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Tuition: $126($113 early bird special if enrolled by May 15, 2023). * Students currently enrolled in an AVMA-accredited or CVMA-approved Veterinary Technician Program may be eligible to receive a 50% discount off the regular rate for this course (upon proof of student status). * To ensure participants are ready and prepared for classes, enrollment will close on June 5, 2023, at 5 pm EST Prices are listed in US dollars.

Course Information:
This course is designed to provide participants with information about avian behavior in relation to restraint and handling of healthy and unhealthy birds. Participants will learn how to interact with birds by assessing body language, applying low-stress handling techniques, and incorporating positive reinforcement training. Participants will also evaluate case studies that address avian behavior modification and strengthening the human-animal bond. Common problem behaviors will be discussed, including aggression, fear, reproductive behaviors, and feather destruction. Learning Objectives: Upon completion of this course, the participant should be able to:

• Identify clinical signs of an unhealthy bird.
• Demonstrate various methods of approaching a bird in the clinical setting.
• Understand parrot body language within a clinic setting.
• Identify signs of fear or aggression.
• Demonstrate restraint methods of diverse sizes and species of birds for physical exams, sample collection, and diagnostic tests.
• Discuss avian body language and behavior in the wild and in captivity.
• Understand different learning styles.
• Council owners on how to find a motivator for their pet parrot.
• Understand how to build trust between a pet parrot and owner.
• Understand the importance of foraging and enrichment for pet parrots.
• Counsel owners on methods of dealing with problem behaviors in their pet parrot, including biting, chewing, deferred aggression, and inappropriate screaming.
• Discuss how to train the hand shy bird.
• Discuss reproductive behaviors and appropriate interactions between owners and their pet parrots to prevent reproductive behaviors.
• Identify avian species prone to feather destruction behaviors.
• Discuss the medical and behavioral causes of feather destruction behaviors.
• Discuss treatment and behavior modification techniques for birds demonstrating behavioral feather destruction.
• Discuss behavior modification medications.

Week 2 (Real Time Session June 12): Avian Behavior Basics:
This session will discuss avian body language and behavior in the wild and in captivity, different learning styles, and how to counsel owners on how to find a motivator for their pet parrot. Additionally create an understanding of how to build trust between a pet parrot and owner, and the importance of foraging and enrichment for pet parrots

Week 3 (Real Time Session June 19): Problem Behaviors in the Pet Parrot:
In this session we'll discuss how to counsel owners on methods of dealing with problem behaviors in their pet parrot, including biting, chewing, deferred aggression, and inappropriate screaming. Material covered will include training the hand shy bird, and a discussion reproductive behaviors and appropriate interactions between owners and their pet parrots to prevent reproductive behaviors.

Week 5 (Real Time Session June 26): Feather Destruction Disorder
In this session we will identify avian species prone to feather destruction behaviors, and discuss the medical and behavioral causes of feather destruction behaviors. Treatment and behavior modification techniques for birds demonstrating behavioral feather destruction will be discussed as well as behavior modification medications.

Successful completion (scoring 80% or better) on the end-of-course test is required to earn a certificate of completion for the course. To learn more about the requirements for earning a CE certificate, please refer to Receiving Your CE Credit and Course Completion Certificate.

*To ensure participants are ready and prepared for classes, enrollment will close on June 5, 2023 at 5 pm ET (USA) or when the maximum number of participants is reached.

1. VIN CE Courses:
   1. VIN CE courses are open to VIN member, VIN student member, and non-member veterinarians.
   2. Veterinary support staff must be VSPN members in order to enroll in a VIN CE course open to VSPN member enrollment.
2. VSPN CE Courses:
   1. VSPN CE courses are open to veterinary support staff and veterinarians.
   2. Only VIN and VSPN members can enroll in a VSPN CE course.
   3. Veterinarians will only receive credit for those VSPN CE courses that specify in the Accreditation statement that the course is accredited for veterinarians.
3. Please check the course Level and Prerequisites, Accreditation, and Tuition before enrolling.
4. Each enrollee must be able to receive emails from @vspn.org and @vin.com addresses.
   1. Email is our major form of communication with participants; personal emails are highly recommended rather than clinic/hospital email addresses.
5. For further assistance call 800-846-0028 ext. 792 or email VSPNCE. Please include the course title, your full name, and contact information in your correspondence.