Category — Parrot Health & Safety

Hot off our new press, two books to enhance the quality of life for parrots.

Nourish to Flourish, A Healthy Cookbook for Parrots
Our new parrot cookbook has 125 pages of recipes, information about plants, herbs and general information about how to add quality whole foods to your parrot’s diet. ($24.95)

Project Parrot: A Behavior Guidebook for You and Your Bird, by Jenny Drummey
Re-engineer the relationship with your bird using a do-it-yourself approach. This book examines the many factors that contribute to good (and not-so-good) behaviors in your home, highlights the changes you can make to build trust, and helps you to create simple training plans. Also learn to teach your bird some important husbandry behaviors, such as how to forage, bathe, and even step up with confidence. Available December 10th. ($22.95)

Buy either book online here or on-site at an upcoming Phoenix Landing educational seminar.

Are your parrots as thrilled as mine are? Pomegranates are back! My walls, floor, and ceiling are sure to suffer, but it’s well worth it to see those beaks gleefully buried in the fleshy red seeds.

We all know our feathered friends need a varied, nutritious diet, and there’s no easier way to accomplish this than by offering whole foods in season.   Pomegranates are a perfect example.  They’re extremely rich in antioxidants, and parrots seem to relish them whole or simply halved.  I think the unusual texture and slightly pungent taste pique parrots’ curiosity.

We’re also lucky to have an abundance of pumpkins and squashes available this time of year.  The seeds of both are rich in essential omega 3 fatty acids, and the flesh is an excellent source of beta carotene.  Mini pumpkins make wonderful enrichment food items.  Just place a whole one on the cage floor, and watch your parrots go wild!  Or, take out a small slice to encourage parrots to chew and explore with their beaks.  Skewer the whole thing, and garnish with some leafy greens.  Grate raw pumpkin and combine it with fruit to make a special crispy autumn ambrosia.  Roast the seeds separately for a delicious, nutritious treat.     

Both pumpkin and squashes can be steamed or baked, but they’re often readily accepted in their most natural state:  raw and whole.  Like pomegranates, they’re only around for a limited time, so stock up now.  Your parrots will surely thank you!