I'm sorry about not having a New Year's January article, but for some reason the entire month passed me by without my knowledge....a wonderful way to start a New Year!   I will almost bet that an entire week doesn't go by that one of my staff or I am asked one of three questions: 1. Why does my bird scream? 2. Why does my bird bite? 3. Why does my bird pull its feathers?   None of us at The Bird Shoppe know precisely why some birds do the above, but we can certainly offer our opinions based on years of experience raising and interacting with many types of our feathered friends.   1. WHY DOES MY BIRD SCREAM?      YOUR BIRD IS :   stressed or afraid of something in his surroundings   feeling isolated and alone   having the inability to entertain himself or doesn't have enough toys   needing more exercise   needing a better diet   feeling the stress and tension from his human family   experiencing sexual maturity taking over   it simply feeling good Remember a good healthy scream doesn't mean you have a screaming problem....less than 10 minutes in duration is not indicative of a "Screamer".           WHAT CAN BE DONE?   make sure nutritional needs are being met   make sure he is getting enough sleep   make sure there is time to interact with the family   make sure there is ample time out and away from the cage   make sure you are not rewarding the screaming with human fits of temper   make sure your discipline is calm, caring and consistent   2. WHY DOES MY BIRD BITE?        YOUR BIRD IS:   afraid   wants to be the dominant one   overstimulated   trying to get his 'mate' to flee from danger   feeling rushed or deterred from normal routine   having nutritional issues         WHAT CAN BE DONE?   offer a variety of toys and foods to chew on   don't 'roughhouse' because it can cause an over-stimulation   don't use quick, jumpy movements when holding your pet   try not to pull your hand away every time your bird reaches for you 3.WHY DOES MY BIRD PULL ITS FEATHERS? YOUR BIRD:    could have a physical problem such as some type of bacteria    is bored    is stressed or nervous ( this could just be due to his personality)    could be sexually frustrated    was rewarded previously with attention when feathers were pulled    might just need regular bathing    might need a nutritional change          WHAT CAN BE DONE?     take your bird to an Avian Vet to rule out any physical issues     check nutritional needs and serve plenty of fruits/ veggies     if you suspect stress, try and alleviate the problem     make sure there are plenty of interesting toys available     don't draw attention every time you see your bird picking....sometimes     remember: negative attention is just as rewarding as positive attention     interact with your bird on a regular basis....sometimes they feel isolated   That is the extent of my knowledge on this subject....I am sure all of you could add a multitude of more info ... Stay warm and safe 'til we meet again hugs anne