Eating inappropriate things

VDosky

Member
Mar 22, 2020
36
29
Parrots
Indian Ringneck (Kiwi)
Macaw (Lio)
Cockatiel (Pablo)
Maybe a little weird but Pablo is a little weirdo anyways

Whenever I take him outside, he likes to pick/chew (eat?) things as little rocks, flowers/grass (i don’t think that’s tooo harmful) and just sand and anything else he finds lol, how do i stop him from doing so? I wouldn’t want him to catch anything serious from it

I rescued this bird around a month ago... he had never been outside before (he’s 7 month) and now I take him out daily, maybe he’s just curious about everything but he just keeps doing so

I also have a fig tree in my garden which he loves to play in and he chews on the wood, is the wood safe?
 

MonicaMc

Well-known member
Sep 12, 2012
7,960
Media
2
43
Parrots
Mitred Conure - Charlie 1994;
Cockatiel - Casey 2001;
Wild Caught ARN - Sylphie 2013
Sounds like normal behavior and not necessarily something to discourage.... parrots naturally forage in the wild and eat dirt and small pebbles. Now, he doesn't really need to eat the dirt himself if he's on a healthy diet.

That said, he may enjoy having his own little garden inside that he can forage through! Some grass and safe flowers are perfectly fine!

As for the fig.... as long as it's *NOT* weeping fig, it should be safe!



Please do be careful about taking him outside though! Even a properly clipped bird could get lost outside!
 
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VDosky

Member
Mar 22, 2020
36
29
Parrots
Indian Ringneck (Kiwi)
Macaw (Lio)
Cockatiel (Pablo)
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Sounds like normal behavior and not necessarily something to discourage.... parrots naturally forage in the wild and eat dirt and small pebbles. Now, he doesn't really need to eat the dirt himself if he's on a healthy diet.

That said, he may enjoy having his own little garden inside that he can forage through! Some grass and safe flowers are perfectly fine!

As for the fig.... as long as it's *NOT* weeping fig, it should be safe!



Please do be careful about taking him outside though! Even a properly clipped bird could get lost outside!

Thanks for the reassurance! I was just a bit scared it might be harmful for him and he might catch something from the dirt. I try to give him a healthy diet with pellets, healthy seeds and veggies & fruit but he’s a very picky eater so i need to find out what he likes.. my other birds are really easy and will eat anything i’ll give them lol

I have a big garden with mostly fruit trees, I live in the middle east and temperatures are pretty high with no wind.. my other two birds are trained to free flight, i’m working on clicker training and teaching the new bird commands, his wings are clipped but i’m letting them grow and i’ve already purchased a harnass for when the time’s right :)
 

MonicaMc

Well-known member
Sep 12, 2012
7,960
Media
2
43
Parrots
Mitred Conure - Charlie 1994;
Cockatiel - Casey 2001;
Wild Caught ARN - Sylphie 2013
I would suggest working on the harness training now!
 

Bentlegs

New member
Feb 13, 2020
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1
1
Johannesburg, RSA
Parrots
20 Budgies in an Aviary
1 Quaker Parrot
I have the same issue - my Quaker parrot had his wings clipped so Im letting them grow out - but harness training?? Can you get small enough harnesses for Quakers?
 

itzjbean

Well-known member
Jan 27, 2017
2,572
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119
Iowa, USA
Parrots
2 cockatiels
I have the same issue - my Quaker parrot had his wings clipped so Im letting them grow out - but harness training?? Can you get small enough harnesses for Quakers?

There are harnesses out there small enough for BUDGIES! So yes they make Quaker sized ones :) just look up aviator harnesses, it also comes with an informative DVD on how to get your bird used to it over time.


This bird sounds like it is foraging, a common behavior exhibited by many species!
 

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