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Reader ratingreader ratings, not a LuvemBooks score
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The Parrot Problem Solver by Barbara Heidenreich Review: A Focused Guide to Parrot Behavioral Issues
Barbara Heidenreich's The Parrot Problem Solver is a practical hardcover guide published by TFH Publications in 2005 that addresses the behavioral challenges facing pet parrot owners, with a particular emphasis on aggression, body language, and the science-backed case for positive reinforcement over negative reinforcement — written by a professional animal trainer with deep credentials in avian behavior.
LuvemBooks Verdict
Best for
Parrot owners already dealing with aggression, biting, or self-mutilation who want a science-grounded, credential-backed guide from a professional animal trainer rather than hobbyist advice.
Worth it if
Your parrot has developed specific behavioral problems — particularly aggression — and you want to understand the underlying behavioral science, not just a list of tips.
Skip if
You're looking for a comprehensive introduction to parrot ownership or species-specific husbandry, or you're already well-versed in contemporary force-free training literature and may find the 2005 framing familiar.
What readers & critics say
Reader responses compiled by Thriftbooks highlight the book as an "eye opener" that explains why positive reinforcement outperforms negative reinforcement without making owners feel like failures. Ebooks.com's publisher synopsis corroborates the book's own claim to be "one of the only books on the market to focus on aggression in pet parrots," underscoring its genuinely narrow niche.
Sources: Thriftbooks, Ebooks.com4.5from 140 Amazon ratings— reader ratings, not a LuvemBooks score
In This Review
- What Works & What Doesn't
- What the Book Actually Is and Covers
- Heidenreich's Credentials and Their Weight
- The Core Argument: Positive Over Negative Reinforcement
- Significance Within the Genre
- Genuine Limitations and Who It May Frustrate
What Works & What Doesn't
What Works
- Written by a credentialed professional animal trainer with zoological and avian-specific expertise, lending authority to its behavioral guidance
- One of the only books specifically focused on aggression in pet parrots, filling a real gap in the companion-bird genre
- Addresses the science behind positive versus negative reinforcement, giving owners a framework rather than just a list of tips
- Incorporates wild parrot behavior as foundational context for understanding companion-bird problems
- Sidebars directly tackle common myths and misconceptions about parrot keeping, adding practical myth-busting value
What Doesn't
- Narrow focus on behavioral problems means it is not suited as a general or introductory parrot-care guide
- First published in 2005, so owners engaged with more recent force-free training literature may find elements of the framing dated
A targeted, credential-backed resource for parrot owners confronting real behavioral challenges, this book fills a genuinely narrow gap in the companion-bird genre.
What the Book Actually Is and Covers
The Parrot Problem Solver by Barbara Heidenreich front cover
The Parrot Problem Solver is a hardcover behavior guide written by Barbara Heidenreich and published by TFH Publications in its first edition in 2005. It is designed for pet parrot owners whose birds have developed — or are at risk of developing — behavioral problems, most notably aggression and self-mutilation. The book is structured around practical problem-solving: it explains wild bird behavior and how it shapes the pet parrot's instincts and responses, walks through how to read parrot body language, and dedicates specific coverage to tools and techniques for addressing aggression in various circumstances. Sidebars throughout tackle persistent myths and misconceptions about keeping parrots as pets, giving the text an explicit myth-busting dimension alongside its prescriptive guidance.
Heidenreich's Credentials and Their Weight
What distinguishes this title from more generalist companion-bird books is the professional standing of its author. Heidenreich is a professional animal trainer and founder of Animal Training and Consulting Services, an organization that delivers animal training workshops to zoos and other wildlife facilities. She has written and lectured extensively on parrot training and, at the time of publication, served as president-elect of the International Association of Avian Trainers and Educators (IAATE). That institutional depth — spanning zoological settings, companion-animal contexts, and professional advocacy — gives the book's prescriptions a grounding that distinguishes it from hobbyist advice. Readers are hearing from someone whose working life is built around the science and practice of animal training.
The Core Argument: Positive Over Negative Reinforcement
A central thread running through the book is Heidenreich's argument for positive reinforcement as the more effective tool for changing unwanted parrot behavior, with an explicit case made against relying on negative reinforcement. The book explains the behavioral reasoning behind this distinction rather than simply asserting it — an approach that gives owners a framework to understand why certain strategies fail, not just what to try instead. The inclusion of a dedicated chapter on parrot behavior in the wild reinforces this framework: because companion parrots are not far removed from their wild counterparts, understanding natural behavior is presented as foundational to addressing household problems. Some readers, as noted in reader responses compiled by Thriftbooks, found this approach to be genuinely eye-opening and appreciated that it did not cast owners as failures for struggling with their birds.
Significance Within the Genre
According to the book's own publisher synopsis, The Parrot Problem Solver is one of the only books on the market specifically focused on aggression in pet parrots — a claim that reflects a real gap. Most companion-parrot titles address training and enrichment broadly; a volume that zeroes in on behavioral problems, and particularly on aggression and self-mutilation, serves a more urgent need. Some readers familiar with Heidenreich's companion title, Good Bird!, have described both books together as forming a single strong resource — suggesting that The Parrot Problem Solver functions well as a deeper problem-focused complement to broader introductory material. That pairing points to where this book sits best: not as a first parrot book, but as a resource owners turn to when a specific problem has already emerged.
Genuine Limitations and Who It May Frustrate
The book's tight focus is also its principal constraint. Readers seeking a comprehensive introduction to parrot ownership or species-specific husbandry guidance will find The Parrot Problem Solver deliberately narrow — it is built around behavioral correction, not general care. Additionally, published in 2005, the book predates nearly two decades of developments in companion-animal behavioral science and the broader popularization of force-free training methodologies. Owners who have engaged with more recent literature in positive-reinforcement training may find some framing familiar or dated in its framing of the debate, even if the core principles remain sound. The book is best positioned for owners already experiencing aggression or other behavioral difficulties and willing to engage with the behavioral science underlying the guidance.
Frequently Asked Questions
is The Parrot Problem Solver by Barbara Heidenreich worth reading
If your parrot is showing aggression or other behavioral problems, this book fills a genuinely narrow gap — the publisher itself positions it as one of the only books on the market specifically focused on aggression in pet parrots. It's not a general care guide, so if you're looking for broad husbandry advice or species-specific tips, it will feel deliberately narrow and won't serve that need.
what is The Parrot Problem Solver by Barbara Heidenreich actually about
It's a behavior-focused guide that explains how wild parrot instincts shape pet bird problems, teaches owners how to read parrot body language, and walks through specific techniques for addressing aggression and self-mutilation. A running thread throughout is Heidenreich's science-backed argument for positive reinforcement over negative reinforcement, with sidebars that bust common myths about keeping parrots as pets.
who is Barbara Heidenreich and is she qualified to write this
Heidenreich is a professional animal trainer, founder of Animal Training and Consulting Services — which delivers workshops to zoos and wildlife facilities — and at the time of publication served as president-elect of the International Association of Avian Trainers and Educators (IAATE). The review notes that her background spans zoological settings, companion-animal contexts, and professional advocacy, which grounds her prescriptions well beyond typical hobbyist advice.
is The Parrot Problem Solver by Barbara Heidenreich good for first-time parrot owners
Not really — the review is clear that this book works best as a resource owners turn to when a specific problem has already emerged, not as a first parrot book. Some readers pair it with Heidenreich's companion title Good Bird! and describe the two together as forming a single strong resource, with The Parrot Problem Solver serving as the deeper, problem-focused complement.
does The Parrot Problem Solver by Barbara Heidenreich cover positive reinforcement training
Yes, and it goes further than just recommending it — Heidenreich explains the behavioral reasoning behind why positive reinforcement outperforms negative reinforcement, giving owners a framework to understand why certain strategies fail rather than just what to try instead. Readers in compiled responses noted this approach was eye-opening and didn't make them feel like failures for struggling with their birds.
is The Parrot Problem Solver by Barbara Heidenreich outdated since it was published in 2005
The 2005 publication date is a real caveat — the review acknowledges the book predates nearly two decades of developments in companion-animal behavioral science and the broader popularization of force-free training. Owners who've engaged with more recent positive-reinforcement literature may find some of the framing familiar or dated, even though the core principles are still considered sound.
how does The Parrot Problem Solver by Barbara Heidenreich compare to Good Bird! by the same author
The review describes them as complementary rather than interchangeable — readers familiar with both have called them a single strong resource together, with Good Bird! serving as the broader introductory material and The Parrot Problem Solver functioning as the deeper dive into specific behavioral problems like aggression and self-mutilation. If you've already read Good Bird! and need more targeted help, The Parrot Problem Solver is the natural next step.
Sources & Further Reading
The key facts and claims in this review are grounded in the retrieved, verified sources listed below.
- Cited in this review
- 1
- Further reading
- 2
thriftbooks.com
- 3
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- 5
grueldner.firebaseapp.com
- 6
busybeaks.com
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