CHANGES IN ENVIRONMENT AFFECT PARROT BEHAVIOR

When comparing intelligence among the many types of pets, birds - especially parrots - rank close to the top. This intelligence is what makes a parrot a great companion, not only in its playfulness and ability to talk, but also the adaptability it shows with different people and in different situations. Yet, a parrot reacts to new things in different ways, whether it is being moved to a new location, getting a new owner, or having some other change occur in its environment. These changes can affect a parrot in odd or negative ways that may cause the owner to call us asking why the bird's behavior has changed. This can be a hard question with many possible answers, but asking the right questions to gain an idea of what may have caused the change, will lead us on the right path to solving the problem.

We try to make it clear to a bird owner that a parrot does not think like a person, even though it is an intelligent and sensitive creature. Because it is not a person, a parrot does not react as a person might to a new situation. One of the most common complaints parrot owners call about is that their sweet-tempered and loving birds just bit them very hard, and the owners now believe their birds hate them. Although this is rarely the case, people cannot know what a parrot is thinking. Certain behaviors can give clues to why a parrot is acting differently.

Twenty Questions

One of the most important questions to ask is if there have been any recent changes in the parrot's environment. There are a variety of environmental changes that can affect a parrot.

Try to make the owner think about anything that has changed recently. Although a parrot is not a person, comparisons can be made in some instances. If the owner has just started a new relationship and has not spent as much time with the bird, a parrot can show jealousy by biting or ignoring the owner, chasing the new person out of the house or becoming destructive. A parrot will find a way to show its displeasure if it feels that it is not getting enough attention.

If the cage has been moved to a new location, even if it is in the same room, it may cause unwanted behaviors to surface. A parrot may feel insecure in the new area because it is more open, or there may be a door next to the cage that may open unexpectedly and startle the bird. Car headlights may hit the cage in the new position and scare the bird at night causing it to sleep poorly and act strangely during the day. A new toy in the cage or a new item placed near the cage may also affect the bird's behavior. Parrots can be creatures of habit, and if something changes they may not know how to handle the new situation.

Growing Pains

If nothing has changed in the bird's environment, we ask how old the bird is. Sexual maturity may cause a parrot to act aggressively for a short period of time. Conures reach maturity at approximately 2 to 3 years, Amazons at 4 to 5 years, and macaws at 5 to 6 years on average, so the bird may be on a hormonal high which will calm down after a few weeks.

Once the problem is discovered, in most cases it should be fairly easy to overcome. Take away the new item, move the cage back to its old position, spend more time with the bird, and don't show lots of attention to a new person or pet in front of the bird. However, if an owner hits a parrot even lightly out of anger, the bird will never forget and may never forgive.

A parrot may continue to act strangely even if the change is rectified. In this case it may be some other factor, which may never be known. However, by asking numerous questions of the owner, we will probably come across the problem, and then the owner will know how to rectify the situation.

Try to make the owner think about anything that has changed recently.

• Has the owner been gone more than usual?
• Is there a new person spending time with the owner?
• Has the bird been moved to a now location?
• Has someone moved out of the house or apartment?
• Is there new construction or are, other new noises occurring outside?
• Was something new added to the room where the bird is kept?
• Did the owner bring home another pet?
• Did the owner hit the bird?

Reprinted by Pretty Birds from Pet Business by Robyn Bright

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