CAGES

The cage is one of the most misunderstood aspects of keeping birds. Cages should not feel like prisons; they should be safe spaces, and while your bird should be excited to come out and spend time with you, it’s ideal for your bird to enjoy spending time in its cage. Often, birds feel stressed out when confined to their cages — because they are much too small. First, it’s more important to your bird to have horizontal space than vertical space — they should have plenty of both, but horizontal space is important to encourage adequate space to stretch their wings and fly. Practically any cage sold in a chain pet store is too small — even parakeets and lovebirds need cages with plenty of room, not cutesy house-shaped cages with no room to play and flimsy bars. A proper cage may take up a large portion of a room, or the entirety of the room — some birds live free-flight in a completely parrot-proofed room. Ensure that your cage is made of proper material; it should not have flaking paint (or typically, paint at all), loose or flimsy bars, rusty spots, or weak hinges. It should never be made of wood — parrots will easily chew and damage wood, and even if they are not capable of escape, chewed wood will easily harbor bacteria and can be difficult to properly clean.

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FOOD

Parrots have complex dietary requirements — and they all vary by species. Budgies and other grass parakeets who naturally eat many seeds in the wild may have a higher concentration of seeds in the diet; but for large parrots like macaws, seeds are mainly just junk food. A typical parrot diet (excluding the odd nectar-based diets of lories and lorikeets) should consist mainly of:

Seeds — in fairly large quantities for budgerigars, Bourke’s parakeets, and other grass parakeet species; in moderation and/or mainly as treats for other species. Do not buy seed mixes with filler seeds such as red millet, or lots of high-fat sunflower seeds.

Pelleted diets — these are formulated diets that should contain all necessary nutrients for a bird (however, this still does not mean they should be fed exclusively). Find a reputable pellet brand approved by veterinarians that is appropriate in size for your parrot species (they will often be marketed by small, medium, or large bird size; some brands may have species-specific diets).

Vegetables & fruit — Parrots need large amounts of veggies and fruit in the diet (fruits should typically be fed somewhat more sparingly, as they are high in sugars). Broccoli, kale, apples, and mangoes are a few excellent choices for pet birds. Avocados and uncooked beans should never be fed to your bird. It can be difficult for some to prepare fresh food on a daily basis, but your parrot will suffer without its addition to the diet. Birds have somewhat weak taste buds, and some parrots may enjoy occasional spicy foods such as jalapenos added into their vegetable mix. Feel free to add safe spices and herbs such as basil and rosemary to keep your bird’s food interesting. You may also want to try different presentations of food, such as shredded, chopped roughly, or diced, to keep food engaging — parrots eat not only with their beaks, but their feet. Don’t feed the same veggies every day — swap them out both to keep your parrot from getting bored and to make sure they are getting a range of nutrients.

Nuts — for smaller parrots, nuts can be hard to deal with and can be mainly ignored as part of the diet. But some larger birds eat vast quantities of nuts — such as the Hyacinth macaw, whose natural diet is almost entirely Brazil nuts. Try feeding shelled nuts so that your parrot has to work somewhat for their food. Nuts should be fed with caution to Amazon parrots, who are prone to obesity & related health issues.

Especially when taking egg-laying female birds into consideration, cuttlebones hung in your bird’s cage are important as a source of calcium. If your bird isn’t fond of picking at the calcium itself, you can blend it in with their food so it is unnoticeable.

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TOYS

Parrots are known for being extensively curious and active creatures — when they are bored, they will let you know by screaming, biting, and even self-destructive behaviors like feather plucking. They need a variety of toys to keep them occupied, especially when you are not home to keep them occupied. Parrots also have different needs that need to be engaged through play — you will want toys that will encourage activities such as foraging, climbing, foot toys to stimulate the feet, and shredding. Keep at least 4–5 toys in the cage — and rotate them regularly. Replace shredding toys that have been overly destroyed, and regularly inspect all toys for broken or potentially dangerous pieces. Each parrot will have its own preferences on what to play with; adjust what is provided to them accordingly. Toys don’t have to be expensive — parrots can be entertained with simple objects such as toilet paper rolls stuffed to be foraging toys, cardboard to shred, wiffle balls to roll and throw. What’s more important is the variety of toys, not their cost.

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PERCHES

Parrots don’t just spend lots of their day hanging out on their perches; they also often eat there, and spend their nights sleeping there. Perches are also how your parrots will wear down their nails; otherwise, they will need nail clippings, which can be costly and scary for your bird. Many give their birds sanded-smooth dowels to perch on — at most, this should be a single perch in your bird’s cage out of 3–4 (at the minimum) total perches. You want a variety of perches, in all different shapes and lengths (but appropriate thickness for your parrot to grip); try some hardwoods, like manzanita, and some chewable perches that will have to be replaced with time, like cholla cactus perches. Occasionally take perches out and rotate them around the cage, ideally after cleaning (since this is where your bird will spend a lot of time, there will be an eventual buildup of feces and food resource). Some perches also function as toys, with shreddable aspects or dangling parts to play with. Consider also adding in flat ‘platforms’ for your parrot to walk on + to stack toys on for your parrot to toss.

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VET CARE

Many prospective bird owners aren’t aware of just how much vet care for exotic animals can rack up to be. Just a simple wellness check can be upwards of $50. And if something is unfortunately actually wrong, be prepared for the costs to reach hundreds or even thousands of dollars. You may want to put savings aside and consider pet insurance for your feathered friend. And be sure there is a vet in your area who can even treat your bird — you will need a veterinarian who can work with avian patients, which surprisingly is not always easy to find. Your bird should have a checkup at least once yearly — even if they seem perfectly fine. As prey animals, birds naturally try to mask any symptoms of illness, and should be examined by a professional regularly to double check that they are feeling their best.