Papayago Rescue House, Inc.

10/30/2026

GA PSA: Pino Grigio was LOST October 20, 2026 in Cu***ng, GA 30040 near Betty’s Trubble Gap Road & Dahlonega Highway. Please help him get home. Sharing is caring!

🚨 Pino Grigio was LOST October 20, 2026 in Cu***ng, GA 30040 near Betty’s Trubble Gap Road & Dahlonega Highway.
Please spread the word for this lost bird by sharing this post.

💬 Owner's Message: "Lost Sky Blue Oarrotlet
Age 7 Yrs Banded
He talks words and sentences
Knows his name
Very sociable & friendly loves people
He responds to step up
Will go on your finger "

🐾 Description: "Sky Blue "

🔗 For more info or to contact Pino Grigio 's owner, click here: https://www.pawboost.com/p/73572164

📣 Lost or found a pet? Report it to PawBoost here: https://www.pawboost.com/l/rpl

⚠️ WARNING: Please be cautious of users offering ‘pet tracking services’ in comments. We recommend only working with local shelters and verified organizations. Never send money to unknown services.

10/30/2026

CLEAN & SAFE FRIDAY: Halloween should be spooky for us, not for our parrots.

A sudden fright can be more than a scare for a captive parrot.

Halloween brings flickering lights, unexpected visitors, doorbells, costumes, loud noises, and unfamiliar activity. What feels like harmless fun to us can be frightening to a prey species whose survival instincts are designed to respond rapidly to perceived threats.

For a bird with underlying heart disease or other serious medical conditions, acute stress deserves particular attention. Stress can increase heart rate and respiratory effort, and severe stress may pose additional risks to medically vulnerable birds. We cannot guarantee that every fright will cause harm, but we can reduce unnecessary risks.

Here is your Halloween safety checklist:
1. Skip the jump scares.
No startling your parrot with masks, costumes, sudden movements, screaming, or frightening props. Never deliberately provoke a fear response for a laugh or a video.

2. Create a quiet retreat.
If trick-or-treaters will be coming to your door, consider moving your parrot to a familiar, quiet room away from the entryway. Maintain their normal routine and provide familiar perches, enrichment, food, and water inside their enclosure. Safe and sound.

3. Watch the lights and sounds.
Avoid flashing decorations, loud sound effects, and unexpected noises near your bird's living space. Keep lighting predictable, especially around bedtime. Never sacrifice appropriate sleep for holiday festivities.

4. Keep costumes and decorations out of reach.
Loose threads, strings, artificial cobwebs, small decorative pieces, and dangling accessories can cause entanglement, injury, or ingestion. Keep birds away from decorations they might chew or investigate.

5. Protect their air quality.
Avoid scented candles, incense, aerosol sprays, smoke, and fog machines around your parrot. Never use real candles within reach of a bird, and keep them away from cooking fumes and overheated nonstick cookware. Birds have exceptionally sensitive respiratory systems.

6. Lock away the candy.
Chocolate and caffeine can be toxic to birds and may affect the heart and nervous system. Keep candy, wrappers, and unattended party food inaccessible. Never assume that a tiny taste is harmless.

7. Know when a scare becomes a medical concern.
After a frightening event, watch for persistent open-mouth breathing, pronounced tail bobbing with respiration, weakness, loss of balance, collapse, or unusual lethargy. These signs require urgent veterinary assessment. Minimize handling and contact an avian veterinarian or emergency service immediately if they occur.

A special reminder for caregivers of medically fragile parrots: If your bird has diagnosed cardiac disease, respiratory disease, or another serious condition, plan ahead with your avian veterinarian for managing stressful events.
Halloween should never require your parrot to endure fear for our entertainment.

At Papayago Rescue House, we believe good welfare means more than preventing visible injuries. It means anticipating hazards, respecting individual sensitivities, and creating environments in which captive parrots can feel secure.

This Halloween, let the ghosts and goblins frighten the humans. Keep your parrot safe.

10/29/2026

wants to thank our , , and our partners and . You are the rays of sunshine on our days.

10/28/2026

Wellness Wednesday: Your bird’s perch shouldn’t be sandpaper.

Let’s talk about something we wish would disappear from parrot cages: abrasive perches.

Sandpaper. Sand-coated perches. Cement. Concrete. Lava rock. Pumice. Mineral and “nail-trimming” perches. Anything intentionally designed to continuously grind against your bird’s feet.

They are often marketed as a way to keep nails trimmed or provide “healthy” foot exercise.

But your bird’s feet are not tools that need to be sanded down.

A captive parrot spends a tremendous amount of time standing on their perches. Putting an abrasive surface under those feet for hours every day and night means repeated friction and pressure against the plantar surface of the foot. That is very different from providing natural variation in texture and diameter.

TEXTURED DOES NOT MEAN ABRASIVE.

Natural branches can provide valuable variation in diameter, shape, and texture. Multiple perch types allow a bird to change how they stand and distribute pressure across their feet.

An abrasive perch is different. Its purpose is to wear something away.

We also hear, “But my bird loves it!”

We don't doubt that. A bird enjoying a perch doesn't tell us whether that surface is appropriate for prolonged weight-bearing. Preference isn't the same thing as good husbandry.

And no, we aren't saying every rough-looking branch is dangerous. We are saying that deliberately abrasive surfaces don't need to be the default solution for a bird's feet or nails.

Could an abrasive surface have a limited place outside the cage where a bird can voluntarily use it for a short period? Perhaps. But inside the cage, where a bird may spend hours standing on the same surfaces, we believe there are better choices.

Your bird doesn't need a perch that “trims their nails.”
They need perches that support healthy feet.
And if nail length needs attention, address the nails—not the soles of the feet.

At Papayago Rescue House, we would rather provide variety, choice, and appropriate natural textures than ask a bird's feet to spend their day on a grinder.

Because sometimes better parrot care means getting rid of the thing we've been told is good for them.

10/27/2026

From Green-cheeked Conures to Mitred Conures, our flock includes birds of different sizes, plus a Jardine’s and a White-bellied Caique. So how do we approach fresh-food preparation for this fun-sized group?

We consider nutritional contribution, botanical diversity, color, texture, seasonality, cost, and practicality when building our menus. We want meaningful variety without adding ingredients simply to make a recipe look more complicated.

This menu gives us a shared kitchen recipe, but one recipe does not mean one-size-fits-all feeding. Individual portions still need to reflect each bird’s size, body condition, activity, intake, and veterinary guidance.

Our goal isn't to find the easiest way to feed a flock. It's to build a thoughtful, evidence-informed feeding system that works for the birds in our care.

Kitchen Prep Tips

Grains: Cook quinoa and millet in a rice cooker. Cool promptly and refrigerate separately in covered containers.

Legumes: Drain thoroughly and allow to air-dry briefly before weighing and mixing. Pat dry if needed.

Fresh produce: Wash vegetables and fruit, then allow them to air-dry and or pat dry with paper towels before cutting.

Prepared produce: Refrigerate cut vegetables and fruit in covered containers. Use clean, dry paper towels to absorb excess moisture, replacing them if damp.

Batch storage: Keep ingredients refrigerated separately until mixing when practical. Prepare only what can be stored and served safely; freeze portions intended for later use if needed.

Here's a look at our Fall Conure Flock Menu A!

10/26/2026

RARELY DISCUSSED: Who will care for your parrot when you can’t? The action we keep putting off.

At Papayago Rescue House, we have encountered approximately 16 situations recently involving aging or deceased primary caregivers and parrots whose care has deteriorated or become uncertain.

These are not easy situations to discuss. But staying silent does not help the birds.

Often, a woman has spent years caring for her parrots. She prepares their fresh food, cleans their cages to the best of her ability, schedules their veterinary appointments, recognizes their individual behaviors, and understands their needs. Her parrots are part of her daily life.

Then she dies.

Her surviving spouse may never have participated in their care or been a distant secondary caregiver. He may not understand their dietary needs, recognize signs of illness, feel comfortable handling them, or want the financial responsibility of maintaining their care.

Sometimes, the birds remain in the home. But remaining in the same home does not necessarily mean their needs are being met.
We are seeing situations in which cages become increasingly dirty and rusting, fresh food is no longer consistently provided, veterinary care stops, and even toys become an expense the remaining caregiver is unwilling to undertake.

And the parrots wait.

They cannot arrange their own veterinary appointments. They cannot explain that their food has changed or that they are feeling unwell. They cannot call a rescue and ask for help.

They depend on people to make decisions for them.

This is not about blaming someone for grieving a spouse. It is not about assuming every surviving partner is unwilling to help. And it is not about suggesting that every family has unlimited financial resources.

It is about recognizing that a parrot's dependence does not end when their primary caregiver dies.

Research on parrot welfare has identified the lack of a life plan, including arrangements for a caregiver's death or inability to provide care, as a significant welfare concern. We know that many parrots can live for decades. Their lives may extend beyond marriages, retirement plans, changing health, and the lives of the people who care for them.

Yet how many of us have made a plan for what happens to our parrots when we are no longer here? We keep asking.

Not just a name written on a piece of paper. A real plan.

Who will provide their daily care? Who understands their nutritional needs? Who will recognize a change in their behavior? Who will arrange veterinary care and pay for it? Who can safely handle them? And if the person named in the plan cannot or will not care for them, what happens next?

Naming someone is not the same as preparing someone.

A meaningful plan includes conversations with the intended caregiver, an honest assessment of their willingness and resources, written care instructions, financial arrangements, veterinary information, and a backup plan. It also means identifying a reputable parrot rescue or other qualified placement resource before a crisis occurs.

And if you are the spouse, adult child, or family member who finds yourself responsible for a parrot after a death, please understand this: you do not have to become an expert overnight. Asking for help is a responsible first step. If you cannot provide the care the bird needs, seeking an appropriate placement is an act of care, too. But it can take some time to get them into responsible homes.

At Papayago Rescue House, we know that surrendering a beloved parrot can be heartbreaking. We also know that waiting until a bird is medically compromised, severely neglected, or in crisis can make an already difficult situation worse.

We would rather help a family plan early than meet a parrot after their care has deteriorated.

If you are a parrot caregiver, please ask yourself three questions:
Who will care for my parrot if I become incapacitated tomorrow?
Who will take responsibility if I die before my parrot?
And have I confirmed that this person is genuinely prepared to do so?

Please don't leave these questions for your family to answer during their grief.

Our parrots did not choose how long they would live, and they cannot plan for the day we are gone. That responsibility belongs to us.

Let's start having this conversation while we still have time to make a difference. Please.
— Papayago Rescue House, Inc.

10/25/2026

What veterinarians taught me

I have spent years listening to veterinarians talk about parrots.

Not just during emergencies. Not just when a bird is sick. I mean really listening, watching what they notice, what makes them concerned, what questions they ask, what they test, what they don't yet know, and sometimes what they wish someone had noticed much earlier.

Somewhere along the way, I realized that veterinarians have taught me far more than medicine.

They have taught me how to look. How to listen. How to question what I think I know.

And, occasionally, how to let go.

I learned that sometimes the kindest thing I can do for a sick bird is to put them down rather than continue holding them because I want to comfort them. I cannot keep them warm as they need to be, or my handling is causing more stress than I am relieving; my desire to help does not make it helpful.

That was a hard lesson.

I learned that nutrition may be one of the hardest things we get right with parrots.

I learned that a seed-only diet isn't a harmless tradition. It can become one of the most consequential nutritional mistakes we make with a captive parrot.

I learned that weight is a number, but body condition is a story.

I learned that a bird can have bloodwork that looks reassuring and still not be okay.

I learned that the scale sometimes knows something I don't.

I learned that even the thing we give a bird to stand on can hurt them. A perch is supposed to be a place to rest. But the wrong surface, diameter, or design can contribute to foot injury, pressure damage, inflammation, and potentially infection.

I learned that flight is not simply about having strong wings.
Flight is exercise. It challenges the cardiovascular and respiratory systems. It develops coordination and musculature. It gives a parrot opportunities to move through space in ways that sitting on a perch never can.

I learned that clicks where there should only be breathing are a very serious matter.

I learned that parrots can become frighteningly sick very quickly.

And I learned that they can sometimes improve with astonishing speed when the right problem is identified and the right intervention begins.

I learned that grooming isn't cosmetic.
Poor nail, beak, or wing grooming can have consequences that extend far beyond how a bird looks. A seemingly small problem can change how a bird grips, climbs, eats, moves, or balances, and those changes can follow them for a very long time.

I learned that sometimes the best veterinary medicine happens before there is an emergency.

Veterinarians would much rather help us prevent a problem than rescue a bird from one that has been developing quietly for months.

I learned that disease testing isn't an accusation.
It is information.
It is how we learn what we are bringing into a population and how we protect the birds already there.

I have watched veterinarians explain, question, guide, worry, and advocate, and then watched someone walk away remembering only the dollar amount on the invoice.

They are still learning. They read. They research. They consult other veterinarians. They change their minds when the evidence changes. They encounter something they haven't seen before and go looking for answers.

And that may be the most important thing they have taught me.

Being knowledgeable does not mean knowing everything.
It means knowing what you don't know.
It means being willing to ask.
It means being willing to say, “What if we're wrong?”
It means changing what we do when better evidence becomes available.

I learned that gram stains can become an everyday occurrence.
I learned that a bird's breathing, weight, posture, appetite, droppings, feet, feathers, behavior, and willingness to participate are all pieces of a much larger story.

I learned that our birds are constantly communicating with us. They can't hide all signs.

And after all these years, perhaps the greatest lesson is this:
Even veterinarians are always learning.
So shall I.

Dedicated with gratitude to our esteemed and caring team of veterinarians, Dr. Jennifer Graham, Huntsville Veterinary Specialists & Emergency, and Dr. Julia Hill, For Pet’s Sake, and to the avian veterinarians everywhere who devote their lives to changing the world for parrots. Thank you.

10/24/2026

SATURDAY SHARES THE WILD

Good information deserves to be shared.
Each Saturday, Papayago Rescue House will highlight educational resources, wildlife initiatives, and the work of organizations helping animals and the environments they depend on.
Through this series, we will introduce our community to additional resources, broaden awareness of wildlife welfare and conservation, and recognize the important work being done beyond our own doors, as close as next door.

Content shared from other organizations will remain the work and responsibility of its original publisher. Sharing a post will not necessarily constitute independent scientific review by Papayago Rescue House.
Learn something new. Share responsibly. Make a difference by knowing what and what not to do if you encounter wildlife you wish to give attention to, or want to “rescue”.

10/23/2026

GA PSA: Attention Loganville, GA: Rani was LOST YESTERDAY (10/21/2026) in Loganville, GA 30052 near Grayson High School. Sharing is caring.

UPDATE: REUNITED!! Rani is home safe & sound after 2 days, 20 hours :)

🚨 Rani was LOST YESTERDAY in Loganville, GA 30052 near Grayson High School.
Please spread the word for this lost bird by sharing this post.

💬 Owner's Message: "🚨 LOST PET BIRD – PLEASE HELP

Hi everyone! Yesterday afternoon, my pet bird Rani (rah-nee) flew away near Champions Way.

Rani is a 1-year-old grey parrot who makes clicking and whistling noises. She responds to her name plus phrases like “let’s go” “step up” “come here” etc.

She may be looking for food/water or hiding nearby. Please check your backyards, bushes, trees, and outdoor furniture! If spotted, approach gently and do not chase her. She is scared of bright colors, offering small pieces of fruit may help her feel comfortable.

Please call/text with ANY sightings or helpful information. Please share this and help us bring Rani home! ❤️"

🐾 Description: "Gray parrot with red tail"

🔗 For more info or to contact Rani's owner, click here: https://www.pawboost.com/p/73540354

📣 Lost or found a pet? Report it to PawBoost here: https://www.pawboost.com/l/rpl

⚠️ WARNING: Please be cautious of users offering ‘pet tracking services’ in comments. We recommend only working with local shelters and verified organizations. Never send money to unknown services.

10/23/2026

CLEAN & SAFE FRIDAY | Can you teach a parrot that glass is there?

A window may be completely obvious to you. To a flying parrot, it may look like open space.

Glass can reflect the sky, trees, and surrounding environment. It can also appear transparent, creating the illusion of a clear flight path. The result can be a collision with potentially serious consequences.

But here's an interesting question: Can we teach a parrot to recognize a window as a solid barrier?

We introduce birds to windows by encouraging them to gently rap the glass with their beaks. When appropriate, we demonstrate that the surface is solid. The intention is to help them become familiar with a barrier they might otherwise mistake for open space. We have a lot of windows we discovered.

But we need to distinguish practical experience from established scientific evidence.

Research demonstrates that parrots are capable of complex learning and that some birds may learn to avoid windows. However, we have not established through controlled research that gently touching glass teaches a parrot to recognize windows reliably, prevents collisions, or transfers that learning to unfamiliar glass surfaces.

What does that mean for caregivers?
We should use thoughtful, low-risk experiences to help birds become familiar with their surroundings. But we should also not assume that familiarity guarantees safety.

Here's what you can do:

WINDOWS
• Make large glass surfaces more visible using appropriately placed, bird-visible patterns or coverings.
• Assess reflections and apparent flight paths from your bird's perspective.
• Never rely solely on your bird having previously encountered a particular window.

MIRRORS
• Remember that a mirror can present a confusing visual environment, and some birds may respond to their reflection as though another bird were present.
• Observe your bird's response and manage access if the mirror creates collision risks or persistent, problematic behavior.

DOORS
• Establish a consistent procedure for opening exterior doors when birds are out of their enclosures.
• Check for birds perched on doors or near hinges and closing edges before moving a door.
• Do not assume a screen door provides secure containment.

THE SCIENCE WE STILL NEED

We need more research into whether birds can learn to recognize transparent barriers, how that learning develops, and whether it generalizes across different windows, rooms, reflections, and lighting conditions.

Our responsibility is not simply to teach captive parrots to navigate the environments we provide. It is to make those environments as safe as reasonably possible.

Teach thoughtfully. Observe carefully. Never make safety depend entirely on what we believe a bird has learned.