Environmental Enrichment Survey

[ParrotSurvey2021]

Hello parrot people,

Purdue University veterinarians Drs. Grier & Ogata, are conducting an academic survey about the use of environmental enrichment for companion parrots (psittacine birds). Your help will strengthen the results of their study, allowing us to learn more about our feathered friends!

To participate, please visit https://tinyurl.com/parrotsurvey and if you have any questions regarding the survey, contact Dr. Grier at pabr@purdue.edu
We intend to publish the study around June 2021.

Thank you again for your help!

 

[SailBoat]

It seems that at least once a year and sometimes more, someone will request that members provide their input for this or that Survey. Sadly, the individual 'never' provides a follow-up as to the findings of the Survey...

It is with great hope, that this Survey will not follow those surveys of the past.

If there has been one constant, it is that our Companion Parrots are far more intelligent than science has credited them. As a highly intelligent being they are mentally healthier /happier when they are in an environment that challenges their mind and suffer when left in an empty environment.

 

[Laurasea]

I clicked and survey says it expired .
We need more parrot studies! But I agree we participate and never hear anything back..

 

[ParrotSurvey2021]

The survey is working now, sorry about that
We really do plan on having the research published! If all goes well, we will hopefully be sharing this year.

 

[Laurasea]

The dragging drop part of survey sucks. Because I'm on a phone I couldn't scroll and choose it just kept adding stuff as I scrolled, have no idea what ended up in there
You need to add a comment section
For me, my parrots choose me as their choice of interaction over all others.
Should be a way to choose mixed species flock.
My quakers are cage protective, as is the norm for quakers. But great away from cage.

 

[SailBoat]

Completed the test!

Found that the ranking order page was problematic as it required fiddling with it to determine how it worked.

NOTE: Question regarding taking Parrots 'outside' clearly missed the ever increasing areas that have active Hawk populations! We are a Red Tail Hawk rich zone with five families using our backyard as high speed turning training of their young. Once separate from their parents, they return to hunt small birds. Taking our Amazon outside is dangerous...

Survey never established how long Parrots have been part of participant's life. Nor did it make any effort /connection regarding the participants inclusion of an Avian Medical Professional as part of the Participant / Parrot / CAV life or its effect on Parrot care. In fact, I do not ever recall if ones CAV was a source of information... To that point, one's CAV was never offered as a source for one's Parrot.

Feather plucking should have included whether the participant knew of the driver /source. Our's was a result of Post Surgery than locked as it transitioned to behavioral.

Spent way too much time collecting 'classification' information in the front near half of the Survey.

Amazon Parrots have been a major part of my life with near fifty years of being owned by several different Amazons. We take on a very select segment, which are commonly older, ill, likely abused, and with no want to every trust another human.

May your Survey be successful.

 

[wrench13]

I took the survey. I too would like feed back on the research outcome. Cornell is very good in that they send me info on the studies and programs I donate to.

 

[noodles123]

I took it- I wasn't a fan of the toy ranking one because it asked about toys with "hiding spaces" and Noodles LOOOOOVVVESSS getting all weird and nesty in a box etc, which is exactly whey she doesn't get them..Mirrors are similar hormonal triggers for many birds, but the question didn't differentiate between liking something and having access to it. If Noodles had the choice, she's live in my cabinets or in some shadowy space and just make nests all day, but I don't let her have access to that stuff because it amplifies her hormonal behavior even further. So..the way she behaves is partly due to the fact that she does not get what she loves, because when she is super hormonal, she is more anxious etc.

Do you know what I mean? The ranking preferred toys question should have been "among the toys you provide to your parrot" and then had an N/A box for those that you never even offer. I also felt like the "average" times need an "other" box, because on the weekends, I spend 8 with my bird out (sat/sun) and then the rest of the days are around 4...so I think I put 5 but I wanted to explain more.

Food percentages were also super hard because that isn't easily quantifiable for me...I had to guess I probably guessed wrong.

The hours of light question confused me, because I didn't know if you meant actual UV light/lighting or just any indoor lighting.
I answered according to any indoor lighting, but that is not the same as specialized lighting, so my response me be inaccurate.

I think that hours of sleep per night should definitely be added to this survey. Mine gets up around 5 AM (again, depending on weekend vs week-day) and I uncover her and turn on lights etc (even though the sun is not out until 6 ish). She goes to bed around 4 or 5 each evening (depending on if it's cloudy etc). Also, if you do ask about sleep in the future, I would suggest that you ask about the noise level and types of commotion (if any) in the sleeping room...because quiet and covered does not necessarily mean sleeping well.

I also agree that the "outside" question could have used more stipulations etc.

SORRY! I just felt like I wanted to ask so many questions/clarify as I was taking this, so I am just telling you what stood out to me as frustrating parts (fine survey overall-- just get stressed checking boxes when they don't really apply or don't allow clarification on part of the survey participant).

 

[Scott]

The survey is working now, sorry about that
We really do plan on having the research published! If all goes well, we will hopefully be sharing this year.

Just attempted, received survey expiration notice!

 

[WhiteFlight]

Just attempted, received survey expiration notice!

Tempting. My time is so limited.

 

[SailBoat]

Just attempted, received survey expiration notice!

Tempting. My time is so limited.

Just guessing, but they may have gotten the number of responses that they 'needed' or we may have been a bit too critical regarding the format of the Survey and they have moved on to another Forum!?!?