How to Provide Proper Parrot Care

If you are seriously considering buying a parrot, taking the time to read this article will be very beneficial. The key thing to consider before you go ahead and buy a parrot is - are you willing to devote the required amount of time to properly care for a pet parrot?

Parrot care should not be taken lightly, because it is very important for the health and well-being of your parrot, and it takes a great deal of time to do properly.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. BUY THE RIGHT CAGE - Nothing has a bigger impact on a parrot's mental health than the size of its cage. The cage needs to be big enough to enable the parrot to fully spread out and flap its wings. There also needs to be enough room in the cage for five large parrot toys, without the parrot being cramped. Frequently check the cage for damage that could injure your parrot (e.g. sharp metal edges caused by your parrot chewing the cage).

2. REGULARLY INTERACT WITH YOUR PARROT - If parrots are left on their own, they often suffer mental health problems. Therefore, it is really important that they have a lot of social interaction with you and your family - treat him like a member of your family, and he will act like one! The best way to ensure this happens is to place the cage in the part of your home where you and your family spend the majority of your time.
   
   Note: Don't put the cage in your kitchen, because cooking often gives off chemicals that are toxic to parrots.

3. REGULARLY GROOM YOUR PARROT - Parrots need a lot of grooming. Their beaks and nails don't stop growing, and require clipping approximately every 4 or 5 weeks. This is important, because long beaks and nails can easily cause your parrot to get snagged on various parts of his cage, which can cause an injury. You also need to provide water baths or sprays every day to keep your parrots' feathers in tip-top condition.

4. REGULARLY CLEAN YOUR PARROT'S CAGE - Clean your parrot's cage every day\each day, but only use water and mild soap. Always wash your hands before you handle a bird, or prepare his food, because it is very easy to give a parrot a bacterial infection. For example, human saliva actually contains bacteria which is really harmful to parrots.

5. FEED YOUR PARROT THE RIGHT FOOD - Although diets vary a little from species to species, there are many common foods that are good for all types of parrots. Every parrot's diet should include the following foods: fresh water, parrot seed (ideally enriched with vitamins), fresh fruit & veg, and parrot pellets.

Resources

• parrot care

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on 9/4/2009 Also, beaks do not need trimming often from what I have read.. Nails do, but those special perches help for that. I have never had any of my birds beaks trimmed ... they have never needed that.

Never feed your bird apple seeds, avacado, garlic/onion, anything salty/fattening/sugary/chocolate/alcohol or anything you are unsure of. Keep houseplants away as they might be toxic. There are many good sites out there to help you bird proof and make your home safe before bringing a parrot home.

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on 9/4/2009 Teflon pans are toxic to birds, and anything left unattended (toaster smoking, water boiling) can be hazardous to birds. Switch to cast iron pans if you are thinking of getting a bird. Self cleaning ovens, hair straighteners, glue guns, scented candles, febreeze are all toxic for birds. Bird proofing goes a long way as well in saving your electrical cords and headphone cords, zippers etc... Birds are curious and they love to explore!