By Leslie Wieser

Sassy, Available for Adoption

If your self-improvement New Year's resolutions sometimes go unresolved, consider a new approach -- focus on "bird-improvement" and you might discover the key to self-improvement.

Limit your list of bird-improvements to a number you can handle. Taking on too many resolutions is a setup for failure.

Choose something you really want. What's your hot button -- screaming, biting or an annoying sound? Focus on one behavior and then work to change it to something more manageable.

Set short term goals to achieve long term results. Everyone knows exercise improves health and the same is true for your bird. Teach your bird to walk up stairs, flap his/her wings, or climb a rope. Exercise also improves mental health for both of you.

Be specific when setting goals. Rather than simply claiming you'll do a better job of keeping your bird's cage clean, set a goal to clean the cage at a specific time each day. Daily cleaning takes just minutes and a clean environment is healthier for both you and your bird.

Make a plan. If your bird is a seed junkie, then plan to introduce pellets, fruits and vegetables daily and reduce the seed. You might improve your own diet as well.

Schedule enough time. Want to teach an old bird a new trick? Schedule 15 minutes a day to work with your bird or to just spend quality, one-on-one time with him/her. Everyone benefits from special attention.

Keep records and track results. One clue to a potential medical problem is your bird's weight. Buy an inexpensive gram scale, weigh your bird weekly and keep a log of his weight. A 10% loss in body weight may be an indication of illness. If your bird is past due for his/her vet check, then make that appointment and schedule it for the same time each year. 

Don't give up too easily. If your bird doesn't like broccoli, try blueberries. If he doesn't like spray showers, give him a bowl of water to splash around in. If she's afraid of the expensive toy you just bought, give her a cardboard box to chew up. If he doesn't respond to a food reward, try a different positive reinforcer like clapping your hands while saying "very good".

By Lindsay Boardman

The months from January through March can sometimes give people -- and birds -- the winter doldrums, during which we can hardly wait for warmer spring weather to arrive. While we can't change the weather, we can offer our birds some faux sunshine therapy through full spectrum lighting.

Full spectrum light bulbs can be used on most lamps (check factory labels for compatibility) and can help provide that little extra boost during winter days. Recommended usage is six hours per day at a distance of 3-5 feet from the cage. The full spectrum benefit expires after about nine months of regular use, however the bulbs will usually burn longer than that. And UV lighting is believed to have a variety of physical and mental health benefits such as improvement to sleep patterns, mood, and stress levels. You can purchase full spectrum bulbs at Parrot University.