Companion parrot: Difference between revisions

With the right home parrots have the potential to make excellent, highly interactive, affectionate, and entertaining pets prized by their owners, but should not be considered easy care or low-maintenance pets. Tame companion parrots require daily attention and interaction with their owners, and need to be housed in a cage at least large enough to allow the bird to spread its wings and move about comfortably. Companion parrots also need to be fed a diet that includes fresh vegetables and fruits, and a smaller amount of seeds and grains; dietary requirements vary with species and activity level.

Other elements essential to a companion parrot's well-being include appropriate toys to chew up and play with; veterinary care; and social time out of the cage whenever possible — preferably on playgyms or other out-of-cage perches. The larger parrots can be expensive to care for, messy, destructive, and loud, and some individuals may exhibit some aggressive behaviors during adolescence. Like dogs, parrots require some amount of basic training and proper early socialization to mature into good companions. Their intelligence means parrots learn new behaviors — both good and bad — easily. Many birds end up having to be re-homed because their owners did not realize the level of care required when they purchased the bird, did not understand how loud they can be, or did not understand how to properly socialize and train their bird. This is especially true for macaws and other species with dramatic, beautiful colouring, as well as cockatoos due to their intensely affectionate demeanor. These traits unfortunately make them tempting impulse purchases, leading to hundreds of macaws and cockatoos being put up for adoption.