Pet Parrots Research Articles

The breeding management affects fresh and cryopreserved semen characteristics in Melopsittacus undulatus

Melopsittacus undulatus is a companion parrot worldwide diffused. Many parrots are considered endangered or vulnerable. The preservation of semen is crucial in endangered species, thus, M. undulatus could be a good model to study sperm characteristics and semen cryopreservation in these other endangered parrots. In this study the effect of the breeding management (males bred in promiscuous aviary or in couple) on sperm characteristics (motility, membrane integrity and morphometry) of fresh and cryopreserved semen was evaluated. The computer-assisted sperm analysis (CASA) revealed a significant effect of the husbandry method on semen characteristics in budgerigars: male housed in couple with the female in individual cages allowed the higher results in term of both semen quantity and sperm quality. Total and progressive motility were significantly higher in males bred in couple (68.7±8.9% and 54±15.9%, respectively) than in promiscuous aviary (48.3±15.1% and 24.4±12.4%, respectively), such as sperm velocity (average path velocity, straight line velocity, and curvilinear velocity). The type of sperm movement (amplitude of lateral head displacement, beat cross frequency, straightness, and linearity), sperm membrane integrity and morphometry parameters seemed not affected by the husbandry method. The standardization of a CASA procedure for the semen analysis in M. undulatus allow further studies on parrot semen manipulation and cryopreservation, but the method used for the breeding of the male could have a significant effect on the semen quality.

Feather-damaging Behaviour in Companion Parrots: An Initial Analysis of Potential Demographic Risk Factors

Captive parrots (Psittaciformes) commonly engage in “feather-damaging behaviour” (FDB) that suggests compromised welfare. Susceptibilities to FDB have been suggested, but not empirically demonstrated, to vary across the > 200 species kept in captivity. Other demographic risk factors have been proposed for particular species – but neither confirmed nor generalised across Psittaciformes. In this preliminary study, we analysed data from a previously-conducted survey of pet owners: among 538 companion parrots representing 10 non-domesticated, non-hybrid species ( n ≥ 17/species), FDB prevalence was 15.8% overall. We tested whether individual FDB status was predicted by four previously-suggested demographic risk factors: species, sex, age, or hatch origin. Available (limited) data on husbandry were assessed as potential confounding variables and controlled for as appropriate. Species identity was a predictor of FDB status ( P = 0.047), even after controlling for all other variables tested; however, in light of multiple statistical testing, this effect cannot be considered robust until it is replicated. The strongest predictors of FDB status were age ( P = 0.001; with odds of positive FDB status lower in juveniles versus adolescents or adults [ P ≤ 0.036]), and sex ( P = 0.006; with odds of FDB lower in individuals of unknown, versus known, sex [ P ≤ 0.037]). These findings need to be replicated with data that allow better statistical controls for systematic differences in housing. However, they do provide preliminary empirical evidence for within-species risk factors (suggesting new, testable hypotheses about the etiology of parrot FDB); and for intrinsic, cross-species differences in FDB susceptibility (providing a rationale for future study of the biological factors that might underpin any such taxonomic differences).

Feather-Damaging Behavior in Companion Parrots: Are Species Differences Intrinsic or Caused by Variations in Husbandry?

Feather-Damaging Behavior in Companion Parrots: Are Species Differences Intrinsic or Caused by Variations in Husbandry?

The egg-laying pet parrot: prevention and treatment

Many pet parrots are kept alone or in single-sex pairs. Nonetheless, they may come into lay. Lack of preparation (biologically, husbandry, or nutrition) can result in severe consequences. In some cases, persistent egg laying can become a nutritional drain on the bird. This article will discuss some of the underlying reasons for a parrot coming into lay, how to avoid this situation and how to treat it.

Extensive recombination detected among beak and feather disease virus isolates from breeding facilities in Poland

Beak and feather disease virus (BFDV) causes the highly contagious, in some cases fatal, psittacine beak and feather disease in parrots. The European continent has no native parrots, yet in the past has been one of the world's biggest importers of wild-caught exotic parrot species. Following the banning of this practice in 2007, the demand for exotic pet parrots has largely been met by established European breeding facilities, which can also supply buyers outside Europe. However, the years of unregulated importation have provided numerous opportunities for BFDV to enter Europe, meaning the likelihood of birds within captive breeding facilities being BFDV positive is high. This study examined the BFDV status of such facilities in Poland, a country previously shown to have BFDV among captive birds. A total of 209 birds from over 50 captive breeding facilities across Poland were tested, and 43 birds from 18 different facilities tested positive for BFDV. The full BFDV genomes from these 43 positive birds were determined, and phylogenetic analysis revealed that these samples harboured a relatively high degree of diversity and that they were highly recombinant. It is evident that there have been multiple introductions of BFDV into Poland over a long period of time, and the close association of different species of birds in the captive environment has probably facilitated the evolution of new BFDV strains through recombination.

Humboldt’s Parrot and the Re-voicing of a Dead Language: A Metaphor for Family Histories of Depression

The 18th century explorer Alexander von Humboldt discovered the remnants of a dead language in a parrot he found in the South American rain forest. The Ature people had originated from the lands around the Orinoco river in Venezuela, but disappeared when the tribe was murdered by the rival group of Carib Indians in the last years of the 18th century. Von Humboldt discovered that the pet parrot of these dead people had survived with their language, albeit in a limited form, and he set about transcribing the language phonetically. Schützenberger tells a similar story of a parrot that retained the voice of a long dead family patriarch in France, who still had power over his family through his now disembodied voice being parroted by an old family pet. This paper will explore how depression can be perpetuated or kept alive in the words, phrases and voices, literal or metaphorical, which exist in families. Material from fictional and biographical family accounts will be presented in examining how families might learn to re-voice the language they use for each other and the world, to move away from maladaptive ways of interacting with the world.“Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.”Anna Karenina(Tolstoy, 1878/2003)

Martin Avigdor Birnstingl

Martin Avigdor Birnstingl was one of the most respected surgeons of his generation, but few knew or shared his amazingly complex and multifaceted existence. He was a skilled surgeon, president...

DNA Detection and Genotypic Identification of Potentially Human-Pathogenic Microsporidia from Asymptomatic Pet Parrots in South Korea as a Risk Factor for Zoonotic Emergence

We detected and identified genotypes of human-pathogenic microsporidia in fecal samples from 51 asymptomatic captive-bred pet parrots in South Korea. Microsporidia were identified in 8 samples (15.7%); 7 parrots tested positive for Encephalitozoon hellem, and 1 parrot tested positive for both E. hellem and Encephalitozoon cuniculi. In genotypic identifications, E. hellem was present in genotypes 1A and 2B and E. cuniculi was present in genotype II. Pet parrots might be a source of human microsporidian infection.

The Parrot as Paramour: Yourcenar's Amant Vert

This article argues that Marguerite Yourcenar's reference in L'Œuvre au noir to l'Amant Vert, the pet parrot belonging to Marguerite d'Autriche, should be read as contributing to the symbolism through which Yourcenar indicates Marguerite's bisexuality. The emergence and development of bisexuality as a theme in Yourcenar's characterization of Marguerite are first examined on their own terms. Next, this presentation of Marguerite is considered in the light of Yourcenar's sixteenth-century sources — Pierre Bourdeille, abbe de Brantome's Dames galantes and Jean Lemaire de Belges's Epitres de l'Amant Vert — in order to assess the historical validity of this presentation of parrots and of Marguerite d'Autriche. Finally, via reference to other sixteenthcentury parrots, the article demonstrates that such symbolism is discernible in the sixteenth century, and therefore suggests that Yourcenar's Amant Vert is indicative of a highly perceptive and sensitive response to the period in which her novel is set.

Compendium of Measures to Control Chlamydophila psittaci Infection Among Humans (Psittacosis) and Pet Birds (Avian Chlamydiosis), 2010 National Association of State Public Health Veterinarians (NASPHV)

Abstract Psittacosis, also known as parrot fever and ornithosis, is a bacterial infection of humans that can cause severe pneumonia and other serious health problems. It is caused by Chlamydophila psittaci, formerly known as Chlamydia psittaci. From 2005 through 2009, 66 human cases of psittacosis were reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention through the Nationally Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System. In general, these cases occur after exposure to infected pet birds, usually cockatiels, parakeets, parrots, and macaws. In birds, C. psittaci infection is referred to as avian chlamydiosis. Infected birds shed the bacteria through feces and nasal discharge, and humans become infected from exposure to these materials. This compendium provides information about psittacosis and avian chlamydiosis to public health officials, physicians, veterinarians, the pet bird industry, and others concerned with controlling these diseases and protecting public health. The recommendations in this compendium provide standardized procedures to control avian chlamydiosis in birds, a vital step to protect human health. This document will be reviewed and revised as necessary.

How to…

Abstract Feather plucking is common in pet parrots but unless the cause is investigated thoroughly presumptive treatment is likely to fail. Kevin Eatwell discusses the approach.

The Art of Training Parrots

As in most fields, including the companion parrot world, there are truly talented artists who go beyond traditions to discover or create new ways to interpret and deal with behavior. Some of these new strategies are based on longstanding scientific behavioral principles that have only recently been applied to parrot behavior. The most fruitful and productive approaches to companion parrot behavior problems focus on creating relationships based on clear communication and positive experiences rather than on force and dominance, as the old-school parrot-training methods had emphasized. Several long-held beliefs, such as height dominance, are now giving way to more accurate interpretations of behavior that avoid anthropomorphic interpretations and discount situations by ascribing labels to them. Positive reinforcement, accurate interpretation of birds’ body language, and empowering parrots to influence their environment are strategies that help create more meaningful and enjoyable relationships between companion parrots and human caregivers.

The drowned and the saved: shipwrecks and thecursusof Latin love elegy

Throughout the corpus of Latin love elegy, the imaginary tombs envisaged by the elegists for their ownpersonaeand for other inhabitants of their poetic world display a striking tendency to take on the characteristic attributes and personalities of those interred within. The final resting-place of Propertius, for instance, that self-proclaimed acolyte of Callimachean miniaturism and exclusivity, is to be sequestered from the degrading attentions of the passing populace (Prop. 3.16.25–30) and crowned with the poet's laurel (2.13.33–4). What remains of his meagre form will rest in a ‘tiny little urn’ (paruula testa, 2.13.32) beneath a monument declaring the lover's slavery to a single passion (2.13.35–6), and the grave is to be attended, or so he hopes, by the object of that passion herself (3.16.23–4), or occasionally (though he is not so confident of this) by his patron Maecenas (2.1.71–8). Likewise the memorial designed by Ovid for Corinna's pet parrot - animitatrix alesendowed with the most distinctive foibles of the elegiac tradition - inAmores2.6, comprising a burial moundpro corpore magnus(2.6.59) topped with a tombstone described asexiguus(‘tiny’, 2.6.60; cf. Prop. 2.1.72, 2.13.33), exhibits an elegiac emphasis worthy of the parrot's human counterparts among Ovid's poetic predecessors.

An Introduction to Positive Reinforcement Training and Its Benefits

Training birds with positive reinforcement involves focusing on kind and gentle methods to create behavior. This article explores some of the basic strategies and principles used to train birds with positive reinforcement based on the science of applied behavior analysis. These methods can be used to train reliable, repeatable, consistent voluntary presentation of behaviors that facilitate optimum avian care without the use of aversive strategies that promote domination and control. More importantly, these principles can be used to solve behavior problems and also train medically important behaviors, including voluntary nail trims, vaccinations, and blood sampling, as evidenced by successful training completed in several zoos in the United States. By learning the application of positive reinforcement training strategies, avian enthusiasts can revolutionize care and management practices for companion parrots.

Investigation of Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica) as a pharmacokinetic model for cockatiels (Nymphicus hollandicus) and Poicephalus parrots via comparison of the pharmacokinetics of a single intravenous injection of oxytetracycline hydrochloride

The purpose of this study was to determine whether Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica) would serve as a pharmacokinetic animal model for two small companion parrots: cockatiels (Nymphicus hollandicus) and Poicephalus parrots. Oxytetracycline (OTC) was the pharmacologic agent chosen for this study as it is eliminated primarily by renal glomerular filtration and undergoes minimal metabolism. A single intravenous injection of 20 mg/kg oxytetracycline hydrochloride was administered to the three study groups and blood samples were obtained at 5, 10, 15, and 30 min post-OTC injection as well as 1, 2, 4, 8, 12 and 24 h post-OTC injection. Quantification of plasma OTC was accomplished using a standardized microbial inhibition assay. Naïve-pooled data (NPD) analysis of the plasma concentration-time profile of OTC best fit a two-compartment open model for all three avian species. Noncompartmental analysis of the mean data yielded the following parameters for quail, cockatiels and Poicephalus parrots respectively: lambda(z) = 3.14, 4.57, 3.71 h; AUC = 38.9, 42.7, 49.6 microg x h/mL; and Cl = 514, 468, 403 mL/h/kg. Based on the similarity of these pharmacokinetic parameters, it appears that quail could be used as a model species to predict the appropriate OTC dosing regimen for small psittacine birds. A bootstrap procedure was also applied to these sparse data sets for both compartmental and noncompartmental analysis. The bootstrap procedure allowed for the calculation of variability of parameters; however, the estimates of the parameters were very similar to those calculated using the NPD and the data mean values.

Compendium of measures to control Chlamydophila psittaci (formerly Chlamydia psittaci) infection among humans (psittacosis) and pet birds, 2005

Psittacosis, also known as parrot fever and ornithosis, is a bacterial infection of humans that can cause severe pneumonia and other serious health problems. It is caused by Chlamydophila psittaci, formerly known as Chlamydia psittaci. From 1988 through 2003, 935 human cases of psittacosis were reported to the CDC and most resulted from exposure to infected pet birds, usually cockatiels, parakeets, parrots, and macaws. In birds, C. psittaci infection is referred to as avian chlamydiosis. Infected birds shed the bacteria through feces and nasal discharges, and humans become infected from exposure to these materials. This compendium provides information about psittacosis and avian chlamydiosis to public health officials, physicians, veterinarians, the pet bird industry, and others concerned with controlling these diseases and protecting public health. The recommendations in this compendium provide standardized procedures for controlling avian chlamydiosis in birds, a vital step to protecting human health. This document will be reviewed and revised as necessary.

A Bird in the House: An Anthropological Perspective on Companion Parrots

AbstractAlthough companion birds are the third most-common animal companion—after dogs and cats—in U.S. households, few anthrozoological publications focus on them. This study examines the role of companion parrots in American households. The study combines a literature review with the results of a survey of bird owners and participant observation. The study uses the resulting qualitative and quantitative data in addressing the social dynamics of companion parrot ownership in the household. The data support the impression that companion parrots increasingly are being considered family members, or "Fids" ("Feathered Kids"), thus following current trends in American society that accord companion animals in general a greater investment in time, money, and emotion. However, the general public is not well informed about the complexities of captive parrot care, and psittacine wellness is an important concern.

Dead Parrots Society

Statius' Silvae 2.4 is ostensibly written as a consolation poem to the poet's friend and benefactor Atedius Melior on the death of his pet parrot. But Statius also uses the opportunity provided by the poem's subject matter to engage in a dialogue with his literary predecessors. I will argue here that Statius both inserts himself into and distinguishes himself from the Latin literary tradition through the use of two catalogues of birds, the first at 2.4.16-23 and the second at 2.4.26-28. Statius plays these catalogues off several stories in Ovid's Metamorphoses that also feature birds in order to comment on his own work, to locate it within the Latin tradition (particularly the poetry of Ovid), and to com? ment on the changing role of the poet under the emperors. Statius uses the form of, or at least certain elements of, the consolatio or epicedion1 for many of the Silvae (1.4,2.1,2.4,2.5,2.6,2.7,3.3, 5.1,5.3, 5.5), but these poems are concentrated in the second book whose overarching theme is death.2 Two of the poems in book 2 are explicitly marked by Statius as consolationes: Silvae 2.1 (on the death of Melior's slave boy Glaucias) and 2.6 (on the death of Ursus' slave boy Philetus) are strikingly similar in form and content.3 Although Silvae 2.4 is not specifically called a consolatio or epicedion by Statius in the preface, many scholars classify it as a consolatio because of its similarity to 2.1 and 2.6.4 The poem begins with the poet's address to the parrot and a

Environmental enrichmment for pet parrots

THE majority of parrots purchased as pets are first generation offspring bred in captivity or imported wild-caught specimens and are often bought on impulse. As these birds are non-domesticated animals,...

Biting and Screaming Behavior in Parrots

Biting and excessive screaming in companion parrots are common problems, but they are also correctable. Through clear and unaggressive training and the consistent use of commands, controls, and limits on their behaviour, parrots can learn how to successfully share the human habitat.