The challenge of caring for a one-eyed African grey

August 15, 2016May 19, 2016 by

Aloha!

I am truly enjoying your email newsletters. Very informative.

Need some of your advise, I have a Timneh African Gray named “Saber”, now I think about 30 years old. I ended up buying him from when he was about 3-4 years old. For several months I would visit the pet shop and always stopped by Sabers cage to play and talk with him.

One day I noticed he was up for sale, and the pet shop owner said that his owner, an elderly lady had passed away, and her family brought the bird to the pet shop for boarding until they decided what to do.

They then called and said they didn’t want the bird anymore. The shop put it up for sale. That’s when I decided to buy him. I was told he was about 3-4 yrs old. He’s always been a sweet cuddly bird, I taught him songs and lots of words.

He would cuddle and sit on my shoulder everywhere I went. I could easily clip his toe nails by myself, and clip his wings as needed and even let me file his beak when to sharp. Never once did he ever bite.

So now Saber is getting in his golden years. Last year he lost vision in his right eye. A cloud like glaucoma covers his eye. Vet says nothing you can really do for that. He still sees well through his left eye. After he lost his vision, he has become very noisy, he lunges at me like he wants to bite me, he won’t stay on his outside perches.

Roscoe – Timneh African Grey Parrot, Talking

He jumps down and then doesn’t want to come back onto his perch or in his cage. He has bitten me real bad twice this past year. He almost severed my small toe on my foot. Had to go to emergency for treatment, and he bit me on my hand and left bad scars.

In all the years he never was a mean bird, until last year. Before he would stay outside his cage all day long and play, then just go in at dinner time or when ready to sleep. I am at a loss, and don’t know what I can do to make him more comfortable and easier to manage. He still has a few more decades of life in him and want to be able to enjoy him like before. Do you have any suggestions or ideas. I’ve attached a picture of my baby Saber. Looking forward to hearing from you.

Elisa & Saber

Dear Elisa & Saber

Thanks for writing to us. Saber has been through a trauma of losing half his vision. Birds use their eyes to see potential threats; it’s in their instinct. He likely is feeling that he can’t protect himself like he used to. Because you two were so bonded, he may also feel as if his partial blindness prevents him from protecting you, his perceived mate.

Jake..My talking African Grey Timneh

Think of losing half your sight and how it might change how you react to life. One supplement you might find helpful is AviCalm by Avitech.

Also, his age may be a factor. You didn’t mention if he is more moody during spring or during his molts, but those can be times that any mature bird can feel grumpy.

In most cases, a bird will give a warning or sign before biting. You should study his body language and learn his warning sign to avoid any more serious bites.

At times a bonded bird will bite to warn of perceived danger such as a loud noise; however, this usually appears much earlier in life. The blindness may make him much more aware of things he doesn’t understand and therefore considers danger.

Nora

Hi Elisa & Saber

mitchr here

I can’t speak to whether there has been any research done on one eyed birds. We do know that birds can see the ultraviolet part of the spectrum but humans cannot. Your bird might have lost part or all of his abilities, and the world looks much different.

Losing an eye be it a mammal or an avian species seriously reduces our ability to judge distance. Birds, the only animals of flight rely on the most minute measurements of distance – all you have to do is watch a bird land on a small perch breaking from 15 miles an hour 20 in a millisecond.

African Grey Parrots in the Wild

Your African grey has lost that ability meaning it does not know the distance of anything in front of it thus anything in front of it’s good eye can be frightening and a threat.

We also need to address the issue of the pineal gland that is attached to the eye. The pineal gland takes light information and translates into “feel good” information – the quality and the amount of light.

Speaking about the amount of light we don’t know if the loss of sight has broken down the circadian clocks in the birds instinct. Parrots have the ability to know precisely what time it is and noticed seasonal changes in the lighting as long as their circadian clocks are working properly – but we don’t know that they are.

Moving forward I’m going to suggest three things you can introduce to Saber’s life.

It’s never a bad time to start clicker training – view this video and you’ll see what I mean.

Building Trust With Your Bird

It will help Saber focus.

Use millet sprays – keep them around all the time. There is not a bird I know that doesn’t like millet. Serving it on the spray puts 6 inches between her beak and your hand.

We’ve always advocated “stick” training your bird. Having a random perch or a broom handle that your bird can step up on puts distance between the beak and the hand making for a less adversarial relationship.

I hope some of that helps please keep us in the loop and let us know about her progress

Second topic and answer

I guess I answered to wrong address. I have been sprouting micro stuff from China Prairie company in Ca. Anyway my Quaker doesn’t even bother with the healthy parts just the seeds and of course I give him pellets during the day (not that he eats them !) also he’s very picky and even when I cut veggies up tiny he hardly eats them unless handfed. So should I continue sprouting and do u have an organic micro grain mix? At least my Kiwi likes nuts and fruit! ( cut up Tony’s) Would feel guilty only giving seeds although I know he likes them.

Thanks, Sandy & Barry Fiedler

Dear Sandy & Barry

If your bird is not eating the sprouts and never has then put yourself out of your misery and stop sprouting. Not all birds care for sprouts.

If you do want a sprouting mix, these can be used. Higgins Soak & SproutorTotally Organics TOPS Soak or Dry seed mix

If you are trying to get your Quaker to eat fresh veggies and fruits then they need to have a dish put in its cage EVERY DAY. They may ignore it for a month but if you don’t do it daily, the bird may never bother.

To make it very easy, just get a bag of frozen mixed vegetables from the grocery store. Poor into a plastic container in your freezer, put in the door of the freezer for ease of use.

EVERY DAY, pour a tablespoon or so if the veggies into a dish. No need to heat, let them thaw at room temp; they will last longer.

ADD, a small slice of apple, maybe a grape cut in half, a small slice of banana or something. (NO citrus)

Put the dish in your bird’s cage and leave it until before birdie bedtime and remove it. At some point the bird will give it a try.

Soft mashed cooked beans, mashed cooked carrots, scrambled eggs, a bit of whole grain bread, a crunchy leaf of romaine lettuce, oatmeal, a few noodles, all of these are good to help start your bird into eating a more varied diet. (If using perishable foods like eggs or meat, only leave for an hour or so, then remove)

Yes, you will be tossing it all out at the end of the day, but when they bird starts trying something you will cry victory.

What Kinds of Fresh & Prepared Foods Do Parrots Eat? : Exotic Pets

Also, because birds are very social creatures, trying letting the bird see you eating some of these foods (or at least making a believable show of pretending to eat) and make a BIG deal about how great they are, with lots of drama, smiles, yums, and other emotional show of enjoyment.

This often raises a bird’s curiosity to want to find out what’s so great. If the bird eats from your hand, then offer the same good item to him and see if he will try it. This sometimes works wonders.

I hope that helps. Thank you – catherine tobsing
approved by nora caterino
approved by mitch rezman

your zygodactyl footnote

Is a seed diet really bad for your bird?

March 3, 2017May 19, 2016 by

There’s a lot of talk today in the caged bird keeper community about how bad seeds are for our birds. We should be introducing bird chops to our our birds. If you are not familiar with bird chop – you mix up about a pound of fresh lettuce, beans and vegetables and fruit and serve to your bird.

Most birds will eat less than 1% of that 1 pound of chop which is why we let Popcorn just steal some nibbles from our plates – as long as she does not walk across our plates.

Then there’s the whole pellet argument. Pellets are engineered foods. They pack the most nutrition per kilo/calorie if you will – than any other form of food. We love seeing birds on pellets because we know that they don’t require additional vitamin supplementation which is usually the case with seeds.

Hagen Tropimix is a wonderful blend of fruits veggies, seeds and pellets where all of the seeds have had their hulls removed so it’s a very clean blend with minimal waste, virtually 100% of the mix can be eaten. Pellets are less messy than seeds, then again there are no pellet trees in the rain forest.

We get a lot of request to talk about certain species which we try to do – last week it was Caiques. We’ve done posts on Amazons and on Lories but when I mention Australian grass parakeets most people say, “huh”?

The Bourkes parakeet is the exception in coloration in that Rosy Bourke’s have a brilliant pinkish tone – the other six species – Blue-winged parakeet – Elegant parakeet aka Rock parakeet – Orange-bellied parakeet – Scarlet-chested parakeet – Turquoisine parakeet – have grass green backs which helps them camouflage well.

The flip-side is their colors are anything but boring. And I’m using them in this discussion to talk about seeds because the Australian grass parakeets feed entirely on the ground and mostly on (grass) seeds. They have lovely voices and rarely get into trouble.

Is not to say that we are suggesting that you don’t even try to convert them to pellets – just making the point that sometimes seeds are okay although you always want to introduce some form of vitamin and fresh food supplementation.

These small birds don’t have the red bull type of personality budgies do (Who are a cousin to grass parakeets) with all sorts of activity, they’re are a little more laid-back. Because they have short legs and small feet it’s best to leave them fully flighted because they are not built for lots of climbing. The tiny beaks have a hard time gripping many surfaces.

The most commonly known of these pet birds is the Bourkes parakeet which is relatively small, very calm and usually quite tame.

Is this where we segway into what seeds are best, Mitch? For that I will let all of you decide. I will start by delving in to some bird food lines one at a time

Our bird food category is a robust 42 subcategories so I know it spins some people around, especially the newbies. We going to start with the Volkman Seed Company.

This company has been producing birdseed since 1863 and we feel it’s one of the cleanest caged bird seeds available today. They are located in California’s sunny San Joaquin Valley, one of the world’s most fertile agricultural regions for premium-quality fruits, vegetables, nuts, grains and seeds.

In addition to serving caged bird keepers you will find their seed in veterinary schools, clinics, zoos and aviaries.

One important note: Volkman is now using NON GMO white corn in their parrot food mixes.

Seeds are tested in an independent lab for the possible presence of E. coli and Streptococcus, then super cleaned, CO2 flushed, and packed in air-barrier bags to seal in freshness.

Volkman mixes contain over 50 essential vitamins, minerals, and amino acids bonded to pre-hulled seeds. Fruits and vegetables are human grade and seeds are germination tested for freshness. They use no dog food, cat food, meat, poultry or fish by-products, animal fats, chemical preservatives or artificial food colors.

We’re offering 31 SKUs of Volkman from their Avian Science Line which are nutritionally balanced bird diets fortified with vitamins, minerals, bonded amino acids and select grains.

Meaning we have it available for finches, canaries, macaws, cockatoos, and everything in between, including a special non vitamin fortified blend for Eclectus parrots. All mixes contain exceptionally clean, all-natural, human-grade ingredients. And a tradition of trust for generations of healthy birds.

The Featherglow line is a group of specialty mixes and treats incorporating a wide variety of shapes, colors, and textures, including American-made pellets, and convenient Soak ‘n Serve or Soak ‘n Cook entrees. Volkman calls Featherglow “The Smart Solution for Brighter Birds”.

And they are all packed in re-sealable zip-lock poly bags for added convenience and use multi-layer lined bulk bags for added freshness. They were also the first bird company to introduce nitrogen-flushed bags for extended shelf-life.

written by mitch rezman
approved by catherine tobsing
approved by nora caterinao

your zygodactyl footnote in

California Bird Cage Info

November 9, 2017May 18, 2016 by

At California Cage, we are committed to the excellence of the products and the services that we offer. From beginning to end quality is our goal. Every aspect, from the material we use to packaging and customer service, is constantly analyzed and improved. The combination of these aspects guarantees the quality that our customers have come to rely on.

Quality Material and Parts

All California Cages are made with 100% US made industrial quality parts, which gives the cage a strong and durable structure.

• Class One U.S. made wire.
• MIG Welding to insure durability.
• Each piece inspected and quality verified various times.

Quality Design

• Solid frame and base insures sanitary and sturdy environment.
• Rounded corners and solid tubing means that few corrosive deposits can form.
• Spacing provided for cage grates and trays is no larger than that of bar spacing, preventing bird from dangerously escaping through these spaces.
• Horizontal tubing throughout cage expands surfaces on which bird can climb.
• N0-mess feeder doors are easy-to-use and keep your bird’s environment sanitary.
• Bird-proof latches are attractive and functionally superior.

Quality Finish

California Cages Company was one of the first companies to ever use powder coat to finish cages. This trend quickly caught on with other cage brands; nonetheless, our powder coat process is second to none. Our powder coating system is custom made and lab tested to meet our safety standards and quality requirements. Our system has three mayor steps to ensure a durable finish including the following:

1. Pretreatment System: Our 5 stage power washing system insures perfect conditions for paint adhesion and durability.

2. Application: Computer controlled to ensure precise results and consistent quality.

3. In House Laboratory: All California Cages are quality inspected during every process in order to ensure that the product you receive will be the highest quality.

Bird cage buying questions answered

May 18, 2016 by

Bird cages are investments, spend wisely
The bird cage has to meet not only the requirements of your birds but should blend with your lifestyle. The cage may reside in a casual family room or a formal living room. Maybe you’re lucky (or crazy) enough to have a bird room. There’s a lot of factors and everyone has an opinion. Here’s ours….
Birds are flock animals. When they become your pet, you become their flock.
What Size Cage? Have you heard “buy the biggest cage you can afford”? Nonsense! We know happy well adjusted Macaws living in 30″ diameter round cages. How could they, you gasp? The three Macaws I’m referring to have stay-at-home mom. They are out from 6:00 in the morning till 9:00 at night and are thrilled to go to sleep in their narrow cages. So before you decide on a cage, you need to know what bar spacing to look for: As long as the spacing between the bars is narrow enough to prevent injury if the bird tries to escape. The Bird’s head should not be able to fit between the bars. The door needs to be large enough to comfortably put your hand through, catch the bird, remove the bird, and replace the bird. For larger birds, it needs to be big enough so they don’t rub feathers on the bars every time they turn around. And like people, birds like to stretch (I know an African Grey that does Yoga). Just don’t cramp the bird. Here’s some general guidelines: SMALL: Examples, Finches, Canaries, Parrotlets, Parakeets, Lovebirds: Cage Bar Spacing: No more than 5/8″.Perch Diameter: 3/8″ to 3/4″ MEDIUM: Examples: Cockatiels, Conures, Lories, Senegals. Cage Bar Spacing: 1/2″ to no more than 3/4″ Perch Diameter: 5/8″ to 1 1/4″ LARGE: Examples: African Greys, Amazons, Macaws, Cockatoos. Cage Bar Spacing: 3/4″ to no more than 1 1/4″. Perch Diameter 1″ to 2″ What Species? Different species, different needs. Small species (Finches, Canaries, Lovebirds and Parakeets) deserve wider cages because birds travel side-to-side. Many of the small species never leave their cages. You have to let them fly because it’s heart healthy. Medium and larger birds have a different set of needs. So let’s apply some common sense. Do you have a big bird? Are you away a lot? Then try to get a bigger cage. (Would you like to spend all day in a room the size of a closet?) Bigger cages allow birds move about much like we move about our home. Ideally parrots like three zones. The upper zone, should have lots of toys and “cover”. Birds feel safe up high, not easily seen, like in the wild. (Don’t we feel comfy in our bedrooms?) The middle zone is where they’ll spend the day, playing with toys, eating, hanging out. The bottom is where they’ll go to look for food and toys that may have dropped. Parrots are scavengers in nature. Do I need feeding doors We suggest feeding doors for a couple of reasons. For the smaller birds, its less invasive than stick a hand in the cage. If you go away for a day or more with a larger bird, feeder door enable “bird sitters” to replace food and water without placing their hands in the cage. What are breeding doors for? Whether you breed or not you can’t keep female birds from laying eggs. You can attach a nest box to your cage over the nest box door opening. This enables the hen to lay and sit on her eggs (whether they are fertile or not) privately as nature intended. What kind of top should the cage have? Flat top – cages will allow play gyms or supplies to be placed up top. May allow for stacking of other cages. Play top – gives the bird a place to be when outside the cage. If you spend time with your bird near the cage, this may be helpful. If you move the bird to another room when he or she is out, a playtop may not be necessary. Convertible cages- Some cages are now designed so the play top can move from room-to-room and then placed back on the cage. Dome top – Allow more height inside the cage. May or may not open. If it opens, it’s hard to hang toys here. Napoleon top – Allow more height inside the cage. May or may not open. If it opens, it’s hard to hang toys here but a perch can usually span the open doors creating a playtop area. Many Napoleon tops have an additional drop down landing style door in front. What kind of door should I look for? Ideally you should be able to place or remove the bird with room to spare. Large cages will usually have large hinged swing out doors. Many smaller species cages have double doors. A smaller slide up door inside another larger slide up or swing out door making cleaning easier. Drop down or landing doors are useful for flighted birds returning to their cages. Are casters important? It depends on, the size of the cage, how often you move the cage and the surface the cage sits on. The majority of casters are the type you might see on a modern office chair. They’re made of plastic and have an aluminum shaft that slips into a plug in the bottom of the cage legs. Better cages will have brass casters, with ball bearing swivel assemblies for longer life. Powder coat, paint or stainless? There is no easy answer. A good paint coating will outlast a poor powder coating. Stainless steel is harder to weld than wrought iron. Low quality stainless steel can rust. The cage manufacturers we offer have been chosen by us for their overall quality, attention to detail, replacement parts availability and high levels of customer service. We try to include as much information about each cage as possible. We plan on enhancing our listing with even more information and better images in the coming weeks. Thank you for your patience. Here’s some customer FAQS Question Please give your opinion about the best cage to replace my worn out California cage for my African Grey, I did look at the prevue model 3154 with the playtop, but don’t like that the 2 dishes aren’t on the same side of the perch. Can that be changed? Its been 10 years since I purchased a new cage, and am trying to get something similar to what I have so the transition for Zack will be an easy one. His playtop has the half moon type ladders with crocks for feeding. Which brand that you use and carry do you suggest? I’m looking for approx 23 or 24×32 or so. Mine is textured paint, do you feel that a smooth texture is easier to clean?? I would appreciate your help, and I’ll definitely order from you, I’ve read the customer reviews and looked over your website, you all sound like bird lovers. We love the video of Snoball !! Oh yeah in that video are the cages in the background Prevue cages?? I liked the looks of them. Hope you can respond soon, Thanks, Cindy Answer The Prevue 3154 is ideally suited for African Grays. The placement of the food cup on top is not really an issue for the birds. African Grays can live 70 years. In that life span we feel it is essential to constantly introduce change thus challenging the bird. Your goal should be not to make the transition easy – this is for the birds well being. We advocate changing the positions all the toys and perches in a cage, at the very least once-a-month

Customer Testimonials Windy City Parrot Since 1993

May 18, 2016 by

After 8 years of bird shows, Catherinelaunched WindyCityParrot.com just before Midnight December 31st, 2001. By 6:00 AM New Years day 2002, Windy City Parrot, received it’s first web order. Since then we’ve had more than 3,000,000 web visitors and fulfilled more than 50,000 orders What Our Customers are Saying



2/7/11 Thanks Catherine You run a very efficient operation! I will highly suggest You to all of my Bird Owner friends! Thank You From Dwight, Buckeye and Ralph! 1/12/11 Catherine, Thank you and your staff for the prompt attention to the shipping problem in regards to my cages from Prevue. I’m so thankful I found Windy City Parrot. I have breed birds since I was very young and it’s nice to be able to go to one site and get everything I need. Shane Buddy1 10/2610 Just want to express long-overdue appreciation for the wonderful (and often funny) pics you post on your website and e-mails. In particular, I really got a kick out of the budgie-with-a-buck & the macaw hand in today’s e-mail. Very creative! 🙂


On Jan. 3rd (2010) I was online trying to find a UV lamp for my cockatiel’s cage. Luckily I found your site and made an order…#41683 and 41685 and also got your holiday sale discounts. The # 601 travel cage is super easy to put up and will be good for taking it with me on trips but the best is the No Mess feeder. There was always a mess around the cage but now none and also found how to take care of the millet mess. I take about 3 inches of the millet spray, attach it to the millet clip and anchor it into the seed of the no mess feeder and that has solved that problem. So glad I found your site. Marilyn T Happy New Year!

On Fri, Dec 18, 2009 at 1:09 PM, contact Tracy: I just came back from Windy City Parrot. Catherine was not only delightful but very educational. I learned a lot, bought many items not only for the parrot but for the holidays, items for a friend with cockatiels. Thanks for the referral. I will definitely be back often. Mary Ann

Date: Wed, Nov 25, 2009 at 7:56 PM Subject: Happy Thanksgiving To: Catherine Tobsing <orders@birdandparrot.info> Hi Catherine: Just wanted to give you feedback and wish you a wonderful Happy Thanksgiving tomorrow. I purchased the Featherbrite light from you for my 13 yr. old Rescued U2. She really seems to like it. So thank you! Also, I am using the Avi-Soother cream plus for her seasonal plucking and it ALSO seems to be working! God is so good! The products are fantastic! Thank you so much for your emails and all the wonderful products that you offer for our loved feathered friends! Sincerely, Kristin

6/8/09 Hi again, Rios cage has arrived and we are thrilled! Rio is at this moment enjoying her new “big girl house”. I feared a bit of adjustment might be called for but she watched me assemble the cage and was eager to get in and explore. Within the first five minutes she played with toys, ate some fruit and preened. I think it’s a keeper. I would love to leave good feedback for you and your excellent customer service. Your help with our upgrade and fast efficient handling of the order deserve some praise. It’s wonderful to find a place that is so easy to work with. I’ll be back.Paula & Rio

On Thu, Dec 18, 2008 at 11:57 AM, Bonnie D wrote: I just want to tell you how satisfied I have been with the orders I have placed with you. I receive the orders within 2-3 days (and this during Christmas season). When there have been problems (very rare) they are taken care of immediately. You are one of the few places I have found that carries Hagan’s Tropican, the preferred food for my birds and those of my friends. I have sent an e-mail out to all of them since their usual dealer has closed) to let them know that they can depend on WindyCityParrot.comfor prompt and responsive service. My five parrots are especially happy to get their food and toys on time. They are all rescue birds and you have come to their rescue more than once. thanks again. Stormy and Gabriella (African Greys), Yoni and Pele (Sun conures), and Garrett the Parrot (Illiger’s Macaw), and me Bonnie D – MPH,MS,RN,CS,CRNP Psychiatric/Palliative Care Nurse Practitioner On Fri, Dec 12, 2008 at 10:08 AM, Mary C wrote: As the owner of several birds (many rescues) I don’t always have the luxury of time when deciding whether to order online or going to a “brick and mortar” store. Although my recent order was comprised mostly of toy parts so that “Santa” could put toys together before the big day—-your speed in processing my order was unbelieveable. I ordered at approximately 2:30 yesterday afternoon and before 2:45 received notification that my order would be shipped. Last evening I received my federal express tracking number.This is why people choose to use one “online store” over the other—it is called “customer service”. Many thanks, Warmly, Mary C On Tue, Oct 7, 2008 at 8:58 AM, I just wanted to thank you for always giving such great service. I have shopped with you before at bird fairs and now online since I have moved. I placed an order Sunday night and my products arrived Tuesday morning. I was thrilled and so are my birds! Thank you so much for being dependable and selling great and safe products for our feathered companions. ~Amy The customer service at Windy City Parrot is absolutely amazing! Not only did I get a great deal on my cage and other bird supplies, but it all arrived so quickly! It was shipped out the next day and delivered to my home within 3 business days. We had a problem with a bent tray that was shipped directly from the manufacturer, but after contacting Windy City Parrot, they contacted the manufacturer of the cage and we had a new tray the very next day! I can’t remember the last time I have had such competent and friendly service! Donna BerlinghoffI was doing research to find a place to purchase a new cage in the coming month.. I found (even searched the BBB) that your company is one of the highest rated nation wide by what people post in numerous forums and reports online.. I also found out you are a small business and just wanted to say, Your web page is great, reviews are fantastic and I will be back many times my macaw goes through a toy in a few days haha.. Anyways thanks and just leaving a note that I did check the BBB and told you as they asked me to say I did.. haha Paul I wanted to thank you for sending these items so quickly and also for selecting plush hideaways in colors that will match my budgies, per my request in the original order. I am just thrilled with the products and your professional service. Thanks so much. Jon Hi, I just wanted to say that whoever handles your website does a terrific job. It is easy to manuver and is so complete. Couldn’t ask for a more user friendly site. Great work! You also have a super selection! Dawn Hi Catherine, I just wanted to let you know that my order arrived today and I am extremely pleased with the ladders and bells. For the price I paid these are not only of great quality, but are perfect for medium to large size parrots. It’s often hard to judge the actual size of something on line, but my African Grey will find these great entertainment for years to come. Thanks Marietta Walker–Warrensburg, MO To: info@birdandparrot.info Subject: Re: Here’s your free e-Books Hi, thanks so much for sending these. I downloaded them all and am especially interested in the screaming, biting, and feather plucking. One of my Greys is the screamer/biter, the other is a plucker. I know all the standard things to try, tried them all, so I’m hoping that there will be something new to try in these e-books. Will read them tonight. The bottom line with their behavioral problems is that even though they may be hand-fed and captive, they still have the needs of wild animals. Keeping them in captivity really should not be allowed. I have vowed that no matter how difficult it may be to keep my Greys, I will always provide a home for them in the most humane way I can possibly do because when I got them, I made a commitment for life to them. I can’t bear the thought of them becoming indefinitely bounced from family to family all their lives, just because after a year a family decides keeping a bigger bird is way more than they can handle. People get themselves in way over their heads. I have come to believe it should be illegal for people to own anything larger than a cockatiel or conure because most people are not financially, logistically, or emotionally able to provide the things that parrots really do need to thrive in captivity. I’m trying my best for mine, they are part of our family and will always be so. But I NEVER encourage anyone to get a parrot, and if they are obsessed with it, I strongly urge them to adopt from a shelter, better yet, to volunteer at a parrot rescue shelter to get a first-hand look and experience of what responsible parrot-keeping really involves, how severe behavioral problems in birds can be (and they are all capable of developing those), and ask themselves “Can I really do this? And for decades, possibly the rest of my life?” Anyway, thanks so much for your concern and support of responsible parrot-parenting. Keep up the good work. We order toys and things (under my husband’s name). You are the best source for the latest innovations in helping parrots live sanely in captivity. I think I may end up having to consult a behaviorist and I will certainly look on your site if you have recommendations. I really like the woman on the free DVD we got with our last order a few months ago, very impressed to the degree of understanding of parrot psychology and needs and translating that to human terms so we can help our beautiful winged kids as much as possible. Again, thanks for the good work. Please keep me on your email lists. Best, Chrys Hello, I just wanted you to know that the cage I ordered yesterday arrived this morning, and it is great! I’ve been searching quite some time for a boarding cage for our brown headed parrot but didn’t want to spend hundreds of dollars. He has to go stay with my mom in a couple of months while some remodeling gets done in our house, and his cage is way too big to transport. This cage will be perfect for him to stay in at her house, and now I can also take him with me when we go visit my sister in Tennessee! The cage was a terrific price, too, for such a nice one! Anyway, thanks so much for your great service! Oh, and my budgies are going to love the little toys I ordered for them, too! I wish you all a very happy holiday season and much continued success with your business in 2007! Nancy E Hi, and Thank you very much! My baby has such a wonderful time with the things we order from you. (I just have never been able to set up and account and remember my password! At Christmas, her birthday, and special occasions, we wrap her gifts and she loves to open them. For instance, at Christmas (her favorite time!) she comes down from her cage and gets her gift from Santa, takes it up on her “twirly” and opens them! The wrapping paper is fun, but SHE LOVES her “presents”. So smart!) Thanks again and you ALL have a wonderful Holiday Season! You have a great site with great things! Mama,(Sharon) DaDa (Garry) and Baby Kally-4 years old. (hand fed Lesser Sulfur Crested Cockatoo–and the Smartest in the world 🙂 Hi, I have ordered many times from your site online. I just want to thank you for your great service and large inventory of items. Shipping time is always exceptional and I always check your site first when I’m looking for anything for my fids. Happy holidays! A very loyal customer, Martha Subject: Hello from New Zealand Hello people at Windy City Parrot! Just thought I’d drop you a line to let you know that my order arrived safely. The parcel was intact & a bit earlier than expected. I am very pleased with all of the items. Thank you for making my first overseas internet shopping experience a good one. Bye for now, Leanne. PS – Just in case you’re confused, my order was done via Amazon. I just wanted to say, thanks for the great customer service! I used your site to buy a bunch of toys and supplies for my baby Hahn’s Macaw, and I got great customer service from Catherine. She was very patient with me as I returned and exchanged some stuff, as we figured out what size was really appropriate for my little guy. Everything came promptly and in perfect condition, and my little guy loved it all. I also had good help on the phone from a man who helped me figure out what type of toys to get as a gift for my boyfriend, who’s getting a blue and gold macaw soon. I had such a good experience that I’ve recommended the site to my boyfriend and my parents, who are all going to be new bird owners soon, and got them gift certificates for Christmas! Thanks Windy City! Monica “I received the wonderful “bird goodies” package today and I’m thrilled with ALL of it. The timing is real good on the little travel cages for emergency use as Ivan’s coming soon…The fabric/pattern you chose for my Sugar Glider’s tent is perfect. I love it & know he will! And, I thank you for the parrot magnet. You’ve been so very helpful in all of this with me and I thank you so very much. I will now go write a real good feedback…THANKS AGAIN FOR EVERYTHING!!” – Kathy W. I received my parakeet bulk toys last thursday, oct. 6 and everything was better than expected. I’ am so happy to see my parakeet play with the toys. One bird has a tumor, she likes to throw the rings out of a cup. Now i have a variety, she will not be bored. Plus I can keep track of her physical strength, observing daily. This is good exercise for her in her condition. The order arrived quickly, and thank you for the magnet. Great job -Miss P. Hello Folks at Windy City Parrot, My order arrived today. The shipping box was in good shape, and the inventory was complete. I’m very pleased with the products and the service. Thanks! Patricia G. Ph.D. Jerez MEXICO Just wanted to say thank you for the extremely prompt service. I am very pleased with the efficient ordering! I will definitely order from you again. Thanks, Stephanie Hi, my name is Jessica and I placed an order w/ you on the 23rd. Today is the 25th and my entire order was delivered this morning and I just wanted to say YOU GUYS ARE AWESOME!!! I did not expect to get this stuff for another week – based on my previous on-line ordering experiences w/ other companies… YOU GUYS ARE THE BEST!!! I bought a pair of blue Quakers this weekend and they hopped right in the breeder cage I got from you (wonderful quality by the way) and now are snuggling in the nest-box that was part of my order I plan to order everything I need from you guys in the future based on my great first impression. Sincerely Jessica Dear Catherine Thank you for all your help and support with all my orders with Windy City Parrot. You have been amazing, I can honestly say you have provided the best customer services I have ever received. I just received my first order five minutes ago and everything looks great! I am sure my little conure will have a lot of fun with all the toys. You have got such great and unique products and a very wide variety as well. I have definitely become a very loyal customer of Windy City Parrot. Thank you so much for everything. Many thanks. Kind regards, Cringuta

Payment-Order Options Shopping on WindyCityParrot.com

May 18, 2016 by

We accept the following methods of payment for online orders:

Visa
MasterCard
Discover
American Express
PayPal
Public School Purchase Orders
University Purchase Orders

Our website offers a very secure shopping basket for credit card use (256 Bit SSL Encryption from Geotrust including mobile). However, for those of you that are not ready to place a credit card order online you can place your order by phone TOLL FREE at 1-877-287-0810.

When entering the billing address, please make sure the address you enter is the address where you receive your credit card billing statements. If you enter a different address, the processing of your order may be delayed.

In addition, we also accept phone orders, emailed or faxed orders.

1-877-287-0810 (out of Chicago Illinois Toll Free)
1-312-492-9673 (local)
1-312-492-9674 (FAX)
info@birdandparrot.info

You can also mail us your order with a check or money order. Please include 9.25% tax for Illinois residents, Orders over $49 ship free – $5.99 Flat rate shipping if your order total is less than $49. These rates only apply in the Continental US

Mail to:

WINDYCITYPARROT.COM
906 N Western Ave
Chicago, IL 60622

Free orders Shiping $49 or more

May 18, 2016 by

$49 Orders Ship Free*

in the continental US

Find shipping & return policieshere

Bulk food items priced per shipping zone**

All Cages, Stands & Aviaries (Over $49) Ship Free Too!

* Orders $49.00 or over ship for no additional cost. If products are returned, the outbound shipping cost spent to ship to you will be deducted from your refund. Plus a 10% restocking fee (25% on cages and stands)

** Why we offer zone shipping on large bags of bird food

On a 1 pound item the difference between FedEx zone 1 & zone 8 is only 32 cents. On a 20 pound bag of food the difference between FedEx zone 1 & zone 8 is $14.00. We feel by dividing that $15 up by zone we give those customers closer to the product a better value rather than just adding $15 to every bag of food.

You also know the cost up front with zone shipping so you don’t have to mess around with a shipping calculator which makes check out quicker.

Coupons – Frequently Asked Questions

Where do I enter the coupon code?

When you click the “Shopping Cart” link you’l be taken to the “Shopping Cart” Look for the words

“Have any gift certificates or promotional claims codes? Enter them here. Enter the coupon code and click the “Apply” button.

Some coupons will automatically populate the check out price without entering and offer the discount, look at your running total to see the discount applied.

Your discount will now be indicated in the right column along with a new total.

Can I use more than one coupon on the same order?

Time has taught us that it is wise to only offer one coupon per order.

Can I use a coupon AND redeem my Rewards?Yes

Do you ship Internationally?

Yes, Please select the option below during check out which will give international shoppers the most accurate shipping rates including broker fees, VAT and duties.

– Outside the U.S. –

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