Saturday, August 17, 2013

Parrot Safe Wire Mesh



One of the biggest issues we have had here in Australia over the past few years is the supply of `parrot safe’ wire mesh suitable for outdoor enrichment enclosures and breeding aviaries. Previously we could always depend on the Australian made product `Waratah Weldmesh' for its consistent quality and lack of solder `dags’ on the mesh joins. It was a great, reliable and totally safe product. Unfortunately when production of that mesh ceased many birdkeepers were left with the only option of inferior imported mesh. These products were at best poorly made with welds that would quite easily snap and at worst full of those lethal solder dags at the weld joints that parrots have a tendency to snip off, consume and develop potentially fatal heavy metal toxicity.

Thankfully, a new, `bird proven’ and totally safe alternative is now available. The product is being imported from Italy by a good friend of mine who is a birdkeeper and has used the mesh in all of his aviaries with species ranging from Black Cockatoos to small lorikeets to Australian native grass parrots. The product is called `Esafort’ and you can find out more information at the following link…


My recommendation for most outside enclosures that will house parrots is to use 12.7mm x 12.7mm – 1.05mm mesh. Give the `Wire Supplier’ a call via the contact information that can be sourced through the link above for additional advice on the most suitable mesh for your needs.

If you are aware of any other proven wire mesh product that is safe for parrots then please let me know and I will post it here.

Sunday, August 4, 2013

WPT Podcast



Back in 2012 I was asked to record a `podcast’ with Charlie Moores from `Talking Naturally’ based on one of my Q&A replies on the World Parrot Trust `Ask the Experts’ resource. Charlie is an amazing guy with a serious passion for wild birding and it was a great experiencing `Skyping' with him to put this little media piece together. Take the time to check out his website at http://www.talking-naturally.co.uk/ 

The conversation topic was `Keeping Parrots Flighted’ – something very important to me and a potent motivator for my work  as an educator of companion parrot keepers. The podcast is now available online via the new section of the World Parrot Trust website dedicated to a range of podcast recordings. I can thoroughly recommend taking some time to tune in and listen to all of the podcasts available over a cuppa (or whilst reclining back in bed with the iPad firmly in lap as the case may be these days!) You can check out the podcast via the following link…

If you have even more spare time on your hands then you might like to have a read of the original musings on the matter of keeping your parrot flighted, as well as my other contributions to the WPT Q and A initiative via…


Final 2013 Workshops - Sydney & Gold Coast


Just a couple of date claimers for my final workshops for 2013…


Workshop Title:  `The Training Toolkit’
Date: Saturday September 7th
Venue: Animal Referral Hospital – Homebush, Sydney.
Time: 9:00am to 1:30pm
Presentations:

  • Session 1: The Training Toolkit
  • Session 2: Nutritional Influences on Parrot Behaviour (Dr Stacey Gelis)
  • Session 3: What’s in it for me? – Motivating parrots for training success
  • Session 4: Training Troubleshooting – Tips for successful training and behaviour change management

Cost: $95
Registration Information: Please contact seminar@arhvets.com or phone 02 9758 8880 (Registrations close August 31st)

Workshop Title: `Annual Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary Companion Parrot Workshop Day’
Date: Saturday September 28th
Venue: Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary – Gold Coast
Time: 9:00am to 4:00pm
Presentations:

  • 21st Century Approach to Companion Parrot Keeping
  • Environmental Enrichment
  • Diet Management
  • Practical Handling & Body Language Interpretation
  • Behind The Scenes – Free Flight Bird Show
  • Behaviour Management
  • Q&A

Cost: $135 ($95 for second household member)



`Hey - Get some education!!!'