Basic Cage Set Up
Make sure the cage is away from drafts, is safe for bird use and is a suitable size, provide a variety of perches
Parrot Care - Know How to care Before you buy
Birds are amazing creatures, though they are new to the animal trade compared to cats and dogs. Being so there is much we are still learning about these beautiful creatures. Please keep in mind that parrots are not Domesticated they are wild creatures and need patients. A domesticated species is defined as a "species in which the evolutionary process has been influenced by humans to meet their needs."
Before you decide you want a parrot or bird as a pet please do research.
MESS
Bird are messy by nature and this must be acknowledged. In the wild birds scatter and drop there food for a purpose this helps grow more food it decomposes into the earth as food for other plants and animals. though this can be avoided with seed guards and training it is important to know this is an act built in by nature.
NOISE
Birds are Noisy by nature. Birds only use a shrill call to announce danger or to call for loved ones often a parrot is the noisiest at Sunrise (happy and excited its morning) and Sunset ( announcing its night and making sure their loved ones are safe for the night). Parrots will also be noisy when bored or when calling for attention. Before deciding on a bird spend some time around the species you are interested in some birds are not suitable for all living arrangements, Large birds are not suited for apartments or condos. Always supply your parrot with an assortment of toys and exercise time where your bird can come out of the cage and interact with you.
A Parrot requires at least 4 hours or more of out of cage time depending on the size of your bird. Parrots are flock creatures and when kept alone require more attention from you; this is because you will take the place of its flock. If you would like a tame pet bird it is best to keep it single for a while until it gets use to you and bonds with you. A already tame bird can lose its tames if not handled for long periods of time but if handled daily will retain its tameness even in a flock of other birds.
HEALTH
Birds of very delicate creatures and require a lot of upkeep. There are many house hold items that in the presence of your bird can cause illness or Death.
Electrical Cords and outlets should be kept well out of reach of your bird as it will most likely start a fire, keep cords and electrical wires in PVC pipes. As a general rule keep all birds way from electronics
Ceiling fans are extremely dangerous if turned on around a flighted bird.
Watch out for windows and doors as well as mirrors your parrot may mistake the window or mirror as an opening to outside.
Keep all toilet and standing water covered as your bird may fall in and drown in a matter of seconds.
Kitchen dangers include fridge, freezer, stove, cords, and non-stick cook wear. Do not cook while your bird is out in the kitchen as accidents may happen. Non-stick cook wear is highly poisonous, when heated it gives off toxic sent less fumes called PTFE a few minutes of exposure can kill your bird. Even if there is ventilation and the bird is in another room with the windows open and door closed it can still cause an effect. TOSS ALL NON STICK COOK WEAR most common is TEFLON brand.
House hold Chemicals: Bleach, soaps, kitchen cleaners, polish, anti freeze, Almost anything that gives off a scent and is toxic and is deadly to parrots.
Scented Candles : fumes are also poisonous as well as the smoke candles put into the air.
Air fresheners: any scented oils should not be used around your bird. Plug in air fresheners have been linked too many deaths of house hold parrots.
Carpet fresheners: even if stated pet safe (these chemicals were not ment to be around birds)
Potpourri if ingested can kill your bird.
Glue gun fumes and other house hold sprays if there is a fume to the product or any chemical it is most likely highly poisonous.
TOBACCO: Parrots can get Lung cancer they are just as prone to it as humans if not more so. SMOKE OUT SIDE.
Mouse traps and flypaper or anything designed to kill insects or small pray is extremely harmful.
Temperatures: Keep birds away from drafts and heat. cold tends to not bother birds as much as heat, but birds can still get sick from constant cold temperatures from a draft or air conditioners. even though most birds come from very warm areas of the world, they spend most of there time sheltered from the sun by shad and frequent rain showers cool them down. Never Leave a bird directly in the sun as they can severely over heat.
Food Parrots do best on a pelleted based diet, Seeds are full of fat and are only good in small amounts. Birds in the wild rarely eat seeds unless provided by humans, majority of their diet is fruits and vegetables. Witch should be provided everyday with fresh water.
PARROT Safe Foods
For small bird owners the Slap Chop as seen on TV is amazing for chopping small quantities very finely i use it daily.
Safe Vegetables
Artichoke
Beans, cooked only
Bell Peppers
Broccoli
Brussels sprouts
Carrot
Cauliflower
Celery stalks
Chinese cabbage
Corn (milky & soft)
Cucumber
Eggplant (fruit only)
Endive
Fennel
Green Beans
Hot Peppers
Kale
Lettuce
Parsley
Peas
Potato (cooked)
Pumpkin (and seeds)
Radish Red Beet (fresh)
Radicchio
Romaine Lettuce
Spinach
Sprouts
Sweet Potato
Turnips
Watercress
Yams
Zucchini
Again, make sure vegetables are washed and preferably organic. The chemicals they feed the plants will harm you and your birds.
** Baby food is great of sick birds.
Safe Fruits
Apple (Not seeds and Core )
Apricot
Banana
Blackberry
Blackcurrant
Blood orange
Blueberry
Cantaloupe melon
Cherry ( Not Pit )
Cranberry
Dried dates
Figs (fresh)
Gooseberries
Grape
Guava (a favorite for ringnecks the skin and seeds are safe make sure pesticide free)
Honeydew melon
Kiwifruit
Lychee (Litchi)
Mandarin
Mango
Melon
Nectarine
Orange
Papaya
Peach
Pear
Pineapple
Plum
Pomegranate
Quince
Raspberry
Red Currants
Strawberry
Tangerine
Yellow Plum
Make sure that all apples, orange and other seeds are removed before letting your birds eat the fresh foods. And make sure you wash all fruits and vegetable thoroughly. It's always best to go organic for your parrots to stay away from pesticides.
Alternative cleaning products
I talked about things that are bad for birds and this rules out most of our house hold cleaning products here is a list of helpful things that are bird safe.
Baking soda can clean just about anything use it to clean your oven, first spray with water then sprinkle on baking soda use a steel wool pad to scrub. use it to remove carpet odours and stains. It is great for cleaning jewelry anything aluminum, plastic, silver, chrome, and stainless steel. Mix with water and pour it down your drain to remove odors
Vinegar is great for removing mineral buildups, soap scum, mildew and deodorizes. Mix 1/2cup of white vinegar with 1 gallon of hot water to clean floors. White vinegar with salt is a great multipurpose cleaner. Remover odors from your house with White vinegar place dishes partly filled with vinegar though out to house to rid yourself of odors, your house will not smell like vinegar.
Air freshener: fill a pot half full of water mix cinnamon and cloves and boil it will release a pleasant smell guests and you will love.
Rid yourself of pests: place chilli powder or dried peppermint where ants are coming in will keep them away. Borax mixed with sugar will eliminate insects and cockroaches. Feeding your cat and dog a brewer’s yeast mix will keep fleas away. Fleas don't bother birds but flea products are highly poisoning. Also a fine Food grate Diatomaceous earth in your yard and on your carpet will keep fleas away.
Toys
The best toys for parrots are the toys that will keep them busy, such as shredding toys, and foraging toys most are one and the same some shredding toys can have nuts placed inside and turned into a foraging toy. There should always be a chew toy for your bird to work its beak down. Always supply a cuttle bone for your bird to work its beak and supply its self with calcium.
Before you decide you want a parrot or bird as a pet please do research.
MESS
Bird are messy by nature and this must be acknowledged. In the wild birds scatter and drop there food for a purpose this helps grow more food it decomposes into the earth as food for other plants and animals. though this can be avoided with seed guards and training it is important to know this is an act built in by nature.
NOISE
Birds are Noisy by nature. Birds only use a shrill call to announce danger or to call for loved ones often a parrot is the noisiest at Sunrise (happy and excited its morning) and Sunset ( announcing its night and making sure their loved ones are safe for the night). Parrots will also be noisy when bored or when calling for attention. Before deciding on a bird spend some time around the species you are interested in some birds are not suitable for all living arrangements, Large birds are not suited for apartments or condos. Always supply your parrot with an assortment of toys and exercise time where your bird can come out of the cage and interact with you.
A Parrot requires at least 4 hours or more of out of cage time depending on the size of your bird. Parrots are flock creatures and when kept alone require more attention from you; this is because you will take the place of its flock. If you would like a tame pet bird it is best to keep it single for a while until it gets use to you and bonds with you. A already tame bird can lose its tames if not handled for long periods of time but if handled daily will retain its tameness even in a flock of other birds.
HEALTH
Birds of very delicate creatures and require a lot of upkeep. There are many house hold items that in the presence of your bird can cause illness or Death.
Electrical Cords and outlets should be kept well out of reach of your bird as it will most likely start a fire, keep cords and electrical wires in PVC pipes. As a general rule keep all birds way from electronics
Ceiling fans are extremely dangerous if turned on around a flighted bird.
Watch out for windows and doors as well as mirrors your parrot may mistake the window or mirror as an opening to outside.
Keep all toilet and standing water covered as your bird may fall in and drown in a matter of seconds.
Kitchen dangers include fridge, freezer, stove, cords, and non-stick cook wear. Do not cook while your bird is out in the kitchen as accidents may happen. Non-stick cook wear is highly poisonous, when heated it gives off toxic sent less fumes called PTFE a few minutes of exposure can kill your bird. Even if there is ventilation and the bird is in another room with the windows open and door closed it can still cause an effect. TOSS ALL NON STICK COOK WEAR most common is TEFLON brand.
House hold Chemicals: Bleach, soaps, kitchen cleaners, polish, anti freeze, Almost anything that gives off a scent and is toxic and is deadly to parrots.
Scented Candles : fumes are also poisonous as well as the smoke candles put into the air.
Air fresheners: any scented oils should not be used around your bird. Plug in air fresheners have been linked too many deaths of house hold parrots.
Carpet fresheners: even if stated pet safe (these chemicals were not ment to be around birds)
Potpourri if ingested can kill your bird.
Glue gun fumes and other house hold sprays if there is a fume to the product or any chemical it is most likely highly poisonous.
TOBACCO: Parrots can get Lung cancer they are just as prone to it as humans if not more so. SMOKE OUT SIDE.
Mouse traps and flypaper or anything designed to kill insects or small pray is extremely harmful.
Temperatures: Keep birds away from drafts and heat. cold tends to not bother birds as much as heat, but birds can still get sick from constant cold temperatures from a draft or air conditioners. even though most birds come from very warm areas of the world, they spend most of there time sheltered from the sun by shad and frequent rain showers cool them down. Never Leave a bird directly in the sun as they can severely over heat.
Food Parrots do best on a pelleted based diet, Seeds are full of fat and are only good in small amounts. Birds in the wild rarely eat seeds unless provided by humans, majority of their diet is fruits and vegetables. Witch should be provided everyday with fresh water.
PARROT Safe Foods
For small bird owners the Slap Chop as seen on TV is amazing for chopping small quantities very finely i use it daily.
Safe Vegetables
Artichoke
Beans, cooked only
Bell Peppers
Broccoli
Brussels sprouts
Carrot
Cauliflower
Celery stalks
Chinese cabbage
Corn (milky & soft)
Cucumber
Eggplant (fruit only)
Endive
Fennel
Green Beans
Hot Peppers
Kale
Lettuce
Parsley
Peas
Potato (cooked)
Pumpkin (and seeds)
Radish Red Beet (fresh)
Radicchio
Romaine Lettuce
Spinach
Sprouts
Sweet Potato
Turnips
Watercress
Yams
Zucchini
Again, make sure vegetables are washed and preferably organic. The chemicals they feed the plants will harm you and your birds.
** Baby food is great of sick birds.
Safe Fruits
Apple (Not seeds and Core )
Apricot
Banana
Blackberry
Blackcurrant
Blood orange
Blueberry
Cantaloupe melon
Cherry ( Not Pit )
Cranberry
Dried dates
Figs (fresh)
Gooseberries
Grape
Guava (a favorite for ringnecks the skin and seeds are safe make sure pesticide free)
Honeydew melon
Kiwifruit
Lychee (Litchi)
Mandarin
Mango
Melon
Nectarine
Orange
Papaya
Peach
Pear
Pineapple
Plum
Pomegranate
Quince
Raspberry
Red Currants
Strawberry
Tangerine
Yellow Plum
Make sure that all apples, orange and other seeds are removed before letting your birds eat the fresh foods. And make sure you wash all fruits and vegetable thoroughly. It's always best to go organic for your parrots to stay away from pesticides.
Alternative cleaning products
I talked about things that are bad for birds and this rules out most of our house hold cleaning products here is a list of helpful things that are bird safe.
Baking soda can clean just about anything use it to clean your oven, first spray with water then sprinkle on baking soda use a steel wool pad to scrub. use it to remove carpet odours and stains. It is great for cleaning jewelry anything aluminum, plastic, silver, chrome, and stainless steel. Mix with water and pour it down your drain to remove odors
Vinegar is great for removing mineral buildups, soap scum, mildew and deodorizes. Mix 1/2cup of white vinegar with 1 gallon of hot water to clean floors. White vinegar with salt is a great multipurpose cleaner. Remover odors from your house with White vinegar place dishes partly filled with vinegar though out to house to rid yourself of odors, your house will not smell like vinegar.
Air freshener: fill a pot half full of water mix cinnamon and cloves and boil it will release a pleasant smell guests and you will love.
Rid yourself of pests: place chilli powder or dried peppermint where ants are coming in will keep them away. Borax mixed with sugar will eliminate insects and cockroaches. Feeding your cat and dog a brewer’s yeast mix will keep fleas away. Fleas don't bother birds but flea products are highly poisoning. Also a fine Food grate Diatomaceous earth in your yard and on your carpet will keep fleas away.
Toys
The best toys for parrots are the toys that will keep them busy, such as shredding toys, and foraging toys most are one and the same some shredding toys can have nuts placed inside and turned into a foraging toy. There should always be a chew toy for your bird to work its beak down. Always supply a cuttle bone for your bird to work its beak and supply its self with calcium.
Try and Feed Organic
Green giant / Other Non Organic
- contains small pieces
- mostly stalk
- mostly carrots
- contains traces of pesticides.
- Not worth the $$
Organic Veggies
- Over all they look like they came from the garden to your freezer.
- Not Sprayed with chemicals.
- choice cuts ( not stalk )
- even mix of veggies
- well worth the extra $$
- contains small pieces
- mostly stalk
- mostly carrots
- contains traces of pesticides.
- Not worth the $$
Organic Veggies
- Over all they look like they came from the garden to your freezer.
- Not Sprayed with chemicals.
- choice cuts ( not stalk )
- even mix of veggies
- well worth the extra $$
Hand Feeding
never attempt to hand feed a baby with out proper training. please contact a local breeder or Avian Vet.
A young bird can easily die at the hands of an UN experienced person attempting to hand feed.
Since I Know people out there will hand feed with out proper guidance please look up all info prior to attempting and contact a breeder or vet if you have any questions.
I do recommend this website very much lots of information. http://www.flyinggems.com/Lovebirds/handfeeding.htm
A young bird can easily die at the hands of an UN experienced person attempting to hand feed.
Since I Know people out there will hand feed with out proper guidance please look up all info prior to attempting and contact a breeder or vet if you have any questions.
I do recommend this website very much lots of information. http://www.flyinggems.com/Lovebirds/handfeeding.htm
Emergencey formula Recipe
2/3 cup Gerber rice cereal
1 tsp of peanut butter (not organic)
1 tsp f apple baby food sauce
1 cap full of un flavoured pedialyte
distilled or bottled water for needed consistency
mix formula as you would store bought temp 104-106F
formula from : http://www.cockatielcottage.net/formula.html
1 tsp of peanut butter (not organic)
1 tsp f apple baby food sauce
1 cap full of un flavoured pedialyte
distilled or bottled water for needed consistency
mix formula as you would store bought temp 104-106F
formula from : http://www.cockatielcottage.net/formula.html
Your Birds Water
Please always supply fresh clean water for your Pets. If you are unable to clean the water dish daily with soap , it's best to have back up dish available that is already clean .
water bowls slim up quickly. and bacteria grows even quicker
water bowls slim up quickly. and bacteria grows even quicker
Cone for Small Birds
first my Vet recommended a vest but sunny go it off in record time.
next I tried this and it worked.
Materials:
- scissors
- Masking tape
- egg carton ( clean )
extra
- gorilla tape/ duck tape.
next I tried this and it worked.
Materials:
- scissors
- Masking tape
- egg carton ( clean )
extra
- gorilla tape/ duck tape.