The Basics Of Nurturing Guidance
as it Applies to Companion Parrots
By Sally Blanchard

This article is copyrighted and may not be reprinted without the written permission of Sally Blanchard or the PBIC, Inc. Contact us for permission.

Nurturing Guidance is the term I use to explain my theory of establishing a positive parrot/human bond. Essentially it is defined as teaching with influence. Some people have had trouble with the term dominance because they feel it implies aggression -- it does not. It simply means that the human has to establish a position of benevolent authority which the parrot will recognize and follow.

However, because of the constant misunderstanding of the word dominance, over the last year or so in all of my writing and speaking, I have changed the name of these theories I have developed to work with companion parrots to 'Nurturing Guidance.' The most basic concept of this theory is that parrots do not know how to be good pets and need nurturing guidance from the humans in their lives to adjust to life in our living room. While the basic theory remains the same, the concepts within it are ever changing as I learn more and more about various parrot species and their emotional/psychological needs. The emphasis has always been and will always remain one of building trust.

There is technically no such thing as a submissive leader and for a parrot to follow a person's guidance, that person must establish a position of 'flock' leadership through the use of rules, verbal commands, clear consistent messages, and to some degree, control of the parrot's actions. (This includes use of the "UP" and "DOWN" commands, bringing the bird out of its cage with a command rather than letting it come out by itself, and much more.)

These rules are always presented in an 'instructional' manner, without aggression. I have never and will never advocate the use of aggressive or punishing handling techniques with parrots. In my many articles and programs, I have addressed the fact that some parrots perceive commands given aggressively as a challenge. With most species of parrots aggression from a person is met with aggression from the parrot. Even if the bird is not afraid of the person, that fear will translate to aggression in some parrots. With some parrots, continued aggression towards the bird will result in chronic fear responses which may translate into phobic behavior. With parrots who have become phobic, it will be essential to discontinue assertive behavior towards the bird. In many cases, the owners will need to go through a period of submissiveness towards their parrot to regain his or her trust.

Nurturing Guidance recognizes the intelligence of the parrot and uses no aggressive handling techniques, deprivation, punishment, or quick fixes. Instead of treating the symptoms of behavior problems, it addresses the cause which is often a parrot in control of its own life and doing a bad job of it. Nurturing Guidance allows the owners to understand their parrot's behavioral needs while preventing and solving serious behavioral problems.

The theory takes into consideration the facts that parrots are intelligent animals who depend on some degree of socialization (early teaching and learning of survival and social skills) and will not be good pets unless they are taught and patterned to be good pets.

This theory recognizes that it is impossible for a companion parrot to behave totally in natural ways in captivity and that the breeder, hand-feeder and owner must all do what they can to teach a parrot to adapt to life as a pet. If a parrot's natural behaviors are constantly blocked, they will develop patterns of displacement behavior (any behavior that substitutes for a normal behavior that can not be completed) which can cause serious problems for both the parrot and the owner. These can include excessive screaming, biting, feather picking, etc.

If we guide the parrot's behavior so their displacement behaviors are positive instead of creating problems, the parrot will maintain its pet potential. The reality is simply -- if a parrot remains a well-behaved human companion, it will most likely remain in a pet home.

Without guidance from a human parental/flock leader figure, a companion parrot will develop its own behavioral patterns which can create serious behavioral dysfunction. Without proper early socialization and guidance which respects a parrot's intelligence, many parrots end up having little or no pet potential as they mature. In some cases, these parrots may have such serious behavior dysfunction that they may also not adjust well to breeding situations either.

For more information on Nurturing Guidance, the Companion Parrot Handbook is highly recommended.

I have also written several in-depth articles giving much more information on this topic which have been printed in the Pet Bird Report. Please check the back issue list.

If this article helped you and you appreciated the information, The Companion Parrot Quarterly continues to have in-depth, practical articles such as this one. PLEASE SUBSCRIBE
 

Companion Parrot Quarterly - Sally Blanchard - The Laughing Parrot
The Laughing Parrot Avian Education Center - THE LAUGHING PARROT GALLERY
Pet Bird Report - Parrot Art - Parrot Painting - Parrot Drawing - Parrot Sculpture - Parrot Crafts - Parrot Gifts - Parrot Collectibles - The Laughing Parrot - Laughing Parrot -Bird Art - Bird Painting - Bird Drawing - Bird Sculpture - Bird Craft - Bird Gifts - Bird Collectibles - The Laughing Parrot - Laughing Parrot - Parrot Behavior - Parrot Screaming - Parrot Biting - Feather Picking - African Grey Parrot - Amazon Parrot - Caique - Macaw - Pionus - Ringneck - Cockatoo - Eclectus - Conure - Senegal Parrot - Lovebird - Cockatiel - Vasa Parrot - Wild Bird - Chickadee - Cardinal - Owl - Western Tanager - Penguin - Puffin - Hummingbird - Duck -  Raptor - Hawk - Falcon - Eagle - Jose Carioca - Toucan - Bee eater - Hornbill - Robin -Bird watching - Birding