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 have a wonderful Hyacinth Macaw baby that is about 13 months old. I got him last December. He is a wonderful bird but loves to play with his beak on me. I try to distract him with toys but when he is hanging out with me he is focused on playing with me and not interested in other toys. He is very trusting and loves it when I role him over to play tickle tickle. I do not want to suppress his affection and playfulness but would prefer he play with one of his toys rather than my body parts. I worry that when he gets older he may get too rough and not know it! Kind of like a Baby Huey! Thanks - Elizabeth, Tustin, CA

Sometimes they just don't know their own strength.  My female Hyacinth is not mouthy at all, but my male Blue is very mouthy and likes to play rough.  So discourage it now when he does not grip as hard.  My best distraction would be what you are doing, by placing a handheld toy in his mouth instead.  Another thing is to raise your voice with a firm "No" and if he gets too rough, stop the game.  The "No" being used with pushing the hand further in their mouth so it is uncomfortable.  Once he knows guidelines and rules, he should respond.  It is no different than when you are playing rough with a dog or even a child and they are so wound up that you need to give the firm "No".  They will know what it means.  They stop or you stop playing or the bird gets put back.  The other thing you can try is putting some Bitter Apple spray on you hands to make it taste bad.  Not all will respond to this, but many will.  They will not like the taste of your hands in their mouth.  Just don't forget you have it on your hands.  It tastes awful.
 
Get him to know what "No" means.  There will be many times you will need to use it as he gets older.
 
Thanks, Omar

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Hi. I have two cockatiels that I have trouble bonding with I'm really scared of getting bitten. Well I know their bites don't hurt but it just scares me seeing them lunge at me. I'm trying clicker training - power pause,praise and reward, but it's like they never listen and it looks like they don't want anything to do with me. I was wondering if you can provide me with as many tips you can for helping me with my problems. Im really fascinated with my birds just looking at them makes me wonder, so if you would please help me out with my problem so I can show my birds the world and amaze my friends and family with what birds can do. Thank You - Carvin, Lake Forest, CA

Carvin, the first step would be to separate the birds if you are going to train them.  Remember that they are together in their cage with each other 24 hours a day eating, bathing, talking, resting, preening and playing.  You are with them a couple of hours one on one, if that.  Who do you think they will prefer?  Each other of course.  For you to do the initial training, you need to keep them in separate cages and have them want to be with you for the pleasure.  Once they are trained, you will be able to keep them together as long as you spend a lot more time with both of them, even together.  They may be bonded, and even a pair.  I'm not even sure if they were hand raised, but if so, the process will be easier.  If they are a wild pair, maybe you should let them be together and if you set up a nest box for them, they may breed and give you healthy babies you can hand raise and have climbing all over you.  You will need training with that though to do it right.
 
Good luck, Omar

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Omar- I know you have been asked this question several times, but I have tried and tried with no luck.  My boyfriend and I have 2 green cheeks and 2 budgies.  Our green cheeks are wonderful, we don't know their sex but we just say Lily is our girl and Eyra is our boy...BUT Lily has gone postal in recent months, after our month long "honeymoon", Lily and Eyra decided to show their true feathers.  Eyra is completely loving and such a cuddlebug he loves to curl up in my neck and watch Animal Planet (or so I assume) but Lily will only go to my boyfriend and when I am around she'll make a bee line for my fingers or throat (literally, she goes for the throat) we have tried everything. My boyfriend will put her down on the ground and walk out of the room so that she feels uncomfortable enough to step on to my hand..not! we have gone in the backyard, garage, front yard, there doesn't seem to be anywhere that she feels uncomfortable enough to come to me....its like she could care less where you put her as long as she can reach me.  I know she is protecting Eyra because she won't let me near their cage and I feel bad about the thought of putting them in separate cages since they are best buddies.  I won't use gloves around her or force her to do anything.. but the surprise swoop attacks are getting ridiculous!  Do you have any tips that might at least calm her down, I don't expect perfection but I at least want to be able to be around her. Thanks much! - Kesha, San Bernardino, CA

Well, when you say surprise swoop attacks, I assume that she is full flight.  That is the first thing that needs to go.  She has full control of attacking you with no consequences.  I also believe that Lily is probably the boy.  He sounds like he is not only being protective over Eyra, but also your boyfriend.  What you need to do, if you don't want to clip him and reduce the aggression is to earn a little respect.  Respect comes out of slight fear.  You know when the bird will swoop at you or when he is usually aggressive, Read your Bird, and use a feather duster to distract him.  Every time he aggressively flies at you, lift it.  When you go feed him in the cage, have it behind your back and if he comes at you, show it to him.  Don't push it into him, just distract him with it.  Put it behind your back again and continue.  He comes again, your feather duster comes again.  Your feather duster will be your friend until he stops attacking you.  He will.  Later you can do some of the things of taking him with you places to bond again.
 
Good luck, Omar
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Hi Omar. I have two Conures and when I take them out my bird Crush starts to like bite really hard and puff up do you know a way to stop that? Thank you. - Mohammad, Walnut, CA

He's being protective over the other one. If you are going to have both of them living together, they are with each other 24 hours a day and with you possibly 2-3. It is natural for them to prefer each other. Unless you are going to breed them or spend hours a day with them both individually, I would keep them in separate cages so that the only time they get to be with each other is though you. Try more one on one with them, especially with the one being the aggressive one. Good luck, Omar

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I am 12 years old, and I have a big situation. I have these European sparrows in my front yard, and i have a bond with them. Their names are Dan, Larry, and Mario. You see, it started off when Mario started to go to our garage, and he started to like me, and eventually he let me hold him in my hand and stuff like that. Then I taught him to step up, and stuff like that. And then Larry and Dan started showing up, and they too let me hold them and stuff. I taught all 3 of them to step up. Now Larry and Dan can fly, and the other day Larry flew away. Dan stayed, and Mario I found in our next door neighbor's front yard and his eye was all bloody, and his foot was hurt. So I started feeding him worms. Dan was still around too, but he wouldn't let me feed him. Around then the Mother was still around. Then today Dan flew away, and the mother abandoned Mario. I just adore Mario, and I really want him to live through the abandonment, and his injury. The only thing is, he doesn't know how to fly yet, and I am hoping that when he gets better, I could set him free to live the life that he was born to live. How can i teach him how to fly? The mother hasn't returned, and my parents think that she will never return. Can you help me? -Ben

This does happen many times where they leave the nest or get thrown out by their brothers too early.  Little by little when he gets stronger, he will start to flap his wings to exercise and then he will begin to fly.  Mom had to go to teach the others how to fend for themselves and just could not wait for him.  If he is fully feathered and is doing the exercise thing, he will fly on his own.  The main thing is to make sure he is not hurt and the wings do work well.  If you hold him on your finger and drop him slightly, he should begin to flap to catch his balance.  If the wings seem to work well, he will take flight on his own when he is ready.
 
Good luck with your temporary pet.  Thanks for helping them.  Omar

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I bought a Cockatiel hand-fed baby that is a month old. I noticed that she (or he) has scant balding under her (or his) wings and around the neck. I was wondering if the feathers are taking longer than usual to grow or if we need to worry. Please let us know. -Helen, LaHabra, CA

Your Cockatiel, if truly one month old should not be feathered completely yet, so this makes sense. I hope you are hand feeding him because he cannot eat on his own at one month old. He should wean at about 7 weeks old. 

Good luck with him. Omar

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My Amazon is a male and likes to try to mate with everything. Is there anything I can do to stop him from doing this? -Cody. Wickenburg, AZ

Just don't make a big deal about it. Sometimes they do it more to get your attention. Distractions without them coming from you will work the best.   Possibly a remote controled car peeking around the corner will distract him.  But if he's not causing any trouble and mainly does it with a favorite toy, maybe it's just best to look the other way. 

Thank you. Omar 

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My husband and I purchased Sarge (a male now 8 years old) when you still had your store in La Verne. While we are nuts about the bird, Sarge has begun to bite and very hard, to the point it draws blood. He prefers me over my husband. However, when another female enters the room he turns on me. I have learned not to be holding him or standing close by. We have stands for him all over the house so he can participate in things we do.
However, I have started wearing a thick gardening glove when I sense he is going to bite. For example, I need to take him off of his perch in one room and put him in his cage because I need to go to the market.
I don't want to stop holding him, but, I can't make this behavior stop.
When he does bite, either I or my husband will take him to his cage for quiet time. Any suggestions? - Lucia, Glendora, CA

Lucia.  I would not use the gloves on your hand.  I assume he freaks out with the gloves.  You do though have to find something he does not like, such as a feather duster, a glove, stick, etc.  Keep this behind your back and when you offer your arm and he lunges to bite, then bring that from around your back towards him.  This is to distract him and get him out of the trance he is in.  They sometimes get wired and they need to be snapped out of it.  I know you are aware of when he is going to bite you.  His eyes begin dilating and probably his head feathers stand up some.  At this time use a stick to pick him up or bring out the distraction from behind your back.  If you wear the gloves, your hands become the enemy and I would rather your free hand be the friend and the object be the bad. 
 
It sounds like he needs some time away from his home, cage and stands.  Try taking him for a walk.  Where you are what he feels comfortable with and you are his protector from the environment he is not used to.  About three times a week, get him out for about half an hour.
 
Try these things so he can realize whose in charge and who protects him from harm.
 
Good luck, Omar 

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Hello Omar, I have a two questions for you. Earlier today I went into your Lake Forest store to hang out with the birds, and I saw a Brown Headed Parrot that I adored. I held it for about 30 minutes, and it was very relaxed and was shutting its eyes in my arms. It eventually climbed up to my shoulders, and set itself against my neck. It took me a while to get it off because it was literally attached to me. I asked one of the store workers what how much it costs, and she said it was sold. My question is, when will you get more of the Brown Headed Parrots?

Today, July 5th, I was in your store and I saw you. I don't know if you saw me but I was the short black haired one with the black jacket. I am 12 years old and am soon getting a bird. My parents say that I should start with a cheaper bird, such as a Cockatiel, and move up to the more expensive birds such as the Brown Headed Parrot. Do you think that this is a good idea? Thanks in advance! - Damian, Ladera Ranch, CA

Hello Damian.  Yes, you were by the grooming area while I was playing with Squirt for a few minutes.  I did see you.  Next time, come up and introduce yourself.  As far as starting with a Cockatiel.  It is a good idea since you won't spend too much money and you can learn what it's like to have a bird.  The Brown Head would be a good bird too.  They are friendly, but more so than the Cockatiel, might be bonded to just you or someone else in the family that spends more time with him or her.  But you can also work with him to make sure he is exposed to others and likes more people in the family.  I will probably get more babies before the summer is over.  Look periodically at the Nursery at www.omarsexoticbirds.com and you will see when we get them in.
 
Thanks, Omar

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I purchased two Cockatiels from your store almost a month ago and they are sweet birds but Pika is always ready to bite and I dont know what to do to make Pika know that im not a threat. My birds are at my room so they see me most of the time so I thought they would get used to me. Is there any way to make that happen?- Ian, Arcadia, CA

Ian, when there are two together in the same cage, they will prefer each other to anyone else.  The best way is for you to take her alone out of the cage and take her into another room where they cannot hear each other and just spend time with her.  She will not like the new surroundings and will automatically feel closer to you since you are the one she is more familiar with.  Spend about 15 to 20 minutes twice a day with her.  This should help.  Then later start taking them both with you where you go around the house.
 
Good luck, Omar

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Hi, it is not uncommon to find Snuggles droppings 12 inches outside the cage. And I am looking for a solution. Snuggles, my 7 month old Sun Conure, spends a lot of time hanging on the side walls of the wire cage. And this is not because there aren't enough toys or other perches in the cage. I owned budgies, cockateils, and finches in the past and never had this issue. And I seem to think that this behavior is peculiar to Sun Conures, though I could be wrong. Please help!!! Many thanks. - Ali, Fairfax, VA

Hello Ali.  No this is not a Sun Conure thing.  Any bird can get used to just hanging on the side of the cage.  If he does this in the early morning when he wakes up, you may want to cover the cage and hopefully he will poop before you uncover him.  Usually they hang on the side of the cage to be closer to you if it is throughout the day.  In that area, you may also try to put a perch, thin one, just right in that same spot to see if it helps.  If all else fails, you may try bolting a piece of Plexiglas in the are where he dos this.  Try some of these things, you may be pleasantly surprised.
 
Thanks, Omar

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I have had my male bird Spider a Maximillion Pionus for about 5 years now, and he is very aggressive towards me when its time for feeding; or whenever I go near the cage he gets fluffed and wants to bite me. He is good with my husband, but before he was always letting me rub his head and get out of the cage. I am not sure if its because I have not spent enough time with him like I use to and he is just angry with me. - Monica, Daly City, CA

Monica, you will have to begin spending more time with him.  Best thing is if your husband can put him in a carrier and you take him to a park or another place he is not used to.  Let him out of the carrier and hold him.  Just one on one with him for about 1/2 an hour to one hour about 3 times a week.  He will be so unfamiliar with his surroundings that he will cling to you and want you to protect him.  After a few weeks of this, I believe things will change and he will begin getting better with you and wanting you to give him attention.  Also, take the food cups and move them around in the cage.  Swap the food with water or from one side of the cage to the other.  He may just be protective of one part of his cage.  It won't hurt to try that.
 
Good luck, Omar