Pair of Ring Necks

Image by jamescastle
A pair of Ring-necks perch in a tree at the Agra Fort near a Black Kite. While Kites feed mostly on carrion, I find it odd that parrots would share a tree with this bird of prey.

Get A Parrot Perch

Parrots are known for their powerful beaks and their love of chewing on things. Chewing is important for the birds both for their physical and mental health. The problem for bird owners can be finding materials for their bird perches and other accessories that will resist their chewing while still being functional and non toxic.

Parrots can be very sensitive to chemicals that are in many of the products we use in our lives. Many materials can be toxic to them if they chew on them and some materials can give off toxic fumes that can harm the birds. This limits the types of materials that are available for making bird accessories.

For bird perches, metal will hold up to a parrot’s chewing but many metals are toxic to them and slick cold metal is a poor perching surface. Wood is an ideal surface for perching, but most wood is no match for a parrots beak. Porous wood is also more difficult to clean and can be a breading ground for bacteria and parasites.

The exception to this is manzanita wood. Manzanita is a small slow growing tree that grows branches that make excellent bird perches. This wood is claimed by some to be the world’s 8th hardest wood and some claim it’s the 6th hardest wood. Either way the point is the same, it is hard enough to resist a bird’s chewing and is also non toxic.

Manzanita trees grow into heavily branched shapes that resemble shrubs more than trees. The branches grow into twisted irregular shapes that are ideal for bird perches. Unlike a straight wooden dowel, a manzanita branch has varied shapes and diameters that are better for the birds feet and legs. This provides them with better exercise than a uniform diameter perch.

Not only is manzanita an ideal material for birds, it’s also an attractive wood. It is used both with it’s smooth reddish bark attached, and with the bark removed, exposing a whitish wood. Both surfaces are good for the birds to grip and are easy to clean.

Learn more about manzanita bird perches.

Basically we will be teaching our birds to target to a specific perch/area/spot on cue and wait there till we release them. This is extremely useful for all kinds of problems from climbing down from the cage/gym to staying in a specific spot in the cage so your bird sitter can change out the food bowls, to encouraging interaction with a new toy. Bird touches target with beak when offered in front of it Bird moves 1 step to touch target Bird moves 3 steps to touch target Bird moves 1 ft to touch target Bird moves 2 ft to touch target Bird moves 3 ft to touch target Bird moves to “station” (perch or spot) to touch target Here insert the verbal cue “station” and any hand cue you want to use. Repeat the last approximation (bird moves to “station”) with the cue until the bird responds to the verbal or hand cue Bird goes to “station” on cue for reinforcement Bird goes to “station” on cue and waits 10 seconds for reinforcement Bird goes to “station” on cue and waits 30 seconds for reinforcement and so on till the bird waits as long as you feel is necessary Notes Your event marker or bridge should be given the second the bird does the desired behavior. For example, as soon as his beak touches the target, or as soon as both feet are on the station perch. After the marker is given the treat reinforcement should follow soon after to the bird associates the marker with the promise of reinforcement to come.
Video Rating: 4 / 5

Yahoo Answers:

Question by Beth C: How do I stop my parrot from eating his perches?

Best answer:

Answer by muddpuppie
get him cuttlebones. they are made for grinding and sharpening the beaks and they have the calcium birds need.

Give us the benefit of your knowledge and add your own answer in the comments!
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