If you are here it is because you are looking for the right reasons to become a Bird Owner.

Let's go for a little bit of history.

Dogs and cats have been domesticated for over 20.000 years now (some scientists, not without controversy, claim the dog has been a faithful human companion for over 100.000 years). We can safely say they have adapted to us, humans and our environments.

In contrast to this, Parrots have only been breed in  captivity with commercial purposes for only a couple of hundreds of  years.

Before you choose a parrot for its charms (and all the wrong reasons ) Let me give you a little dose of reality.

Parrots scream (some a little some a lot, the larger they are -Cockatoos are noisiest- the more powerful noise they make). They scream out of fear, frustration, Happiness, quietude, too many people, too little people, some other birds in the house, because he/she is all alone, because he/she wants to play because he/she doesn't want....got the picture?....Some Pet stores will tell you that this is not true, but even though some personalities can be tamed and some habits be changed it is in their ability to vocalize and emit strong noises. If you live in an apartment complex please be aware of this before you make your choice of breed (Some are quieter than others).

Parrots CHEW ON WOOD  (and some other they don't happen to know if it was your precious late Aunt Marge's dressier the one they are chewing on, or that cute little toy you bought for him/her. You MUST NEVER LEAVE A PARROT UNATTENDED WHILE OUT OF THE CAGE.

Consider a few facts about parrot needs. Your bird will need a varied diet and a roomy cage with toys. It may never talk or learn to do tricks, but it will still need your attention. Larger species require at least a couple of hours of one-on-one time with their owners every day. Parrots live between 20 to 80 years Yeah!!80. Even budgies and cockatiels can outlive a dog or cat if properly cared for. Large parrots such as macaws and cockatoos have been known to reach the ripe old age of 80.

Like other animals, parrots need to be taken to a veterinarian when they get sick. When you travel, they need a pet sitter. Like puppies, parrots love to chew--on furniture, wallpaper, doorjambs, homework, and your clothes. Unlike your cute puppy they never outgrow the habit.

Parrots can and do survive multiple homes, just as dogs, cats and other animals do, but because they tend to bond to one person, they may suffer more psychologically. Unless you can commit to a parrot for as long as you both shall live--with a provision in your will, ideally--do both of you a favor and buy a pet you know will not outlive you.

If a parrot still sounds like a good idea, lucky you. No other pet combines as much beauty, intelligence and innate uniqueness as a bird.

What kind of parrot should I get?
There are over 300 species of parrots in the world, ranging from the tiny parrotlet to the gigantic, rare hyacinth macaw. Species available in every color and size in between are available. Which one is for you?

Let space, expense and living arrangements first help determine the best parrot for you. Most apartment dwellers, folks on a budget, or families with small children will enjoy one of the many smaller species, such as budgies, cockatiels, conures and lovebirds.

The largest parrots, such as Amazons, macaws and cockatoos, are striking in appearance and also can make loving pets.

However, they are messier, louder, more destructive, more expensive to feed and house, and capable of inflicting dangerous bites if not properly handled.

A few parrots make better aviary birds than indoor pets. Lories, for instance, have the less-than-enchanting habit of spraying liquid droppings up to six feet away. Still, many lory fans are willing to purchase or rig special cages in order to keep these parrots as pets.(and any Lory's fancier will tell you that there is not a more gorgeous bird on earth!)

If you're having trouble deciding, ask someone knowledgeable about parrots, such as a breeder, to advise you. you can certainly contact us for advice !!!

What kind of cage should I buy?
You should think of your parrot's cage as a temporary place to confine it when necessary, not as a permanent residence. Even so, your parrot will be spending many hours in its cage, so try to make it as roomy, comfortable, and homey for a bird as possible.

As long as the bars run horizontally and are spaced close enough to prevent your parrot from sticking his head between them, you can buy a cage as large as your pocketbook and home will allow.

At a minimum, the cage should be large enough for the parrot to flap his wings for exercise. Avoid cages made of wood or hardware cloth; the former won't last under a parrot's destructive beak and the latter is coated with zinc, poisonous if chewed. Place the cage in the living room or another room close by family activities.

Equip the cage with two or three perches of varying diameters to prevent foot fatigue and pressure sores. Safe-to-chew tree branches make a nice alternative to commercial dowels and  at least a couple of parrot-safe, species-appropriate toys to keep your bird occupied when you're not around. Many people rotate toys every couple of weeks so their parrot won't become bored. Most parrots also love wooden boxes placed inside their cages; they use these as private hideaways and as a roosting place at night.

Birds appreciate an occasional bath. Small parrots such as budgies will use the little plastic bathtubs you can attach to the cage. Ceramic dog dishes too heavy for a playful bird to tip over work well as makeshift bath tubs for larger parrots. For quick showers, use a plastic plant-misting bottle to gently spray your parrot with lukewarm water or a gentle spray or shower head if they accept it.

Line the bottom of your parrot's cage with newspaper; fancier materials such as sawdust and corn cobs not only cost extra, they can create a moist environment for disease. Ink from newsprint will not harm your parrot. However, it's a good idea to change the paper every day; not only will your bird's feet stay cleaner, it's easier to spot a change in droppings.

Experts recommend parrots get 12 hours of quiet and darkness every night. Covering the cage with an old towel or light blanket may help your bird sleep better

What do parrots eat?
All any bird needs is seed, right? Not parrots. Although avian nutrition is still a relatively young field, experts agree that parrots need more than the box of seed you buy at the pet or grocery store. All-seed diets tend to be high in fat and deficient in vitamin A, calcium and protein. While your bird may appear to thrive on seed, eventually the poor nutrition will cause serious health problems, which may include liver disease, respiratory infections and even blindness, ending in a untimely death due to lack of nutrients or liver fat.
 
A well-rounded diet for a parrot may include fruits, vegetables, cooked grains and, occasionally, bits of cooked meat.(chicken)

So what's on the well-fed parrot's menu? Because the precise nutrition needs of various species have yet to be established, experts are still divided on the question. Some avian veterinarians advocate roughly 50 percent cooked grains such as rice and oatmeal, 20 percent fresh fruits and 20 percent fresh vegetables, with the remainder consisting of nuts and beans for protein. Other experts recommend a diet that consists mostly of formulated pellets such as Harrison's, with little of other types of food provided.

Healthy nonpelleted foods for your bird include whole-kernel corn, cooked pasta, plain popcorn, cooked oatmeal, barley, wheat bread or unsweetened breakfast cereals such as Shredded Wheat and Cheerios. Vegetables may include fresh greens such as spinach and broccoli, cooked yams, squash, sprouts, and carrots. Most birds love chopped fruits, such as apples, pears, plums, oranges and grapes, and bits of beef, chicken or fish.

In general, most parrots can eat just about anything that's safe and healthy for a human, as long as it doesn't contain caffeine or too much fat, salt, or sugar. However, there are a handful of dangerous exceptions: Never give your bird avocado or chocolate. Avocados contain a toxic chemical called persin, which can also sicken humans who are allergic to it. Chocolate contains theobromine, a caffeine-related alkaloid that animals cannot metabolize as effectively as humans can. Also be sure to remove all seeds from fruits; many pits are toxic to birds.

Never let your bird chew on or inhale any substance that is not healthy for humans or that you cannot identify as safe. For a complete catalog of dangers, see Hazards and our list of poisonous plants in our encycolpedia's area under Poisons and Dangers in the house.

Start your parrot on a healthy diet as soon as possible. Fondness for a variety of foods will not only make it easier to feed, but could help save your parrot's life should it ever lose its appetite due to illness.

However, never abruptly change a parrot's diet. Gradually introduce new foods while leaving the bird's old seed diet in the cage for at least a few hours every day. As it learns to like the new menu, you can feed your bird less seed. A parrot suddenly and completely deprived of familiar foods can starve itself.

Tip for first-time parrot owners: Check your bird's seed dish daily to make sure it's full of seeds, not seed husks that have fallen into the container as the parrot eats. You can separate shells from whole seeds by lightly blowing over the dish.

How do I tame my parrot?
The easiest way to enjoy a tame parrot is to acquire one that is already comfortable around people. A tame parrot should not attempt to bite or be overly skittish when you approach it and should be willing to step onto a finger or hand.

If your new bird is afraid of you, don't despair. Even a tamed bird can backslide, especially around strangers. Don't attempt to make friends right away; let your bird watch the comings and goings of its new household for a couple of days. After this settling-in period, place your hand inside the cage and say "up," offering your finger to a small parrot and your entire hand to large birds. If the parrot does not respond, gently press the back of your finger or hand against its lower abdomen to encourage it to step forward.

If a parrot has been mistreated or never handled, it may take more than a few days to tame. In some cases, earning a bird's trust may require you to spend weeks or even months providing consistent, patient, daily interaction.

Never hit or yell at a parrot or deprive it of food and water as a means of training. Birds do not understand punishment and cruel treatment will only foster distrust.

Common wisdom holds that birds, being prey animals, are more adept than other creatures at hiding illness to avoid appearing vulnerable to predators. Whether true or not, it pays to watch closely for any change in your parrot's behavior in order to nip illnesses in the bud. Once far along enough to be noticed, respiratory infections in particular can kill quickly.

Do not wait even a day to see if your bird's condition improves. If your parrot seems ill, call your vet immediately and follow his or her instructions. The vet probably will want to see your bird right away.

Sick parrots sit fluffed and listless on their perches or, if an illness has progressed to a serious stage, on the bottom of the cage. A parrot with pneumonia or other serious condition may make a barely audible wheezing sound when it breathes, sneeze frequently, or have a nasal discharge. Its singing or speaking voice may sound different.

Droppings, normally target-shaped and consisting of firm white and dark green parts (urine and fecal matter), may be consistently runny or a different color. (An occasionally runny dropping after a fright or stressful event is normal.)

Weight loss or gain also may indicate illness, but changes are difficult to spot before they become significant, and by then a condition may be serious.  Weigh your bird every six months and call your vet if weight fluctuates 10 percent or more.

Sick or injured parrots should be kept in a warm place between 78 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit.

For a quick-and-dirty hospital cage, train an adjustable lamp over your bird's covered cage, or place a heating pad against one side of the cage and encase it and the entire cage in plastic wrap. Seal loosely along the bottom with towels and cut flaps in the plastic on the front of the cage for fresh air and access to the bird and food cups. Adjust the wrap as needed to maintain the desired temperature.

Place a thermometer inside your hospital cage so you can monitor the temperature and adjust as necessary. If your bird gets too warm, he will hold his wings apart from his body, open his beak to pant, or both.

Always make sure your bird has plenty of food and water to drink in his hospital cage. If he is very weak, you may want to remove perches so he doesn't fall and injure himself.

How do I teach my parrot to talk?
Even the little budgie is capable of picking up at least a few words. You can increase the odds that your parrot will talk by choosing a species known for its talkativeness, such as the African grey and yellow-naped, blue-fronted, yellow-fronted or double yellow-headed Amazon parrot. Some people swear by training tapes, which repeat words and phrases over and over. However, many parrots begin repeating words and phrases they hear their owners say frequently, such as "hello" or "come here."

Many birds need at least a few weeks to get the hang of a new phrase; some talented individuals master new vocabulary after hearing it only two or three times. At the other end of the spectrum, some birds never utter a single human-language word; these you can appreciate for their other fine parrot qualities.

Does my parrot need a mate?
Parrots that spend a lot of time with their owners and have plenty of toys and other distractions seem to lead emotionally fulfilled lives with human families. However, if you cannot spend as much time with your bird as it seems to need, a mate or a companion of the same species can be a kindness.

Will you lose your bird's affection if you provide it with a feathered friend? Yes, to a large degree. Once paired, a parrot largely abandons its human relationships, especially if allowed to breed. Your bird probably will still allow you to handle it, but the ties that bind it to its own kind will always come first.

Should I clip my parrot's wings?
Among pet-bird grooming practices, wing clipping is perhaps the most controversial. Some owners strongly believe in leaving their birds flighted; others prefer clipping. Owners in the first group like to leave their birds' wings intact so they can fly indoors or inside an aviary. Flighted parrots can seriously injure themselves. They may fly onto a hot stove, crash into a window or mirror, or escape outside through a door or window accidentally left open. Escaped birds can be extremely difficult to recover and often do not survive outdoors, succumbing to the weather or attack from other animals.

If you're among the many owners who prefer to clip their birds' wings for safety, you may leave this task to your veterinarian or do it yourself. Have a knowledgeable friend or your veterinarian show you how to do it the first time. When you are ready to fly solo, you will need a small pair of blunt scissors, a towel, and, unless your bird is very tame and enjoys being handled, a second person to restrain him to prevent struggling and biting.

The helper should drape the towel over the bird's back and grasp him firmly but gently by the back of the head. Never cover your bird's head or squeeze him. Many owners have accidentally suffocated their birds by restraining them too tightly, which can put a lethal amount of pressure on their delicate air sacs.

Currently, the most popular type of wing trim is cutting all of the primary feathers - the first grouping of feathers before the wing bends - half to two-thirds of the way. To provide your bird with the best possible balance, never cut the secondary wing feathers - the second set that is beyond the bend, closer to the body - and always trim both wings.

Hold the wing by the top (never the tip) to extend it. Before cutting a feather, carefully examine it to make sure it’s not still growing in. These new "blood feathers" have a swollen purplish lower shaft, which indicates they are still being nourished by a small reservoir of blood. When cut - or accidentally broken, a fairly common occurrence among birds that flail when frightened - a blood feather usually bleeds profusely.

Bleeding usually stops on its own; if it doesn't, you may be able to staunch blood flow by using gentle pressure or by applying corn starch. However, it's best to remove the remaining feather shaft as soon as possible, since leaving it may lead to renewed bleeding later or even infection.

If it's not possible to have a veterinarian remove the shaft, you can perform this chore yourself, with care. While a helper restrains your bird, firmly grasp the feather as close to the bird’s body as possible with a pair of pliers (or tweezers, for small feathers). With your other hand, gently hold the area around the base of the feather so that when you pull the feather out, the action does not tear your bird’s skin. Extract the feather in one clean movement. Once a blood feather is removed, the bleeding should stop.

Newly trimmed birds often overestimate their flying ability, so keep your bird on low perches and in carpeted areas until he's become acquainted with his new wings. A crash onto a hard floor or pavement can result in serious injuries to the head or keel.

You will probably find that your parrot's nails also need an occasional trim. Overgrown nails can snag in your clothing and make walking and climbing awkward for the bird. For nail trims you'll need a good pair of notched or guillotine-style nail clippers, found in most pet stores.

For very overgrown nails, try snipping a little at a time, waiting a week or two in between each session. This allows the vein to recede. If you accidentally cause bleeding, use your finger to lightly apply styptic powder to the end of the nail. Styptic works by chemical burn, so never apply it anywhere else on your bird or allow him to taste it.

If your bird’s beak has grown so long that it interferes with eating or grooming, consult your veterinarian. Additional chewing materials can keep some birds’ beaks in shape. In other birds, such as budgerigars, an overgrown beak can indicate a serious underlying medical condition, such as a fatty liver.

After watching your veterinarian file or trim your bird's beak, you may be handle this chore yourself. However, bleeding can be dangerous and botched trims can leave the beak open to infection. Whomever grooms the beak should avoid using sanding tools; these loud instruments only prolong and add trauma to the procedure. 

MONICA GETS CERTIFIED !!!!