Papayago Rescue House, Inc.

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Papayago Rescue House, Inc. An avian rescue focusing on rescue, rehabilitation, retraining, and rehoming of parrots. https://papayagorescuehouse.org/donate/

Mainly supporting Georgia communities with their pet birds and unique needs.

The leaves are changing, the temperatures are cooling down, and today’s chop is bringing some fall color of its own. Thi...
10/13/2026

The leaves are changing, the temperatures are cooling down, and today’s chop is bringing some fall color of its own. This seasonal mix features dandelion greens, cooked quinoa, and multicolored bell peppers for a bowl packed with nutrition, texture, and crunch.

Dandelion greens provide vitamin A and calcium, while quinoa adds plant based protein and fiber to help fuel busy birds. Red, yellow, orange, and green bell peppers bring vitamin C, carotenoids, and plenty of color to encourage curious beaks to dig in.

Who needs fall foliage when you can have a whole autumn color palette in the food bowl? Just remember, unlike the leaves outside, we’d prefer this colorful mix not end up all over the ground.

Rarely Discussed: What do we actually know about parrot welfare?We read research about parrots all the time. So when we...
10/12/2026

Rarely Discussed: What do we actually know about parrot welfare?

We read research about parrots all the time. So when we say that companion-parrot welfare is under-researched, what exactly do we mean? We decided to dig into that question.

In a systematic review published in 2024, researchers searched three major scientific databases for published research that might provide measurable information about the welfare of captive parrots.

They found 1,848 unique records.
That sounds like a lot.
But those 1,848 records were not 1,848 studies that all demonstrated something about parrot welfare. They were the records identified by the search that might be relevant.

After duplicates were removed and the researchers screened the studies against their criteria, 98 studies remained for the review.

And this is where things get interesting.
Of those 98 studies:
48 involved laboratory parrots.
21 involved companion parrots.
10 involved zoo parrots.
The remaining studies involved breeding facilities, rehabilitation centers, shelters, multiple settings, or could not be assigned to a setting.

So yes, there is research on captive parrots.

But the next question is: what kind of research, on which parrots, and measuring what?

Across those 98 studies, researchers identified 1,512 potential welfare outcomes.

Only 572 were both statistically significant and considered feasible enough to potentially be used as welfare indicators.

And when they looked specifically at companion parrots, only 68 of those significant and feasible outcomes—4.49%—came from companion-parrot research.

That does not mean only 4.49% of parrot research is about companion parrots.

It means that, within this particular systematic review of research that could provide usable welfare indicators, companion parrots accounted for a very small proportion of the evidence that met those criteria.

Because we often say “research shows” as though all parrot research can be applied equally to every parrot.

But a study involving a laboratory parrot does not automatically tell us how a parrot living in a home experiences its environment.
A study involving one species does not automatically tell us what happens in another.

And a study measuring cognition, reproduction, disease, or physiology may be fascinating and scientifically valuable without actually answering the question:

“How do we know whether this companion parrot is experiencing good welfare?”

The 2024 review didn't conclude that we know nothing about parrot welfare.

It concluded that the evidence is uneven, concentrated in certain species and settings, and still insufficient to validate many potential welfare indicators for companion parrots.

Since then, researchers have continued working on the problem.
Expert-consensus research has helped identify which welfare indicators may be important and feasible to assess, and that work has contributed to the development of PsittaWel, a welfare assessment tool specifically designed for companion parrots, published in 2026.

And even PsittaWel's researchers identify the need for further research to establish the reliability of the indicators.

In other words, the science is developing.

That matters to us at Papayago Rescue House.
Because sometimes we observe the same thing repeatedly across our population, but discover that there isn't published research directly answering the question.

Does that make our observation scientific proof?
No.
Does it make the observation worthless?
Also no.
It means we have practice-based evidence that needs to be described honestly as such.

We should be able to say:
“We have published research supporting this.”
Or:
“Research from another setting suggests this may be relevant.”
Or:
“We have repeatedly observed this in our own population, but we do not yet have published research establishing it.”

Those are different statements. And knowing the difference is part of being evidence-based.

Maybe the most important lesson isn't that we don't know enough about parrots.

It's that we need to know what kind of evidence we actually have before we decide what it means.

Because good parrot care isn't about pretending we have all the answers.
It's about knowing what we know.
Knowing what we don't know.
And being willing to keep asking better questions. We have so many.

*Researchers reviewed eligible published studies spanning 30 years, from 1993 through 2023

OPINION SUNDAY: We need to have a conversation about the bowl, again.Why, when we know that an all-seed diet is not cons...
10/11/2026

OPINION SUNDAY: We need to have a conversation about the bowl, again.

Why, when we know that an all-seed diet is not considered an appropriate nutritional foundation for companion parrots, are we still feeding it as though knowing better and doing better are somehow the same thing?

And let's define “all-seed diet.”

We mean a diet that is essentially all seed, whether it is mixed with dried vegetables, fruits, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, etc., AND a diet that is technically “seed and pellets” when the bird simply eats the seed and leaves the pellets behind.

Seed AND pellets.

“See? I'm giving them a balanced diet.”
Are you, though?

Because if the bird eats the seed and leaves the pellets behind, we aren't feeding a seed-and-pellet diet.
We are feeding seed.

And this is where we need to stop kidding ourselves.
Putting the food we WANT a bird to eat into the bowl does not mean the bird is actually eating it.

We cannot look at a bowl at the end of the day, see uneaten pellets, and say, “Well, they had the option.”

The bird doesn't eat options.
The bird eats food.
And if the same food is consistently being selected while the other food is consistently being discarded, that is information.
Important information.

It doesn't mean we should suddenly remove everything a bird enjoys or force a dietary change overnight.
It means we should PAY ATTENTION.
What is this bird actually consuming?
Are we measuring their weight and body condition?
Are we watching their health?
Are we working with an avian veterinarian when medical conditions affect nutritional needs?

And most importantly: if what we're doing isn't working, are we willing to change it?

Because “my bird won't eat anything else” should not be the end of the conversation.
It should be the beginning of one.

We owe our birds more than putting the right things in the bowl.
We owe them the effort to make sure the right things are actually making it into the bird.
That's the "thinking" part.

Seed may have a legitimate place in some parrots' diets. But satellite food is not the same thing as nutritional foundation.

We know more now.
So what is the excuse?

CLEAN & SAFE FRIDAY: Your air-quality monitor can tell you a lot.But it can't tell you everything.Last week, we talked a...
10/09/2026

CLEAN & SAFE FRIDAY: Your air-quality monitor can tell you a lot.
But it can't tell you everything.

Last week, we talked about why your nose is not an air-quality monitor. This week, let's talk about the real thing.

An air-quality monitor can give you information about what is happening in the air around your parrot that your senses cannot detect.

But before you buy one, you need to understand what it actually measures.

For a parrot household, we would look for:
• PM2.5 — fine airborne particles from sources such as smoke, combustion, cooking, and other activities.
• CO₂ — useful primarily as an indicator of ventilation and air exchange, not as a measurement of whether the air is “safe.” This is already required for our adopters.
• Temperature and relative humidity — important environmental information for a captive parrot's living space. This is already required for our adopters.
• VOCs — potentially useful, but this one requires caution. A “TVOC” number does NOT tell you which chemicals are present or whether a particular exposure is safe.

And here's what an air-quality monitor WON'T do:
It won't detect every toxin.
It won't tell you that a product is bird-safe.
It won't necessarily detect dangerous fumes from every chemical or overheated material.

And a reassuring reading does not give us permission to introduce known airborne hazards into a parrot's environment.

That is why we consider monitoring another layer of protection, not the first line of defense.

SOURCE CONTROL comes first.
Don't create the airborne hazard and then rely on a monitor to tell you whether you've created enough of it to worry about.

And don't confuse an air-quality monitor with your home's smoke alarms or carbon monoxide alarms. Those are safety devices designed for emergency detection and should remain in place.

So what should you look for when buying one?
Look beyond the number of sensors.
Ask:
What exactly does each sensor measure?
How does the manufacturer describe its accuracy and limitations?
Does it provide actual measurements rather than simply a “good/bad” score?
Can you see historical trends?
Does it have a replaceable or serviceable sensor?
And where will you place it?
Placement matters. EPA recommends positioning indoor sensors where they have unobstructed airflow and away from direct sources such as a stove, air cleaner, HVAC vent, open window, or other localized source.

The goal isn't to have a little box tell us:
“Your air is safe.”
The goal is to have another source of information that helps us ask:
“What's happening in the air our parrots are breathing?”

Because when you share your home with a parrot, information is another layer of protection.

Clean & Safe Friday isn't about eliminating every possible risk.
It's about understanding the environment we create for the birds who depend on us.

10/08/2026

The parrots of says thanks to you, our , , and and followers! We are for your !

WELLNESS WEDNESDAY: When green feathers turn black Have you ever noticed black edging appearing on your parrot’s beautif...
10/07/2026

WELLNESS WEDNESDAY: When green feathers turn black

Have you ever noticed black edging appearing on your parrot’s beautiful green feathers?

You may be looking at something surprisingly under-discussed in companion parrots: saprophytic fungal growth on the feather surface.

Veterinary literature describes black discoloration associated with fungal growth on psittacine feathers, particularly on green and blue feathers. The fungus isn't necessarily infecting the bird. It can grow on organic material deposited on the feather, such as oils, food residue, and other debris, particularly when moisture is involved.

And this is where good caregiving comes in.
Wash your hands before handling your parrot. Pay attention to lotions, creams, and other products on your hands. Keep feathers and feeding areas clean, and notice whether a bird's feathers are repeatedly becoming soiled in the same places.

Then take pictures. Photograph unusual feather changes from the same angle and in similar lighting. A photograph gives you something your memory can't: a baseline you can compare weeks or months later.

But here's the important part: Not every black feather is fungal.
Feather damage, staining, nutritional problems, and systemic disease can also cause abnormal feather coloration. The appearance, location, progression, and condition of the feather all matter.

So don't diagnose the feather from its color alone.
Observe it.
Photograph it.
Track it.
And if the change persists, spreads, or occurs along with other changes in your bird, show those photographs to your avian veterinarian.

Sometimes a feather is telling us something.
We just have to learn how to read it.

TASTY TUESDAY — SPECIAL EDITION: What do the Budgies eat? When you have more than 50 budgies in your care, “just give t...
10/06/2026

TASTY TUESDAY — SPECIAL EDITION: What do the Budgies eat?

When you have more than 50 budgies in your care, “just give them some seed” isn't exactly a nutrition program.

Our budgies are small parrots, and they deserve thoughtful nutrition just like their much larger cousins.

At Papayago Rescue House, *fresh food is part of their daily feeding program. We build their meals around a variety of grains, legumes, vegetables, fruit and botanicals, with the ingredients selected for nutritional contribution, texture, color and variety.

And yes — size matters.

A food that might be an appropriate portion for a macaw obviously isn't appropriate for a budgie. But that doesn't mean the answer is simply to shrink a macaw's meal.

Small parrots have their own biology, their own feeding behaviors and their own nutritional considerations.

We also don't believe every meal has to contain every possible ingredient. Instead, we use rotation to create width and breadth over time.

That means one meal may feature one combination of vegetables and another meal may look completely different.

Because nutritional variety isn't about making the biggest bowl possible.

It's about giving the birds meaningful opportunities to experience different foods, textures, nutrients and plant sources over time.

And with 50+ budgies, that takes a little planning!

They're little parrots. They're still parrots.

And they deserve a thoughtfully designed menu, too.

*Served with their pellets and fresh water.

Address

4462 Bretton Court NW
Marietta, GA
30101

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