Happy Healthy Parrot
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How to have a Happy Healthy Parrot
These simple guidelines will help your parrot get the best out of you (or vice versa).
- A Big Home
I need room to move about, exercise and stretch my wings. Plus more room to keep my toys, branches, food and water. Please get me the BIGGEST cage possible.
- Air Space
If my cage is really big, I may be able to fly from one end to the other. This is good, but a flight around a safe room (windows covered, no cats!) will be better. Many pet owners ask their vets to clip our wing feathers if we're not in a safe environment for flying.
- The Right Diet
Variety, that's what I need. Not just seeds or pellets, but fruit and veggies too. Ask your vet or pet store for advice on diets and supplements.
- Branches to Chew
In the wild I'd be chewing all the time, so please give me fresh bird-safe branches once or twice a week. Apple, willow, sycamore - yummy!
- Toys
If I were a wild bird I'd be forever active in the forest. I'm intelligent, inquisitive and just plain nosy. So please give me interesting toys to keep my brain, claws and beak busy.
- Water
I need lots of water to keep my feathers in good condition. In the rain forest I'd bathe in the treetops, but you can give me a lovely shower with warm water twice a week.
- Company - Human or Bird
Every parrot needs a friend. If I haven't got a parrot pal, a human being will be OK, but I MUST have a lot of attention. Talk to me, feed me sensible tid-bits, play with me. I'm like a bright child who never grows up!
- An Aviary... the ultimate luxury
If you can manage it, an indoor or sheltered outdoor aviary would give me a superior quality of life. Plenty of space - sheer bliss!
- My Own Doctor
Remember, I am a wild animal, and have special medical needs. Find me a veterinarian who's an expert in keeping parrots happy and healthy. An annual 'well-bird exam' is a good idea.
Other ways you can help save the Parrots of the World
- LEARN all you can about these fabulous birds. There are many good books, magazines and online resources, including our own PsittaScene Magazine which comes with membership of the World Parrot Trust, and Flock Talk, our monthly online newsletter.
- ACCEPT a small share of responsibility for all parrots, even if you own only one.
- NEVER buy a wild caught parrot. For every one that reaches a store, at least one more will have died along the way. Aviary bred, parent-reared parrots make much better, friendlier pets, and try to find a bird to adopt before purchasing one.
- TAKE an interest in saving the habitats of the parrots, and other plants and animals that live in them. (We humans need the rain forests too!)
- JOIN a local club, meet other bird people, read all you can. Become a knowledgeable pet parrot owner.
- SEND a donation to the World Parrot Trust. Or better still, join us!
Please remember that a parrot is an intelligent, sensitive, demanding, wonderful and beautiful creature. It is also a BIG responsibility! A companion parrot is for life, and may live up to fifty years.
Please Note - advice on this page is based on our experience, but we accept no specific legal responsibility. If your parrot is ill, always consult a qualified vet.
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