COMPANION PARROT ONLINE FORUM RULES For many years, I have monitored several Internet forums. They can be a wonderful source of information but there can be a major problem. Anonymity can create a lack of accountability for both inaccurate information and petty gossip used to bash people. I want the forums at companionparrot.com to be for people who are genuinely interested in positive conversations and accurate information about parrots. Information within these forums needs to be aligned with the concepts and principles of "Nurturing Guidance" in regards to companion parrots. I am at odds with much of the rigid bird training information coming from the people who tout operant conditioning as the WAY to solve anything and everything. I believe that it is often impractical and doesn’t allow people to see the individual traits and personalities of both the parrot and the person. I am far more interested the variables in the relationship between people and their parrots. I certainly have always believed in positive reinforcement and have written about the concept for over 30 years. It is extrememly important to me that my forums will not become a venue for the rigid rhetoric of operant conditioning. To avoid anonymity and keep people accountable for their posts, I am asking people to use their names when they sign a post. I will be answering as many of your questions as I can but may point you to an in-depth article on the topic that I have already written. If you post a question for me to answer, I will be happy to do so as my time permits. However, I will ask you for your full name, because I really like to know who I am talking with. Participants need to keep to parrot-related topics and if a person becomes rude or insulting to anyone else on the forum, they will be warned one time. If that behavior continues, they will be removed from the forum. While they will still receive their full on-line subscription, they will no longer be allowed to participate in the extras on the Companion Parrot On-line Magazine site.