Parrot Care Tips - Creating a Stress-Free Environment For Your Bird

A lot of people have been contemplating buying a parrot and brightening up the household with these magnificent, adorable birds. Indeed, parrots are one of the smartest birds in the animal kingdom and having one or more around the house can mean loads of fun and memories for a lifetime (some parrots live up to 50).

Parrot care is something that a lot of folks have no knowledge of however and it's a bit more complicated than bringing a puppy or a kitten home. A family that wants to adopt a parrot needs to make sure adjustment to its new home is as easy and stress-free as possible. Several aspects have to be looked at - the timing of its arrival in your home, the comfort and security of its cage, and its diet.

The importance of letting the new member of the household adjust to his new home as quickly as possible cannot be stressed enough. Making sure Polly feels comfortable in his new surroundings as soon as he arrives means alleviating trauma and excess stress. As such, bringing him home from the pet shop early in the day rather than at night will give him more time to meet everyone in the household and make his adjustment faster. Placing his cage in an area where he has a good view of everyone without making him feel exposed can also help him adjust faster. Putting the cage against a corner of a large room with lots of traffic is the best way to achieve this.

Making sure the cage is just the right size is also an important factor in your parrot's easy adjustment. An oversized cage can cause a baby parrot to fall and injure itself. Partially covering the cage before putting your new feathered friend in it ensures he has an area where he can go if he feels threatened or exposed.

A proper diet is one of the most important factors in pet care and so this goes also for parrot care. If your parrot wasn't receiving a healthy enough diet in his former owner's care, avoid changing his diet immediately with a healthier one. Give him the same food he's accustomed to for a few weeks then gradually make the switch to his new diet. A drastic change will only make the transition to his new surroundings more difficult and traumatic.

Ben Greene is a parrot care expert. For more information on caring for your parrot visit http://www.happyparrotguide.com

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Choosing the Right Parrot Breeder

Owning parrots as pets is growing rapidly in popularity. Purchasing from a rescue organization or pet store is always an option. However, when purchasing directly from a breeder, there will be more likelihood to receive the parrot's history, methods of care, and personality information. It is of the greatest importance that a lifelong companion be chosen from a reputable breeder with a high standard of quality care, dedication to safety, and trustworthiness.

Choosing Your Breeder

When choosing a parrot breeder, quality of bird care is important. Healthy and happy parrots depend largely on the way they were reared. Depending on the species, feeding methods will vary. Hand rearing or feeding while handling the baby parrots is one way that breeders can teach early in the bird's life the importance of bonding with humans. Breeders should begin to take on the responsibility of weaning baby at 10-12 weeks of age by implementing into their diet a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables, soft foods, pellets, and seeds.

Proper Cage Selection and Care

Cage care and size is also necessary to note. Parrot cages are the largest on the market, and they should be. Parrot breeders should know that the birds need to feel safe and at home in their cages. Some parrot owners choose to clip the wings to limit their cage size or to allow them to roam free. A dedicated breeder will know the importance of keeping their parrots safe in a cage while unattended, not limiting their wing development. A good breeder will know that baby parrots need to have time to fledge, allowing time for their feathers to mature. Parrot breeders will know that this is something that young parrots need to aid in their growth, balance, development and overall happiness.

Most breeders are loving, patient, dedicated bird owners. However, there are some owners who breed the birds for the sole purpose of making a profit. Potential owners should do their research. Knowing what to look for in a breeder will aid in finding that special companion. Breeders should feel at ease answering any and all questions that a future owner may have. They should offer the chance to view the breeding facilities and aviaries.

Choosing a parrot as a pet is a big commitment. Doing the necessary research, knowing what to look for, and finding a reputable parrot breeder will ensure that the purchase of a new parrot companion will be a rewarding experience. Finding the right parrot breeder will allow the future owner to feel confident in the fact that they are purchasing a happy, healthy well-adjusted feathered friend.

Patrick Dell is a parrot breeding expert. For more great information on parrot breeding, visit http://www.myparrotcaresecrets.com

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Parrot Conservation - Part Two - Counting the Wild Parrot Population

This article takes a look at the different methods for measuring parrot populations in the wild: roost counts, nest enumerations, moving transects, mark-resighting studies, and fixed lookout counts.

Roost Counts

For a successful roost count it is important that all the significant roosts are identified, and you also need to know when during the year the parrots roost together since the best method is to monitor the roosts simultaneously. The problems come when parrots change their roost locations a lot, as this makes it difficult to track them.

Nest Enumeration

Nest enumeration requires identification of the colonies and deciding when the best time to count them is, however, some experts have stated that as much as 80% of the population are not covered by nest enumeration. It is not a suitable method when the roosts are kept in locations that are hard to access, or where parrots are dispersed over a wide range of nests. Another thing that can influence this method is changes in the food supplies of a species.

Moving/Line Transects

An example of this is counting from a river whilst on a boat, and obviously such a method has a lot of challenges that limit its accuracy. Although it is a difficult to track the populations it can be a useful way to measure density differences across a habitat.

Mark-Resighting Studies

Marking birds is hard work, and almost impossible with some species of parrot that are difficult to capture. Furthermore, you may make a bird more vulnerable to predators by marking it.

Fixed Lookout Counts

This is a good method, but it relies on knowing how representative your look out spot is.

If you have a care of parrots and conservation are of interest to you, or you just have a pet parrot then Danny Oakes' articles on all things aviculture should be of interest to you.

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Every Parrot Breeder Must Know These Secrets

With parrot breeders, the challenge is being able to deal with this particular animal that is known to be extremely intelligent, as well as being the one of the best bird talkers around. In fact an African parrot can not only mimic words, but also the intonation and voice of a human. These incredible birds can also copy certain sound effects, which, while very entertaining, can create a difficult situation at times for the breeders.

An African parrot breeder also knows that just because African birds are known to be talkers, does not necessarily mean that all of them can talk. Some don't talk at all.

For this reason alone, one secret parrot breeders knows is that they must provide the right motivating environment so that the African parrots never get bored. The problem with a bored parrot is that it can start manifesting behavior that is undesirable and destructive. One such problem caused by boredom is plucking feathers, although it is also possible that feathers are falling off due to an infection.

Some ways an African parrot breeder can prevent boredom is by giving the parrot enough space to move around, as well as toys. A breeder could also put a TV or radio close by that works with a timer to keep the parrot's mind stimulated.

A parrot breeder also knows that it is important to clip or trim the wings to avoid accidents. These kinds of birds are known to be clumsy and can land awkwardly.

Paying a lot of attention to diet is another secret that most experienced breeders do. A parrot's diet must never be the same day in, and day out. You need to have variety from seeds to fresh produce. All good breeders know that meals should be regimented and properly scheduled. Birds, like all other animal respond to being trained and conditioned to know when their next meal will be served.

In the same manner, a bird must be able to get 10 hours of uninterrupted sleep, as much as possible. Interestingly enough, one of the more popular breeds of parrots is the quaker parrot. A quaker parrot breeder knows that these quaker birds are one of the most easiest birds to handle. At the same time, quaker birds are quite reasonable and extremely easy on the eyes.

One of the best secrets parrot breeders knows is that if you want to breed parrots quickly, then choosing the quaker parrot will make it simpler. This is because they mature faster and can have breed as early as turning one year old. The quaker parrot breeder also has an easier time because this particular bird specie are communal in nature, and can entertain themselves if they are in a group.

Parrots usually prefer being in familiar territory, thus parrot breeders must condition their birds to be used to different environments if they plan to sell them as pets.

Ryan H. Grizzard is a parrot care expert. For more great information on parrot breeders visit http://www.parrotstalking.com.

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General Parrot Information and Some Interesting Facts That May Surprise You

Parrots are the most popular birds to be kept as pets. With their sociable character and utmost intelligence, people can't help but fall in love with this these wonderful birds. Known as psittacines, they are tropical birds that thrive in the warm and tropical forests around the globe.

This article aims to share general parrot info and help you become more familiar with these avian wonders. Psittaciformes are divided into three families: the true parrots or Psittacidae, Cockatoos (Cacatuidae) and the parrots of New Zealand and regions around Australia, the Nestoridae.

Parrots can be recognized by their colorful plumage usually green and yellow, bright blue and red sometimes with multitudes of hues, strong bill that curves downwards and short, pudgy legs with two pairs of toes pointing in opposite direction- toward the front and back. These toes come in handy when they eat and pick-up objects to play with. In the wild, their strong legs enable them to maneuver on tree trunks with ease and these also come in handy in their cages while playing around. Their sizes vary from the 8cm long Buff-faced Pygmy Parrot to the meter-long Hyacinth Macaw. This makes parrots the most variable-sized birds in the animal kingdom.

People that plan on adopting a parrot as a pet should be aware that parrot care is a serious matter that requires utmost dedication, patience and time not to mention money. True, the fun that can be had training it to talk and do tricks is one of the best things a human can experience with a pet, but be warned that it's not all fun and games. Not all parrots are guaranteed to talk and one has to be consistent and have enough patience to keep repeating the words you want to teach it again and again.

Before training a parrot, an owner has to first determine whether it's accustomed to humans or not. Forget about trying to teach baby Polly a trick if all he does is try to bite you when you get close. Make sure he feels comfortable and accepts your presence first before attempting to teach him to pick-up things or say a specific word. If you've already started to teach him a word, don't skip to a new one before he knows the current word first. This will only add confusion on his part and frustration on your part.

Ben Greene is a parrot care and training expert. For more detailed parrot info, visit http://www.happyparrotguide.com.

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The Kea Parrot - The Clown of the Mountains of New Zealand

The Kea parrot is also known as the "nestor parrots" and some call them the "mountain parrots". Keas' lives in the South Island of New Zealand, in the high-altitudes, meadows and mountain range, they nest in burrows under rocks and among tree roots.

The Kea has a life span 14 to 20 years of age, stands 16-19 inches tall and weighs between 31 to 35 ounces. The males and the females have basically the same coloring; which is a dull olive green, their feathers are edged with a dark brown giving them a scallop look. Their breast is greenish-bronze, the underside of their tail is green and blue with orange and yellow tips, their crown is a yellowish-green and their bill is a solid brown.

One reason they might be called mountain parrots is that their feathers are so thick they can tolerate the cold, snow and windy conditions in the mountains. Their long slim bill is use to find food between the rocks, they also dig for food using their talons which are long and sharp.

The Kea's diet in the wild consist of seeds, fruits and berries, roots, leaves, flowers and being omnivorous they eat insects, worms and they also other dead decaying animals.

They are very intelligent and very nosy (like they say inquiring minds want to know), if one bird sees something of interest they all will be interested also. They seem to have no fear of humans at all. They will peck the rubber tires on vehicles and sometime even cause damage; they will carry away anything they can get in their beak, from food to toys and even clothing.

Kea parrots are very social birds and live in groups of 10 to 14 birds They will even help each other to find food and once found will share it with others. This also is a learning experience for the younger Kea parrots.

If a person is thinking about owning one of these parrots they better be able to interact with them because they demand a lot of attention and can be very destructive. Their cage should be at least a sixteen foot square. Individuals do poorly in captivity so if you are really brave I would suggest at least having two, to keep each other company when you are not there, if that isn't an option try hanging some mirrors so he doesn't feel so alone.

Toys are a necessity to provide the activities that these curious and intelligent birds must have to stay physically and emotionally healthy. Give toys that require them to solve a problem; like taking something apart to find food such as dried fruit or nuts or something else to chew on or just taking what he found apart, anything that will stimulate and keep them busy.

Remember also the Kea parrot loves to dig and play in dirt put a box of dirt in the corner of his cage and hide pine cones, nuts, pieces of wood, rattles and if you can stand it why not some worms.

Alice Gines is a Kea Parrot enthusiast. For information on Kea Parrot visit http://www.parrotpost.com. Stop by and Grab your free Healthy Parrot Secrets Mini Course today!

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The Beautiful African Grey Parrot

The African Grey Parrot is one of the most highly intelligent and delightful breeds of bird to own as a pet. Because of their unique and amazing ability to learn hundreds of words and mimic their owners, purchasing an African Grey Parrot as a pet is growing in popularity. With the proper understanding, care, and love, pet owners can find companionship and lifelong friendship in this brilliant breed.

Two Main Sub-Species
There are two main sub-species of the African Grey Parrot breed. Both sub-species make excellent pets, are considered a medium sized parrot (ranging 10-14 inches long), and live 60-80 years. When choosing a sub-species of the parrot, it really just comes down to personal preference. The first sub-species is the Timneh ("Tim-ney") parrot. Timneh Greys are dark charcoal grey in color, have dark maroon tails, and have light or bone colored beaks. They are also considerably smaller than the Congo Grey parrot.

The Congo Greys are the second sub-species and are lighter grey in color, usually have a white masked face, an all black beak, and have a lighter red or sometimes even coral or salmon colored tail feathers. Either sub-species make endearing pets and can easily be trained to mimic, speak, and do various tricks, specifically when hand fed.

When considering the purchase of an African Grey Parrot as a pet, it is important to be aware of its background. Knowing whether it comes from the wild or comes from a breeder is essential. The parrot will be easier to train and handle if purchased from a reputable breeder that has integrated hand feeding or hand rearing. Hand rearing is the feeding the baby parrot from birth to 10-12 weeks of age while handling them. This will ensure that it bonds with their human owners and are completely tame. This will give the parrot an easy start to mimic and speech training.

Keeping Your Parrot on a Routine
It's also important to note the necessity of keeping the African Grey Parrot in a cage when not training or handling them. Routine is necessary for the health, well-being, and safety of your parrot. Because of their high intelligence, they are a curious and sensitive bird. They will easily pick up bad habits if not kept to a stimulating and regimented routine. Handling, cuddling, and training them on a regular basis and then putting them their cage when not being handled, ensures that your new companion will be happy and safe. Watch closely for signs of unhappiness, such as feather picking, biting, or chewing. Noting these changes in this sensitive parrot's behavior will create awareness to the needs of adjusting their routine.

Above all, the African Grey Parrot requires a loving, dedicated and patient owner that has done the proper research to understanding the many facets of this unique bird's personality. Love them, play with them, keep them safe, and they can easily become your best friend for life.

Patrick Dell is an African Grey parrot expert. For more great information on the african grey parrot, visit http://www.myparrotcaresecrets.com

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There Are Just Too Many Types of Parrots to Choose From!

When trying to choose a pet parrot, many people are completely overwhelmed by the vast number of different types of parrots that there are to choose from (i.e. over 350 different species). Therefore, rather than trying to look at every possible species of parrot, it is much easier if you decide which parrot type or group you like the look of, and then limit your choice to parrots from within just that one group.

All parrots belong to one main group of birds called Psittacines. Birds in this group share the following characteristics - a very erect stance, a curved beak, and four toes on each foot. This main group of birds sub-divides into 10 parrot types, which are -

* Parrotlets.
* Lovebirds.
* Parakeets.
* Conures.
* Cockatiels.
* Macaws.
* Amazons.
* Cockatoos.
* Caiques.
* Poicephalus parrots.

Parrotlets

The very cute Parrotlet is the tiniest of the parrot species. It only grows to be about 6 inches long. This parrot species originates from Central and South America, and it comes in a variety of colours, including dark-green, blue-green, and bright green.

Lovebirds

This small species of parrots has a short, thick body. It grows to be about 5 or 6 inches long. It originates from Africa. Although they are primarily green, they do come in a massive range of color combinations, which are simply too numerous to mention.

Parakeets

These small parrots originate from South Eastern Asia. They range in size from 7 to 12 inches, which is measured from the top of their head to the tip of their tail. They come in all sorts of different colors, and different color combination's. Typical colors are white, yellow, dark green, light blue, and violet.

Conures

The Conure is a small-to-medium sized parrot, which grows to be about 11 inches long. It originates from South and Central America. It comes in a variety of color combination's, including the following:

* Mainly green, with a red head and wings, and yellow tail.
* Mainly yellow and red, with a dark head.
* Mainly lime green, with a tan head, and a light maroon tail.
* A multi-colored breast, with a tan head, and a lime green back.

Cockatiels

These are small-to-medium sized parrots. They grow to be about 12 inches long (i.e. top of head to tip of tail). They originate from Australia. They come in three main colors - grey, white, and creamy yellow. Regardless of color, they all typically have orange patches on their cheeks.

Macaws

The Macaw is difficult to categorize in terms of size, because they vary so much - from as small as 12 inches long, right up to 39 inches long. They originate from Central and South America. They come in a wide variety of colors, which is evident from the names given to some of the Macaw species - Scarlet Macaw, Red and Yellow Macaw, Blue and Gold Macaw, Blue and Yellow Macaw, Maroon Macaw, Greenwing Macaw, Red and Green Macaw, Red and Blue Macaw, Red Fronted Macaw, and the Red Crowned Macaw.

Amazons

The Amazon is a medium sized parrot. It varies in size from 12 to 16 inches long. It originates from Central and South America, and from a few Caribbean Islands. They are predominantly green, with various brightly colored cheeks, crown and shoulders.

Cockatoos

The Cockatoo is a medium-to-large parrot. It can grow to be anything between 12 and 27 inches long. It originates from Australia, and parts of North Western Asia. The most common color is white, but there are some variations that are tinged with pink or yellow, and with a different coloured crest.

Caiques

The Caique is a stocky, medium sized parrot. It grows to be about 11 inches long. It originates from the Amazon Rainforest. It comes in a variety of color combinations, which includes blue, black, green, yellow, white, and orange.

Poicephalus Parrots

The Poicephalus parrot is a small-to-medium sized parrot. It varies in size between 5 and 13 inches long. It originates from Africa. It comes in a variety of color combination's including:

* Grey, with a blue or green chest, and yellow markings on the head and wings.
* Emerald green, with black wing feathers, and red or orange markings on the head, wings and socks.
* Green and orange, with a grey head.
* Olive green, with a wine coloured head.
* Fawn brown, with a red chest (male) or with a orange or green chest (female).

Hopefully, this brief article has made it a lot easier for you to pick the perfect parrot for you, because you have now only got 10 main types of parrots to choose from, rather than over 350 different parrot species. Whichever one you choose, I am sure you won't be disappointed, because they are all fantastic in my opinion!

John Barlow is a parrot enthusiast. For more great information about the different types of parrots, and all things parrot-related, visit http://ParrotCareAdvice.com/.

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Feeding Your Parrot - Why a Variety of Food is Best

Obviously, one of the most important aspects of parrot care is knowing how, when and what to feed it. Parrot feeding is not as simple as it sounds. With dogs and cats, you can feed them any type of dog or cat-food that suits their taste.

Parrots are a bit more finicky when it comes to their diet and you may find that your baby parrot has a will have a weak appetite initially. This can be due to a few factors- the sudden change of environment, what you're feeding it and what time you're feeding it. Even people, when nervous, don't have much of an appetite.

To overcome this adverse reaction to its new surroundings, give Polly a treat that's irresistible to them like a cracker with something sweet on it or some fragrant fresh fruit like an apple or pear. This will let Polly realize that the new place is a source of good food and will speed-up his adjustment.

Other pets may gobble-up anything you feed them at anytime of the day. Parrots on the other hand are by nature foragers. Foraging is not just a survival thing for them. It's actually has a social function because they do this in groups. Parrots forage twice a day in the wild- early in the morning upon waking-up and early in the evening at sundown. Another possible reason why your parrot feeding isn't going so well is you're feeding it at the wrong time. Make it a point to feed it at the same time it would be foraging in the wild. Remember that these birds were originally wild and still have innate instincts.

Knowing what to feed your parrot is crucial to its survival. Malnutrition and improper parrot feeding is the major cause of deaths of parrots in the early ages. Proper parrot care involves knowing which foods are good for your valued pet. Seeds may seem like a good source of nutrition for these birds as this is what they eat in the wild, but in reality they don't have enough nutrients like calcium and phosphorous. The seeds used in seed mixtures are the same grown for cooking oils, so they're not really as healthy as Polly's wild brethren eat in the wild.

Pellets are of course more nutritious, but they might be excessively so and this might cause your parrot to become overweight. It might be a good idea to combine seeds and pellets supplemented by fresh fruits and vegetables. Ultimately, a good method for parrot feeding is up to you, so a great deal of extra research can reap benefits.

Ben Greene is a parrot enthusiast and expert. For more information on parrot feeding, visit http://www.happyparrotguide.com.

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Types Or Species of Parrots

There are more than 350 types of parrots. Finding the right one for you and your family can be a bit of a daunting exercise. One must consider cost, maintenance, available space, noise level, food requirements, mess, level of socialization, and owners expectations as to the capabilities as well as the interaction with the bird.

Parrots are among the brightest and most beautiful of all the birds in the world. Because of the large number of different types, they are also among the most diverse among the species. They can range from tiny little cuddly birds that can be held in the palm of one's hand to quite large birds almost a foot and a half in length.\par

Parakeets are part of a fairly large group of small parrots that are among the smallest of all parrots. They have a wide range and combination of colors that would include yellow, green, violet, blue, and white. While these birds can be found almost anywhere in the world today, their origins are from Southeast Asia.

Cockatiels are generally gray in color but there are many color variations among them as well. The mature male may have a yellow head and black feathers. They tend to make good pets and are of a size that is easily manageable. As with all parrots, they are quite bright and readily trainable.

Parrotlets as also small parrots that are very easily trained. They make quite good companions. They tend to have very pleasant personalities with lots of energy. They usually grow to be about 6 inches long. Their colors are similar to the parakeets with bright markings and vivid colors.

Conures are parrots that originated in Central and South America. They are very friendly birds that get along well with people and other parrots. Their colors are quite vivid and they are usually very beautiful birds. They make great pets because of their intelligence and social skills. They love to play and interact with others. The biggest problem with the Conure is the fact that they can be quite loud and noisy.

Lorries & Lovebirds are among the most romantic of all the parrots. When paired they will constantly groom and attend to each other. As with most of the parrot family, they can come in a wide variety of colors. Most often they are caged as pairs which is usually easy as they are small birds generally less than 6 inches long. It's very romantic to watch them sleep all cuddled up.

Macaws are parrots that come in a wide variety of sizes and colors. They are tropical birds that range in size from a pigeon to more than 36 inches long. They have large hard and sharp beaks that they use as both something to break up food but also to act as a hand to hold things. A fun nickname for them is "winged rainbow".

Amazon parrots are generally green parrots with very vivid accents. They are among the larger of the parrot species and therefore need more space, food, and attention. Their diet needs to be very healthy (as with all parrots) almost as if one were feeding a small child.

Make sure they eat their veggies.

Cockatoos are the most easily identified parrots. They can raise and lower a beautiful crest of very colorful feathers. Quite a sight. Many people believe that they are among the most beautiful of all parrots. Like all parrots, they are very bright and fun to own.

Caiques are the newest entry into the world of "parrots as pets". They are very brightly colored, playful, intelligent, outgoing, curious, and great talkers. As a result, they are quickly becoming a popular choice for people selecting a parrot as a pet.

Finding the right parrot for you and your home is not a task that most people take lightly, but with research and time finding the right parrot for you and your family will provide many years of fun and enjoyment as well as wonderful companionship.

Bob Cotto is a parrot expert. For more information on different types of parrots, visit http://www.yourparrotguide.com/.

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Parrot Conservation - Part One

Parrots face significant threats as a result of their popularity as domestic pets. This popularity leads to hunting that reduces their numbers in the wild, and this is complemented by changes in their habitat as a result of man encroaching on their territories. Domestic owners of parrots should take a keen interesting in the conservation of their pets' counterparts in the wild if they are truly to be called parrot lovers.

As the parrot habitat is being fragmented and destructed there has been a rise in domestic trade in parrots. As the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) has reduced the international trade problems, so the domestic trade in captured parrots has boomed. It is the combination of trade and habitat factors that are the biggest threat to parrots. However, in addition to this introduced species and diseases have further pressured parrots.

One of the challenges of parrot conservation is being able to count the current population numbers. You not only want to count the numbers, but also to consider populations trends and measure the habitat area. To meet these requirements you need to measure the population at significant intervals, and also measure other biological factors to identify whether population changes result from diseases.

There are a number of different methods for measuring parrot populations: roost counts, nest enumerations, river transects, mark-resighting studies, fixed lookout counts. We will discuss these methods and other conservationism issues in this series that looks at how we can preserve parrots in the wild.

Danny Oakes writes about caring for parrots and covers conservation of wild parrots and pet parrots.

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Is the Parrot Diet You Are Feeding Your Pet Parrot Slowly Killing Him?

Feeding your pet parrot a proper parrot diet is one of the fundamental keys to ensuring that he lives a long and healthy life. Parrots are really no different to humans in this respect - any human who lives on a diet which mainly comprises of junk food isn't likely to be very heathy, and is unlikely to live to be a ripe old age. There are other important things you need to do for your parrot to be healthy, such as interacting with him, and grooming him etc..., but, if you feed him the wrong diet, you might as well not bother! A proper parrot diet is that important.

Unfortunately, even though parrot experts all agree that what you feed your parrot is absolutely vital, they don't agree on what that diet should consist of. This is because not enough research has been undertaken regarding the foods that parrots eat in the wild. Having said that, there is an agreement that just feeding a parrot a diet of seeds isn't adequate. This is due to the fact that seeds do not have the many nutrients that parrots require (e.g. calcium, and vitamins), and they also contain far too much fat. Most parrot experts agree that seeds should not make up more than 10% of a parrot's diet.

In an attempt to resolve the inadequacies of a seed-only diet, parrot pellets were developed. These pellets do contain a good balance of grains, minerals, vegetables, fruits, seeds, and vitamins, but the big problem with them is that parrots quickly become really bored with eating the same food, over and over again. For this reason, the consensus view amongst parrot experts is that these pellet foods should not account for more than 60% of a parrot's diet.

In my opinion, the ideal parrot diet should consist of 40% - 50% pellets, and 50% - 60% fresh vegetables and fruits. This kind of a diet will provide three major benefits for your pet parrot:

* It will provide all of the nutrients required to keep him healthy.
* He will actually enjoy the taste and variety.
* It will mentally stimulate him, because, in order to eat larger pieces of food, he will need to grasp them with his claws.

The following vegetables are ideal for your parrot - green beans, cucumber, sweet peppers, carrots, eggplant, cauliflower, and corn.

The following fruits (ensure all pips or seeds are removed, because some are toxic to parrots) are ideal for your parrot - melon, papaya, kiwi, pineapple, mango, grapes, peaches, apples, cherries, and oranges.

Now you know what you should feed your parrot, here is a list of things that you must not feed him, because they are very toxic to parrots - caffeine, mushrooms, alcohol, chocolate, cocoa, guacamole, and any food that contains a lot of salt, food coloring, grease, and food preservatives.

Even though you need to be aware of the toxic foods listed above, don't panic about accidently feeding your parrot something which isn't good for him. This is because parrots are normally intelligent enough to avoid eating something that is really harmful to them.

One final point is that you must actually monitor the amount of food your parrot eats. Just because you are giving your parrot the right parrot diet, it doesn't mean he will eat it - if he doesn't like the taste of the food, he won't eat it, no matter how hungry he is! Unchecked, this can quickly result in a parrot that is suffering from malnutrition, which is one of the major causes of parrot problems. So, please be sure to carefully monitor his food intake.

John Barlow is a parrot enthusiast. For more great information about the best parrot diet, and all things parrot-related, visit http://ParrotCareAdvice.com/.

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A Pet Parrot - What You Need to Know

Knowing about the needs of parrots and how to give them the basic care they require, makes it much easier when it comes to the decision making part of purchasing your pet parrot.

Parrots need to have attention because they are essentially social birds. A pet parrot is dependent on their human friends for the company they need.

Having knowledge of what foods, besides bird seed, to feed your pet parrot will ensure that your new feathered friend will stay in good health. Some foods such as avocado are not good for parrots whereas some other vegetables can be extremely good for them.

If you are fully aware of what effort is required to look after a pet parrot, you won't be surprised when the cage needs cleaning or there is seed everywhere and things like that. Having this prior knowledge before buying a parrot makes it much easier to provide an environment for your bird that will ensure both its health and happiness.

Information on the right size cage, the right food and what type of toys are suitable for a pet parrot is critical to the health and safety of the bird. As a pet, it is dependent on you supplying all of its needs. That is why it is so important to make sure you know all about these things before buying the parrot. Having the right knowledge can make all the difference in your success in having a parrot as a pet.

Another consideration is whether to buy one or two parrots. Because parrots are so social in nature, having two can work very well. They are less likely to become lonely when you have to be away. A lonely, bored parrot can create problems. A contented happy parrot will give hours of enjoyment and companionship. Many people say that pet parrots are indeed the perfect pet.

This content is provided by Bruce Hodgson. It may be used only in its entirety with all links included. For more information on how to learn about pet parrots, please visit http://parrot.brucehodgson.com

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Five Top Parrot Training Tips

Parrot training shouldn't be viewed as a "take it or leave it" activity. You may very well be happy to just have an attractive bird sitting in a cage in your home, and therefore you really aren't very interested in investing any time into training your pet. This would be a major mistake, because training parrots involves much more than simply teaching your parrot tricks (even clever tricks!) - it actually contributes to the health and well-being of your pet!

It is one of the keys to raising a healthy, sociable, and well-balanced parrot - a parrot that won't end up developing behavioral problems. If you use the right approach, the training is very simple, because parrots are extremely intelligent birds. They have an aptitude for learning new things, and they actually enjoy the learning process, because they find it very stimulating. It prevents boredom, which is one of the major causes of behavioral problems in parrots.

Parrot Training Secret #1

Keep parrot training sessions very short (i.e. no longer than 10 minutes). Any longer than this, and your pet will become tired, and he will not enjoy the training session.

Parrot Training Secret #2

Choose a location for the training session that is quiet, well-lit, and where there aren't any distractions.

Parrot Training Secret #3

Make sure you are in the correct frame of mind for the training session. You need to be feeling very relaxed, and very patient.

Parrot Training Secret #4

The very first "trick" you should teach your parrot is the step up onto your finger, or arm. This is important, because it is the fundamental skill that is required if you want to enjoy handling your bird. To teach a parrot to do this, you simply place your finger in front of him, and, using a very calm and low voice, ask him to step up. If a bit of encouragement is required, you can always offer the bird a small piece of food, but only give it to him after he has stepped up.

Parrot Training Secret #5

Teach your parrot to talk by picking a simple word (e.g. hello), and repeating it over and over to your parrot. When your bird attempts to copy what you have said, give him a bit of food to reinforce the behavior. Do not try to increase your bird's vocabulary by more than one word at a time, because it will just confuse him, and slow down the progress. Also, please remember that although most parrot species have the ability to talk, not all of them will become "talking parrots", so don't lose your patience if your parrot remains silent!

In conclusion, if you take your time, and you are patient, parrot training isn't difficult at all. You will need to invest a fair bit of time into the activity, but you will find the whole experience to be very rewarding. You will also be surprised at just how quickly your parrot will learn new things. One the major benefits of training parrots, is that the human-parrot interaction that is involved will pay dividends, in terms of making your pet a very healthy, well-balanced, and sociable bird.

John Barlow is a parrot enthusiast. For more great information about parrot training and all things parrot-related, visit http://ParrotCareAdvice.com

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Yellow-Headed Amazon Parrot

Aside from being beautiful and funny, Yellow-headed Amazon parrots are one of the most intelligent species of parrots to have as pets. It is said that their intelligence typically compares to that of a three- to four-year old human child. They are highly social creatures, very playful, energetic, and constantly desire to be the center of attention.

The Yellow-headed Parrot (Amazona oratrix) is an endangered amazon parrot of Mexico and northern Central America. It typically measures 38-43 centimeters (15 - 17 inches) in length and is a stocky short-tailed green parrot having a yellow head. It prefers to live in mangrove forests and forests near bodies of water such as rivers. Yellow-headed Amazon parrots have a strong, hooked beak that they utilize to crack the shells of nuts and seeds. They also use their beak for climbing, grasping and exploring.

Amazon Parrots are considered to be the second best vocalizers in the parrot world, next to the African Grey. In addition to learning a huge vocabulary, many will also whistle, sing and mimic household sounds. They are usually reasonably calm and peaceful but can get vocal early in the morning and in the evening as it gets dark.

Amazon parrots are very active and playful and do well if a number of toys and wood blocks for shredding are available at all times. Their need for tons of toys is immense. Owners need to be careful as unsupervised parrots will regard anything in the home as a "toy" that can be explored and chewed on.

Amazon Parrots are generally healthy, but many species are susceptible to nutrition-related diseases. Improper feeding and lack of exercise can lead to excessive weight, which can reduce their life span dramatically. Amazon parrots are also the parrots most commonly diagnosed with Pacheco's disease, a contagious and often fatal viral hepatitis of parrots caused by a herpes virus. Prevention is still the best way to ensure your parrot's health. Proper diet and yearly booster vaccinations are highly recommended.

As a final note, it is essential that your Yellow-headed parrot lives in your main family area where it can see everything that goes on and interact with its environment as another family member. Take good care of your Yellow-headed Amazon and it will provide humor, affection, lifelong companionship and entertainment to you and your loved ones.

Stan Hawke is a yellow parrot expert. For information on the yellow parrot, visit http://www.totalparrotcare.com.

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