Animal Stories - Birds


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Latest Animal Stories on Birds (5589)

ALAN - 2010-01-10
A study of the too in a common household.

I'm not a professional trainer or a breeder. I've just had lots of experience with too's owning one and being involved with them in other families, pet stores, vets, etc. Being in a small town, I get the phone calls to come assist with large birds because their owners are afraid of them or even the vet is a bit afraid. The most important thing is don't let your too rule you - and they will if you think of them as an object or a conversation piece. They are almost human! LOL! Little feathered boogers.

I have a 12 year old too named Ziggy. He is definitely the boss and the joy of the house hold. World's best doorbell and burglar alarm. LOL! He notices things outside even before the dog does.

Too's are wonderful birds and wonderful pets if you have the courage and the patient nature it will take you'll be a good "daddy" or "mommy". They are the most affectionate of all the birds and that's what draws people to them. They can play so coy and sweet. But, be prepared as your mighty too will be a perpetual 2 year old for his/her entire life. They are very curious and get bored easily if not interacted with all the time. Hence the antique furniture and everything else getting chewed up if you are not watching them like a 2 year old.

Extremely intelligent and can have a very large vocabulary if you work with them. Ziggy can carry on a full conversation with you and it makes sense. He can argue, reason and barter with you. Loves people. Laughs like a human. You just really need to know what you are getting yourself into before you decide to get one of these mighty birds. They can be very sneaky and they have great precision with their beaks. They can peel wallpaper right off of the wall and also remove the label off a CD without damaging the plastic. They also act out if they are mad or during a full moon.

They want to be a part of your world and they are almost human. They want to do what you do and go where you go. Indoor or outdoor. Ziggy will follow you right out the back door and into the back yard. They are the world's best snugglers and will just love all over you. They are EXTREMELY LOUD!!! I mean, hear them 5 blocks away loud! Ear piercing shreiking scream! You just can't have a too if you are in an apartment. No way. And there's no way to quiet them either. With work they won't scream as much but that is still part of their nature and a game. If Ziggy gets on a screaming binge I go scream with him. He loves it! It's a game and he'll calm down very quickly if I play with him and scream.

For example, when we first got Ziggy it was in the fall and warm enough to have the windows open. He wasn't secure in his surroundings yet so he did do a lot of screaming. Neighbors showed up and were ready to call the police. They wanted to know what autistic child we were beating! That's not a joke! That really happened! They lived 3 blocks away.

They aren't usually, however they will bite if threatened or scared. A loud sound like a truck backfire may cause the bird to nip you simply because it depends on you to protect it. That's your cue to get rid of the scary thing. If they are mad they will bite. If they are on you and feel like you aren't paying enough attention they will bite. "If bird is displeased - bird will let you know!" Converse with the bird. They love to talk back and its so interesting to watch them shape that tongue and beak trying so hard to form words and talk back. They are so sincere in their response. They want to communicate with you.

They are very social and love people. You usually don't have to worry about them being a one person bird. However, most guests you have are a little leary so you need to be with them while they are interacting with the bird. They don't understand the behaviors like you do and they can misinterpret behaviors and possibly get bit. The bird will show off and jump and down and giggle, and whistle and yell while the bird is on their shoulder. That scares people and they will jerk back and the bird will bite to hang on. Warn your guests of this. Just stay calm and don't jerk around.

Everybody wants to see the pretty birdie! Especially children and too's don't particularly like jerky, small, fast moving children. Not a good idea to let the bird get on children unless the bird is already used to children being in the house. Also have guests remove earrings, glasses and necklaces before handling them because birdie will go straight for them. Not that birdie will pull them out but the guest will jerk away and rip their earrings out that way. Its an automatic reaction to them, whereas to you, you can just say, "Quit it" and the bird will stop. Guests don't realize that and it is a natural reflex to jerk away.

Ziggy has a strict rule, "No hats on in the house." He will take your hat off your head and throw it on the ground and laugh. They can be trained to do tricks. Play dead or even ride a skateboard if you are willing to work with them. His laugh is what gets everybody going. A hearty robust laugh that is appropriate. He knows what's funny. He can watch TV and laugh at the appropriate moments. Loves music and loves to dance and show off. Usually Ziggy is very quiet and calm when it's just us but when company is around he stays animated and won't calm down until everybody has played with him for a minute. Then you are excused. LOL!

Talking? Watch what you say! Of all the wonderful cute little phrases you teach your birdie, you can rest assure that it has learned EVERYTHING else you've said or that they've heard on TV! Just let the preacher come over for a visit and the birdie will shoot off a string of cuss words knowing EXACTLY what he's doing! LOL!

They are very loveable but I tell people up front when they think of getting a too that the name of the bird should be "destruct-a-birdie." They love wood and they can splinter it in a heartbeat. I always keep a supply of 2x4 pieces for Ziggy to chew up. Works better than any $40 colored wooden thing you can buy in the stores and its cheaper too! He doesn't like toys and will ignore them. He only wants wood to chew on.

Highly intellengent and great problem solvers. When I first got Ziggy he was peeling the wallpaper off the wall so I was going to be smart and put plexiglass around the top of the cage so he wouldn't chew. (The walls are painted now. LOL!) I got the plexiglass and drilled holes it in to mount to the cage with "U" bolts. I threaded the nuts down on the U bolts finger tightened. I went to the kitchen to get a pair of plyers to tighten the bolts down good. When I got back to the cage, Ziggy had one of the U bolts in his beak and handed it to me and giggled. THAT'S how fast they are and that's how smart they are. You just shake your head and laugh.

"My bird chewed up all the doors, baseboards and door frames! We had to get rid of him!" Yep! That's why all mine are wrapped in tin and that's why you keep a fresh supply of wood for the bird to chew on.

Food? Ziggy is a bottomless pit. LOL! He loves anything you love. He gets his own plate at the table and climbs the chair himself and hops on the table and eats with me. This causes problems because during dinner parties he expects to be part of the dinner. LOL! Most guests do not want a big bird at the table even on his perch. Yes there is seed for him to eat in the cage but too's love anything. Fruits and starches and even meats. They need other foods besides the seed. You also have to watch house plants. You will find you have your own personal gardener. LOL! Some plants can be deadly to birds so watch the plants you have.

Also they love things with bright colors. Cleaning chemicals, etc. come in brightly colored plastic jugs. Need I say more? Remember - 2 year old child. Just use common sense and you and your too will be very happy together. Not to scare you off but just use good common sense. If a child can get hurt doing it, so can a too.

We didn't know anything when we got him. He was handed over to us and he was very unsocialized. Look at the pretty birdie! In that first few months I don't know how he survived because we didn't know what to watch out for. He ate a battery. He ate a gallon jug of bubble bath. Each time I thought, "Well, that's the end of THAT bird!" Be proactive and remember you have a 2 year old in the house.

Sharp beak? Sharp claws? Use a dremel. You can get battery powered dremels for dog nails. You'll be surprised at what a game you can make to get your too used to it. Ziggy lets me do his nails and his beak without any fluff of the feathers. He feels very pretty after they are all done. They have that much trust in you. I wouldn't use a dremel bit on a drill. Too forceful. The battery operated one is much safer. Even clipping the wings he'll just sit there and let me do it but you have to work with them. He used to grab the scissors with those big pink feet and throw them across the room. If you have ceiling fans then you must keep those wings clipped because birdie is gonna fly at some point. Either scared by a noise or just looking for you.

Messy? Oh yeah! They are mess cats. If you can't handle bird seed flung all around the cage and poop - go no further. "Doo Dissolve" is a wonderful product and smells wintergreenish to get rid of the poop. Putting a towel down on the floor around the cage will help. We have lots of "birdie towels." And they love to start pooping and throwing seeds right after you've cleaned up. LOL! They'll show YOU!

They have to interact and they can't just be locked up in their cage. They'll start plucking from neglect. Ziggy runs free in the house when I'm home and sleeps in his cage while I'm at work. I come home at lunch and play with him every day. And then of course when I get home he's usually on my shoulder, running around the house or on his perch waiting for me to finish cooking dinner.

Vacations are a problem too. You can't leave the bird for a week or two. You must get somebody to come at least take care of the bird or board it. Fortunately, we have a vet in town that boards large birds and Ziggy is allowed to run around the shop and they feed him their lunch. He gets to play all day and the customers love him.

Is all this worth it? YOU BET IT IS! That is my baby! I wouldn't let Ziggy go for a million bucks! And you'll be the same way. At least you will have some insight and be prepared for the little feathered monster. LOL! Just don't be scared of the bird. You have to be in charge and the bird will respect you. If you are timid and cower away from the bird, he will take charge of YOU. And that means doing it with finese. NEVER hit your bird! You may be frustrated but NEVER EVER hit your bird! Both of you take a time out and work on the behavior problem that was unacceptable. They will learn and they will stop certainly behaviors if you do it right and not lose your cool.

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Michael Miley - 2011-03-27
Alan; I stumbled upon your article and just want to say it is the most accurate and exacting truthful explanation of a cockatoo keeper relationship I have witnessed! I have been a keeper for many years and always shied away from Cockatoos mostly due to their loudness. What a mistake on my part! I adopted Mickey a 13 yr old male Too just over a year ago. What a pleasure and challenge, most rewarding experience of my keepers career including Amazons, Greys, Macaws and smaller birds.
Kim - 2011-05-26
Thank you ........smile.
Margie Parfrey - 2012-08-19
That is very detailed info but I want to know does the bird have to go to a vet like a dog or cat and how expensive are they to keep?
Charlie Roche - 2012-08-19
Obviously a vet will tell you to bring your parrot into the vets office every year for a physical. I would not do that - and i sure would not do that at all unless it is a certified avianb vet. You just don't take a well parrot to a vet where there are sick birds. A true avian vet has conditions which prevent problems but most vets don't. They shouldn't require any shots but most breeders will give their babies a shot for polyoma - polyoma vaccine. It would be included in the price of the bird. Cage - you would need a cage and a cage for a large bird is going to run around $600 possibly you can find a used one. You will also need a perch that goes on wheels - runs around $250.00. I can't imagine that seed/nuts/pellets would be more than $50.00 a month and remember they can eat anything nutricious that you eat. If you have meatloaf and potatoe with string beans for dinner - give them some. Especially a cockatoor cuz if you don't it will pitch a fit. You would not eat in front of a 3 year old human - don't do it in front of a cockatoor. Scrambled eggs, toast, pasta, whatever you eat. No not chocolate, avocado and not a lot of salt. So pirce of a moluccan should be around $1100, cage $600, perch $250 and $50 a month for food - plus toys and for a cockatoo you canmake a lot of toys with a 2 x 4 pine untreated lumber.
ang - 2014-04-30
How do you bathe ziggy?
Jim - 2022-07-30
I was able to buy "doo dissolve once, I haven't been able to find it online or in stores. Do you still have a place that you find it?

Parrots Sale - 2022-05-09

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Website: www.parrotssale.com/
Email: inquiry@parrotssale.com
Email: Parrotshome152@gmail.com
Tel#: +1(402) 518 3978

Parrots Sale - 2022-05-09
Handraised Parrots for sale
African Grey Parrots for sale
Hyacinth macaw parrots for sale
Blue and gold macaw parrot for sale
Umbrella cockatoo parrots for sale
Hand Trained Parrots for sale
Male And Female African Grey Parrots for sale

We have African greys for sale,Macaw parrots for sale,cockatoo parrots for sale,Amazon parrots for sale,Eclectus parrots for sale, we also have conures for sale,Caiques parrots for sale, Hyacinth macaw parrots for sale near me and cockatiels parrots for sale. Our parrots are Absolutely adorable,We have both Adult and baby birds ready for new homes, hand feeding babies are so sweet and trying to make sounds already. These babies will be Great Talkers! Health Guaranteed. Boys and girls available. All babies are DNA tested. my adult birds all speak quite well! I provide care, training, nutrition, and behavior information to all prospective buyers. I will ship or you can come pick up. My babies are now on sale, Contact me for more information and pictures

Website: www.parrotssale.com/
Email: inquiry@parrotssale.com
Email: Parrotshome152@gmail.com
Tel#: +1(402) 518 3978

Parrots Sale - 2022-05-09
We have African greys for sale,Macaw parrots for sale,cockatoo parrots for sale,Amazon parrots for sale,Eclectus parrots for sale, we also have conures for sale,Caiques parrots for sale, Hyacinth macaw parrots for sale near me and cockatiels parrots for sale. Our parrots are Absolutely adorable,We have both Adult and baby birds ready for new homes, hand feeding babies are so sweet and trying to make sounds already. These babies will be Great Talkers! Health Guaranteed. Boys and girls available. All babies are DNA tested. my adult birds all speak quite well! I provide care, training, nutrition, and behavior information to all prospective buyers. I will ship or you can come pick up. My babies are now on sale, Contact me for more information and pictures

Website: www.parrotssale.com/
Email: inquiry@parrotssale.com
Email: Parrotshome152@gmail.com
Tel#: +1(402) 518 3978

Kim - 2022-02-06
We've had a ringneck dove for 30 years! He has always been happy, jumping perch to perch, cooing. The best is when he giggles, he does it when family argues. Breaks up the argument every time. Recently he has started a strange ritual. He lifts his head straight back onto his back.He acts like he is dizzy or losing balance. Then it stops and he acts normal again.Any ideas what might be wrong with him?

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Meredith - 2022-04-30
Hi, Kim! I had a wonderful ring-neck named Chatterbox for 30 years. He was my pet from childhood through children of my own. He would interrupt us with his laugh much the same way. I’m convinced he thought he was a person! In the last two years of his life, he began behaving as you described, twisting his neck to rest on his back as if he was experiencing dizziness. He progressed this way for several months and then began to actually lose his balance on occasion; it would often take him by surprise and startle him, and he would end up flailing around his enclosure trying to regain his bearings. I ended up removing his perches so he would fall or beat up his wings. A trip to our vet (a local avian vet who specializes in doves) confirmed that he was experiencing neurological/balance problems that are common to birds of advanced age, particularly doves. We did a course of antibiotics to rule out any kind of infection (which can sometimes cause similar symptoms), but that was not the issue. As his balance problems became more severe, he kept his neck in a 180* position constantly, making it impossible (and dangerous) to fly. For about the last year of his life, I moved him out of his enclosure and into a large plastic bin lined with towels on the sides to protect his wings if he began flailing around. As he became less mobile, I would tuck him in a small bin wrapped with a scarf at night to keep him comfortable and calm, in case he lost his balance as he started to fall asleep (a common occurrence). He still loved to be held and handled and we just had to adapt accordingly so that he didn’t injure himself if he fell over. I wish you the best with your beloved pet!

Parrots Sale - 2022-04-26
Hand raised Parrots for sale

We have African greys for sale,Macaw parrots for sale,cockatoo parrots for sale,Amazon parrots for sale,Eclectus parrots for sale, we also have conures for sale,Caiques parrots for sale, Hyacinth macaw parrots for sale near me and cockatiels parrots for sale. Our parrots are Absolutely adorable,We have both Adult and baby birds ready for new homes, hand feeding babies are so sweet and trying to make sounds already. These babies will be Great Talkers! Health Guaranteed. Boys and girls available. All babies are DNA tested. my adult birds all speak quite well! I provide care, training, nutrition, and behavior information to all prospective buyers. I will ship or you can come pick up. My babies are now on sale, Contact me for more information and pictures

Website: www.parrotssale.com/
Email: inquiry@parrotssale.com
Email: Parrotshome152@gmail.com
Tel#: +1(402) 518 3978

Kasey - 2008-12-05
Why is my ring neck dove not pecking at his cuttle bone? My zebra finches do it.

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Amy - 2011-03-06
He or she will do better with grit. Doves prefer grit.
Ak Desmond - 2022-04-11
I once had a brown ring neck dove & a king pigeon. They both prefer crushed egg shell, charcoal & dove/pigeon & gravel

John - 2022-03-06
I purchased two plum-headed parakeet from a pet store 15 months ago one was clearly male as he had a red head and the other a female as her head was gray, the store owner told me they were two years old,
They consistently fought and would never stay next to each other. Over a period of one week I saw the so called female parrot started losing it grey and today the face turned red. How can this happen? It clearly looked like a female with it grey face. Now I need to purchase a female but I don’t want to get rid of one of the males. Can I have two males and a female together. I do have a breeding box in the cage.

Brad Bauer - 2017-10-13
I have been looking for a white dove to buy for my home and I'm wondering if I'm looking in the right spot and actually how much they go for?

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Anonymous - 2022-03-05
I'm looking for one white dove for a family pet I have no email I just have a phone number 551-777-1023 looking for a white dove mail it

Birds by Joe - 2022-02-06
Your blog is very nice. These tools are really very helpful...:-)

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