QuakerQueen

Every training guide says use treats as rewards. Problem: my Eclectus could not care less about treats. Pickle will literally throw a sunflower seed at me and walk away. They're more motivated by head scratches. Has anyone successfully trained a non-food-motivated bird?

Welcome to the forum! Great to have another bird lover from the GTA. Your Amazon parrot sounds adorable — what's their personality like?

My zebra finch has been sneezing a few times a day for the past week. No discharge, still eating and playing normally. Could it be the dry winter air from heating? Or should I book a vet visit?

Let's see those tricks! My Eclectus Clover can: wave, turn around, ring a bell, and play dead (their favorite because they get an almond). What tricks has your bird learned? Bonus points for unusual ones. I need new ideas!

I've had birds for 15 years and I've seen this many times. In my experience it usually comes down to the cage being in a high-traffic or drafty location.

I struggled with this too until I started removing mirrors from the cage — can cause hormonal or aggressive behavior. Now it's like a completely different bird.

Every single around 8 AM, my zebra finch goes absolutely nuts screaming. I live in a condo in the Danforth and my neighbours are starting to complain. Any advice on reducing the volume without punishing them?

Just wanted to come back and say the advice in this thread WORKED. My zebra finch finally stopped refusing to go back in the cage after I tried clicker training for 10-15 minutes a day.

I've done a ton of research on this because my Hahn's macaw had the same issue. Here's what I learned: the most common cause is jealousy of a new person, pet, or even object in the home. What worked for us was using a shower perch so they can bathe with warm mist. I also started switching to a natural cleaning spray like F10 and noticed improvement within a week. It's a process but it gets better.

Welcome to the club! My African Grey trained ME in the first week. They're way smarter than they let on.

I just snorted coffee out of my nose reading this. My Senegal parrot is looking at me like I've lost it.

Following up on my earlier comment — I tried what you suggested and it actually worked! My Hahn's macaw is doing so much better. Thank you!

Have you tried spending at minimum 2 hours of supervised out-of-cage time daily? That's what solved this issue for us. Game changer honestly.

Rabbit hole of bird nutrition research today and learned that it's not just about calcium — the ratio of calcium to phosphorus matters more. Too much phosphorus (from seeds) blocks calcium absorption. Explains why my vet is so anti-seed. Anyone else nerd out about avian nutrition?

Just spent $45 on a toy my lineolated parakeet destroyed in 20 minutes. TWENTY MINUTES. I love Skittles but I can't keep this up. At what point do we admit the bird toy industry is a racket? DIY or bust from now on.

Check out Pet Valu — they have exactly what you need and the prices are reasonable for the GTA.

Welcome! I remember being a new bird owner and this kind of community helped SO much. Excited to have you!

I've tried a bunch of brands and HARI Prime is hands down the best value. My Clover devours it.

If I look at my phone for more than 30 seconds, Lucky marches over and sits ON the screen. They've accidentally liked posts, called contacts, and once placed an Amazon order. I now have to keep my phone face down or deal with a jealous Senegal parrot. Relate?

I joined a bird owners meetup group in the GTA — great way to get in-person advice and let the birds socialize. Check Facebook groups!