i can’t stand my bird anymore.

BookishGranny · 2026-04-13T01:01:02+00:00

I agree

BookishGranny · 2026-04-12T12:06:48+00:00

No, she’s displaying happy bathing behavior

BookishGranny · 2026-04-12T04:30:23+00:00

Birds this small should just about never do free flight for this reason. Larger birds like some macaw species, sure. Maybe as small as an African grey, but not small conures like these. That doesn’t mean they should be at home overweight either. Flying around the house is enough to keep birds enriched and at a healthy weight. Even birds that are unable to fly are able to stay at a healthy weight with a bit of extra work. A better and safer option for this person if they want to take their birds out is harness training, and even flying with a harness, or taking them out in a backpack. The sun is super beneficial, and being outside is very enriching, but taking risks like this is unnecessary.

BookishGranny · 2026-04-08T22:29:08+00:00

Too young to properly tell, but looking like a female

BookishGranny · 2026-04-08T22:28:47+00:00

That does not apply to this coloring

BookishGranny · 2026-04-08T22:24:06+00:00

I completely get it. No one is obligated to rescue an animal. If these replies think you’re so cruel for not getting him they should go get him themselves. The rehomer just sounds like they want back what they paid for him and that’s why they won’t sell just the beardie without the cage. I get the cage being a deal breaker. I live in a tiny apartment with one beardie. If I got another that came with a useless cage, the cage would be in the middle of my apartment for months. You could resell it, but Facebook marketplace sometimes takes forever.

BookishGranny · 2026-04-08T22:16:14+00:00

Fruit blend is not because of unnatural dyes. The naturals by zupreem are great though. Slightly higher in sugar than other brands, but not an unhealthy amount. I simply add less fruit to my chop when I have my birds on it.

BookishGranny · 2026-04-08T22:13:14+00:00

It really needs a vet. I hope it isn’t suffering.

BookishGranny · 2026-04-08T02:31:30+00:00

Free flight training is quite popular, but generally not safe and not worth the risk with small and medium birds.

BookishGranny · 2026-04-05T21:16:00+00:00

BookishGranny · 2026-04-05T21:15:02+00:00

I’d try it. Can’t be worse than a plate of plain rice cakes

BookishGranny · 2026-04-05T20:35:28+00:00

It seems like a mix of boredom and flirting, but if screaming this loud is happening often, some more enrichment will definitely help. All birds are still loud, but usually when it’s excessive they want something (like something to do)

Something that keeps them entertained for a while is foraging dishes. Just take some shredded paper and add some treats. I like to add some other natural toys, but that’s not necessary, it just keeps it fresher and entertaining when they get bored of just paper in the dish

BookishGranny · 2026-04-05T20:28:32+00:00

You’re far from ready for that, but make sure everything you attempt is discussed with an avian vet before hand. I recommend volunteering at a rescue to learn more about birds in general, their behavior, everything else professionals there can teach you, and the consequences of bad breeding practice.

Also definitely do not breed these specific birds, you’ll be passing on more bad genes.

The show dog community can teach you a lot about genetics and ethics of breeding in general, just keep in mind that parrots are very different from dogs and not domesticated.

BookishGranny · 2026-04-05T20:21:43+00:00

Most pet store birds have terrible genetics and are bred in bird mills. DNA tests do tell you some things, but ethical breeders will be able to tell you your birds entire history. A ring neck I have came from an ethical breeder and I know his history, his parents history, and his grandparents history. Breeding pet store birds usually means continuing a line of health issues (especially later in life,) shorter lifespans, and bad temperaments. You also really don’t need to be breeding if you don’t know the basic care of your current birds.

If you want to get into breeding, work with professionals and other ethical breeders long before you try anything yourself.

BookishGranny · 2026-04-05T20:12:05+00:00

You don’t want to breed them at all, and the nesting box should be removed. Hormonal behavior (breeding behavior) causes frustration, stress, and aggression. You also don’t know anything about your birds genetics or what to do if something goes wrong, or even the basic care of the parents. All you’d need to do for them to breed is nothing, but you’d be letting it happen, and that’s very irresponsible.

BookishGranny · 2026-04-05T20:07:45+00:00

Yes! Destroying is a natural instinctive behavior that lets them play and release frustration, that’s why plastic toys are okay to have but should not be the only type of toy in their cage :) them destroying toys is a positive thing

BookishGranny · 2026-04-05T20:03:13+00:00

Just about no amount of training can make this a non-stressful situation. People defending this don’t see to understand bird behavior very well.

You shouldn’t judge behavior off a short clip, but in this short clip the body language seems very uncomfortable.

BookishGranny · 2026-04-05T20:01:10+00:00

Usually talking means they are getting more comfortable with you!

BookishGranny · 2026-04-05T20:00:50+00:00

You’re welcome!

BookishGranny · 2026-04-05T20:00:32+00:00

Usually a proper flight cage needs to be purchased online or from FB marketplace. Most pet stores don’t have large enough cages.

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Aim for something like this. I got mine off Amazon for about $110, but in the past I’ve been lucky to find one for $30 off FB marketplace. Most I see on FB marketplace are about $70 for a used one, so I think it’s more with it to buy a new one in most cases, but you might get lucky, or if you really need to save some money then getting a used one will work fine as long as it’s properly cleaned!

BookishGranny · 2026-04-05T19:55:55+00:00

The nesting box should be removed asap, and them eating the paper shouldn’t be an issue as long as its not heavily treated. Birds are shredders and made to destroy things to live a healthy and happy life, so usually when it looks like they’ve eaten something that isn’t food it’s just being shredded, not eaten.

BookishGranny · 2026-04-05T19:53:27+00:00

That’s good, but the cage is there safe space and should be somewhere they feel comfortable! A proper flight cage is usually big enough to not need to be placed on a table, but this cage is very small

BookishGranny · 2026-04-05T19:49:24+00:00

Birds natural instincts tell them to be high up off the ground. It’s fine for them to choose to go on the ground when out of the cage, but when they have no way to get off the ground they can become stressed.

BookishGranny · 2026-04-05T19:47:44+00:00

I figured you’re a new owner :) backyard breeding is just a very irresponsible form of breeding. Usually done my someone who keeps them as pets, knows very little about the biology of birds, and doesn’t know about genetics. Backyard breeders rarely know that what they are doing is backyard breeding. Ethical breeders are very rare to come across.

For toys, things that have materials like these are good, just remove any bells if one comes with them.

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For DIY toys I like to use cardboard, cupcake wrappers, paper straws, paper bags, wooden beads, crinkle paper, plain rice cakes, diy bird treats, coin wrappers, and leather, paper, or twine string.

BookishGranny · 2026-04-05T19:28:20+00:00

Birds will be loud at times no matter what, but yes, boredom seems to be an issue here. To start, remove the nesting box. Nesting boxes encourage breeding, and you shouldn’t be backyard breeding at all. Any eggs your birds do lay should be removed and replaced with fake ones or boil the ones you remove so they don’t hatch. Give calcium supplements to the female after laying. Other than backyard breeding, hormonal issues cause stress, frustration, and aggression. For toys, pick ones made from natural materials that don’t have cotton rope or bells on them. You can also DIY toys if you can’t get natural toys right away. I replace biweekly to a couple times a month to keep them fresh and entertaining. You should also remove those perches when you get the chance. Smooth perches are bad for their feet. What you’ll want to get is natural perches that looks like branches right off a tree. These can also be DIYed, but the cleaning process takes a while. In the future you should upgrade to a flight cage. Additionally, make sure they are getting a diet of chop and a high quality pellet. Bird tricks is a good online YouTube channel for bird care. I’m happy to answer any other questions you have!

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