I am often asked which types of parrots make the best pets. This is a difficult question to answer since much depends on what you are looking for in a pet parrot.
The easiest type to care for is of course the humble budgerigar or parakeet. These can be tamed like a larger parrot and can be great companions, especially for children, but they rarely talk.
At the other extreme is the African Grey, these are intelligent and will quickly pick up a large vocabulary very quickly. Correspondingly, they need a lot more care and will live much longer.
Amazon parrots and Ringneck parrots also make good pets, living about 20 years or so.
Blue and Gold Macaws, or most other Macaws are also worth considering.
Take time to make the decision and talk to other parrot owners about their experiences. You may also want to find out if there is a local parrot rescue society close to you. They will give you good advice and you may also be able to adopt a parrot at much lower cost than buying a young bird.
Wednesday, January 31, 2007
Tuesday, January 30, 2007
Caring for your parrot.
Parrots, like any other bird, spend a lot of their life in a cage. A parrot is larger than most other pet birds so it needs a correspondingly larger cage. Unless you let your parrot out of its cage regularly, he will need space to fly within the cage.
Birds are very social and playful. They need attention and love. Make your parrot part of your family.
Pets such as dogs need lots of attention. Exercise, bathing, grooming, regular "walkies".
Although parrots don't quite need the same level of attention, they do still need to have time dedicated to their care. Their nails and beaks should be kept clipped. In the wild, they will spend a lot of time searching for food. This process will naturally wear down their beak and claws. With their food supplied to them every day, they no longer have this natural wear. Hence the need to keep both trimmed to an optimal length and shape.
If you decide to keep your parrot's wings clipped, make sure this is done properly. If you keep their wings too short they will fall to the ground and could be injured if they try to fly. Too long and you may see your expensive parrot flying off into the sunset.
Parrots, like many other animals, including humans, need a varied and balanced diet. A wild parrot will often survive on a diet of just seeds. This is deal for a wild parrot because they need the protein for their active lifestyle. a parrot in a cage does not have this active lifestyle. Since the optimum diet for a particular type of parrot will vary it is best to seek advice from your veterinarian or specialized books on feeding your pet.
Birds are very social and playful. They need attention and love. Make your parrot part of your family.
Pets such as dogs need lots of attention. Exercise, bathing, grooming, regular "walkies".
Although parrots don't quite need the same level of attention, they do still need to have time dedicated to their care. Their nails and beaks should be kept clipped. In the wild, they will spend a lot of time searching for food. This process will naturally wear down their beak and claws. With their food supplied to them every day, they no longer have this natural wear. Hence the need to keep both trimmed to an optimal length and shape.
If you decide to keep your parrot's wings clipped, make sure this is done properly. If you keep their wings too short they will fall to the ground and could be injured if they try to fly. Too long and you may see your expensive parrot flying off into the sunset.
Parrots, like many other animals, including humans, need a varied and balanced diet. A wild parrot will often survive on a diet of just seeds. This is deal for a wild parrot because they need the protein for their active lifestyle. a parrot in a cage does not have this active lifestyle. Since the optimum diet for a particular type of parrot will vary it is best to seek advice from your veterinarian or specialized books on feeding your pet.
Monday, January 29, 2007
Parrots as Pets
Parrots can make great pets, there's no doubt about that. Although they can get anybody's attention with their beautiful plumage and their remarkable mimicry, they are unlike any other pet. It's true that they can bring a lot of pleasure to their owner but they can be more difficult than other pets to keep happy and healthy.
So, is a parrot for you?
Some species of parrot can live as long as 70 years. That's a long time for a pet. Compare this to the average life expectancy for a dog of maybe 15 years. Your pet parrot could live as long as you. Maybe even survive you. Are you prepared to dedicate that long to a single pet? Don't buy a young parrot if you think your family will get bored with it in 5 or 10 years.
Parrots can also be very noisy. Their screech, like any bird, is very penetrating. Once they learn to talk, they will repeat almost anything. And I mean anything. Are there any words or expressions that you repeat that aren't for public consumption? Your parrot won't care who you have round for dinner. He's happy to repeat them for anybody and everybody.
Parrots can be messy and destructive. You will need to clean their cage frequently. If you let your parrot out to fly around the house he can be destructive, chewing on draperies and furniture when you aren't watching him. They have incredibly strong beaks and chewing comes naturally to them.
Okay, that's some of the bad stuff.
There are also lots of benefits to parrots as pets.
They make great companions and can become very attached to their owners. Teaching them to talk is a lot of fun. They are unique in a house and will no doubt get a lot of attention and admiration from visitors.
So, is a parrot for you?
Some species of parrot can live as long as 70 years. That's a long time for a pet. Compare this to the average life expectancy for a dog of maybe 15 years. Your pet parrot could live as long as you. Maybe even survive you. Are you prepared to dedicate that long to a single pet? Don't buy a young parrot if you think your family will get bored with it in 5 or 10 years.
Parrots can also be very noisy. Their screech, like any bird, is very penetrating. Once they learn to talk, they will repeat almost anything. And I mean anything. Are there any words or expressions that you repeat that aren't for public consumption? Your parrot won't care who you have round for dinner. He's happy to repeat them for anybody and everybody.
Parrots can be messy and destructive. You will need to clean their cage frequently. If you let your parrot out to fly around the house he can be destructive, chewing on draperies and furniture when you aren't watching him. They have incredibly strong beaks and chewing comes naturally to them.
Okay, that's some of the bad stuff.
There are also lots of benefits to parrots as pets.
They make great companions and can become very attached to their owners. Teaching them to talk is a lot of fun. They are unique in a house and will no doubt get a lot of attention and admiration from visitors.
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