Many people ask me, “which is the most suitable parrot for companionship?” Although this question seems very simple, the answer is very complex because the suitability of a parrot depends on many factors. A parrot that is suitable for one owner can be unsuitable for another owner. To find the perfect companion parrot you have to ask few questions and have to set parameters. Some questions you may consider asking yourself are:

1. Will it be necessary to ask your neighbours how they would feel about a parrot making noise?
2. How much of your time you can spend with your parrot?
3. How much money are you eager to spend on your parrot?
4. Does your financial condition allow you to breed a parrot?
5. What types of equipment are necessary to keep a parrot? And do you have space?
6. Are you willing to make a long term commitment to your parrot? Parrots can live for up to 60 years!

Those are not all of the questions you should ask yourself, but it’s a good start. After answer these questions you will have set some parameters. You can then go out and find a parrot type that will fit into those parameters. Make sure you research which parrot species appeal to you so that you can find a parrot that you like AND fits into your lifestyle. With everything you learn during your parrot research make sure that you think about how each parrot could potentially fit into your life or could potentially make your life problematic.

Parrots vary in size and color and can cost from $50 to $1500 or more for rare breeds and well trained parrots. The potential age of the parrot depends on the species; the different species can live from 5 to 60 years and sometimes longer.

After on the species of your parrot companion, you will have to find a place to purchase it. The logically choices are a pet store, an animal shelter or a parrot breeder. The parrots you can find at an animal shelter are often well behaved, so it is not as though you are buying damaged goods. A reputable parrot breeder is the best places to find a companion parrot because they will provide top-notch care for their feathered friends. When you buy through a parrot breeder you will also be able to learn about how the parrot was raised and maybe even meet its parents!

The parrot breeder should be able to answer all your questions about how the parrot is raised, as well as how she behaves. When you take your parrot home for the first time, you should already have her cage set up in a suitable location and have the room temperature set to the right level. Having your feathered friends environment set up properly will go a long way towards keeping her happy and healthy. The things that matter most when creating a healthy environment for your parrot are her cage, the cage’s location and size and the variety of parrot toys.

Many parrot owners adopt parrots that have the ability to speak. There are some species of parrots that quickly learn to talk and are quite talkative. How well your parrot speaks depends on appropriate training. Yellow Headed Amazons and African Grey parrots have very good and clear voices and they have high levels of intelligence.

Egg binding is common in smaller birds like cockatiels, finches, budgies and lovebirds. However, it occurs to some degree in every female bird.

The causes of egg binding are thought to include the following:

1. Hypocalcaemia Syndrome (low calcium levels) is commonly associated with egg binding. As you know, the hard outer shell of an egg is made of calcium and if the breeding hen is low on calcium then her eggs will not develop properly. It is important to provide the breeding hen with a good quantity of calcium and vitamin D supplements. If you do not want to give supplements you can try providing the breeding hen with a dish full of crushed eggshells that she can munch on. As for the vitamin D, the best practice is to provide your feathered friend with full spectrum lighting. When full spectrum light strikes the skin it initiates a chemical reaction resulting in the synthesis of vitamin D. Learn more about parrot lighting here.
2. Malnutrition has been shown to lead to egg binding. If your parrot is on a low protein or seed-only diet she may be malnourished even though she is not showing any outward signs of malnourishment.
3. Cages that are too small for your parrot lead to a sedentary lifestyle which has been associated with egg binding. When the parrot cage is too small for the parrot then she will have underdeveloped muscles and probably suffer from obesity because she will not be able to properly stretch or move around.
4. Parrots that are old and/or sick are particularly at risk for egg binding.

Clinical Signs of Parrot Egg Binding

A breeding hen whose eggs are bound will be depressed, less hungry, sit fluffed at the bottom of the cage and suffer from abdominal straining. Some of the hens are found passing large wet droppings and some do not pass any droppings because the egg is interfering. Bleeding or swelling of your parrot’s oviduct will happen in some egg binding cases.

If you think that your hen is facing egg binding then contact a veterinarian quickly. They may be able to feel the binding eggs in the parrot’s abdomen. They can also run an x-ray to confirm the presence of a egg binding. Medical treatments are successful in most cases and allow your hen to pass her egg. In some cases surgery will be necessary.

Parrot Egg Binding Treatment

If egg binding is confirmed in your breeding hen there are some treatments your vet may discuss with you and these include:

• Calcium shots – these shots will allow your hen’s egg to harder within a very short period of time and then hopefully she can pass the egg.
• Lupron shots – these will prevent your parrot from being able to breed, which avoids the whole egg binding problem.
• Splaying – you can use this to put a permanent stop to breeding and egg binding problems.

The nine points below have been known to solve the egg binding problem in some parrots. Please know that not all hens will survive; if the situation is critical when it is discovered or there is no vet available when you need them. In the later stages of egg binding, parrots will suffer from profound cardiovascular collapse and they probably will not be able to pass the egg without intervention.

1. If you suspect your hen is suffering from egg binding make sure you keep her in a warm place and give her very supportive care.
2. If you think your parrot hen is going to pass a bound egg what you can do is create a sauna for them. Bring your bird into a bathroom with a shower and run hot water until the windows and mirrors fog up. The ideal temperature for the room would be 85-90 degrees F (29-32 degrees C) with a humidity of 60%. Let your hen sit on a wet towel. The warmth will relax your hen, which will encourage her vent to dilate increasing the chances of her passing the egg.
3. Giving your hen a warm bath can also help a lot, but please only shallow water. You do not want your hen to drown. In many cases, your hen will pass the egg into the water. Make the water as warm as you like and give your hen a good long soak.
4. Use olive oil to massage the muscles around your parrot’s vent. Often this will encourage the successful passing of the egg. Please Note: Giving this type of massage can be very risky because it may cause the egg to break. The egg breaking inside the hen is life threatening. If you are in doubt, have your vet handle it.
5. Even if cause of the egg binding is not hypocalcaemia giving her more calcium will not hurt.
6. You can also try applying a lubricant like KY jelly to your hen’s vent. This should help ease the egg through.
7. If your parrot hen’s vent is swelling, you can try applying Preparation H to reduce the swelling. Some breeders have reported that this can help a lot.
8. Passing the Egg Successfully – after the egg has been passed keep your hen in a quiet and warm area. Keep her separated from other birds until she is drinking and eating well.
9. Preventing Parrot Egg Binding – give your parrot high-calcium, high-calorie food to make sure that future eggs are strong and not as susceptible to egg binding. Click here for information on parrot nutrition and feeding.

A big part of keeping a parrot happy and healthy is keeping them active and busy, both physically and mentally. This can be achieved through interaction with their owners and their owner’s families, play gyms and parrot toys and games. You will have to frequently change the toys in their cage to avoid repetition and boredom. Try to keep 4 to 5 quality toys in the parrot cage at a time. Often, the toys are designed to be chewed on and grappled, so they will not last forever. Depending on how your feathered friend handles her toys you may be replacing them a few times a year. Luckily, you can make parrot toys from the comfort of your own home!

The main objective in producing home-made toys is to ensure your parrot’s safety and you also get to save a little money. First of all, make sure that the size of toy is appropriate for your bird. If the parrot toy is too small, she may swallow it and choke. On the other hand, if it is too big and heavy, your parrot may drop the toy on its leg or feet. You will also have to make sure that the materials you use to create the are parrot friendly and do not contain any chemicals that could be harmful to the parrot or your family.

You can buy a few parrot toys from the pet store so that you have models to base your own parrot toy creations on. This will also give you a chance to find out what type of toys your parrot likes because that preference will be differ from bird to bird. The toys should stimulate your parrots mind and body. Materials that are often used for homemade parrot toys are rope, cardboard, chain, string, and untreated wood. If you want to collect the wood yourself make sure you avoid pine because the sap from the wood can be toxic to parrots; all other types of wood are fair game.

After collecting the wood you will have to treat it to make sure your feathered friend does not contract any bacteria, fungi or parasites from the wood. First, soak the wood in a 10:1 diluted bleach solution (10 parts water to 1 part bleach) for a few hours. Remove the wood from the solution and let it dry naturally; that should kill any bacteria present. Following that, heat the wood in your oven so that dries more thoroughly and that should kill all parasites and prevent mold from growing later on. You will know the wood is dry once it starts to split in the oven.

If you want to use a chain for a parrot toy then a stainless steel chain would be best. Unfortunately, those can be a little expensive, so if you want a cheaper type of chain opt for a nickel plated chain. Just make sure that the chain remains dry because once wet the zinc may leach out and in large quantities that can be toxic to your parrot.

If you do not want to make the toys yourself, but you want to have something unique for your parrot to play with I suggest visiting the local baby store. There you can find colorful rings and bells and other interesting, large toys such as over-sized key rings. Although these toys will not be cheaper than the parrot toys you will find at the pet store, you can rest assured that these will be safe for your parrot because they are for a baby.

Nearly anything can be used as a toy for your parrot; use your judgment as to whether the toy is safe or not. When in doubt ask for advice at the pet store. The most important thing is that your feathered friend remains entertained and engaged with the toys you make.

The Red Tail Cockatoo is a pleasant parrot, but they can be quite noisy when they get excited. Even if they are not excited, they may become loud in the late afternoon and early morning. At first, this bird is shy and if it was caught in the wild it may be quite nervous. The young red tail cockatoos will befriend humans much more easily. These feathered friends like to chew things, most notably, wood used as perches or ornamentation in the cage.

Red tail cockatoos, like most other parrots, have short tarsi and strong claws. They waddle when they walk and use their beak as a third appendage when they climb. This species of cockatoo has long narrow wings which they use to fly very quickly; speeds of up to 70km/hr have been recorded for these birds. There are other cockatoos that are designed for more leisurely flight; for example, Black Cockatoos and the Major Mitchell’s Cockatoo. Their wings are shorter and more rounded.

Red Tail Cockatoo Wings Spread

Cockatoos keep their large bills sharp by rasping the mandible’s together while resting. Along with the large bill, the cockatoos have large, muscular tongues. With its tongue and upper and lower mandible, the red tail cockatoo will de-husk seeds before eating them. When de-husking the tongue holds the seed in the right position, the lower mandible applies the pressure and the upper mandible acts as the anvil.

The red tail cockatoo is less vividly colored than most other species of parrots. The male is mostly black aside from bright red patches on the tail. The female red tail cockatoo also has the red patches on her tail, but there are black bars running across the red patch. The female will also have yellow spots on her head. As a rule of thumb, the iris of the adult female cockatoo is brown and the iris of the adult male is black. This is not always true and that is why it’s a rule of thumb. The males are on average slightly larger than the female cockatoos.

Red Tail Cockatoo Perched

All cockatoos are diurnal, which means that they require daylight to find their food. Cockatoos wait for the sun to rise and warm their roost before they move to the feeding site. Sometimes, there will be great distances between the roosting and the feeding site. The 21 different species of cockatoo, including the red tail cockatoo, often travel together in one large flock.

Male & Female Red Tail Cockatoo

To keep themselves clean, cockatoos either fly around in the rain or hang upside down in it. They have also been seen to flutter around in the wet leaves of the canopy.

The different species of cockatoo have varying numbers and uses of calls. The short-billed black cockatoo has up to 15 different calls, whereas some other cockatoo species have far fewer. The Gang-gang Cockatoo is pretty quite, but they have soft growling calls that they use while feeding. The Palm Cockatoos will drum a dead branch with a stick to communicate over large distances. All species of cockatoo make a hissing sounds when they feel threatened, this includes the red tail cockatoo.

The cockatoos are flexible feeders and feed on a variety of foods. Seeds are most important in their diet and they are opened with the use of their strong bills and tongues. Cockatoos can be seen feeding in isolation or in flocks that range in size from small to immense. The red tail cockatoo feeds mainly on the ground and the Galah or Corella Cockatoos do the same. The others of the species feed in the trees. The ground feeders usually feed in flocks. The flocks can be closely knit as is the case when seeds are concentrated in one area or the flock can be spread out if the seeds are more evenly distributed.

There are some cockatoos that only feed on specific seeds and others that feed on a large variety of seeds. For example, the Glossy Black Cockatoo will eat only cones of Allocasuarina. It holds the cone in its mouth and then removes the seeds with its tongue. There are some species that eat mass amounts of insects, especially when they are breeding. They use their large and powerful bills to remove larvae and grubs from rotting wood. More on Parrot Feeding

The amount of time Cockatoos spend looking for food in the wild depends largely on the season. During times of plenty, these birds will only spend a few hours of the day looking for food (some in the morning, some in the evening). However, when food becomes scarce they spend most of the day foraging. Also, when food is scarce, Cockatoos become less picky in their choice of food and will travel a lot further to find it.

Jardine Parrots are sometimes also called Jardines parrots. In the wild, the are found in Central Africa, where they occupy floodplains. Although there are many striking species of parrot, Jardines are considered by most to be the finest African parrots to exist. They have a brown-black coloring under their wings and tails are dark brown. Most of the body is yellow with green throughout and they have a patch of red/orange on their head. The coloration of Jardine parrots can change depending on their age and the subspecies Some times immature Jardines will be completely yellow and grow into their colors later on. Some subspecies also have red around the wing feathers and feet, too.

Jardine Parrot on Bed

The Jardine parrots are considered medium-sized parrots; they can grow to be 11 inches (28cm). Jardines can live between 20 to 30 years depending on their level of health, nutrition and environment throughout their lives.

Jardine parrots have a loving nature and are quite friendly when trained well. Jardines do require some to prevent bad behavior and bad tempers. These parrots can develop a habit of biting, if not properly trained and cared for. Bad habits can be corrected, but it will require some skillful training and time to do.

Jardine parrots are very intelligent and they can be shy when you first buy them, but they warm up to you once they feel comfortable with you. They are energetic birds and enjoy learning new tricks. Jardine parrots fit well in a family environment, but they do not handle stress very well. It is a good idea to keep a Jardine in low-traffic part of your home. This will minimize their exposure to stress. These birds are very intuitive and they are able to pick up on your body language and they know when you are stressed or anxious. Sometimes they can become stressed just because you are. A good way to keep them calm is to keep them busy with a variety of games or other entertainment. Maybe they like to hear you sing, or maybe they like to hop around on your arm.

Two Jardine Parrots

In the wild, Jardine parrots eat fruits, seeds, flowers and tree leaves. When moving a Jardine into your home you will want to feed them a balanced diet of grains, fruits, vegetables and pasta. When choosing parrot pellets and seeds you need to exercise caution and watch for things such as nutrient content. When fed the wrong foods a Jardine parrot may develop a feeding disorder. More on parrot feeding.

Jardines parrot would make a great pet for anyone who is looking for a pet parrot. Because they are not too big they can live in most homes. Their compelling and humorous personality will surely help you both enjoy each other’s company. Before you know it you will have a strong bond with your Jardine parrot.

The Crimson Wing Parrot is one of the most striking and beautiful parrots, but they are not very common pets.  The crimson parrot is very easy to take care of and as long it has a large cage and can fly around a bit, they do not  mind being kept in captivity.

There are color differences between the male and female crimson wing parrots.  The males have completely black shoulders and upper back with a deep blue lower back.  The rest of their bodies (body, tail and head) are a striking green.  They also have a crimson patch on their wings, which is their namesake. The females are also very color, but their colors are a little duller.  They do not have the ‘black cloak’ that males have on their upper back and shoulders.  The blue on their lower back tends to be more pale and they usually have a pale green area on their lower abdomen.  Both genders have grey under-wings with white tips.

Crimson Wing Parrot on Branch

The Crimson wing parrot is sometimes confused with the Australian King Parrot because they are of very similar temperament, size and habitat.  A major difference between the two is that the crimson parrot will eat while hanging upside down.  A lot of crimson parrots that were bred in captivity stop feeding upside down.  These parrots are not picky when it comes to eating, but they really enjoy parrot pellets that are made for Cockatiels and other smaller birds.

Crimson parrots love to fly and that is why many people do not think they are suitable as a pet.  They need an aviary or very large cage so that they can stretch their wings and fly around a bit.  If they have enough space to fly around they are will put on a great show because they are very acrobatic fliers.  You can keep then in smaller cages as long as you keep two things in mind.  First, provide a perch for your feathered friend; the more the merrier.  Crimson parrots love to hop from perch to perch when they become restless or bored.  Second, you have to keep him warm.  Do not forget that these parrots come from a very warm climate and if they are kept too cool they may develop health problems.

These parrots can grow to be quite large when fully grow, between 15 and 17 inches (38 and 43 inches).  Crimson parrots are able mimic any other parrot and they also speak quite well; however, they are not as good as the African parrot or the Yellow Parrot.  Crimson parrots are pretty quiet and only squawk when they feel threatened.

Crimson Wing Parrot's Wings

Crimson wing parrots play well with other parrots because they are social birds.  They prefer to live in pairs and a couple of crimson wing parrots can often be heard chatting quietly with each other in their cage.  There is a chance that a male will become aggressive towards the female, so it is a good idea to have a place to hide the female away when the male gets into one of his moods.  As the male gets older it will become less aggressive (the can live to be up to 50 years old).  You could also keep two males or two females together.  That will avoid the aggression problems.

Many species of parrots love water and the crimson parrot is no different.  An area of the cage where the crimson can bathe is much appreciated by your bird and showering your feathered friend occasionally will be great too.

Like I said earlier, people shy away from the crimson wing parrot because of the amount of space they need.  It really is a shame because they are wonderful birds.  They have a calm displacement and they are generally not annoying squawkers, but at the same time they are not brilliant talkers either.  They are gorgeous birds and they would make a fine addition to any aviary.

Birds have better vision than humans and so they have to make sure that they are not exposed to light that will harm their sensitive eyes.  In the wild, birds make sure that they are exposed only the type of light that suits them, that they are not exposed to light for too long and they are only exposed to light at certain times of day.  Parrots grow up and develop in the full spectrum of the sun’s light and they require it for their metabolism and behavioral development.  This becomes important if you buy a parrot that is really young and is still growing; the light that you provide your feathered friend will affect his physical and emotional well being. Proper parrot lighting is critical.

Studies have shown that parrots can distinguish between many more shades of color when they are in sunlight.  This helps them with their mating rituals, spotting potential danger and foraging for food.  As you can imagine, it is not always easy to find a berry in the dense undergrowth of the rainforest, so being able to distinguish shades is critical.

This does not mean that you have to keep your parrot outside in the sunlight for hours and hours and each day; there is an easier and more convenient way of providing the right light to your parrot.   The easier way is have a full-spectrum light source near your feathered friend’s cage.  A full-spectrum light has all of the wavelengths of light that are useful to plants and animals, from infrared to near ultraviolet. Sunlight is a full-spectrum light.  The term full-spectrum is not a scientific name it is just a commercial name that lets you know that the light source is comparable to natural sunlight. Many beginner parrot keepers place their parrot cages near a sunny window instead of buying a full-spectrum light.  Although it is a good idea, unfortunately, windows in homes filter out UVA and UVB light rays and those are critical to your parrots development and overall well being.

The reason your parrot needs full spectrum light is the synthesis of Vitamin D3.  Your parrot synthesizes Vitamin D3 when sunlight strikes its body and it is regulated by the parrots natural internal processes.  This vitamin helps your parrot absorb Calcium from its diet, which is essential for strong bones and beak.  Too little Calcium causes a parrot’s bones to become brittle and they will break easily.  On the other hand, too much Calcium may cause kidney problems, including kidney stones.  You do not have to worry much about the Calcium levels in your parrot as long as he is getting full spectrum light which lets his body synthesize Vitamin D3 as needed.  Vitamin D3 also has a role in the glandular system of your feathered friend and that guarantees healthy and consistent feather growth, and reproductive and molting cycles.

You need to place the full spectrum light within three feet of your parrot and it needs to be on at the same time every day.  Since the light source is very close to your parrot, you have to ensure that he cannot reach the light fixture and destroy it or hurt himself by chewing through cables.  Each breed of parrot requires the light to be on for different amounts of time.  You will do well to follow the recommended time exposure to the light because diverging to far from it may cause your bird to be aggressive or depressed. Most species require 2 to 4 hours of daily exposure.  The smaller species, such as, parakeets or canaries can get by with only 1 to 2 hours per day.  If you have a large parrot, such as an African parrot then you will need to give them 4 to 6 hours full spectrum light a day.

Do yourself a favor and buy a timer for your full spectrum light set up.  That way the task is automated and you do not have to worry about it.  If you live far north or south of the equator then you will have to make sure that your parrot has access to sunlight or a full-spectrum light for 7 to 12 hours a day.  Parrots are mostly found near the equator where the sun shines for roughly 12 hours a day all year long.  They also spend time in the shade, so they will be in the sunlight between 7 and 12 hours on any given day.  Your feathered friend needs that many hours of light to control their metabolic rate, regular their internal clock and maintain healthy endocrine function.  All of those things are vital to your parrots overall, long-term health.

Your parrot is sensitive to its immediate environment and you it is job, as a responsible parrot owner, to make sure that your bird’s surroundings are healthy and positive.  Your parrot’s surroundings include everything from the size of the cage, the location of the cage, the type of light they’re exposed to, the types of toys you provide and the variety in your parrot feeding regimen.  As you have learned in this article full spectrum light is vital to the health of your parrot and it is something that you do not want to neglect.  The proper parrot lighting will help keep your bird healthy and happy for many years to come.

Ryan Benson is the author of The Ultimate Parrot Training Secrets. In this eBook you will find information on how to care for your parrot and make sure that it stays healthy and happy for life. – required reading for anyone that is considering a parrot.

Two of the most stand-out parrots you will ever see are Amboina King Parrots (aka Moluccan King Parrot) and Amboina Green Winged Parrots.  The Green Winged Amboinas have a bright green patch on their dark green wings and they are often confused with Australian King Parrot because they look very similar.

Amboina King Parrots have gained their acclaim from their striking colors.  They have green wings with bright red bodies and blue backs.  These birds are relatively rare so you may not see them in the local pet store, but if you can find one at the zoo make sure you have a good look.  No picture can capture their natural beauty, so it is always something special to see these parrots in real life.

Only DNA testing can determine the difference between male and female Amboina King Parrots.  The adults can reach heights of 14-19 inches (35-48 centimeters).

A Painting of Two Amboina King Parrots

Natural Habitat

Their natural habitat, the islands of New Guinea, Amboina and Moluccas, is being threatened by deforestation and these wonderful parrots are nearly eligible for the endangered species list.  They are native to Indonesia where they are even featured on postage stamps.

Amboina Cages

That height that I quoted earlier does not include their tail, which can be very long, so you need to take that into account when you are choosing a cage.  As a rule of thumb, the minimum dimensions you need for their cage is 16.5 by 6.5 feet (5 by 2 meters).  That size of cage will allow them to stretch their wings, move around and even glide around a little.

Amboina Cage

Amboina Breeding

You might be interested in trying to breed Amboina King Parrots.  If so, you will need a 47 inch deep (120 centimeter) nesting box.  These are not the easiest parrots to breed, but it will be well worth your trouble.

You will know your Amboina King Parrot is sexually mature when the area circling their eye turns black (it will be whitish grey before then).  Experts estimate that it takes 12-30 months for these parrots to reach sexual maturity.  Two to three times a year, they are able to produce up to 3 white eggs.  These eggs will hatch after about 20-25 days of incubation and the young will be independent within 3 months of hatching.

Amboina Care

These are very calm parrots and they are known to interact will with other birds and humans.  However, if they are cornered or feel extremely threatened they may try to defend themselves by biting.

Many people love Amboina King Parrots because they are great at mimicking and they have soft, pleasant voices.  They learn well and they learn quickly, partly because they keep eye contact and focus on what you are trying to teach them.

Amboina King Parrot

Amboina King Parrots can be fed in the same manner as pretty much all other parrots species; they are quite easy to keep.  They do not need special treatment, but they can be a little greedy and they scarf down their food and then steal the food of any parrots sharing their cage.  Make sure that you choose parrot pellets and vegetable scraps that are low in iron because they can react negatively to that mineral. Find out more about parrot feeding.

Even though these parrots always appear to be very confident, they may become stressed if they are repeatedly moved around.

Buying Amboinas

These parrots are quite expensive because of their increasing rarity and high demand.  Their vivid colors, gentle demeanor and sweet voice will make them an excellent addition to any aviary.

Ryan Benson is the author of The Ultimate Parrot Training Secrets. In it you will discover the many other things you can teach your parrot to do, besides just parrot tricks – required reading for anyone that is considering a parrot.

If you have spent any time at all researching parrots then you have definitely discovered that there are a huge number of parrot types.  Not only that, but each parrot type has its own unique personality, life span, and behavior.  If you want to have one as a pet, it is your job to wade through all the options and find that perfect parrot.

Nearly all parrots display bright colors.  Some are large and glorious, others are small and cuddly, but they are all lively and happy if they are treated right.  As you know, some parrots have the ability to learn how to speak, which can be very entertaining (the African parrot is consider the best speaker)

There are parrots that are bright yellow, light green, ocean blue, completely grey and everything in between.  Some parrots are high-strung and need lots of attention, while others are low-key and easy to maintain.  There are parrots that make great pets and adopt your family as their flock and there are other parrots that are fiercely independent and do not want to be kept as a pet.  Most parrots love company and attention.  It makes them feel relevant and loved.

Across all parrot species the parrot diet is pretty much the same: fresh vegetables and fruits, parrot pellets, and seeds.

Parrots are sensitive to their surroundings and how they are treated.  If they are being treated or fed poorly the may get into the wrong state of mind and become unhealthy.  At this point, most parrots become cranky and even start plucking their own feathers out.  There are too many parrots for me to talk about all types in this article, but what follows is a short list of the most popular parrots.

African Parrot: The African Grey Parrots are in the top five of the most popular parrots of all time.  They are very intelligent and if trained properly they will be able to carry on a conversation with humans.  They are expensive to buy, but they are worth every penny if you love parrots.

African Parrot

Conures: These parrots can be independent and have opinions of their own.  They are usually very friendly, intelligent and playful.  In the wild, they rarely fight with other parrots.

Sun Conure

Macaws: These parrots are very colorful and intelligent and they think themselves to be quite glorious, meaning they are flamboyant.  It is their flamboyance that usually captivates people.  Unfortunately, if Macaws are not well trained they can be very embarrassing.

Two Blue And Yellow Macaws

Cockatiels: Generally, these parrots are very easy to take care of and almost always in a good mood.  This makes them ideal for a first time parrot owner.

Lutino Cockatiel

Parakeets: There a huge number of different parakeet breeds; nearly every differently colored parakeet is a unique breed.  Parakeet literally means “small parrots”.

Green Parakeet

Budgies (Budgerigar): These yellow and green parrots are native to Australia.  Usually, they are friendly, entertaining and lively.  They make great pets.

Five Colorful Budgies

Cockatoos: These parrots bond very easily with humans, especially their owner whom they interact with most often.  They have a kind disposition and they are usually very cuddly.

Sulfur Crested Cockatoo

No matter the parrot type you choose you will have to meet the parrot lighting requirements to make sure your bird stays healthy.

Ryan Benson is the author of The Ultimate Parrot Training Secrets. In it you will find out raise and keep a healthy, happy parrot – required reading for anyone who is considering a parrot.

Parrots, like any other pet, need you to take care of them. This article is a general overview of all the things your parrot needs from you; this parrot info will help you raise a happy and healthy parrot.  You can find specific details on each point in other articles on this site.

After you have picked out the parrot that you want, you need to start thinking about a cage for your feathered friend.  There are people who let their parrot fly freely around their home and do not believe in keeping their bird in a cage.  That is the most natural way to do things, but perhaps not the best way, if you care for the condition of your home that is.

The size of the cage is important because you want to make sure that your bird has enough space to move around. Ideally, you would determine the biggest cage you can afford and fit into your house and buy that.  The bigger the better; the more your parrot can move/fly/hop around in their cage the happier they will be.  Here are some minimum cage sizes for popular parrots:

Cockatiels: 22” high by 17” wide (bar spacing of 1/2” to 5/8”)

Conures: 24” high by 22” wide (bar spacing of 5/8” to 3/4”)

Yellow Amazons (Yellow Parrot): 32” high by 23” wide (bar spacing of 3/4” to 1” with bar width of 4 millimeters)

African Grey (African Parrot): 32” high by 23” wide (bar spacing of 3/4” to 1” with bar width of 4 millimeters)

Macaw: 36” high by 24” wide (bar spacing of 1” with bar width of 5 millimeters)

Cockatoo: 36” high by 24” wide (bar spacing of 1” with bar width of 5 millimeters)

In essence, the cage is there to protect the parrot.  If you have other animals in your home the cage will protect your parrots from them.  Also, by keeping your parrot in a cage you are saving it from common obstacles in your home that could harm him.  Most notably, flying into windows.  You have to make sure that the cage is sturdy and strong enough to withstand the inevitable falls that will occur.  Also, parrots love to perch, so make sure that there is at least one perch in the cage.  Perching probably reminds them of sitting on tree branches in the wild.

A well-designed cage will afford your parrot easy access to drink and food.  Speaking of drinking and eating, the parrot diet is one of the most critical components of a parrot’s health.  If you do not give your parrot nutritious food then it will suffer, it may become grumpy and perhaps develop behavioral disorders.  For example, a malnourished African Grey often resorts to self-mutilation (feather picking).  Make sure you understand your parrots nutritional needs and that you meet them.  Make sure that you change the water daily and that the water container is never empty.

In the wild, a parrot is able to clean itself whenever it feels dirty, but in your home you have to bathe your feathered friend.  Luckily, most parrots love taking baths so it is really easy to do.  A lot of owners of large parrots put them in the shower every night and the parrot really enjoys itself.  If your bird does not like bathing then you may have to spray it with warm, clean water.  Warm water is preferred because parrots are susceptible to cold too. After a good bath let your parrot dry off in a warm, comfortable place.

Parrots love to play and socialize.  When they are in the wild they live in flocks with friends and family.  They have nothing do all day but play, sleep and eat.  In your home, sleeping and eating are probably the easiest items to take care of, but do not forget to play with your parrot.  Do not be afraid of physical with your feathered friend, some owners even cuddle with their birds on a semi-regular basis.  It makes the parrots feel warm, loved, and appreciated.

Now that you have read through what your parrot needs from you, you can decide if you are able to provide these things to him.

Ryan Benson newest book is called The Ultimate Parrot Training Secrets. In it you will find critical parrot info to help you raise and keep a healthy, happy parrot – required reading for anyone that is considering a parrot.