1 00:00:00,160 --> 00:00:02,320 Green cheek con are my favorite species 2 00:00:02,320 --> 00:00:04,560 of parrots. They are incredible little 3 00:00:04,560 --> 00:00:07,359 birds and we are very lucky to share our 4 00:00:07,359 --> 00:00:10,160 lives with four rescue rehomed green 5 00:00:10,160 --> 00:00:12,320 cheeks. This is pickles and scampy and 6 00:00:12,320 --> 00:00:13,599 then we have the rest of the flock 7 00:00:13,599 --> 00:00:15,440 including my other two green cheeks who 8 00:00:15,440 --> 00:00:16,880 are just hanging out in the other room 9 00:00:16,880 --> 00:00:18,480 right now. But today I'm going to tell 10 00:00:18,480 --> 00:00:20,240 you all about what it's like to look 11 00:00:20,240 --> 00:00:22,080 after green cheek cones. But if you have 12 00:00:22,080 --> 00:00:23,519 any questions after this video because 13 00:00:23,519 --> 00:00:24,720 I'm trying to pack in as much 14 00:00:24,720 --> 00:00:26,720 information as possible, please do leave 15 00:00:26,720 --> 00:00:28,080 them down below in the comments because 16 00:00:28,080 --> 00:00:30,240 I'd love to chat to you. Let's talk all 17 00:00:30,240 --> 00:00:32,559 things today about green cheek conates. 18 00:00:32,559 --> 00:00:34,320 The typical lifespan for a green cheek 19 00:00:34,320 --> 00:00:36,640 cone is 20 to 30 years. There can be 20 00:00:36,640 --> 00:00:38,320 some fluctuations there, but it is a 21 00:00:38,320 --> 00:00:40,399 long-term commitment. Now, they have 22 00:00:40,399 --> 00:00:42,879 some really interesting behaviors and 23 00:00:42,879 --> 00:00:45,360 quirks that are somewhat unique to green 24 00:00:45,360 --> 00:00:47,840 cheek cones. They are very cheeky and 25 00:00:47,840 --> 00:00:49,680 inquisitive and this is of course a 26 00:00:49,680 --> 00:00:51,520 generality because every bird is an 27 00:00:51,520 --> 00:00:53,199 individual. So, if you are seeing birds 28 00:00:53,199 --> 00:00:54,960 on social media, not every bird is going 29 00:00:54,960 --> 00:00:56,719 to act like them. They're all totally 30 00:00:56,719 --> 00:00:58,640 unique with their own wants and needs 31 00:00:58,640 --> 00:01:01,039 and likes and desires and personality 32 00:01:01,039 --> 00:01:03,760 traits as well. But generally speaking, 33 00:01:03,760 --> 00:01:05,920 I haven't met a green cheek who isn't 34 00:01:05,920 --> 00:01:07,840 very cheeky. They love to get up to all 35 00:01:07,840 --> 00:01:09,119 sorts of mischief and want to know 36 00:01:09,119 --> 00:01:12,560 exactly what you are up to as well. They 37 00:01:12,560 --> 00:01:14,799 also have a bit of a reputation for 38 00:01:14,799 --> 00:01:16,400 being nibbly and that's because parrots 39 00:01:16,400 --> 00:01:19,200 do explore the world with their beaks. 40 00:01:19,200 --> 00:01:22,080 They are very beaky and sometimes that 41 00:01:22,080 --> 00:01:23,840 can then escalate into biting. If 42 00:01:23,840 --> 00:01:25,600 they're trying to communicate with you 43 00:01:25,600 --> 00:01:27,200 and maybe you don't know how to listen 44 00:01:27,200 --> 00:01:28,880 to them, that can sometimes lead to 45 00:01:28,880 --> 00:01:31,040 biting. But know that parrots in general 46 00:01:31,040 --> 00:01:32,880 do tend to investigate the world with 47 00:01:32,880 --> 00:01:34,960 their beaks. You may also read online 48 00:01:34,960 --> 00:01:36,560 that green cheeks are one of the quieter 49 00:01:36,560 --> 00:01:37,920 species of parrot. And whilst that's 50 00:01:37,920 --> 00:01:39,360 true, that doesn't mean that they are 51 00:01:39,360 --> 00:01:41,439 quiet. They can be very loud when they 52 00:01:41,439 --> 00:01:43,600 want to be, if they are alarm calling, 53 00:01:43,600 --> 00:01:45,040 if they're flock calling for you, if 54 00:01:45,040 --> 00:01:46,560 they're just generally making a bit of a 55 00:01:46,560 --> 00:01:48,720 racket like they like to. So, if you are 56 00:01:48,720 --> 00:01:50,799 looking for a quiet species of parrot, 57 00:01:50,799 --> 00:01:52,560 maybe parrots aren't the right type of 58 00:01:52,560 --> 00:01:54,079 animal to share your life with because 59 00:01:54,079 --> 00:01:56,159 they can absolutely be very loud. And 60 00:01:56,159 --> 00:01:57,840 another thing that's not just specific 61 00:01:57,840 --> 00:02:00,240 to green she conas is they're very messy 62 00:02:00,240 --> 00:02:02,159 as well. They love to throw their food 63 00:02:02,159 --> 00:02:04,640 everywhere. They poop roughly every 15 64 00:02:04,640 --> 00:02:07,360 minutes or so, so lots of poops. They 65 00:02:07,360 --> 00:02:09,200 malt, so their feathers will be 66 00:02:09,200 --> 00:02:11,200 replenished once or twice a year. So, 67 00:02:11,200 --> 00:02:12,800 you'll have feathers everywhere. They'll 68 00:02:12,800 --> 00:02:14,480 be chewing their toys. There'll be toy 69 00:02:14,480 --> 00:02:15,760 pots everywhere. So again, if you're 70 00:02:15,760 --> 00:02:17,680 looking for the clean life, then green 71 00:02:17,680 --> 00:02:19,360 cheeks are definitely not an animal to 72 00:02:19,360 --> 00:02:20,640 share your life with because there is 73 00:02:20,640 --> 00:02:22,800 mess every day. The cleaning never ever 74 00:02:22,800 --> 00:02:24,959 stops. If you are going to be sharing 75 00:02:24,959 --> 00:02:26,800 your life with a green cheek, cone, then 76 00:02:26,800 --> 00:02:28,959 expect to have no expendable cash 77 00:02:28,959 --> 00:02:30,640 because they are a very expensive type 78 00:02:30,640 --> 00:02:32,879 of animal to live with. Not only are you 79 00:02:32,879 --> 00:02:34,800 replenishing their toys regularly, 80 00:02:34,800 --> 00:02:36,959 buying them really high quality food for 81 00:02:36,959 --> 00:02:38,640 them, you need to get them lots of 82 00:02:38,640 --> 00:02:39,840 different supplies throughout their 83 00:02:39,840 --> 00:02:42,239 lifetime. And also, aven vet bills are 84 00:02:42,239 --> 00:02:44,000 more expensive than dog and cat vet 85 00:02:44,000 --> 00:02:45,360 bills because they have to go through 86 00:02:45,360 --> 00:02:47,040 extra training and it's a specialist 87 00:02:47,040 --> 00:02:48,800 service. So, anytime your bird needs to 88 00:02:48,800 --> 00:02:50,160 go to the vet, it's going to cost a lot 89 00:02:50,160 --> 00:02:52,160 of money. So, there are lots of things 90 00:02:52,160 --> 00:02:54,080 to consider when it comes to having a 91 00:02:54,080 --> 00:02:56,319 parrot in your life and the mess, the 92 00:02:56,319 --> 00:02:58,959 noise, the money, and all those sorts of 93 00:02:58,959 --> 00:03:00,480 things are definitely some of the 94 00:03:00,480 --> 00:03:02,319 downsides to them. But, there are a lot 95 00:03:02,319 --> 00:03:03,760 of awesome things. Like I mentioned, 96 00:03:03,760 --> 00:03:05,680 they're curious. Many of them, not all 97 00:03:05,680 --> 00:03:07,120 of them, but many of them may be a bit 98 00:03:07,120 --> 00:03:09,200 more cuddly than some of the others. She 99 00:03:09,200 --> 00:03:10,480 likes to kind of cuddle up here. You're 100 00:03:10,480 --> 00:03:13,680 so silly. Um, they're very inquisitive 101 00:03:13,680 --> 00:03:15,599 and they're just a real delight. I just 102 00:03:15,599 --> 00:03:17,599 really love them. So, they can be 103 00:03:17,599 --> 00:03:19,200 incredible animals and there are an 104 00:03:19,200 --> 00:03:21,680 awful lot of them in rescue and rehome 105 00:03:21,680 --> 00:03:23,120 centers. So, if you're watching this and 106 00:03:23,120 --> 00:03:24,400 you haven't got a green cheek yet and 107 00:03:24,400 --> 00:03:26,080 you're thinking about it, please do 108 00:03:26,080 --> 00:03:28,480 check out your rescue centers wherever 109 00:03:28,480 --> 00:03:30,159 you are in the world or you can reach 110 00:03:30,159 --> 00:03:31,680 out to me and I'll see if I can help you 111 00:03:31,680 --> 00:03:34,000 because there are just so many waiting 112 00:03:34,000 --> 00:03:36,400 for their forever homes. When you bring 113 00:03:36,400 --> 00:03:38,080 a Grinch into your life, it's awesome 114 00:03:38,080 --> 00:03:40,000 and you get so excited because they are 115 00:03:40,000 --> 00:03:42,159 so incredible. However, they don't know 116 00:03:42,159 --> 00:03:43,680 who you are yet. They don't know how 117 00:03:43,680 --> 00:03:46,000 awesome you are yet. And they may be a 118 00:03:46,000 --> 00:03:47,360 little bit scared because they are a 119 00:03:47,360 --> 00:03:49,200 small little prey species coming into a 120 00:03:49,200 --> 00:03:51,519 brand new environment with new humans, 121 00:03:51,519 --> 00:03:53,519 new experiences, new cage, different 122 00:03:53,519 --> 00:03:55,120 sights and sounds and all those sorts of 123 00:03:55,120 --> 00:03:56,799 things. So, it can take a little bit of 124 00:03:56,799 --> 00:03:58,560 time to build up a friendship with them. 125 00:03:58,560 --> 00:04:00,159 So, don't be disheartened if it takes a 126 00:04:00,159 --> 00:04:01,599 little while. And if you do need help 127 00:04:01,599 --> 00:04:03,280 bonding with your bird, you can reach 128 00:04:03,280 --> 00:04:05,760 out to David and I at Best Behave Birds, 129 00:04:05,760 --> 00:04:07,680 where we offer unique and personalized 130 00:04:07,680 --> 00:04:09,840 parrot training consultations so we can 131 00:04:09,840 --> 00:04:11,760 set you and your bird up for success. 132 00:04:11,760 --> 00:04:12,879 Now, we're going to talk about one of 133 00:04:12,879 --> 00:04:14,480 the topics I'm really passionate about, 134 00:04:14,480 --> 00:04:16,560 which is what should you feed your green 135 00:04:16,560 --> 00:04:19,280 cheek cone. We here at Bird Nerd HQ 136 00:04:19,280 --> 00:04:20,959 promote a raw whole food diet. That 137 00:04:20,959 --> 00:04:23,360 means they're eating real natural foods 138 00:04:23,360 --> 00:04:25,919 and that keeps them nice and healthy. I 139 00:04:25,919 --> 00:04:27,840 do have a video on what my co eats in a 140 00:04:27,840 --> 00:04:28,880 day if you'd like to watch that. 141 00:04:28,880 --> 00:04:30,080 There'll be loads of different video 142 00:04:30,080 --> 00:04:31,759 links and resources down in the 143 00:04:31,759 --> 00:04:33,199 description for you to watch after this 144 00:04:33,199 --> 00:04:34,639 video, but it kind of shows you the 145 00:04:34,639 --> 00:04:36,080 sorts of things that we feed our birds 146 00:04:36,080 --> 00:04:37,360 here. So, in the morning, we'll start 147 00:04:37,360 --> 00:04:39,520 with a big varied chop mix and that will 148 00:04:39,520 --> 00:04:41,440 have a variety of different vegetables 149 00:04:41,440 --> 00:04:43,120 in there of different colors, especially 150 00:04:43,120 --> 00:04:44,960 dark leafy greens and red and orange 151 00:04:44,960 --> 00:04:46,960 vegetables, which are packed full of 152 00:04:46,960 --> 00:04:49,600 nutrition. Then, we'll also pair that 153 00:04:49,600 --> 00:04:51,440 with soaked and sprouted seeds, grains, 154 00:04:51,440 --> 00:04:53,520 and legumes, which are low fat but also 155 00:04:53,520 --> 00:04:55,360 high in protein, which is essential for 156 00:04:55,360 --> 00:04:57,280 feather health as well. We'll also feed 157 00:04:57,280 --> 00:04:58,960 our birds different things like fresh 158 00:04:58,960 --> 00:05:01,440 herbs, fresh flowers from time to time 159 00:05:01,440 --> 00:05:04,400 as well. And we'll have aven tea blends. 160 00:05:04,400 --> 00:05:07,199 We even here at Best Behave Birds have 161 00:05:07,199 --> 00:05:10,560 our own range of parrot foods because in 162 00:05:10,560 --> 00:05:13,039 the evening we feed what we call dry mix 163 00:05:13,039 --> 00:05:14,960 which is a variety of different dried 164 00:05:14,960 --> 00:05:16,960 foods to keep our parrots healthy. And 165 00:05:16,960 --> 00:05:18,960 just like that, I have one of our mixes 166 00:05:18,960 --> 00:05:20,560 here. This is our cogna and small parrot 167 00:05:20,560 --> 00:05:22,400 mix. This can be paired with anything in 168 00:05:22,400 --> 00:05:23,919 our range. We have a variety of 169 00:05:23,919 --> 00:05:25,600 different blends. We have cocktail 170 00:05:25,600 --> 00:05:27,440 blends. We have seed mixes. We have 171 00:05:27,440 --> 00:05:29,199 vegetable garden mixes with vegetables 172 00:05:29,199 --> 00:05:31,199 and flour in. We have freeze-dried 173 00:05:31,199 --> 00:05:32,720 vegetables. We have all different kinds 174 00:05:32,720 --> 00:05:34,880 of things that can suit your bird. We 175 00:05:34,880 --> 00:05:37,199 also stock things like aven teas, whole 176 00:05:37,199 --> 00:05:39,199 food supplements as well. So, do check 177 00:05:39,199 --> 00:05:41,039 out our store. Again, links will be down 178 00:05:41,039 --> 00:05:43,759 below. If you need some inspiration for 179 00:05:43,759 --> 00:05:45,680 your chop mix as well, things to pair 180 00:05:45,680 --> 00:05:48,240 together. We also have a variety of chop 181 00:05:48,240 --> 00:05:51,120 recipes on our website. Again, so many 182 00:05:51,120 --> 00:05:52,320 links down in the description because I 183 00:05:52,320 --> 00:05:53,759 want to keep this video concise, but 184 00:05:53,759 --> 00:05:54,960 there's just I could just talk about 185 00:05:54,960 --> 00:05:56,720 green cheeks for hours and hours on end, 186 00:05:56,720 --> 00:05:58,479 couldn't I, pickles? Now, whilst there 187 00:05:58,479 --> 00:06:00,720 are loads of safe foods for parrots, 188 00:06:00,720 --> 00:06:02,240 there are also some that are incredibly 189 00:06:02,240 --> 00:06:05,199 toxic. For example, avocado is 190 00:06:05,199 --> 00:06:08,319 incredibly toxic for parrots. Please 191 00:06:08,319 --> 00:06:10,800 never ever feed avocado to any parrot. 192 00:06:10,800 --> 00:06:13,600 It is extremely toxic extremely quickly. 193 00:06:13,600 --> 00:06:15,120 It is very, very dangerous. I can't 194 00:06:15,120 --> 00:06:17,199 stress that enough. But there are lots 195 00:06:17,199 --> 00:06:18,639 of things you can feed your bird. And 196 00:06:18,639 --> 00:06:20,720 again, down below will have the safe and 197 00:06:20,720 --> 00:06:22,880 toxic list that we refer to a lot. So if 198 00:06:22,880 --> 00:06:25,120 you're ever unsure maybe is mint safe 199 00:06:25,120 --> 00:06:26,479 for parrots, you can type it in the 200 00:06:26,479 --> 00:06:28,240 little search engine and it will tell 201 00:06:28,240 --> 00:06:30,160 you yes, it is safe for parrots and they 202 00:06:30,160 --> 00:06:32,319 can enjoy some tasty mint. So where 203 00:06:32,319 --> 00:06:34,319 should your green sheet cone have their 204 00:06:34,319 --> 00:06:36,800 bedroom or cage as we most commonly call 205 00:06:36,800 --> 00:06:40,319 them. This should be a flight cage. We 206 00:06:40,319 --> 00:06:41,600 don't want to be looking for the 207 00:06:41,600 --> 00:06:43,520 smallest possible. We want to be looking 208 00:06:43,520 --> 00:06:45,120 for the biggest possible cage and 209 00:06:45,120 --> 00:06:47,199 usually flight cages are some of the 210 00:06:47,199 --> 00:06:48,960 best to look for for your bird. 211 00:06:48,960 --> 00:06:50,800 Obviously an avery would be incredible 212 00:06:50,800 --> 00:06:52,639 for them and so would a dedicated bird 213 00:06:52,639 --> 00:06:54,400 room. But for those of us who are aren't 214 00:06:54,400 --> 00:06:56,720 able to do that, having a flight cage is 215 00:06:56,720 --> 00:06:58,080 really important for your green sheet 216 00:06:58,080 --> 00:07:00,080 con. So there's plenty of space for them 217 00:07:00,080 --> 00:07:03,360 to explore and be enriched as well and 218 00:07:03,360 --> 00:07:05,599 lots and lots of things to do in their 219 00:07:05,599 --> 00:07:08,080 space. The bar spacing is also important 220 00:07:08,080 --> 00:07:10,160 to consider. It should be no more than 221 00:07:10,160 --> 00:07:12,639 about 5/8 of an inch, which is roughly 222 00:07:12,639 --> 00:07:16,080 1.5 1.6 cm anymore, and they run the 223 00:07:16,080 --> 00:07:17,440 risk of getting their head stuck in the 224 00:07:17,440 --> 00:07:19,039 bars, which is obviously a safety 225 00:07:19,039 --> 00:07:20,800 concern. But it can be smaller than that 226 00:07:20,800 --> 00:07:23,120 if you happen to find a nice big cage 227 00:07:23,120 --> 00:07:25,280 for your bird to enjoy. And what do you 228 00:07:25,280 --> 00:07:27,039 put in this cage, I hear you ask? Well, 229 00:07:27,039 --> 00:07:28,479 we want to start with some stainless 230 00:07:28,479 --> 00:07:30,160 steel bowls, which are easy to keep 231 00:07:30,160 --> 00:07:31,919 clean and good for your bird, for their 232 00:07:31,919 --> 00:07:34,160 food and their water. We also want to be 233 00:07:34,160 --> 00:07:35,919 looking for lots of easily shreddable 234 00:07:35,919 --> 00:07:37,759 toys. This will be things made out of 235 00:07:37,759 --> 00:07:40,880 palm leaf, bulsa wood, yucka, solar 236 00:07:40,880 --> 00:07:43,919 wood, cardboard and paper, mahogany 237 00:07:43,919 --> 00:07:46,240 pods, lots of soft woods because many 238 00:07:46,240 --> 00:07:48,000 parrot toys are really hard woods and 239 00:07:48,000 --> 00:07:50,240 whilst some cones will enjoy those, most 240 00:07:50,240 --> 00:07:51,840 of the time they need to kind of build 241 00:07:51,840 --> 00:07:54,000 up to that skill level and many cos will 242 00:07:54,000 --> 00:07:56,639 enjoy much more softer woods that are 243 00:07:56,639 --> 00:07:58,639 easy to shred. Also, parrots spend most 244 00:07:58,639 --> 00:08:00,080 of their time on their feet. So, we want 245 00:08:00,080 --> 00:08:01,360 to make sure that we are providing some 246 00:08:01,360 --> 00:08:03,440 really comfy perches for them to sit on. 247 00:08:03,440 --> 00:08:05,280 Many cages will come with a really 248 00:08:05,280 --> 00:08:07,360 smooth dowel. You can keep that in there 249 00:08:07,360 --> 00:08:09,039 as one perch that they don't really use 250 00:08:09,039 --> 00:08:10,800 too often. So, we want to be looking for 251 00:08:10,800 --> 00:08:12,160 other perches which are going to keep 252 00:08:12,160 --> 00:08:14,400 their feet nice and healthy. That'll be 253 00:08:14,400 --> 00:08:16,080 perches with the bark on. You can get 254 00:08:16,080 --> 00:08:17,759 some really cool cork perches, which are 255 00:08:17,759 --> 00:08:19,599 my guys' favorites. Other natural 256 00:08:19,599 --> 00:08:21,599 perches with different thicknesses and 257 00:08:21,599 --> 00:08:23,919 diameters and textures so they can 258 00:08:23,919 --> 00:08:25,360 exercise their feet. Because when you 259 00:08:25,360 --> 00:08:26,960 use the Dow perches that come with many 260 00:08:26,960 --> 00:08:28,800 cages, their feet are stuck in the same 261 00:08:28,800 --> 00:08:30,639 position all day long. It's really 262 00:08:30,639 --> 00:08:32,560 smooth and they end up getting sores on 263 00:08:32,560 --> 00:08:34,159 the bottom of their feet. Whereas when 264 00:08:34,159 --> 00:08:35,839 they have lots of ways to exercise their 265 00:08:35,839 --> 00:08:38,080 feet, it keeps them a lot healthier. 266 00:08:38,080 --> 00:08:40,640 Conjurs also really enjoy platform 267 00:08:40,640 --> 00:08:42,800 shelves or platform perches. These are 268 00:08:42,800 --> 00:08:44,640 great places for them to hang out. 269 00:08:44,640 --> 00:08:46,399 They're great places for them to enjoy 270 00:08:46,399 --> 00:08:48,640 little foraging experiences, too. And 271 00:08:48,640 --> 00:08:50,160 just break up the different amount of 272 00:08:50,160 --> 00:08:51,839 perches that you have in the cage. So, 273 00:08:51,839 --> 00:08:53,920 if you can find a platform uh to pop in 274 00:08:53,920 --> 00:08:55,279 your bird's cage, I think they'll really 275 00:08:55,279 --> 00:08:57,760 love it. Here's a controversial one that 276 00:08:57,760 --> 00:08:59,440 you may not be expecting me to say in 277 00:08:59,440 --> 00:09:01,600 the cage setup, and that is if you see 278 00:09:01,600 --> 00:09:04,880 these kind of cozy huts, these snuggle 279 00:09:04,880 --> 00:09:06,959 huts, whatever they may be called, 280 00:09:06,959 --> 00:09:08,399 hammocks, anything that's made out of 281 00:09:08,399 --> 00:09:10,320 fabric, please don't buy one of those 282 00:09:10,320 --> 00:09:12,480 for your bird because they are dangerous 283 00:09:12,480 --> 00:09:14,640 for them for a variety of reasons. 284 00:09:14,640 --> 00:09:16,560 Although they look cute and cozy and 285 00:09:16,560 --> 00:09:18,160 cuddly and we think of our cones as 286 00:09:18,160 --> 00:09:19,440 being cozy and cuddly and we think 287 00:09:19,440 --> 00:09:21,680 they'll love that, they may enjoy it for 288 00:09:21,680 --> 00:09:24,320 a while, but it ends up being like a 289 00:09:24,320 --> 00:09:27,279 dark enclosed nestlike space. And if you 290 00:09:27,279 --> 00:09:29,040 provide a nest to your bird, they are 291 00:09:29,040 --> 00:09:31,040 going to go into what we call breeding 292 00:09:31,040 --> 00:09:33,279 mode or showing hormonal behavior. And 293 00:09:33,279 --> 00:09:34,959 we don't want that in our homes. We want 294 00:09:34,959 --> 00:09:37,760 our birds to be in a kind of nice, chill 295 00:09:37,760 --> 00:09:39,760 as possible, relaxed state of mind. We 296 00:09:39,760 --> 00:09:41,440 do not want to encourage any kind of 297 00:09:41,440 --> 00:09:43,600 breeding with our parrots. The other 298 00:09:43,600 --> 00:09:45,920 risk when it comes to these cozy huts is 299 00:09:45,920 --> 00:09:47,680 they're made out of fabrics. And if your 300 00:09:47,680 --> 00:09:49,519 bird is chewing all these fabrics, 301 00:09:49,519 --> 00:09:51,040 that's going to go into their crop and 302 00:09:51,040 --> 00:09:52,320 they're not going to be able to digest 303 00:09:52,320 --> 00:09:54,080 it. So all of this fabric is going to 304 00:09:54,080 --> 00:09:55,920 get built up in their crop and create 305 00:09:55,920 --> 00:09:58,000 quite a problem. There is no need for 306 00:09:58,000 --> 00:09:59,600 your parrot to have one of these cozy 307 00:09:59,600 --> 00:10:01,360 hearts in the wild. And I've been very 308 00:10:01,360 --> 00:10:03,680 lucky to go to the wild to see parrots 309 00:10:03,680 --> 00:10:05,680 sleeping on night tours. They are just 310 00:10:05,680 --> 00:10:08,240 sat on a branch. They do not need any of 311 00:10:08,240 --> 00:10:09,360 these fuzzy things that are more 312 00:10:09,360 --> 00:10:11,360 marketed towards humans than they are 313 00:10:11,360 --> 00:10:13,839 for the actual use for a parrot. When 314 00:10:13,839 --> 00:10:15,920 you have your green cheek home with you, 315 00:10:15,920 --> 00:10:17,519 you're going to want to do lots of 316 00:10:17,519 --> 00:10:19,920 enrichment for them. Enrichment is a way 317 00:10:19,920 --> 00:10:21,519 of mentally and or physically 318 00:10:21,519 --> 00:10:23,040 stimulating them. So, that can be like 319 00:10:23,040 --> 00:10:24,480 the shredding toys that we've already 320 00:10:24,480 --> 00:10:26,320 mentioned, but another thing that's 321 00:10:26,320 --> 00:10:28,720 really important is foraging. In the 322 00:10:28,720 --> 00:10:30,720 wild, green cheek cones, as well as all 323 00:10:30,720 --> 00:10:32,399 other parrot species, would spend around 324 00:10:32,399 --> 00:10:35,440 50 to 70% of their day foraging. And 325 00:10:35,440 --> 00:10:37,920 foraging means they're looking for food. 326 00:10:37,920 --> 00:10:39,600 So, we can try and replicate that in our 327 00:10:39,600 --> 00:10:41,200 homes by providing a variety of 328 00:10:41,200 --> 00:10:43,200 different foraging experiences. We can 329 00:10:43,200 --> 00:10:46,000 make foraging trays with crinkle paper 330 00:10:46,000 --> 00:10:48,240 and toy pots and dried flowers and 331 00:10:48,240 --> 00:10:50,480 things for them to enjoy. We can also 332 00:10:50,480 --> 00:10:52,959 make mini foragers like little foot toys 333 00:10:52,959 --> 00:10:55,360 like little paper straws that they can 334 00:10:55,360 --> 00:10:58,000 extract some yummy seeds from. They can 335 00:10:58,000 --> 00:11:00,240 also play with lots of other little 336 00:11:00,240 --> 00:11:02,160 foraging experiences and puzzle feeders 337 00:11:02,160 --> 00:11:04,079 as well. Now, your bird may not know how 338 00:11:04,079 --> 00:11:05,839 to use them immediately. So, I do have a 339 00:11:05,839 --> 00:11:07,519 video on how to teach your bird to 340 00:11:07,519 --> 00:11:09,200 forage, so you can build up those skills 341 00:11:09,200 --> 00:11:10,959 slowly, and then they can have a great 342 00:11:10,959 --> 00:11:13,839 time looking for all those tasty snacks. 343 00:11:13,839 --> 00:11:15,440 Training your parrot is one of the most 344 00:11:15,440 --> 00:11:16,959 rewarding things that you can do with 345 00:11:16,959 --> 00:11:18,800 them as well. And I highly recommend 346 00:11:18,800 --> 00:11:20,240 engaging in a variety of different 347 00:11:20,240 --> 00:11:23,279 training exercises with your parrot. If 348 00:11:23,279 --> 00:11:24,640 you didn't know already, I'm actually a 349 00:11:24,640 --> 00:11:26,399 certified professional bird trainer, and 350 00:11:26,399 --> 00:11:28,160 it's another topic that I'm really 351 00:11:28,160 --> 00:11:30,000 passionate about. Now, there are a lot 352 00:11:30,000 --> 00:11:31,279 of key skills that you need to teach 353 00:11:31,279 --> 00:11:33,760 your parrot when they come to you. That 354 00:11:33,760 --> 00:11:35,600 is things like stepping up onto your 355 00:11:35,600 --> 00:11:37,360 hand voluntarily. We don't want to be 356 00:11:37,360 --> 00:11:38,880 pushing our hands into them so they have 357 00:11:38,880 --> 00:11:40,560 no choice but to step up to avoid the 358 00:11:40,560 --> 00:11:42,880 pressure. We want to be asking them, 359 00:11:42,880 --> 00:11:45,279 will you participate in this? And allow 360 00:11:45,279 --> 00:11:47,360 them to say yes. We also want to teach 361 00:11:47,360 --> 00:11:49,120 them to target train, which is really 362 00:11:49,120 --> 00:11:51,279 easy, really simple, but incredibly 363 00:11:51,279 --> 00:11:54,320 useful in terms of communicating with 364 00:11:54,320 --> 00:11:56,160 your parrot. It's a way of communicating 365 00:11:56,160 --> 00:11:58,079 in the same language. They know they 366 00:11:58,079 --> 00:11:59,440 need to touch the stick really gently 367 00:11:59,440 --> 00:12:00,800 with their beak and you know exactly 368 00:12:00,800 --> 00:12:02,560 that's what you're after from them. And 369 00:12:02,560 --> 00:12:04,320 then they can have a tasty training 370 00:12:04,320 --> 00:12:06,320 reward afterwards as well. There's lots 371 00:12:06,320 --> 00:12:08,000 of stretchy wingies going on here, isn't 372 00:12:08,000 --> 00:12:11,120 there? My goodness. We promote positive 373 00:12:11,120 --> 00:12:12,560 reinforcement training here, which is 374 00:12:12,560 --> 00:12:14,959 where we give our birds treats for doing 375 00:12:14,959 --> 00:12:17,040 the right thing. We don't use force to 376 00:12:17,040 --> 00:12:19,360 work with our birds. We allow them to 377 00:12:19,360 --> 00:12:21,920 say no as well. And that leads into the 378 00:12:21,920 --> 00:12:23,519 next point I wanted to make which is 379 00:12:23,519 --> 00:12:25,360 starting to understand cogna body 380 00:12:25,360 --> 00:12:27,839 language and sounds and what they 381 00:12:27,839 --> 00:12:30,480 actually mean. Now we are not born 382 00:12:30,480 --> 00:12:32,079 speaking cogna and these guys don't know 383 00:12:32,079 --> 00:12:33,839 how to speak human. We have to find a 384 00:12:33,839 --> 00:12:35,120 way of understanding what they're trying 385 00:12:35,120 --> 00:12:37,040 to communicate with us. I mentioned 386 00:12:37,040 --> 00:12:38,639 already that biting is actually a form 387 00:12:38,639 --> 00:12:39,839 of communication where they've been 388 00:12:39,839 --> 00:12:41,519 pushed so far that they don't know how 389 00:12:41,519 --> 00:12:43,519 else to express themselves. Sometimes 390 00:12:43,519 --> 00:12:45,680 they'll do it out of fear or stress as 391 00:12:45,680 --> 00:12:47,440 well because they've reached the last 392 00:12:47,440 --> 00:12:49,279 resort. But there will often be many 393 00:12:49,279 --> 00:12:50,959 behaviors that lead up to a bite. Like 394 00:12:50,959 --> 00:12:52,560 with any animal, they don't just go in 395 00:12:52,560 --> 00:12:54,079 and bite because it takes a lot of 396 00:12:54,079 --> 00:12:56,480 energy to do so. They may change their 397 00:12:56,480 --> 00:12:58,399 feather position on their body. Their 398 00:12:58,399 --> 00:13:00,480 eyes may pin. They may even back away or 399 00:13:00,480 --> 00:13:02,240 lean away from you to kind of be like, I 400 00:13:02,240 --> 00:13:03,839 don't like this. And if we don't know 401 00:13:03,839 --> 00:13:05,839 how to read their body language, mean we 402 00:13:05,839 --> 00:13:08,560 might miss all these subtle cues. So, 403 00:13:08,560 --> 00:13:10,240 it's time to start understanding what 404 00:13:10,240 --> 00:13:12,399 con body language and their sounds as 405 00:13:12,399 --> 00:13:14,320 well actually mean. Now, my partner 406 00:13:14,320 --> 00:13:16,399 David, the parrot teacher, has a variety 407 00:13:16,399 --> 00:13:17,920 of really awesome videos about what 408 00:13:17,920 --> 00:13:19,760 these cone sounds and behaviors actually 409 00:13:19,760 --> 00:13:21,920 mean because you may see videos online 410 00:13:21,920 --> 00:13:24,240 of well-intended people who maybe 411 00:13:24,240 --> 00:13:26,079 misinterpret some of these behaviors and 412 00:13:26,079 --> 00:13:28,639 sounds. So, we have got these videos on 413 00:13:28,639 --> 00:13:30,399 David's channel that you can check out 414 00:13:30,399 --> 00:13:32,399 to start to understand what your bird is 415 00:13:32,399 --> 00:13:34,480 trying to communicate with you. If you 416 00:13:34,480 --> 00:13:36,320 haven't got your bird yet or you're 417 00:13:36,320 --> 00:13:37,839 thinking about how to meet their social 418 00:13:37,839 --> 00:13:40,079 needs, we are very pro- multi-bird 419 00:13:40,079 --> 00:13:42,000 household. We have a large flock here 420 00:13:42,000 --> 00:13:43,600 and that's because we can do our very 421 00:13:43,600 --> 00:13:45,200 best and love our birds and give them 422 00:13:45,200 --> 00:13:46,800 all different kinds of things but 423 00:13:46,800 --> 00:13:49,040 ultimately we're not conjurs and in the 424 00:13:49,040 --> 00:13:51,279 wild they would live in very large 425 00:13:51,279 --> 00:13:52,800 flocks. So if you do have the 426 00:13:52,800 --> 00:13:56,079 opportunity to rescue a second or more 427 00:13:56,079 --> 00:13:58,240 into the flock then there's a good 428 00:13:58,240 --> 00:14:00,000 chance that you will be meeting more of 429 00:14:00,000 --> 00:14:01,920 your bird's social needs. Now birds 430 00:14:01,920 --> 00:14:03,519 don't love each other immediately just 431 00:14:03,519 --> 00:14:05,279 because they're the same species. It 432 00:14:05,279 --> 00:14:07,839 took Pickles and Scampy here 8 months to 433 00:14:07,839 --> 00:14:09,519 love each other but we did get there in 434 00:14:09,519 --> 00:14:11,440 the end. So, you do have to do a lot of 435 00:14:11,440 --> 00:14:13,519 formal bonding work, but it is very 436 00:14:13,519 --> 00:14:15,120 rewarding when we actually give our 437 00:14:15,120 --> 00:14:16,959 birds a companion of their own because 438 00:14:16,959 --> 00:14:18,399 when they're on their own, sometimes 439 00:14:18,399 --> 00:14:19,839 they can be a little bit stressed, 440 00:14:19,839 --> 00:14:21,920 especially if we need to go to work, 441 00:14:21,920 --> 00:14:24,240 school, university, or whatever else it 442 00:14:24,240 --> 00:14:25,600 may be that we need to do during our 443 00:14:25,600 --> 00:14:28,160 day. These are social creatures who 444 00:14:28,160 --> 00:14:30,560 thrive on having companions around them 445 00:14:30,560 --> 00:14:33,600 to give them safety and also lots of 446 00:14:33,600 --> 00:14:35,839 scratches. Now, because these guys are 447 00:14:35,839 --> 00:14:37,600 prey species, they're very good at 448 00:14:37,600 --> 00:14:39,680 hiding signs of illness. they will hide 449 00:14:39,680 --> 00:14:41,440 it right up until the point where they 450 00:14:41,440 --> 00:14:43,120 can't hide it anymore because it's quite 451 00:14:43,120 --> 00:14:45,199 serious. Make sure that you find your 452 00:14:45,199 --> 00:14:46,959 bird an aven vet before you need them. 453 00:14:46,959 --> 00:14:48,720 And if you do need any help finding an 454 00:14:48,720 --> 00:14:50,959 aven vet in your area, please do send me 455 00:14:50,959 --> 00:14:52,399 an email cuz I'd love to help you 456 00:14:52,399 --> 00:14:54,000 because it is essential that your bird 457 00:14:54,000 --> 00:14:56,079 sees an aven vet if they're not feeling 458 00:14:56,079 --> 00:14:58,079 their best. Providing your bird with a 459 00:14:58,079 --> 00:14:59,600 healthy diet and a very clean 460 00:14:59,600 --> 00:15:02,240 environment are both essential for 461 00:15:02,240 --> 00:15:04,320 keeping them nice and healthy as well. 462 00:15:04,320 --> 00:15:05,920 But you do need to start to get clued up 463 00:15:05,920 --> 00:15:08,560 on the different signs of a sick bird. 464 00:15:08,560 --> 00:15:10,639 so that you can recognize that at the 465 00:15:10,639 --> 00:15:12,320 very early stages so that you can get 466 00:15:12,320 --> 00:15:14,560 them the help that they need. Some of 467 00:15:14,560 --> 00:15:16,079 these signs, and it's not limited to 468 00:15:16,079 --> 00:15:17,519 this, but some of these signs can be 469 00:15:17,519 --> 00:15:20,079 things like weight loss. It can be gunk 470 00:15:20,079 --> 00:15:22,240 coming from any of the holes in their 471 00:15:22,240 --> 00:15:25,120 body. It can be inactivity. It can be 472 00:15:25,120 --> 00:15:26,800 their tail bobbing when they're 473 00:15:26,800 --> 00:15:29,279 breathing. It can be a sound from when 474 00:15:29,279 --> 00:15:31,279 they're breathing. There are lots and 475 00:15:31,279 --> 00:15:32,959 lots of signs of a sick bird. So, please 476 00:15:32,959 --> 00:15:34,800 do make sure you've got clued up on that 477 00:15:34,800 --> 00:15:36,639 before anything does happen to your bird 478 00:15:36,639 --> 00:15:38,240 so that you're well prepared to help 479 00:15:38,240 --> 00:15:40,560 them. Exercise is also essential for 480 00:15:40,560 --> 00:15:41,920 keeping our parrots healthy. We don't 481 00:15:41,920 --> 00:15:43,760 want perch potatoes. We want nice, 482 00:15:43,760 --> 00:15:45,600 active birds. And that's why I'm 483 00:15:45,600 --> 00:15:48,000 strongly against clipping birds wings. 484 00:15:48,000 --> 00:15:50,000 It is detrimental to their mental and 485 00:15:50,000 --> 00:15:52,320 physical well-being. So, if you are on 486 00:15:52,320 --> 00:15:53,759 the fence about clipping, I highly 487 00:15:53,759 --> 00:15:55,839 recommend not doing it. I will 488 00:15:55,839 --> 00:15:57,279 eventually do a video on clipping, but 489 00:15:57,279 --> 00:15:59,279 it's a controversial topic. But 490 00:15:59,279 --> 00:16:01,040 ultimately, if you don't want an animal 491 00:16:01,040 --> 00:16:03,600 that flies, don't get an animal that 492 00:16:03,600 --> 00:16:05,680 flies. You can also provide your bird 493 00:16:05,680 --> 00:16:07,360 lots of bathing opportunities, which is 494 00:16:07,360 --> 00:16:08,880 good for their skin health, feather 495 00:16:08,880 --> 00:16:10,720 health, their respiratory system, and 496 00:16:10,720 --> 00:16:12,959 it's just good fun as well. There are 497 00:16:12,959 --> 00:16:14,560 variety of ways that you can do that. 498 00:16:14,560 --> 00:16:15,839 Whether that's bathing under your 499 00:16:15,839 --> 00:16:18,240 kitchen tap in the sink, whether that is 500 00:16:18,240 --> 00:16:20,399 being sprayed and misted, whether that's 501 00:16:20,399 --> 00:16:21,839 going in the shower with you, there's 502 00:16:21,839 --> 00:16:22,880 loads of different ways that you can 503 00:16:22,880 --> 00:16:24,560 bathe your bird. It's about finding the 504 00:16:24,560 --> 00:16:26,720 way that they enjoy the most rather than 505 00:16:26,720 --> 00:16:28,720 forcing them. Because again, forcing is 506 00:16:28,720 --> 00:16:30,720 going to create a very stressed bird. So 507 00:16:30,720 --> 00:16:32,720 our guys here, Pickles, likes to bathe 508 00:16:32,720 --> 00:16:34,480 in her own water dish and make a big 509 00:16:34,480 --> 00:16:36,320 mess, whereas Scampy likes to bathe in 510 00:16:36,320 --> 00:16:38,240 this really cute play sink that we have 511 00:16:38,240 --> 00:16:40,560 in the kitchen. So working out what 512 00:16:40,560 --> 00:16:42,720 works for your coe is really important. 513 00:16:42,720 --> 00:16:45,199 And when we have any kind of bird living 514 00:16:45,199 --> 00:16:47,040 in our home, we need to be really 515 00:16:47,040 --> 00:16:48,560 careful of the different dangers that 516 00:16:48,560 --> 00:16:51,040 they can be exposed to in our homes. I 517 00:16:51,040 --> 00:16:52,639 already mentioned that avocado is a big 518 00:16:52,639 --> 00:16:54,880 one. It's incredibly toxic, incredibly 519 00:16:54,880 --> 00:16:56,399 quickly. So, never give your bird 520 00:16:56,399 --> 00:16:59,360 avocado or have them in, you know, any 521 00:16:59,360 --> 00:17:01,440 vicinity to them. The other thing that's 522 00:17:01,440 --> 00:17:03,759 incredibly toxic, incredibly quickly to 523 00:17:03,759 --> 00:17:06,799 birds is non-stick. That's things like 524 00:17:06,799 --> 00:17:10,160 teflon pans, like air fryers, toasty 525 00:17:10,160 --> 00:17:12,480 makers, waffle makers, doughut makers. 526 00:17:12,480 --> 00:17:14,640 The inside of the bags that you popcorn 527 00:17:14,640 --> 00:17:16,799 in in the microwave are also covered in 528 00:17:16,799 --> 00:17:19,039 a non-stick coating, which when heated 529 00:17:19,039 --> 00:17:21,120 is potentially very, very toxic to 530 00:17:21,120 --> 00:17:23,280 birds. There is no need to have any kind 531 00:17:23,280 --> 00:17:25,679 of non-stick cookware in your homes or 532 00:17:25,679 --> 00:17:27,600 anything like that when you have birds 533 00:17:27,600 --> 00:17:29,440 because it doesn't take a lot for there 534 00:17:29,440 --> 00:17:30,799 to be a problem and it's very hard to 535 00:17:30,799 --> 00:17:32,559 bring them back from it. There are many 536 00:17:32,559 --> 00:17:34,320 hidden dangers in our homes. If you have 537 00:17:34,320 --> 00:17:37,200 a self-cleaning function on your oven, 538 00:17:37,200 --> 00:17:39,360 there's an extremely high likelihood 539 00:17:39,360 --> 00:17:41,600 that that is incredibly toxic to your 540 00:17:41,600 --> 00:17:44,080 birds. Uh things like ceiling fans, if 541 00:17:44,080 --> 00:17:45,360 you have those and you have them on when 542 00:17:45,360 --> 00:17:47,679 your bird is out flying, then there's a 543 00:17:47,679 --> 00:17:48,960 good chance they could fly into them and 544 00:17:48,960 --> 00:17:51,360 injure themselves. Open windows as well. 545 00:17:51,360 --> 00:17:52,720 If you're not communicating with people 546 00:17:52,720 --> 00:17:54,320 in your home and you open a window and 547 00:17:54,320 --> 00:17:56,480 your bird is out, then that is obviously 548 00:17:56,480 --> 00:17:58,799 a recipe for disaster. If you have dogs 549 00:17:58,799 --> 00:18:00,880 and cats, their saliva, their bites, 550 00:18:00,880 --> 00:18:03,280 their scratches are all also very 551 00:18:03,280 --> 00:18:04,720 dangerous to parrots. Not only because 552 00:18:04,720 --> 00:18:06,640 of the size difference, but also because 553 00:18:06,640 --> 00:18:08,080 of the bacteria that live in their 554 00:18:08,080 --> 00:18:09,600 mouths as well. It's really, really 555 00:18:09,600 --> 00:18:12,240 dangerous. So, I don't recommend having 556 00:18:12,240 --> 00:18:14,480 your bird interact with any kind of 557 00:18:14,480 --> 00:18:16,160 mammals, to be honest, because it is 558 00:18:16,160 --> 00:18:18,240 really quite a danger. And then you have 559 00:18:18,240 --> 00:18:19,760 the fact that parrots have a very 560 00:18:19,760 --> 00:18:21,520 efficient respiratory system which is 561 00:18:21,520 --> 00:18:23,760 great for flight and fair exercise, but 562 00:18:23,760 --> 00:18:25,440 it's terrible for living in our homes 563 00:18:25,440 --> 00:18:27,039 when we have lots of artificial 564 00:18:27,039 --> 00:18:29,360 chemicals and scents going around. So if 565 00:18:29,360 --> 00:18:31,120 you share your life with a parrot, then 566 00:18:31,120 --> 00:18:32,640 unfortunately you're not able to have 567 00:18:32,640 --> 00:18:35,120 things like candles, wax melts, air 568 00:18:35,120 --> 00:18:37,919 fresheners, diffusers, um strong 569 00:18:37,919 --> 00:18:39,919 perfumes and things like that. Anything 570 00:18:39,919 --> 00:18:42,320 aerosol as well is very dangerous. You 571 00:18:42,320 --> 00:18:44,640 can't use typical household cleaners as 572 00:18:44,640 --> 00:18:46,240 well because they are also toxic to 573 00:18:46,240 --> 00:18:47,679 birds whether they breathe in the smells 574 00:18:47,679 --> 00:18:49,679 or it's used around them. It really is a 575 00:18:49,679 --> 00:18:51,200 lifestyle change when you share your 576 00:18:51,200 --> 00:18:54,000 life with a cone. So bear that in mind 577 00:18:54,000 --> 00:18:56,160 that if you already have your bird or 578 00:18:56,160 --> 00:18:57,679 you're thinking about bring them in, 579 00:18:57,679 --> 00:18:59,200 please make sure you check everything in 580 00:18:59,200 --> 00:19:00,559 your home. Again, there are loads of 581 00:19:00,559 --> 00:19:02,559 different resources for what is safe and 582 00:19:02,559 --> 00:19:04,640 what is toxic to birds. And we want to 583 00:19:04,640 --> 00:19:06,640 keep our birds happy and healthy for as 584 00:19:06,640 --> 00:19:08,240 long as possible. And that sometimes 585 00:19:08,240 --> 00:19:09,760 means that we can't have some of the 586 00:19:09,760 --> 00:19:11,200 things that we used to have in our homes 587 00:19:11,200 --> 00:19:13,440 before life with birds. If you have any 588 00:19:13,440 --> 00:19:14,880 other questions about green cheeks, 589 00:19:14,880 --> 00:19:16,240 please do drop me a comment as I'd love 590 00:19:16,240 --> 00:19:17,919 to speak to you. And I'd love to know 591 00:19:17,919 --> 00:19:19,840 about your green cheek cone as well. So, 592 00:19:19,840 --> 00:19:21,919 please do tell me all about them down in 593 00:19:21,919 --> 00:19:23,760 the comments of this video. Don't forget 594 00:19:23,760 --> 00:19:25,280 to check out the description for loads 595 00:19:25,280 --> 00:19:26,880 of resources to help you and your bird 596 00:19:26,880 --> 00:19:29,120 to thrive. But from me and Pickers and 597 00:19:29,120 --> 00:19:30,559 Scampy who have taken themselves off 598 00:19:30,559 --> 00:19:32,160 over there to get up to all kinds of 599 00:19:32,160 --> 00:19:34,320 mischief, thanks for watching. Take care 600 00:19:34,320 --> 00:19:38,320 and I'll see you in the next one.