Many Australians keep a parrot at home, as this highly intelligent bird has many tricks and can make for a great companion. Prior to acquiring a young parrot, it is important to do some online research about the bird; it’s habits, abilities, habitat, diet and behaviours, which will prepare you for the day when you bring the bird into your home.
Investing your Time
Raising a bird like a parrot requires you to invest considerable time into forming your relationship; parrots are extremely smart and therefore do require mental stimulation, and should this be lacking, that’s when the screeching and other forms of negative behaviours start. Self-mutilation is a sure sign that a parrot or cockatoo is bored, and if you teach the bird, you will never encounter behavioral issues.
Avoid Confined Spaces
It is never a good idea to keep a parrot in a small room, as this limits its vision, leaving little to focus his brain cells on, rather a porch or patio in the back garden would be an ideal location for the bird to spend his days. You are advised to use NSW bird boarding if you are going to leave the home empty, as the bird will not be happy spending long periods of time with no contact.
Noisy Birds
Parrots and cockatoos are flock birds and they will call in the morning, so if you live in a condo, perhaps it is not the wisest of pets to raise. The parrot is most definitely not the kind of bird you can leave in the corner of the room and expect them to be silent, and much like people, each bird has its own unique personality, so in some ways, it is the luck of the draw.
Must Have Outside Time
Your bird must have time outside the cage and they need to be supervised because they can be very curious, and around 60 minutes per day, in two sessions, would be ideal. As mentioned, this species is extremely intelligent and if you are prepared to invest your time, there’s no limit to what you can teach your feathered companion.
The Right Diet
Although parrots are classified as omnivores, they prefer to eat seeds, nuts, insects, flowers and buds, and there are online suppliers of bird food of the highest quality. Of course, the bird should have a small water dispenser that is always topped up with clean water, plus the cage should be cleaned every few days.
Raising a parrot can be very rewarding, as long as you understand the level of attention the bird requires, and you will have a great companion for many years to come.