Parrot Care – Trimming Parrot Wings
- Image via Wikipedia
Trimming the feathers on a parrot is a job that needs to be done with care because the purpose of clipping feathers is ‘not to prevent flight, but limit flight’ and there is a difference. A parrot has specific feathers for flight and the idea is to stop the parrot flying away, but not necessarily stop it from flying a short distance from one object to another.
The first feather trim.
With a new parrot it is advisable to have the feathers trimmed by an experienced professional. A professional groomer will be able to tell you the right feathers to trim in the future if you wish to do them yourself. Avian experts agree that the trimming of the parrot’s feathers should be tailored to the parrot’s unique temperament and personality.
A young parrot only has the first three feathers trimmed and then only half the length that would be trimmed on a mature bird. At least this will stop the young bird flying into windows and other objects.
It is important that a young bird does learn to fly a little and learn to land without falling over. These skills are essential for him to learn when he is young and only slightly trimming three feathers will allow him to learn these skills early on.
Trimming a more mature parrot.
When taking care of the more mature parrot, it would most likely be found that the first five feathers need to be trimmed. This is because he is now a stronger bird who can fly further and he has also gained considerable expertise in his flying skill.
Care should be taken not to trim the feathers too short and definitely not shorter than the parrot’s covert (the layer of feathers which protect their bases). Clipping of the feathers should mean that the feathers will grow out again, but if clipped too short it could mean that they will not regrow. If you do visit a vet or a professional trimmer who wants to cut below the covert, do stop them from doing so and find someone else. Make sure this issue is discussed before taking the bird to be trimmed.
The idea of trimming feathers is only to hinder flight, not stop it all together. If a parrot has had a severe trim they actually can lose balance quite easily, especially if they try to flutter between perches or other objects they are intending to land on.
In taking care of the pet parrot wing trimming will most likely be carried out twice a year and just enough so that the parrot can fly short distances around the house without having accidents, or causing any accidents.
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Ensure That Your Parrot Has the Best Diet
There are quite a few varieties of parrots in the wild and they all prefer different feed, depending on their habitat and type. Parrots in the wild, feed on a diverse selection of feed; whereas their captive counterparts are accustomed primarily to seeds, although fruit and vegetable maybe a rare delicacy offered to them. Parrot diet should consist of variation as it is essential to a healthy lifestyle. This article will answer simple questions most pet owners have, about what should and should not be a part of parrot feed to provide quality of nutrition to the parrot.
What should a parrot’s diet consist of?
This is perhaps the biggest misconception and hampers the growth of the parrot. Although parrot diet is usually dependent upon the type of the parrot, it never means that parrots should be kept on a seed-only diet. Seeds contain fat and carbohydrates, and provide little nutrients to the parrot. It is necessary to feed the parrot with vegetables, fruits and nuts to enhance the sources of essential nutrients.
Vegetables and nuts can be fed a few times a week, while fruits should be incorporated in a parrot diet on a weekly or fortnightly basis as a treat. This is because fruits have a high fructose content, and the sugar will tend to make the birds slightly hyper-active, that may possibly lead to picking feathers or other injury. It should be ensured that parrot feed is of the highest quality, preferably organic. The outermost layer whether the skin of the fruit or vegetable, or the shell of nuts, should be removed before placing in front of the bird.
What are the dangers of an inadequate diet for a parrot?
An easy way to diagnose a case of poor parrot diet is by checking for signs of agitation and frustration on part of the parrot. An irritated parrot will often seek to bite, or will have missing feathers as a result of either plucking or shedding. Parrots experiencing some deficiency are also prone to epileptic seizures, blindness and other eye problems. An overgrown beak may also be a danger sign, but is relatively difficult to diagnose.
What should never be fed to a parrot?
There are several things that are dangerous to parrots and should never be fed to them, as they might prove fatal eventually. Avocado is a fruit that can kill the parrots, if fed to them. Apple on the other hand, although the flesh is safe for consumption, the seeds should never be ingested by a parrot as they contain cyanide in significant amounts.Alcoholic and caffeinated beverages are also very harmful to a parrot. Chocolate contains caffeine and should be avoided at all costs.
The above items do not form a parrot diet anywhere, but some people may try to experiment and neglect to pay attention to what might be detrimental for their birds. Care should be taken at all times, to ensure your bird receives adequate nutrition in the form of clean and quality diet.
What Are The Four Most Popular Types Of Parrot Pets?
- Image by Dan_H via Flickr
Parrots are absolutely wonderful pets and if you ever felt you wanted a pet that would make you laugh, then a parrot is the answer. They have so many funny characteristics and let me tell you, if they are not happy about something you will soon hear about it! Parrots are very vocal when it comes to their own needs and comfort. Put several hungry parrots near a food bowl and you will hear just what I mean!
The four most popular parrot species.
1. African Grey – a parrot that grows to about 14 inches, is a lovely shade of grey with either bright red or maroon tail feathers and with either color at the bend of the wing. Check out more info on African Greys.
2. Amazon – these are a very loyal parrot and popular among them in the parrot owner’s world is the yellow headed Amazon parrot
3. Cockatoos – these are a magnificent looking bird, a bird with an attitude! But what fun they are. They are very interactive with their owners, but if upset they can be really destructive.
4. Macaws – another magnificent looking species and the colors! They are just so bright and beautiful. Great to have around.
All four parrots are of the larger variety and are really quite demanding in their own way. They are all good talkers (if they want to be) and will learn tricks with the utmost of ease. Put toys around them and they will occupy themselves quite happily. It really is not hard to see why they are so popular.
I know, many people would say the budgerigar, and as a small parrot pet it certainly would hold a placing right up there, but the four mentioned above are overall, the top four contenders.
One feature of the parrot as a pet is that they do groom themselves quite well. They will preen their feathers every day, keeping them shiny, clean and laying flat. All they require from the owner in the way of grooming is a water spray every day or two and the odd trim of the nails. Not much is it?
But, that’s the upside. The downside is that they will require more time spent on their living apartment. They do like their cages, but they are not that house proud. Parrots will chew things up and throw them around with quiet (well, sometimes) abandon and expect the owner to clean up after their mess.
Have you ever seen a parrot eat from a seed tray? Once their favorite seeds have been husked they will sweep their broad beak through the tray and scatter seeds far and wide in the hope of finding more of their favorite morsel down below. What a mess they can make in only a few minutes.
If you own a parrot you will soon notice how the parrot takes his place in the family hierarchy – right at the top! No second place for this fellow!
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