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MYTH: Parrots are 'hard-wired' and
early socialization is not significant to parrots. What a breeder or hand-feeder does or does not
do has no real significance in the personality development or pet
potential of a chick. The quality of early socialization does
make an extremely significant difference in the behavioral
development of a young parrot. The absolute biological proof of this
is the fact that parrot chicks have a long maturation process which
involves extensive nurturing and parenting.
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MYTH: All ____ are ____. (Fill in the blanks with any parrot
species and any trait) Generalizations do not always apply as
the pet potential of any parrot species depends on the individual
traits of each bird and the way it is raised and behaviorally
maintained. For example, according to stereotypical generalizations,
all cockatoos are noisy. Some are but there are also quiet
cockatoos. Not all Moluccans are needy - if raised properly,
they can be quite independent. Not all Amazons become
aggressive as they mature - some are love sponges throughout their
lives. Not all greys are excellent cognitive talkers but some
certainly are especially if they have owners who provide
instructional attention. I get tired of hearing how 'neurotic' greys
are - phobic behavior and feather picking is not a consideration
with the vast majority of properly socialized and well-cared for
greys. Not all Scarlet Macaws are nippy. Not all
Hyacinths are 'gentle giants.' Not all Pionus are quiet. I
could go on listing generalizations for pages … Each bird is an
individual influenced by the people in their lives.
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MYTH: You have to handfeed a baby parrot for it to bond to you
properly. If a baby parrot is well socialized and learns to
trust, it will transfer its bond to anyone who handles it gently and
properly. Handfeeding by inexperienced novices may actually damage
the potential parrot/human bond. Even worse, an inexperienced
handfeeder may create serious health problems for their new baby
parrot including but not limited to crop burn, aspiration, bacterial
infection, fungal infection, malnutrition, starvation, and even
death.
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MYTH: You should not pay any more attention to a baby parrot than
you will for the rest of its life. This is nonsense. Baby
parrots absolutely need more instructional attention and guidance to
develop their personality and pet potential. Not giving them proper
socialization will limit pet potential. It is not the amount of time
spent with chicks that spoils them, it is what is done during that
time. If baby parrots are just cuddled for hours, they will be
spoiled. Time must be spent playing with baby parrots in an
instructional manner which develops their independence and pet
potential.
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MYTH: Getting another parrot to keep the first one company will
make life easier for the owner. It is a fact that two birds are
always more difficult to care for than one. In many cases, it is
also harder to keep two parrots tame if they are living together and
form a strong bond with each other. If continued pet potential is
desired from two parrots who relate to each other daily, it will be
essential for owners to establish and maintain a strong nurturing
guidance. Each bird must be given consistent focused individual
attention plus time together with the people in their lives.
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MYTH: Once a parrot bonds to someone, this exclusive bond lasts
forever. Most parrots in the wild form different levels of
bonding with other parrots. Stronger bonds are with parents,
siblings, and then later with mates. Looser bonds occur within the
family group, the juvenile flock and later with other flock members.
Companion parrots are capable of bonding to different people on
different levels throughout their lives. Some parrots are monogamous
- but some may be monogamous in the same sense of human beings.
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MYTH: Parrots give their owners unconditional love. Not
generally true. People have to provide consistent nurturing
affection and attention to win and maintain the love of a parrot.
Mistreatment and/or neglect will quickly damage the trust and bond
parrots have with their owners.
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MYTH: Male parrots bond to women and female parrots bond to men.
This generalization is absolute nonsense! One absolute rule of
parrot behavior - parrots are more comfortable with people who were
comfortable with them. Any gender preferences may be formed because
of the people parrots are most used to being handled by when they
were young. However, if they are then gently and comfortably handled
by a person of the opposite gender, the bond can be transferred
easily. I have worked with many parrots who are considered women's
birds who learn to enjoy the company of men who work to win their
trust.
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MYTH: People should not groom their own birds or their birds will
hate them. It is not grooming which threatens a parrot's sense
of security. It is the manner in which they are handled. Once a
person learns non-aggressive handling, toweling, and grooming
techniques and becomes calm and confident grooming their parrot,
there will be no threat to the relationship they have with their
parrot.
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MYTH: When parrots become sexually mature, they no longer make
good pets and need to be put into a breeding program. This myth
is absolute nonsense, perhaps perpetuated by aspects of the pet
industry who want either to sell you an new bird or want yours for
their breeding programs. People who are willing to work with their
parrots can create contented lifelong companions. A well-socialized,
well-loved companion parrot whose owner has established positive
rules and guidance will rarely become so difficult that he or she no
longer has pet potential. While some parrots may become more
difficult for a few weeks or so each year for a few years, the
knowledgeable bird owner can learn how to deal with these periods of
time.
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MYTH: Parrots who are sexually mature are happier in breeding
situations. It depends on the parrot and it depends on the
breeding situation. Many companion parrots who exhibit sexual
behavior do so because of the strong bond they have with their
owners. This does not mean they want to raise babies and many of
these parrots will not be happy if they lose their human flock. Some
breeding situations do not take proper care of their parrots.
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MYTH: Once a parrot starts to exhibit problems, the problems can
not be solved. Parrots are capable of learning throughout their
lives and therefore, with consistent instructional attention, even
the most entrenched behaviors can be worked with and changed.
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MYTH: Biting is a natural aggressive behavior in parrots. In
the wild, it appears that most parrots will bluff and strut long
before they resort to using their beaks as a weapon. Pet parrots
usually bite only when they have no other means to communicate or
when their initial biting behavior is reinforced by people.
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MYTH: If finger chewing and beak exploration are not stopped the
parrot will turn into an aggressive biter. Beak exploration and
aggressive biting are two entirely different behaviors. A parrot's
highly sensitive beak and tongue are their hands and fingers which
they use to explore and even give affection. Young parrots who chew
too hard should be quietly told to be gentle or given a foot toy to
chew on but never punished for exploring with their beak.
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MYTH: Parrots need to know who is the boss at all times. If
being the 'boss' involves aggressive behavior towards the parrot, it
will create more problems than it will solve. Nurturing Guidance
does not involve aggression. The key to having a successful
relationship with a parrot is to create and maintain trust.
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MYTH: Quick-fix punishments are effective ways to stop problem
behaviors. While quick-fixes may distract a parrot momentarily
from negative behavior, it will not teach the parrot anything that
will change the behavior on a long-term basis. Working patiently and
consistently with the underlying causes is the only way to change
negative behaviors.
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MYTH: Breeding birds do not need toys. To deprive parrots of
behavioral enrichment and/or play objects (also defined as toys)
because of the mistaken belief that play objects will keep the pair
from breeding is absolute nonsense. Aviculturists who provide their
breeding pairs with behavioral enrichment, including toys, report
having better success with breeding and much more contentment in
their aviaries.
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MYTH: A cage should be big enough for a parrot to spread its
wings. Cages should be larger than just a parrot's wingspan.
Cage size should not just be determined by the size of the bird but
also by their energy level. High energy parrot-family birds such as
parrotlets, caiques, lories, and the small cockatoos need larger
cages in proportion to their size.
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MYTH: Parrots are not sentient or cognitive and it is
anthropomorphic to think they are. Anyone who has lived with a
companion parrot realizes they are clearly aware of their
environment and understand much of what goes on in it. It is also
obvious that many of the words and phrases parrots learn are used
appropriately. Anthropomorphism is defined as giving animals human
characteristics. However, it is clearly not anthropomorphic to
describe parrots with behavioral traits which they clearly possess.
The cry of anthropomorphism often seems to be an excuse some people
use to treat parrots in less than a humane manner.
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MYTH: Parrots are 'easy-care' pets. I have lived with parrots
for over thirty years and find them to be the most complex animals I
have ever shared my life with. Parrots have complex behavioral
needs. People who do not take the time and energy to create the
proper behavioral guidance will probably never know what it is all
about. People who are up to the challenge will have a successful
relationship with their companion parrot. They will be the ones who
reap the rewards!
If
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