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 CHOOSING
A BIRD - Our
first word of advice is never buy
on impulse. Our second is do your
home work first. One of the first
things you have to consider when introducing
a parrot to the household, is this.
Will this parrot be welcomed by all
the members of the household or just
by you?
Who is the Parrot for you or your
children? A Budgie or Cockatiel may
be better for children.
Big Parrots like African Greys or
Macaws are not good pets for children.
What do you want from your Parrot?
Make sure you are being realistic
about what to expect from a parrot.
Not all parrots will end up talking,
no matter how much time you spend
with them, but most do.
How much room do you Have? Large birds
need big cages. 3 foot Square is an
average size cage for a Cockatoo or
Macaw. Can you stand noise?
All parrots will be noisy at times.
It is a sign of a well-balanced healthy
parrot. How you deal with this noise
will determine how bearable it is
and how often it occurs. Not all birds
are tidy. One of the big messes can
be food, a fact of life some birds
will throw thier food all over, it
is not always easily contained in
the cage. Also, some parrots produce
a fine white powder known as feather
dust. This is common with African
Greys, Cockatiels and Cockatoos. Parrots
are also fond of chewing (a speciality
of cockatiels is the edges wallpaper),
so you will need to lot of chewable
toys for them and to think about where
in the home they will be allowed to
go and then bird proof those areas.
How much time do you have to spare?
One of the biggest problems with Pet
Parrots is that they get bored. Parrots
are one of the most intelligent animals
in the world. Therefore parrots need
lots of stimulation. If you are going
to be at work all day and the sort
of person that go out at night as
well you need to ensure they have
something to keep them occupied. Their
cages need to be extensive enough
to move around in, and stretch their
wings out. but more importantly they
need a lot of your time is that something
you have? How much do they cost? The
question should be how much can you
afford? Prices of parrots can very
from a £10 for a Budgie to £2,000
plus for Macaws and other species.
Avoid the temptation to buy a bargain-priced
bird; a healthy hand-raised bird is
well worth the extra cost in the long
run. If after reading this you are
of the mind that owning a pet parrot
is just too much trouble, then maybe
a parrot is not the right pet for
you. But if you still want a parrot.
Take your time. Choose wisely. And
most importantly, when you bring that
darling home, give him as much love
as you can, and it returned tenfold.
WHY
CHOOSE A HAND REARED BIRD - Lets
just pretend that your chosen breed
is the African Grey.
You will naturally have specific requirements
from your future avian addition. As
we are dealing with the purchase of
a PET PARROT,
I am going to assume I know what you
would like from your birdie, check
the list below and tell me I am wrong!
1. Birdie needs to be happy at being
handled
2. Birdie would hopefully like to
engage in cuddling
3. Birdie would hopefully give kisses
4. Birdie needs to be a sociable creature
making friends with all the family
5. Birdie hopefully will be tolerant
of the family dog(s) or cat(s) even
other bird(s)
6. Birdie more than anything needs
to be a sweet natured creature that
is completely adorable
7. Birdie needs to be disease free
and tested to prove it with a certificate
Well you are in
luck, because most hand-reared parrots
that have been raised with love, affection
and a modicum of discipline are just
that. A hand-reared bird should have
a happy disposition, be confident,
inquisitive (nosey) and downright
cheeky! They are a joy to own from
the first day, it should not take
six months and more for the bird to
come onto your hand. It is a sign
of a happy, well-balanced parrot,
when he/she sits on the perch and
goes through every sound and word
they found exciting enough to remember.
It is a pleasure to listen to a happy
well-adjusted parrot, simply because
they are glad to be alive. Unhappy,
frightened parrots make little, if
any sounds and when they do it is
usually a growl or screech. So BEFORE
you part with your money, check out
the parrot, see for yourself that
it is all you want it to be. Make
sure you are happy with where it is
coming from and how it has been kept.
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