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| Eye of a female Eclectus Parrot (Eclectus roratus), seen through the wire mesh of its cage. - (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
What a Parrot Needs
When you consider how to take care of your parrot, you will have to consider what you will need to get started. The first thing you will need is a large cage for your parrot to live in. Make sure it is big enough for him to move around a bit and be comfortable. To occupy his time and make him feel comfortable you should place a mirror, a swing and a toy in the cage. You will also need something to properly line the cage.
What To Feed Your Parrot
A parrot should have a healthy, well-balanced diet. It should consist of fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts, meat, and grains. Peanut butter and cooked eggs are other sources of protein that are good for parrots. Pre-packaged parrot food is certainly another valid option. It takes the guesswork out of feeding your bird a wide variety of balanced nutrition.
As with most pets, avoid feeding your parrot caffeine, alcohol, chocolate and salty foods.
Teaching Your Parrot To Talk
One of the most attractive features of this type of bird is that you can teach them to talk and whistle. Most people get a lot of enjoyment out of it. It does require a lot of time and repetition though and training should begin when the parrot is young. New words should be introduced with an activity so the parrot can link the two. He may even pick up on words you don’t really want him to learn just because he hears them often.
Whistling may come more natural for the birds and maybe encouraged after you have trained him to talk.
Provide Exercise
Your parrot will need to get daily exercise. Let him out of the cage for a small amount of time, starting with fifteen minutes at a time. Let them fly around the house and tire themselves out. See a professional for wing clippings when necessary.
Beak Care
Never try to trim your parrot’s beak at home. Seek a professional’s help when needed. Some things you can do at home to help your bird with beak care is to provide a concrete perch or a cuttlebone for him.
Maintenance
The basic things you need to commit to for taking care of your bird are quite simple, but they do require some effort on the owner’s part. In addition to never leaving his food bowl empty, you will need to provide him with fresh water twice a day. You will need to clean his cage on a weekly basis. You will also need to groom him 2-3 times per week. This can include a full bath given in a sink or washtub or by simply misting the bird and using specialized bird shampoo on him.
When all the work is done, you will have a beautiful pet that will provide hours of entertainment and joy.
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