The parrot care: The parrot is one of the most wonderful and attractive birds, and it is easy to raise it as a pet, but before doing so, you must adhere to some basics to make the bird stay at its best, and the most important of these basics are the following:
Buying the right cage
The parrot needs the cage to be his home at home, and the bird cages in the markets come in a variety of sizes and shapes, but when buying a cage, a large cage must be chosen appropriately so that the parrot spreads its wings in it, so it is important to be careful not to buy a small cage.
A small lock should also be purchased for the cage door, as most species of parrots have amazing intelligence, and the parrot can open the door and run outside, so using the lock will be safer when the parrot owner is outside the house.
See More about: The 10 Best Parrot Cages
Parrot feeding
A balanced and varied diet should be provided to the parrot, consisting of seeds, fruits, and vegetables, and the parrot also loves bread soaked with a little milk and cooked rice, and feed for parrots can be purchased from specialized stores, which is a food rich in essential nutrients.
A variety of fruits and vegetables should be provided to the parrot, but fruits rich in sugar should not be provided continuously, such as peaches and bananas, while vegetables are recommended; cauliflower, broccoli, carrots, and lettuce, but there are foods that can be dangerous for the parrot, such as coffee, sweets, avocados, parsley, and salty foods.[
Providing the parrot with toys Parrot birds love games, they are very fun birds, and providing games to the parrot helps reduce boredom, especially if the bird spends many hours alone at home, and games help him exercise and develop his skills.
The parrot loves chewable foods because they also help him maintain the health of his beak, so it is necessary to provide a variety of chewable toys, such as toys made of; natural fibers, tree branches, and strengthening fibers, and some parrots love to tear cardboard.
Parrot care and training
Breeding a parrot at home requires continuous care, and this fun bird needs training and caressing, in order to provide a comfortable and friendly environment for it, and the most prominent steps to care for and train the parrot are the following:
Take care of the health of the parrot and clean the cage periodically
The parrot needs constant health monitoring, and it needs to clean its cage regularly, in order to make the cage comfortable and safe, and one of the most prominent steps to take care of the parrot’s health, and the cleanliness of its cage is the following:
Make periodic appointments to visit the veterinarian
Although these birds enjoy good health most of the time, the parrot may face health problems, and among the most prominent signs that the bird suffers from a health problem are the following:
Difficulty breathing. Sores or deformities in the beak. Spots around the eyes, or around the nostrils. Swelling of the eyelids or eyes. Loss of appetite, or weight loss. Change in the shape of feces. Excessive calm and lethargy, constantly bowing the head. The bird chews its feathers or plucks them.
Constantly clean the cage
It is recommended to do this at least twice a week, in order to get rid of the effects of food and waste that cause a risk to the health of the parrot, and for deep cleaning, it is better to use sterile materials such as bleach or chlorine, as these materials eliminate fungi and bacteria, and it is necessary to remove the parrot from the cage when deep cleaning.
Cleaning the parrot, trimming feathers and nails
The parrot enjoys bathing, and bathing keeps the parrot’s feathers clean and fresh, but each bird prefers a certain way to bathe, some birds prefer to bathe in a basin, or under the tap, while other birds prefer to spray with spray, and to know the way the parrot prefers to try more than one way to bathe it.
The nails of the parrot should be trimmed as long and sharp as they become, and its wings should be cut the longer it is, but before doing so a veterinarian should be consulted, and if the owner of the bird chooses not to cut the wings, he must make sure that there are no gaps that allow him to escape.
Parrot training
You must learn to approach the parrot in a correct way before starting its training, by quietly and slowly approaching the cage, and if the bird is disturbed or frightened, you must stay away from it, and try to approach again without disturbance until it calms down, and one of the best ways to start training it is the following
Determination of rewards
Such as identifying the foods he likes after completing a certain thing, including nuts, fresh fruits, and seeds, being careful not to serve your favorite food as part of the daily diet, and keeping it for training only.
Teaching a parrot how to return to the cage when exiting it
By providing candy or food to him, then going to the side of the cage, clicking inside it, while providing the reward in the cage as well, and with the repetition of the process, the bird will learn how to exit and enter on its own too and from the cage.
Introducing Games
You should choose games that stimulate the parrot’s mind, encourage him to train, and be sure to check these games constantly, to get rid of any damaged toys, or any small pieces, that may harm the parrot.
Talk to the parrot
Due to the parrot’s ability to speak, and imitate the speech of humans, it must be taught the names of some simple phrases, such as; good morning when coming, and goodbye when going out, but you must be careful not to shout or pronounce insults around it, so as not to repeat these annoying words.
Learn parrot body language
If the bird stands straight and its feathers are soft, it is afraid or wary of something, but if its feathers are slightly fluffy, it feels happy, and a parrot that stands on one foot with swollen feathers does not feel comfortable, and moving the feathers gently indicates that it feels healthy and happy.
Parrot Care Basics
SOURCE: Animal Wonders Montana
How to breed a parrot
How to breed a parrot The parrot is one of the pets raised in homes that live for a long time may reach 80 years, and this means that it will be an integral part of the family that needs to be taken care of as a member of its members, and here is how to raise a parrot
Buying the right cage
There are many cages in the markets of different shapes and sizes, and the parrot needs to provide a safe cage for it and buy a small lock so that it does not escape from the cage, as it is a smart bird and may discover a way to escape, and the cage must be spacious in size commensurate with the size of its wings when they are individualized.
The parrot does not prefer circular cages but prefers cages that contain corners, whether they are square or rectangular cages, and it must be large so that the parrot moves inside it freely, the minimum size of the cage that suits small-sized parrots is 60×60×60 cm, while a large-sized parrot needs a cage of at least 152×182×100 cm.
Placing the cage in the right place
The parrot is one of the social birds that need to interact with those around it, so the cage should be placed in the living room that enables it to interact with family members, because placing it in an isolated room may make it suffer from separation anxiety.
It should be noted that if there are other pets inside the house, such as a cat, they should be removed from the room where the parrot is located so as not to harm the bird.
You should also pay attention to the place where the cage is placed, as the parrot is a bird sensitive to changes in light and temperature, so you should avoid placing the cage near the window; direct sunlight may cause its body temperature to rise and affect it negatively.
The cage should be placed in a well-ventilated place away from pungent-smelling cleaning agents, cigarettes, paints, and cooking gas, as these things may affect his life and lead to his death.
Constantly clean the cage
The parrot cage must be cleaned constantly, and it can be easily cleaned by brushing the floor of the cage with paper, newspapers, or paper towels, and removing them every two days once, and it is preferable to put a mesh rack on top of the cage floor so that the bird does not touch its droppings and remains healthy.
Any leftovers of damaged seeds, gravel, or toys must also be cleaned, food and water containers must be cleaned and changed daily, and a quick and thorough cleaning of the cage must be done, such as: Removing waste from roosts on a daily basis so that they do not accumulate.
A safe disinfectant sold in pet supply stores can be used to clean the cage weekly, and it should be noted that regular disinfectants used in the home may harm the bird, and may not be used.
Giving the right food to the parrot
The veterinarian should be consulted to determine the amount of food that the parrot needs the parrot usually eats a good amount of vegetables, and fresh fruits along with nuts, and seeds that are offered as a reward for good behavior, knowing that at least one meal should be provided during the day.
You should also avoid offering some foods to prostitutes that may harm them, such as chocolate, avocado, garlic, onions, apple seeds, foods rich in sodium, sugary foods, foods high in fat, and others.
Cleaning the parrot and trimming its nails
The parrot usually takes care of itself and does not need much care, but its nails must be trimmed when they become sharp and difficult to deal with, and its wings must be cut, especially if its owner allows it to move freely inside the house to prevent it from escaping.
It is worth noting that the parrot must be provided with enough water to bathe, and it must be sprayed with water spray, to help it clean itself, and to keep its feathers clean.The number of feathers to trim and cut varies depending on the type of parrot, and some veterinarians prefer to cut one of the wings while some doctors prefer to cut both which is the best option.
Buy toys for a parrot
Buying toys for a parrot is important, as this stimulates his mind, reduces his feeling of boredom, and prefers to choose different games with various colors, sounds, and textures so that he does not feel bored, and the games can be rotated weekly so that he does not get bored of using the same games daily, and there are some things that must be taken into account when buying parrot toys, namely: Choose lightweight, compact toys and mirrors for small-sized parrots. Choosing larger toys for large parrots They manipulate them with their feet, tongues, and beaks, and parrots usually chew and tear toys.
How to train and communicate with a parrot
There are some steps that can be followed to train and communicate with a parrot, the most prominent of which are the following: Approach the parrot’s cage slowly without making any loud sounds avoid eye contact with it so that it does not feel threatened, and if it tries to bite, or shows any violent behavior, it must be left, and get out of the room, and it must get used to its owner before this step.
Knowing the foods that the bird prefers and which are known as rewards, such as fresh fruits, nuts, and seeds, and give them from them, and know which ones are preferred more, and use them during training. Put the foods to be served to the parrot on the palm of the hand so that it eats from the owner’s hand, and this training needs a period ranging from seconds to weeks until the parrot accepts this.
Start touching the parrot’s beak when it approaches the palm of the hand, and if it does not try to bite the owner’s hand, this indicates that he is comfortable with it. Talk to the parrot until he learns human speech, and begins to repeat what his owner says, and talking is an important part of his emotional health.
