Anton Vets

07/06/2026

Feather plucking - not just boredom. Its important to make sure nothing else is going on while also assessing the lifestyle and environment the bird is in. Read more below!
Parrot Awareness Week -PAW

07/06/2026

Enrichment is incredibly important to prevent boredom. Parrot friendly toys which allow natural behaviour can prevent your other non-parrot items from being destroyed.

As you can see, Pudding has a lovely little munchkin pumpkin to keep them entertained. This is great for foraging behavior, as they have to work on getting into the pumpkin themselves. Pumpkins are a great source of Vitamin A, beta-carotene and diety fibre!

There are stall holders today at the Think Parrots Show today at Kempton Park, great place to pick up some treats and toys for your parrot!

Parrot Awareness Week -PAW

06/06/2026

Parrots are incredibly intelligent and teaching tricks is a brilliant way to bond. It provides great mental stimulation and prevents boredom too! Pudding really loves to show off.

Visit Parrot Awareness Week -PAW for some great starter training tips. Nail the basics, then move towards tricky tasks. Just like dog training, positive reinforcement with high-value treats are ideal. Stick to short burst sessions. If your bird is no longer interested, stop. And remember, it takes time and repeated practice to get it perfect!

05/06/2026

Recall is a very important skill to teach your bird, for safety in case they become lost or escape. Its a great way to continue building the bond, and great for their cardio vascular health.

Meet Pudding, a 6yr old Macaw owned by Jaz, RVN.
Here he shows off his recall skills in the home! The clear hand signal shows what is expected, and Pudding nails it! We will be sharing more pictures of Pudding over the last couple of days of Parrot Awareness Week -PAW

More about recall here https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1C9D7dvZh5/

05/06/2026

Bonding with your bird is the first step to a great relationship, but everything should be done at the bird's pace. Never rush or the trust you build will be broken.

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/18YLkuj3sb/

After this training can begin. Start with the basic - step up. A great way to teach birds to step onto your hand willingly with both feet. This allows a way to transfer from cage to perch/room and back safely

Remember to take it slow, reinforce the behaviour you want, and don't get frustrated. If its not fun for you or your bird, stop.

04/06/2026

In a flap about what to do this weekend? Need some enrichment in your (and your parrots) life? Why not check out Think Parrots Show this Sunday! There are parrots, talks from experts, parrots, shopping, parrots....its all focused on feathered friends!

https://www.thinkparrots.uk/ for more information!

Why pay more at the gate? 🦜💰
Get your tickets online today for Think Parrots 2026 and lock in your savings before the big day at Kempton Park!
Spend your savings on some extra Parrot goodies inside instead!
Grab your discounted passes now and get ready for the UK's ultimate day out exclusively for pet Parrots.
Don’t wait until June 7th, early booking is the smartest move! 🎫✨

04/06/2026

Yesterday's focus (we are flying fast to catch up with the flock, promise!) was foraging and enrichment.
In the wild, these birds would be locating food and flying to find the best bits, getting physical exercise and mental stimulation. Pet birds are often bowl fed. And its boring! They then switch their attention and energy to other items...
Help alleviate this by making dinner a workout.
You can - Scatter your birds food in a cardboard box and cover it with parrot-safe shredded paper so they can find it. Pop food in a toilet paper tube and fold the ends shut. They get to enjoy tearing the tube apart to get to food - egg boxes can do the same thing. Forager toys which are designed to challenge your bird, think like snaffle mats for dogs! (Not recommended to use dog ones due to risk of loose threads and impaction from ingesting materials)

These and more can help keep your birds happy and healthy, and save your door frames from being the next chew toy!

Parrot Awareness Week -PAW has a list of retailers for items safe for parrots on their page, go check it out!

03/06/2026

Third up from yesterday's Parrot Awareness Week -PAW is the sulphur crested cockatoo. These birds are known for their ability to dance to the beat, they are great problem solvers - mastering complex multi-step mechanical puzzles and remembering how to solve them years later.
They have a velco bond to their chosen people and require a lot of attention to prevent signs of boredom like feather-destructive behaviour. They have a very loud voice which is natural to them. They can repeat words and sounds they hear.

03/06/2026

Next in yesterday's spot light was the Congo African Grey, well known for their striking silver grey plumage with solid black beak and red tail. They are known to be very intelligent, comparable to a 3-5yr old toddler and can learn colours and shapes. They can learn puzzles and how to open locks! They love to chat and mimic sounds, like phones and human speech. They often bond with certain people in the household, which can make it challenging at times too. Parrot Awareness Week -PAW

03/06/2026

Don't get in a flap! We didn't forget about Parrot Awareness Week -PAW , more like time flew by as our social media team was working hard at the clinic yesterday! (Yes, we are winging the puns in to make up for it) So now we are going to squawk all about it today - starting with a catch up....
1st up is the Blue Fronted Amazons. These social birds are highly intelligent, charismatic and require dedicated training and mental stimulation to prevent boredom- daily foraging activies can really help with this. They can live up to 50-60 years in captivity.