Product Description

Parrots are among the most highly intelligent creatures that we routinely keep as pets, and they are capable of forming very close and rewarding relationships with their handlers. However, a parrot keeper must be prepared to devote quite a lot of time every day to his or her bird to ensure that it is content and mentally stimulated. An unhappy bird may easily develop a repertoire of problem behaviours, such as biting, screaming, feather plucking and nervousness. In this definitive book, a top behaviour consultant explains how best to keep a captive bird in a domestic environment and reveals what you can do to overcome any problem behaviours that your bird may already have developed. The book is divided into four sections: Parrots in the Wild covers the social and flocking behaviour of wild birds, birth and the growth to maturity, and species differences. The Science of Behaviours covers the language of parrots, typical behaviours and how to modify behaviour through training. Training to Avoid Bad Habits covers how to train a bird using positive reinforcement techniques to obey a variety of commands, such as 'Step Up', Step Down', Come to me', 'Fly off me', 'Take This' and 'Drop That'. Breaking Bad Habits covers how to overcome behavioural problems, such as biting and aggression, screaming, self-plucking and self-mutilation, nervousness, and destructiveness. The ideal book for all parrot owners.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #37939 in Books
• Published on: 2007-08-22
• Original language: English
• Binding: Hardcover
• 128 pages

Review
This 'parrot bible' is a book parrot owners will not be able to put down. Breaking Bad Habits in Parrots supplies comprehensive information about the best way to keep and train these highly intelligent, beautiful and fascinating creatures. Answers are given to questions parrot keepers really ask, up-to-the-minute information is delivered along with essential 'must know' advice. The text is free of jargon, getting straight to the point. The book delivers advice in a way everynody can understand. Breaking Bad Habits in Parrots describes how best to keep a companion parrot in a domestic environment and explains what you can do to overcome any problem behaviours, such as screaming, self plucking, biting and destructive habits. With 250 colour cartoons and photos, a rainbow of Macaws, Conures, Lovebirds and many more are featured in this definitive book by top behaviour consultant Greg Glendell. A good book for all those parrot owners out there! --Pet Focus

From the Back Cover
In this definitive book, a top behaviour consultant describes how best to keep a companion parrot in a domestic environment and explains what you can do to overcome any problem behaviours, such as screaming, self-plucking, biting and destructive habits, that some birds may develop.

About the Author
Greg Glendell has had a lifelong interest in birds. As an amateur ornithologist he has carried out fieldwork on bird habitat requirements and the breeding biology of native British birds. Following his degree in Environmental Science, which included modules on animal and human behaviour, he worked in wildlife conservation. He acquired his first parrot, a blue-fronted Amazon, in 1986 and this led to him developing a deep interest in these birds. He has bred parrots but no longer does so as there is a surplus of these birds in need of good homes. He keeps several parrots including Greys, Amazons and a Meyer's. Greg works as the UK's only full-time pet parrot behavioural consultant and is based in Somerset.

Customer Reviews

A REFRESHING & USEFUL GREAT BOOK
A GREAT 'NO NONSENSE' NEW ADDITION TO MY COLLECTION
YOU CAN PICK THIS BOOK UP AND HAVE THE INFORMATION OF MANY UNDER ONE COVER!
WELL SET OUT WITH LOVELY PICTURES
REALISTIC TRUTHS WHICH MUST BE TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION
GOOD SENSE INFORMATION COVERING ALL RELATIVE AREAS
I ESPECIALLY ADMIRE HIS VIEWS ON CLIPPING HE IS TO BE APPLAUDED FOR ENLIGHTENING US ON THE IMPORTANCE OF FLIGHT DURING THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE HEART & WING MUSCLES.
WELL WORTH THE MONEY!!!
JANX

Perfect Parrot book
This is an excellent book. It starts with the assumption (unlike most parrot books) that you wont clip your parrot's wings, and give it the freedom of flight - somethign which is also my personal belief.

Great ideas and photos, and lots of stuff to think about. I can only wonder why the author doesn't make a more voluminous book.

Maybe a minor detail: the title of the book is a little negative. But the content doesn't suffer for it.

Basic training for pet parrots
A good book for people who owe a parrot and need to learn the basics of training their parrot. I am not sure if serious problems in parrot behaviour will be solved by the advise in this book.