Feathered Family Inc.

Bringing home Baby!

So, you've decided to add a baby bird to your family. You've done your research, found which parrot best fits into your life, and your ready to make the big step. Congratulations, you have made a choice that will affect the rest of your life. Many large parrots live to be 90 years old or more! Thats right, baby could easily outlive you!

Bringing home a baby Parrot is a huge and wonderful step in life. You get to experience each life stage with your parrot, enjoy each new word, new trick, and each new trouble.

Young parrots usually go home with no bad habits. This is your chance to help them form good habits that will last a life time. Remember the old saying... "Live like you will someday have to sell the family parrot." because it is a good guide.

When you look at your soon to be new baby, remember these things:

 A healthy bird has clear nares (nostrils) with no discharge. A good breeder will keep the bird clean no feces on the feet or feathers, and no formula on the feather or beak. Depending on the age of the parrot where it is sleeping is important. While young parrots may sleep on the floor of their enclosure older parrots should be sleeping on one foot preferably on a perch. Feel the bird, if its a powder down parrot (Cockatoo to name one) it should leave a fine dust on your hands. No healthy bird should have a Keel Bone (breastbone) that protrudes too far. Look at the bird's vent (bottom). There should be no runny droppings sticking to it. It's also a good idea to take a good hard look at the floor of the cage. You can get a good idea of what the bird has been eating by what is dropped there, and you can get a good idea of health by the droppings. Droppings should not be extremely runny, and if they are odd colored without a food source that explains the coloration, that is a bad sign.

Get to know your new parrot before bringing him or her home. Find out what he's being fed by the breeder now, which brand of pellets, what fresh fruits and veggies he likes, and what his schedule is like. The more you know, the easier this transition will go for you and your parrot both.

Lets Talk Cages!