African Greys have a very lofty reputation. They are considered to be not only one of the best communicators in the animal kingdom, but one of the most intelligent.

The majority of them either talk their little feathered noggins off or they are busy attempting to get you to pick up the telephone when no one has called. However, other birds are capable of this as well.

I believe the distinction between Greys and other types of verbally gifted birds is the fact that African Greys are like the old E.F. Hutton TV. Commercial:

“When Greys speak, we listen.”

Parker & Lisa

I’m convinced that the attention grabber with Greys is not how much they talk, but the content of their speech. They have an astounding ability to utter that plate-dropping comment at the right instant or make a flawless sound effect at an appropriate (or hilariously inappropriate) moment. At times, they can come up with a novel word or phrase combination that makes you wonder precisely who your little guy has been spending time with when you aren’t around. (Little parties he throws for the neighbors while you’re at the supermarket perhaps?) It’s that edgy, “smarty-pants” air they possess that simply slays me. It appears as though they know just what to say at just the right moment.

I believe the African Grey’s actual ability lies in observing the world around him.  Our birds are constantly watching what we do even when we aren’t paying attention to our own behavior. They know us better than we know them, and possibly better than we know ourselves. They can sense our emotions and reactions to a myriad of situations. By observing what moves us, they can encourage us respond to them. In other words: they know how to push our buttons.

Are they better talkers? I would have to say, “maybe”.

However, I can’t imagine that there is a parrot with better ability to listen, learn and observe precisely who we are and what makes us tick. Their verbal excellence might not be how much they talk, but what they say, and when they say it.

I’m back. Back to the blog once again! My apologies for having left it untouched for so long, but I had a lot of catching up to do. As you might recall, I spent three weeks working at the Cincinnati Zoo. (Here is their Kookaburra):

While I was gone, I had some renovations done to my Condo: I had that heinous popcorn junk scraped off the ceiling, and I had a slate tile floor put in. This is the tile. (It’s not my place. My slate is on the floor, but this is the stuff:

In order to accomplish this, I had to remove most of the furniture and store it in a POD. A little about PODS: They are wonderful!

It was a great customer experience for me and they actually did everything they said they were going to do. Loved it!

But the floor took a little bit longer than expected. In other words, when I got back, it wasn’t done, and I didn’t really have a working kitchen. Or a working bathroom. Or a working T.V.  I resigned myself to the fact that I would be living on a mattress on my bedroom floor with a chair. Oh and did I mention it was kind of dirty in there? I would go to work and joke that I’d wake up looking like a coal miner:

I didn’t look this bad, but it was pretty grungy in there. I took a shower every day at my neighbor Tamara’s place next door. In the middle of all of this, I had to fly to Long Island for the Long Island Parrot Society Expo to give a presentation:

http://www.liparrotsociety.org/parrotexpo.htm

I then pitched in to help by sealing the tile. This involved crawling around on my hands and knees with tile sealer and a sponge and wiping the sealer over the tile. After a few days of this, I was a wreck. With some help, I got the POD back and we moved everything back into my Condo. My friend Jean and I spent three days cleaning EVERYTHING: the floors, walls, wiping down the furniture; Yeckkk, what a grimy mess. Things are better now and back in place. And I just love my new floor.

And now I’m back. I still have a fairly full schedule: I have to hit the Rocky Mountain Society of Aviculture Expo on the Weekend of the 14th of November. I’m doing a presentation for them:

http://www.rmsabirds.com/

Oh, and did I mention that I’m flying a 90 hour month this month? That’s about 20 hours or four extra days of overtime. I’m also messing around with experimenting with drying vegetables in my oven. The dried sweet potato is killer! The birds seem to like it and even Mattie the dog is crunching away at them. I also have to get my rear in gear and start working on a few of my feather scarves. I’m planning on going to the Houston Parrot Festival in January:

http://www.parrotfestival.org/festivalinfo.html

I always make one to wear and then donate it for auction, so I have to get busy and begin gluing my fingers together again:

Jill Bell and I at the Houston Parrot Festival

So, I’ve been a tad busy with everything going on in my life. It usually goes like this in the fall. The same thing happened to me last year; I got back from the zoo and all hell breaks loose. I do have some new posts in mind, so I’ll try and be a bit more timely again. Thanks for your patience. In the meantime, I’m going to go scrub the parrot poop off of my new floor. Some things never change I guess.

I’m being interviewed Sunday night at 9 p.m. Eastern Time on a Webcast at: “Ask the Bird Experts” Here’s the link:

tp://www.ezleadcapture.com/member/thebirdtalks1.htm

And they want me to talk about my “Chop” recipe. No surprise there. And I’m happy to do it because It’s a concept I can believe in.

It’s been a little overwhelming because while I thought people would be interested in the idea of making “Chop” for their birds, I didn’t quite anticipate the overwhelming positive response to it. Man! But I think it’s terrific and I can just see birds all over the world looking better, feeling spunkier and getting healthier due to their diet of “Chop” along with sprouts, nuts, treats and a formulated pelleted diet. I can also almost feel them getting more active and driving their families a little nuts due to it! But it sure beats having a bird with vitamin deficiencies and liver issues due to an all-seed diet. So if you have a little time on Sunday, tune in. It ought to be at worse, funny at my expense, and at best, a lot of fun. You can also ask questions about the “Chop Concept” or better yet, you can tell me and the Hosts, Tamaran and Quincy Scarborough what you do to make “Chop.” Tell us about your “Chop” Parties, the ingredients you like to add, or how you mix or package it.

Tell us any old thing about how you make your “Chop.” I’m always learning from people and get the best ideas from those who make it.  I’d love to hear about your “Chop Parties,” or great stories about how easy it is in the day-to-day for you.  Can’t wait to hear from you!

Here’s the dealio on the AEF Symposium!

(And don’t let the word “Symposium” twist your noodle! It’s just a bunch of really great people who know what they’re talking about get together and they all yak about the area they are active in, that’s all. I used to see that word and think,  ”I can’t go to that! It’ll be way over my head!” Don’t worry!  You’ll love it, and if you get a chance to go, please do so. )

You simply cannot go wrong with this group of people speaking. I recommend this particular function very highly. It’s a great group of speakers and I guarantee you will come away from this knowing a hell of a lot more than you did when you walked in. I’d love to go but I have to fly. Apparently my airline expects me to show up to work now and then….

2009 Animal Education Foundation Symposium

The 2009 Animal Education Foundation Symposium brings experts in the fields of behavior, enrichment, husbandry, welfare, and conservation to the Washington, DC area. Come join us and learn as they provide valuable insight into their life’s work!

Saturday, July 18, 2009 ~ 8:00 AM to 6:00 PMDoubletree Hotel Crystal City ~ 300 Army Navy Drive ~ Arlington, VA 22202

Approved for 6.5 hours of CEU credit by the CCPDT      This is the: Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers

AEF’s discounted room rate has expired, but you may still click here to make your room reservations. AEF benefits from each room booked, so please email us if you plan to stay at the hotel.

Download a registration form here!

~ Behavior Analysis ~

Susan G. Friedman, PhD, is a Professor of Psychology at Utah State University. She pioneered the application of the principles of Applied Behavior Analysis to companion parrots, which she teaches to caregivers, veterinarians, and other professionals in her on-line class Living and Learning with Parrots and in her telecourse Living and Learning with Animals. Susan lectures all around the world to a wide variety of audiences and is an accomplished and prolific author in professional and popular journals and books.

~ Avian Husbandry and Health ~

Michael Jones, DVM, Dipl. ABVP, received his DVM in 1992 at the University of Missouri-Columbia and went on to an internship in Small Animal Medicine and Surgery at the University of Tennessee, College of Veterinary Medicine in 1993. From 1993 to1996, Dr. Jones held a residency at the University of Tennessee, College of Veterinary Medicine in Avian and Zoological Medicine. Since 1996, he has been an Assistant Professor in Avian and Zoological Medicine at the University of Tennessee, College of Veterinary Medicine. Dr. Jones clinical and research interests are Raptor Medicine and Surgery and Pharmacology of therapeutics in avian species. He is also a Master Falconer with 15 years experience.

~ Avian Welfare ~

Julie Murad, President and CEO of The Gabriel Foundation based in Elizabeth, near Denver, CO, has been at the forefront of avian welfare and education for over 35 years. She has published and presented at national and international avian conferences including the AAV, the AFA, and NAVC. She has traveled all around the world witnessing first-hand the importance of in-situ conservation programs for parrots, and advocating standards of care and education for psittacines and their human companions.

~ Enrichment ~

Gay Noeth lives in rural Saskatchewan, Canada with her husband Wayne, dog and pet birds. She has been keeping parrots as pets since 1993 and has been very interested in behavior and enrichment. Over the years she has taken and attended many parrot behavior and training classes and has attended numerous parrot conferences. She believes that by enriching a parrot’s life in captivity we can stave off many problem behaviors and give parrots a better quality of life in our homes.

~ Training & Behavior ~

Sid Price is the founder of Avian Ambassadors. He has more than ten years of experience of working with wildlife in public presentations. He is a professional member of the following organizations: International Association of Avian Trainers and Educators, Animal Behavior Management Alliance, Association of Professional Wildlife Educators, New Mexico Wildlife Association, Raptor Research Foundation, and the World Parrot Trust.

Sid is President of the International Association of AvianTrainers and Educators and also served on the board of the New Mexico Wildlife Association for several years. He is a charter member of the Animal Behavior Management Alliance.

~ Conservation ~

Mark Stafford, DDS, is the Co-Founder of Parrots International. A dentist with a conservation background, Dr. Stafford received BA degrees in both Environmental Biology and Environmental Studies. Dr. Stafford and his wife, Marie, donate their time and resources to travel into the field to visit and evaluate “in situ” conservation projects. They donate their photos and videos to Parrots International as well as donate their time to manage and organize Parrots International.

Mail-In Registration Form

Mail-In Dinner Registration Form

Online Registration

Additional Information:
Living and Learning Workshop
Fundraising Dinner

(c) 2008 – Animal Education Foundation

A Batch of Parker's Pot Pourri, known around the house as "Chop".

I just made a fresh batch of food for the Greys. I’m sorry the photo isn’t better, but if I had dragged out my camera and then dragged out everything to upload it, I never would have shot it, so I just used the camera on the computer instead. But I think you have the idea.

 I use a lot of different stuff in it including mixed bags of different combinations of frozen vegetables (plain vegetables, no sauce) I thaw overnight in the fridge and chop up in the food processor, but it also has fresh carrots, broccoli, sweet potato and Jalapeno Peppers. If I had other fresh stuff on hand, I would have used that. I throw in any healthy seed I have, flax, celery and hemp seed primarily, and cook up some Quinoa. That goes in along with some cranberries I get during the Holidays and keep in the freezer. I also put in some dry oatmeal, dried hot pepper and some unsweetened coconut. And to make things nice and green I put in some frozen chopped collard greens or kale. Whatever is healthy for them and cranks your anchor, just add to it.

I make a big batch of this stuff. I bag it up into one meal amounts for the birds, put all of the bags into a gallon zip-lock and it goes back into the freezer. Depending on the size of the batch, it’ll last a long time. The night before I’m going to use it, I pull out 2 bags and place them in the refrigerator for using the next day. This is a great system and it works like a charm. The batch I made today will last me about a week or so.

It’s kind of like a “Soup Starter” or “Meal Helper” in your freezer. From this concoction, you can add whatever your parrots like to add to their nutrition and provide variety. Add a bean mix that you made in a big batch and froze in individual bags, some sprouts and a nut or two and you have one hell of a healthy meal for your little dudes. Add dried fruit, brown rice, drizzle it with flax seed oil, or sprinkle a vitamin or calcium supplement on it and you are doing beautifully. You can use it to make “Bird Bread”, you can throw it into scrambled eggs, and you can mix it with other foods if you like. Aside from it’s ease of preparation and use, the versatility of this “Chop” is an enormous amount of its appeal. You’re only limited by your imagination.

It’s really easy to feed your birds well and with a wide variety of foods if you pre-plan. You don’t have to chop up vegetables every day to give your birds a balanced diet. If I had to do that I’d lose my mind. Who has time to do that at 5:30 in the morning? I sure don’t! The birds seem to like it and I’ve converted several birds from seed to “Chop” in very short order. With the way it is chopped in the food processor, they can’t just pick and choose as well as with huge chunks of vegetables. If they want a piece of carrot, it has a bit of broccoli or quinoa on it. Does your bird like flax seed? Well, it will invariably have some sweet potato shreds nearby and it gets scooped up along with the seed.

In time, even the most stubborn birds will usually go for this mix. But what I like about it is the fact that it takes so little time in the day-to-day to feed my birds a healthy meal. It took me about 10 minutes to put this together this morning. Once the quinoa was cooked, I just threw that into the container with the rest of it, shook the tar out of it and I’ll bag it up this afternoon. It’s easy to make, fast, convenient and it’s really good for your birds.

See? We’re all Happy Campers!

If anyone has any suggestions as to what to add to “Parker’s Pot Pourri”, please leave me a reply. And when you make it for your birds, let me know how it goes over and what you did to make it more appealing for your flock! I’ll make sure your suggestions are posted on “Parrot Nation”.

So last night I bundled up the bird cages with extra sheets and towels. Pepper, my bald Grey got a small quilt on her cage. 

Pepper my bald, rescued Grey

I have the day off but I have a lot to do and I can assure you that all activities will most likely take place indoors. The parrots will love it because I’ll be whizzing around the kitchen making dog biscuits for Christmas. They like me hanging around with them because they simply love company. They’re out on their play gyms all day and they mess around and preen and play or just nap periodically. When I’m in the kitchen, occasionally I’ll tell them what I’m doing. I’ll say, “I’m cutting the dog cookies, and then I’m going to bake them.” Nyla will pretend she hasn’t heard me and says in a loud voice, “What?” So I have to repeat myself, to which she replies, “Oh.”

My friend JB is coming over for a couple of days to search for a job. He lives on the west coast of Florida and is driving alligator alley to get here. He does handyman stuff for me and will be staying in my guest bedroom/office. His girlfriend Tish was going to come over as well, but I guess she’s feeling punky and isn’t up to the trip. It seems as though all of my friends have colds.

I worked the Haiti trip 5 days in a row and I went to a party on Saturday night so I’m still a little trashed. The party was a lot of fun and it was a dress up shin-dig, so I wore an evening gown. People were a little freaked out because I’m either wearing my work uniform or I’m in jeans, a t-shirt and sneakers, but I clean up pretty well, actually. I can pull off wearing an evening gown because I’m built like a thermometer with eyes and I’m tall, so they always look pretty good on me. Add 4-inch heels and you’ve got a pretty tall thermometer wobbling around! Unfortunately my feet are still killing me. I have some time off this week to get some stuff done around here.

My friend Les is over fixing Parker’s play stand. He’s replacing one of the branches and hanging a dried ear of corn for him to mess around with. This is not his playstand, but this is kind of what it looks like:

They’re just terrific. These are made by Wayne Gagne, and they are fabricated out of bottlebrush wood. The parrots love them and it gives them the opportunity to be out of their “rooms” (cages) during the day when I am around. Here’s his website:

www.waynesparrotstuff.com

I’m making some navy beans with onions and ham for dinner and those are happily simmering on the stove. It’s a good day for it.  I’ll keep you posted on how it goes with with a Timneh that’s in the process of being re-homed. Thanks for stopping by.

I haven’t written in a while for a few reasons. I had to step back and away from my Cincinnati Zoo experience for a while just to adjust back to normal life. I also had a lot of catching up to do with my day-to-day dealings with the world. I was gone for 3 weeks and if you don’t think stuff doesn’t pile up on you during that time…well, it did for me! I was also dog tired when I got home. I worked at the zoo in one capacity or another every single day I was there with the exception of one day. I went back to flying almost immediately after returning home, and it’s just been very busy for me since the Zoo. Enough excuses, I’m going to try and be a little more consistent with keeping up with things. And that’s that.

Why is Max in the break Room? And where is his partner, “Blue” the Blue Throated Macaw?

What is Zoo Director, Thane Maynard doing reading to that Anatolian Shepherd on that poster?

What in God’s name is that Penguin doing in the Food Container?

Why does that sign read “Evil Monkey” Does the Zoo have evil monkeys?

Why is “Wings of Wonder” Bird Show Director Gary Denzler all “tuxed up” when he usually can be found in a polo shirt and baseball cap? (Tux Music): 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mnqj31VPNoE&feature=related

Why is Zoo Keeper Val Nastold looking at the Giraffes? Is something afoot? (This is for Val): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vsb-lXec76w

Why is that parrot looking up my nose? And why is she in the kitchen? And by the way, what the hell kind of Parrot is that anyway? Will Patricia’s friend, the Lexicon of Parrots casual reader, Shari Mirojnick know?  I’ll bet Shari knows the identity of this bird right off. She didn’t have a name when I got there. Now they call her “Patricia”. I’m honored! And in her honor we have this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=82NIMPvJYHE

Is Angie the Aardvark trying to follow Patricia home? Will Angie get her way? Apologies for the obvious, but this one is just begging for it! :

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-21QK9F1NWc

What is this bat hiding under her wing? Is it a secret weapon? Is it Boy Wonder? 

Answers to these questions and more coming up! thanks for stopping by…

(The “learning experience” never ends. And it’s quite interesting to see what you have learned when you look back at yourself! This was an article I wrote with the future in mind almost four years ago. At the time I wrote this piece, I knew a fraction of what I know now. But my approach and point of view still makes sense.)

PERHAPS IT’S LUCK…PERHAPS NOT

By Patricia Sund

      I’d seen it all. I’d read everything I could get my hands on, surfed the web, bought the books, (and actually read them), talked to bird people, and went to bird shows. I subscribed to the magazines, read the articles and compared ingredient listings on the backs of packages. I attempted to sort out the information and separate the sound, sensible plans from the ideas that even I could see were a total load of crap. I had reached the end of the Internet. All in all, I’d spent literally hundreds and hundreds of hours, studying from every source I could locate; the urgent subject at hand: my African Grey, Parker. I was as serious as a heart attack about getting the information and raising him the best way I could.

 Now there was only one thing stopping me from being a well-seasoned bird owner: Experience.

 I only have just over a year in experiencing what it is like to live with my own parrot. And every morning I think to myself, “I wonder what Parker and I are going to learn today.”

 He’s still young, only 16 months in July and he’s just beginning to crack the communication code of language. He changes and stretches his abilities every day. I socialized Parker very heavily when he was young. (I read that this was a good thing to do if you wanted a happy, well-balanced bird.)  My friend Clive, who has about a gazillion years of experience as an owner, breeder and retail bird supply store owner told me that because of Parker’s early socialization, he was most likely going to be a late talker. But, on the other hand, I ended up with a riotously cheerful little guy who is just as happy on the beach meeting tourists or going to his job, as he is in his own home.

I started hauling him around with me just as soon as I got him. (I read that this kept your parrot from becoming too dependent on a routine.) He went to restaurants with me, on weekend visits to friends, even to the local pub where they have an outside courtyard. (I learned sunshine is important for your bird’s health.) He quickly got used to traveling in his carry-cage in the car and he sings and whistles in there like it was the Queen Mary and he was a back-up singer for Tina Turner.

  I really haven’t had any problem with him at all, but by God, I was ready. I just assumed I would have some issues because after all, I was inexperienced and I had read so many heartbreaking stories.   My eyes teared up through books about behavior problems, and I sobbed at stories of abandoned and abused birds. I mentally prepared myself for issues such as plucking or screaming to appear. I trained myself to watch for phobic problems, picky eating, and stress. (I read that this sometimes develops.) Nothing. He got a little beaky for a while, but we nipped that in the bud with a “no bite” and “evil-eye.” combo-platter. He is honest-to-God, one of the happiest damned birds even Clive has ever seen and Clive has handled thousands of birds.

 I know the drill: His cage is clean and his toys are rotated from a large stock.  He gets quite a bit of sunshine, but he has full spectrum lighting in his cage. His step-ups are terrific and I play with him, teach him tricks and talk to him. He gets 10 to 12 hours of sleep a night, and he gets showers on regular basis, which he relishes. (I read that these are both very important for their well-being.) He is paper-trained. The little guy even has a job.

 His diet is impeccable, he’s far from picky and he eats like a pig. He loves the dark green and orange vegetables that he gets every day. (I read that these are a must.) The variety of food he eats is stunning, and he went through a heavy molt with no lasting issues. He doesn’t even like sunflower seeds. (I read these are not good for your bird)

Parky is happy to be with me, but he has a huge flock of friends that he loves spending time with. (I learned that having a flock is crucial) He easily goes to strangers if I introduce them to him. He gets visitors, and invitations to parties. He even got a few Christmas cards.

 I was ready for problems and issues. I was prepared for plucking and screaming. I knew what to do and how to handle it. But nothing bad ever happened. I have had no real problems to speak of.

 My question is this: Which comes first, the bird or the upbringing? Are some birds just naturally prone to behavioral problems due to their DNA? Every bird is different. Was it just luck that Parker so far, has had no major issues? Is it what I do or is it who he is? Is the way I’m raising him so heavily impacting how he handles the world that even if he were prone to problems, it would be of no consequence? Or is it because he wasn’t prone to any behavioral problems in the first place?

 My friend Clive believes in good breeding. He believes that if the parents of the bird are sweet, happy, stable birds, you are more likely to end up with a bird of the same constitution. He thinks Parker came from good stock, and is who he is because of his heredity. I’m not so sure. I’ve never met Parker’s parents so I can’t answer that question but I know what he is referring to. Clive had 3 Timnehs from the same clutch that were being sold in the store he managed. I met these parrots and they were skittish, and intractable. These were very young birds and Clive was finishing their weaning for the breeder, so they got the same attention and upbringing the other babies in the store received but these three just weren’t going along with the program. I didn’t think it was possible that a “mean” bappie existed, but here they were.

 I asked Clive about it and he said, “Those three were trying to bite when they were still in the incubator.”

 This was not Clive’s first encounter of this sort, so he doesn’t consider it a fluke.

 That is what began our discussion on this subject, and it has gone on for months. Clive and I go back in forth with the classic “environment vs. heredity” argument; a new twist on the movie “Trading Places”.

 Is Parker a happy, polite and so far, problem free parrot because he hatched that way? Or rather, was it my “bordering on the obsessive” search for information regarding raising problem parrots and then actually putting into practice the information I found?

I am by no means particularly different than many other bird companions. However, I got into birds late into the game, and have no real time at the helm of this particular ship. I saw this as a detriment and wanting to catch up, I concentrated on doing everything I could to make up for the lack of experience, which involved educating myself. I felt I owed it to Parker to give him what I saw as more than a fighting chance to become the best and happiest bird he could be. So I kept plugging away at finding all the answers to all the questions.

 I found out one thing that is an absolute: Absolutes just don’t exist. The more I learn, the more questions I find myself asking.

 Remember Dr. Spock? His childcare book sold like hotcakes years ago and at the time, he was considered to be the ultimate authority in the field of baby and childcare. Since then, a lot of what were considered to be the standard benchmarks in childcare are now routinely questioned. His guide is a tad short in the warmth department and tends to answer the questions in a factual cut-and-dried manner rather than the warm and fuzzy style most parents tend to prefer these days.  There are many individuals whose books, videos and articles about bird care I have devoured like, well…hotcakes. And we all know them: Friedman, Heidenreich, O’Connor, Shewokis, Pepperberg, et al. Lots of wonderful people with tons of time and experience in the bank are righting the wrongs and slaying the dragons of myth and misinformation. These are the people who are establishing the foundation for a field that has yet to crawl out of its infancy. Their ideas will be considered the groundbreaking work that others in the future will base new research on. They are the experts that are changing the way people are raising, feeding, and caring for their birds, yet they are never short on warmth or compassion.

 One thing became clear to me while reading their work: Raising a companion bird is not so much a science, or a pastime as it is an art. It is a creative work always in progress and it changes every minute. There are two participants in this work of art, the human and the bird, and sometimes the collaborators don’t always agree. But this is where it becomes a work of art. Both participants must come up with a viable solution or one of them loses out in the experience. The experience is the art, as well as the outcome, and both of the participants change as time passes. It is a fluid, moving entity.

 There are still so many things I don’t know and I simply don’t have the past history to possess a gut instinct about the subject yet. But this particular “environment versus heredity” thing has me bugged.

In the meantime, while I puzzle over this question, Parker climbs about on his “environmentally enriched” play stand and plays with his toys just as I taught him. He practices his vocalizations in between snacking on his bird healthy vegetables, and fresh clean water while attempting to engage me in a game of “tickle foot”, or invite me to watch him while he does his tricks. He happily hangs upside down beating on a toy, and goes about the business that he knows best: being a parrot. He is this way every single day: joyously happy, active, chatty and curious. He’s really not even that moody for God’s sake!  How did this happen?  Will Parker remain this way?

 I am a lucky, lucky bird companion and I’m very well aware of this, but was it luck? Was it heredity? Was it my compulsive pursuit of attempting to do everything correctly that led Parker to become such a flexible, easygoing parrot? I’ve read so many stories of people who seemed to be perfectly wonderful bird parents and ended up with a maniacal, phobic bird even when they were very young. Maybe I’m just feeling guilty because it really wasn’t that difficult to raise Parker in a sensible yet nurturing environment. It obviously paid off. Or did it? Would another African Grey have responded the same way? Could I do it again with a different bird? Could someone else do what I did and end up with the same result? Can you see my brain melting as a result of this question?

After all, the reason I did all that research was because I was aware that I didn’t know nearly enough. I felt completely inadequate to raise Parker the way I knew he needed to be raised.  But I found the tools. All that information has served me well in the long run. Perhaps I shouldn’t obsess over this mind twisting question for too long because while it serves its purpose, it takes away from the real point of what this is all about: maintaining and nurturing a happy positive relationship with my parrot. I suppose I shouldn’t question how Parker and I ended up this way.  Maybe I should just consider myself lucky.