What You Need to Know About Parrot Care
Proper parrot care is essential if your pet bird is to be healthy and happy. Some people jump into bird ownership thinking that a bird will require less care and attention than some other animals. That is not necessarily true.
While a parrot will not need to be taken on daily walks, they do require daily care. Here are some tips and facts for making sure that you provide the parrot care that is essential for his physical and emotional health.
The Cage
The cage that you choose should be large enough that the parrot can fully extend its wings. The cage is not a set it and forget it type of deal. In fact, daily care is required. Line the bottom of cage with newspaper to catch the bird droppings. Change this newspaper every day. You will also notice that food and other debris will tend to collect on the cage. This debris needs to be removed each day. The process is as simple as running a warm cloth over the dirty areas. Every month or so, while the bird is out of the cage for his playtime, you should remove everything from the cage and give it a thorough cleaning. Obviously, you should provide food, water, treats and toys to keep your parrot well fed and entertained.
While a cage will be considered a parrot’s “home”, it is essential that the bird be let out of the cage for several hours each day. Failing to do this can cause health and emotional problems for your pet. Some parrots stop eating and even have trouble breathing if they are left in their cage for too long.
Make sure that you provide plenty of “out of the cage” time. This play time should be supervised, especially if you have other animals in the home.
Food
While it may seem to make sense that the main part of a parrots diet should be bird seed, this isn’t the case. Instead, the parrot should be fed pellets, which contain all of the nutritional requirements of the bird, along with some “human” food. If your parrot enjoys it, you can also offer some seed, but that should be more of a treat. The human foods that are best for parrots include abundant amounts of vegetables. They also need some components from the bread and cereal group and small portions of protein such as from eggs. Dairy products should be avoided as should processed and sugary foods. Obviously, fresh water should always be available. There is a list of foods that should never be given to a parrot. These include chocolate, alcohol and avocado. Talk to your vet for a complete list of foods to avoid.
Grooming
Most parrots enjoy water. Whether in the form of a bath or shower, the bird should get thoroughly wet at least once a week. Some birds enjoy sitting in the shower, while others will hop into a bath. Through trial and error, you’ll be able to determine what your pet prefers. The nails should also be trimmed regularly. Some parrot owners do the grooming themselves while others prefer to use a professional groomer. If you use a groomer, be sure that she has experience with parrots and that her hygiene practices are up to standards.
One of the most important parts of parrot care is affection. Love your parrot and care for him as best as you can and you will be rewarded with a loyal friend and companion.
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