If you enjoyed this video or found it helpful, make sure to let us know by clicking like and subscribe! It only takes a second and we really appreciate it!
Not certain about the points made but ,if anyone else wants to learn about parrot training tricks try Dalz Parrot Tips Discovery (Have a quick look on google cant remember the place now ) ? Ive heard some extraordinary things about it and my friend got great results with it.
I have had animal companions all my life - 71 years. From a parakeet named Chris and a French Bull dog named Muskie through Amazon’s, Umbrella Cockatoos and now my 2nd African Grey and my 4th Rhodesian Ridgeback. I used to think I owned these wonderful animals. I’ve learned that is disrespectful and that attitude can have a deleterious affect on the relationship between people and animals. Certainly we control these creatures, but we need to treat them as companions. As companions we become more responsible for feeding them on time, cleaning their bedding, interacting with them in a more constructive way. Thank you for your videos. They are well done. And very informative. Clementine, the Grey, and Wasabi, the Ridgeback and I appreciate your efforts and your attitude toward these wonderful creatures.
So I'm a zookeeper and we recently recieved a African gray as a rescue. This video was extremely informative. I will be working with the African gray and our blue throated macaw. Thanks for the video.
Also remember, any parrot is naturally social. If it can't talk, it will always try to communicate with you in its own way, as that is in their nature. Once you and your bird have formed a bond, it will make no difference if it can mimic human speech or not.
Matt interesting points ,if anyone else trying to find out how to teach a parrot tricks try Dalz Parrot Tips Discovery (Have a quick look on google cant remember the place now ) ? Ive heard some decent things about it and my neighbor got amazing results with it.
hey ,if anyone else trying to find out how to teach your parrot tricks try Dalz Parrot Tips Discovery (do a search on google ) ? Ive heard some unbelievable things about it and my partner got excellent results with it.
hi everyone ,if anyone else wants to learn about parrot trainers try Tarbally Parrot Lessons Tactics (just google it ) ? Ive heard some pretty good things about it and my co-worker got excellent results with it.
The one thing I would tell perspective bird owners is, take your time. If you slow down do your research, bird proof before you buy, get a reasonably stable life schedule, and find a bird that can suit your personality you and your bird will be much happier. I waited till my child was grown, and I was stable to get my Grey and it has made a world of difference. I had planned to get a smaller "easier" bird but after visiting my Grey for a month at the rescue I decided to take her home and I haven't regretted it once. Take your time and get the right bird for you after you have gotten yourself and your home as ready as you can. Also thanks so much to WingsNpaws for all the great videos, they are a huge help.
Thank you for making these videos. I have been friends with my dad's African Grey for years. He bonded to both of us, fortunately. Unfortunately, my dad passed away in 2019, but luckily, I was a friend to his bird. Now I have the joy of keeping my own African Grey (Seriously, it's a huge joy to have him.). I watched your videos to help him get accustomed to my home (and help me get accustomed to having him too.). I bought him a huge indoor cage, because you keep your Smokey in a BEAUTIFUL outdoor cage. When you mentioned in your other videos that you don't feel comfortable leaving Smokey in a lesser cage, I took note. As soon as I could afford it, I upgraded from my father's old cage. It was difficult to show him I was "in charge" at first, but I always show him the respect he deserves. I have learned so much from your videos, and I appreciate it so much that you share your knowledge. I LOVE that you're honest about what you say. If you don't completely understand a topic, (like in one of your nutrition videos,) you say so, and recommend other sources. That's amazing and informative, and it shows that you really want these birds to thrive and live good lives. Keep doing what you do, because it is worthwhile, and it helped me to make my bird's home comfortable. Thank you!
Im sorry for your loss and also i hope everything turns out great for u in the futer🤗. U r really luckky to have that bird. And i agrre with you on how his vedios are. 😄 Have a great day!
Thank you for emphasizing that birds need to be loved and properly taken care of!!! I have seen way too many cockatoos and macaws given away because they require attention! Love to you and all birds! You can tell that Smokey loves you and trusts you!
1) Thank you for promoting adoption: it is imperative to inform and sensitize people to the tragedy that currently exists regarding abandoned parrots, especially in the U.S.A. 2) Anybody seriously interested in the language skills of birds should view the following video featured on my channel: "Evolution of Speech in a Budgie" (I do not dare give the live link as I have noticed that comments containing live links often end up in spam and remain ignored because of that). You may not be aware that a budgie holds the world record where "talking" is concerned... The aforementioned video documents our late budgie Babi's ability to learn human speech and is a good example of an Incessant talking bird with a huge vocabulary.
CVersailles especially with larger parrots getting and older bird is the better idea anyways it’s why many birds seem to switch or don’t want their human when they hit sexual maturity, when your seen as mom they don’t want to mate with you so you make an unsuitable flock member to bond with so they will pick someone else, when you get a more mature animal your not mom anymore your a random possible mate giving you a better chance to bond with a bird on that non familial association level.
Hello, my African gray, Roberto used to talk with his old owner. Now he is about 4 days in my house, he doesn’t want to talk, although he communicates in other ways, he whistles and sometimes shouts “MEOW!” And also remaking sounds of my phone. Is that normal? I feel bad for him, am I a bad owner?
1. Understanding that this is a lifetime commitment of your time is vital 2. Get the appropriate size cage. 3. Learn how to feed them properly with lots of fruits and veggies. 4. Learn to understand their body language. Your videos are so great and I wish I had them when I was first interested in getting birds. I have only had. two. My african grey passed away after 40 years. I still have my yellow nape and he's over 37.
Anyone getting a new bird should not have unrealistic expectations about the bird. It takes time to bond and understand their individual personalities.
Having owned birds for the majority of my younger life, I can definitely agree! I recently adopted a 17 year old african grey. He used to live in a zoo and when I brought him home he ended up screaming and screeching so loud it actually affected my left ear. When you're thinking about adopting a bird, be aware that all of them can be loud. You need to be aware of their needs and not just what they're capable of doing because they can also be prone to other things, like plucking. My african grey plucked a lot before I was able to adopt him because he was in a stressful situation. Which could be caused by neglect or other various things. I've noticed that talking to him that he responds better, especially if he is misbehaving. But you should never scream at your bird. Just talk to them firmly and calmly. It's so unfortunate that birds end up in these horrible situations. Most of the time people yell at their birds because they think that's going to make them stop. It won't, it'll just stress them out and probably cause them to copy what you're saying to them. You can't just punish them because with the way their mentality is, they won't understand it the same way a human child would. You literally have to psycho-analyze parrots to figure out how to care for them and handle them. Having an african grey or any large parrot and other small parrots is like having a special needs child. It's also a lot like having your own child, except worse in some cases. This is because you can't just tell them hey stop, you have to do things in a roundabout way just to understand them and then attempt to get them to stop the behavior. Which can take months, years even. So number one, always do research before deciding to adopt a bird or pet of any kind. Make sure you're going to be able to handle them on a daily basis. Make sure you understand what they need and if you're capable of fulfilling those needs. Make sure you will be able to handle screaming and yelling from your bird, and what to do when it happens. Make sure that above all that you not only are open to understanding your bird, but being able to care for them properly. Providing them with pellets and a variety of different food mixes. Adopting a bird is a responsibility, and it is also literally adopting a child that never grows up because most birds live anywhere from 80+ years! I've had cockatiels since I was in highschool and I'm 30 now. My african grey while being 17, still has a way to go because they live around 80 some years. Macaws can live for over 100+ years! So when you adopt a bird, be aware of this. You're not just adopting a child or a pet, you're adopting a companion and taking responsibility for their lives.
It’s also a good idea to point out the financial expense involved in properly supporting the physical, mental, and emotional needs of a bird. This is an EXPENSIVE hobby.
In response to your question "what would I tell someone who wanted an African Grey" This is not a "pet" it's a "companion". The demand from a companion is substantially more than a pet. I had no idea what I was getting into 10 years ago when I got Kenya my Grey but she has brought me tons of enjoyment and lots of (UGH) frustrations at times. Make sure your home is big enough to house the cages and stands and make sure you have a housekeeper to clean up the dust they produce.
For prospective new bird owners, here's what I'd say... Be prepared for a lot of cleaning. Before I had birds, nobody mentioned that they do use the bathroom, so-to-speak, often and anywhere they want to. I don't mind cleaning up after my birds, but in the beginning I was not prepared for the frequent bowel movements. Great video btw!
I just got an African grey from a foster home. His original owner past away about a month ago. He is quite the chatterbox. It’s so weird hearing things that his past owner might have said, he’s almost like a time capsule.
I rescued a cockatiel without knowning anything about parrots. All I knew was she was severely neglected and was essentially being kept in solitary confinement in a grossly dirty cage. I was able to get her previous owner to see how bad the situation really was (mental health issues were very much in play). I blew $300 at the local pet store on a whole new setup and spent the first week watching videos like this, reaching out to various bird clubs, and even went to Google Scholar to look up research papers. She is a SUPER sweet girl and let me know in her own language how happy she was with her new situation. I couldn't care less if she ever uses human words, her body language, vocalizations, interactions, and the fact that my shoulder is her favorite place are all I need. If I were to give new bird owners advice, it would to be patient, kind, and gentle in all your interactions, especially if it's a rescue. You never know what kind of trauma the bird might be carrying. I haven't even thought of trying to teach mine tricks beyond targeting because she needs to learn to trust me first.
My comment supports what you said. I have a 32 year old African Gray who was very tame as a youngster.....not so tame now. I’m sure it’s because of lack of handling as the years passed and our lives were busy. Birds can be angry over isolation since they are flock animals, and it’s very unnatural for them to be alone in a cage. We still love him, keep him in our kitchen so he gets stimulation, since that is the room I am most in. However, he doesn’t get a lot of out time from his cage, as he is such a crank to handle. He can be docile one second, ask for scratchy, and then bite while you are scratching his head. And then laugh as if it is funny. I realize his behavior is not his fault, but mine, due to lack of time spent interacting with him more. People just need to be realistic about a bird’s lifetime needs when they take on a bird like this. Decades are a long time, and even with the best physical care, their mental needs might not be met. And then you end up with the dynamic of a hostile bird that needs more than the owner can or will provide.
I inherited my ruby macaw from my grandmother because he would no longer let her handle him, just me when I visited often. It was around my 13th birthday when I received him and its been 7 years, and the last year its really started to dawn on me how much work and money he costs. I've started doing my best to provide for him now I have a job and ability to.
He also uses a lot of body and sign language. His morning chatter involves a lot of movement with his feet and wings. When he says "Give me a kiss" he balls up his fist and kisses it. When he says "no bite" (he doesn't bite but I say this to my cockatiel often) he moves his foot as if it is my cockatiel ??? and acts like its biting him???. He'll say step up and practice it on perches in his cage sometimes. He's so strange. I know the words he is saying have pictures or gestures connected to them. However he is lacking in other ways.
I would tell a new bird owner, I have a goffin cockatoo and he goes threw screaming tantrums randomly.its like having a 2 year old child for the rest of their life.
He's so right about the meaningfully talking. :) I have a Quaker and a Amazon. Way before we got the Amazon, we were teaching the Quaker to talk. My daughters were over for Thanksgiving, the Quaker and my daughters are not fans of each other. They want the Quaker in the cage when they are at my house. As they are getting ready to leave, my Quaker says 'Good Bye"... in such a way that sounded like 'Don't let the door hit ya" :) LOL!!! He's such a funny bird. Smokey is a great bird and I love your videos. :)
I'm a pet lover i had dogs, rabbits, hens and tortoises but now i have a cockatiel he is 9 months old but i love him alot they are like human beings they understand many things
If I had one thing to say to someone who wants a parrot: be prepared to spend time with your bird and love him/her consistently. They cannot be left alone in their cages for long days while you work.
Excellent video. I already know that I cannot get a bird, but sure do enjoy your videos & seeing birds Anywhere, whether they are in the wild or part of a human family. Thanks for educating people on the huge responsibilities of Good care, to prepare, research, & how to adopt.
I have a Mitred Conure, and he doesn't know a single word yet...nor will he ever be as articulate as Smokey, heh!😊 But he does know how to go potty on command, and *that* was important for me to teach him! Happy New Year🎉
True, people would say beginner bird COCKATIEL,BUDGIE but if you are going to get budgie or cockatiel where is it going to last are you going to abandon the bird if you are going to get a bird do a research and see the best bird that suits and will stay with you forever.
Birds do need a lot of toys so they feel safe, they hide behind them. I used to get made fun of because my birds cage is busy & i have since learned that it is perfect, besides i have owned birds since i was out of high school & on my own. Love your videos, i am always eager to learn. my conure particularly loves the one that looks like the stringy mop, he loves to sleep in it & feels very safe
1000% 👍up to this channel. Very informative info. And dead on with everything talked about. I love my parrots like people. I consider them my family,friends, and confidants. Tom Hanks had a lousy soccer ball he named WILSON to talk to in the movie "Cast Away ". I talk to my parrots like Tom Hanks character . PARROT PEOPLE RULE !
Thank you this was very helpful! Just got my budgie and knew maybe she could talk. I will try these techniques with my lil girl! Thanks again your videos are very helpful for a new bird owner like myself!
ugies are awesome too, we have had three, one would talk superfast and answer himself in a different tone. It was like two birds in one. He would get loud, but if I told him I was going to take a nap he would finish his conversations in whisper voices and then be quiet for several hours or until I made noise.
I got my dream bird , a galah, from a rescue to provide companionship to my blue front amazon. My dream bird came part plucked and i was told it was bc she had bacterial infection from having spent lots of time outside in the elements before having been rescued. Four years later and many thousands of dollars and many sutures and procedures and rx later, she is almost 50% bald, has constant issues reopening wounds underneath her wings, is very needy and tends to her depressed . From day one I have sacrificed my relationsip and social life and personal wants bc I feel the need to stay not only home all the time to tend to her delicate self, but holed up in my craft room aviary entertaining her . I love her to pieces and it’s worth it, but you have to really ask yourself if you can emotionally and financially afford the word case scenario. I have basically the worst case scenario. Lol. 💓
I want to get a harlequin macaw because I could never pick between a greenwing or a b&g lol. I've done loads of research into what I need to care for them and what I'm gonna be in for once I do get one, but honestly those macaw qualities are exactly what I'm looking for. I want my bird to be affectionate, playful and have a strong presence in my life. Can't think of a better lifelong bird friend than a macaw.
That's great that you're doing your research and preparing. Make sure to prepare for the noise and also how to flight train a macaw. Those birds should not be clipped.
ArgonPSO Me too. I need a lifelong companion. And their noise is way less painful to my ears than a sun conure's, for example. :) I also like the amazon parrots, I have always read they had a strong personality and presence.
For the Macaws my choice would be the blue and Gold or the large South American Green wing variation of the common green wing macaw. Hyacinth and scarlets are pretty awesome too.
I think while mynah birds aren't parrots their talking ability is really great. It's very clear and it sounds like a person on a tape recorder. Of course no one should get a parrot just because it can talk because of moral and ethical issues. Parrots are highly emotional animals they are susceptible to mood swings, can be loud etc. Anyone who wants a bird should get one because simply they love birds. Not to necessarily exploit a certain quality or ability can do.
Great video especially for people thinking about getting a bird. I WISH SOMEONE would talk alittle bit about How Messy Birds Are! I had no idea! When I covered the area in the cage, where my bird eats. Sometimes he flys around distributing all over my apartment pieces of his last snack! lol Ok that's exaggerating. But he can toss bites of food a really long ways from his cage. I was constantly sweeping, untill I bought a robotic vacuum to do it for me. And they will chew on anything made of wood, cabinet doors, molding, furniture. Also mention how they should be monitored when out of their cages. Like a Toddler when they are tired and cranky. So is my bird if he doesn't get alot of sleep, the 12 hours of silent sleep. I should of done more research, but I wouldn't give him up for anything. Thanks for your videos!
Neither of my birds talk, but I can communicate with them by listening to their different sounds and reading their body language. John is right, the most important thing is to build trust and strengthen your bond.
I have a Sun conure and although I adore him I would have never gotten him if I would have done more research and known how loud they are. He is not always loud but when he is it hurts your ears and you can hear him outside with all door and windows shut. Thank god I have a nice husband he loves him too.
I don’t believe in starter birds either. My first bird was a green cheek conure and they’re known for being friendly to all, talkative and very smart to train. The only difference that I find is size with the birds but for the most part they’re all messy and have their level of noise. I have a grey as well and one way to teach any bird with talking ability to talk is to just talk normal but use simple phrases and not sentences. I’ve noticed during training myself is that no one but myself can be around and it has to be silent. Background noises and other people end up distracting the bird and they don’t retain it as well or not at all. My grey is awesome for picking up my actions, he knows what I’m about to do before I do it and will mimic or speak out as it’s happening, they’re wonderful for that. :)
I would tell anyone getting a bird that they are not easy pets to care for. Sleeping in? Forget that, you're going to have a bird screaming at you to feed them first thing in the morning! Getting them on a proper diet is not easy. They are LOUD when they want to be. They're also really expensive! Get ready for feathers, seeds, and toy bits everywhere. You'll have to change your lifestyle- no scented cleaners, candles, nonstick cookware, or air fresheners with a bird. They aren't domesticated- just because you "own" them doesn't mean that they'll love you unconditionally like a dog. Many parrots don't like being petted. Give them toys and enrichment and interaction. Don't ever let your dog or cat near them- the bird or the dog/cat can get seriously injured if something happens. Even "just a budgie" or "just a cockatiel" is still a parrot and they have complicated needs. But they are wonderful once you earn their trust with lots of patience and time spent with them. Even if they don't like you interacting with them, they are wonderful and hilarious to watch as they get into all sorts of antics. I love my budgie. Does he talk? Nope. Does he like to be petted? Nope. Is he a complete brat and flock calls very loudly whenever I don't get up at 7 and won't eat his veggies? Yep. Is he absolutely hilarious and makes me very happy watching his goofiness? Absolutely!
I discovered you and Smokey this morning, and will be watching you more to become enlightened in how to be a better caregiver for our bird , Royal Grayness. 💖
To potential parrot owners: be prepared to have stuff destroyed. WHEN it happens it is important to stay composed and not lose your temper as it was probably your fault for leaving it out (for example my grey recently chewed up my laptiop's keyboard). Never physically reprimand a parrot as it will very quickly lose its trust in humans. Thanks for the vid! I've learned a lot from wingsNpaws
Definitely! I think most people who live with parrots will sometime in their life get their keyboard destroyed. It is just one of those things where it will happen and you'll learn from it to never leave your bird unattended around your valuables.
I completely agree! Do not get any pet for your amusement only. Do your research on its needs, Success is when YOU are able to adapt to an animal, not the other way around. A parrot is an exotic wild animal and difficult to keep. They demand high-quality food, big space to fly, and a place to be very noisy and they are extremely messy if you know how a home looks like when a dog sheds its fur, them multiply it with 7 days a week year-round with a parrot. I bought an expensive vacuum cleaner specifically for pets. Parrots can live longer than humans. They are flock animals and highly intelligent and sensitive therefore they need to be active at least 6 hours a day, quality time is essential and they get easily stressed and the risk is high for feather-plucking and self-mutilation. That is why Parrots are not for small kids and old people. Your kid needs to be very independent, responsible and disciplined to be able to take care of a small parrot. Big parrots are not for kids at all. They are for adults like the young man on the video.
How it is to be a guardian to a big parrot lays in the details.... fx. often they get obsessed with your fingernails, your teeth, your clothes, your jewelry and like to pinch, bite, and shred everything you hold dear. They can be picky eaters and you need to be very inventive and creative to get them to eat healthy. Sometimes parrots are extremely dependent on you and scream every time you step out of the room., other times they do not even want to look at you. Often they speak 'parrot' and you simply do not get what they say or want. They have a strong will and a strong personality. If you talk to other people they usually become very noisy and often jealous. For you to deal with all that and more you need to be a special personality too, you need to be extremely patient and you need to find it easy to forgive and forget immediately a problem occurs and quickly find a solution or replacement for your parrot's obsession. Parrots need 12 hours of sleep in deep darkness and silence, and with just one night without sleep can easily become a nightmare with parrot self-mutilation. They need a variety of fresh food like veggies, fruits, nuts, and complete pellets and clean water twice a day. Long vacations and long work hours do not go well with parrots. You just became a parent to a three-year-old child for life. SO THINK HARD AND LONG, can you really deal with a parrot? Yes, they are fun, cute and they are called a companion bid with good reason. They establish a strong bond with a flock or guardian depending on the parrot species. But to win a parrots trust and loyalty is not always easy and it sometimes takes months and intense training. that means you need to be willing to use your time and energy on your parrot if you feel it is a sacrifice do not get a parrot!
Happy New Year!!!! We love the videos Jon. Our Smokey (African Grey boy) turns 7 months this week. He has started saying Hi and his name. We have the same Aviary and will set it up in the Spring. We have started filing his nails like you do. I'm training daily on "go potty". It's beginning to become habit. We sure are laughing and enjoying our Smokey everyday. Thank you for giving the advice on the commitment to have a parrot. I clean his cage twice a day, play every evening and morning, and practice training every night. It's a big relationship and very fulfilling. I order all the bird toys, almonds in a shell, buy only organic foods, filtered water, bird perch stands, pellets, foraging toys,.... did I say it's like having an infant that never grows up? But..I love ever minute. I get a big bird lips kiss everyday 😎. He loves my husband too.
Think about how much time you are able to devote to the birds social needs and care. If you are working more than 9 hours a day or more, or have a busy social life, I don't recommend getting a bird.
Thank u for all these wonderful informative videos! I e been watching now for the past week or so. I’ve had some experience with parrots - not much but some as my parents had amazons when I was growing up and after I got married and moved out of their house. I came to your channel to research as I prepare for my new baby who will come home tomorrow. She’s a 16 yr old female African grey. Her owners were an elderly couple in their 80s. When the wife passed away a few wks ago the husband surrendered the bird to a local pet store. Binky has been thru a lot emotionally in the past few wks and my heart breaks for her so I wanted to give her a forever home. I’ve been going there every morning just to sit by her cage and talk to her and offer her fruits and veggies. I also took my pet carrier in so she could play with it before I put her in it to bring her home tomorrow. I held her for the first time last night. She was nervous. I can tell she hasn’t been held much for a while. She tolerated me holding her. I myself am in my 50s and my husband and I are raising our 5 yr old grandson who’s just started kindergarten this yr so I’m home alone during the day so our home is pretty quiet until our grandson comes home from school. We do have other pets here as well dog and cat and a few reptiles. My goal is to give her time to adjust and for me to gain her trust. I want to make it clear to her that she is safe in our home. After she knows she’s safe here and loved as a family member then I will start working with her. She does talk. I sneezed and she said Bless You and as I was holding her for the first time yesterday she kept repeating the phrase HOLD ME. She seems to be very curious and she actually even tried to preen my hair when I was standing by her cage talking to her. She took grapes and mango and peppers frm me as well and she does come to me when I say Binky come here. If there is anything you can think of that I should do to help her transition from the store to home please let me know. Because we didn’t know if we could handle her without being bitten I used leather gloves to initially get her out of the cage but once we saw she was tolerant of being handled I took them off. How do you feel about using gloves? I don’t know want to send a negative message to her by using them. Again thank you for the awesome educational videos.
I have wanted a parrot since I saw a Cockatoo named Cocoa. Cocoa would come to whatever side I was to get her neck scratched. I remember she was $500 far out of our family’s price range but I still remember her. As an adult I did a lot of research on parrots and realized it’s a long commitment and a parrot isn’t like a cat or dog where you can leave for a week. Your parrot bonds with you. In the wild bonded pairs are always together. This kept me from getting a parrot fr a few years. Recently I felt I could make the commitment- I’d love my Indian Ring Neck parrot to speak but more, I wanted a companion. If you want a parrot you need patience- You have to remember this is a wild animal and you have to build trust and it’s not going to necessarily be on your imagined time scale. Parrots bite HARD. But it’s because they are prey and scared. And, you have to figure out what is scaring them. I’ve had Winston for almost 3 weeks now. Initially he was lunging at me and he even drew blood once. But you just can’t take it personally. In my second week, started watching videos (I like this series best) and began to make changes- I stopped feeling I needed to befriend him quickly that “it’s not a race.” That dynamic changed everything. Now when he sees me and comes right to me or does something on his jungle gym to show off. He hates hands so he’ll still bite, but once he’s on my shoulder he stops biting. And he has a special sound for a peanut. But if he bites my hand- he doesn’t get a peanut. He learned that causal relationship pretty fast. Lol. And probably because I feel less anxious, I can kiss him now even on the back of his head. And his preferred gym is me and he will sit on the top of head (pooping in my hair) all day if he can.
One thing I didn't see (but maybe didn't read down far enough!), *before* you get your bird, make sure of which vets in your area take care of birds, and/or if there is a 'traveling vet' who can handle bird care. Hopefully your bird will never need more than checkups, but if they do, you want to know where to take them *immediately* rather than having to call around! So for me, that is the #1 research to do ahead of time if you're getting a bird!
I have a five month old Quaker Parrot , and they’re Really small birds big BOY ARR THEY LOUD 😂🤦🏽♀️ I love him he’s annoying ,loud and hard to take care of but I love him 😂❤️
wingsNpaws thank you for sharing. 2 Weeks ago today, I (gittekarenflakmeling) got a bluefronted Amazon (he'll be 3yrs next month) and that was a dream come true 😊 I've always wanted an Amazon parrot. I've tried to read, talk to people, watch UA-cam to learn as much as possible - but I still have a lot to learn 😂 He is very smart (I knew that) and kinda sweet. Kinda sweet because he wants to "play roug" - I try to teach him Not to bite (he bites Really Really hard😒) but I believe in him 😃. You asked what to tell New parrot owners?: I think they should really really be sure of the type of parrot/bird they like - Not the looks but the personality of the bird. It's like having a small child, you have to be Super attentive all the time when he is out of his cage and you have to be Super Observant to his body language all the time. It's A lot of "work" but it is Really rewarding, even when he misbehave 😂😂
i have 2sun conures &a jenday. they are louder than my macaws ,cockatoos,senegal,cockatiels& budgies all combined lol. it doesnt really bother me tho. i am a widow and live with my birds,dogs & cats. 8iiiiiii
I agree with everything! All the things he mentioned really hit me. Especially about the college and spending time more with the parrots and getting a sun(I have 1 sun and 1 gcc). I thought I could handle it but im staring to see how difficult it is to do. Im not giving up on my parrots but it is difficult to do my chores, homeworks, projects, training, spending time with them. Everytime a friend ask me for advice for birds, I may sound discouraging because I want them to know that a bird is a lifetime companion. Personally I believe that Birds have a unique and special body language. I think training a dog and a cat is more simple than training a bird.
My birds don’t talk very much and that’s fine. They do like to vocalize when people are over because they receive treats and attention from our guests. I always have at least one person express interest in wanting a bird and my advice is always, “Unless you want to care for a 3-4 y.o. Child for the rest of your life, don’t.” Then I go over my daily routine and cost of taking care of my birds and the reality clicks in pretty fast. If they are still serious I tell them to volunteer at local bird rescues, not the local humane society but rescues for BIRDS specifically. Thank you for educating with your videos!
Love your videos I love your views on how the small birds are not disposable I've had birds for over 30 years and one of the birds I own right now is a parakeet he is awesome he talks up a storm I also have an African Grey as well as other birds but my small bird is just as valuable to me as my large birds I love how you promote responsible bird and pet ownership no drama no garbage like a lot of the other Bird Training and other videos on the internet
I adore how he continues to stress the importance of actually caring for and spending time with your pets.
Not certain about the points made but ,if anyone else wants to learn about parrot training tricks try Dalz Parrot Tips Discovery (Have a quick look on google cant remember the place now ) ? Ive heard some extraordinary things about it and my friend got great results with it.
I have had animal companions all my life - 71 years. From a parakeet named Chris and a French Bull dog named Muskie through Amazon’s, Umbrella Cockatoos and now my 2nd African Grey and my 4th Rhodesian Ridgeback. I used to think I owned these wonderful animals. I’ve learned that is disrespectful and that attitude can have a deleterious affect on the relationship between people and animals. Certainly we control these creatures, but we need to treat them as companions. As companions we become more responsible for feeding them on time, cleaning their bedding, interacting with them in a more constructive way.
Thank you for your videos. They are well done. And very informative. Clementine, the Grey, and Wasabi, the Ridgeback and I appreciate your efforts and your attitude toward these wonderful creatures.
Put another video next time for I can train my bird how to talk
Thought this was me
So I'm a zookeeper and we recently recieved a African gray as a rescue. This video was extremely informative. I will be working with the African gray and our blue throated macaw. Thanks for the video.
Blue
Also remember, any parrot is naturally social. If it can't talk, it will always try to communicate with you in its own way, as that is in their nature.
Once you and your bird have formed a bond, it will make no difference if it can mimic human speech or not.
Absolutely agree!
Yeah My conure doesn't talk but he lets me know that he loves me. We're best buddies.
Matt interesting points ,if anyone else trying to find out how to teach a parrot tricks try Dalz Parrot Tips Discovery (Have a quick look on google cant remember the place now ) ? Ive heard some decent things about it and my neighbor got amazing results with it.
hey ,if anyone else trying to find out how to teach your parrot tricks try Dalz Parrot Tips Discovery (do a search on google ) ? Ive heard some unbelievable things about it and my partner got excellent results with it.
hi everyone ,if anyone else wants to learn about parrot trainers try Tarbally Parrot Lessons Tactics (just google it ) ? Ive heard some pretty good things about it and my co-worker got excellent results with it.
The one thing I would tell perspective bird owners is, take your time. If you slow down do your research, bird proof before you buy, get a reasonably stable life schedule, and find a bird that can suit your personality you and your bird will be much happier. I waited till my child was grown, and I was stable to get my Grey and it has made a world of difference. I had planned to get a smaller "easier" bird but after visiting my Grey for a month at the rescue I decided to take her home and I haven't regretted it once. Take your time and get the right bird for you after you have gotten yourself and your home as ready as you can. Also thanks so much to WingsNpaws for all the great videos, they are a huge help.
Agree!!!
Great advice! I'm glad the videos are helping :)
With African greys this is my story:
I came for the talking
and I stayed for the personality
├┬┴┬
Thank you for making these videos.
I have been friends with my dad's African Grey for years. He bonded to both of us, fortunately. Unfortunately, my dad passed away in 2019, but luckily, I was a friend to his bird. Now I have the joy of keeping my own African Grey (Seriously, it's a huge joy to have him.). I watched your videos to help him get accustomed to my home (and help me get accustomed to having him too.). I bought him a huge indoor cage, because you keep your Smokey in a BEAUTIFUL outdoor cage. When you mentioned in your other videos that you don't feel comfortable leaving Smokey in a lesser cage, I took note. As soon as I could afford it, I upgraded from my father's old cage. It was difficult to show him I was "in charge" at first, but I always show him the respect he deserves. I have learned so much from your videos, and I appreciate it so much that you share your knowledge. I LOVE that you're honest about what you say. If you don't completely understand a topic, (like in one of your nutrition videos,) you say so, and recommend other sources. That's amazing and informative, and it shows that you really want these birds to thrive and live good lives. Keep doing what you do, because it is worthwhile, and it helped me to make my bird's home comfortable. Thank you!
Im sorry for your loss and also i hope everything turns out great for u in the futer🤗. U r really luckky to have that bird. And i agrre with you on how his vedios are. 😄 Have a great day!
Thank you for emphasizing that birds need to be loved and properly taken care of!!! I have seen way too many cockatoos and macaws given away because they require attention! Love to you and all birds! You can tell that Smokey loves you and trusts you!
1) Thank you for promoting adoption: it is imperative to inform and sensitize people to the tragedy that currently exists regarding abandoned parrots, especially in the U.S.A. 2) Anybody seriously interested in the language skills of birds should view the following video featured on my channel: "Evolution of Speech in a Budgie" (I do not dare give the live link as I have noticed that comments containing live links often end up in spam and remain ignored because of that). You may not be aware that a budgie holds the world record where "talking" is concerned... The aforementioned video documents our late budgie Babi's ability to learn human speech and is a good example of an Incessant talking bird with a huge vocabulary.
CVersailles especially with larger parrots getting and older bird is the better idea anyways it’s why many birds seem to switch or don’t want their human when they hit sexual maturity, when your seen as mom they don’t want to mate with you so you make an unsuitable flock member to bond with so they will pick someone else, when you get a more mature animal your not mom anymore your a random possible mate giving you a better chance to bond with a bird on that non familial association level.
Hello, my African gray, Roberto used to talk with his old owner. Now he is about 4 days in my house, he doesn’t want to talk, although he communicates in other ways, he whistles and sometimes shouts “MEOW!” And also remaking sounds of my phone. Is that normal? I feel bad for him, am I a bad owner?
1. Understanding that this is a lifetime commitment of your time is vital 2. Get the appropriate size cage. 3. Learn how to feed them properly with lots of fruits and veggies. 4. Learn to understand their body language.
Your videos are so great and I wish I had them when I was first interested in getting birds. I have only had. two. My african grey passed away after 40 years. I still have my yellow nape and he's over 37.
Anyone getting a new bird should not have unrealistic expectations about the bird. It takes time to bond and understand their individual personalities.
Having owned birds for the majority of my younger life, I can definitely agree! I recently adopted a 17 year old african grey. He used to live in a zoo and when I brought him home he ended up screaming and screeching so loud it actually affected my left ear. When you're thinking about adopting a bird, be aware that all of them can be loud. You need to be aware of their needs and not just what they're capable of doing because they can also be prone to other things, like plucking. My african grey plucked a lot before I was able to adopt him because he was in a stressful situation. Which could be caused by neglect or other various things. I've noticed that talking to him that he responds better, especially if he is misbehaving. But you should never scream at your bird. Just talk to them firmly and calmly.
It's so unfortunate that birds end up in these horrible situations. Most of the time people yell at their birds because they think that's going to make them stop. It won't, it'll just stress them out and probably cause them to copy what you're saying to them. You can't just punish them because with the way their mentality is, they won't understand it the same way a human child would. You literally have to psycho-analyze parrots to figure out how to care for them and handle them. Having an african grey or any large parrot and other small parrots is like having a special needs child. It's also a lot like having your own child, except worse in some cases. This is because you can't just tell them hey stop, you have to do things in a roundabout way just to understand them and then attempt to get them to stop the behavior. Which can take months, years even.
So number one, always do research before deciding to adopt a bird or pet of any kind. Make sure you're going to be able to handle them on a daily basis. Make sure you understand what they need and if you're capable of fulfilling those needs. Make sure you will be able to handle screaming and yelling from your bird, and what to do when it happens. Make sure that above all that you not only are open to understanding your bird, but being able to care for them properly. Providing them with pellets and a variety of different food mixes. Adopting a bird is a responsibility, and it is also literally adopting a child that never grows up because most birds live anywhere from 80+ years! I've had cockatiels since I was in highschool and I'm 30 now. My african grey while being 17, still has a way to go because they live around 80 some years. Macaws can live for over 100+ years! So when you adopt a bird, be aware of this. You're not just adopting a child or a pet, you're adopting a companion and taking responsibility for their lives.
Well now I'm totally convinced I don't want a bird. I do not want to adopt anything that will most likely outlive Me by decades 😞
It’s also a good idea to point out the financial expense involved in properly supporting the physical, mental, and emotional needs of a bird. This is an EXPENSIVE hobby.
In response to your question "what would I tell someone who wanted an African Grey" This is not a "pet" it's a "companion". The demand from a companion is substantially more than a pet. I had no idea what I was getting into 10 years ago when I got Kenya my Grey but she has brought me tons of enjoyment and lots of (UGH) frustrations at times. Make sure your home is big enough to house the cages and stands and make sure you have a housekeeper to clean up the dust they produce.
Absolutely agree!
For prospective new bird owners, here's what I'd say... Be prepared for a lot of cleaning. Before I had birds, nobody mentioned that they do use the bathroom, so-to-speak, often and anywhere they want to. I don't mind cleaning up after my birds, but in the beginning I was not prepared for the frequent bowel movements. Great video btw!
YES!! Cleaning is never ending. Great tip!
lbird How often do you clean up big messes?
@@cleliaoconnell3705 Depends on the diet, flying birds have a quick passage to the exit so it can reduce their weight for flight
I just got an African grey from a foster home. His original owner past away about a month ago. He is quite the chatterbox. It’s so weird hearing things that his past owner might have said, he’s almost like a time capsule.
I rescued a cockatiel without knowning anything about parrots. All I knew was she was severely neglected and was essentially being kept in solitary confinement in a grossly dirty cage. I was able to get her previous owner to see how bad the situation really was (mental health issues were very much in play). I blew $300 at the local pet store on a whole new setup and spent the first week watching videos like this, reaching out to various bird clubs, and even went to Google Scholar to look up research papers. She is a SUPER sweet girl and let me know in her own language how happy she was with her new situation. I couldn't care less if she ever uses human words, her body language, vocalizations, interactions, and the fact that my shoulder is her favorite place are all I need.
If I were to give new bird owners advice, it would to be patient, kind, and gentle in all your interactions, especially if it's a rescue. You never know what kind of trauma the bird might be carrying. I haven't even thought of trying to teach mine tricks beyond targeting because she needs to learn to trust me first.
My comment supports what you said. I have a 32 year old African Gray who was very tame as a youngster.....not so tame now. I’m sure it’s because of lack of handling as the years passed and our lives were busy. Birds can be angry over isolation since they are flock animals, and it’s very unnatural for them to be alone in a cage. We still love him, keep him in our kitchen so he gets stimulation, since that is the room I am most in. However, he doesn’t get a lot of out time from his cage, as he is such a crank to handle. He can be docile one second, ask for scratchy, and then bite while you are scratching his head. And then laugh as if it is funny. I realize his behavior is not his fault, but mine, due to lack of time spent interacting with him more. People just need to be realistic about a bird’s lifetime needs when they take on a bird like this. Decades are a long time, and even with the best physical care, their mental needs might not be met. And then you end up with the dynamic of a hostile bird that needs more than the owner can or will provide.
That is awesome advance you gave for younger people
I inherited my ruby macaw from my grandmother because he would no longer let her handle him, just me when I visited often. It was around my 13th birthday when I received him and its been 7 years, and the last year its really started to dawn on me how much work and money he costs. I've started doing my best to provide for him now I have a job and ability to.
My 2-year-old rescued gray can learn new words in under 1 hour but they don't like to play with toys or explore, they just love to talk.
He also uses a lot of body and sign language. His morning chatter involves a lot of movement with his feet and wings. When he says "Give me a kiss" he balls up his fist and kisses it. When he says "no bite" (he doesn't bite but I say this to my cockatiel often) he moves his foot as if it is my cockatiel ??? and acts like its biting him???. He'll say step up and practice it on perches in his cage sometimes. He's so strange. I know the words he is saying have pictures or gestures connected to them. However he is lacking in other ways.
I’m young and I’m really bonding with my bird hopefully when I’m older me and my parrot can be best best best friends
I would tell a new bird owner, I have a goffin cockatoo and he goes threw screaming tantrums randomly.its like having a 2 year old child for the rest of their life.
I did what I thought was a lot of research but I cant stress how important research is!!!
I love my African grey parrot bud we been together for 30 years were Buddys.and we get chicks together.
Smokey definitely has made you her number one - even I can see that in your videos.
I think you might be the most chill parrot owner in youtubeland. Thanks for all the education.
These awesome little dudes are not party tricks people. Its hard work.
The way she fluffs when you get emotional and tender talking about your connection, you can tell she feels it too.
He's so right about the meaningfully talking. :) I have a Quaker and a Amazon. Way before we got the Amazon, we were teaching the Quaker to talk. My daughters were over for Thanksgiving, the Quaker and my daughters are not fans of each other. They want the Quaker in the cage when they are at my house. As they are getting ready to leave, my Quaker says 'Good Bye"... in such a way that sounded like 'Don't let the door hit ya" :) LOL!!! He's such a funny bird.
Smokey is a great bird and I love your videos. :)
Sherry Morisch its jealous
I'm a pet lover i had dogs, rabbits, hens and tortoises but now i have a cockatiel he is 9 months old but i love him alot they are like human beings they understand many things
If I had one thing to say to someone who wants a parrot: be prepared to spend time with your bird and love him/her consistently. They cannot be left alone in their cages for long days while you work.
Excellent video. I already know that I cannot get a bird, but sure do enjoy your videos & seeing birds Anywhere, whether they are in the wild or part of a human family. Thanks for educating people on the huge responsibilities of Good care, to prepare, research, & how to adopt.
I have a Mitred Conure, and he doesn't know a single word yet...nor will he ever be as articulate as Smokey, heh!😊 But he does know how to go potty on command, and *that* was important for me to teach him! Happy New Year🎉
Vanessa Shearer Hahaha I've had my grey for over 20 years and she's never learned that.
Thank you! I love mitred conures; they are as beautiful as they are comical.
Great Job!! To me ‘go potty’ IS the important command!
True, people would say beginner bird COCKATIEL,BUDGIE but if you are going to get budgie or cockatiel where is it going to last are you going to abandon the bird if you are going to get a bird do a research and see the best bird that suits and will stay with you forever.
Birds do need a lot of toys so they feel safe, they hide behind them. I used to get made fun of because my birds cage is busy & i have since learned that it is perfect, besides i have owned birds since i was out of high school & on my own. Love your videos, i am always eager to learn. my conure particularly loves the one that looks like the stringy mop, he loves to sleep in it & feels very safe
Peppers for parrots talking is an old Vietnamese wives tale lol.
1000% 👍up to this channel.
Very informative info.
And dead on with everything talked about. I love my parrots like people. I consider them my family,friends, and confidants.
Tom Hanks had a lousy soccer ball he named WILSON to talk to in the movie
"Cast Away ". I talk to my parrots like Tom Hanks character .
PARROT PEOPLE RULE !
Telling people to wait is hard to do..thank you for saying that.
Thank you this was very helpful! Just got my budgie and knew maybe she could talk. I will try these techniques with my lil girl!
Thanks again your videos are very helpful for a new bird owner like myself!
ugies are awesome too, we have had three, one would talk superfast and answer himself in a different tone. It was like two birds in one. He would get loud, but if I told him I was going to take a nap he would finish his conversations in whisper voices and then be quiet for several hours or until I made noise.
I got my dream bird , a galah, from a rescue to provide companionship to my blue front amazon. My dream bird came part plucked and i was told it was bc she had bacterial infection from having spent lots of time outside in the elements before having been rescued. Four years later and many thousands of dollars and many sutures and procedures and rx later, she is almost 50% bald, has constant issues reopening wounds underneath her wings, is very needy and tends to her depressed . From day one I have sacrificed my relationsip and social life and personal wants bc I feel the need to stay not only home all the time to tend to her delicate self, but holed up in my craft room aviary entertaining her . I love her to pieces and it’s worth it, but you have to really ask yourself if you can emotionally and financially afford the word case scenario. I have basically the worst case scenario. Lol. 💓
Very good coach and bird
Am rewatching all your video with Smokey, praying for Smokey to be found soon.
I 100% agree with you 🦜legend 👍
Guys shes pooping don’t be alarmed I have prepared for this with a box to capture the excrement.
Meow, hahaha. Cute!
Very nice cool.
The turn over sound of a rectangle
I want to get a harlequin macaw because I could never pick between a greenwing or a b&g lol. I've done loads of research into what I need to care for them and what I'm gonna be in for once I do get one, but honestly those macaw qualities are exactly what I'm looking for. I want my bird to be affectionate, playful and have a strong presence in my life. Can't think of a better lifelong bird friend than a macaw.
That's great that you're doing your research and preparing. Make sure to prepare for the noise and also how to flight train a macaw. Those birds should not be clipped.
ArgonPSO Me too. I need a lifelong companion. And their noise is way less painful to my ears than a sun conure's, for example. :) I also like the amazon parrots, I have always read they had a strong personality and presence.
Or a cockatoo. Say the umbrella or Moluccan. Extremely affectionate love sponges and brilliant talkers not to mention highly intelligent.
For the Macaws my choice would be the blue and Gold or the large South American Green wing variation of the common green wing macaw. Hyacinth and scarlets are pretty awesome too.
Homo sapiens and a parrot. Funny combination.
En face yes
My African gray parrot was 13yr old I had her for 15 years
wow so well trained
Fantastic content
Love your perch
I think while mynah birds aren't parrots their talking ability is really great. It's very clear and it sounds like a person on a tape recorder. Of course no one should get a parrot just because it can talk because of moral and ethical issues. Parrots are highly emotional animals they are susceptible to mood swings, can be loud etc. Anyone who wants a bird should get one because simply they love birds. Not to necessarily exploit a certain quality or ability can do.
DIVINO Y ADORABLE
It sounds like you teach a parrot to talk much the same way as how you teach a toddler to talk.
Great video especially for people thinking about getting a bird. I WISH SOMEONE would talk alittle bit about How Messy Birds Are! I had no idea! When I covered the area in the cage, where my bird eats. Sometimes he flys around distributing all over my apartment pieces of his last snack! lol Ok that's exaggerating. But he can toss bites of food a really long ways from his cage. I was constantly sweeping, untill I bought a robotic vacuum to do it for me. And they will chew on anything made of wood, cabinet doors, molding, furniture. Also mention how they should be monitored when out of their cages. Like a Toddler when they are tired and cranky. So is my bird if he doesn't get alot of sleep, the 12 hours of silent sleep. I should of done more research, but I wouldn't give him up for anything. Thanks for your videos!
Amazing 👏
I think he’s Oscar’s brother (my African grey) he does moves EXACTLY LIKE HIM
Neither of my birds talk, but I can communicate with them by listening to their different sounds and reading their body language. John is right, the most important thing is to build trust and strengthen your bond.
Used to raise cockatiels. Loved them like family. Yes, birds can be loud😂I would be quite happy with a rescue parrot. I miss my birds.
At one point the bird said "Shut up" 😅
I have a Sun conure and although I adore him I would have never gotten him if I would have done more research and known how loud they are. He is not always loud but when he is it hurts your ears and you can hear him outside with all door and windows shut. Thank god I have a nice husband he loves him too.
I remember a bird store for I have them all around me.
A enjoyable and informative video. Superb and I look forward to more.
Thanks, I'll use this information to teach parrots in pet stores how to swear!
I don’t believe in starter birds either. My first bird was a green cheek conure and they’re known for being friendly to all, talkative and very smart to train. The only difference that I find is size with the birds but for the most part they’re all messy and have their level of noise.
I have a grey as well and one way to teach any bird with talking ability to talk is to just talk normal but use simple phrases and not sentences. I’ve noticed during training myself is that no one but myself can be around and it has to be silent. Background noises and other people end up distracting the bird and they don’t retain it as well or not at all. My grey is awesome for picking up my actions, he knows what I’m about to do before I do it and will mimic or speak out as it’s happening, they’re wonderful for that. :)
Honestly i didn’t even care if he would talk but at the minute he came in he didn’t shut up for the whole day😭😭
all your stuff is really interesting, nice one : )
I would tell anyone getting a bird that they are not easy pets to care for. Sleeping in? Forget that, you're going to have a bird screaming at you to feed them first thing in the morning! Getting them on a proper diet is not easy. They are LOUD when they want to be. They're also really expensive! Get ready for feathers, seeds, and toy bits everywhere. You'll have to change your lifestyle- no scented cleaners, candles, nonstick cookware, or air fresheners with a bird. They aren't domesticated- just because you "own" them doesn't mean that they'll love you unconditionally like a dog. Many parrots don't like being petted. Give them toys and enrichment and interaction. Don't ever let your dog or cat near them- the bird or the dog/cat can get seriously injured if something happens. Even "just a budgie" or "just a cockatiel" is still a parrot and they have complicated needs.
But they are wonderful once you earn their trust with lots of patience and time spent with them. Even if they don't like you interacting with them, they are wonderful and hilarious to watch as they get into all sorts of antics. I love my budgie. Does he talk? Nope. Does he like to be petted? Nope. Is he a complete brat and flock calls very loudly whenever I don't get up at 7 and won't eat his veggies? Yep.
Is he absolutely hilarious and makes me very happy watching his goofiness? Absolutely!
Cockatoos are the one group of Parrots that adore cuddles from their favourite human. macaws can also be very affectionate.
I discovered you and Smokey this morning, and will be watching you more to become enlightened in how to be a better caregiver for our bird , Royal Grayness. 💖
To potential parrot owners: be prepared to have stuff destroyed. WHEN it happens it is important to stay composed and not lose your temper as it was probably your fault for leaving it out (for example my grey recently chewed up my laptiop's keyboard). Never physically reprimand a parrot as it will very quickly lose its trust in humans. Thanks for the vid! I've learned a lot from wingsNpaws
Definitely! I think most people who live with parrots will sometime in their life get their keyboard destroyed. It is just one of those things where it will happen and you'll learn from it to never leave your bird unattended around your valuables.
I completely agree!
Do not get any pet for your amusement only.
Do your research on its needs,
Success is when YOU are able to adapt to an animal, not the other way around.
A parrot is an exotic wild animal and difficult to keep.
They demand high-quality food, big space to fly, and a place to be very noisy and they are extremely messy if you know how a home looks like when a dog sheds its fur, them multiply it with 7 days a week year-round with a parrot.
I bought an expensive vacuum cleaner specifically for pets.
Parrots can live longer than humans.
They are flock animals and highly intelligent and sensitive therefore they need to be active at least 6 hours a day, quality time is essential and they get easily stressed and the risk is high for feather-plucking and self-mutilation.
That is why Parrots are not for small kids and old people.
Your kid needs to be very independent, responsible and disciplined to be able to take care of a small parrot.
Big parrots are not for kids at all.
They are for adults like the young man on the video.
How it is to be a guardian to a big parrot lays in the details....
fx. often they get obsessed with your fingernails, your teeth, your clothes, your jewelry and like to pinch, bite, and shred everything you hold dear.
They can be picky eaters and you need to be very inventive and creative to get them to eat healthy. Sometimes parrots are extremely dependent on you and scream every time you step out of the room., other times they do not even want to look at you.
Often they speak 'parrot' and you simply do not get what they say or want.
They have a strong will and a strong personality. If you talk to other people they usually become very noisy and often jealous.
For you to deal with all that and more you need to be a special personality too, you need to be extremely patient and you need to find it easy to forgive and forget immediately a problem occurs and quickly find a solution or replacement for your parrot's obsession. Parrots need 12 hours of sleep in deep darkness and silence, and with just one night without sleep can easily become a nightmare with parrot self-mutilation. They need a variety of fresh food like veggies, fruits, nuts, and complete pellets and clean water twice a day.
Long vacations and long work hours do not go well with parrots. You just became a parent to a three-year-old child for life.
SO THINK HARD AND LONG, can you really deal with a parrot?
Yes, they are fun, cute and they are called a companion bid with good reason. They establish a strong bond with a flock or guardian depending on the parrot species. But to win a parrots trust and loyalty is not always easy and it sometimes takes months and intense training. that means you need to be willing to use your time and energy on your parrot if you feel it is a sacrifice do not get a parrot!
I don’t have a bird, but I love your videos.
Awesome video.
My galah georgey is starting to scream hello.
He doesnt know how to be quiet when he talks haha only very very happy 😄
Happy New Year!!!! We love the videos Jon. Our Smokey (African Grey boy) turns 7 months this week. He has started saying Hi and his name. We have the same Aviary and will set it up in the Spring. We have started filing his nails like you do. I'm training daily on "go potty". It's beginning to become habit. We sure are laughing and enjoying our Smokey everyday. Thank you for giving the advice on the commitment to have a parrot. I clean his cage twice a day, play every evening and morning, and practice training every night. It's a big relationship and very fulfilling. I order all the bird toys, almonds in a shell, buy only organic foods, filtered water, bird perch stands, pellets, foraging toys,.... did I say it's like having an infant that never grows up? But..I love ever minute. I get a big bird lips kiss everyday 😎. He loves my husband too.
Thanks for sharing!
We have 5 cockatoos 2 Indian ring necks and a hamster in the past.
I laughed so hard at the start
Think about how much time you are able to devote to the birds social needs and care. If you are working more than 9 hours a day or more, or have a busy social life, I don't recommend getting a bird.
lol he was my 9th grade bio teacher
Thank u for all these wonderful informative videos! I e been watching now for the past week or so. I’ve had some experience with parrots - not much but some as my parents had amazons when I was growing up and after I got married and moved out of their house.
I came to your channel to research as I prepare for my new baby who will come home tomorrow. She’s a 16 yr old female African grey. Her owners were an elderly couple in their 80s. When the wife passed away a few wks ago the husband surrendered the bird to a local pet store. Binky has been thru a lot emotionally in the past few wks and my heart breaks for her so I wanted to give her a forever home. I’ve been going there every morning just to sit by her cage and talk to her and offer her fruits and veggies. I also took my pet carrier in so she could play with it before I put her in it to bring her home tomorrow. I held her for the first time last night. She was nervous. I can tell she hasn’t been held much for a while. She tolerated me holding her. I myself am in my 50s and my husband and I are raising our 5 yr old grandson who’s just started kindergarten this yr so I’m home alone during the day so our home is pretty quiet until our grandson comes home from school. We do have other pets here as well dog and cat and a few reptiles. My goal is to give her time to adjust and for me to gain her trust. I want to make it clear to her that she is safe in our home. After she knows she’s safe here and loved as a family member then I will start working with her. She does talk. I sneezed and she said Bless You and as I was holding her for the first time yesterday she kept repeating the phrase HOLD ME. She seems to be very curious and she actually even tried to preen my hair when I was standing by her cage talking to her. She took grapes and mango and peppers frm me as well and she does come to me when I say Binky come here.
If there is anything you can think of that I should do to help her transition from the store to home please let me know.
Because we didn’t know if we could handle her without being bitten I used leather gloves to initially get her out of the cage but once we saw she was tolerant of being handled I took them off. How do you feel about using gloves? I don’t know want to send a negative message to her by using them.
Again thank you for the awesome educational videos.
I have wanted a parrot since I saw a Cockatoo named Cocoa. Cocoa would come to whatever side I was to get her neck scratched. I remember she was $500 far out of our family’s price range but I still remember her.
As an adult I did a lot of research on parrots and realized it’s a long commitment and a parrot isn’t like a cat or dog where you can leave for a week. Your parrot bonds with you. In the wild bonded pairs are always together. This kept me from getting a parrot fr a few years. Recently I felt I could make the commitment- I’d love my Indian Ring Neck parrot to speak but more, I wanted a companion.
If you want a parrot you need patience- You have to remember this is a wild animal and you have to build trust and it’s not going to necessarily be on your imagined time scale. Parrots bite HARD. But it’s because they are prey and scared. And, you have to figure out what is scaring them.
I’ve had Winston for almost 3 weeks now. Initially he was lunging at me and he even drew blood once. But you just can’t take it personally.
In my second week, started watching videos (I like this series best) and began to make changes- I stopped feeling I needed to befriend him quickly that “it’s not a race.” That dynamic changed everything.
Now when he sees me and comes right to me or does something on his jungle gym to show off. He hates hands so he’ll still bite, but once he’s on my shoulder he stops biting. And he has a special sound for a peanut. But if he bites my hand- he doesn’t get a peanut. He learned that causal relationship pretty fast. Lol. And probably because I feel less anxious, I can kiss him now even on the back of his head. And his preferred gym is me and he will sit on the top of head (pooping in my hair) all day if he can.
One thing I didn't see (but maybe didn't read down far enough!), *before* you get your bird, make sure of which vets in your area take care of birds, and/or if there is a 'traveling vet' who can handle bird care. Hopefully your bird will never need more than checkups, but if they do, you want to know where to take them *immediately* rather than having to call around! So for me, that is the #1 research to do ahead of time if you're getting a bird!
I like that parrots 🦜 can talk if you teach them
My dad got an African grey just because they can talk
I have a five month old Quaker Parrot , and they’re Really small birds big BOY ARR THEY LOUD 😂🤦🏽♀️ I love him he’s annoying ,loud and hard to take care of but I love him 😂❤️
I love that you start off saying that talking isn't the most important thing. You get a pet to love them.
wingsNpaws thank you for sharing. 2 Weeks ago today, I (gittekarenflakmeling) got a bluefronted Amazon (he'll be 3yrs next month) and that was a dream come true 😊 I've always wanted an Amazon parrot. I've tried to read, talk to people, watch UA-cam to learn as much as possible - but I still have a lot to learn 😂 He is very smart (I knew that) and kinda sweet. Kinda sweet because he wants to "play roug" - I try to teach him Not to bite (he bites Really Really hard😒) but I believe in him 😃. You asked what to tell New parrot owners?: I think they should really really be sure of the type of parrot/bird they like - Not the looks but the personality of the bird. It's like having a small child, you have to be Super attentive all the time when he is out of his cage and you have to be Super Observant to his body language all the time. It's A lot of "work" but it is Really rewarding, even when he misbehave 😂😂
Get Piet 😂😂😂
i have. an Amazon parrot but i love her no matter what if she talks or not it doesnt matter to me
Nice!!
Yes! Adopt. Don’t get from a pet mill!
great video
So cute, thanks for the tips,
i have 2sun conures &a jenday. they are louder than my macaws ,cockatoos,senegal,cockatiels& budgies all combined lol. it doesnt really bother me tho. i am a widow and live with my birds,dogs & cats. 8iiiiiii
I love this guy.
I agree with everything! All the things he mentioned really hit me. Especially about the college and spending time more with the parrots and getting a sun(I have 1 sun and 1 gcc). I thought I could handle it but im staring to see how difficult it is to do. Im not giving up on my parrots but it is difficult to do my chores, homeworks, projects, training, spending time with them. Everytime a friend ask me for advice for birds, I may sound discouraging because I want them to know that a bird is a lifetime companion. Personally I believe that Birds have a unique and special body language. I think training a dog and a cat is more simple than training a bird.
Oh look it’s Punk Lee
My birds don’t talk very much and that’s fine. They do like to vocalize when people are over because they receive treats and attention from our guests. I always have at least one person express interest in wanting a bird and my advice is always, “Unless you want to care for a 3-4 y.o. Child for the rest of your life, don’t.”
Then I go over my daily routine and cost of taking care of my birds and the reality clicks in pretty fast.
If they are still serious I tell them to volunteer at local bird rescues, not the local humane society but rescues for BIRDS specifically.
Thank you for educating with your videos!
An African grey is the best parrot for me, because I feel like it's just like me. Good talker,snd sensitive.
Love your videos I love your views on how the small birds are not disposable I've had birds for over 30 years and one of the birds I own right now is a parakeet he is awesome he talks up a storm I also have an African Grey as well as other birds but my small bird is just as valuable to me as my large birds I love how you promote responsible bird and pet ownership no drama no garbage like a lot of the other Bird Training and other videos on the internet