Post by Tatianna on Jan 20, 2009 21:50:33 GMT -5
Written By Tatianna(JAM) and M2MM From ANAG.
www.anafricangrey.ca/forum
We all know it's exciting when you've been waiting for so long to have your baby parrot. But ask yourself, are you fully prepared yet? Well, here is how to know...
Let's go through the steps:
Cage Preparation (including toys)
Bird Health & Safety
Food
Homecoming
Cage Preparation
It's important to have the cage prepared for your bird before it gets home. The cage is the most important thing, because that is where your bird sleeps, eats, plays, and spends his time when you're not home.
The cage size depends on the kind of bird you are getting, and where you plan to put it. You must make sure it is in a corner or up against a wall and not in front of the window. Parrots are prey animals and need to feel secure and safe from danger, and your bird could get scared by unfamiliar or threatening things outside.
After you find a safe/suitable place to put the cage, you will need toys to keep your bird occupied and busy while you aren't home or whenever he is in the cage. Having toys in the cage will keep the bird busy and prevent boredom that can lead to neurotic behaviours.
You will also need a variety of perches to provide lots of places for your bird to sit. Additional toys to hang from the roof of the cage will add interest to the cage. You don't want to clutter the cage with too many toys, but you do want a good variety of toys (preening, foraging, chewing, & toys to beat up.) Be sure to move the toys around into different parts of the cage every once in awhile, as this will keep your bird interested in the toys, and a bird that is interested in a toy is not bored, which means a happy bird.
Bird Health & Safety
When bringing home your new bird, you have to discard any items that are unsafe for your bird. It's important and keeps your bird healthy and saves you from additional vet visits and bills.
Teflon & Ionizers
You will need to discard of any items that incorporate Teflon® like non-stick pans. Ionizers are also hazardous to birds, so make sure that if you have an air filter, that it doesn't have an ionizer, or that the ionizer can be switched off.
Skin Health
After giving your bird a shower or bath, you shouldn't dry them off with a hairdryer or blowdryer using a heat setting. This will dry out the bird's skin and can cause long-term problems. Instead, use it on the "cool" setting in a nice warm room, or wrap him in a towel for a few minutes, then allow him to air dry and preen himself in a warm location.
Respiratory Health
Since birds have small respiratory systems, there are many products that shouldn't be used around them, due to fumes these products produce.
You can find a nearly complete list here:
www.barkrescue.net/toxicbirdfumes.htm
Discard anything that has any of these products in them. But, if you must use them, keep your parrot as far away as possible from where you are using them (preferably with the door closed and an exhaust fan running, or at least a window open.)
Food
So you have the cage and toys and they are all washed and clean; you've gone through the house and gotten rid of lots of things for the safety of your bird. Well, now we need to make sure that you have an adequate supply of quality foods for your parrot. Fresh and nutritious foods will help to keep them healthy.
Include:
whole grains
fresh vegetables (frozen is okay too)
fresh fruits
quality pellets (ie. Zupreem Natural, or Harrison's)
nuts (no peanuts)
quality seed mix (no sunflower seeds)
red palm oil (organic)
Red palm oil is a natural food for Greys, and helps to keep their skin from getting too dry, and with long-term use will leave them with shiny, healthy-looking feathers. Although you can feed parrots a wide variety of healthy "human" foods, keep your parrot away from: avocado, chocolate, and salty or sugary foods. Avocado & chocolate are poisonous to parrots, and salty or sugary foods can cause serious long-term health issues. Keeping your parrot's foods separate from everyone else's foods would also be a good idea.
Homecoming
Well, you've just brought your baby parrot home, and now you want to play with him right away, but slow down there! Think it over. You can't and shouldn't expect that your parrot will accept all these changes right away. You want to comfort him and take things slow. The baby is probably a little scared, because it is in an unfamiliar place. Talk to your parrot, and leave the cage door open when you are in the room, so that your new baby has a choice about coming out. Try offering him some warmed up, cooked sweet potatoes or some other suitable comfort food. Give him a chance to get settled and comfortable, before putting any expectations on him. Try reading him bedtime stories, or anything that interests you. Be kind, gentle and above all – patient.
Well, now that you have read this, I'm sure you will find lots of other helpful information on ANAG's forum. I hope this helped!
www.anafricangrey.ca/forum
We all know it's exciting when you've been waiting for so long to have your baby parrot. But ask yourself, are you fully prepared yet? Well, here is how to know...
Let's go through the steps:
Cage Preparation (including toys)
Bird Health & Safety
Food
Homecoming
Cage Preparation
It's important to have the cage prepared for your bird before it gets home. The cage is the most important thing, because that is where your bird sleeps, eats, plays, and spends his time when you're not home.
The cage size depends on the kind of bird you are getting, and where you plan to put it. You must make sure it is in a corner or up against a wall and not in front of the window. Parrots are prey animals and need to feel secure and safe from danger, and your bird could get scared by unfamiliar or threatening things outside.
After you find a safe/suitable place to put the cage, you will need toys to keep your bird occupied and busy while you aren't home or whenever he is in the cage. Having toys in the cage will keep the bird busy and prevent boredom that can lead to neurotic behaviours.
You will also need a variety of perches to provide lots of places for your bird to sit. Additional toys to hang from the roof of the cage will add interest to the cage. You don't want to clutter the cage with too many toys, but you do want a good variety of toys (preening, foraging, chewing, & toys to beat up.) Be sure to move the toys around into different parts of the cage every once in awhile, as this will keep your bird interested in the toys, and a bird that is interested in a toy is not bored, which means a happy bird.
Bird Health & Safety
When bringing home your new bird, you have to discard any items that are unsafe for your bird. It's important and keeps your bird healthy and saves you from additional vet visits and bills.
Teflon & Ionizers
You will need to discard of any items that incorporate Teflon® like non-stick pans. Ionizers are also hazardous to birds, so make sure that if you have an air filter, that it doesn't have an ionizer, or that the ionizer can be switched off.
Skin Health
After giving your bird a shower or bath, you shouldn't dry them off with a hairdryer or blowdryer using a heat setting. This will dry out the bird's skin and can cause long-term problems. Instead, use it on the "cool" setting in a nice warm room, or wrap him in a towel for a few minutes, then allow him to air dry and preen himself in a warm location.
Respiratory Health
Since birds have small respiratory systems, there are many products that shouldn't be used around them, due to fumes these products produce.
You can find a nearly complete list here:
www.barkrescue.net/toxicbirdfumes.htm
Discard anything that has any of these products in them. But, if you must use them, keep your parrot as far away as possible from where you are using them (preferably with the door closed and an exhaust fan running, or at least a window open.)
Food
So you have the cage and toys and they are all washed and clean; you've gone through the house and gotten rid of lots of things for the safety of your bird. Well, now we need to make sure that you have an adequate supply of quality foods for your parrot. Fresh and nutritious foods will help to keep them healthy.
Include:
whole grains
fresh vegetables (frozen is okay too)
fresh fruits
quality pellets (ie. Zupreem Natural, or Harrison's)
nuts (no peanuts)
quality seed mix (no sunflower seeds)
red palm oil (organic)
Red palm oil is a natural food for Greys, and helps to keep their skin from getting too dry, and with long-term use will leave them with shiny, healthy-looking feathers. Although you can feed parrots a wide variety of healthy "human" foods, keep your parrot away from: avocado, chocolate, and salty or sugary foods. Avocado & chocolate are poisonous to parrots, and salty or sugary foods can cause serious long-term health issues. Keeping your parrot's foods separate from everyone else's foods would also be a good idea.
Homecoming
Well, you've just brought your baby parrot home, and now you want to play with him right away, but slow down there! Think it over. You can't and shouldn't expect that your parrot will accept all these changes right away. You want to comfort him and take things slow. The baby is probably a little scared, because it is in an unfamiliar place. Talk to your parrot, and leave the cage door open when you are in the room, so that your new baby has a choice about coming out. Try offering him some warmed up, cooked sweet potatoes or some other suitable comfort food. Give him a chance to get settled and comfortable, before putting any expectations on him. Try reading him bedtime stories, or anything that interests you. Be kind, gentle and above all – patient.
Well, now that you have read this, I'm sure you will find lots of other helpful information on ANAG's forum. I hope this helped!