A SENEGAL PARROT As A Pet

Senegal Parrot Deutsch: Mohrenkopfpapagei (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Of all of the parrot species, the Senegal parrot is one of the most colorful of the parrot families. They are relatively easy to breed and are often bred in captivity for the pet trade since it is no longer legal to capture export or import parrots of any species due to conservation concerns.

They are not as large as other parrot species and are not as loud which makes them more popular for people who have limited space or who live in apartments or condominiums where disturbing the neighbors would be an issue.

They are quite long-lived in the wild and in captivity so a person should make sure they want to make a long commitment to caring for a parrot before buying one. Acclamation into the environment of the owner can be quite tricky if there are multiple people in the family. The parrot should be introduced to as many people as possible and moved to different environments or rooms within the home so that it does not become permanently attached to any one member of the family. 

If this happens the parrot may become jealous of the attention of other family members and may act out with misplaced aggression. By spreading its time equally among family members and among rooms in the home it is not as likely to bond to one single person or one single place and acclimation will become much more smooth and desirable for all.

As with any pet, research is needed to make sure that you can properly handle and care for your pet. If you decide to get a pair for possible breeding purposes it may be difficult to tell the males from females based on their appearance alone. It will be up to a professional breeder or pet store person to help you determine that you have a pair that is suitable for mating. Research for building a nesting box and providing for the female and the young until they are taken from the parents at approximately 12 weeks of age is imperative.

Senegal parrots are not as well-known for being talkers as other species such as the African Greys but are still quite elegant in the number of sounds and whistles they can produce. As with other parrot species, because of their intelligence, they need to have interaction and distraction to keep them from becoming bored because boredom can turn to depression and death in Senegal parrots due to aggression against the cage, injury to itself, or refusal to eat until it dies.

By Alan Stables - Article Source: EzineArticles

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