Can I Feed Seeless Apples To My Parrot?

Feeding apples and fruits to parrots can be a delightful addition to their diet, offering essential nutrients, flavors, and variety.

However, it’s crucial to understand the specifics before introducing these treats into a parrot’s daily intake. Apples, for instance, are generally safe for parrots. They provide vitamins like C and A, along with dietary fiber, making them a healthy choice.

However, precautions are necessary:

  • Parrots haven’t evolved to digest fructose, so too much fruit can be hard on their liver. It an also make them hyper, potentially causing behavioral issues.
  • Due to the seeds’ cyanide content, removing the seeds from an apple and core is vital as they can be toxic to birds. Slicing the fruit into small, manageable pieces is ideal, and only give one or two pieces.
  • Fruits that are high in beta-carotene provide benefits, including:
    • Immune system:
      Beta-carotene can boost the immune system by increasing disease-fighting cells.
  • Vision (important for parrots): Beta-carotene is a precursor to vitamin A, which is essential for vision.
  • Cellular health: Beta-carotene protects cells from damage caused by free radicals. Free radicals damage cells through a process called oxidation, which can lead to chronic illnesses.
  • Cancer: Beta-carotene may reduce the risk of cancer.
  • Heart disease and stroke: Beta-carotene may reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke.
  • Skin

PLEASE NOTE: I am not a nutritionist. The beta-carotine beneftis are taken from online research, but beta-carotine is important for parrots.

The take-away is that you can give your parrot small amounts of fruit, as a “dessert,” and that it is best to give beta-carotine fruit because:

“Beta-carotene is a provitamin that can be converted into vitamin A by enzymes in a parrot’s gut. Vitamin A is important for: Immune system, Healthy cell growth, Eyesight, Skin health, Mucous membranes.”

Choose your fruits carefully for the benefit it provides based on what your parrot needs.

While fruits offer nutritional benefits, they should not replace a balanced parrot diet. Pellets specifically formulated for parrots typically cover their essential nutritional needs.

Again, too much fruit can lead to excessive sugar intake, potentially causing health issues like obesity or digestive problems. Consulting with an avian veterinarian or a bird nutrition expert is advisable to ensure your parrot’s diet remains well-balanced. Monitoring their reactions to new fruits is crucial, as individual parrots may have varying tolerances or allergies to certain foods.

Overall, with proper preparation and moderation, offering fruits, including apples, can be a healthy and enjoyable addition to a parrot’s diet.

Kalyn is a parrot-book author!
Check out her books, including The Parrot Bliss Bond, Meet African Grey & Cape Parrots, Feathered Splendor, 30 Perfect Apartment Parrots, The Parrot Keeper’s Companion & Journal Find these HERE

Do You Recognize Your Parrot’s Special Greeting To You?

Beak Language

One specific body language greeting that #parrots share in their beak.

A parrot’s beak is very significant to them, maybe as significant as their ability to fly-

Parrots use their beak for everything: as a hand, to experience things, to eat, to feed the parrot they are bonded with and to connect, greet and re-affirm that bond.

Is your parrot connecting with you with their beak? To they try to beak you? Feed you or have you feed them? Do they touch you with their beak? These are all signs that you are in your parrot’s inner circle! Your parrot may have even chosen you as their one special bonded mate!

Bite Or Beak

I distinguish between being bitten versus beaked – biting breaks your skin. The intent is to hurt you – your parrot is probably defending itself. Beaking, on the other hand, is like using a hand. When a parrot beaks you, they may be kissing you, moving your finger gently away or they may be curiously nibbling as they preen or play with your beauty mark or jewelry.

Beaking won’t hurt you, but rather is your parrot’s way of connecting.

—

Have a questions about parrots?

As the author of “The Parrot Bliss Bond,” I love and welcome questions about having a parrot and creating one of the best experiences of your life!

Comment below, in my site (link below) or on the FB/Instagram messenger.

BOOK

Get my book Parrot Bliss Bond at https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0998010065?ref=ppx_pt2_dt_b_prod_image

TINK’S (CBD) OIL

CBD oil for parrots! Help de-stress your parrot’s plucking, anxiety or pain and support a healthy immune system at ParrotBliss.com which takes you to https://shop.petlife.zone/product/tinks-parrot-relief/

FACEBOOK

Join Parrot Bliss on FB at https://www.facebook.com/ParrotBliss 

Join the flock on FB! https://www.facebook.com/groups/pbflock/

WEBSITE

Visit my site at https://parrotbliss.com/

MOST COMMON QUESTIONS

 https://parrotbliss.com/q-video-answers/

YOUTUBE

https://www.youtube.com/parrotbliss

 

What Do Macaw Parrots Eat?

Parrot Diet

In the world of parrots, “exotic” seems to mean “you must feed fresh vegetables!”

It also means that you need to know what your specific parrot’s species requirements are, and sometimes each species has their own, specifications.

With 350 to 400 species of parrots, depending on how they are classified, that can be a lot of variation! With some parrots, diet makes a huge difference, so it can be critical to know what your parrot can and can’t eat.

Macaw Parrots

Macaws need fresh vegetables, like every parrot, every day. If your parrot is on a pelleted diet, then they are said to be getting all the vitamins and minerals they need. Fresh vegetables provide micronutrients and can also give them the beta-carotene they require.

My understanding (because I’m not a nutritionist) is that parrots need A LOT of beta-carotene, which I think is needed for their excellent vision. After all, a flighted bird would need to be able to see well at distances to find food, avoid danger and know where to land.

Beta-Carotene

For this reason, carrots and sweet potatoes are almost always present in my parrot’s diet. I supplement with things like some scrambled egg (because Macaw parrots require protein), peas or green beans (they love these), quinoa, sprouts and so on.

Nuts

Most Macaw parrots eat a lot of palm nuts and other nuts in nature. Green-winged Macaws have been observed eating palm tree nuts in the wild, making up over 3/4 of their diet.

A good balance for your Macaw would provide about 1/4 cup nuts daily.

If you are reading this because you are weighing a macaw of your own, the macaw I breed is the Hahn’s — the smallest true macaw, and the one I think suits an ordinary home best. I hand-raise them here in Florida. See the babies I have available →

Have a questions about parrots?
As the author of “The Parrot Bliss Bond,” I love and welcome questions about having a parrot and creating one of the best experiences of your life!

BOOK
Get my book Parrot Bliss Bond at https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0998010065?ref=ppx_pt2_dt_b_prod_image

FACEBOOK
Join Parrot Bliss on FB at https://www.facebook.com/ParrotBliss
Join the flock on FB! https://www.facebook.com/groups/pbflock/

WEBSITE
Visit my site at https://parrotbliss.com/

YOUTUBE
https://www.youtube.com/parrotbliss

 

How To Handle A Parrot That Bites Hands

Parrots That Bite Think You Have Many Fingers!

You have ten fingers, but that doesn’t mean that you are willing to give one or two to your parrot! A parrot’s hook bill is – like a hook! And it is the strongest beak in the avian world – right? No body wants to be bitten by such a powerful beak – and some parrots, like Macaws, can send you and your finger to the ER!

What do you about a parrot that bites hands?

Parrots can be territorial over ‘their’ space, or their cage. If your parrot bites when you put your hand in his or her cage, then… stop. Use a stick. 🙂 I don’t consider this to be a “problem” in the sense that, if your parrot is too aggressive then you need to work with them, but I believe that everyone, including my parrots, should have their own space and they should be able to ask you to stay out of their space – and when we don’t understand the ask, they often bite. My point: I wouldn’t focus on them biting in their cage, I would focus on their behavior outside their cage, especially when they are on “common grounds.”

Common Grounds

When you are in a neutral space in your home, preferably a room other than the one your parrot’s cage is in, then your parrot should not display aggression. The only natural reasons to do so are if your parrot has been scarred, in the case that you adopted a rescue with a traumatic past, or if you have a hormonal parrot. Note: Male Cockatoos can be very hormonal, aka, aggressive. This behavior is innate and not “bad” or “wrong” – even though it can be very hard for us as parrot-keepers to handle.

Choose to work with your parrot in a neutral space.

  1. Make sure that your parrot feels safe and secure. No creature, human or animal, is friendly and loving when they feel scared or threatened and the threat may not be in their present situation. Trauma stays with creatures until either time heals as much as it can or humans find a good therapist!
  2. Check your parrot’s diet: a “parrot junk food” diet can cause an unhealthy or cranky parrot. A pellet and fresh vegetable diet that adds seeds (without sunflower seeds) for small parrots (like Parrotlets, Cockatiels, Lovebirds) and nuts for large parrots that require nuts (like Macaws and African Greys) but otherwise omits these will increase your parrot’s health and mood. In other words, it will make them nicer 🙂
    Note: Cockatoos, who can be one of the most aggressive parrots, should NOT be given fats in their diet as they are prone to being over weight and having related health issues. This means that an aggressive Cockatoo that is fed a seed-based diet could be a recipe for even worse behaviors.
  3. Make sure your hands are “magical and delicious!”
    Be the only source of your parrot’s favorite treats. This is the only time I see that it is appropriate to give sunflower seeds – when I’m giving them. This way your hands can be conditioned out of an old definition that caused your parrot to bite. Always move your hands slowly and don’t come at your parrot from above, like an overhead airplane. Come at your parrot from below or from their eye level – and with a treat.
  4. Spend time with your parrot every day. They don’t have to be on you or learning tricks necessarily, but if they are around you for a couple hours or more per day then they will begin to, maybe slowly over time, shift how they feel about you and your hands 🙂 Of course, you don’t want to give them treats for two hours non-stop… but do give them a wonderful experience of you and your hands for as long as you can – and this can happen at intervals (like every 15 or 30 min) so that you keep coming back to talk to them and put something down for them to eat – so that they are experiencing your hands in a positive way over and over and over.

Parrots are smart. Use hand signals, because they understand body language more than words, but couple it with a command. Give them routines, for example take them out of their cage, on a stick, and have them at a play perch for a couple of hours around the same time every day. The trick is to be constant and consistent because then your parrot will quickly catch on to what you are doing and they will “learn” more quickly.

Parrots are amazing – they are my bliss. You should have a blissful bond with your parrot. Not every parrot will want to bond with a human, but generally speaking I find that they are curious about us and want to connect. Spend the time and dedication – move your hand slowly and make sure they are on a good diet so that you can work your “magical and delicious” hands!

Have a questions about parrots?
As the author of “The Parrot Bliss Bond,” I love and welcome questions about having a parrot and creating one of the best experiences of your life!

BOOK
Get my book Parrot Bliss Bond at https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0998010065?ref=ppx_pt2_dt_b_prod_image

FACEBOOK
Join Parrot Bliss on FB at https://www.facebook.com/ParrotBliss
Join the flock on FB! https://www.facebook.com/groups/pbflock/

WEBSITE
Visit my site at https://parrotbliss.com/

YOUTUBE
https://www.youtube.com/parrotbliss

Parrotlet Parrots: Why Do Parrots Pluck Each Other?

🦜Do All Parrot Couples Pluck Each Other?

No, but any species will do so.

Why Do Parrots Pull Their Mate’s Feathers? (Plucking)

First, let’s talk about the difference between parrots plucking themselves and their mates – it is two different issues. The causes can be the same, but don’t have to be.

One of the most common problems people have with African Grey (AGs) parrots is that they pluck their feathers. Why? Read my blog on AGs plucking.

In brief, I have 4 AGs and I had to ask my mentor (Tony Silva) why Zeus was plucking Hara – he said that Zeus is probably stressed. Three of my 4 AGs pluck their feathers – and all 4 were adopted as adults. So, self-plucking is one issue, plucking their mate is another.

Why Do They Pluck Their Mate?

In this video I am using a pair of Parrotlets, Pipper and Bobo. He, Pipper, plucks her — even though he loves her! When they are with the flock, meaning that I have placed them in a larger aviary to socialize with other Parrotlets, they still seek each other out or are side-by-side; they still connect and he still plucks her!

So, Why Do They Pluck?

Their can be a number of specific reasons, but the basic reason is something is off in their well-being. Pipper and Bobo have always been a little scared and defensive or overreactive with the other Parrotlets. I am working on giving them a greater sense of safety and security to relax them. Fortunately, they eat well (pellets, some parakeet seed mix and fresh veggies), so that will promote well-being. In order to relax them further, I’m going to add more to their cage. Ideally, I’m trying to figure out how I can add a little plant either inside our outside their cage. A non-(parrot) toxic plant will provide a sense of shelter (a place to hide) and give them something else to bite and even eat. I may also drape a towel over part of their cage so they feel less “seen.”  Yes, I find this helps nervous parrots!

To me, plucking the mate is similar to biting the nervous habit of nail-biting, except, they are biting their mate’s.

This isn’t the same as -hen, or female- parrots that have a clutch -babies- and pluck their chest or stomach feathers. Some do so to line their nest. This has nothing to do with an “issue,” but is rather a mothering thing 🐥!

A Couple Suggestions To Deter Or Stop The Behavior

  1. Quality of life: Diet
    Make sure your parrots have the healthy food – including pellets and fresh vegetables – they need. Some plucking can be due to a physical condition and diet can aid — if you suspect that your parrot is scratching or itching him/herself, go to the avian vet.
  2. Quality of life: Home
    Make sure that your parrot’s cage is large enough for him, or larger if you have two. A parrot’s cage should be cleaned regularly and it should measure at least twice their wingspan deep long by three times wide and tall. In the case of two or more parrots, it should be larger than these wingspan minimums.
  3. Cage Location
    Make sure there are no stressors for your parrot. A lack of toys or another animal that goes by their cage can cause unnecessary stress. Try a larger cage and a different location. Try partially covering the cage and new toys.
    *I understand that Macaws must have wood to chew; and that otherwise they will be stressed out. In nature, they would be chewing often and need to keep their beaks busy in order to stay healthy.
  4. Parrot Bully
    Yes, some parrots are mean, some are sweet. Personalities are not unique to humans. If you suspect that one of your parrots is doing more than just keeping the other “in line,” you may have a problem. I have a pair of Senegal parrots who I cannot keep together – they are in two cages because they don’t get along.

Parrot Personalities

When it comes to parrots, you never know. Like people, sometimes they want to be a parent, other times they want to have a friend and sometimes they just aren’t happy or friendly, for whatever reason. If your parrot just isn’t getting along with your other parrots, there’s not much to do. I do everything I can to give my parrots the environment they need to succeed – meaning what htey need to have space, health, fun and happiness. I breed Parrotlets and I’m waiting on some of my conures to breed. However, I always make sure that they are healthy – only healthy parrots make good breeders, but not all healthy parrots choose to breed. So, we shall see. My fingers are crossed for this breeding season, would love to have some loud baby conures!

—Have a questions about parrots?
As the author of “The Parrot Bliss Bond,” I love and welcome questions about having a parrot and creating one of the best experiences of your life!

BOOK
Get my book Parrot Bliss Bond at https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0998010065?ref=ppx_pt2_dt_b_prod_image

FACEBOOK
Join Parrot Bliss on FB at https://www.facebook.com/ParrotBliss
Join the flock on FB! https://www.facebook.com/groups/pbflock/

WEBSITE
Visit my site at https://parrotbliss.com/

YOUTUBE
https://www.youtube.com/parrotbliss

Plucking Saga Continued: Using Different Strategies To Stop My African Greys From Plucking

How Parrots Are Like Goats – What?

They say ruminants “chew the cud” – well, parrots bite the wood. It IS what parrots do.
 
That makes my parrot-keeper life challenging. I don’t have a lot of trees around me… I’m in a neighborhood. There are houses, not fruit trees. Bummer. Here in Florida a lot of houses have fruit trees in their back yard, but not here…
Foiled!
 

Actually, It’s A Frond, A Palm ‘Leaf.’ So, AGs 🦜 Were Fronded!

Today I cut a frond from our front yard for Zeus and Hera – at first I think they were taken by surprise, but then they did some killing of the frond!
Trying to get Zeus and Hera to stop plucking their feathers is like trying to keep people from eating sugar! 🍬

It’s A Hard Habit To Beak, Oh, Break!

It is said that once a parrot has been plucking for about a month… they generally don’t stop. Interesting when you consider that humans are said to develop habits when they do the same thing for about a month and a half – sounds like parrots are the same.
Why it is that they, my African Grey, parrots will let their feathers grow out and then pluck them I’m not sure… I guess it doesn’t matter. They pluck!
Mine may be an uphill battle because I adopted them this way. I can’t guess how long they have been plucking or what their previous experiences were like. Instead, I’m just doing what I can. I’m working on providing enrichment, the palm frond. I’m giving them CBD and hemp oil, since hemp has the right balance of omega 3:6 (for humans, I’m guessing the same is true for parrots) and CBD is supposed to help calm them. My mentor said that, since Zeus plucked some of Hera’s feathers (No! don’t pluck her! She doesn’t need more feathers taken out!), he’s probably stressed out. Ugh!
I’m doing what I can, but I have some circumstances I can’t remedy at this time:
  • Their cage is the minimum size, or larger, but I dream of providing them with an aviary or at least a lot more space. I give them the option to come out during the day, but I have a Macaw.
  • African Greys like peace and quiet, not Macaws. In case you aren’t familiar, Macaws are the exact opposite of ‘peace and quiet.’ I exaggerate, but not much. African Greys are chill, mellow. Macaws are not.
  • Like any other parrot, African Greys love natural things: branches, palm seeds/pods (and I’ve got little palms, but not much- mostly grassy lawns, of course)

It may be that they will always pluck. This is one problem with getting adult parrots, their ways could already be set in stone. Still, we try. And work on it. And try again.

By Kalyn
Author, The Parrot Bliss Bond, available on Amazon Books & Kindle
Join Us on FB at https://www.facebook.com/ParrotBliss/
Or on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJFYH9z5cP9XXOta6m1KNRA

What Feathers Do I Trim on My Parrot?

Wing Trimming: What Feathers To Trim on Your Parrot

 
It’s controversial, but our parrot’s feathers get trimmed when/if they are flying into windows, being tamed or they are flying (sometimes the babies I’m hand-feeding do this) onto the cage of bigger birds that could bite them!
 
3 Layes of Feathers
It is VERY Important to know that you DO NOT trim the upper layers of a parrot’s feathers. The bottom ‘fan’ of feathers has ‘the most’ feathers – in the photo you can see that Luna Love’s feathers have a hole – a space where her feathers hadn’t grown out all the way. This is the row you trim, but it’s not common for people to trim more than 4 to 5 feathers from the furthest point (where you see the right-hand thumb). The feathers can be trimmed lightly, meaning you just trim a quarter inch to half an inch -depending on the size of the bird’s feathers, of course – so that the bird can GLIDE as opposed to flying up.
 
Trimming can be very perilous – trimming the upper feather rows or trimming a blood feather that has blood for growing the feather in it, can cause a bird to bleed to death. Be sure that you understand what part of the wing’s ‘fan’ to trim.
 
To further clarify, do you see the jagged feathers under the right-hand thumb? They ‘look cut’ because they are. Again, you generally don’t have to trim so much, this was a pic of Luna Love (cockatiel) half a year after I got her (bird shop trimms A LOT of feathers), and hers’ were growing out.

How Do You Handle A Jealous Bird?

Yes, Parrots Can Get Jealous & Aggressive!

Let’s say you have two or more birds and they get jealous of one another and don’t let you hold the other. What do you do?

My daughter has a Crimson conure, vibrant colors, but she DOES NOT like for my daughter to hold other birds!

Birds have social structures and there is always someone at the top of the ‘Pecking Order.’ This bird gets priority access to food, to a better perch and they get to say whether you can be with another parrot or not.

In this video I am holding Kailani, my Catalina Macaw- even though she is ten years younger than Lorenza, my Yellow Naped Amazon, Lorenza doesn’t get defensive in any way. On the other hand, Lorenza pulls rank next to smaller birds – size does matter with birds and heavily influences the pecking order. Emerald, our Hahn’s Macaw, is smaller and was given to us a couple of months ago, so Lorenza generally does not tolerate Emerald being on the same chair that Lorenza and I are on. In the video Lorenza and I head to Emerald’s open cage, but she quickly goes and hides in her cozy.

If you are at the top of the pecking order then you should be able to hold any bird you like without other birds making too much of a fuss, if at all. On the other hand, if one of your birds ‘doesn’t allow’ you to hold another, this bird thinks that he/she is the top dog! If that is the case, try working on training your bird. This can help establish you as the ‘leader.’

🦜 Tink-
 
Tink is our especially-sweet GCC (Green-cheek conure) who has seizures 😢 – what do you do for a parrot with seizures?
Once upon a time, although she hatched this winter, Tink seemed to have had nerve damage. A friend owns a bird store and gave her to us (my daughter and I) because the damage makes it so that she can’t fly or walk well, making her ‘un-sellable.’ He guessed she flew into a wall when learning how to fly, but who knows? So she was entrusted to us ☺️
With nerve damage, it was no surprise when she started having seizures. The real surprise were the seizures themselves, because I’d never had a parrot who had seizures before. The second surprise was learning online that it isn’t uncommon for parrots to have seizures. It happens 😧
We started treating Tink with CBD oil and, because of Tink, started making CBD oil available for parrots, which I’m calling ‘Tink’s Oil.’
CBD oil has no psychotropics and may even help if she is in pain at all – poor thing. She’s a sweet girl and we want her to have a comfortable, happy life. This is why she is hanging out with me today.
 
Tink’s adorable! She likes to be with us and does have a roommate who she cuddles with and preens/get preened by. When she’s with me, I rub her neck and she closes her eyes and looks blissful! Then she tries to return the favor by gently nibbling back, preening me! The CBD oil has been a great relief because it freaks me out to see her having seizures. Breaks my heart 💔 to see her body twisting and shaking. Yikes!
It’s not as though I expect her to live forever, but… maybe for a long time? If she’s comfortable, of course. It’s not easy having a special needs GCC, not that it’s a big deal, but it’s one more thing to do. The good news is that she’s super easy to treat: we drop a drop of oil into her beak – she knows she’s ‘special’ and she doesn’t bite at all. I don’t know if others who have parrots who have seizures have a harder time treating them, because I have had several people ask about seizures and ask what we do. In Tink’s case, she learned early on that she was limited; initially she was scared to have us hold her when we first adopted her, but she couldn’t fight us, so she gave in and found that she was loved and treated with care instead. Her’s has been a challenging life, but one filled with love too. Everyone at home thinks she’s one of the sweetest birds, ever!

Little Loves – Parrotlet Parrots

What’s Not To Love

One of my favorite things about parrots is that it is uplifting to look at their beautiful colors and it often raises my mood to watch and interact with them. I’m always amazed at what great communicators parrots are, how clever they are and what big personalities they have, even parrotlets, the second smallest parrot species.

Their beaks don’t move, but they smile; they tell you when they are happy and cozy or when they need something – all without words. They come close to say that they want to engage with you or they back away to let you know they aren’t feeling social. Some parrots sing, some cavech and others snuggle. Sure, some bite and sqwack loudly too!

Parrots always seem happy to be alive, excited to greet the new day and enjoying the world!

Caring For Parrotlets

Parrots can be confusing, please don’t get too perplexed! You have to monitor their environment temperature and conditions; you have to get their diet right and care for their emotional and intellectual needs!

Whew! They are like human children but they can fly and pack a wallop-of a bite!

  • 🍃 Temperature & Climate – They are delicate little guys, so they need to be kept somewhere that’s not too hot, not too cold and not drafty. Think of them in the wild, they would go somewhere warmer or cooler as needed. Most parrots are tropical, so they want a comfortable temperature, like you do. They have fuzzy down feathers to keep warm, but they can’t take a sweater off or put one on to adjust, so don’t let their space drop so that you’d need warm clothes or get so hot that you’d want to jump in a pool! 👙
    Generally speaking, the temperature is fine in your temperature-moderated house, just make sure they aren’t in front of an air vent or in a drafty space.
  • 🥗 They need to be fed correctly –
    You’ll read that parrots need to be fed primarily pellets and given fresh foods – However, there are over 400 species of parrots! Specifically, a parrotlet does not do as well on pellets! Experts will tell you to give them plenty of fresh foods, seeds and use pellets as a back-up. This is not the case with other, larger parrots like Green-cheek conures. It is important to research a proper diet for your species of parrot, because they are all different – which can make your head spin!
    Fresh foods are (in order of what should be given most): lot’s of fresh Greens (leaves like spinach, kale, chard), Veggies (carrots, sweet potatoes, peas), whole grains (brown rice, quinoa, oats) – then, as treats (meaning in limited amounts) fruits- you can also give them cheese – but it’s not ‘natural.’ Parrots don’t hang out with cows and they are lactose-intolerant. Some protein is needed, most say once a week or so, and for this I give eggs.
    Seeds: we offer our parrotlets a variety of seeds – budgie seeds, cockatiel seeds (since they like and can open sunflower seeds, which are in the cockatiel mixes), millet (green millet is supposed to be good for them too) and sometimes canary seeds. Variety is the way of life!
  • 🏠 Their home, their space –
    Is there anything better than having a pocket in the world that is all your own? Yes, having someone to share it with!
    Online there are a lot of guidelines as to what size cage a parrot should have according to their size. That should be considered, but the level of their activity and energy should be a larger measure. Some parrots, mostly larger ones, don’t move around much. Parrotlets are like little energizer bunnies, they bounce around! The more room for them to fly from one side of the cage to a branch to their food and then to the other side, the better!
  • 🏕️A Tent to sleep in –
    A place to hide, a place to sleep and a place to cozy up, your parrotlet may not use his or her ‘cozy,’ as they are called, to sleep in, but they will often bite at it, climb on it or sit on it. As long as it doesn’t get too scraggly, they are loving it! Be careful, loose strings will tie themselves around feet or will get stuck on your bird. Rope perches can be the same. If you suspect that your parrot is eating her cozy or biting away at his rope perch, remove these! They can be ingesting them, which will result in an emergency visit to the vet, perhaps a surgery and can cause their death. If you prefer natural fiber – hay, wood – use these. Parrots are accustomed to and have no known issues with natural fibers.

 

Teach Your Parrotlet to speak