• Life expectancy: 15-60+ (depending on the species)

• Can learn to speak, though some species are more inclined to mimic sounds

• Psittacine who use their hooked beak to climb

Parrots have been kept as companion birds for over 2,000 years. Their bright colours and ability to imitate voices and sounds will delight just about anyone. These intelligent, loving, and curious pets will provide companionship and entertainment for years! A parrot will grow and change in their behaviours and abilities just as a person would.

A well-socialized single parrot can make an exceptional pet with close bonds to you. If you are unable to spend the time that is required to keep your parrot happy, then two parrots would be a better choice. It is best for each parrot to have their own cage in a shared room so they can converse, but still have their own space when unsupervised.

Handling & Training

When approached with a gentle voice and a little patience, a parrot can be hand-tamed and learn the “step up” command. This skill makes out-of-cage time more enjoyable, and can be an excellent bonding opportunity. Ask a pet counsellor to show you how to get started!

Our pet counsellors are bird lovers and because they are, they hold and play with the parrots in our store. Our guests also play a big part in our parrot’s social skills through handling and interacting. This is why a Petland parrot is quick to bond with their new caregiver.

Your parrot will also require training. They learn a great deal from their caregiver and rely on us to be mentors with consistent commands and routines. An element of training is desensitization, which is the gradual exposure to something or somewhere to reduce fear or anxiety. Your parrot will need this training to be comfortable using their transport carrier, being in new places, and trying new foods or toys to name a few examples.

Talk with your veterinarian for guidance in behaviour training.

To provide a happy, healthy atmosphere for your parrot, Petland recommends the following necessary, and fun accessories. We have listed them as your new pet’s four basic needs: Environmental, Behavioural, Nutritional, and Maintenance. When these needs are met, along with a loving environment provided by you, your parrot can live a long and happy life.

For more specific information about your parrot’s care requirements, ask your pet counsellor for a copy of your parrot’s Care Sheet.

ENVIRONMENTAL

Day Cage – When choosing a cage for your parrot, get the largest cage that you can. Even with out-of-cage time, your parrot will require room for all of their toys, perches, and dishes, and stretching of their wings. A parrot cage has bars that are horizontal so that they can climb comfortably. Your pet counsellor can show you homes specifically designed for your bird.

Ensure the location of the cage is draft free, away from heat or air-conditioning vents, and not in direct sunlight. It should also be a room where people frequently hang out so that the parrot feels part of the family. Consider using a cage stand to hold the cage and store supplies.

Night Cage – Although optional, some parrots sleep better in a smaller night cage that is only large enough to stretch their wings, as this provides more security and is less stimulating without toys. Ensure there is fresh food and water kept in the cage for midnight snacks or drink! The cage can be used for future use as a transport cage or temporary home when vacationing or staying with a sitter.  

Cage Cover – No matter if you have a night cage or not, a cage cover helps your parrot get the rest they need (approximately 12 hours). Remember that birds wake at sunrise and sleep at sunset. The cover can be a blanket, but make sure the parrot is not shredding it, as this can pose a choking risk.

Lighting – Your bird needs daily exposure to ultraviolet light. In our climate, regular outdoor access is not always possible, and sunlight through a window is ineffective because the glass filters out important UV rays. Using a UVA/UVB bulb and avian floor lamp is therefore essential.

UVA and UVB light help prevent calcium and vitamin D3 deficiencies, which can lead to serious health problems. UV exposure also allows birds to see colours properly, as they can become effectively colour blind without it. In addition, UVA light may help reduce abnormal behaviours such as feather plucking, phobias, and aggression. For more information, ask a pet counsellor for a copy of the Ultraviolet Lighting for Birds and Reptiles Tip Sheet.

Perches – Birds are not meant to stand on the same perch size all the time. Provide your parrot with a variety of perch diameters for proper foot exercise, ideally using rope or natural wood. Place these higher in the cage where they prefer to rest. Rough perches (like concrete or sandpaper) can help trim nails but should be placed lower so they’re used less often. Ensure perches allow easy access to food and water, without being positioned above dishes where droppings could contaminate them.

Playpen or Portable Perch – When your parrot is having their daily out-of-cage time, wood playpens and portable perches are an ideal safe place for them. It is also a great space for you to interact, train, and play with your parrot!

Transportation Carrier – A carrier is helpful to transport your parrot to your veterinarian or to a friend or sitter’s house. Desensitize prior to use through practice and exposure.

BEHAVIOURAL

Toys – Toys typically mimic the natural activities of the species in the wild, such as foraging, building nests, and attracting a mate. Providing a variety of toys will give them the extra mental stimulation and entertainment they need. Without, they can grow bored and take up bad behaviours such as plucking, or screaming. Petland recommends that you purchase several toys and rotate them weekly, as they will be less interested in the toys if they are left in the cage all the time.

There are 6 types of toys to provide: foraging, destructive, sound/noise, educational, foot, and acrylic, all of which fulfil a unique behavioural need. Parrots have an inherent need to chew, and therefore their toys can and will be destroyed!

Socialization – A parrot’s behavioural needs are similar to those of a child in that they need to be talked with, played with, cuddled, and socialized regularly throughout the day. Include them in your daily life at home.

NUTRITIONAL

Staple Diet – Parrot pellets, a balanced diet, should be available at all times. Seeds add variety to the diet but because parrots often pick out their favorite seeds, they should only be offered as a treat. Check food daily and replace if soiled. Refill the dish every day.

Fresh Foods – Birds should be offered a salad of fresh foods every day. Vegetables like carrots (and tops), broccoli, beets, green beans, snow peas, navy and lima beans, sweet potatoes, and eggplant make good choices. Fruits should be considered a treat and offered minimally.

Every bird is different in their tastes. While your parrot may love certain fruits and vegetables, they may reject others. Keep trying and offer a variety. With exposure, they will be more willing to try in the future. Feed fresh foods in a separate dish, and remove it after one hour.

Treats – Seeds, honey sticks, and spray millet are great options. They provide your parrot with the variety they crave and the behavioural requirements they need. Treats will keep them busy picking and gnawing, while giving them a tasty alternative to staple food and fresh foods.

Spray Millet – Millet is one of the few foods parrots would naturally find in the wild. When bringing your parrot home, offer spray millet daily, as it may be the only food they feel comfortable eating at first. Once they have settled into their new environment, reduce millet treats to once or twice a week.

Cuttlebone – Cuttlebone will supply your parrot with calcium, phosphorus, and other minerals. Hang it in their cage where droppings cannot soil it. Replace it every two months, as they are very porous and absorb odours and fumes from the environment, such as smoke or cooking smells. If your bird does not show interest in the cuttlebone, grind it up into powder and mix it with their salad or favourite treat.

Clay Cal – In the wild, many parrots have been observed consuming clay. Experts believe that birds ingest the clay to ensure the proper intake of minerals, such as calcium, into their diets. As an added bonus, the clay also absorbs toxins and removes them from the body. Therefore, clay cal must be offered to help mimic this natural behaviour.

Iodine Block – An iodine block provides iodine, copper, and many other minerals in small quantities. It is fun to chew, and tasty too. A pellet staple diet meets the required iodine levels in birds, making the iodine block unessential unless feeding a seed staple diet.

Vitamin and Mineral Supplement – If a parrot’s diet is made up primarily of pellets (90%) and they enjoy a variety of vegetables, fruits, seeds, and other nutritious foods, then a vitamin supplement is not necessary and could be harmful. If their diet is not ideal (i.e. strictly on seed), then we recommend the addition of a powdered vitamin, best administered on top of their salad.

MAINTENANCE

Food Dishes – Food and water should always be available for your parrot. You will need four dishes: one for the staple diet, one for fresh foods, one for water, and one for seed treats. Alternatively, you could offer a water bottle to keep the water clean. Parrots quickly understand how to use it and many enjoy playing with the spout.

Substrate – Cage paper is easy to remove and will not become a soppy mess like paper towels or newspaper when water is splashed on it. Paper-based bedding may be used if there is a grate overtop to prevent the bird from foraging amongst their feces.

Bird Bath/Showering – Offer your parrot a daily misting shower or a shallow bowl of warm water for bathing. Use a clean spray bottle with warm water and mist gently from above if they dislike direct spraying.

Cage Cleaner – Clean the cage weekly with a pet-safe cleaner or hot water and mild soap, then rinse and dry thoroughly. Avoid bleach and other household cleaners, as they can irritate your pet’s respiratory system or cause even worse problems.

Nail Clippers, File, and Coagulant – Your parrot’s nails will grow continuously. Nail clippers made especially for birds must be used. Take care not to trim too short or cut into the blood vessels running through each nail. Keep a blood coagulant on hand in case this happens.

Wing Trimmers – Flight feathers should be trimmed regularly to prevent accidents, injury, or worse. Use trimmers found in the dog department, as they have a rounded tip for added safety. If a blood feather is clipped, use blood coagulant to stop the bleeding. If you prefer, ask your pet counsellor to make an appointment to have this done for you.

Weight Scale – Birds will hide when they are unwell to give their flock the illusion that they are okay. We recommend weighing your pet bird daily at the same time, especially during times of stress (i.e. adoption). Weight changes of 10% can be a cause for concern. Consult your veterinarian if that happens. A food scale makes a good choice for this purpose.

Cleanliness and Safety

All pets can potentially carry diseases that may be contagious to people. Hygiene procedures, such as washing your hands before and after handling your pet or its habitat, are necessary. Children should be assisted with hand washing and always have adult supervision when interacting with pets.

Attention: Certain cookware, aerosols, incense, aromatic candles, and household cleaners may be harmful or worse to your bird’s health. Ask a pet counsellor for a copy of the Safety Tips & Household Hazards Tip Sheet.

CHECKLIST

• Enclosure

• (Optional) Cage stand

• Cage cover

• UV light bulb and lamp

• A variety of perches

• Playpen or portable perch

• Transportation carrier

• A variety of toys

• Staple diet (seeds or pellets)

• Treats

• Spray millet

• Cuttlebone

• (Optional) Iodine block

• (Optional) Vitamin and mineral supplement

• Cuttlebone

• Food dishes

• Substrate

• Bird bath or spray bottle

• Cage cleaner

• Nail clippers and coagulant

• Wing trimmers

• Weight scale

Please ask your pet counsellor what other items pertain to your pet’s needs.

Click here to find all your parrot's needs.