Ricco – Double Yellow Headed Amazon

There is no history on Ricco as he was rescued after the death of his owner.  He is estimated to be between 20 and 25 yrs old.  Although the family has not seen the bird in years they recalled childhood memories of him singing and talking well.  He was found if very horrific conditions as he cage had not been cleaned in months at least.  We have thrown out his cage as it wasn’t worth saving and was way too small for him.  After several baths he has cleaned up nicely and looks like a normal bird again.

Lupee – Green Quaker

Lupee is a 6 year old female quaker.  She has laid several eggs but behaviour changes are being implemented to stop this type of behaviour.  She is a sweet bird, talks well and also sings.   She came to the parrot rescue from a very stressful family situation.  The family would love to have kept her but due to all the issues they felt it was best to find her a new home.

Tigi – African Grey Parrot

Primer for Those Considering Their First Parrot – Part 4 Final (Caring for your parrot once he is home)

I do hope that you have found this series of articles helpful.  It is not meant to scare people from owning parrots, it is meant to open your eyes to the reality of parrot ownership and to help you make an informed decision.

Here are a few more tidbits about parrots that you will need to know:

Some birds will bath in their water bowls

They require at least one bath a week at least

Birds like to chew and don’t know the difference from a parrot toy or the moldings around your doors!  They will chew on your clothing, furniture, precious items, cell phones, purse, tv converter, jewelry or anything that peaks their curiosity.  It will be up to you to create a safe environment for your items as well as your parrot.

Bird toys need to be changed once they become dangerous or if they have been destroyed and should be replaced with a new toy.

Toys also need to be changed frequently to keep your parrot stimlated.  They have the intelligence of a 3 or 4 yr old child.

Fumes of most kinds are deadly to parrots so no longer can you burn candles, incense or your food around your parrot!  The fumes generated by cooking with Teflon and other non stick  pans are deadly to parrots as is scotch guard.  Pots and pans should be replaced with a different type. This is a large expense as a new set will range from $150 and up.

Aerosal cleaners and other aerosal products can not be used in the presence of your parrot.  Cleaning with a vinegar/water solution instead.  If aerosals must be used, take the item outside and spray it.

Most importantly, Parrots bite!  If you own a parrot, you will get bit several times in your life together.  Bites hurt but you can not allow it to stop you from working with your parrot!  You must forge ahead and get over the fear of the bite and continue working with him! They bite for different reasons and determining the reason why you got bit will help you avoid the situation in the future but be guarenteed that you will get bit!

Different species of parrots require specialized diets and you will need to research the type of parrot you are getting and find the food that is appropriate for the species.

Parrots also scream usually a couple of times daily.  It is a natural call and should not be discouraged.  Excessive calling can be aggravating and cause problems with neighbours.

Baby parrots grow up to be adult parrots, they get hormonal which has a whole list of others issues that crop up and will be addressed seperately.

Monthly Expenses and ongoing care

Foods will cost approximately – $30 for pellets or mixes and and additional $20 for nuts and treats and fresh foods

Toys – Birds need their toys changed frequently whether they destroy them or don’t play with them at all.  Toys should be rotated every couple of weeks.  By purchasing one or two toys a month, you will soon build up a collection of toys that can be rotated.  If they are destroyed by the parrot the cost may be a bit higher as they need to be replaced. This will cost $25 to $50 a month

- Vitamins and treats are another monthly expense $5 to  $20 monthly

- Perches tend to get chewed and destroyed and will need to be replaced as it happens. $5 t- $30 per month

Daily Care for your Parrot

- Your parrot requires plenty of out of cage time.  If you are home the parrot should not be in its cage.  The only time your parrot should be caged is when he can not be supervised.  An additional playstand is advised also one time cost of $50-$300.

- Your parrot should have fresh food and water everyday.  Soft foods such as fruits and vegatables should be removed from the cage after 4 hrs to stop bacteria from forming.

- Your medium or large  parrot should have approximately 5 nuts a day and I do not mean peanuts!  Almonds, walnuts, brazil nuts etc.  In shell if possible as this helps to keep their beaks conditioned.

- Toys should be cleaned as they are soiled

- Newspaper or cage liners changed at least every other day

Weekly care for your parrot

- Parrots need baths at least once a week.  There are many ways to bath a parrot but it should be a regular weekly routine

- Cage cleaning should be done at least once a week, where the bars, and trays are scrubbed and all poop and old food removed.

- Birds poop should be checked to make sure it appears healthy as this is the first sign of illness in parrots

I do hope that you have found this information useful.  I have given only the basics in parrot care as these are the bare minimum standards that should be used when keeping a parrot as a pet.  Much more research should be done before purchasing your first parrot.  It was my goal here to open your eyes to what to expect once you do get your parrot home.

Primer for Those Considering Their First Parrot – Part 3 Parrots and Noise

I hope you read this before you go to purchase your first cockatoo or macaw and want to take him home to your apartment.    Although I am sure there are a few macaws and cockatoos that have managed not to get their owners evicted from their apartments this is something we need to consider for ourselves as well as our neighbours!

There are many species of parrots out there and some can do well in an apartment setting but when most people think of parrots, the first thing that pops in their head is noise!  Most medium and large parrots and even some small ones can be quite loud and their voices do carry.   Make sure to do your research very well before deciding what parrot is right for you.  Large does not always mean better!

Parrots typically call their flock twice a day, once in the early morning and once at dusk.  However, birds left alone during the day while people are at work tend to call out for companionship several more times a day and then again when you get home as they are excited to see you!  This is not something that you should be trying to stop as this is a natural reaction that your bird will have.  Others can excessively call many more times a day.

This is all something you need to consider before you decide if a parrot is right for you.  They do it at inconvenient times, like while you are on the phone or watching your favorite TV show.  It is something we don’t typically see with baby parrots in the store but will start to manifest itself shortly after you get them home.

Even in our excitement to own a parrot, we think at the time that we can live with this noise.  I have had people come to the rescue and I have let them listen to what they will experience once they get home and several have all claimed that they would have no problem with that noise, only to call me a few months later stating that it was too much for them.   What I want to stress more than anything else is the reasons parrots end up in rescue or moved to the back of the house and covered with blankets all day is because of the noise levels and frequency of the noise!  Again, I can’t stress this enough!  People give up their birds due to having babies in the home because the new mothers are tired and need the babies to rest but the parrot is wanting attention also and will squawk for attention inadvertently waking the baby up!  It can be a vicious circle.  Moving them to keep them quiet usually has a backward effect also as they will scream more for attention and in the worst case scenerio they will start to pull their own feathers out due to boredom or stress from being away from their family.

Also if there are others living in the home, getting a parrot needs to be a combined decision as the noise will usually affect those that were not so keen on the idea of a parrot more than those that want the bird.  This usually ends up causing tension between family members and can in some cases result in abuse towards the parrot.