Customer Reviews

Good Bird! A Guide to Solving Behavioral Problems in Companion Parrots

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This book offers feasible, effective methods of dealing with many of the problems that are common in companion parrots. It describes the problem, possible causes, and then clearly outlines options for dealing with them. The book is short and gets to the point. It is very well worth the $15!

Barbara Heidenreich has years of experience as a free flight educational trainer in zoological settings, and continues to train for shows and programs in the US and beyond! I've taken one of her seminars and it, too, was very worthwhile.

This book does a superb job of addressing many of the common problems that people create or encounter with companion parrots. These are the very issues which cause birds to lose their homes, and are most often simply the result of how people act or react. It is WONDERFUL to see POSITIVE reinforcement techniques in print in a book that is perfect for many on-the-go households. Unfortunately, many stores still recommend horrible, ineffective, and negative punishing type responses. Perhaps this manageable book will put a stop to such unsound advice. Great price for great advice, and we will definitely recommend it to our Phoenix Landing membership in the Washington DC area! (www.phoenixlanding.org)

When your bird is screaming, or biting, or pulling feathers, you're looking for an effective and easy way to understand the problem and work with it.
With an easy-to-read format and easy-to-understand writing style, this book is a MUST have for companion parrot owners, and the people that work with them. Excellent easy reference for veterinary staff and shelter workers. It's a great place to get hooked on positive reinforcement as a teaching/training technique. And, contrary to popular belief, you don't have to get bitten when you are working with your bird!
The ideas presented are straight forward, and realistic to implement. I reccomend this book to my students, and most of my behavior clients as a great place to get started.

This book, along with Ms. Heidenreich's other book, The Parrot Problem Solver, are the best books I've come across dealing with companion parrots. If you understood why your bird is behaving as it does, you can deal with it more effectively. Kindness and reward go far with a companion bird (and, even though Ms. Heidenreich didn't mention it, 11-12 hours of covered cage/darkness a day does, too) than all the reprimanding in the world (which a parrot does not understand). A parrot, much like a cat, is not going to do anything he doesn't want to do, but unlike a cat, you can convince a parrot to want what you want, too. Tell him he's a good bird when he's quiet. Give him a reward when he says something nice. Understand you are his teacher, not his mate and not his slave. Punish him by turning your back, reward him by giving attention and praise. Parrots are a lot like toddlers - they need to be constantly taught how to be good and their companions need to be able to recognize the behaviors (sometimes extremely hard to see) that signal overexcitement, frustration and anger. Excellent book I'd recommend to any bird "owner."

This is a good book for advanced bird owners. Its not really clear enough alot of the time to understand from a beginners perspective. I would highly recommend this book to someone who already has some knowledge of companion birds.

A must read for all parrot owners. The advice in this book works. Barbara Heidenreich is one of the very best behavioral consultants in the world. Get this book so you can have the best relationship possible with your companion parrot.Even if you think the relationship is good now, it will become better after you read the book.

I didnt expect the book to be black and white print not coloured pictures) but the great information and easy to read format makes up for it. Great author and the issues discussed are helpful. Came earlier than expected which was nice and well packaged. Definately recommend it!

There is very little workable information in this book. When you have real problems with Greys and very large birds like MaCaws, you are dealing with large problems. This technique is not going to work. I should have saved my money and bought a new toy with it. Just as effective most likely.

This is a very slim volume, but I found the author's approach refreshingly commonsense while keeping the bird's welfare at the forefront. Definitely a good addition to a parrot owner's library.

This is Barbara's first book. It is okay, but for a much better book on dealing with parrots, get her book "Parrot Problem Solver".