The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-03-16
Chasing n Parrot.

From numerous inquiries received it
seems that the idea is prevalent that,
in order to enable a parrot to talk
fuently, his tongue must be split.
This is a ridiculous idea, it is eX-
tremely cruel and more than likely to
spoil the bird.
In teaching, stand near the cage,
pronouncing one word distinctly, talk
ing the early morning or evening for
the purpose. If you are accomplishing
your object the bird will stand quiet
and look steadily at you. Some pick
up the first word in eight or ten days
others will take months, and, just as
the teacher is about to give up or is
completely discouraged. the bird will
begin to repeat the words spoken to
him. It is just here that many birds
are spoiled, the trainers becoming dis
couraged just where their work be-
gins, and a slow bird is sure, in the
end. to learn we'll and remember every
word once spoken. On the other hand,
a bird that learns rapidly will make
an interesting talker, though perhaps
its memory may not be so retentive as
the slower birds. The gray parrot sur
passes all others in its power TO imi-
tate the human voice, copying the cone
of each individual in the most life
like manner, mimicking the peculiari-
ties of all kinds of people and it is also
good whistler, though in this respect
1T does not excel the Mexican double
yellow head, and cannot equal it in
singing.
Parrots are nervous, resenting any
sudden noise or sudden appearance of
strangers, dogs or cats in the room
where they are kept In training a par
rot remember that, at first, it is sus-
picious. Begin by feeding some dainty
from the finger through the
bars of the cage. finally coax
ing the bird to have its
head rubbed, selecting the evening
for the purpose as the birds are less
timid at this time. When this has been
accomplished the door may be opened
and the bird invited out, and w1en it
becomes accustomed to it's liberty car
ry on the training by petting while
out OF the cage. In teaching the bird
should be alone. Two or more parrots
kept together simply increase their
own bad habits and pick up the bad
traits of the others. Use a square cage
with fat top and wood perches. hay-
ing either two perches or a porch and
a ring to swing in. Metal perches are
fatal.
Food and Care.
The food should consist of hempseed
principally occasionally giving nm
hulled rice, canary seed, millet, oats,
wheat, cracked corn and sunfiower
seed. A mixture of cracked corn
hemp, sunflower seed and unhuned
rice, in equal proportions. will gem
orally be found satisfactory. Give
plenty of ripe fruit, such as bananas
and any fruit the bird shows a liking
for, also peanuts and crackers. water
ing carefully, giving coffee occasion
ally. prepared as for an individual To
drink, avoiding all meat and greasy
food. A red-pepper pod may be Civ
en- once fortnight, and raw onions
act as a beneficial tonic. Watch the
effects of the food, Withholding any
thlng that seems to disagree. Have
the cage cleaned daily and the hot
tom covered with clean sand for the
bird TO battle in, also supply plenty of
clean gravel in small dish, as this
is necessary to digest the food with
and watch for diarrhea which is dan
gerous ana difficult to cure. The food
and drinking cups should be cleaned
daily, and this, with the care OF the
cage. will not require more than ten
minutes time. A bath should be Civ
en- once week with a pint of tepid
water, to which a teaspoon of borax
mas been added, spraying the bird
with a coarse atomizer, unless yolIr
Dird Will battle of it's own accord in
a suitable dish. After the bath nut
the cage in a warm place. and at
night keep warm covering entire
ly with a heavy cloth, except In warm
weather. Frequently give a soft pine
stick or an old spool to bite on and
pick to pieces, as this affords amuse-
ment and prevents the disagreeable
feather plucking. sometimes caused
by the want of something to bite, or
by food which is over heating to the
blood E. Cohesion Wick.
--A-mae-o-
DE aH----s 81,