Attractive, easy to care for and ideal as pets, parrots are highly prized throughout the world by those who wish to have an exotic bird as a pet; However, it is necessary to take into account some important aspects as it requires a lot of commitment and responsibility for their upbringing.

From parakeets to macaws, there are more than 350 species that are included in their group. In wildlife, parrots like to live in freedom and in packs with their peers; That way, they look for places to sleep and get food.

Now, as pets, it is usually customary to notice that the reality of living together at home tends to be different from what we imagine.

In practice, it is necessary to make a great effort and you must act with dedication to make the captive animal feel its best; That way, we will be able to give you a convenient life, full of well-being, comfort and harmony.

The parrot as a domestic pet

Due mainly to its great intelligence and longevity, it has always been particular preference for this bird to have it as a pet in the home. Having a fairly high life expectancy, parrots are usually the animals chosen as life partners.

However, it should be taken into account that parrots are animals with very particular characters and, on some occasions, tend to be very brave and uncomfortable with people, even trying to bite someone who finds them unpleasant.

When there are many members of the family, some care must be taken so that everyone can interact amicably with the animal, with no preference for some of the members in particular.

In addition, it is important to consider that parrots are not the ideal pets for children, since they do not have sufficient capacity to perform adequate care and meet their needs.

The space for your care

The location of the cage is an important issue to evaluate. It is necessary that the space has a height such that people can face the parrot, since this tends to be perceived by the animal of which it is dominated and not dominant.

On the contrary, if the cage is placed in a high place and the parrot looks at its owner from top to bottom, he will feel that he has the power.

The free circulation of air in the area where the cage will be located is very important, although we must take care of the bird from cold currents and direct sunlight. Also, it is necessary to remove them from the intense noise, having to choose quiet spaces such as the dining room.

The interrelation between the parrot and family members is convenient as it helps them to have greater confidence, so any space close to family activity will be indicated to place their cage.

Cage maintenance

The best cages for parrots are those of rectangular shape, because it allows them greater freedom. The size will depend on the physical characteristics of the animal and whether it will be alone or in pairs.

There are various items on the market that can be included in parrot cages. It is advisable to change some toys every so often to keep him distracted. Also, it is convenient to install some tree branches since biting them helps to harden the beak.

It is necessary to clean the floor of the cage at least twice a week, in order to remove traces of food, feces and any other material that represents dirt or a danger to your health.

For deep cleaning, disinfectant products such as chlorine, bleach, ammonia, phenols or formaldehyde should be used; The idea is to use products that eliminate fungi, bacteria or viruses that can grow in the cage.

At the time of deep cleaning with any of these products, it is necessary to remove the parrot from the cage.

Parrot feeding

Mainly, adult parrots should eat a balanced diet, based on fruits, seeds and vegetables; In addition, they love to eat cooked rice and bread soaked in some milk.

In specialized stores, it is possible to find feed for parrots prepared especially with the nutrients that these birds need. These feeds are mostly composed of seeds, fruits, cereals, vegetables and vegetable oils, enriched with vitamins and minerals.

Ideally, give them 50% feed for parrots and 50% based on fruits and vegetables. Fruits should be varied and when it comes to very sweet fruits such as bananas or peaches, they should not be served frequently.

Among the most recommended vegetables are carrots, broccoli, celery and cauliflower; some vegetables such as lettuce should consume them, at most, about twice a week.

Other foods can be dangerous to the parrot and should be avoided, such as avocado, sweets, coffee, salty foods, parsley and raw pumpkin.

Recommendations for your care

The parrots love to bathe, so it is very convenient to place in the cage a container with water not so deep and of sufficient size so that you can enjoy refreshing baths from time to time.

Although it is often very fun to raise a parrot at home since they can repeat words or make sounds, it is necessary to consider that it is still a wild animal and, therefore, can have unexpected and surprising reactions at any time.

The ability of parrots to repeat sounds is known, in fact, it is the reason why many people decide to have them as a domestic pet. Males develop this capacity much better than females, although the ability will depend on other factors such as their state of health or their ease of learning.