Things To Consider BEFORE You Decide

To Share Your Home With A Parrot

Parrots are wonderful, intelligent creatures and can make excellent companions. However, not every one who wants an exotic bird should own an exotic bird. A person wanting to own a parrot should be morally, financially, and physically capable of accepting the responsibility of bird ownership. Did you know:

• Parrots require interactions with their owners on a daily basis. Some species of birds require more interactions with their owners than other. Cockatoos and Lories require a great deal of attention daily. Amazon Parrots, Macaws, Budgies, Conures, African Parrots and Cockatiels need some time with their owners for mental stimulation and socialization.
• Parrots can be expensive to keep and maintain. Initial costs include the bird itself, a large cage, supplies and an initial checkup by an Avian Veterinarian.  Ongoing costs are food, routine vet checks, grooming costs (clipping wings, trimming nails), toys and occasional emergencies requiring avian veterinary care.
• Not all birds talk. Even though most parrots have the capability to learn human language, not all are interested in speaking. Some of the best talkers are the African Grey, Budgerigars, Yellow-naped Amazon and Double Yellow-headed Amazon.
• Birds need to be bathed at least 3 times weekly. Most parrots come from the rainforest where they would receive a bath 3 times a day whether they wanted one or not. It is extremely important for the health of their feathers that they receive frequent baths with clear water. Some birds prefer to bathe in a shower, some with a spray bottle, some under a faucet. Try each of these methods until you find one your bird prefers.
• Birds are noisy. Parrots are flock animals. In the wild, the way they keep in touch with each other when they are out of eyesight is through vocalizations. Your bird will consider you a member of his flock and will also want to keep in touch with you through vocalizations. At dawn, parrots call the flock to start the day, at dusk parrots call the flock to roost. These are normal vocalizations and should not be discouraged.
• Birds are messy. In the wild, parrots spend 90% of their day in search of and consuming food. Since food is provided for them in our homes, they need to reinvent the time they normally would be spending in search of food. If toys are not provided on a regular basis, they may use your furniture or rugs for a toy. Parrot toys are meant to be destroyed. If the toy is indestructible, the bird may not want to play with it. Toys should be rotated on a weekly basis so the bird does not become bored.
• Parrots are not domesticated animals. Dogs and cats have been selectively bred for centuries to develop the traits that  allow them to live with humans. Domestically bred parrots are one or two generations removed from their wild ancestors. They still have all of their wild instincts, therefore do not hatch knowing how to live in our living-rooms. In order to teach them to be good pets, owners need to be aware that they are dealing with an essentially wild animal.

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