10 Things You Should Know

10 Things You Should Know Before You Get a Parrot. …but no one told you.

Things Everyone HAS Told You
Parrots Bite
Parrots Scream
Parrots Make a Mess
Is it true…sort of….

Parrots Are Wild Not Domestic
Behave as prey species
Bring the wild to your home
Have no chosen traits
Not motivated to respond to your displeasure

Parrots Come in Species Not Breeds

Canis Familiaris

Felis domesticus

Poicephalus senegalus and Poicephalus rufiventris

Psittacus erithacus and Ara chloroptera

What the difference in a species?
Different diets
Different behavior
Different body languages
Different preferences

Parrots Have Strange Body Language
Birds have very different body language from dogs and cats and it is far more subtle.
Feathers
Wings
Dilating pupils

Parrots Require Complicated Nutrition
Parrots need variety ( you can’t get it all from a bag)
Different requirements for different species
Require more fresh food and longer prep time at meals
Different dangers from the table

Parrots Have Complicated Physiology
Specialized veterinary care
Different diseases
Less identifiable illnesses
Sensitive respiratory system
Delicate bone structure
Different Dangers, diseases, poisons

Parrots have Complicated Brains
Parrots need interaction
Parrots need time outside of the cage
Parrots need enrichment
Parrots need a challenge
Parrots thrive in an environment worthy of investigation

Parrot Training is a Necessity Not a Possibility
Training is about communication and choices.
Parrots need interaction and some control of their environment.

Why Train?
It’s a conversation
It’s a relationship builder
It’s forward thinking
It’s fun!

You Have to Have a Lifelong Plan
A large parrot may be with you for the rest of your life. How sure are you about what you’ll be doing with the rest of your life?

5 Heartbreaking Reasons Parrots Need New Homes
Assisted Living
Senility
Unexpected Illness
Foreclosure
Divorce

You Need A Lifelong Commitment to Learning
Scientist learn new things in the laboratory and in the field every year. There’s much to learn still about parrots.
Nutrition
Physiology
Behavior

Just Because You Hear it Often Doesn’t Mean It’s True
Common Wisdom is only common. There’s rarely any wisdom involved…

10 Things You Should Do Before You Get a Parrot…
…or now that you already have.
Find an excellent vet
Find an avian consultant
Join a parrot club
Subscribe to magazines (Bird Talk and Good Bird especially)
Buy some videos

10 Things Continued
Learn about applied behavior analysis
Hone your positive reinforcement skills
Go to workshops and lectures
Go see parrots in the wild
Buy my book!

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10 Things You Should Know

by Rebecca O'Connor on Dec 15, 2009

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