Suitable Environments for parrots 

It should be remembered that parrots like all birds are creatures that are built for flight, clean air, sun and rain. So when we keep parrots in captivity we are keeping these birds in artificial environmets which are very different from that to which they were adapted for. So you should be able to accomodate your pet parrot in the biggest parrot cage which you can accomodate but even then it is not likely that you will have a cage suffucient in size to adequently exersize your parrot. So therefore is is equally important to be able to allow your parrot as much time as possible outside the constraints of the cage.

 It may be difficult to allow your parrot to shower in the rain or be outside for any length of time in the sun. However both these things are important in keeping your parrots feathers in good condition. If is possible to take your parrot outside in a harness or even to accomodate your parrot in it's cage for some time outside in a protected manner. Then you will notice that the colour of your parrots feathers and it's general condition will be so much better than if your parrot is only confined to a dark place inside the homel. Additionally it is important that the air quality is clean and free from smoke and fumes. It should be remembered that years ago Canaries were often used in coal mines to detech gas as they are more sensitive than humans. It is generally thought that parrots air sacs are more vunerable to airborne contaminants than the lungs. And respiratory disease is the most common encountered disorders in parrots.

Nutrition and Management of parrots

Parrots  are adapted to eating a variety of naturally available foods that they would encounter in the forests and streams of their wild environments. Typically most parrots are eating fruits, nuts, insects and flowers in the wild, Some parrots have taken to eating seeds from cultivation accuring in the wild and of course many parrakeets also eat wild grasses.

So in captivity we had to adapt our pets to a diet which is quiet different from what their natural one would have been. In the past it was thought that parrots could be kept perfectly healthy on a Sun flower seed diet with virtually nothing else. However whilst many parrots will eat sunflower seeds if fed nothing else, it is now well understood that sunflower seeds to not have a great deal of nutritional value, and most parrots kept in this way are lightly to become obese and probably have a relatively short life.

Nutritional variations of parrot species

 parrots originate from all over the world and from many different inhabitats. So it is obvious that different parrot species will have some different nutritional requirements. Although many of these differences are still little understood, there has been a few which have been well documented:

Fig parrots -require substantial quantities of vitamin K in order to stay healthy.

Abyssinian Lovebirds -require regular boosts of B group vitamins (from juniper berries in the wild). They are prone to develop "head twisting" unless regularly suplimented with B complex vitamins.

Eclectus parrots - require access to substantial quantities of vitamin A. Generous quantities of yellow-red fruits and vegetables (apricot,corn,carrots etc) in order to keep them healthy.

Parrotlets- need massive amounts of calcium .

Fruit and Vegetables

 These days it is understood that parrots are healthier, brighter and more energetic if given most of their diet as fruits and vegetables with either a small amount, or in fact no seeds  at all (can always use pellets as a substitute). 

Fresh fruits- Apples, oranges, bananas, pears, grapes, peaches, plums, cherries, strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, figs, papaya, coconut, pineapple, mangoes, melons, kiwi fruits and nectarines.

Green vegetables - broccoli, spinach, cabbage, cicumber, celery, peas, lettuce, endive and zucchini.

Yellow-red vegetables -corn on the cob, orange/red/yellow, peppers, carrots and parsnips.

Seed mixes

Most important to ensure that whatever seed mix you give your parrots is clean and free from dirt. Some poor quality seed mixtures have been found to be the cause of worm eggs in the past.

In general you should look for a seed mix with a low amount of large seeds. A typical mixture should look like: 35% canary, 25% white millet, 5% red millet, 8% safflower, 4% sunflower, 3% buckwheat and 2% Niger.

Pellets

This is very recent invention by the pet product manufacturers. I am not convinced that the ingrediants really offer a complete diet as we are told. I would certainly use them (and do) as a supliment to fruit, vegetables and seeds.But I believe that fruit and vegables should always be the largest part of a parrots diet.

Animal protein

In the wild parrots would probably consume a fair amount of insects and even the odd mammal carcass as part of it's diet.

So animal protein supplement can be given in the form of egg food or boiled agg. Chicken flakes or tuna flakes. Dog or cat chow. And even mealworms, whiteworms etc.

Treats

Toast, unsalted nuts (pine, pistachio, walnuts etc), breakfast cereals.  Monkey  Nuts (peanuts in their shells) give me some concern because there has been some deaths of parrots reported related to the formation of microtoxins inside the peanut shells. This is probably a result of moisture ingress through the shells. Therefore I feel it is safer to feed your parrots unsalted peanuts than giving them Monkey nuts.

Water

most important to maintain the cleanliness of water which should be replenished everyday. Additives like "Aviclens" will keep tyhe water free from bacteria during the day. 

Individual households may have problems with excessive levels of heavy metals or perhaps even bacteria and may need to consider boiling water or more elaborate filtering systems. 

Vitamins

The majority of a parrots vitamin requirements should be obtained by giving the bird a healthy diet of fruit and vegetables. However some parrots can be difficult and may be fussy as a result of perhaps previous owners not offering a complete diet. Therefore these parrots should be given vitamin supplements as a compromise. Additionally breeding parrots often need additional vitamins to get them into breeding condition and most breeders like myself regularly supplement the aviary parrot foods with vitamin supplements. Also most breeding parrots require significant additions of calcium for the making of eggs. Often some parrots species are seen to gorge themselves on cuttlefish bone just prior to laying eggs. Others still require the additional calcium but do not consume cuttelfish so you need to supliment this with either powder on the fruit or liquid calcium supplements in the water.

Mineral Blocks and grit

Mineral blocks are desirable source of calcium and other minerals to which the parrots can nibble on and play with, and are often useful for keeping parrot beaks trimmed. Grit is abit more of a contentious issue. Traditionally breeders of grass parrakeets would always supply their birds with grit.And often this was thought to aid digestion in the gizzard especially as they consumed large amounts of grass. Many parrot breeders of the larger types no longer offer grit without seeing any ill effects on their birds.

Sick birds

Can be treated if the symptons are seen within a short time. The chances of recovery are significantly reduced the longer you leave a bird ill, so it must be a priority to get an ill bird to a avian vet as soon as possible. 

You sould learn to recognise sudden changes in the birds behaviour, feeding habits, colour or consistency of faeces and perching stature.

If a bird should die very suddenly and you want to ascertain the cause, then place the bird in a plastic bag and place in a refrigerator (not freezer) until you can get the bird to the vet to do a autopsy examination. 

Common symptons of illness:

 • Two feet on the perch during roosting, this is a typical sign of a bird having to balance itself due to some ailment.

• Sitting or sleeping low on a perch.

• Fluffed up or raised feathers on the back of the neck, shows that the bird is having difficulties of temperature control perhaps due to a virus.

• Drooping wings.

• Tail bobbing, often associated with respiratory problems.

• Loose droppings, or unusual consistentcy/colour. Often associated with a infection of the digestion system.

Behaviour related parrot issues

Parrots naturally are gregarious creatures often living in large flocks in the wild, their loud calls are used for locating others of their own species and sometimes for warning others of unwanted predators. They naturally tend to bond with a mate in the wild for many years and often for life. Their environment is suited to keeping their feathers in optimum condition and to feed themselves and their offspring they need to forage and search out the natural environment those foods which are natural to them.

So in captivity we inprison our pets in an unnatural environment where most probably they are the only individual of their species in the neighbourhood. Often kept in centrally heated houses where the air is unnaturally dry  and perhaps contaminated with airborne irritants. Perhaps the only mate they can bond with is of a different specie which does not understand it's body language and often leaves the parrot without any companionship for most of the day.

 It is also often the case that we expect our pet parrots to be just extensions of our own human family and give little thought to their own needs. So it is not surprising that so many pet parrots who cannot live up to our expectations  become frustrated and stressed. They react in the only natural way they can by screaming, biting and feather plucking. And the more they do this the more remote and unwanted they become eventually, even by the only mate they have come to be bonded with.

Often then sold on, they find it even more difficult in a new environment to find solace. Deprived of their original human mate, they shout continuously in vain for the return of their partner. The stress of the new environment causes the parrot to either start plucking it's feathers  or perhaps a slight plucking problem becomes accelerated. And finally where perhaps the original owner who could handle the parrot with impunity, the new owners are apparently soon regarded with suspicion by the parrot who reacts by biting them whenever approached.

Biting

This is a complex topic and is best explained in a suitable bird behaviour book (e.g The beak book by Sally Blanchard). Basically parrots can bite for many reasons and to understand why yours is behaving in this way you must first look at the biting in the contect of it's environment and the other body language indications.

Often young parrots will start to bite or nibble as part of their leaning process of finding out what different materials or fleshy fingers are made of and what happens when they "test it". Of course when the owner gives out a yell, this encourages the parrot to bite perhaps even harder as they appear to be getting a positive reaction. Training of your parrot to respond to basic commands like "step up" gives you greater control. Likewise maintaining the parrot at waist height or on the arm ensures that you remain in command of the parrot, whilst letting your bird climb onto the back of your shoulder allows him to be dominant over the owner. Wing-clipping is often said to be away of maintaining this control, but parrots can often become moody and biter and start biting even harder when perhaps they were just playing previously. If ignored this exploratory biting is often forgotten about as the parrot matures.

Feather plucking 

This disorder is often as distressing if not more so to the owners, than for the parrots .It can be caused by various issues.

Ailments

The reasons are sometimes related to medical condition like mites, dry feathers allergic reactions or even severe moulting. And always with feather plucking advice should be sort from a avian vet as to if this is related to the problem.

Mites- are not very commonly seen as giving rise to feather plucking but do give the parrot irritation and enough discomfort to overpreen its feathers perhaps especially in very warm areas like neck and under wing.

Allergic reactions- more difficult to identify but perhaps more likely with parrots kept in a dry centrally heated environment with airborne contaminants. Parrots kept outside in avairy's perhaps less likely to be exposed to irritants to cause allergic reactions.

Over-preening and severe moulting

Another reason for parrots developing seemingly feather plucking issues can be related to over- preening by the parrots mates or companions and severe moulting.Both these issues can look like an abnormal condition.

Over-preening- is often seen in some species as a part of the mating and natural bonding, the loss of feathers caused by persistent preening on one parrot by it's mate. Normally this is seen as a prelude to or during mating, I have most often seen this for some reason with Pionus parrots I kept in the past, but quite why I don't know and I dare say other breeders whould refer to other species.

Severe moulting- I have often seen parrots when moved go into a severe moult which hopefully they recover from over a short period of several months (but you could say that this is also a sympton of stress -as below) . I have sometimes seen that when having just bought a pair of parrots in pristine condition and then moved to my aviary's, suddenly without warning there will be a big pile of feathers lying in the aviary floor and a tatty looking parrot or perhaps pair of parrots. Usually panic sets in as you often think that you have bought a pair with some incumbant problem. I have seen this most noticeable with Eclectus parrots.

Stress related feather plucking and self mutilation

Feather plucking or self mutilation in parrots is quite often seen as a sympton of stress.

It should be remembered that parrots in the wild can always escape the causes of stress and therefore this is never seen in the wild. However rather like us, captive parrots whether in an aviary or in cages are restricted and hence are exposed to some degree of stress. Similarly most humans living in a modern environment are also exposed to continuous stress, and hence many of us show our discomfort by stress related behaviour like hair pulling, nail biting, heavy drinking or smoking.And in the worst cases self mutilation or depression and madness.

So unsurprisingly  parrots under stress can show similar tendancy's, feather plucking can be mild or severe, parrots can then progress onto self mutilation which can lead to death. Often other symptons can proceed feather plucking like head twisting or over preening or maching up and down in an repetitive manner.

I have seen breeding parrots feather pluck as with pet parrots. Sometimes caused by changing their environment, or by a loss of a bonded companion or indeed by putting a parrot with an incompatible companion. In particular parrots as they get older are naturally comfortable in their familar environment and more prone to show plucking problems than young parrots when moved.

I once read that someone who rescued a African Grey was astonished when the parrot although obviously neglected (left in a dark shed on it's own) , only started feather plucking when it was suddenly brought into a family environment with lots of attention and toys etc. The Grey in this case had obviously become use to it's solitude and was only under stress when the environment was suddenly changed.

And it is often the case that the more times a parrots environment are changed (perhaps because in the case of a pet, the owner cannot deal with the appearance or other behavioural issues and sells or passes the parrot on) the more the plucking problem is exhasberated.