Before we begin care of your animal(s), we visit you in your home. We take copious notes while you tell us all about your friend(s), their health history,
and their normal routine. Our prelim visit is a MUST to see the animal interact in its own environment. This helps us to care for your pal in the least
intrusive way, allowing us to keep as much of a regular routine as possible. (Keeping a routine is key to reducing stress on your pet at this strange time
when you are away.)
Once we set up your account, you can call us anytime (give us as much notice as possible, please!) to pet sit. First-time clients must pre-pay their
services. Once you are a repeat customer, you may pay 50% up front, 50% upon return.
On each visit, we stay at least an hour and can let you know what we did and how your animal reacted to us/its treatment. We can tell you what they ate,
how much, any curious or interesting behaviors, and what medications were administered monitor weight, and much much more.
And we are parrot-centric, which means that we know how to handle birds, detect their illnesses, and focus on their needs. Rather than leaving them in
the cage, we offer showers, singing and dancing, fun and games.
Squawk and Howl loves and understands birds- our staff has socialized/tamed and rehabilitated birds ourselves! We know that daily proper diet goes
beyond seeds and water. We know what a bird-proofed play area looks like. And we ensure that willing, tame birds get daily out of cage supervised flight
and exercise time, baths, and interactive play. We also do all the other things pet sitters do (change food and supplements, rotate toys, clean cage).
We can monitor your birds feces for optimum health, bring special nutritious treats, help with hand feeding of babies,
medicate sick birds, vaccuum up their mess, and more!
We also offer photos &/or videos of your pals, emailed to you while you are away! And, of course, we also take care of all your other non-human
friends in our visit, too (we have a fondness for fur, fins, and scales as well as feathers)!
- clean, nutritious food that is appropriate for your bird
- fresh water
- a safe, bird-proofed place to get out of their cage
- exercise- supervised flight and exercise, climbing, wing flapping, games
- handling and training (if desired)
- cage liner change & poop/organic waste removal
- handmade, organic, fresh diets &/or treats, or new toys (optional and extra)
We can also offer:
- as many showers or baths as your bird desires
- complete cage renovation: steam cleaning, disinfection, rehabbed with new toys, perches, etc.
- cage, perch, and toy cleaning (we use avian safe cleaners)
- toy rotation
- hand feeding of babies
- daily weigh-ins
- medication administration
- foraging enrichments
and much much more. Tell us about your needs and we will try and meet and exceed them.
Go to the "contact us" page to set up your
account by arranging a prelim visit. Arranging for pet sitting is like finding a good vet- its best
done in advance and shows that you are a responsible animal caregiver.
Regular Daily/Weekly Care/Maintenance
Too busy to do flock chores the way you would like? Why not have us come in and tend to the poop and then you can come home and enjoy your flock?
We can clean cages, change papers, serve meals, give showers, rotate toys, build new toys for buzzsaw birdies, cook and bake organic bird meals
(and cater them, too!) and much, much more!
Tell us what you need and we can set up visits once a week or more. Discounts given for multiple times per week.
Go to the
"contact us" page to set up your
account by arranging a prelim visit.
Parrot Behavior Consultations
Parrot Woes or Concerns? Does your bird bite, scream, pluck her/his feathers, hate you or another family member? Have you rescued a bird that is
so fearful, agressive, or cage-bound that you fear for its well-being? Just get a new baby parrot and want to start out right? Have you thought about
getting rid of your parrot (because you aren't sure what to do), yet know that the current situation is unmanageable?
dani eurynome, founder of Squawk and Howl, is an Associate Member of the International Association of Animal Behavioral Consultants- in the Parrot
division. She is currently studying and practicing to gain her "Master Clinician" certification. In applying her experiences with parrot rescue and
rehabilitiation, parrot sitting, and care of her own flock (some rescued, others raised from babies), she brings a lot of experience, empathy, and
humor to the practice of parrot behavior consulting.
dani teaches people what to expect from a companion parrot, how to socialize the bird for life in a human home, and how to teach their parrots how
to behave. Once people get a better understanding of what a parrot is (and what it is not) folks often find it a lot easier to live with them. It is
more accurate to compare them to a human child than to a dog or cat. They are extremely smart animals- many the intellectual equivalent to a five year-old
human child- and they never get any "older"- so by adopting a parrot, you have a perpetual child in your home for 30-80 years!
Living with your parrot can be a joy, not a burden! Do you really love the bird but are sorry that you got her/him? This situation is more common than
you know- you are not alone- and there IS help out there! As someone involved with parrot rescue as well as parrot behavior and care, I must tell you
that most birds needing rehoming are ones that had "behavioral issues" that their humans did not know how to deal with. Sadly, rather than working with
the parrot to create a harmonious family life, they gave the bird away. As a company, Squawk and Howl has a mission of caring for parrots both physically
and emotionally. That's why we started offering behavioral advice as well as pet sitting. As parrots are flock animals, losing their flock (rehoming a
companion parrot) should only be a stressful last resort. The good news is that these behaviors are changeable and that the human in the relationship
can start those positive changes.
At your wits end? Help is on the way! Things don't have to stay this way. Remember, parrots don't know how to be a "good pet" unless you teach them.
Your parrot is a wild animal (even the domestically raised hand-fed ones). A smart, adaptable creature, but wild nonetheless. S/he is very different
from domesticated dogs and cats. Your parrot has absolutely no idea how to adapt to the environment of your living room or what you expect from her
unless you teach him. Using Sally Blanchard's principles of "Nurturing Guidance" as a starting point, we work with everyone involved in the "dysfunctional
relationship"- human and avian- to make things better.
What is a consultation and what does it entail?
Step One: Identify the source of the behavior.
By asking LOTS of questions, taking lots of notes, observing the bird, observing the humans and other family members, and more we try and identify the
cause or root of the issue. The cause may be something very different than you initially suspected.
Step Two: Agree on a new course of action.
There is nothing to be gained by blaming anyone, but human behaviors and expectations often need to be changed before a parrot's misbehavior will change.
Once we settle on a course of action (which may include changing the parrot's environment, schedule, diet, or other factors - as all these contribute to
a parrot's behavior) we write it all down for future reference.
I then teach the human caretakers how to train their parrots using Blanchard's "Nurturing Guidance" principles. These are extremely effective in
non-aggressively training a parrot about manners and controls and the bird's rank within the human flock.
Step Three: Start the new program and change the source or cause of the behavior.
You start to "repattern" yourself and your parrot to behave in new ways. Check-ins are welcomed and encouraged.
Guarantee
Since dani/Squawk and Howl cannot "make people" follow advice or follow it correctly in dealing with their parrots, we cannot guarantee that a
consult will change companion parrot behaviors. However, if people do choose to use the advice and implement the changes and training she recommends,
she can guarantee her clients will end up with a happier, better behaved parrot with which to share their lives.
Cage and Aviary Remodeling
Bored bird? Unsure why your bird only uses part of its cage or aviary? Poop always getting in its food or water? Remodeling the cage or
aviary furnishings can be the answer!
After observing your bird's routine, play, bathing and eating behaviors, and behavior patterns, dani can revamp the parrot's surroundings
(often using no newly purchased items!) to make the bird happier, give it more usable space, and keep its habitat cleaner.
Give us a jingle and we can make that happen.
Groomer and Vet Shuttle
Sometimes, taking off work is not an option, but the only appointment you can get requires you to do just that. Have nor fear, Squawk is here!
we charge $35 per hour starting when we pick up your bird, ending with when we drop it back off, safe and sound.
Limited, In-Home Boarding
On principle, we do not offer boarding to just anyone. We only offer boarding to people that have temporary situations where keeping the bird in its
current home is dangerous (such as remodeling, fumigation or in the case of a move). From a parrot behavior standpoint, pet sitting (where someone comes
into the home and cares for your bird in its familiar safe environment) is leaps and bounds above boarding. Boarding should be a last option, as it is not
as preferable as sitting for the parrot's welfare.
When their flock "disappears" (travels) it is important to keep other things (like location) as constant as possible. Taking your bird to a store for
boarding is little better than warehousing your bird- sitting it on a shelf gathering dust (and depression). Having worked in "GOOD" boarding facilities,
I can tell you that even the "best" ones make horrible mistakes. I have seen improper diets given, medications forgotten, injuries, and no cage-free time
(even when promised).
At a store, because of the sheer volume of birds they take in (I am not talking about their intentions, just the results), they are more likely to make
mistakes.
And boarding at a vets could mean exposure to illness and all the stress that is associated with being at the vets the entire time you are away.
This is also an ideal service for a bird with special needs that needs attentive assistance more than a once or twice a day pet sitter can provide.
This is why we offer LIMITED in-home boarding in a flock setting. While nothing can compare to you and your flock, we offer a home setting with lots of
birdie play areas, fresh organic species appropriate food, and a clean safe environment for your bird to be while they cannot be at home.
Space is very limited and can only be held for birds that have had an avian vet check up and clean lab work in the last 3 months. Email us with your needs
and let's talk!
Limited Parrot Rescue
Can you no longer care for a parrot, but want to ensure it gets a high quality home?
Surrender your parrot to us- we can make that happen.
To ensure your parrot gets the best home and never is homeless again, we have stringent standards:
1. The adoptive family attends a parrot care 101 class and a parrot behavior 101 class.
2. The adoptive family has a non-smoking home that is inspected and deemed toxin-free.
3. The adoptive family passes a home inspection, and we see the cage that the bird will live in.
4. The adoptive family gets regular home visits and has regular follow-up contact.
5. The adoptive family is required to surrender the bird back to the rescue if the home is unacceptable, or they can no longer care for the bird.
This ensures the bird will ALWAYS have a quality home.
6. The adoptive family visits the new bird several times to ensure that there is "chemistry" and they can handle the parrot.
If this sounds like what you want for your parrot, please contact us.
PLEASE NOTE: We DO NOT pay for birds that are surrendered to us. If this world were just, the person surrendering an animal would be making a donation
TO THE RESCUE to cover vet care, housing, and food for an infinite period of time.
But as a rescue, we accept the bird without a donation (although they are welcomed!) for the love of parrots. Frankly, the concept of "getting back an
investment" (expecting money for the parrot someone no longer wants) is infuriating. We can guarantee a good home, unconditional love, and quality care
for this amazing, intelligent, sentient being. That should be enough.
When you surrender your parrot, please have as much information and resources available:
1. Your bird's medical records, if any. We want you to take the bird for an annual exam and lab work (with an avian vet) prior to surrendering the bird,
if possible.
2. Please give us your bird's cage and toys. Keeping anything familiar at this stressful time is important.
3. Your bird's likes & dislikes (food, toys, people, anything relevant).
You will be required to sign your bird over to Squawk and Howl or a specific rescue, giving up legal claim to the bird so that we can find it a good home.
A couple more rescue pix, cuz we love bird pictures!
Mateo, aka Rah Rah
Millie
Deacon Blues
Satisfied Clients!
