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Updated Tutorial
Patagonian Tutorial
PART ONE
Patagonian Conure, a.k.a Burrowing Parrot, a.k.a Loro Barranquero (in their native South America)
Scientific Name - Cyanoliseus patagonus
In my opinion, some considerations are peculiar to Patagonians, and much is common to most parrot species.
Please let me give you some parrot basics (just skip if you're already familiar with these "building blocks"), and then I'll have some special Patagonian input for you!
BONDING
Here's some reading on bonding.
http://www.parrotforums.com/general-parrot-information/49144-tips-bonding-building-trust.html
General Parrot Information - Parrot Forum - Parrot Owner's Community
VETS
Most of us swear by our avian vets in the event of health concerns. I don't know where you are, but here are some links to vets.
Certified Avian Vets
https://abvp.com/animal-owners/find-an-abvp-specialist/
If none are near you...
Avian Veterinarians
http://www.aav.org/search/custom.asp?id=1803
In my opinion, any of the vets listed here should be better than a regular vet.
DIET
Too many are kept on seeds or other poor-nutrition things. They need veggies, legumes, grains... pellets are a good staple. Here's what I use.
Harrison's Bird Foods
I feed Harrison's, supplemented by fresh healthy treats. My first, and later, my current avian vet recommended it. My bird loves the pellets now, but to get him converted, my avian vet suggested putting pellets out all day, and putting seeds (his old diet) out for two 15-minute periods a day. That would sustain him but leave him hungry enough to try new stuff. I presume the same technique could be used to get birds to eat other healthy stuff, like fruits and vegetables! My guy was eating pellets in a couple of days, and now I can feed a good variety of other stuff, knowing he has the pellets as a basic. Pellets are out all day... fresh treats a few times a day. I also like Harrison's via mail because I never have to worry about out-of-date products.
Another couple of ideas...
My ol' man is an athlete and health nut. He actually EATS all the good stuff, so it's always around. I find that tossing various stuff into the food bowls at random is good... the variations and differences seem to stimulate curiosity and attention.
The other idea... if you can stand it (lol) EAT the stuff in front of the bird, yes. That encourages them. I have also found that if my ol' man eats stuff in front of the bird, the bird WANTS it for himself. Kinda a rivalry thing!
PERCHES/NAILS
I really recommend getting those nail-trimming perches... they can eliminate nail-trimming, which was always so stressful for me and the Rb. It took a few years, but I eventually established a pattern/rotation that keeps him trimmed. I haven't had to do his nails in 20-plus years. I keep a dowel as the main "highway" down the middle of the cage, but the special cement/trimmer/textured perches are all over.
A few brands... but there are many: Polly's Sand Walk... Pumice Perch... Trimmer Perch...
Be sure to introduce them gradually: they're abrasive to their tender feet at first. I LOVE them!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
These are smooth on top and abrasive underneath. Very easy to install/clean.
Brands? Sweet Feet and Beaks Pedicure Perches for parrots, Feather Fantasy, there are more at mysafebirdstore.com.
May take a while to get the right combinations/locations, but was worth it for me and the Rb
TEFLON
If you're a brand new parront, I'll just drop a mention here about avoiding teflon pans, which are lethal to birds, if even mildly overheated. Most of us don't have teflon (or related) products in our houses.
PART TWO
[/B]
And now...
Special Patagonian Stuff
NIGHTIME
They are among the few semi-nocturnal parrots, so don't be surprised if you hear your bird moving around, eating, preening, at night. They only verbalize quietly, usually.
ROOSTERS/HENS
I think (and my world-class avian vet THINKS so, too) that it's the ROOSTERS who are so loud (and I would add ROWDY in general). Of course, allowing the Rb to terrorize the household, flighted and undisciplined and fearless... probably didn't help MY SITUATION!
CAGE
The Rb is in a Lani Kai Lodge Playtop.
LIFESPAN
When I got the Rb in 1984, the span was estimated at 25-30. He's 34 and the only changes I've observed are that he naps a bit more, and has been on Vasotec for heart issues (discerned by blood tests) for about six months now. Good care and diet are really helping birds live longer, especially if their genes are good (i.e., good breeding... or... if a bird was wild-caught. Many were imported in the 60s-70s). The Rb's parents were wild-caught; he was hand-fed.
PLAY HABITS/TOYS
The Rb loves small foot toys... mysafebirdstore.com has great variety and values, and THE BEST customer service. His skinny little pink feet's nails seem to get caught in ropes or wicker, so I avoid those. He also like "pony beads" on safe Poly-rope or Paulie-rope, all for sale at that store.
CHILE PEPPERS
Peppers are a great source of vitamins AND they're easy to offer.
Common wisdom is that most parrot species have such poor taste and smell that hot peppers really excite and stimulate them. And they're very healthy (lots of great nutrients)! So I give the Rickeybird lots! The only downside... when he eats a pepper, then preens, then wants to cuddle, it's a very incendiary experience.
I buy several kinds...
THE RICKEYBIRD'S RESUME
See the original Rickeybird Mockumentary here!
Pet of the Day
Rickeybird - Patagonian Conure - May 20, 2016
THE FORUMS Scrapbook
http://www.parrotforums.com/incredi.../62811-rickeybird-scrapbook-1984-updates.html
His art career... I share space with him in my little original art gallery on eBay!
THE GENE POOL
If you ever wonder why some Rickeybirds are so LOUDDDDDD and ROWDYYYY...
Here is the gene pool!
Colonia de loros barranqueros más grande del mundo- Balneario El condor - YouTube
Patagonians have sub-species, but the main strain has been discovered to have crossed the Andes some 100,000 years ago!
They are a beloved bird (to most people) in their native lands.
*****Yes, he's a bad boy. May I add some thoughts about expectations? I hope I don't sound preach-y. I also want to make it clear that I completely support all the great advice on training here!
*****My bird is pretty awful. He's a fun mimic and a real character, but...
Even after all these years, I sometimes find myself putting myself or my bird down... stuff like...
I SHOULDN'T HAVE TO PUT UP WITH THIS OR THAT.
WHY CAN'T HE BE SWEET AND NICE, LIKE THOSE OTHER BIRDS?
PEOPLE NEVER UNDERSTAND WHY I PUT UP WITH THIS.
*****But the Rb is a parrot... in his particular case, one generation out of the wild. ONE GENERATION of DNA honed over 100,000 years!
I do all the right things, as much/well as I can, but in the end, I just LOVE my bird,
Some parrots are SO SWEET, some are NOT. I'm a bit JEALOUS of those successes.
I have lessened my psychological and physical wounds over the decades... not because I've changed the bird, but I have changed me. And a lot of that has involved giving up on a lot of my desires/expectations. After years of battle, I surrendered/compromised.
*****I have reduced biting to almost zero over the years I've spent with the Rickeybird. I don't do stuff that gets me bitten. Some will say I have let him get away with too much, and that's a fair criticism, but, well... I'm okay with it. I don't do stuff that makes him mad. I don't touch others when he's out; I rarely try to get him to step up onto my hand first. Hand-held perch first, then hand. In some ways, I'm disappointed/ashamed at having such a little monster for a pet, but he is what he is. I ALWAYS wear my hair down when he's on my shoulder, so all he can bite is hair, not ears. Really, I don't involve hands much... he doesn't like them. He seems to think the real ME is my head, perched on a weird moveable tree with questionable appendages.
*****Anywayyyyy, some will say I have a Tazmanian Devil on my hands. But I love him. I have no complaints, really. He's HIMSELF. And I'm MYSELF.
THERE'S LOTS OF GOOD TRAINING ADVICE HERE... DO READ AND LEARN AND DO YOUR BEST!
*****Yeah, he's bad. But it is my choice to indulge and adore him.
Finally, I accepted that I have an amazing half-wild being who shares my life! It's magic enough for me!
Parrot-owners usually wind up determining their own personal comfort level with various behaviors, and it's okay to be okay with that.
CONCLUSION
The Rb has been one of the greatest challenges and sweetest little victories of my life. I have kept him safe and loved, and I hope to see him out of this life in the same way.
Youtube documentary
Patagonian Tutorial
PART ONE
Patagonian Conure, a.k.a Burrowing Parrot, a.k.a Loro Barranquero (in their native South America)
Scientific Name - Cyanoliseus patagonus
In my opinion, some considerations are peculiar to Patagonians, and much is common to most parrot species.
Please let me give you some parrot basics (just skip if you're already familiar with these "building blocks"), and then I'll have some special Patagonian input for you!
BONDING
Here's some reading on bonding.
http://www.parrotforums.com/general-parrot-information/49144-tips-bonding-building-trust.html
General Parrot Information - Parrot Forum - Parrot Owner's Community
VETS
Most of us swear by our avian vets in the event of health concerns. I don't know where you are, but here are some links to vets.
Certified Avian Vets
https://abvp.com/animal-owners/find-an-abvp-specialist/
If none are near you...
Avian Veterinarians
http://www.aav.org/search/custom.asp?id=1803
In my opinion, any of the vets listed here should be better than a regular vet.
DIET
Too many are kept on seeds or other poor-nutrition things. They need veggies, legumes, grains... pellets are a good staple. Here's what I use.
Harrison's Bird Foods
I feed Harrison's, supplemented by fresh healthy treats. My first, and later, my current avian vet recommended it. My bird loves the pellets now, but to get him converted, my avian vet suggested putting pellets out all day, and putting seeds (his old diet) out for two 15-minute periods a day. That would sustain him but leave him hungry enough to try new stuff. I presume the same technique could be used to get birds to eat other healthy stuff, like fruits and vegetables! My guy was eating pellets in a couple of days, and now I can feed a good variety of other stuff, knowing he has the pellets as a basic. Pellets are out all day... fresh treats a few times a day. I also like Harrison's via mail because I never have to worry about out-of-date products.
Another couple of ideas...
My ol' man is an athlete and health nut. He actually EATS all the good stuff, so it's always around. I find that tossing various stuff into the food bowls at random is good... the variations and differences seem to stimulate curiosity and attention.
The other idea... if you can stand it (lol) EAT the stuff in front of the bird, yes. That encourages them. I have also found that if my ol' man eats stuff in front of the bird, the bird WANTS it for himself. Kinda a rivalry thing!
PERCHES/NAILS
I really recommend getting those nail-trimming perches... they can eliminate nail-trimming, which was always so stressful for me and the Rb. It took a few years, but I eventually established a pattern/rotation that keeps him trimmed. I haven't had to do his nails in 20-plus years. I keep a dowel as the main "highway" down the middle of the cage, but the special cement/trimmer/textured perches are all over.
A few brands... but there are many: Polly's Sand Walk... Pumice Perch... Trimmer Perch...
Be sure to introduce them gradually: they're abrasive to their tender feet at first. I LOVE them!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
These are smooth on top and abrasive underneath. Very easy to install/clean.
Brands? Sweet Feet and Beaks Pedicure Perches for parrots, Feather Fantasy, there are more at mysafebirdstore.com.
May take a while to get the right combinations/locations, but was worth it for me and the Rb
TEFLON
If you're a brand new parront, I'll just drop a mention here about avoiding teflon pans, which are lethal to birds, if even mildly overheated. Most of us don't have teflon (or related) products in our houses.
PART TWO
[/B]
And now...
Special Patagonian Stuff
NIGHTIME
They are among the few semi-nocturnal parrots, so don't be surprised if you hear your bird moving around, eating, preening, at night. They only verbalize quietly, usually.
ROOSTERS/HENS
I think (and my world-class avian vet THINKS so, too) that it's the ROOSTERS who are so loud (and I would add ROWDY in general). Of course, allowing the Rb to terrorize the household, flighted and undisciplined and fearless... probably didn't help MY SITUATION!
CAGE
The Rb is in a Lani Kai Lodge Playtop.
LIFESPAN
When I got the Rb in 1984, the span was estimated at 25-30. He's 34 and the only changes I've observed are that he naps a bit more, and has been on Vasotec for heart issues (discerned by blood tests) for about six months now. Good care and diet are really helping birds live longer, especially if their genes are good (i.e., good breeding... or... if a bird was wild-caught. Many were imported in the 60s-70s). The Rb's parents were wild-caught; he was hand-fed.
PLAY HABITS/TOYS
The Rb loves small foot toys... mysafebirdstore.com has great variety and values, and THE BEST customer service. His skinny little pink feet's nails seem to get caught in ropes or wicker, so I avoid those. He also like "pony beads" on safe Poly-rope or Paulie-rope, all for sale at that store.
CHILE PEPPERS
Peppers are a great source of vitamins AND they're easy to offer.
Common wisdom is that most parrot species have such poor taste and smell that hot peppers really excite and stimulate them. And they're very healthy (lots of great nutrients)! So I give the Rickeybird lots! The only downside... when he eats a pepper, then preens, then wants to cuddle, it's a very incendiary experience.
I buy several kinds...
THE RICKEYBIRD'S RESUME
See the original Rickeybird Mockumentary here!
Rickeybird - Patagonian Conure - May 20, 2016
THE FORUMS Scrapbook
http://www.parrotforums.com/incredi.../62811-rickeybird-scrapbook-1984-updates.html
His art career... I share space with him in my little original art gallery on eBay!
THE GENE POOL
If you ever wonder why some Rickeybirds are so LOUDDDDDD and ROWDYYYY...
Here is the gene pool!
Colonia de loros barranqueros más grande del mundo- Balneario El condor - YouTube
Patagonians have sub-species, but the main strain has been discovered to have crossed the Andes some 100,000 years ago!
They are a beloved bird (to most people) in their native lands.
*****Yes, he's a bad boy. May I add some thoughts about expectations? I hope I don't sound preach-y. I also want to make it clear that I completely support all the great advice on training here!
*****My bird is pretty awful. He's a fun mimic and a real character, but...
Even after all these years, I sometimes find myself putting myself or my bird down... stuff like...
I SHOULDN'T HAVE TO PUT UP WITH THIS OR THAT.
WHY CAN'T HE BE SWEET AND NICE, LIKE THOSE OTHER BIRDS?
PEOPLE NEVER UNDERSTAND WHY I PUT UP WITH THIS.
*****But the Rb is a parrot... in his particular case, one generation out of the wild. ONE GENERATION of DNA honed over 100,000 years!
I do all the right things, as much/well as I can, but in the end, I just LOVE my bird,
Some parrots are SO SWEET, some are NOT. I'm a bit JEALOUS of those successes.
I have lessened my psychological and physical wounds over the decades... not because I've changed the bird, but I have changed me. And a lot of that has involved giving up on a lot of my desires/expectations. After years of battle, I surrendered/compromised.
*****I have reduced biting to almost zero over the years I've spent with the Rickeybird. I don't do stuff that gets me bitten. Some will say I have let him get away with too much, and that's a fair criticism, but, well... I'm okay with it. I don't do stuff that makes him mad. I don't touch others when he's out; I rarely try to get him to step up onto my hand first. Hand-held perch first, then hand. In some ways, I'm disappointed/ashamed at having such a little monster for a pet, but he is what he is. I ALWAYS wear my hair down when he's on my shoulder, so all he can bite is hair, not ears. Really, I don't involve hands much... he doesn't like them. He seems to think the real ME is my head, perched on a weird moveable tree with questionable appendages.
*****Anywayyyyy, some will say I have a Tazmanian Devil on my hands. But I love him. I have no complaints, really. He's HIMSELF. And I'm MYSELF.
THERE'S LOTS OF GOOD TRAINING ADVICE HERE... DO READ AND LEARN AND DO YOUR BEST!
*****Yeah, he's bad. But it is my choice to indulge and adore him.
Finally, I accepted that I have an amazing half-wild being who shares my life! It's magic enough for me!
Parrot-owners usually wind up determining their own personal comfort level with various behaviors, and it's okay to be okay with that.
CONCLUSION
The Rb has been one of the greatest challenges and sweetest little victories of my life. I have kept him safe and loved, and I hope to see him out of this life in the same way.
Youtube documentary
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