Essential parrot information

Parrots tend to be nervous birds and are highly aware of everything going on around them.  They can be easily upset by many things and without having a well-informed carer, they can become fearful of many objects or actions near them.  They also have long memories. 

Problem behaviours often start when an immature bird becomes an adult at two to four years old.  Here, the change in the bird’s character is normal but the unwanted behaviours are usually due to a lack of basic training.  But parrots learn fast and training is not difficult with parrots of any age. 

Parrots are not ‘easy-maintenance’ animals; they are demanding and long-lived birds and some can live to over 60 years.  Parrots need a carer who understands bird behaviour.  This is usually the most important, but often missing aspect of companion parrot care

Parrots need a stimulating environment in which they can carry out most of their ‘natural’ behaviours such as flying, foraging for some foods, chewing up suitable things to destruction and socialising with other birds or people. Boredom is at the root of many behavioural problems, so keeping your bird interested in a range of activities can reduce and solve many problems. 

Safe indoor flying is vital for most parrots.  Also, the cage should be big enough to ensure the bird can flap its wings while inside, so the cage needs to allow for the bird’s full wingspan.  This is the measurement between the wingtips when the bird is in flight and is over twice the length of the bird’s body.  Cockatiels and Meyer’s parrot’s have a wingspan of about 16 inches.  With African greys and blue-fronted Amazons it’s 27 - 28 inches. 

Although parrots are usually kept in cages, over-use of the cage causes severe behavioural problems for many birds.  But with 4 to 6 hours out of the cage each day they are much less likely to have problems.  It is not use of the cage which is the problem but overuse of the cage. 

Many parrots are still given far too many rich high-fat foods caused by a dry seed-based diet.  Companion birds do not fly the huge distances of wild parrots, so they do not require such rich foods.  A diet based on fresh fruits, vegetables, soaked and sprouted peas and beans with some soaked and sprouted seed is ideal for most parrots.