There are three recommended sources from which to find your new companion: an accredited breeder, a reputable pet store specializing in parrots or a re-homing situation (bringing home a bird who can no longer be cared for properly where he is).
A parrot should not be an impulse purchase! Make sure that you research the different species of parrots before deciding on the right one for your personality and life style. Parrots are not for everyone. They are demanding, messy and noisy. Some species are much louder than others but ALL parrots will make noise. If getting a baby, it is also a very good idea to visit someone who has an adult parrot of the same species that you want. All babies are cute and sweet, but you need to know how he will behave as an adult.
Before bringing your new friend home, you should have his cage set up and ready, including food, water and toys. This way baby won?t have to wait in an unfamiliar situation while you attempt to assemble a cage, etc. If you can include a favourite toy from his previous home, that will help him to adjust more easily.
If you have another bird already at home it is advisable to quarantine the newcomer for at least a month, to avoid your existing flock catching any hidden illness that the new bird may be harbouring.(you should take your new parrot to the vet either before you bring him home or immediately after) Even though it is impossible for most of us, you should have the newbie in an area with a separate ventilation system, thereby avoiding the transmission of any airborne viruses. When feeding and cleaning cages always service your existing parrots first.
To properly socialize baby, you need to interact with him often, even though he is in a different part of the house from your other parrots. This is an ideal time to start training your baby, while you have him away from the other birds and/or household distractions.
With the possible exception of budgies and cockatiels, parrots should be on a pellet based diet, supplemented with fruits, vegetables, whole wheat bread and pasta, nuts and some seed as a treat. Pellets as the main diet may be too high in protein for budgies and ?tiels, therefore they can have more seed than other parrots, but should also be consuming the aforementioned foods. Some species of parrots have special dietary requirements so please consult your avian vet on this subject.
Buy the largest cage that you can afford for your parrot, being careful that the bar spacing is neither too small (toes could get caught) nor too big (heads could get stuck or bird could escape). At the very least, the width of the cage should be large enough for 2x your parrot?s unclipped wing span. There should also be room for 3 perches of different sizes and materials and 2 or 3 toys, which should be rotated weekly, to prevent boredom. You also need two food dishes and one for water.
Just as you wouldn?t want to live in a filthy house, neither does your parrot. Each day the cage bars, grate, perches and toys should be scraped or washed free of fecies and dried food. Cage paper should be changed as well. Paper makes the best cover for the cage bottom since it allows you to see the droppings clearly and thereby monitor the bird?s health. Food and water dishes should be replaced with clean ones. About monthly, depending on how ?messy? your parrot is, the whole cage should be washed and disinfected.
Your parrot needs a bath or shower several times a week ? every day if you can.
Parrots are very intelligent creatures and need activities to pass the time. They should have 3 kinds of toys: destructible (they must chew!), manipulative and banging, swinging toys. They will also benefit greatly from foraging activities, since they are programmed to find food in the wild ? not receive it in a bowl!
Polly is a very social creature and loves to be with the family. When you are home, your parrot can be near you on a play stand. When you are busy she will be happy to be in the same room, amusing herself with toys or just watching what is going on.
Parrots need, at the very least, an hour of one on one time with their people. This means that you are interacting with only her. This could be play time, a training session or sitting together watching TV. Above all, give your companion lots of love!
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