I have revised some of my more popular articles for your enjoyment. If you have a minute, please drop me a line. I'd love to hear your comments!
The Budgerigar: A True Embassador (pdf)
DownloadDiet - Linked Behavior in Companion Parrots (pdf)
DownloadEthical, Moral & Spiritual Considerations of Companion Parrot Care (pdf)
DownloadFeather Destructive Behavior in Companion Parrots.PartOne (pdf)
DownloadFeather Destructive Behavior in Companion Parrots.Part Two (pdf)
DownloadThe A to Z Guide for Bird-Proofing Your Home (pdf)
DownloadAdopting and Living with Previously-Owned Parrots: Part One (pdf)
DownloadAdopting and Living with Previously-Owned Parrots: Part Two (pdf)
DownloadThe Parrot Athlete (pdf)
DownloadDominance.The Dragon Lurks Still (pdf)
DownloadParrot Enrichment Made Easy (pdf)
DownloadTeach Your Parrot to Target!(1) (pdf)
DownloadDiet's Impact on Companion Parrot Behavior (pdf)
Download20 Tips for Identifying a Good Parrot Breeder (pdf)
DownloadThis bird bread recipe includes no sweeteners and no fat. Parrots readily accept it and the ingenious method of baking in mini-muffin pans allows for each piece to have a hole in the middle that makes it perfect for placement in foraging opportunities.
Curry Corn Bread
By Kris Porter
Dry ingredients:
· 3 cups stone ground organic (non-GMO) cornmeal
· 3 cups stone ground whole grain flours (try for a mixture). Examples include amaranth, barley, oat, triticale, quinoa, spelt, garbanzo or coconut. You can also just use whole wheat flour.
· 1 ½ cups mixed rolled grains (usually found in the bulk food section of the grocery store or health food store). You can also just use rolled oats.
· 1 ½ cups 7-grain cereal (this is a coarse ground cereal containing a mixture of things like wheat, rye, triticale, barley, brown rice, oat bran, flaxseed, etc.)
· 1/3 to ½ cup raw pumpkin seed
· 1/3 to ½ cup raw sunflower seed
· ¾ cup millet
· 1 tablespoon curry powder
*Mix all of the dry ingredients above together in a very large mixing bowl.
Vegetables:
· About 3 cups of finely chopped or grated vegetables (Ex: broccoli, beets, chayote squash, zucchini, greens [Swiss Chard, collard, kale, mustard], carrots, peas, zucchini, corn, etc)
*Mix the vegetables in with the dry ingredients thoroughly so that they become well-coated with the flours and are no longer present in clumps.
Wet ingredients:
In a blender or food processor, puree the following together:
· 6 eggs
· 1 large can pumpkin (29 oz)
· 1 cup water or other liquid (milk, almond milk, organic carrot juice, etc)
*Add the wet ingredients to the dry mixture and mix thoroughly. (You might need to use your hands, since this creates quite dense dough.)
Place into mini muffin pans and bake at 325 to 350 degrees for about 25 to 30 minutes. Use one level tablespoon per muffin. Before baking, use the end of a wooden spoon to create a hole in the center of each muffin, which then allows you to place these onto food skewers or incorporate into foraging toys. Makes about 120 muffins.
*This recipe can be halved quite easily. It also freezes quite well after baking.
Chop Mix is a "kitchen sick" type of approach to creating a supplemental foof for your parrots. However, the ingredients that you include determine whether your particular mix is a beneficial supplement or not.