Having a pet parrot is wonderful experience and they make excellent companions, however they are very sensitive and needs diligent care. Here are some tips which will make caring for your parrot easier.
ARE YOU READY FOR A PARROT?
So, before getting a parrot, first ask this question to yourself if you really ready to get a parrot. Many parrots can live up to fifty to one hundred years, if you are not ready for this long – term commitment then i suggest you to not to buy a parrot. Most of the parrots often bond tightly with the owners, and if you are going to give your parrot give up later, then he’ll have a very hard time in adjusting. You can think of your parrot as four to five year old child as his responses to emotional situations will be quite similar to a young child’s.
Once you get a parrot then prepare for a noisy and messy house. Birds toss fruit peels, seed casings, their toys and the list goes on. The area around the cage can get very messy, also, there is the matter of feathers which shed naturally from time to time and droppings which,too, are naturally shed. Even if your parrot is in the cage, these things will make their way outside the cage.
Large parrots can get very noisy. Whether they are telling nonsense, squawking, or singing a song but you cannot expect him to be quiet. Remember that, Shutting them away in a closed room or keeping them outdoors is not an option, if you separated him in an isolated room then he can become severely disturbed emotionally and can even behave psychotically. Parrots are social birds and there is a reason why they flock together in the wild.
PREPARE THE HOUSING
If you want to buy a cage for your parrot then make sure it is large enough in which your parrot can move comfortably and climb. The bottom and paper should be tended to every 2-3 days. Remove liners, if any, discard seeds, shells, toys, gravels that are destroyed. It will be best if you clean up all the mess which doesn’t require much time like droppings or toys once in a day. They are social birds and each parrot has its different needs. You should place the cage in an area where he can interact with you or your family. You should never the cage in the kitchen area as the smell of cooking and cleaning can be harmful to your parrot. They can actually tolerate a large range of temperature so if you keep your house at a comfortable temperature then your parrot will also be comfortable like you.
FEEDING
You should not feed your parrot same thing everyday, i mean who likes to have the same thing everyday? Plus, it will be not healthy. Parrots need a diverse diet with a good nutritional value. You should not always keep your parrot on a diet of seeds or pellets only. You can research and discuss with the vet what will be the best diet for your parrot. It is recommended that parrots need a mixture of seeds, pellets, fresh leafy greens, grains, legumes, occasional fruits and veggies. You should never feed parrots avocado, chocolates, alcohol, caffeine or salty snacks. You should also remove the food and water bowls daily and then clean them and put some fresh food and water in them.
PARROT ENRICHMENT
Parrots are highly intelligent and curious, so you can put the toys back in the cage and mix them up, they actually enjoy changing stimuli unlike cats and dogs. As they are very intelligent and social birds, you can’t just expect him to be isolated in a cage with just food in a bowl. You can train him and believe me, there are many ways to do this, however be sure to research about it.
They respond to clicker training well, it is no different than clicker training a cat, dog or other pet. You can train him to do things like go back in his cage, step up in one hand or pick up things with his beak and many more fun tricks.
Also, you can teach him to talk, however mot of the parrots will mimic you but if you truly want to make a effort then you will have to spend some time to do it. During teaching sessions, you can repeat the same ”lines” and you should limit the teaching sessions to ten to fifteen minutes. By teaching your parrot to communicate, it will actually help you to understand what he really wants later.
MAINTAINING PARROT HEALTH
Some parrots are healthy forever and even if your parrot encounters any health problems then it can be solved with few vet consultations. However make sure to see vet who sees birds specifically,otherwise, you’ll be wasting your time and money. You should also plan annual checkups.