arch its back, scream loudly, and flap it's wings towards him with claws out:
There’s something wrong with the relationship between your girlfriend’s dad and the parrot, for the parrot to act so agreesively toward him. The parrot is either afraid of him for some reason, or the parrot is feeling he wants to protect your girlfriend.
feces on their claws –
A bird can get fatal infections and die from their own poo. It is IMPERATIVE that she keep after the animals perches and cage, and keep them clean, immediately from poo droppings. Perches in the cage can be arranged in a way so that they’re not overlapping, so that the poo droppings don’t land on them, etc. She should not be letting the poo get on the birds at all, and once seen if accidentally, therefore, gotten on the birds, she should immediately clean the poo off the birds feet, by putting about a half inch of water in the sink or bathtub, putting a wash cloth in the water, then putting the bird on the washcloth, letting the washcloth come in contact with the birds feed, let the bird stand and walk on the washcloth, within the water. This is how to clean the birds feet. These things should be watched for and kept clean.
If in the sink, the sink has to be cleaned of any and all soap or cleaning chemicals residue. Rinsing thoroughly with HOT water first. And birds can not do soap either. They can also get sick from soap. With the washcloth, it has to also be thoroughly rinsed first, in order to get any laundary detergent and/or bleach residue out of the cloth first, before it can be used with the bird. The bathtub is better because the bird can not climb out of the bathtub, but he can the sink. (considering if she keeps her birds wings clipped timely).
Your girlfriend needs to be educated on the care of birds.
The regurgitating:
Regurgitating is a SIGN OF LOVE. The average person who HAS NOT ACTUALLY STUDIED ABOUT BIRDS, THEIR NATURE AND BEHAVIOR, does not know so many things. When a bird is bonded to someone, loves them very very much, loyal to them, etc., they regurgitate their food, as wanting to feed them. This is normal behavior for birds. She should be glad that her bird loves her so much. BUT – this should be discouraged in birds, by turning away, (turning away her attention to the bird, not giving the bird attention) and saying, “EEEHH EEEHH EEEHH”. – each time the bird does this. That is how it should be handled. Then the bird will stop doing it at that time. It may take a few times at that time, and with distracting the bird to something else, or sometimes may take to the point of walking out of the room. Birds also have to be watched to make sure it’s not throwing up from being sick. There is a difference, and you will be able to tell. It’s usually the love thing, and as soon as the bird starts juggling their neck back and forth to try to start regurgitating, that’s when the “eeehh eeehh eeehh” and turning away should start. My bird does this, and that’s how I handle it, and he stops. But the birds will do this again and again, and that is just how you handle it each time.
There is nothing wrong with people helping bird species to survive. Especially in the winter when there is food shortage outside for birds. That’s also why people put out bird feeders and take care of the feeders, to help outside birds, especially in the winter time. But there are large differences to indoor born and raised birds to outdoor born and raised birds – differences in their care needs, and reasons. And some people let their birds fly freely around the house playing. And they do.
There are ways to keep the parrots quiet, with different types of interacting with things, keeping them busy, like with toys, etc. Lots of things. And there are all different reasons parrots scream. If they are also deprived of keeping busy with toys and foraging toys, they will also act out and scream out of boredom.
Please read my posts here at this link: You will begin to understand some of these things.
http://theparrotforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=25&t=7091 - - - - - this forum is about what constitutes abuse regarding parrots. This is a short forum, with only 8 posts on it, from different people, of which I have about 2 or 3 posts in there.
Once you become to really understand parrots, you will grow to feel that they are very intricate, sensitive, delicate, and intelligent creatures. Until then, you won’t understand. Some people don’t understand unless a parrot becomes acclimated and/or bonded to them. Even unless you and a parrot become acclimated and/or bonded, people can tell you all about the cute things they say and do all day long, and it won’t phase you. And you won’t appreciate it.
