Carli Dodd RVN Avian Veterinary Services

Carli Dodd RVNAvian Veterinary Services

Important to acknowledge that captive parrotsare only a couple of generations from the wild Genetically identicalNormal behaviour in the wild Flock species – safety in numbers Pair bonding within flock Daylight length 12-14 hours

Breeding in the wild Male finds & defends nest site Often tree hollow Incubation – female +- male Chicks are altricial – closed eyes / ears, no feathers,completely dependent on parents Fed by parent(s) Wean & fledge stay with family unit – ‘nanny’ birds Learn how to fly & how to react

Captivity: Incubation – natural / artificial Hand-rearing (Parental deprivation) Day one or later Same age chicks left with parents weigh more and arelarger than HR – growth hormone suppression /exposure to light Lots of stimuli – light / noise Sold to new homes when weaned

Key time Much easier to prevent problems than cure!Husbandry advice Diet Environmental enrichment How to be a member of the ‘flock’ not a potentialmate Training exercises and positive reinforcement

Common behaviour problemsScreamingAggressionFeather damaging behaviour / self mutilation

Screaming Parrots are naturally noisy at daybreak & sunset Communication amongst flock Contact calls Alarm calls

Positively reinforce quiet noises & ignoreunfavourable noises Maintain contact calls when out of sight Encourage independence Separation de-sensitisation Distract the bird with new toys / exciting foodsimmediately prior to noisy times

Aggression Fear aggression – ‘phobic’ birds / clipped Conditioned (dominance) aggression Territorial aggression Mate-related aggression

ABCs Antecedent What is happening immediately prior to behaviour Behaviour – biting / attacking Consequence Inadvertent reinforcement

Learn to interpret body language Ensure whole ‘flock’ interacts with bird Discourage a one-person bond Use a buddy perch Discourage from perching on shoulders Positively reinforce desired behaviour

Be patient Ensure daylight length of 12 hours Have a separate night-time cage Regular training sessions Dietary management Hormone suppression

Feather damaging behaviour Chewing / fraying feathers Removal of contour feathers Removal of flight feathersSelf-mutilation

Symptom not a diseaseAnxiety of some sort (OCD) Medical Environmental Behavioural

Full ‘work-up’ essential, including thoroughhistorySpecies predisposition Grey Parrot Psittacus erithacus erithacus Macaws – Ara spp Cockatoos Eclectus – Eclectus roratus

Treatment is difficult Halting progression is sometimes the best we canexpectEnvironmental enrichment is essential Allowing the bird to express ‘normal’ behaviours i.eforaging & chewing Appropriate diet Appropriate ‘flock’ interaction Appropriate daylight length

Regular training sessions Positive reinforcement of desired behaviours Modifying behaviours e.g. Stretching feathers around to chew can graduallybe converted to a ‘wave’ Collar placement Adjunctive pharmacological agents

TCA’s – tricyclic anti-depressants Clomipramine SSRI’s – selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors Prozac Sertraline Antipsychotics Haloperidol Diazepam

Hormone therapies Chorionic gonadatrophins Gonadatrophin Releasing Hormone agonist

Case study Umbrella cockatoo Cacatua alba 23 months old Kept with sibling Fed pelleted diet supplemented with fruit & veg Negative PBFD test Bonded particularly to male owner Demonstrated hostile behaviour to sibling and femaleowner Began to chew at feathers Removed all feathers from pectoral area and beneath leftwing Continued chewing through skin & on to muscle

Diagnostic ‘work-up’ revealed enlarged & activeovary Small radiodense particle in ventriculus Blood lead & zinc levels within normal limits Negative ABV PCR & Antibodies

Treatment Deslorelin implant (GnRH agonist) NSAIDs Antibiotic Dress wounds Fit collar Increase foraging activities Modify contact with male owner

Prognosis – Guarded

Prognosis – GuardedResult – Response to treatment and behaviourmodification was good! Collar removed 6 weeks post work-up Will ignore food in bowl and forage Plays with toys Interaction with all ‘flock’ members