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Friends and Feathers
Published Monthly by the Mid America Cage Bird Society
June 2009 Volume 6
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*************************************************************************
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Enriching lives: One parrot at a time
By David Woolcock
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It is said that “Variety is the spice of life.” How true that is! We all relish the variety in our lives do we not? So why do so many pet parrot owners seem to think that a cage with a perch, a bowl of food and a bowl of water is sufficient to keep a parrot amused and contented? I do not know the answer, but I do know that enrichment can make a huge difference to their pet’s quality of life.
There are many excellent parrot toys on the market from a plethora of companies. The one thing that most of them have in common is that they are usually pretty expensive. The not only cost you a small fortune but the prices also cause you to skimp on your pet. You can’t provide what you’d like to give as often as you’d like to give it.
For many years here at Paradise Park we have been developing and trying all manner of enrichment ideas for our birds. Louise Pellow, one of our senior keepers, has championed the cause of parrot enrichment over the years. She never fails when it comes to simple, effective, inexpensive and enjoyable enrichment ideas.
But what exactly is it that we are trying to achieve through enrichment?
Enrichment can reduce the occurrence of abnormal behaviors that a pet bird displays. For example, feather plucking can often be lessened or even eliminated through the use of enrichment devices.
Enrichment can increase the range of natural or wild behaviors that your bird demonstrates. The most obvious example of this is foraging. Instead of feeding once a day with a bowl full of food, you can present food in a way in which your pet has to “work” to find it - just as it would in the wild.
Enrichment can help you bird to use the environment in which it lives in a more positive way. A large cage or aviary is great - if the bird uses the space. You might give it a reason to use the floor by providing a dust bathing area. Provide plenty of perches, ropes etc. to encourage the bird to use more of its enclosure. Give it secluded areas to take refuge if it should feel the need. Just because your bird only uses parts of its environment on the odd occasion don’t think those areas are less important than frequently used areas. The best analogy is that of your own house - no doubt you have a living area, eating area, a bedroom, a kitchen and a bathroom at the very least. Although the majority of your time is spent in the living area and the bedroom you would find it difficult to function if somebody removed your bathroom or your kitchen simply because you spent less time there!
Enrichment can also increase your pet’s ability to deal with challenging situations and the everyday stresses of life in a more normal way. The broader the range of experiences and situations your pet is exposed to, the less likely it is that he or she will find novel situations frightening or distressing.
Is enrichment just toys and food treats? Most certainly not. Enrichment can be divided into five categories.
1) Social enrichment is direct contact with people - you, your family and friends - as well as interaction with other birds and pets in your home. Telling your dog to sit or saying goodbye with a kiss are typical responses to a social environment. Another form of social enrichment is non-contact. Leaving the radio on whilst you are out or playing a bird DVD provides auditory or visual stimulation.
2) Occupational enrichment involves exercising the mind or the body. Try to stimulate your bird’s mind by giving it challenges to overcome. Hide its food in the environment or present it so that decisions must be made. Exercise the body by providing more room to fly or more areas to explore and climb around.
3) Physical enrichment is related to the complexity and size of the enclosure or environment in which your bird lives, in addition to the elements contained therein. Physical enrichment also includes elements on the outside of your pet’s cage, such as a toy or treat on the roof that can only be accessed by hanging upside down from the top of the cage.
4) Sensory enrichment stimulates the senses - be in auditory, visual, olfactory, tactile or taste. The sound of rain (or the vacuum!) often triggers a bathing response in birds. The sight of a bird of prey silhouette might elicit an alarm response. The texture of a rag toy may encourage your bird to preen the toy as it might preen a partner in the wild.
5) Nutritional enrichment includes not only the type of food offered but also the way it is delivered or presented. Destroying the carton to get to the treat is a little like stripping away pieces of bark to reach a tasty morsel. Instead of feeding once a day, feed several times in small amounts, maybe even in different places around the house if your bird has safe free access.
To decide what forms of enrichment to give to your bird, first research your pet’s species in the wild. Use books, magazines, the internet (parrots.org), wildlife programs, zoo keepers and other parrot owners. Perhaps you might even be lucky enough to go see your species in the wild for yourself!
Ask yourself about the basic conditions birds like yours live in and how they are adapted for survival. What type of habitat do they live in? What do the feed upon? How do they spend their time? Are the adapted for a particular food source or way of life? How much time do they spend on the ground? Answers to questions such as these may give you some enrichment ideas more suited to your pet’s species.
Don’t be afraid to experiment and don’t be tempted to discard an idea because “my bird won’t do that.” You may be surprised. It is also very easy to slip into the trap of giving the same enrichment time and time again because “he really likes that.” The same enrichment day after day becomes routine. Why not write enrichment ideas onto cards and then randomly select a card every day. This technique will help you vary your enrichment and not get stuck giving only what is popular with the bird or easy for you.
Many people are apprehensive about toys because they are unsure what items are safe to use and what are not. We always recommend that if you are in doubt, don’t use it. Always err on the side of caution. However, there is a huge variety of safe everyday enrichment ideas. When we run enrichment sessions during our parrot workshops, Louse spends at least two hours demonstrating the items that we use on a regular basis. These sessions have proven extremely popular and we have begun to upload some of the ideas onto the web in the form of worksheets. This format allows us to add new ideas on a regular basis. It also allows us to add video clips of some of our birds using the ideas described. To visit our enrichment website simply go to: www.parrottraining.org.uk <http://www.parrottraining.org.uk> and choose the enrichment tab.
Here are some safe, everyday enrichment items:
· Cardboard toilet roll tubes (no adhesive residue please)
· Cardboard egg cartons
· Rawhide chews
· Large buttons (for smaller birds)
· Dried pasta shapes
· Walnut shells - stuffed with treats
· Various colored napkins
· Old fashioned wooded clothes pets (one piece - no metal springs)
· Wooded craft sticks
· Wooden spoons/spatulas
· Whole cuttlebone
· Natural fiber rope
· Branches such as apple, willow, sycamore, beech, oak, pear
· Plants such as nasturtiums, buddleia, fuchsia
· Baby/toddler-safe toys such as teething rings, rattles and baby safe wooden blocks
The list of food treats is even more extensive. Why not experiment with food colorings, natural flavorings, pasta and rice mixes, various pulses, steamed or boiled vegetables, sprouted seeds and pulses.
This is just the beginning - there are plenty of more things to try. Be creative and have fun. Both your life and that of your pet will be enriched.
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****************************************************************************
Minutes of the MACBS Meeting
April 26th, 2009
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The meeting started with a lively Conversation with Chad Comer, Animal Curator, from the Blank Park Zoo. He discussed his work with a variety of both Parrots and Softbills.
Dave Marquis called the meeting to order.
There are signup sheets for the May Fair and the June Bus Trip to Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo.
Ankeny elementary School has contacted us about presenting a program on birds. If you are interested see Dave about signing up to help.
The Exotic Law, HR669, that is being proposed would severely limit bird ownership and prevent moving across state lines or even transfer of birds to sanctuary. Please keep abreast of this legislation and make your views known.
The March fair was a success but did not make as much money as we had hoped. John sent word that he is concerned about the treasury. Our October Bird Show will cost about $7,000. We do have enough money in the Treasury to cover these costs but it would leave the Club broke at the end of the year. The Club has about $3,000 in expenses per year for rent, newsletter, roster, affiliations, etc. If we do not improve finances the Club will need to disband. An increase in dues has been discussed. Currently are dues are $10/year and have been for many years.
John Grim moved we raise the dues to $20/year. Karen seconded. There was discussion of need to inform more of the members. Pat moved to table the motion to allow for publication in the newsletter. It was noted that the past newsletter had a notice that discussion and action were planned for today’s meeting. There was no second. The prior motion on raising dues was voted on and the motion carried.
The dues for 2010 will be $20/year. There was continued discussion about other ways to raise funds, Calendars of Members birds, T-shirts, etc. Members are looking in to cost and will report back.
The meeting was adjourned.
Respectfully submitted,
Bonnie Callan, Secretary
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The Little Bird Schoolhouse
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With a feisty, playful nature, the brightly colored Pacific Parrotlet is sure to become a cheerful addition to any bird lover's home! Parrotlets are the smallest of the true parrots and are adorable.
Pacific Parrotlets are sweet, playful little animals with an average lifespan of 25 years. In the wild, they flock in large groups at feeding sites, where they eat cactus fruits, grass seeds and berries. In aviculture, they are extremely curious and playful. They are known for being a bit more pushy or dominating than many parrotlets, however. Simply teach your Pacific Parrotlet from the start that you are the boss and you should have no problems with it! Parrotlets should be kept alone or they can develop jealousy or aggression problems concerning everything from toys to owners- parrotlets in general do not like sharing what they consider their possessions! In order to prevent your Pacific Parrotlet from becoming bored or depressed, it should have a mate of the opposite sex and similar age.
Parrotlets should be fed a pellet diet or a basic seed mix, supplemented with plenty of fresh fruits, greenfood, vegetables and of course, they need fresh water at all times. If your Parrotlet is eating seeds rather than pellets, supplement their diet with vitamins. Be careful, as seeds are high in fat and without lots of exercise, your Pacific Parrotlet can become obese. Provide a cuttlebone for your Parrotlet. They will also love people-carbohydrate food like bread or pasta. Fresh broccoli tops and cooked eggs make great treats. Be careful when taking your Parrotlet outside; even Pacific Parrotlets with clipped wings may be able to fly! These birds should flourish in a cage of at least 48 by 16 by 20 inches in dimension. Pacific Parrotlets need lots of toys, and adore swings and rope or anything they can chew on! They are quite strong, so be sure the toys will stand up to their hard beaks.
Parrotlets bond strongly with the person who spends the most time with them, especially during the time when they are between six and 12 weeks old. Insect softfood will be fine for hand rearing them. Be sure your Pacific Parrotlets environment remains above 50 degrees Fahrenheit and that it does not become overheated in summer temperatures!
Pacific Parrotlets grow to around 5 inches in length, and their plumage is predominantly green in color. Their irises and legs are brown, and their bills are horn-colored. Male Pacific Parrotlets have a blue line behind each eye and their forehead and faces are washed with bright yellow coloring. The necks and upper backs are a bluish-gray color, while their under-wing coverts and lower back extending to the rump are a brilliant cobalt blue. All of the wing coverts are bright blue except the undersides of the flight feathers, which are bluish-green. Males' flanks and the sides of their breasts are gray. The upper tail coverts are a bluish-green also, and the rest of the tail is green. Females have emerald green feathers where males have blue, but they may have rumps, which are turquoise and a slight blue coloration behind their eyes. Where the undercarriage of the male is grayer, females have a brighter green coloring. Female Pacific Parrotlets also have less yellow coloration over their heads than do males.
Pacific Parrotlets are native to the dry tropical forests and savannahs of Peru and Ecuador. Parrotlets have not been kept as pets until recently; although there are seven subspecies, only three are popular pets. They are much loved by almost everyone who encounters them. Pacific Parrotlets, sometimes called Celestial Parrotlets, are the most popular subspecies in aviculture.
Pacific Parrotlets will become sick if fed a vitamin supplement in addition to a pellet diet. Many parrotlets will not eat from hooded or covered dishes. Be sure to place perches in their cages in places where they birds' tail feathers will not dip into their food or water. Pacific Parrotlets love bathing in their water bowls, so be sure to keep the water fresh! They do have a tendency to become obese in small cages. It is best if you can keep a pair of parrotlets in a six foot by three foot by six foot aviary.
Pacific Parrotlets who are breeding should be fed a calcium supplement and if they are on a pellet diet, should be supplemented with seeds. Immature Pacific Parrotlets have similar coloration to adults, but the blue is less bright in males. In captivity, Pacific Parrotlets need privacy to breed. They will need a nestbox, usually a budgie-sized box will do, and they will breed year round. Most breeding takes place in spring, however, and the average clutch size is four to six eggs. Incubation lasts between 20 and 22 days and the young will fledge in four or five weeks. Adults will bite young Pacific Parrotlets if they believe they are mature, so young parrotlets should be quickly removed from the cage after weaning. Although they will reach sexual maturity around ten months, they usually should not be bred until they are two years of age.
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*************************************************************************
From the President
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Hello everyone,
Can you believe it’s June already. 2009 is half over! So far this has been a pretty good year for the Mid America Cage Bird Society. Hopefully the rest of the year will go just as well.
Our May Fair was pretty successful, as May Fairs go. The number of vendors was down but the public traffic seemed good. Two of the smaller rooms were empty but the vendors I spoke with all seemed to have had a good day and were mostly pleased with the turn out. The club made a little money which made all the work worthwhile.
The bus trip to the Omaha Zoo has been canceled due to lack of interest. There were only 18 names on the signup sheet as of the 28th of May. Only 9 of those had paid for their reservations. We had discussed the May Fair as being the deadline for reservation payment. The bus reservation was cancelled on the 29th of May, the deadline to do so without penalty, so the club will be refunded all of its deposit.
We will be having a regular meeting on the 28th of June at the Botanical Center. We are still looking for fund raising ideas and will be discussing them. We have had several good ones, if you have a suggestion; please bring it with you to the meeting.
I hope to see you there,
Dave
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*************************************************************************
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Brazen Parrot Steals Tourist's Passport
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Polly wants a passport -- and isn't above stealing one. A brazen parrot in Wellington New Zealand, which spotted a Scottish man's passport in a colored bag in the luggage compartment under a tour bus, nabbed the document and made off into dense bush with it, the Southland Times newspaper reported.
The bird -- a parrot of the Kea variety -- made its move while the bus was stopped along the highway and the driver was looking through the luggage compartment. Milford Sound, which runs inland from the Tasman Sea and is surrounded by sheer rock face, is part of Fiordland National Park, a world heritage site and major travel destination.
Police told the newspaper the passport has not been recovered and is unlikely to be located in the vast Fiordland rain forest.
"My passport is somewhere out there in Fiordland. The Kea's probably using it for fraudulent claims or something," the passport owner, who did not want to be named, told the newspaper.
A replacement passport from the British High Commission in Wellington could take six weeks and cost up to $250.
"I'll never look at a Kea in the same way," the man was quoted saying.
Kea, the only snow line-dwelling parrot, are widely known as inquisitive birds who appear to take delight in attacking rubber items like windshield wiper blades.
Native to New Zealand, the birds are found only in or near South Island mountains, where they live in high-altitude beech forest and open sub-alpine herb fields that stretch up into the snow line.
Covered mainly in brown and green feathers, they have large flashes of bright orange feathers under their wings.
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*****************************************************************************
MACBS Meeting Schedule for 2009
Sun. July 26th. - MACBS Annual Family Picnic
Sun. Aug. 23rd. - August Fair. No meeting.
Sun. Sept. 27th. - General membership meeting. Program: Toy Party
Sun. Oct. 25th. - General membership meeting. Program: Pet
Photographer. Program subject to change.
Sun. Dec. 6th. - Holiday Party. Election of officers.
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*****************************************************************************
MACBS Membership
Membership in the Mid America Cage Bird Society is by calendar year. Your membership runs from January 1 through December 31. If you have not already done so, now is the time to renew your membership for 2009. Dues are only $10.00 for individual or family.
*****************************************************************************
MACBS Board Members
President, Dave Marquis Vice President, Lisa Williams
Secretary, Bonnie Callan Treasurer, John Thielking
5th. Board member, Randy Gibson
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Publication Editor
Lisa Williams
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Deadline for submission is the 5th. of the month and may be submitted to the
editor by email, or mailed typed or clearly printed.
3935 52nd. Street
Des Moines, Ia. 50310
lwlittlezoo@aol.com
*****************************************************************************
MACBS Group Home Page
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/macbs
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Opinions expressed in articles are those of the author and do not constitute endorsement by the editorial staff, MACBS or its board of directors
*****************************************************************************
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