The Joys of Parrot keeping

Considering getting a Parrot? Is he the right pet for you? Perhaps aye, perhaps no…I am not going to attempt to change your mind but just give you a (small) insight into being a bird owner (or what sometimes feels like the bird owning me)

Rocky getting love

Parrots can be amazing companion animals. They are highly trainable, they can be cuddly and affectionate, and if treated correctly they will form very strong bonds with their care takers. The flip side is that they are such social and intelligent animals that they demand a huge amount of attention and mental stimulation in order to thrive. Many people eventually find that they can’t give enough time and energy to their pets, especially in the long run when the joy of a new pet begins to ware thin. To make matters worse, many parrots can be aggressive, especially once they become sexually mature. A parrot bite is not a fun thing to endure…My Congo African Grey  (Rocky) can be like a flying tin opener with that beak of his but luckily has now hurt me (much) as he has been brought up with much love and is a tender little guy but be aware if you are getting a preloved one from Gumtree, you have give him/her a loving home but you will need patience to retrain him with any bad habits. I got Rocky as a baby who was hand reared and gave him lots of love and attention from day one and its paid off well as he is a lovely boy, great personality and tender .Parrots rarely need to bite in the wild. For the most part the threat of a bite keeps parrots out of each other’s personal space. Through a variety of body language, one parrot conveys to another that it is too close or in its territory. Usually, the offending parrot takes these threats seriously and flies off before any blood is shed….I show Rocky lots of respect and give him his space some times when he gets grumpy…which is not too often and when he does it does not last long.

Seed Thief

People, on the other hand, miss the body language and don’t back off until they get bitten. Pet birds might quickly learn to skip all the signs of aggression and jump straight to the bite

When you go on holiday you will need to leave your parrot with someone who is also willing to give your bird all the special attention he needs and knows how to look after him. Even then, things may not work out. I have left Rocky with a friend for a few days before, I was a bit nervous as this person had cats (if they bred would the a cross between a parrott and a cat be a carott?) and Rocky needs his out of cage time but everything worked out great, I still am looking for someone else I can trust (that Rocky can trust) to care for him (send in your applications please) when I am away in the future, when possible I will attempt to take him with me in the traveling cage (his Motel) but this may not always work out.

Most of us have never had much contact with birds before. We know how to deal with cats and dogs but as soon as we get our hands on a bird we quickly realize we have no clue what we are doing. As a result you need to be willing to study and learn. I had some previous experience with smaller birds, I even bred finchies when I was younger but I still purchased lots of books about African Greys before I bought Rocky so I knew what I was letting myself in for.

Day old baby boy

Most, if not all parrots, are screamers. This doesnt mean they wail all day long, but if they need attention (and they do need a lot of it), they will shriek until they get it, or until they are taught not to. Rocky only screams when he is playing with his toys and having fun. Usually he is talking (lots) saying “Rocky Boy”, “Big Boy”, “Rocky is awake, I am up, I am up”, “Dearn”, “I can see you”, “what’s wrong?”, “I want a Hug, a Hug”, and much more…he also imitates my mobile text alert and a squeaky stair step I tread on….he also does a great air guitar..lol

If you are new to the world of parrots, then you may think that all you have to do is give pet bird’s fresh seed and water. For many years this was what we all thought and were led to believe that this meant feeding our parrots was the easiest part of keeping them. Thoughts on parrot nutrition have changed drastically in the last few decades. After all, most parrots eat a lot more than seed in the wild. They eat a tremendous variety of nuts, fruits, foliage and even grubs. Many parrots even consume small amounts of soil, clay and particular plants that probably have minerals that they need. They need a lot more than seed!



Helloooooo



As you begin to research, you will discover that there is a large variety of bird foods available and many thoughts on what parrots need for optimal health. Everyone agrees though that parrots need a variety of food, including fresh fruits and vegetables. This will mean more shopping and more preparation time than just pouring seed in a bowl. Parrots also react differently to foods than dogs or cats. Things that are just fine for you or your other pets to eat may be poisonous to your parrot. Rocky loves pommegrate but the mess he makes on the floor looks like a murder scene from CSI. I supplement his diet with Calivet Calcium supplement and Daily Essentials. I am also attempting to get him to eat more pellets.

It is not as easy or as inexpensive to get veterinary care for your parrots and this is mainly because a parrot’s body is very different from a mammal, like a dog. They have delicate bones, sensitive respiratory systems and entirely different diseases than dogs or cats. These diseases can be complicated to both diagnose and to treat. Illnesses are also not always easy to identify because pet birds rarely show obvious signs of sickness until they are extremely ill. I am lucky with Rocky that is health is very good but just in case we do have an excellent vet just up the road from where I live who also specialises in avian pets.

Parrots not only need time outside of the cage, but activities to keep them happily occupied. The closer this activity comes to what they would normally do in the wild, the better. Toys and environments that allow parrots to forage are great for keeping their minds and bodies busy. This will mean making the effort to think about designing a play area, buying or making toys and dedicating some of your own time every day to participating in parrot play. If you thought a parrot would be easier than having to walk a dog every day you might be surprised. Rocky loves his out of cage time, even if he is too tired to play he will happily sit at my side if I am on the laptop…as I am now…sometimes wanting to help..”stop that Rocky….nooooooo…oh no…done peck at the keyboard…oh n t lat, Ba B y Roc y”

Well you may have read my blog review of Monkey Dust…well here is Parrot dust!!!

Dander (like dandruff) is like the shedding of particles from the skin, fur or feathers. And dust/powder would be what is produced by the powder down feathers of certain species.

The parrots with powder down, are the Greys and the Cockatoos/Tiels. They have those special feathers on the flanks that continuously break down into powder

"Powder down feathers are small specialized feathers that shed a very fine, white, waxy powder composed of keratin. Powder down forms a waterproof barrier for contour feathers and is spread through the feathers when the bird grooms. Cockatiels, Cockatoos and African Greys, produce the greatest amount of powder on their feathers. If one strokes a powder down bird, it will feel very silky and soft. And when done, there will often be a coating of fine white powder on the hand. As mentioned above, powder down can cause irritation to people with respiratory problems and allergies.

Parrots do produce dander and feather dusk which does affect some people; luckily I am ok with this but I still don’t want this dust to settle around the house so I invested in an excellent Air Filter with a HEPA filter. The one I use is a Honeywell HA170E1 True HEPA Air Purifier with Air Filtration rate of 99.97%, it was quite expensive at £150 but it’s an investment and works a treat. The filter also comes with a charcoal strip which covers the main filter and clears  99% of odours, although Rocky my parrot does not stink and I clean his cage regularly too. I also give Rocky regular showers which keeps his dander down too.

Dust and feathers collected on the carbon filter for just one week!!