How To Take Care Of Your Pet Parrot
Author: Naldo Camarones

Parrots make wonderful family pets because they are great
companions, they are beautiful birds with colorful feathers and
you can teach them to talk. But you must have a strong level of
commitment to your parrot because he will need daily and weekly
maintenance, as well as plenty of attention.

What a Parrot Needs

When you consider how to take care of you parrot, you will have
to consider what you will need to get started. The first thing
you will need is a large cage for your parrot to live in. Make
sure it is big enough for him to move around a bit and be
comfortable. To occupy his time and make him feel comfortable
you should place a mirror, a swing and a toy in the cage. You
will also need something to properly line the cage.

What To Feed Your Parrot

A parrot should have a healthy, well-balanced diet. It should
consist of fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts, meat and grains.
Peanut butter and cooked eggs are other sources of protein that
are good for parrots. Pre-packaged parrot food is certainly
another valid option. It takes the guesswork out of feeding
your bird a wide variety of balanced nutrition.

As with most pets, avoid feeding your parrot caffeine, alcohol,
chocolate and salty foods.

Teaching Your Parrot To Talk

One of the most attractive features of this type of bird is
that you can teach them to talk and whistle. Most people get a
lot of enjoyment out of it. It does require a lot of time and
repetition though and training should begin when the parrot is
young. New words should be introduced with an activity so the
parrot can link the two. He may even pick up on words you don't
really want him to learn just because he hears them often.

Whistling may come more natural for the birds and may be
encouraged after you have trained him to talk.

Provide Exercise

Your parrot will need to get daily exercise. Let him out of the
cage for small amount of time, starting with fifteen minutes at
a time. Let them fly around the house and tire themselves out.
See a professional for wing clippings when necessary.

Beak Care

Never try to trim your parrot's beak at home. Seek a
professional's help when needed. Some things you can do at home
to help your bird with beak care is to provide a concrete perch
or a cuttle bone for him.

Maintenance

The basic things you need to commit to for taking care of your
bird are quite simple, but they do require some effort on the
owner's part. In addition to never leaving his food bowl empty,
you will need to provide him with fresh water twice a day. You
will need to clean his cage on a weekly basis. You will also
need to groom him 2-3 times per week. This can include a full
bath given in a sink or washtub or by simply misting the bird
and using specialized bird shampoo on him.

When all the work is done, you will have a beautiful pet that
will provide hours of entertainment and joy.


About The Author: The latest work of Naldo can be found at:
http://www.shparrot.com