Everyone and their web page has suggestions on how to keep your parrots safe on a night when humans tend to get a little crazy, and as Halloween falls on a Monday this year, you might get some noise and goings-on from Friday through the actual day. Be prepared, keep your avian vet’s phone number handy, as well as a 24-hour emergency clinic. Chances are you won’t need either, but taking chances with our birds is never wise.
Great Companions covers the basics like keeping your bird away from the door if you are going to be opening it frequently to hand out treats. Also put your bird in a quiet room and play some soothing music to mask all the noise going on. Before the actual day, keep your pet away from decorations: fake spider web strands can be difficult to remove if Polly becomes tangled in it. And if you treat your bird to pumpkin now and then, keep it away from a carved jack-o-lantern and any candles.
A Rescue for Saving the Wildlife starts out with a warning to keep candy and wrappers away from all birds. If you suspect your parrot has ingested chocolate, call your vet immediately. If you are having a party at your house, be sure your bird is out of sight in another room: strangers in funny clothes opening its cage and trying to get it to step up is a disaster waiting to happen. If you put your bird into a costume, make sure he or she is familiar and comfortable with the trappings.
Think long and hard before including your birds in the party scene.
On an upbeat note, Jamieleigh Womach at Bird Tricks blog shares recipes for bird-safe treats so you don’t have to be a broken record saying no to your feathered companion. She’s made them look like things you would want to eat yourself, with ghosts and spiders and pumpkin muffins; festive and good for the flock. There is also a holiday cookbook available so that you can be inclusive at Thanksgiving, Christmas (or winter holiday of your choice), and even Valentine’s Day.
Don’t forget about the environment and wild birds while having fun. Wild Birds Unlimited laments the prevalence of single use plastics, treats that use palm oil, and the presence of microplastics polluting the water and land. When you finish with your pumpkins, think about turning them into bird feeders. Or, if you don’t live somewhere that this can be easily done, try to donate the pumpkins to wildlife rehab groups. Lots of critters enjoy chomping on the orange goodness. You can find a list of palm oil-free treats and candies, or you can eliminate the plastic bags and hand out notepads, pencils, even small packets of bird seed.
If you are very careful and vigilant for the entire night, you could possibly include your pet as part of your costume. What pirate would be without their parrot companion? African Grey Parrot has hints on measures to make it fun and safe for you and your pal. One very important tip is to instruct your guests to keep any alcoholic drinks away from the birds, and be sure to keep all your pets indoors on this night. If you aren’t having a party, but you have children going out to canvass the neighborhood for chocolate, make sure Polly is not allowed to steal any of the brightly colored items that will be so very bad for him or her.
Overall, a little planning and preparation can make the holiday as much fun for your bird as it will be for you. Don’t forget to have fun and share as much as you can with your feathered companions.
Thanks for reading; I’ll be back on Thursday.
In Loco Parrotus 