THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW BEFORE BUYING A PARROT
Carole Grommet, Varietees
All parrots are messy, even the little parakeets. Food is flung everywhere. Seed, pellets and nutshells end up on the floor. Fresh foods can be found plastered to the walls. Birds poop every few minutes and they poop on the bars, in their dishes, on their perches and toys, on you, through the bars onto the floor and on furniture. Cage papers need to be changed daily and cages should be scrubbed at least once a week. Birds should be bathed (or misted) at least three times a week (every day if possible).
Birds should be handled and socialized daily in order to keep them tame. They love to spend time with you--watching TV, playing, reading the paper, cuddling, etc.
Parrots do not know the difference between the wood toys in their cage and the priceless antique chair that your grandmother left you. They will chew furniture, woodwork, walls, computers, wallpaper, electric cords, remote controls, picture frames, plants, books—nothing is sacred!
Parrots are loud. The larger birds are the loudest. A normal parrot vocalizes at least twice a day for 5-15 minutes at a time. Parakeets and cockatiels may be small birds but they do have voices. Sometimes the small birds will whistle for long periods of time. If considering a cockatoo, understand that they can be very loud.
If you spend much time with a parrot, at some time or other you are going to be bitten. Most of the time when a bird bites, it is because they are scared. Keep in mind small birds can also bite extremely hard.
Parrot beaks will puncture your clothing and they love to chew on clothes. They can remove or break a button very quickly, and jewelry may have to go because birds love shiny things.
A parrot’s respiratory system is very fragile. Many things will kill a parrot, including overheated nonstick cookware (Teflon), propellants used in aerosols (such as hairspray), deodorant, perfume, air fresheners, rug deodorizers, scented candles, bleach, insect sprays, etc, Don’t use the self-clean option on your oven, or if you do, remove the bird from the house. There are many indoor and outdoor plants that are poisonous to birds—it is advisable to research what plants these are.
You need to budget $150 per year for a well-bird exam at an avian vet and to realize that if your bird gets sick and needs vet care it could cost close to $1,000.
Birds need lots of toys because they need to be kept busy. They need to chew and destroy. It not only keeps them mentally stimulated, but also helps to keep their beaks trimmed. Without toys, they will look for other things to chew (possibly their own feathers).
Birds need to be provided with a good diet which should include primarily pellets, and supplemented with veggies, fruits, nuts, legumes, breads, etc. Parrots need a nutritionally balanced diet to stay healthy—pellets provide complete nutrition. Their diet should not contain salt, sugar, caffeine, butter, avocados, chocolate, apple seeds, or anything that is unhealthy for humans. If you decide to change a bird’s pellets, be sure to do it gradually.
Parrots are a lifetime commitment. Be prepared to spend the next 20-60 years (depending on the species) with your parrot who will be like a perpetual two-year old child. As birds reach sexual maturity, they can go through phases of aggression. It is highly recommended that you read as much as possible about bird behavior, or consult with a bird behaviorist if problems exist.
Birds can die of thirst or starvation in a very short period of time, so when you are on vacation, it is important to have someone come into your house daily, have a friend or relative watch the bird in their home, or board the bird in a professional boarding facility. Before you take on the daily life with a parrot, research the type of parrot that you are considering in order for you to understand the personality of the species you want. Parrots are not like other domestic animals (dogs, cats)—they are only a couple generations away from their natural habitat, where dogs and cats have been domesticated for centuries.
Despite all the negatives listed above, a parrot will bring you great joy. They are fun to watch and listen to, fun to play and cuddle with, and above all, you are their “flock” and they will love you in their own special way.
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