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PARROTHOOD- Parrots NEED to interact with a flock, meaning you and your family. Now its your job to make sure your baby is properly socialized and make needed adjustments to your lifestyle. Raising a baby parrot is allot like raising a child. Make sure your lifestyle can accommodate another member. DON’T get a parrot because a friend has one, you think they are neato, or you have ‘always’ wanted a parrot. |
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Your career or living arrangements may not allow for a new family member. If an apartment dweller, you may want to check with the neighbors first before purchasing a parrot. Not everyone may enjoy the jungle noises coming from your place. And believe me when I say, parrots DO have their moments of joy!
NEATNICKS– Do you keep your home spotless? If so, a parrot may not be the pet for you. They love to soak foods, make poop soup in their water bowls, fling seed and veggies, drop stuff to feed the dog, dump food and water bowls. (My dogs graze under the parrot cage) Most cages come with seed guards. NOTE* these are deadly! They don’t manage to catch much seed but will ALWAYS CATCH YOUR SHINS!!! I prefer sweeping to nursing sore bloody shins.
VARRIED DIETS– Wouldn’t life be dull if you had to eat the same thing every day? I’m not saying seeds and nuts are bad, but fresh fruits, veggies and pasta are better for them than a diet of all seeds and nuts. Try giving the seed and nuts as a treat. Some folks swear by an all pellet diet. I say thumbs down to the erruded food. The ’pellet’ has only been around for 11 or so years and not enough long term data is available to convince me to feed strictly pellets. And besides, it stinks to high heaven when it comes in contact with water ( aka pellet and poop soup)
CAGE SIZE - Given the wing span of the large parrots, the bigger cage the better. Parrots need room for toys, flapping, toys, playing, toys, and exercising. Did I mention they need lots of toys? Please don’t get a cage with a ‘playtop’, go for the dome topped cages ( more room to hang toys) because when birds can get higher than you they will be in the dominate position. I recommend using a floor playstand so that you can maintain the alpha position. In the wild the higher up the tree the bird is, the more dominate the rank in the flock.
DOCTOR-DOCTOR-I recommend finding an avian vet BEFORE bringing baby home. I like my parrot moms and dads to have an appointment with the vet the day the baby arrives. Your baby from Cheep Thrills Aviary will come with a 72 hour Health Guarantee. Remember parrots hide illness very well. Learn to read your parrots body language and learn his eating habits. It’s a good idea to have your vets number on speed dial.
DIRTY BURD!- Parrots need to bathe… some will love it and with others it will be a knock down drag out battle. We begin bath session here with a fine warm misting. Funny thing with most parrots is the sound of the vacuum cleaner triggers the need to bath. Don’t ask me why. But it works ;) So try running the vac at bath time. |
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MINI-ME –Parrots are indeed the drama queens of the animal kingdom. If you are an excitable person and holler and yell, to be sure, your bird will pick right up on that. If you react when your bird screams by yelling at him, he will win the scream fest hands down. By raising your voice at him when you are mad, only lets the bird know its ok to scream. You are lock leader. You scream, so its ok or him to sound off too. |
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SNOWFLAKES –Every baby is different and has his/her own distinct personality. Clutch mates can be as different as night and day. Some may be very out going to everyone in the family and others may chose just one person as a buddy and deeply bond to that person. If the later is the case, that person may be the recipient of a special parrot “gift”. We call the gift “parrot butter”. Birds go through allot of gagging motions to produce this glorious prize. After a bit the bird will manage to bring up the contents of its crop and the chosen one will be offered the greasy smelly mess as a token of the birds undying love and adoration. If you are fed in this manner you are considered a mate or a chick , one that needs fed and care for.
FEATHERED KIDS-As some folks call them, can live for 50 years + Many have the smarts of a 4 year old child. Some can develop behavioral problems. You wouldn’t give away a family member because they were to loud or had a few issues that need worked through. So goes it with the bird. This bird is now a part of your family so remember before you take the BIG step, adoption is forever!
CHILDREN AS HOUSE PETS– parrots are gentle souls by nature, but even the sweetest parrot, if teased or provoked, can and will bite. Toddlers and young children can unnerve a parrot. Lil’ kids move to fast are loud, and like to pull and poke.
OTHER PETS– Cats hunt, as do some breeds of dogs. Ferrets hunt as well. Herps can carry salmonella on their skin which is deadly to parrots. Playtime should be well supervised and baby burd should never left unattended with other pets in the room. |
