What You Should Think About – Before You Get a Parrot

Large parrots can live 40 to 60 years, while smaller parrots such as parakeets and lovebirds live from 8-25 years. If you acquire parrots, you must be prepared to spend a lot of time with them every single day for a long time to come. For parrots to thrive in captivity, they must be given the opportunity to exercise and become active daily. If parrots are not given the opportunity for an active and content-rich life, they may become overweight or bored. A bird that is bored often begins to exaggerate its plumage, and may pluck bare parts of its body.

Parrots are social animals that should be kept in pairs or flocks. Lovebirds of the agapornis genus and nymph parakeets are examples of species that will not thrive without conspecifics. It is not unusual for large parrot species, such as macaws, cockatoos, amazons and jacos, to be kept as solitary birds. These birds have a great need for social contact and do not thrive alone. If you keep a solitary parrot, you must therefore be prepared to fulfill the role of the bird’s best friend. This requires you to spend a lot of time with the parrot every single day. Solitary Parrots bond strongly with their owner. Some may become so jealous that they attack other members of the family. This is important to think about for those of you who live alone and want to get company in a lonely Parrot: What happens the day you find a roommate or lover?

Although it is best for parrots to have the company of other birds of the same species, not all individuals like each other. Most parrots can be kept in pairs if they are used to it from a young age. Putting two older birds together is not always easy, as the parrots defend their home territory with their beaks and claws. It is easier to put a new pair together if you simultaneously give both birds a new place to live. If the birds do not work together, they must be separated physically.

Some parrots can bite hard and can therefore be dangerous for children. If there are children in the house, you should keep smaller parrots and teach the children that the bird can bite strongly.

Some of the species can emit powerful screeching sounds. In the pet store, the birds may be almost silent due to the attention they receive from customers in the store, but be aware that the sound level may be different in your own home. Remember the neighbors!