Care tips
Some recommendations
Day structure
Parrots like habits. Decide on a schedule for your parrot that accommodates to your schedule. An example of that would be:
8am: Wash feeders. Provide fresh water and fresh pellets. Change the enrichment. An hour of outside time and playtime.
1pm: Provide fresh fruits and vegetables. You may want to change the water.
6pm: Two hours of outside time and playtime.
9pm: Lights close. Sleep time.
Diet
Basis of the diet be complete pellets, at least 75%. We recommend Psittacus products.
Use fresh and safe water. In other words, the water that you drink. Do NOT use distilled water! Distilled water is not meant to be ingested.
Fresh fruits and vegetables to enrich the stimuli of their diet with textures, colors...
Use seeds as a reward only during training or playtime.
Check what foods and non-edible elements are toxic!
How to wean
We provide the necessary, detailed, and specific information for your parrot during the adoption. For general information on weaning, please click below:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1I1ldpPmYW44rVeB1J7KcEz_YVkCMrjHn/view?usp=share_link
Here's the hand-feeding schedule:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Th9cjz_lY7myIYVt0Rncpjlvx2wJpWEI/view?usp=share_link
Cage
This is their space of comfort and security. It has to bring warmth, stability, and a certain novelty.
Locate the cage in the family nucleus, where there is movement. This place is usually the living room. Parrots need to feel integrated into the family.
Our Cage additional recommendations are in this document: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1aRWRMIBvCXZWXTEW0_zVSsyWw2NDeoaw/view?usp=share_link
Bird has to be able to move freely within the cage. The minimum size that we recommend for a conure sized-bird is 25.6 in width x 25.6 in depth x 33.4 in (65 cm x 65 cm x 100 cm).
Make the cage a useful space. Divide the cage into areas and place elements. Even if the cage is big, without elements it would be unused space. Some ideas:
Upper exterior area: Hanging toys, hanging fruit, sleeping nest.
High interior zone: Nail file perch, natural fiber liana, hanging toys.
Middle interior zone: Wood perches, swing rope perches, natural fiber liana.
Down interior zone: Feeders, foraging tray, perches, handing toys.
Some bedding options: wood pellet, shavings, packaging paper sheets, corn cob.
If the bottom mesh of the cage is too wide for your parrot to move around easily, you can set up a layer of plastic wire tied with plastic cable ties.
Set aside one day a week for cleaning.
Environmental enrichment
It is very important that your bird has new things to do so that s/he doesn't get bored. Boredom always leads to behavioral problems that we want to avoid.
While it is true that foraging toys can be purchased, you can also keep everyday items that your parrot can use as safe toys and you can build your own toys. Examples of this include corks, bottle caps, empty toilet rolls.
In nature, the elements with which they interact could be summarized as being of two types: those that hang and those that manipulate with their feet. Knowing this, be creative! At first you may feel insecure, but as you get to know your parrot, s/he will show you what s/he enjoys the most.
Foraging trays
Exploring, discovering, digging, variety in shapes and textures. The tray in the picture is very low because it is for a young parrot and to play together. Adults prefer higher trays with chewable substrate such as a mix of crinkle cut paper and wood pellet.
Hanging toys
Chewing, entertainment, enrich the inside of the cage. The variety offered by the market is wide. Start with a couple of toys and see what elements of the toy interest him the most. Then try others.
Baths
Research how your parrot species bathes in nature. Some go under a stream of water and others bathe in a place containing water.
For example, if you offer a sun conure a container of water, when they feel like bathing, they will bathe in it. However, this same container may not make a caique want to bathe.
Observe how your parrot behaves, what attracts him... Have fun together.
These are some of our recommendations based on our experience. However, it is through your relationship with your parrot that you will discover what s/he likes most. Remember that each parrot has its own temperament and personality. Do your research together and trust your own observations!
Warning
We recommend that any toy, cage... you buy, you disinfect it with water and bleach and run plenty of water for rinsing before giving it to your parrot. There are diseases that are transmitted by dust. We also recommend that if you make contact with another bird (including chickens and pigeons), before touching your parrot, change your clothes and wash yourself.
Have at hand the contact of a trusted exotic veterinarian and keep frozen a bottle of Psittacus General Recovery. When they are needed, they are urgently needed. It is important to be well-prepared.
Recommended avian veterinarian: Rainforest Clinic For Birds. Veterinary: Susan Clubb. Location: Loxahatchee, FL 33470. Telephone: +1 (561) 795-4878
Some products we often use
This list is meant to provide inspiration and a starting point. Be creative and make your own list!
Logistics:
Organic pine wood pellets: https://queenhorsebedding.com/product/pine-pellets/
Bin as foraging tray: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0006383JG?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details
Tall and wide bin: https://www.target.com/p/sterilite-66qt-clearview-latch-box-clear-with-purple-latches/-/A-13794509
Plastic wire: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08NJ41N3J?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details
Food from https://usa.psittacus.store/
Cages from A&E
Keep your house's air fresh and clean with:
An air ionizer. We use the brand Clarifion
An air filter. We use the brand Coway
Toys and perches:
Corks: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00DPAGIPS/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Rattan balls: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08JHLP5DQ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Crinkle cut paper for foraging trays: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07527FQ99/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Foraging toys: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08RXSQXKC/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Swing: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08M9PRK35/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Bungee rope: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B015NSXY7O/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Table perch: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B096K918ZN/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Nail polishing perch: https://www.chewy.com/living-world-pedi-perch-cement-bird/dp/152056
Balls with holes: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08BLQZ8VY/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Plastic toys: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005DAF0T8/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Heart bear stuffed animal: https://www.ikea.com/us/en/p/fabler-bjoern-soft-toy-beige-80141398/
Spoons: https://www.ikea.com/us/en/p/kalas-spoon-mixed-colors-70455695/
Giant wooden toy: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07SNS78MY/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_image?ie=UTF8&psc=1