot

The African Grey parrot is about 12 inches/30 cm long (Congo African Grey Parrot) which is native of course to Africa.  It is predominantly grey in color, with accents of white and red on its tail depending on the sub-species.  The African Grey parrot feeds primarily on  nuts and fruits, with leafy matter as supplements.

African Grey Parrot Is Intelligent

The African Grey parrot is one of the most intelligent birds, with the best tonal quality and pronunciation among all talking parrots, which makes it a very popular pet among parrot lovers.  Because of its quality,  an African Grey parrot commands a higher price in the pet bird market.

african grey parrotResearch conducted on captive parrots, including the famous Alex the African Grey Parrot, suggests that parrots are capable of understanding the meanings to each human word, to some extent at least.  There is little doubt that African Grey parrots, Macaws, and Cockatoos are highly intelligent as compared to other birds.

Price of Young African Grey Parrot

A hand-fed African Grey parrot from the age of 3 to 6 months makes a perfect candidate for a talking pet parrot and is much sought after.  Such a young African Grey parrot can command a price of between $700 and $2,000.  Being young, they adapt quickly to training and mimicking of sounds.  An adult African Grey parrot however, especially one that is caught in the wild, takes longer to train. 

While African Grey parrot owners get very stimulated when their parrots make progress and start mimicking sounds, the African Grey parrot itself gets bored easily, so continuous training over a long period of time is not recommended.  An African Grey parrot should be provided with stimulating toys to play with and interaction with its owner, for wholesome development.

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