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Hi Sandee,
I was wondering, do you board parrotlets or know someone in Northern California that does? We have a 6 month old parrotlet and are planning to go on vacation in October. He's well-behaved and friendly. We are having difficulty finding someone willing to watch him while we are gone as everyone we know is unfamiliar with birds. We live in the Sacramento area. Thank you for your help!
Sincerely,
Lea
Dear Lea:
Thank you for your email. I have a blog on my page that goes into great detail but I would never board a parrotlet anywhere. Its too stressful and I can't think of a better way to expose your bird to diseases. Its much better to find a certified pet sitter who is licensed and bonded and will come to your home to take care of the bird.
It has been my experience with my big flock that its better to have someone who is NOT familiar with birds taking care of them because a) there is no risk of them exposing your bird to a disease from their birds and b)they will take care of the bird exactly the way you show them NOT how they think it should be done.
Best of luck and I hope this helps!
Sincerely yours,
Sandee L. Molenda, C.A.S.
The Parrotlet Ranch, Owner, www.parrotletranch.com
Join the International Parrotlet Society, – the World’s Largest and Oldest Parrotlet Organization www.internationalparrotletsociety.org
A Chattering Bird Builds No Nest.
Camaroonian Phrase
Showing posts with label Stress. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Stress. Show all posts
Saturday, August 13, 2011
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Age To Sell A Baby Parrotlet
Hello,
I was referred to your site by a website called talkparrotlets.com. There has been a lot of talk there lately about baby parrotlets that have died shortly after going to their new home. The common belief is that they are being sold way too young, so they regress and die. I would like to know what the IPS believes to be the age at which a Green Pacific Parrotlet should be made available for sale. A Senior Member on talkparrotlets.com says that the "industry standard" for baby birds is 12 weeks old. However, baby parrotlets are often being sold at 6 weeks old, right after they are weaned. I currently have a breeder who says that my baby parrotlet is ready to come home to me. He hatched on March 30, 2011 and just weaned less than a week ago. That makes him just over 6 weeks old. Please tell me if you think that's too young to be sold, or perhaps you could tell me what the IPS considers to be the appropriate age or guidelines used to determine if a parrotlet baby is ready to be sold.
To be fair about this, here is what the breeder said when I expressed my concern:
I have never had a baby die after it went to it's new home. Why should they when they are completely weaned? His sister who left last week is doing great. Also, a baby bird who is at an age to be well weaned is an older baby or a sub adult. They are not very young babies. They are strong, independant, can fly, and don't want anything to do with their parents.
I look forward to your reply. Thank you.
Debra
Dear Debra:
Thank you for your email.
The International Parrotlet Society was founded in 1992 to help people keep, raise, conserve, exhibit and breed parrotlets. We are an IRS-recognized 501(c)(3) educational organization although we also support research, veterinary advancements and conservation of all species of parrotlets. IPS publishes a bimonthly journal that contains a ton of the latest information from biologists, veterinarians, breeders, genetics experts, behaviorists, trainers and many other professionals. IPS gives guidelines and recommendations but we do not tell people how to raise their birds. Therefore, IPS has no policy with regard to the sale of parrotlet chicks other than we strongly recommend the birds be completely weaned before they are sold.
So, I’m going to answer this email as a professional woman who has bred parrotlets exclusively for almost 30 years not as the secretary or one of the founders of IPS. I have written 3 books on parrotlets and still work as a panel expert for Bird Chanel as well as writing articles for Bird Talk magazine. I can tell you this isn’t a problem with the parrotlets being sold too young. This is a problem because of the inexperience of the person buying the bird. I learned this back in the early 1980’s when I was one of the first persons in the country to start hand-feeding and selling parrotlets. Many people make too many changes much too fast and the parrotlets cannot handle the added stress.
First, I always hold onto a bird until a least after it is weaned and I weigh it every day before I feed. Once I have determined the bird is not losing weight for at least a week, then I will send it home. However, I spend a great deal of time with the new owners and ALWAYS send them home with a copy of my books (the latest one is available at Amazon.com and is entitled “The Parrotlet Handbook” and the publisher is Barron’s), a baby care information sheet, food (a seed mix I developed over 30 years and has been used by several feed companies) and lots of millet spray. My baby care sheet is on my website (http://www.parrotletranch.com/Articles/bringing.html) but basically it informs the new owners how to place food and water stations in the cage, what to expect for feeding, how to check and make sure the bird is actually eating (looking at seeds and food dishes is NOT how you tell if they are eating), making sure the bird has no drafts and is kept warm during the adjustment period so it doesn’t get stressed and go into shock. I DO strongly recommend the feeding of millet almost non-stop when the birds first go to their new home. Some people erroneously believe the bird will become ‘addicted’ to millet but I have never seen this in almost 30 years and having bred hundreds of parrotlets of every species except Sclater’s as well as being a consultant to thousands if not tens of thousands of parrotlet owners over the years. Millet is a complex carbohydrate that also contains protein. It is one of the few grains that also has protein. It provides quick as well as sustained energy because of the combination of protein and complex carbs. I myself eat a lot of millet flour because it is so healthy and good for you. Usually, young parrotlets will eat a millet spray almost one per day for the few couple of weeks. This is because they need the quick energy to adjust to the stress and energy levels they are putting out. After all, going into a new home is extremely stressful for a young parrotlet – they need to learn who the new people are, they have a new cage, new perches, new toys, new environment, perhaps new children or other pets and birds and most of all, learning there are no predators lurking about. All of these things take a tremendous amount of energy and feeding copious amounts of millet will help provide the energy the babies need. As time goes on and they settle into the routine of their new homes, they will naturally start expanding their diets and it is at this time that fresh foods such as fruit, vegetables, greens, sprouts, grains and legumes can be added slowly to the diet. I do recommend you provide them with thawed frozen peas and corn with some millet and seed sprinkled on top. This is because most parrotlets, no matter what they were fed by the breeder, do not eat fresh foods right away. Again, probably because the need to covert food into quick energy isn’t going to come from those foods. They, of course, are the basis for along and healthy life but the first few days and weeks of a parrotlet’s life in a new home are critical that the bird receives energy from food and this happens from complex carbs and protein, neither of which is found in fresh foods.
So, I hope you find this helpful. If you would like more details I do have my books, blogs and FB page, as well as being the editor of the International Parrotlet Society’s journal, has a ton of tips and information available. I would appreciate it if you did NOT forward this post to the group. I will be posting this on my blog and it will also be on the Parrotlet Ranch’s Facebook page and people can see it there.
If you have any other questions, please do not hesitate to contact me!
Sincerely yours,
Sandee L. Molenda, C.A.S.
Owner, The Parrotlet Ranch
I was referred to your site by a website called talkparrotlets.com. There has been a lot of talk there lately about baby parrotlets that have died shortly after going to their new home. The common belief is that they are being sold way too young, so they regress and die. I would like to know what the IPS believes to be the age at which a Green Pacific Parrotlet should be made available for sale. A Senior Member on talkparrotlets.com says that the "industry standard" for baby birds is 12 weeks old. However, baby parrotlets are often being sold at 6 weeks old, right after they are weaned. I currently have a breeder who says that my baby parrotlet is ready to come home to me. He hatched on March 30, 2011 and just weaned less than a week ago. That makes him just over 6 weeks old. Please tell me if you think that's too young to be sold, or perhaps you could tell me what the IPS considers to be the appropriate age or guidelines used to determine if a parrotlet baby is ready to be sold.
To be fair about this, here is what the breeder said when I expressed my concern:
I have never had a baby die after it went to it's new home. Why should they when they are completely weaned? His sister who left last week is doing great. Also, a baby bird who is at an age to be well weaned is an older baby or a sub adult. They are not very young babies. They are strong, independant, can fly, and don't want anything to do with their parents.
I look forward to your reply. Thank you.
Debra
Dear Debra:
Thank you for your email.
The International Parrotlet Society was founded in 1992 to help people keep, raise, conserve, exhibit and breed parrotlets. We are an IRS-recognized 501(c)(3) educational organization although we also support research, veterinary advancements and conservation of all species of parrotlets. IPS publishes a bimonthly journal that contains a ton of the latest information from biologists, veterinarians, breeders, genetics experts, behaviorists, trainers and many other professionals. IPS gives guidelines and recommendations but we do not tell people how to raise their birds. Therefore, IPS has no policy with regard to the sale of parrotlet chicks other than we strongly recommend the birds be completely weaned before they are sold.
So, I’m going to answer this email as a professional woman who has bred parrotlets exclusively for almost 30 years not as the secretary or one of the founders of IPS. I have written 3 books on parrotlets and still work as a panel expert for Bird Chanel as well as writing articles for Bird Talk magazine. I can tell you this isn’t a problem with the parrotlets being sold too young. This is a problem because of the inexperience of the person buying the bird. I learned this back in the early 1980’s when I was one of the first persons in the country to start hand-feeding and selling parrotlets. Many people make too many changes much too fast and the parrotlets cannot handle the added stress.
First, I always hold onto a bird until a least after it is weaned and I weigh it every day before I feed. Once I have determined the bird is not losing weight for at least a week, then I will send it home. However, I spend a great deal of time with the new owners and ALWAYS send them home with a copy of my books (the latest one is available at Amazon.com and is entitled “The Parrotlet Handbook” and the publisher is Barron’s), a baby care information sheet, food (a seed mix I developed over 30 years and has been used by several feed companies) and lots of millet spray. My baby care sheet is on my website (http://www.parrotletranch.com/Articles/bringing.html) but basically it informs the new owners how to place food and water stations in the cage, what to expect for feeding, how to check and make sure the bird is actually eating (looking at seeds and food dishes is NOT how you tell if they are eating), making sure the bird has no drafts and is kept warm during the adjustment period so it doesn’t get stressed and go into shock. I DO strongly recommend the feeding of millet almost non-stop when the birds first go to their new home. Some people erroneously believe the bird will become ‘addicted’ to millet but I have never seen this in almost 30 years and having bred hundreds of parrotlets of every species except Sclater’s as well as being a consultant to thousands if not tens of thousands of parrotlet owners over the years. Millet is a complex carbohydrate that also contains protein. It is one of the few grains that also has protein. It provides quick as well as sustained energy because of the combination of protein and complex carbs. I myself eat a lot of millet flour because it is so healthy and good for you. Usually, young parrotlets will eat a millet spray almost one per day for the few couple of weeks. This is because they need the quick energy to adjust to the stress and energy levels they are putting out. After all, going into a new home is extremely stressful for a young parrotlet – they need to learn who the new people are, they have a new cage, new perches, new toys, new environment, perhaps new children or other pets and birds and most of all, learning there are no predators lurking about. All of these things take a tremendous amount of energy and feeding copious amounts of millet will help provide the energy the babies need. As time goes on and they settle into the routine of their new homes, they will naturally start expanding their diets and it is at this time that fresh foods such as fruit, vegetables, greens, sprouts, grains and legumes can be added slowly to the diet. I do recommend you provide them with thawed frozen peas and corn with some millet and seed sprinkled on top. This is because most parrotlets, no matter what they were fed by the breeder, do not eat fresh foods right away. Again, probably because the need to covert food into quick energy isn’t going to come from those foods. They, of course, are the basis for along and healthy life but the first few days and weeks of a parrotlet’s life in a new home are critical that the bird receives energy from food and this happens from complex carbs and protein, neither of which is found in fresh foods.
So, I hope you find this helpful. If you would like more details I do have my books, blogs and FB page, as well as being the editor of the International Parrotlet Society’s journal, has a ton of tips and information available. I would appreciate it if you did NOT forward this post to the group. I will be posting this on my blog and it will also be on the Parrotlet Ranch’s Facebook page and people can see it there.
If you have any other questions, please do not hesitate to contact me!
Sincerely yours,
Sandee L. Molenda, C.A.S.
Owner, The Parrotlet Ranch
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Changes in Behavior
Hello!
I have a parrotlet that's nearing a year in age. He was purchased from a breeder, and he's generally a well-behaved bird (he doesn't bite, but he has chewed a few of his chest feathers. It started about when we moved into our new apartment a month ago.) Our only real continuing issue is that he wants to fly away whenever he's on your shoulder, or you go to pick him up if he's perched on something. Sometimes saying "step up" first will keep him from doing it, but most of the time it doesn't. It makes it hard to keep him out for long periods, because he wants to flutter over to the cat bed, or under the computer desk, etc. He will always step up when you go to get him, he doesn't bite, and he likes to cuddle some, but I was wondering how to go about teaching him to not do this. I don't want him to get hurt, and I think he'll enjoy us, and we'll enjoy him more, if half our time together out of the cage isn't spent hunting him down as he cruises across the floor or goes to harass the cats. He absolutely loves for me to talk to him through his cage bars, will fluff and coo and mimic noises I make, but once out of the cage, he seems to care more about seeing how far he can flutter and who he can bother.
-Elodie
Dear Elodie:
Thank you for your email. You don’t mention how long you’ve had the bird and that can make a difference in my opinion about his behavior. I will say that moving is stressful for birds and very often does result in behavioral issues including feather destructive behaviors, aggression or handling. I would make sure the bird’s wings have not grown out and are still clipped. If he has recently molted, the feathers will grow back and he could simply be using his nature-given talents of being able to fly. If the wings are still sufficient clipped, then this is simply a matter of continued training. There are no magic words or special tricks, just consistency, patience and performance on your part. Each and every time the bird flies away, you will need to get him and put him back on your finger or perching area. This isn’t about whether or not he likes you or is a good bird, he is simply doing what Mother Nature designed him to do, fly. It’s a very strong instinct and it takes patience, training, timing and consistency in order to stop him. Again, I would check those wings and just keep working with him.
Best of luck!
Sincerely yours,
Sandee L. Molenda, C.A.S.
The Parrotlet Ranch, Owner, www.parrotletranch.com
Join the International Parrotlet Society, – the World’s Largest and Oldest Parrotlet Organization www.internationalparrotletsociety.org
A Chattering Bird Builds No Nest.
Camaroonian Phrase
I have a parrotlet that's nearing a year in age. He was purchased from a breeder, and he's generally a well-behaved bird (he doesn't bite, but he has chewed a few of his chest feathers. It started about when we moved into our new apartment a month ago.) Our only real continuing issue is that he wants to fly away whenever he's on your shoulder, or you go to pick him up if he's perched on something. Sometimes saying "step up" first will keep him from doing it, but most of the time it doesn't. It makes it hard to keep him out for long periods, because he wants to flutter over to the cat bed, or under the computer desk, etc. He will always step up when you go to get him, he doesn't bite, and he likes to cuddle some, but I was wondering how to go about teaching him to not do this. I don't want him to get hurt, and I think he'll enjoy us, and we'll enjoy him more, if half our time together out of the cage isn't spent hunting him down as he cruises across the floor or goes to harass the cats. He absolutely loves for me to talk to him through his cage bars, will fluff and coo and mimic noises I make, but once out of the cage, he seems to care more about seeing how far he can flutter and who he can bother.
-Elodie
Dear Elodie:
Thank you for your email. You don’t mention how long you’ve had the bird and that can make a difference in my opinion about his behavior. I will say that moving is stressful for birds and very often does result in behavioral issues including feather destructive behaviors, aggression or handling. I would make sure the bird’s wings have not grown out and are still clipped. If he has recently molted, the feathers will grow back and he could simply be using his nature-given talents of being able to fly. If the wings are still sufficient clipped, then this is simply a matter of continued training. There are no magic words or special tricks, just consistency, patience and performance on your part. Each and every time the bird flies away, you will need to get him and put him back on your finger or perching area. This isn’t about whether or not he likes you or is a good bird, he is simply doing what Mother Nature designed him to do, fly. It’s a very strong instinct and it takes patience, training, timing and consistency in order to stop him. Again, I would check those wings and just keep working with him.
Best of luck!
Sincerely yours,
Sandee L. Molenda, C.A.S.
The Parrotlet Ranch, Owner, www.parrotletranch.com
Join the International Parrotlet Society, – the World’s Largest and Oldest Parrotlet Organization www.internationalparrotletsociety.org
A Chattering Bird Builds No Nest.
Camaroonian Phrase
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Taking My Parrotlet To Work
Hi Sandee
I have been a huge fan of your site and all the work you put into it and
your birds for quite some time. I've always been a huge fan of
parrotlets in general. I've had 2, one when I was in high school (mom's)
and one I just got a few weeks ago.
I had a question about traveling and your small travel cage. I work long
hours as a fire fighter, sometimes 48 or 72 hours at a time. I work a
mile from home. Do you think bringing my parrotlet to work would be ok,
or would it stress him out too much?
I also saw you sell the small travel cages. What would the cost be for
the smaller cage with shipping to zip code 04654?
Thanks for your time. I understand and appreciate you are very busy with
your feathered friends and all that, so I understand if you can't get to
this email right away. Thanks. :)
Colby
Hey Colby. Thank you so much for the nice compliments. I am so glad you are
so enamored of parrotlets! :)
Yes, you can bring your bird to the fire station as many people do bring
their parrotlets to work and most of them love the attention as well as
change of scenery. The small travel cage would not be appropriate as it
really is made for transport and is not big enough for a parrotlet to get
enough exercise for an entire day. The larger one would be better but
honestly if you had another full-size cage, that would be the best. Then you
could transport the bird in the small travel cage and it would have a place
with lots of toys and room to exercise during the day.
As for the cost with the shipping, I really can't tell you since all that
stuff in automated. I ship via the postal service to its cheaper than UPS or
Fed X. Sorry. Apparently my talents lie with birds and not business.
Btw, not sure if you have a Facebook page but I do have one for The
Parrotlet Ranch and I post a lot of blogs and information. You can also see
my speaking schedule and check our latest products.
I hope this helps and btw, thank you for being a fire fighter. I live in the
country in California and I know how important fire fighters are to my
health and well-being as well as my birds. I also think you guys are being
unfairly punished these days in the court of public opinion so THANK YOU
COLBY and I thank all of your colleagues as well.
Sincerely yours,
Sandee L. Molenda, C.A.S.
The Parrotlet Ranch, Owner, www.parrotletranch.com
Join the International Parrotlet Society, - the World's Largest and Oldest
Parrotlet Organization www.internationalparrotletsociety.org
A Chattering Bird Builds No Nest.
Camaroonian Phrase
Thanks for the quick reply Sandee. I knew the small travel cage wouldn't
be appropriate to house him, I was thinking just getting him from point
a to point B. The breeder I bought the bird from actually thought it
would stress him out too much and advised against it.
I suppose I could try it and see how it works. I have another cage at
home thats larger but would do the trick. I would obviously have to put
some new toys and stuff in it for him or transfer the toys from his
other cage over when I work here. I'm part time/per diem
dispatcher/firefighter and volunteer when I'm not here.
I was inspired after my brother was in a horrible car accident and the
fire department responded to use the JAWS. Their quick action ultimately
led to him surviving despite all odds. I've been on the fire department
since 2003 and have actually worked shifts so the chief could go fight
wild fires in Canada. I figure if I can give anything back to the
community that saved my brothers life, I have done all I can.
I've seen your Facebook page and "liked" it and read a lot of
information on there. I've had a bit of a problem getting my guy to eat
pellets. He doesn't go for them at all. I feed him the Volkman parrotlet
diet primarily and currently have him eating long-grain rice with it,
but no luck with peas and corn yet. Its a work in progress, but I'm not
giving up.
I live in Maine and we have 1 breeder who has parrotlets. I often
thought it would be neat to breed them myself to offer fellow Mainers
another option other than going to Massachusetts which is the next
closest breeder (Where I got my blue) I'm just worried about being
inexperienced and having no avian vets in the state at all if I had
problems. Then there is the problem of getting proven or bonded birds
to breed. I'd still very much like to do it but I'm adamant about it for
the aforementioned reasons.
Again, thanks for your input about bringing my parrotlet to work. It is
nice having contact with someone as competent as you. Its nice talking
to other people who are as "enamored" with these little feathered
creatures as I am. I honestly couldn't think of anything more rewarding
than raising my own for other people to enjoy but as I said, I am just
worried about the availability of help, and getting health certificates
for mailing them would be next to impossible without an avian vet.
I appreciate your thanks for my service as a firefighter. It means a lot
and its always nice to get complements from the public about the work
and time we devote to helping others. I work as a driver for the
ambulance service as well and help out there when I can.
Dear Colby:
I know hundreds of people who have taken their parrotlets to work with them and but for one or two, I've never heard of a parrotlet getting too stressed over that. I ship them all over the world, they travel thousands of miles by car, I show them in various cities and I know people who take them on vacation regularly - never has there been a problem with stress. Indeed, people who take them to work with them report the birds absolutely love the attention from coworkers and the change of scenery. The small travel cage is geared for travel in that the bird does not have enough room to fly or gain momentum in order to get hurt.
The spare cage sounds like it would work and I would recommend setting it up independently of his home cage. This would be the most convenient for you and allow the bird to have a 'home away from home' in which he can feel safe and secure yet still have playtime.
I understand your commitment to give back to those that saved your brother. I was in a bad car accident almost 5 years ago - a rollover accident in my SUV. Had I not had on my seatbelts, I probably would not have survived and they too had to use the JAWS of life to get me out. Also, since I live in the country in California, twice I've had wild fires get within a few miles of my home and it was firefighters that saved my home as well as my birds' lives.
I have to admit I am not a big believer of pellets. I don't eat processed foods myself and I don't like feeding them to my birds. Especially when you realize that pellets were developed for the convenience of the owners and they are simply processed seeds (mainly corn which is not a normal part of a parrotlet's diet and is very much lacking in nutrition but its cheap) mixed with artificial vitamins. It is much better, in my opinion, to have your bird eat a wide variety of fresh, whole foods like fruit, vegetables, greens, legumes, grains, sprouts, nuts and seeds than to force them to eat pellets. Also, if the bird is a mutation, there have been many reports of kidney and/or high uric acid problems in mutation parrotlets that are fed a primarily pelleted diet. This may be because mutations process the pellets differently or that they are more susceptible to problems since they are not large consumers of water and being on a lower fat diet does affect hydration.
As for breeding, that is something only you can determine if you can do or not. I do understand the situation with not having avian vets conveniently located and I think that goes to show what a caring, knowledgeable person you are when it comes to these birds. Perhaps your situation will change in the future (although Maine is a gorgeous state and I could see why you want to live there).
In them meantime, I think it is awesome you care so much about parrotlets. If there is anything I can help with, do not hesitate to ask! Best of luck and perhaps you can send me a picture of your parrotlet near the fire engine for an IPS journal cover...:)
Sincerely yours,
Sandee L. Molenda, C.A.S.
I have been a huge fan of your site and all the work you put into it and
your birds for quite some time. I've always been a huge fan of
parrotlets in general. I've had 2, one when I was in high school (mom's)
and one I just got a few weeks ago.
I had a question about traveling and your small travel cage. I work long
hours as a fire fighter, sometimes 48 or 72 hours at a time. I work a
mile from home. Do you think bringing my parrotlet to work would be ok,
or would it stress him out too much?
I also saw you sell the small travel cages. What would the cost be for
the smaller cage with shipping to zip code 04654?
Thanks for your time. I understand and appreciate you are very busy with
your feathered friends and all that, so I understand if you can't get to
this email right away. Thanks. :)
Colby
Hey Colby. Thank you so much for the nice compliments. I am so glad you are
so enamored of parrotlets! :)
Yes, you can bring your bird to the fire station as many people do bring
their parrotlets to work and most of them love the attention as well as
change of scenery. The small travel cage would not be appropriate as it
really is made for transport and is not big enough for a parrotlet to get
enough exercise for an entire day. The larger one would be better but
honestly if you had another full-size cage, that would be the best. Then you
could transport the bird in the small travel cage and it would have a place
with lots of toys and room to exercise during the day.
As for the cost with the shipping, I really can't tell you since all that
stuff in automated. I ship via the postal service to its cheaper than UPS or
Fed X. Sorry. Apparently my talents lie with birds and not business.
Btw, not sure if you have a Facebook page but I do have one for The
Parrotlet Ranch and I post a lot of blogs and information. You can also see
my speaking schedule and check our latest products.
I hope this helps and btw, thank you for being a fire fighter. I live in the
country in California and I know how important fire fighters are to my
health and well-being as well as my birds. I also think you guys are being
unfairly punished these days in the court of public opinion so THANK YOU
COLBY and I thank all of your colleagues as well.
Sincerely yours,
Sandee L. Molenda, C.A.S.
The Parrotlet Ranch, Owner, www.parrotletranch.com
Join the International Parrotlet Society, - the World's Largest and Oldest
Parrotlet Organization www.internationalparrotletsociety.org
A Chattering Bird Builds No Nest.
Camaroonian Phrase
Thanks for the quick reply Sandee. I knew the small travel cage wouldn't
be appropriate to house him, I was thinking just getting him from point
a to point B. The breeder I bought the bird from actually thought it
would stress him out too much and advised against it.
I suppose I could try it and see how it works. I have another cage at
home thats larger but would do the trick. I would obviously have to put
some new toys and stuff in it for him or transfer the toys from his
other cage over when I work here. I'm part time/per diem
dispatcher/firefighter and volunteer when I'm not here.
I was inspired after my brother was in a horrible car accident and the
fire department responded to use the JAWS. Their quick action ultimately
led to him surviving despite all odds. I've been on the fire department
since 2003 and have actually worked shifts so the chief could go fight
wild fires in Canada. I figure if I can give anything back to the
community that saved my brothers life, I have done all I can.
I've seen your Facebook page and "liked" it and read a lot of
information on there. I've had a bit of a problem getting my guy to eat
pellets. He doesn't go for them at all. I feed him the Volkman parrotlet
diet primarily and currently have him eating long-grain rice with it,
but no luck with peas and corn yet. Its a work in progress, but I'm not
giving up.
I live in Maine and we have 1 breeder who has parrotlets. I often
thought it would be neat to breed them myself to offer fellow Mainers
another option other than going to Massachusetts which is the next
closest breeder (Where I got my blue) I'm just worried about being
inexperienced and having no avian vets in the state at all if I had
problems. Then there is the problem of getting proven or bonded birds
to breed. I'd still very much like to do it but I'm adamant about it for
the aforementioned reasons.
Again, thanks for your input about bringing my parrotlet to work. It is
nice having contact with someone as competent as you. Its nice talking
to other people who are as "enamored" with these little feathered
creatures as I am. I honestly couldn't think of anything more rewarding
than raising my own for other people to enjoy but as I said, I am just
worried about the availability of help, and getting health certificates
for mailing them would be next to impossible without an avian vet.
I appreciate your thanks for my service as a firefighter. It means a lot
and its always nice to get complements from the public about the work
and time we devote to helping others. I work as a driver for the
ambulance service as well and help out there when I can.
Dear Colby:
I know hundreds of people who have taken their parrotlets to work with them and but for one or two, I've never heard of a parrotlet getting too stressed over that. I ship them all over the world, they travel thousands of miles by car, I show them in various cities and I know people who take them on vacation regularly - never has there been a problem with stress. Indeed, people who take them to work with them report the birds absolutely love the attention from coworkers and the change of scenery. The small travel cage is geared for travel in that the bird does not have enough room to fly or gain momentum in order to get hurt.
The spare cage sounds like it would work and I would recommend setting it up independently of his home cage. This would be the most convenient for you and allow the bird to have a 'home away from home' in which he can feel safe and secure yet still have playtime.
I understand your commitment to give back to those that saved your brother. I was in a bad car accident almost 5 years ago - a rollover accident in my SUV. Had I not had on my seatbelts, I probably would not have survived and they too had to use the JAWS of life to get me out. Also, since I live in the country in California, twice I've had wild fires get within a few miles of my home and it was firefighters that saved my home as well as my birds' lives.
I have to admit I am not a big believer of pellets. I don't eat processed foods myself and I don't like feeding them to my birds. Especially when you realize that pellets were developed for the convenience of the owners and they are simply processed seeds (mainly corn which is not a normal part of a parrotlet's diet and is very much lacking in nutrition but its cheap) mixed with artificial vitamins. It is much better, in my opinion, to have your bird eat a wide variety of fresh, whole foods like fruit, vegetables, greens, legumes, grains, sprouts, nuts and seeds than to force them to eat pellets. Also, if the bird is a mutation, there have been many reports of kidney and/or high uric acid problems in mutation parrotlets that are fed a primarily pelleted diet. This may be because mutations process the pellets differently or that they are more susceptible to problems since they are not large consumers of water and being on a lower fat diet does affect hydration.
As for breeding, that is something only you can determine if you can do or not. I do understand the situation with not having avian vets conveniently located and I think that goes to show what a caring, knowledgeable person you are when it comes to these birds. Perhaps your situation will change in the future (although Maine is a gorgeous state and I could see why you want to live there).
In them meantime, I think it is awesome you care so much about parrotlets. If there is anything I can help with, do not hesitate to ask! Best of luck and perhaps you can send me a picture of your parrotlet near the fire engine for an IPS journal cover...:)
Sincerely yours,
Sandee L. Molenda, C.A.S.
Friday, January 7, 2011
3 Common Myths About Parrotlets
Hello Sandee,
I stumbled across your page today while trying to gain some insight into my parrotlets. I live in the uk. I bought my husband a green parrotlet for Christmas, we were told he was being tamed but seems as though he has had little or no contact. I treated him the same way I tamed our budgie ( I am aware that they are completely different species btw) so thought maybe as I was getting no where fast that maybe I should seek advice from parrotlet owners/breeders as I was almost certainly going to have to tame differently to budgie taming.
I took it slow, spoke very calmly, even singing softly to him which he seemed to relax when I did so, I offered millet and found he certainly calmed down when using this method, he will let me get around an inch away from him, he'll happily eat the millet I am offering, he will even lean forward for it. I was told by the breeder NOT to clip his wings as We read it helps with training and bonding, We joined a parrotlet forum and were advised to clip his wings, I then asked the parrot centre near us if they provided a wing clipping service, who advised strongly against wing clipping and said parrotlets are very sensitive stressful birds who when young can and do die from stress, and that they strongly advise against wing clipping as they are delicate little birds who can be harmed very easily, so now I feel very confused! I was also advised to keep them together! We currently have a pair one blue female and one green male, and another green male. We are very very confused on what to do for the best! The advice we have been given so far has been so conflicting! Could you please let us know what is best for our little feathered friends, I was also advised against taming our parrotlets as the stress may kill them? Any info would be so appreciated. Many thanks,
Kind regards Gemma.
Goodness Gemma. I'm not sure where to start with this! So much misinformation!
First, you absolutely need to have the bird's wings clipped. There is no way you are going to be able to control this bird and get him used to you with out it. Also, it is a safety issue. Parrotlets are very tiny and can easily be injured or killed if they are fully flighted and allowed out of their cage. They can drown in a toilet or sink, they can get stepped on, they can burn on the stove, another pet could attack them, they can escape and never be seen again. They also become very territorial and aggressive when they are fully flighted. After all, they can fly and you can't so all they have to do is bite you harder and harder until you let go and then viola! They have now been taught to bite! So, in the interest in training and for the bird's own safety, clip those wings. Please remember that unlike larger parrots that can barely make it around a room, a parrotlet can fly very fast in a small area and if they hit a window or mirror, they will certainly break their necks or have a skull fracture. Also, unlike the bigger parrots, parrotlets can still fly very well even with clipped wings because they are so aerodynamic and will still be able to get exercise and not get fat.
I can't believe after all this time people still believe the myth that parrotlets are fragile little creatures that will die if they become stressed. Nothing could be further from the truth. If you don't believe me, stick your hand in a nestbox with a hen on eggs or has babies. She will rip into your hand and certainly make you bleed. I clip all my babies before they go home and that's at 7-8 weeks of age. Parrotlets are one of the toughest birds you can have - they are fearless and indeed, one of their biggest problems is that they are often too bold and will attack other birds including other parrotlets or even other animals. My Doberman learned a long time ago to stay away from those nasty little things with feathers and beaks because they bite! And they bite hard!
Obviously, this is the same for the taming question. If the birds were hand-fed and imprinted (socialized) then they absolutely need human companionship. Parrotlets are true parrots and just because they are small, it doesn't mean they don't need interaction with their owners on a regular basis. I have clients whose birds go to school with them, work, go on vacations, I myself travel with breeders (who are not tamed or socialized) on airplanes and by car all the time. I travel thousands of miles with my birds and they enjoy the change of scenery and the interaction of new things. A pet parrotlet that has been socialized and trained is one of the most loving birds you can keep. I have sold them to children, the elderly and people who are handicapped. They make gentle, loving pets and enjoy their human families. Indeed, most will cling to the bars of the cage and chirp until you take them out and play with them.
Ok, the last myth. I almost NEVER recommend that people get two parrotlets. Again, this is because they are aggressive and territorial birds and even if they are siblings, one will usually become dominant over the other and 'share' is not a word in the parrotlet vocabulary. The dominant bird will not let the other eat, drink, perch, play or even interact with you. They look at the other bird as a competitor or rival not a companion. If you do get two, you will have to keep them in separate cages and only allow them physical contact with one another on neutral territory and only if they are supervised.
Sincerely yours,
Sandee L. Molenda, C.A.S.
The Parrotlet Ranch, Owner, www.parrotletranch.com
Join the International Parrotlet Society, – the World’s Largest and Oldest Parrotlet Organization www.internationalparrotletsociety.org
A Chattering Bird Builds No Nest.
Camaroonian Phrase
I stumbled across your page today while trying to gain some insight into my parrotlets. I live in the uk. I bought my husband a green parrotlet for Christmas, we were told he was being tamed but seems as though he has had little or no contact. I treated him the same way I tamed our budgie ( I am aware that they are completely different species btw) so thought maybe as I was getting no where fast that maybe I should seek advice from parrotlet owners/breeders as I was almost certainly going to have to tame differently to budgie taming.
I took it slow, spoke very calmly, even singing softly to him which he seemed to relax when I did so, I offered millet and found he certainly calmed down when using this method, he will let me get around an inch away from him, he'll happily eat the millet I am offering, he will even lean forward for it. I was told by the breeder NOT to clip his wings as We read it helps with training and bonding, We joined a parrotlet forum and were advised to clip his wings, I then asked the parrot centre near us if they provided a wing clipping service, who advised strongly against wing clipping and said parrotlets are very sensitive stressful birds who when young can and do die from stress, and that they strongly advise against wing clipping as they are delicate little birds who can be harmed very easily, so now I feel very confused! I was also advised to keep them together! We currently have a pair one blue female and one green male, and another green male. We are very very confused on what to do for the best! The advice we have been given so far has been so conflicting! Could you please let us know what is best for our little feathered friends, I was also advised against taming our parrotlets as the stress may kill them? Any info would be so appreciated. Many thanks,
Kind regards Gemma.
Goodness Gemma. I'm not sure where to start with this! So much misinformation!
First, you absolutely need to have the bird's wings clipped. There is no way you are going to be able to control this bird and get him used to you with out it. Also, it is a safety issue. Parrotlets are very tiny and can easily be injured or killed if they are fully flighted and allowed out of their cage. They can drown in a toilet or sink, they can get stepped on, they can burn on the stove, another pet could attack them, they can escape and never be seen again. They also become very territorial and aggressive when they are fully flighted. After all, they can fly and you can't so all they have to do is bite you harder and harder until you let go and then viola! They have now been taught to bite! So, in the interest in training and for the bird's own safety, clip those wings. Please remember that unlike larger parrots that can barely make it around a room, a parrotlet can fly very fast in a small area and if they hit a window or mirror, they will certainly break their necks or have a skull fracture. Also, unlike the bigger parrots, parrotlets can still fly very well even with clipped wings because they are so aerodynamic and will still be able to get exercise and not get fat.
I can't believe after all this time people still believe the myth that parrotlets are fragile little creatures that will die if they become stressed. Nothing could be further from the truth. If you don't believe me, stick your hand in a nestbox with a hen on eggs or has babies. She will rip into your hand and certainly make you bleed. I clip all my babies before they go home and that's at 7-8 weeks of age. Parrotlets are one of the toughest birds you can have - they are fearless and indeed, one of their biggest problems is that they are often too bold and will attack other birds including other parrotlets or even other animals. My Doberman learned a long time ago to stay away from those nasty little things with feathers and beaks because they bite! And they bite hard!
Obviously, this is the same for the taming question. If the birds were hand-fed and imprinted (socialized) then they absolutely need human companionship. Parrotlets are true parrots and just because they are small, it doesn't mean they don't need interaction with their owners on a regular basis. I have clients whose birds go to school with them, work, go on vacations, I myself travel with breeders (who are not tamed or socialized) on airplanes and by car all the time. I travel thousands of miles with my birds and they enjoy the change of scenery and the interaction of new things. A pet parrotlet that has been socialized and trained is one of the most loving birds you can keep. I have sold them to children, the elderly and people who are handicapped. They make gentle, loving pets and enjoy their human families. Indeed, most will cling to the bars of the cage and chirp until you take them out and play with them.
Ok, the last myth. I almost NEVER recommend that people get two parrotlets. Again, this is because they are aggressive and territorial birds and even if they are siblings, one will usually become dominant over the other and 'share' is not a word in the parrotlet vocabulary. The dominant bird will not let the other eat, drink, perch, play or even interact with you. They look at the other bird as a competitor or rival not a companion. If you do get two, you will have to keep them in separate cages and only allow them physical contact with one another on neutral territory and only if they are supervised.
Sincerely yours,
Sandee L. Molenda, C.A.S.
The Parrotlet Ranch, Owner, www.parrotletranch.com
Join the International Parrotlet Society, – the World’s Largest and Oldest Parrotlet Organization www.internationalparrotletsociety.org
A Chattering Bird Builds No Nest.
Camaroonian Phrase
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Parrotlet Chewing on Cage Wire
Good Morning,
I have recently acquired an 11 year old Parrotlet and she has started biting on the bars of her cage, what I would call "strumming" or "picking" them. Her name is Chloe and she is a beautiful little thing and I have had a couple other issues with her, but I really would like to help her or stop her from this practice as it seems there is something emotionally or physically causing this problem. Can you offer any help or suggestions?
Thanks,
Mark
Dear Mark:
Thank you for your email. I have to admit in 30 years I have never had anyone ask this question. Since I am not there and cannot observe the bird’s behavior, I’ll give you some background on this issue.
Birds chew on wire. It is part of their natural behavior. It could be because the cage is too small, she doesn’t have enough toys or enrichment items, it may be she is missing minerals in her diet, it could be because of the stress of going into a new home or it may be something she just enjoys doing. I would go through each issue – make sure the cage is large enough – at least 18” by 18”. She should have a variety of toys and perches made from different materials. Be sure and provide her a nutritious diet with lots of fresh foods including vegetables, fruit, greens, cooked legumes, whole grains and sprouts. She should also have access to minerals such as cuttlebone and mineral block. You might want to add some vitamins or bee pollen to her diet although only a pinch of either several times a week is all that is needed. If it is due to the stress of the move, you will just have to wait that out. The older the bird, the harder it is for them to adjust to a new environment. Also, if this is a behavior she has been doing her entire life, you are not likely going to change it and attempting to do so by putting bitter materials on the cage bars or trying to discourage it by adverse training, is going to be more harmful than the chewing on the wire itself. 11 years old is pretty aged in parrotlets these days – it would be like trying to get a 90 yo person to stop smoking. Probably not going to happen. I do know that so long as the wire isn’t toxic – i.e., made from zinc, lead or brass, it isn’t going to hurt her. Its probably more annoying to you than anything else but it isn’t harmful to her.
I would try these other things and see how it goes.
Best of luck to you and your bird.
Sincerely yours,
Sandee L. Molenda, C.A.S.
I have recently acquired an 11 year old Parrotlet and she has started biting on the bars of her cage, what I would call "strumming" or "picking" them. Her name is Chloe and she is a beautiful little thing and I have had a couple other issues with her, but I really would like to help her or stop her from this practice as it seems there is something emotionally or physically causing this problem. Can you offer any help or suggestions?
Thanks,
Mark
Dear Mark:
Thank you for your email. I have to admit in 30 years I have never had anyone ask this question. Since I am not there and cannot observe the bird’s behavior, I’ll give you some background on this issue.
Birds chew on wire. It is part of their natural behavior. It could be because the cage is too small, she doesn’t have enough toys or enrichment items, it may be she is missing minerals in her diet, it could be because of the stress of going into a new home or it may be something she just enjoys doing. I would go through each issue – make sure the cage is large enough – at least 18” by 18”. She should have a variety of toys and perches made from different materials. Be sure and provide her a nutritious diet with lots of fresh foods including vegetables, fruit, greens, cooked legumes, whole grains and sprouts. She should also have access to minerals such as cuttlebone and mineral block. You might want to add some vitamins or bee pollen to her diet although only a pinch of either several times a week is all that is needed. If it is due to the stress of the move, you will just have to wait that out. The older the bird, the harder it is for them to adjust to a new environment. Also, if this is a behavior she has been doing her entire life, you are not likely going to change it and attempting to do so by putting bitter materials on the cage bars or trying to discourage it by adverse training, is going to be more harmful than the chewing on the wire itself. 11 years old is pretty aged in parrotlets these days – it would be like trying to get a 90 yo person to stop smoking. Probably not going to happen. I do know that so long as the wire isn’t toxic – i.e., made from zinc, lead or brass, it isn’t going to hurt her. Its probably more annoying to you than anything else but it isn’t harmful to her.
I would try these other things and see how it goes.
Best of luck to you and your bird.
Sincerely yours,
Sandee L. Molenda, C.A.S.
Monday, May 10, 2010
Parrotlet Stress Seeing Wild Birds Out of Doors
Is it ok to put my parrotlet's cage in a place that has views out of
a window, including a view of a bird feeder? I typically get mourning
doves and house finches on my feeder. Part of the cage would be out of
sight of the feeder, but I want to make sure the sights and sounds would
not cause the parrotlet undue stress.
I don't imagine that would be an issue. Parrotlets can be aggressive and territorial with other birds but so long as they can't have physical contact, I don't think it would be an issue.
a window, including a view of a bird feeder? I typically get mourning
doves and house finches on my feeder. Part of the cage would be out of
sight of the feeder, but I want to make sure the sights and sounds would
not cause the parrotlet undue stress.
I don't imagine that would be an issue. Parrotlets can be aggressive and territorial with other birds but so long as they can't have physical contact, I don't think it would be an issue.
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