Get Expert Advice About Your Bird From Omar
Omar loves talking to bird owners about how to care for their pets and teaching them training methods that lead to better behavior. If you have a question that you would like to ask Omar about your bird, click the Ask Omar button below, fill out the form, and then check back on this page for the answer to your question.
If your question is medical in nature, please contact your Avian Vet for advice.
 I am going to purchase an Congo African Grey soon. I have been to your store and was very impressed with the cleanliness and the quality of your birds. I love that they customers can interact with the birds.
Can you tell me your health guarantee of your birds?
Also, why is it better to buy from you verses buying directly from a breeder at a lower cost? -James, Orange, CA
 Hello James. Our babies are very well socialized as you can see. Aside from that, if you purchase a baby from us you can get free grooming from us anytime you need. This is done approximmately every 6 weeks and if you purchased it elsewhere it would cost you about $15 each time. It adds up.
As far as our health guarantee. It is a four day guarantee designed for you to take the bird into the Vet within that time. If the Vet feels anything is wrong we can take the bird back, or have you treat him while we extend the guarantee.
And lastly, I would recommend you talk to others about our reputation with our birds in the last 25 years. You will be impressed.
Thank you and good luck picking out your Grey.
Omar
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Looking for the name and information on this species- black little canary size bird, A little white in the wings. Sings like a Canary on steriods! Big boxy beak unlike a Canary the male acts simalar to a canary, flitting his tail etc.
Omar, we met many years ago I owned a chain of exotic bird shops 1980 til 1992- For Birds Only. Still raise lots. Came across these birds and the guy did not know the name. Hunted the internet. So now I turn to you my friend. -Mark, Boynton Beach, FL
Mark, I'm really not sure which bird you are talking about, but I found a web site that shows the native birds to Cuba. I looked at some to be able to find out the answer, but I believe you will identify it easier. I was seven years old when I left Cuba and I don't remember but a few of the song birds especially the Mariposa. Here is the site. http://www.hellocuba.ca/itineraries/460birds_endemic.html
Good luck. Omar
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Blanca, my Cockatiel is a single girl, but recently she laid 3 eggs and she is a devoted mother. She is incubating the 3 eggs all day without doing anything else. I know the eggs won't hutch. How long can I let her hold her eggs? I believe eggs would rotten at sometime, wouldn't they? What do you recommend I should do? -Keiko,Torrance, CA
Hello Keiko. I would pull them out after she has finished laying the last egg and has not laid any more for 5 days. Really the eggs will be fine and not get rotten even if she sat on them the normal 21 days of incubation. Just make sure you give her enough cuttlebone for her to replace the calcium she is using up when laying. This is normal behavior for her. I'm sure she is still getting up for a few minutes to eat and drink and poop every once in awhile. Also, it is normal for her to have larger than normal poops since she is sitting and holding it for long periods of time.
Thanks, Omar
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My Vet suggested I buy Super Preen Powder for my Cockatiel. Do you carry it? Also, do you have seed catchers for 100" diameter cages? How much are your toys? Do you have an online shop? - Valerie, Berkeley, CA
I believe it is yes to all your questions and soon for the last one. Our online store should be up and running later this month. We do carry Super Preen and we can ship it to you. Our toys range from .99 for some hand-held toys to over $50. for the giant large bird toys. The seed catchers we do carry and if you don't mind calling the store at 714-572-8353 and ask them to read you the sizes of the ones we carry. I believe we can take care of the 100".
Thank you, Omar
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I just bought Sugar the Umbrella Cockatoo and they told me he's one year old. I had him for five days, and then I went to pick him up and he didn't want to come to me. Today, he looked excited, so I put my arm out to hold him and he did get on, but he tried to bite me. Then he got on my hand, so I bent down and he got on my back and was still trying to bite me. Now I'm scared of him, and I don't want to hold him. I can pet him but I really want a bird that I can hold, and I don't know what to do. I need help. - Irma, Fullerton, CA
Irma, if you don't have experience with having a second-hand Cockatoo, I would try to take him back to where you got him. These Cockatoos are easily spoiled and allowed to get out of control. And you had nothing to do with it. I'm sure it is a male and I would bet that the bird is at least three to five years old. It is typical for people to say he is one year old. It sounds better to the buyer. You can control him and have a good pet, but it will take a lot of time, patience and some bites. If you still have him in a couple of weeks and want to try to make it work, I will have my Cockatoo Ebook available for purchase, that will go over all these problems. I would recommend that you start with a baby if you can, even though you will have to pay more.
Good luck. Omar
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I just recently got Panchita a female Parrotlet. She was hand tamed, but nobody played with her, so she is still fearful of anybody. Just wondering what methods I could use to have her tame again. -Anthony, Anaheim, CA
Anthony, I like her name, Panchita. Try to get her in a small terrycloth bath towel and hold her while you sit for about 10 minutes. You may even come by the store so we can teach you how to hold her since you are not too far away. While you hold her, talk to her softly and try to pet her neck area behind her head and the area around her ears. She'll like that. She will struggle at first and then begin to enjoy the petting. Try this a couple of times a day. If while you're petting her, she is so relaxed that you don't have to hold her anymore, then release her from the cloth and continue to pet her. If her wings are clipped and she knows how to step up (she should if she was hand raised), set her on the floor when you are done and offer her your finger to step on. Take her back to the cage or hold her longer on your finger if she does not jump off. If so, repeat the process.
Hope this helps. Omar
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Why does my Doodle, my Lovebird get aggresive when she gets near electronics such as computers, ipods, and phones? She tries to bite them and myself. -Sara, Newport Beach, CA
Sara, my thought would be jealousy. She see's you spending time on them and she wants you for herself. I would also assume that it happens with other things that you deal with too, not just electronics. The biting you is called misplaced aggression and she is warning you and wanting you to flee from what she sees as danger. When she is in this trance, try to snap her out of it. Try misting her during this time without shorting out your electronics. Try putting a feather duster near the electronics to see if she is more preoccupied with that than the phone or computer.
The other thing is if she sees all the buttons as play toys and wants to chew them up. Biting you when you come near to say, leave me alone, I'm busy. If this is the case, you may look for a cheap children's toy cell phone or keyboard to give her when you are on yours. This will allow her to have fun while you do your work.
Good luck, Omar
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Do you have any Golden Conures for sale? If you do, how much are you asking? Thank you. -Jay, Orlando FL
Hello Jay. I do have Golden Conures for sale, but I cannot sell them out of state. They require a special permit for that. If you are in Florida, then try to find one there and you will not have any problem with purchasing one.
Thanks, Omar
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I have had Kaweah, my Timmeh African Grey for three years, and as you can imagine, he loves attention. He tends to scream often when he is not getting attention. I am thinking about getting another bird because I will be working a lot in the upcoming months, and would like for him to have a companion. I would like to keep the two together in the large cage (6 feet in all dimensions). I do not want to get another loud bird. I have looked at red rump parakeets and found that they are supposedly quiet, but can be aggressive. Do you have any experience with this species cohabitating with another species in a large cage? Is there another relatively quiet species you would recommend? -Becca, El Portal, CA
Becca. Just remember that if you get another bird and put him in the same cage with Kaweah, that they will probably bond with each other and not want to have as much to do with you. Especially if you are not going to give them as much attention in the near future. That being said, the screaming will be reduced if he is screaming for your attention. But this is only if he bonds to the other bird and sees him as his buddy.
Red Rumps are much quieter, but Greys are normally not very loud either. He must have learned a noise somewhere that he now uses to get attention. I would probably go with another parrot he can socialize more with. A quiet African parrot such as a Senegal or a Meyers. Even another Grey would work. Remember that a Red Rump will also eat a different diet. But maybe it would be better with the smaller bird if you later become his mate again so he does not get too attached to another and accept you again easier.
Good luck with your choice. Omar
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We are moving the second weekend of March to Kansas...and we plan on taking Sparkles our Cockatiel with us. What is your advice on her traveling, or do you think its not a good idea, we love her but would be terrified if she died on the way. Please let me know what you think.
Thanks a ton! - Shelley, Dana Point, CA
Shelly, she should be fine. If she lives in a small cage and you can have her travel in her cage, it is best. If not a carrier with a perch in it will work. It is less stressful on the bird if she can grip a perch during the trip. When traveling at night, cover the cage or carrier so she does not see all the lights, because they don't see well at night. When you stop at a hotel, take her in with you for the night. If she gets carsick, keep her where she can look forward and out rather than on the floorboard. You can even let her out and hang out with you when you drive. She will like that. And of course, make sure she has water and food out at all times. Traveling will be less stressful on her than adjusting to a new home.
Good luck and have a good trip. -Omar
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Sunny, my Congo African Grey, seems to be over-preening his feathers. He has lots of toys in his cage, and I have been misting him every few days (but he truly thinks he is being abused when I get out the mister). He likes to take baths in his water dish, but only when he wants to do so. Rachel at your Brea store suggested more toys in his cage and more baths, but the behavior continues. Do you have any further suggestions? This is really concerning me. I don't want to see him messing up his feathers as he has been recently. I would welcome any suggestions you might have. Thank you!! -Melani, Rancho Cucamonga, CA
Hello Melani. I'm not sure if something in your life has changed that has made Sunny a little more nervous. Such as moving, a new relationship in your life, a puppy, new picture hung in the same room, you're working more hours or different hours, etc. If nothing has changed try taking him in the shower with you daily. Just set him up on the shower stall or curtain while you shower and get ready. Stop using the water mister if he freaks out when you use it. Every once in a while, take him down and run him under the water for a few seconds and put him back. You can even blow dry him. This will not only help him with the steam in the room but also by the added attention that he will get being with you.
As far as the new toys. Try putting a couple on the outside of the cage, especially rope and shreddable toys that he can pull through and preen and work at getting. I would also turn on the television for him on Animal Planet or a cartoon channel. He will love it and possibly learn more things to say. Believe me, they do watch it.
Hope this helps.
Thank you, Omar
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My Conure, Buzz, turned 1 on Feb 28th 09 and he never used to bite my husband. He liked him the same as me. Now he draws blood and means buisness. I give him primary care and my husband says that I spoil him. Can you spoil a bird? My husband is a trucker so he is gone a lot. The bird has also recently started rubbing himself, you know on his rope perchthe minute I let him out of the cage and other times too. -Darlene, Fergus, Ontario
Darlene, it sounds like Buzz sees you as his mate. The best way to get him to like your husband more, as he used to, is to have him take Buzz out of the house or another room he is not used to, in a carrier. Let him out and if he is not used to his surroundings, he will realize that the only thing that is familiar to him is your husband and he will in turn want to be close to him. Have them hang out together for at least 15 minutes a couple times a day when he is not away. This will help him learn to not be as protective over you when he comes around or at least be more accepting of him.
Also, never let him take the bird from you. Buzz will see this as negative behavior and will be angry over it if your husband wants to pick up the bird and your are holding it. Put the bird on the floor, back off, and have him pick him up. Or set your bird in another room and let him go pick him up without you. When Buzz feels he is being rescued off the floor or from the other room by your husband, he will see this as positive behavior and begin liking him more. Last thing. When he bites your husband, don't go running over and take the bird from him and "rescue" Buzz. He will see this as a reward that Mom is rescuing him. Have your husband deal with putting him back in the cage or in a punishment carrier (not the same one) for 15 minutes or so. Then have him take him out and put in the cage.
Try these things and see how they work for you.
Omar
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