September 2010 SPECIAL
| |
10% off site-wide!
(discount automatically applied in the shopping cart)
|
Enrichment Tip of the Month
by Kris Porter | |
How often have you heard at Christmas time or at birthday parties that children have more fun playing with the box rather than the toy that came in it? By the same token, I am finding my parrots will choose to play with the snaps on Jerry's shirt; a dog or child's toy; or an ordinary object found around the house in preference to a more conventional store bought parrot toy. I've learned my parrots are not at all unique in this preference for making toys out of ordinary household objects, books, baby toys, or buttons on remote controls. Anything to keep them busy that doesn't jeopardize their safety or destroy my prized possessions is good, I'm thinking.
On the subject of destroying prized possessions, I am still wondering if this was such a good idea on my part. I planted several hanging baskets full of edible flowers and colorful Swiss chard greens and hung them on and around play stands in the aviary to encourage outdoor activity. I enjoyed sitting outside in the aviary watching my parrots nibble at the pansies while we all soaked up the sunshine. I now realize I hadn't thought far enough ahead when planning this activity. Consequently no indoor plant located near a play area is safe from curious beaks. The live plants are all on the safe list and I rotate out plants that are pruned to expose bare dirt. In the living and family rooms I'm learning to live with awkwardly pruned plants. It is destruction I can live with as it promotes activity and in most cases the leaves grow back.
Ruth Fahrmeier shares information on gardening for parrots in her article, "Plants and Parrots - a Personal Perspective" reprinted with her permission in The Parrot Enrichment Activity Book, Version 2; available as a free download at www.ParrotEnrichment.com. |
For more great enrichment ideas check out:
www.ParrotEnrichment.com
|
Join our free VIP e-club!
Very Important Parrots only!
Earn discounts
Exclusive offers
Giveaways
and more! | | Click here for more info |
|
|
Hello Bird Lovers!
This month we are featuring articles by two guest authors.
Rebecca O'Connor, author of "A Parrot for Life" and the force behind the Heckled by Parrots blog, shares with us her article "Teaching Your Parrot to Play" which contains some valuable insight into how to help a bird overcome fear of new toys.
We are also featuring an article, "Juicing for Parrots", written by Carolyn Swicegood. Carolyn is the creator of the Land of Vos web site and author of numerous articles on the topics of avian diet, nutrition and health. Carolyn's article addresses the benefits of juicing for parrots as well as provides a helpful list of foods that can be juiced to benefit specific health conditions that affect parrots.
The Avian Enrichment Forum is still steadily growing and we have three more winners of last month's forum sign up and post contest who are: - MarieandChirpy
- Kathimac
- HollyTark
Congratulations to all the winners! On a personal front, I am actively involved in developing another new bird related website with the primary intent of raising much needed funds for avian charities. If there are any avian artists, cartoonists or photoshop hobbyists out there that would like to lend their talents I would love to hear from you at deb@avianenrichment.com ! |
|
|
|
Teaching Your Bird To Play
by Rebecca O'Connor
One of the most important things a parrot can learn is to play. Depending on their environment and personality, some parrots seem born to play with any and every toy. Other parrots take a little more convincing. Fortunately, with a little thought and a lot of positive reinforcement, you can mold your favorite bird into a parrot toy-aholic. Playing isn't just fun though, it is an important component to avoiding undesirable behavior such as screaming and feather destructive behavior.
In my home the most important thing a parrot can learn is how to use their "indoor voice." I work all day in my home office, talk to clients on the phone, transcribe interviews and try to focus on figuring out the perfect word to use. This kind of work requires not silence, but definitely a lack of repetitious ear-drum busting noises. I simply can't work with screaming parrots in the house. All three of my African parrots certainly vocalize all day, but on the other end of the phone people, say, "You have parrots, really? Why can't I hear them?" I've made a concerted effort to teach my parrots that they can get what they want (me to interact with them) without screaming. So they don't. I've also made sure that they have plenty of ways to keep themselves busy with enrichment. It's not impossible, but it is difficult to scream and chew at the same time.
Read More |
|
Juicing for Parrots
by Carolyn Swicegood
The juice of fresh fruits and vegetables is the richest available food source of vitamins, minerals and enzymes. There is a miracle of energy supplied by live plants that comes from nothing else on our planet. Parrots are biologically adapted to assimilate their vitamins, minerals and enzymes from live plants. The juice of these plants is equivalent of a cocktail that parrots consider a treat!
Because juicing removes the fiber, the important nutrients and phytochemicals found in plants are easily absorbed with little effort on the part of the digestive system. Fruit and vegetable juices provide a convenient source of enzymes. Enzymes are extremely important to health because they spark the essential chemical reactions that are necessary to life. Enzymes are required for digesting food, for stimulating the brain, for providing cellular energy, and for repairing all tissue.
|
|
Parrot Puzzler
Quote of the Month
"I hope you love birds too. It is economical. It saves going to heaven." - Emily Dickenson
Birds in the News!
Funny Video of the Month
Check out a funny new bird video here.
|
|
Save 10% Off Everything! | | Save 10% Off site wide now through September 30, 2010. Coupon code AESEP10 automatically applied at checkout. | | Offer Expires: September 30, 2010 |
|
|
|
|
