In this issue:

• curbing behavior issues in your p'let

• a dietary recommendation for your birds

• a foraging toy that I swear by

• adoption ready babies 

Behavior Issues:

Let's face it...we all have them. Whether it be a family pet, a family member, a neighbor, or any of an unlimited supply of candidates, we all from time to time have to deal with behavior issues. That is also the case of our beloved winged family member. Now I am no expert by far, but I can pass along several tips that I have found helpful in dealing with these tiny, but mighty, little creatures.

1. First of all, accept your p'let as being a very independent minded little individual. Kind of like a cat with feathers. They take the world on their terms. Reading their body language and respecting their space goes a long way in eliminating possible behavior issues.

2. Need an immediate attitude readjustment from your feathered friend? Try clipping their wings. I had heard the expression, "They need their wings clipped!" throughout my entire life but never really understood the expression until I owned a parrotlet. An unruly p'let becomes quite humble when they no longer control the skies. I would suggest that you carefully clip their wings, (starting with 5 feathers on each side), until they can glide to the ground but cannot gain altitude. Test this over a bed please. If needed, clip only one additional feather at a time until you get the desired result. Do note that clipping too many feathers initially can cause them to drop like a rock without the ability to glide to the ground.

   If you need a wing clipping refresher, watch my favorite wing clipping video, (with a cautionary nod to being careful about not clipping blood feathers), below.

3. If you do clip your bird's wings, you have a second step to employ in your battle for control. When your bird glides to the ground, let them stay there for a moment or two. They will NOT like being Earth bound. I recommend standing over them for another moment before extending a helpful hand and cooing a loving "step up" command. Do this open handed. I have heard horror stories involving parrotlets "dive bombing" their owners into submission...this simply can not happen if they do not control the skies! Not to worry, their feathers will regrow, and hopefully any unwanted behavior will disappear permanently, if not, clip again. Birds do get needed exercise when they fly/glide to the ground so don't worry that you are doing them an injustice by clipping their wings. You are doing them an injustice if you don't sometimes. Liken it to an unruly toddler, or teenager, a little proactive intervention can cure a myriad of problems.

4. When handling your bird, do so with an open hand. When you wrap your hand around your pet, it is almost inevitable that they will struggle to get free. They do not like being manhandled! And neither would you! Offer an open hand for them to step up on...no threat, just assistance.

5. Respect their cage space. I know folks like to reach in and "collect" their baby from the cage sometimes. I really suggest you not do this. Chasing them around their cage can make them quite hand shy. Try just opening their door and let them come out when they are ready. Now a little millet placed strategically just outside the reach of the cage is quite an incentive for leaving. Also, they are in their cage a lot of the time, so when given the chance, they will want to explore the world outside of their private territory. But make no mistake, they do consider their cage their territory and do not take kindly to intruders!

Two treats to try:

Goldenfeast - Australian Blend and Patagonian Blend

We all are familiar with the saying "variety is the spice of life" so we can assume this would also be the case for our winged family members. These are two products that I swear by for adding a healthy variation to my p'let daily diet of seeds and pellets. Both of these products are specifically formulated with the size and nutritional demands of parrotlets in mind. I have used both products for a long time and my birds never seem to tire of this once weekly addition to their diet. Both of these products are available on Amazon.
*Please note that I do not receive any kind of "payback" for my recommendations. Anything that I recommend is done solely due to my positive use of this product.

Favorite foraging toy:

As always, I welcome your requests and inquiries!

Wishing you the best...

Carla