Yellow Headed Black Bird
by Marilynne Eichinger
Can You Potty Train Your Bird?
Pet ownership is thriving in our country. Over 84 million have been adopted by Amercian households. According the American Veterinary Medical Association 36.5% of households own dogs, 30% own cats, 3.1% birds and 1.55 horses. The majority of pets are obtained from family and friends with 20-30 % of cats and dogs adopted from shelters and 2-10% purchased from pet shops.
Our cat came from a shelter, but when we got her home we realized that she had been badly abused. It took years to make her coat shiny and to have her relax to the point of letting us rub her head. She now is a most agreeable, though still on edge at times.
Pets are acquired for many reasons such as teaching responsibility to children, companionship for adults, assistance to the handicapped, and therapy for the ill. They are socializing agents helping people overcome their reluctance to start a conversation. Emotional and physical well being is often enhanced with a companion animal. Healthy exercise is part of the routine for those who walk their dog daily. Grooming and petting provide tactile connections that human beings need and often don’t get as they reach old age.
Pet owners in general develop an understanding of what it means to give and receive unconditional love, loyalty, and sympathy. Caring for animals encourages kindness and understanding. Service animals lead the blind across streets, help the deaf hear alarms, provide warning signs for those living alone, and give an overall feeling of safety. In addition companion animals help lessen the feeling of loneliness, lowering blood pressure and even cholesterol levels.
Birds are not are not quite as cuddly but still fall in the fascinating and beautiful category. I enjoy watching them in my backyard feeder or on outings to Malheur national wildlife refuge when migrating in the spring. Last year, with help, Ray and I identified 164 species of birds at Malheur in just five days. The Yellow Headed Blackbird picture above was painted after last year’s excursion. These birds in the wild, however, are not pets.
A friend of mine enthusiastically shared stories about her Double Yellow Head Amazon Parrot. The bird talks and sings whenever anyone is around. It is pretty amazing to observe how appropriate it’s phrases are to teach situation. My friend keeps the cage open and lets her bird fly around the house without being afraid of poop landing on furniture or carpet. She claimed that she was able to “housebreak” her parrot and teach it to relieve himself in the proper spot. Wow! I found that statement hard to believe so I did some investigative research to find out if that was possible.
What I found was an overwhelming affirmation, especially with “hookbill” birds. You can train a bird much as you train a dog, but you do need a lot more patience. Birds are very intelligent, responding to expressions, soft speech, and the punishment of being put back in the cage.
If you give attention to a bird or animal you will start to understand why emotional attachments get formed. Pets can help you learn, grow, and become a more satisfied person! But please remember that if you are purchasing a new feathered friend, make sure that it is legal and not a kidnapped bird on the endangered species list. When I was in Costa Rico with my grandchildren we participated in an early morning bird count and learned that local denizens were capturing Macaws to sell to the U.S. market. The result is diminishing populations and endangering their survival. Macaws are beautiful birds that belong in the wild or purchased from a supplier in the United States that raises them for domestic use.
I would love to hear your thoughts.
Artwork is always for sale. Go to www.eichingerfineart.com for email me at mariliynne@eichingerfineart.com for more information.
To learn more go to:
http://www.veterinarypracticenews.com/July-2012/Feds-Propose-Protecting-Four-Macaw-Species-As-Endangered/ – Illegal capturing of Macaws.
https://www.google.com/?gws_rd=ssl#q=american+veterinary+medical+association – statistics etc.
http://www.animalfreedom.org/english/opinion/pets/why_do_people_want_pets.html : Why people have pets.
Yellow Headed Black Bird
by Marilynne Eichinger
Can You Potty Train Your Bird?
Pet ownership is thriving in our country. Over 84 million have been adopted by Amercian households. According the American Veterinary Medical Association 36.5% of households own dogs, 30% own cats, 3.1% birds and 1.55 horses. The majority of pets are obtained from family and friends with 20-30 % of cats and dogs adopted from shelters and 2-10% purchased from pet shops.
Our cat came from a shelter, but when we got her home we realized that she had been badly abused. It took years to make her coat shiny and to have her relax to the point of letting us rub her head. She now is a most agreeable, though still on edge at times.
Pets are acquired for many reasons such as teaching responsibility to children, companionship for adults, assistance to the handicapped, and therapy for the ill. They are socializing agents helping people overcome their reluctance to start a conversation. Emotional and physical well being is often enhanced with a companion animal. Healthy exercise is part of the routine for those who walk their dog daily. Grooming and petting provide tactile connections that human beings need and often don’t get as they reach old age.
Pet owners in general develop an understanding of what it means to give and receive unconditional love, loyalty, and sympathy. Caring for animals encourages kindness and understanding. Service animals lead the blind across streets, help the deaf hear alarms, provide warning signs for those living alone, and give an overall feeling of safety. In addition companion animals help lessen the feeling of loneliness, lowering blood pressure and even cholesterol levels.
Birds are not are not quite as cuddly but still fall in the fascinating and beautiful category. I enjoy watching them in my backyard feeder or on outings to Malheur national wildlife refuge when migrating in the spring. Last year, with help, Ray and I identified 164 species of birds at Malheur in just five days. The Yellow Headed Blackbird picture above was painted after last year’s excursion. These birds in the wild, however, are not pets.
A friend of mine enthusiastically shared stories about her Double Yellow Head Amazon Parrot. The bird talks and sings whenever anyone is around. It is pretty amazing to observe how appropriate it’s phrases are to teach situation. My friend keeps the cage open and lets her bird fly around the house without being afraid of poop landing on furniture or carpet. She claimed that she was able to “housebreak” her parrot and teach it to relieve himself in the proper spot. Wow! I found that statement hard to believe so I did some investigative research to find out if that was possible.
What I found was an overwhelming affirmation, especially with “hookbill” birds. You can train a bird much as you train a dog, but you do need a lot more patience. Birds are very intelligent, responding to expressions, soft speech, and the punishment of being put back in the cage.
If you give attention to a bird or animal you will start to understand why emotional attachments get formed. Pets can help you learn, grow, and become a more satisfied person! But please remember that if you are purchasing a new feathered friend, make sure that it is legal and not a kidnapped bird on the endangered species list. When I was in Costa Rico with my grandchildren we participated in an early morning bird count and learned that local denizens were capturing Macaws to sell to the U.S. market. The result is diminishing populations and endangering their survival. Macaws are beautiful birds that belong in the wild or purchased from a supplier in the United States that raises them for domestic use.
I would love to hear your thoughts.
Artwork is always for sale. Go to www.eichingerfineart.com for email me at mariliynne@eichingerfineart.com for more information.
To learn more go to:
http://www.veterinarypracticenews.com/July-2012/Feds-Propose-Protecting-Four-Macaw-Species-As-Endangered/ – Illegal capturing of Macaws.
https://www.google.com/?gws_rd=ssl#q=american+veterinary+medical+association – statistics etc.
http://www.animalfreedom.org/english/opinion/pets/why_do_people_want_pets.html : Why people have pets.