Parrots As Pets: A Day in the Life of a Parrot Owner
Almost everyone has their own special non-human companion. For many of us, it’s dogs or cats who bring us that unique sparkly joy of life with a pet. Some people have bunnies or lizards, or even rats- but for some reason, it’s always the parrots as pets owners who get the funny looks.
“You have parrots as pets?” they’ll ask, their voice rising an octave in surprise. And that reaction pales in comparison to when I tell them I have fifteen birds. Surprised? Trust me, some days I am too. I’m extremely fortunate that they all get along with each other so well, but the sad truth of the matter is that many of my birds only live with me because their previous owners were unable/unwilling to care for them theirselves. I don’t say that in a negative way towards the previous owners; the reality is that there is a large community of bird owners out there who are misinformed or do not understand that birds are very intelligent creatures with complex needs. On the other hand, there are also bird enthusiasts out there who are afraid to adopt a bird of their own because they believe birds are too difficult to care for. That is why I wanted to do a basic overview of how I care for my flock of fifteen on an ordinary day.
Parrots for Sale
Owning a Parrot
- 7:00 am — This is when I uncover the bird’s cages in the morning. I have two separate cages- all my parrots as pets share a large flight cage with my sun conure Felix. Ordinarily it’s frowned upon to let different bird species like this share a cage, but since he’s been tamed since a young age and likes to explore, Felix doesn’t bother the other birds. The other cage is just for Taylor, my yellow-crowned Amazon parrot (That’s her below).
- 8:00 am — Around 8 is when I usually open one of the cages to let the birds out to play. Whichever I open first is usually random, but if the budgies are flying around a bunch in the morning, I’ll let them out first so they can get their exercise. I also have a play-gym I made from pvc pipe and other odds and ends that sits on top of their cage, which the little budgies love hopping around on. This is also around the time I change their water (because some dirty birdies think their water bowl is actually a toilet).
- 9:00 am — I don’t do this every day, but every other day or so I’ll give all the birds some sort of breakfast. One popular choice is hard boiled egg crushed with a fork. Egg is an excellent source of protein for parrots (really for most birds in general), and you can even let them nibble on the eggshells, which are packed with calcium. Otherwise, I’ll try to offer a fresh fruit or some leafy greens if I have them on hand. They all get super excited for breakfast.
- 10:00 am — This is probably the point which I try and get whatever birds are out back into their cage so I can open the other one and let Taylor out. Since Taylor is a larger parrot with a rather formidable beak, I generally avoid having both cages open at once so I don’t risk one of the smaller birds getting bitten or chased around by Taylor. She’s normally rather gentle and friendly, but Amazon parrots can always be unpredictable. Better safe than sorry.
- 10:30 am-6:30 pm — Mostly I just alternate between which cage is open. Occasionally I let our conure Felix out to play with Taylor, because they like to sit together and preen each other. I also make sure to change their water (filtered is best!) anytime I notice it’s dirty. Not everyone is able to do this, of course, because they’re at work or school. One thing that’s helped me before was having a water bottle feeder. This way you can make sure they always have fresh water, even if the water in their dish gets dirty while you’re out of the house.
- 6:45 pm — Time to feed the birdies! All the budgies get a mix of 70% Zupreem natural pellets and 30% parakeet seed mix, along with whatever veggies I have on hand. Shredding carrot into long slivers with a potato peeler makes a good treat, or chopping up little sprigs of cilantro for them. Birds always appreciate a little variety to keep things interesting! Just no onion, tomato, celery, mushrooms or avocado- those are toxic, except for celery, which birds have trouble swallowing and digesting. Fresh fruits are good too. I also always change the water bowls in both cages in the evening, no matter what.
- 7:00 pm — Birdie bedtime. I cover both of their cages with large blankets to block out as much light as possible, while keeping heat inside so they can sleep comfortably. It’s funny, Taylor makes angry little goblin sounds when I cover her cage at bedtime because she wants to stay up late, but Felix makes kissy noises because he loves bedtime. He also lets me rub his tummy at bedtime too- his feathers are super soft and warm! Who says birds can’t be cuddly?
So that’s pretty much it! There’s nothing really that complicated to it- making sure they have good-quality perches and toys to play with is important, and giving them lots to do is key. I always keep a stash of empty toilet paper rolls on hand because parrots as pets have a natural need to shred and tear things, and it makes her super happy. Any extra papers I don’t need, I can give to the budgies to tear apart. The worst task is probably changing the lining at the bottom of the cages, but it’s really only a chore if you have a lot of birds like me. In the past when I only had two parakeets, cleaning the cage was practically effortless.
Choosing a bird for a companion is a truly unique experience, but it is not for everyone. It’s always a pity when someone is unable to provide the care that a bird needs when they are choosing to re-home it, but should you ever come across such a situation, be sure to know what you’re getting into, and do plenty of research on what the bird needs before you take on that responsibility. But if you have the time and patience to get to know a bird, it really is something special.