Why does my parrot/cockatoo/macaw/other psittacine species chew the furniture/woodwork in the house?
A. Parrot-type birds live in and around trees in their native habitats. Therefore they have access to wood and plant material, most of it alive and growing, on a consistent basis. Most bird species eat and chew fresh plant material in their native habitats and have ample opportunity to clean and sharpen their beaks and nails on wooden material. In captivity, birds are often kept in metal/wire cages with hard wooden perches, such as manzanita wood, that are difficult to chew. Parrots crave this beneficial activity and need to chew to maintain proper beak and nail lenghts. Psittacines deprived of wood-chewing (especially those on an inadequate diet) can develop overgrown beaks and nails. A fine stereo cabinet would be irrestible to a wood-deprived cockatoo or macaw! Give your psittacines soft wood for chewing such as chunks of pine two by four planks. Fresh green branches are relished by most parrot species. The birds will strip the leaves and bark, ingesting beneficial cellulose. Some s
