Papayago Rescue House, Inc.

09/15/2025

Parrots are not feathered mammals Part 4: Silence misunderstood
Silence isn’t always peace.

❌ Assuming a quiet parrot is a “good” parrot.
✅ In the wild, flock mates check in often. Have you ever dropped something and your normally noisy bird goes quiet for a second or two? That’s them assessing where the danger is so they can begin to squawk it to the rest of us. A longer, sudden quiet can mean fear, illness, or withdrawal. When a normally chatty parrot goes silent, it’s a sign to lean in, not relax. If you have a vocal bird and their voice changes, time to go to the vet. They don’t get phlegm in their throats like we do.

Their voice is their health report. Let’s pay attention.

Every time we pause our mammal instincts and learn their avian ones, we step closer to being the flock they deserve.

09/14/2025

Sunday Serenity: A quiet moment with the flock

Sundays are a reminder to slow down, something our parrots know all too well. While they love to talk, eat, and play, they also treasure quiet moments: gentle head scritches, soaking up a bit of sunshine, and simply being near their favorite people.

Today, we invite you to pause with us. Take a deep breath, listen to the world around you, the chatter, the rustle of leaves, maybe even your own parrot’s gentle beak grinding sounds and remember that connection is at the heart of everything we do.

Every day, these intelligent, sensitive beings remind us how vital it is to protect, nurture, and respect them. Thank you for being part of their story. Together, we are building a future where every parrot has a safe place to call home since their home can never be anywhere else but ours.

09/13/2025

QUIZ TIME! Are you up to date on parrot care?

Let’s see how current your parrot knowledge really is — 10 quick questions, answers in the comments (no cheating 😉).

1️⃣ How much sleep should parrots get each night?
A) 6–8 hrs | B) 8–10 hrs | C) 10–12 hrs

2️⃣ True or False: Parrots should eat pellets only.

3️⃣ Best for parrot mental health?
A) A few toys that stay the same
B) Rotating toys + foraging
C) Fewer toys = less mess

4️⃣ Ideal indoor humidity?
A) 20–40% | B) 40–60% | C) 60–80%

5️⃣ Safest way to keep beak + nails healthy?
A) Vet visits + good perches
B) Sandpaper/grit perches
C) Clipping at home without training

6️⃣ Safest cleaning product?
A) Bleach | B) Vinegar + water | C) Scented wipes

7️⃣ True or False: Non-stick cookware is safe if the heat is low.

8️⃣ How often should parrots see an avian vet?
A) Only if sick
B) Every 1–2 years
C) Every 6–12 months

9️⃣ Best for parrot’s emotional health?
A) Living alone (quiet)
B) Regular flock interaction
C) Play only when the parrot feels like it

🔟 True or False: Parrots need natural or full-spectrum light.

09/12/2025

Friday is a good day to talk feathers! White feathers and hue shifts

Brightness/dullness: White can look crisp and “cool” (blueish-white) or “warm” (yellowish-white) depending on:

Oils, dust, or powder down buildup
Light conditions (e.g., daylight vs. artificial warm bulbs)
Microscopic feather wear, which changes how light scatters off the feather’s keratin structure
Yellowing: Often environmental (stains, smoke, food pigments), aging of keratin, or mild nutritional issues. This is technically a hue shift, not a color category change, still white, just not the same tone of white.

Color shifts (true changes in pigmentation)

Birds with pigments like melanin or carotenoids can grow feathers in a different color. But in cockatoos, the visible white is due to light scattering, not pigment. There’s basically no “reserve” pigment to switch on or off.
So, a white feather can’t become pink, red, or blue. Only newly grown feathers after molt could look different if the follicle or feather-creating cells were altered by disease, genetics, or nutrition (which is rare and usually pathological).

So in practice:

Hue changes: common, external or environmental, how the same feather reflects light or picks up slight tint.
True color changes: extremely rare, and if observed (like sudden yellow or brown streaks), usually a health red flag (liver disease, PBFD, or malnutrition).

In short: White feathers can appear to shift shades of white (hue), but not truly change color categories without a molt and a pathological or genetic trigger.

09/11/2025

09/10/2025

Did you know our parrots have a "Bill of Rights" here at PRH?

I am a resident of Papayago Rescue House. This is my “Bill of Rights”.

PRH is my home until I choose my family. I belong here, and my needs and desires come before yours while I am here.
I own nothing except for myself, so please respect my space and my autonomy. No touching me without express permission. Read my cage labels, use my name, and respect the warnings and advice that are written there. It is there to help us both.
No matter how many other parrots you have known, I am an individual, and I have my own likes, dislikes, needs, and preferences. Until you really know me, do not assume that you have my permission and approval for whatever you want to do. I will decide if and when we are friends, not you.
My cage is my refuge, not my prison. Please keep yourself and your possessions at least 6-12 inches away from my home, because I can reach that far, and you may not like what happens if I do.
Everything that you say and do when you are within my sight, sound, or smell is training me something. If you teach me the wrong thing, I will be labeled by the bad behavior, but it will not be my fault. Still, I will be the one that pays the price, for the more negative labels I bear, the harder it is for me to find my family.
I am sensitive and intuitive. I understand the tones of your voice. Do not talk to me in a way that is angry or mean, and do not say ugly things to me, even in a sweet voice, because I deserve your respect, not your disdain.
When you are near my cage, talk to me. Explain what you are doing and why even if you think I don’t understand your words. Smile at me, sing or read to me, be friendly and respectful. You are in my home, so treat me as you would treat any human host or hostess.
I appreciate kindness. If you are interacting with me, please give me a treat in my bowl first. If I come to my door perch like I am being trained to do, I have earned a treat, so please give me one. Remember, if you are here, you are being trained just as much as I am, so be on your best behavior.
I like calm, peaceful, and kind energy. I do not enjoy yelling, quick movements that I can’t predict or understand, or running. Please move slowly and deliberately while you are in my home, and do not shout, sing loudly, or do things that will upset or confuse me. Do not try to teach me bad words because you think it is funny.
I have the right to be kept safe from all kinds of threats, Please use hand sanitizer or wash your hands thoroughly before you touch me or my cage. Do not feed me anything that is not provided by my PRH family, as I may have special dietary needs or restrictions that you know nothing about. Do not put anything in my cage unless I am supposed to have it.
Please remember that I am not domesticated.

The Parrots of

09/09/2025

As we say goodbye to summer and hello to fall, it’s the perfect time to blend the best of both seasons in your parrot’s bowl! This transitional chop features mini bell peppers bursting with vitamin C and color, sweet corn for a touch of natural sweetness and energy, and sweet potatoes packed with beta-carotene and fiber to support digestion and feather health.

It’s warm, vibrant, and full of flavors your bird will love; like a cozy harvest party in every bite.

09/08/2025

Parrots are not feathered mammals part 3: Diet & Treats
Love is not measured in “it tastes good to you so it will taste good to them” snacks!

❌ Offering fruit, seeds, or people food because “they like it.”
✅ Parrots need balanced nutrients as too much sugar or fat can damage their liver, disrupt hormones, and shorten lives. Not to mention, they are flock eaters. They want to eat when you are eating because YOU are their flock. It must be safe to eat because you are eating it. They have thousands of taste buds shy of yours so they don’t taste in the same depth as you. They are more likely to choose their own foods in colors compared to whether it is sweet, salty, etc.

A thoughtful diet is an act of love that keeps them healthy for decades.

Every time we pause our mammal instincts and learn their avian ones, we step closer to being the flock they deserve.

09/07/2025

Grandparents are often the ones who help our love for animals blossom, and many of us first learned about loving parrots from them. Papayago Rescue House would not exist without Bobbie Stoddard, who introduced Maria (CEO) and Brianna (ED) to parrots. She showed them both the joys and challenges of caring for them—how intelligent and loving they are, while also teaching them what not to do.

09/06/2025

Help Albert, our door greeter, celebrate 23 years old by sending him a gift from his Amazon Wishlist located in the comments below! Send him love!

09/05/2025

Sugar Bird loves his showers. It helps him feel his very best. One distinctive trait of Citron Cockatoos (a subspecies of the Lesser Sulphur-crested Cockatoo) is their bright orange (citron-colored) crest, which sets them apart from the more common yellow-crested cockatoos.

09/04/2025

The Parrot Posse