The first advice we give new baby bird owners is "don't do anything today that you don't plan on doing everyday for the next twenty or more years". If every time you come home from work and rush to pick up your new baby, expect to do this forever.....the baby will expect to be attended to immediately.

 

Marathon cuddling is a great way to bond with an older parrot, but it is possibly the worst thing for a newly weaned hand-fed baby. A baby bird doesn't seek food like a puppy or kitten....a baby parrot begs to get attention from mom and dad. Baby birds are co-dependent and have to make sure others take care of them or they will not survive. By weaning time, begging has been honed to a fine art....just ask Paula or Beth!

 

A baby parrot bonded to humans learns to demand cuddling as well as food. This is why we have Sr. Rose as our Nanny in Residence....Most families cannot afford to provide a human nanny to hold the bird for the next twenty to eighty years. Behavior problems begin to surface when the human family has decided to do something other than hold the precious feathered little angel.

 

A baby bird soaks up praise and affection like a sponge....if this all he knows, he will react negatively to the abandoning human....An over nurtured or spoiled brat will scream, nip, chew feathers or whatever it takes to obtain the constant special treatment it has been accustomed. They are quite adept at manipulation....I am a firm believer that this over-nurturing is the cause many cockatoos find themselves looking for new homes.

 

What can be done is quite simple...and this can be used on adult parrots as well.....

1. DON'T HOLD THE BABY ALL THE TIME.....THE BABY MUST LEARN TO PLAY INDEPENDENTLY.....

2. DON'T BE HYPERSENSITIVE TO YOUR BABY'S EVERY NEED....THE BIRD'S NEED FOR GUIDANCE IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN INSTANT GRATIFICATION.....

3. PROVIDE TOYS AND STIMULATING FORAGING GAMES SO THAT YOUR JUVENILE CAN LEARN TO PLAY INDEPENDENTLY.....

4. PARROTS ON THE SHOULDER IS NOT A REAL GOOD IDEA.......COCKATIELS, PARROTLETS AND BUDGIES DON'T POSE AS GREAT A PROBLEM AS OTHERS.....BEING ON A SHOULDER CAN CONTRIBUTE TO A DOMINANCE ISSUE.....YOUR BIRD ON YOUR SHOULDER MAY THINK IT IS "KING OF THE BRANCH", WITH YOU BEING THE TREE......YOU CANNOT ACHIEVE EYE CONTACT AND HAVE YOUR PET 'STEP UP'....MOST BIRDS WILL RUN TO THE MIDDLE OF YOUR BACK AND NIP BEFORE YOU CAN REGAIN CONTROL....

5. LET YOUR BIRD ENJOY MUSIC, TV, YOUR INTERACTIVE SINGING OR GENERAL ENTERTAINING FUN...

6. TAKE YOUR LITTLE ONE ON OUTINGS AND ENCOURAGE INTERACTION WITH OTHERS....REMEMBER

7. "YOU HAND THE BIRD OFF AND THE BIRD IS HANDED BACK TO YOU"