Parrot care advice

The parrot birds as companion birds come from widely different environments and continents. The following parrot management advice is therefore intended as a general description and advice on how to get your bird to thrive and stay healthy. However, differences exist between different species. The best way for you to take good care of your bird is to investigate the bird's native environment. You can then offer the best possible ambient temperature, humidity and feeding.

In general, it can be said that many companion birds unfortunately get pretty bad. Many pet owners find it difficult to get updated information. Therefore, the birds are often managed according to advice and guidelines that came a long time ago. Much of the old information that was available was based on how fowl would be managed. Now we know that there are big differences between the needs of the chicken birds and parrot birds.

Also, many pet owners unfortunately buy a pet parrot without really realizing what this means.

• If you buy a parrot, you must have realistic expectations from the start, and understand that:
• Parrots are by nature noisy. Especially at dawn and dusk it is quite natural for the bird to use the voice.
• They're scraping down. The beak is the bird's third hand. It is used to examine and decompose objects in the environment to search for edible parts and to activate itself.
• Parrots are social animals and need close contact with either species relatives or their owners.

The parrot thus places great demands on its owner. The new bird, which initially received a lot of attention, over time becomes a "piece of furniture" that you spend at least five minutes from time to time. If the bird is then not given enough stimulation and employment, it can quickly develop unwanted behaviors. It can be screaming, biting and spring picking. This often leads to the animal owner getting tired of the bird, which is sold on from home to home.

Parrot care advice - the cage

A parrot requires great freedom of movement. It needs to have an outlet for its desire to climb or fly. Therefore, it would be best to have a large aviary for the bird. Alternatively, it can be left loose in a room. However, most birds also have a security need and therefore need a cage where it can pull away and be at peace.

The cage must of course be as large as possible. Especially if the bird will spend most of the time trapped in the cage. The width should at least be double to the wing width of the bird. It should be able to stretch the wings properly. For a bird with a long tail, the cage must also be quite high so that the tail feathers are not damaged. According to the Animal Protection Act, a coniferous cage must not be less than 50 dm 2.  It can therefore be at least eg 50 x 100 cm in size. For a nymph cockatoo, the cage must not be less than 150 dm 2 , ie 100 x 150 cm. A macaw must have a cage of at least 640 dm 2  . That is to say, almost like an ordinary bedroom!

The parrot needs security

Keep in mind that a bird is still basically a wild animal placed in an unnatural environment. In nature, the bird must always be on guard against possible dangers. Our companion birds can also be extremely disturbed by various factors in the environment. It is important to place and decorate the cage with this in mind. The cage is the bird's home and safe point. It is important that the bird should not be exposed to scary or harmful impressions, such as:

• Other pets immediately near the cage, especially not above the cage.
• Lights and shadows at night, eg from car headlights outdoors.
• Intense sunlight from a window.
• Intense "running" of family members within a meter of the cage.
• Turn on lighting and high sound volume more than 10-12 hours per day.

It is therefore important to find a suitable place for the cage. The bird should be able to participate in the family's activities without being stressed. It should not be intimidated by animals either inside the home or outside. And it should not be exposed to strong sunshine.

Individually how the birds want it

Birds are individuals just like we humans. Some birds love to be in the center where everything happens. The cage can then be placed in the kitchen or living room. It may also be appropriate to have a separate sleeping cage as well. It can be placed in a room where the bird gets 10-12 hours of undisturbed sleep at night. Other birds are more timid and are easily stressed by the impressions of windows, TV or visitors in the home. These birds often feel better if the cage is placed in a bedroom, for example. Then the bird can sometimes spend shorter periods of time on a tree or a climbing post in other rooms.

The bird should be able to regulate how much it wants to pull away. Therefore, the cage should contain a part where the bird can pull away. Either part of the cage can be furnished with separating walls. Or the cage can be placed in a corner and one of the free sides is covered with a wall. The main thing is that the bird has a corner to pull away to where it feels safe and hidden. However, do not make the mistake of inserting a nest as a private corner, except in cases where you really want to try to get chicks. A nest in the cage is a call for the parrot to start laying eggs. It can often lead to illness problems.