How to choose the right parrot
Despite the fact that parrots are just great pets, they are not suitable for everyone. It is for this reason that most parrots, not having time to find their owner, become homeless again. Such a disgrace occurs only for the reason that a person, succumbing to a momentary desire, makes a rash purchase. After reading this article, you will be able to understand whether a parrot is right for you and your family as a pet.
Contents
Decide on the type of parrot
For bird lovers, it is no secret that there are a great many varieties of parrots, and it is naive to hope that they will all be as large and beautiful as, for example, macaws. Nevertheless, in such a great variety, each person can choose a parrot to his liking.
The criteria for choosing a bird for different people will be different. For example, the macaw parrot sympathizes with many for its magnificent coloring. However, the much less colorful African Gray Parrot also has a large following. The main role in choosing one or another variety of a parrot will be played by the personal preferences of the future owner. Sometimes when choosing a parrot, the price of a bird comes first, which can vary in a fairly wide range. So, for example, if you can buy an ordinary budgerigar for 500 rubles, then you will have to pay 400000 rubles for a hyacinth macaw. Naturally, the specified range of prices is too high. In practice, the vast majority of people are ready to part with much more modest amounts when buying a bird, which range from 1000 rubles to 50000 rubles. Parrot owners are mistaken, mistakenly believing that the more expensive the bird, the more demanding it is in maintenance and care.. In fact, even a parrot with a modest price tag needs love and attention no less than its large and luxurious counterparts.
Furnishing a home for a new pet
Choosing a cage for a parrot
Having decided on the type of parrot, you should think about buying a cage. It should have an optimal size, which is not always directly proportional to the size of the bird. For example, a small parrot caique is so energetic in its behavior that a very large and spacious cage is required for its trouble-free keeping. Or another example with a Jaco parrot, which, although it is of medium size, nevertheless requires a spacious cage, since in the course of its life it uses only its upper part and loves free space.
From the above, you might get the impression that you should buy the largest cage you can afford at the pet store. In most cases, this is true. However, you can limit yourself to the minimum size allowed for this species, which is also correct, since the parrot will feel quite happy and cheerful. But if for some reason you cannot buy a cage that even meets the minimum allowed, then it would be prudent to reconsider your choice and stop at a different kind of parrot. When you go to the pet store for a cage, be sure to bring enough money with you, as a house for your parrot can be quite expensive.
Nevertheless, an expensive cage will be made using modern materials, high-quality, durable and will decorate the interior of your home with its appearance. In addition to the cage itself, you will need to buy several bowls for water and food. To meet all the needs of your pet, even in a small cage you need to place a minimum of 3 bowls. Fresh water should always be in the first bowl, dry food is poured into the second bowl, and pieces of fresh fruit are placed in the third bowl. Some parrot owners give their pet a fourth bowl instead of a toy. Do not forget about zoohygiene and periodically wash the bowls placed in the cage.
parrot toys
Parrots are very fond of various toys. Do not deprive them of this joy. Purchase toys from the pet store right away, along with other cage accessories. It will be better to consult with a specialist and find out which toys are best for your particular type of parrot, because they can be very diverse. In addition, it is better to have a small supply of toys at home, since the macaws will deal with a piece of wood within a short period of time.
The use of wooden toys adds extra care for the parrot owner, since broken toys must be periodically removed from the cage and replaced with new ones. For this reason, the use of acrylic toys seems to be the preferred option, since these products are not subject to wear and tear. Nevertheless, by nature, many types of parrots simply need toys that they can break. This is where a dilemma may arise for you. On one side of the scale is the happiness of the pet, and on the other – an additional burden on the family budget, because the price range for toys for parrots can vary from 100 rubles to 3000 rubles. However, don’t worry too much. In fact, there is a way to save money.
To do this, it is quite enough to independently master the craft of making toys for parrots. Your pet doesn’t care if you buy a toy from a store or make it yourself. The main thing is that the toys are constantly in the cage, because they are needed not only for the good mood of the bird, but are also extremely important for health.
Diet and care
To diversify the diet of a parrot, it is very good to use granular food. Many parrot owners are convinced that although pellets are of high quality, they are still not able to fully satisfy the bird’s body in all the necessary nutrients and vitamins. It’s hard to argue with that. Nevertheless, the granules can be used as an addition to the daily diet. Well, do not forget about the systematic purchase of fresh fruits, vegetables and nuts. The cage with the parrot gets dirty pretty quickly, so you should immediately purchase detergent from the pet store. However, it is quite possible to get by with a simple bedding, which is just perfect for an ordinary paper towel.
Choosing a parrot veterinarian
If you have pets at home, for example, a dog or a cat, then most likely there should be no problems finding a veterinarian. After all, with pets, especially in urban areas, there is always enough trouble. Otherwise, this issue should be taken care of even before buying a parrot. It is advisable to find not just a veterinarian, but a specialist in avian pathologies. In this way, the first thing you should do after buying a parrot is to visit a veterinary clinic for the purpose of conducting a complete veterinary examination of the bird. In addition, you can get the necessary recommendations from a veterinarian.
Timely detection of an emerging pathology will largely determine the success of treatment. Therefore, at the slightest suspicion that the parrot is unhealthy, immediately show it to the veterinarian. By the way, it is very difficult to understand that your pet is sick, because birds can mask their diseases very skillfully. Nature itself awarded them such a talent, because otherwise it would be difficult for them to survive in natural habitats. Thus, it is worth being very attentive to your pet, which will help you notice the slightest changes in his condition. At the moment when you notice the health problems of your feathered friend, the pathology will develop in his body for more than one day. In other words, the parrot will need help immediately, and an emergency visit to the veterinary clinic can cost from 500 rubles to 2500 rubles. It will be prudent to always have this amount on hand. Fortunately, the need for emergency visits to the veterinarian is infrequent.
By this point, you probably have the impression that keeping a bird as a pet is a financially expensive undertaking. This is partly true, which is why many parrot owners are tempted to save some money on veterinary services. However, know that such an irresponsible approach to the health of your pet will inevitably end in tragedy. Of course, the services of a veterinary clinic are expensive, and the treatment of birds is incomparably more expensive than the treatment of a dog or cat. But there are objective reasons for this. The treatment of avian pathologies is a special and very complex area of veterinary science, which is undergoing constant changes and additions. Thus, a veterinarian who has devoted himself to the treatment of birds has to constantly engage in self-education, read a lot of specialized literature and periodicals in order to be aware of all the new products and progressive methods in the field of treating exotic birds.
The parrot that’s right for you
Having read this article to this point, you should already be well aware of all the difficulties that are associated with the life of a parrot at home. However, if you still haven’t stopped reading, then the desire to acquire a funny and devoted friend has not left you yet. Then it’s time to finally decide what kind of parrot suits you best.
The parrot search circle, or rather your choice, will be limited only by the amount of money that you are willing to spend on buying a pet. In other words, with enough cash, you can afford to choose from a wide variety of parrot species and even be reasonably picky. However, you should immediately make a reservation that when buying a parrot, more expensive is not always a synonym for better. After all, you are not buying a thing, but a friend. Maybe it will be much more interesting for you to spend time with an ordinary budgerigar, and not with a macaw at all.
With proper care, some parrots are able to live in a house to a very respectable age. If your choice has stopped on such an instance, which will easily live, for example, up to 80 years, then you should immediately think about who will subsequently take on the responsibility of taking care of your pet.
You need to read about the types of parrots and their features
Currently, the shelves of bookstores are replete with literature devoted to various varieties of parrots. It will be very nice if you get a good guide from which you can learn a lot of useful things about keeping a feathered friend. You can also try to find a parrot breeder who will not only advise on questions that have arisen, but also help you pick up a young bird. It is believed that buying a young parrot is a better option than buying an adult. There are many reasons for such a statement, but first of all, a young parrot will take root in your home more easily, is more calm and friendly, and will also quickly learn to perceive you as its owner.
What is more important: the appearance of a bird or its personality and character?
For many parrot owners, the appearance of a pet is of great importance. Of course, all parrots are amazingly beautiful. However, among them there are extremely colorful individuals. It will be a big mistake to select a bird for the interior of your home. In this case, it would be better not to waste time and take care of acquiring a decent painting. Believe me, the appearance of the pet is of secondary importance. Much more important is the character of the parrot, its individuality.
Even if it is difficult for you to choose a particular parrot, you should not bring several individuals into the house at once. Moreover, this should not be done if you are acquiring this kind of pet for the first time. Try your hand at keeping one bird first. It will take a long time before you can understand whether you have enough desire, time and patience for more parrots, since the load will increase in direct proportion to the number of pets. In short, carefully consider your physical, financial and emotional options before buying a large number of birds.
The nature of parrots, and what can be associated with it
Parrots lead a very active lifestyle, which leads to the formation of a large amount of garbage. There is no such parrot that would not like to throw away, for example, food from the cage. Many scientists tend to believe that this behavior of birds in the wild helps in the reproduction of plants. In addition, food dumped on the ground can serve as food for other animals. Perhaps this is so, but you should be prepared for the fact that you will have to remove not only seeds or granules from the floor, but also pieces of vegetables and fruits, which is far from easy to do. To some extent, this problem can be solved by placing a cage with a bird in a room with a floor made of easily washable material, such as tile or parquet.
Wet cleaning around the cage with a parrot should be your daily duty. In addition, it is necessary to wash the bowls periodically. Make it a habit to change the bowls in the cage every time you do a water change. The same goes for bedding, which should be changed as often as possible, as this will ensure the good health of your pet. Otherwise, a heavily contaminated bedding will provoke a rapid reproduction of pathogenic microflora, which will inevitably negatively affect the health of your pet.
In addition to being dirty, parrots also like to make a lot of noise. For some owners, this can be even more of a problem than the need for frequent cleanings. When choosing a parrot for yourself, you should not forget about this behavior, otherwise, if you buy a particularly noisy pet, you may experience tension in relations with your neighbors. However, despite all the efforts, you are unlikely to be able to find such a parrot that would not make any noise at all, since such behavior is quite natural for this type of bird.
The process of feeding a parrot allows you to show him your care and love. You must strive to create a balanced and varied diet for your pet. However, changing the bird’s food preferences can be a challenge for the owner. In this case, we can advise you to resort to a little trick. Suppose your pet flatly refuses a particular food, for example, vegetables. The trick is to place a piece of vegetable inside the bread and offer it to the parrot in this form. In this way, it will gradually be possible to enrich the diet with a new type of food. The article you read will surely give you something to think about. I have to say that it’s just amazing. Only after weighing the pros and cons, you should go shopping for a pet. Only then can you be absolutely sure that you have made the right choice.
