How To Give Your Bird The Best Parrot Care
Posted: Saturday, November 21, 2009
by Karla Deacon
http://parrotcarebasics.com
Taking care of parrots involves some challenges but paying close attention to your bird and learning as much as you can will ensure that you know how to perform proper parrot care.
Mastering some basic parrot grooming skills are an advantage if you choose to own a parrot. Proper parrot care necessitates nail and beak trimming every three to four weeks.
Be sure to keep up on your trimming schedule because long nails can get caught up on a variety of things including toys, nails and furniture. Overgrown beaks are hazardous as well since they get in the way of a parrot eating enough food to stay healthy.
In their natural habitats wild parrots take "rain showers." These showers enable them to bathe and keep their feathers in good shape. Since your bird doesn't have access to this amenity he will no doubt apreciate a daily misting of water.
Very often an owner's parrot care routine will include wing clipping. This is done to keep their birds from flying. While flying can be good exercise, limiting their flight can help keep your bird safe and out of trouble. Wing clipping is a personal choice and should never be done without first consulting your veterinarian.
Some of the things that draw people to parrots are their beautiful array of colors, their curiosity and sharp intelligence and their lovable personalities.
Whatever drew you to adopt yours you need to realize that these are sensitive, social and long-lived birds, with some of the larger species living up to 100 years.! You need to be ready for a lifelong commitment when you invite one of these special creatures into your life.
They are very social birds, living together in flocks in the wild, so they will need to spend plenty of quality time with you each and every day. Socialization is a main component of your parrot's mental and emotional well-being.
While you should make sure that their cage is placed in a spot where you can see and interact with them frequently, you need to be sure that it is placed out of drafts and away from the kitchen and areas where you use tend to use chemical cleaners frequently.
In fact, when you clean your parrot's cage, make sure to use just mild soap and water. Remnants of leftover cleaner can irritate sensitive skin and eyes, damage your parrot's respiratory tract, make him sick if he licks it and possibly even be fatal! If you are unsure about the cleaner you are using, once again, call and check with your veterinarian.
While we are on the subject of cages, make sure that there are no exposed wire ends or sharp objects that could injure your bird. Also make sure that his cage is large enough that he can move around and spread and flap his wings.
Some excellent advice is for you to get the largest cage for your parrot that you can afford. There should be enough room for several toys and space to play with them. They will help keep your friend mentally stimulated and discourage the development of behavioral problems.
It is also very important not to forget to wash your hands before handling your parrot, his food, toys or dishes. You might think I say this to protect your health, and yes, it does. But it is equally important for protecting your parrot's health! They can pick up bacterial infections from us and the bacteria in human saliva is a health hazard for your bird, so don't let him "kiss" you on the mouth.
Adequate nutrition is perhaps the most important component of parrot care. Though there may be some minor variations between species, most parrot's diets are very similar.
Along with fresh water make sure to feed a quality commercial parrot feed, both pelleted and seed, along with fresh vegetables and fruits. This will provide your bird with a balanced and nutritionally complete diet.
Parrots make outstanding companions. In addition to being affectionate they are also playful and highly intelligent. They will flourish in a home environment, provided their owners obtain the knowledge to provide proper parrot care.
The author, Karla Deacon, is an expert parrot enthusiast. For more great information on parrot care visit ParrotCareBasics.com
This Article has been viewed 187 times. (Not updated in real-time.)
Top-level comments on this article: (8 total)Hi Karla. Thank you for sharing this passionately written piece about parrots. I never have one but the people who have them as pets are so fascinated by them. Thanks again for an enjoyable read. ~Nenita~Thanks Nenita,I appreciate you taking the time to look at the article for me! I love animals and like to share information about them, hopefully to their betterment!KarlaHi Karla. Thank you so much for joining my fan club. I am delighted and honored. ~Nenita~
I am allergic to feathers but this was a well written piece - never mind that the last time I knew a parrot it tried to trim it's own beak by biting my friends finger. Welcome to Searchwarp and enjoyed this read! Marijo
Marijo,I'm sorry to hear about your allergy. Allergies are no fun! I appreciate you taking time to read the article. Sounds like you met a defensive parrot!!! I feel bad for your friend. Getting bit is about as much fun as having allergies!Karla
This is a useful article for people who love having birds as pet. I love to have a bird as my pet but haven't got one.
Thanks for reading it and for the compliment! I love birds and like to share information that can help their owners keep them happy and healthy :-)
Hi Karla,Kinda makes me want to run out and get a bird... today! Welcome to SearchWarp.MarkThank you Mark,That's a great compliment!Karla
Welcome to SearchWarp Writer community. Nice article about parrot care. I am looking forward to read more from you
Thanks Mark,I appreciate the comment and that you took the time to read my article!Karla :-)
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