THE CALLS ARE COMING IN DAILY ASKING WHY THEIR BIRD IS SCREAMING EXCESSIVELY, BITING MORE, BEING MORE POSSESIVE OVER THE CAGE, FEATHER PICKING, THROWING FOOD AND GENERALLY BEING AN ALL OUT BRAT….

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WELCOME TO BREEDING SEASON…..THE HORMONES ARE FLOWING AND SPRING IS IN THE AIR…..MOST PARROT OWNERS HAVE ALREADY LEARNED THAT BIRDS ARE PRETTY MUCH GOVERNED BY HORMONES….SOME PARROTS HAVE A EASIER TIME THAN OTHERS GETTING THROUGH THE BREEDING SEASON….AND THEN….SOME TURN INTO MONSTERS!

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THE BAD NEWS IS WHEN PARROTS REACH BREEDING AGE, THEY LOOK FOR SOMEONE TO MATE…..MOST PARROTS HAVE NO ONE SO THEY TRY AND MATE WITH OWNERS, TOYS, PERCHES, SWINGS ETC. …. THESE BEHAVIORS ARE PRETTY MUCH UNACCEPTABLE IN THE HUMAN WORLD BUT SEEMS PERFECTLY NORMAL TO YOUR PET….. …….NOW FOR THE GOOD NEWS….  THIS IS ONLY TEMPORARY AND ONLY HEALTHY BIRDS WHO ARE COMFORTABLE IN THEIR SURROUNDINGS AND FEEL SECURE WANT TO MATE….UNHEALTHY BIRDS JUST DON’T HAVE THE  ENERGY OR STAMINA FOR THE MATING RITUAL…

IN MOST BREEDS, THE MALE IS THE AGGRESSOR…..IN ECLECTUS AND PARROTLETS IT SEEM TO BE THE FEMALE WHO IS THE AGGRESSOR….SO DON’T BE ALARMED WHEN YOUR SWEET LITTLE LADY TURNS INTO A SCREAMING, MISERABLE BALL OF FEATHERS….

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NOW WHAT? THERE ARE  SEVERAL  THINGS YOU CAN TRY TO MINIMIZE THE RAGING HORMONES….UNTIL YOUR PET RETURNS TO ITS SWEET , LOVABLE  SELF…….DON’T SERVE WARM FOOD… SERVE IT ROOM TEMPERATURE….THE SOFT, SQUISHY, WARM FOOD KEEPS THE HORMONES GOING BECAUSE IT REMINDS THEM OF THE REGURGITATION OF FEEDING THE BABIES….

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TRY AND MAKE SURE THEY HAVE 10 TO 12 HOURS OF DARKNESS….SINCE THE DAYS ARE SHORTER IN THE WINTER USUALLY BREEDING DOESN’T TAKE PLACE….WITH THE LONGER DAYS OF THE SPRING, THE HORMONES AWAKEN AND  LET THE BIRDS KNOW THAT MATING IS JUST AROUND THE CORNER……

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MAKE SURE YOU DISCOURAGE ANY MATING BEHAVIORS SUCH AS MASTURBATION, REGURGITATION ETC. ALSO, IT IS IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER NOT TO STROKE YOUR BIRD AROUND THE BASE OF THE TAIL OR ON THE LOWER BACK….BE AWARE OF YOUR PET’S RESPONSE TO THESE STIMULI…..

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PATIENCE, PATIENCE, PATIENCE…..DOESN’T TAKE THE BAD BEHAVIOR PERSONALLY….THIS IS ONLY TEMPORARY…..

IF ANY OF THE BEHAVIORS SUCH AS THE FEATHER PICKING BECOMES EXCESSIVE, CONSULT YOUR VET FOR PROFESSIONAL GUIDANCE….