Parrot Care
Parrot owners are fortunate that the Psittacidae (which include all members of the parrot family) are not exceptionally delicate birds. With reasonable care, nutritious diet and avoiding foolish risks, the owner can expect his parrot to live a long and healthy life.
Reasonable care refers to clean cages and clean water. The microorganisms which can cause disease need a medium in which to develop. You are asking for trouble if you allow your parrot’s cage to become food encrusted, or neglect changing his water for days.
A nutritious diet is important and keep in mind that it is important to be consistent. You cannot substitute whatever is at hand when you run out of the parrot’s regular mix just because you Jut the time to visit the feed store or pet shop to replenish your supply. After all, you wouldn’t feed your child candy for lunch just because you lacked milk or vegetables at the time. Vitamins and other supplements should also be a regular part of your bird’s diet.
Exercise will also go a long way towards keeping a parrot fit and in good condition. Its importance tends to be underrated and as a result malty parrots fail to live out their full life potential. Taking the parrot out of his cage for exercise is also fun for both for owner and bird as well as being therapeutic.
Always be alert to protect your parrot against unnecessary dangers. Dont expose your pet (0 drafts even if it means closing a window on a mild day or giving up his company while the window is open. Discourage people from bringing their birds to visit yours. This may sound overprotective but you don’t know what a visiting bird may have been exposed to. You can control your own situation but you have no way of knowing if others have been as careful. If you have other birds and are bringing home a newcomer, fight the impulse to immediately have him join the others. Any new bird should be isolated for several weeks or longer. This is not as difficult as it sounds. Isolation can simply mean keeping the new parrot in another room in your home: preferably on another level if this is possible.
While it is true that many microorganisms are airborne, it is at least possible to reduce their concentration around healthy birds. If you have the misfortune of bringing home a parrot who is either ill or
incubating, disease, isolation will inhibit disease. Of course, the best protection against bringing home a sick bird is to choose a healthy one in the first place. Don’t jump at the chance to purchase a bird who sits quietly and doesn’t bother to move away from you if you attempt to pick him up. Such a degree of tameness generally does not exist. You may be dealing with a bird who is sick and who is showing it by sitting very quietly and not responding with normal aggressiveness to the attentions of a stranger.