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Parrots – species, habits, home breeding

Dogs and cats are the most common pets. Hamsters, guinea pigs, turtles and fish are also popular. However, birds can be placed on an equal footing with them. Parrots are special household pets, and not only because of their unique abilities. It often takes a lot of time to tame them and maintain a friendly bond. Why is it so important? Is each species demanding or maybe some require a little less attention? If you want a colored pet that mimics your speech, you need to know that. Find out more about these winged friends!

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Domesticated exotic birds – parrots as companion pets

Parrots live in nature in many exotic countries, but they can also be bred at home. Like every animal, this one also has its own character. The birds in question are noisy animals. However, they are social and intelligent creatures that quickly become attached to their owners. They can keep you company like dogs and cats. They are often a home attraction for guests because they can mimic sounds and human speech perfectly. Many of them can say even whole sentences.

What does a parrot look like? It depends on the species

Parrots are colorfully feathered birds, which can be considered a feature common to different species. What a parrot looks like, we will describe in detail below. Each species has its own specific characteristics. We will present seven of them soon.

Popular species of exotic parrots

Many species of these exotic birds can be kept in houses and even in small apartments. The most popular are:

  • parrot nymphs;
  • Budgie;
  • Ara parrot;
  • African Gray Parrot (Gray Parrot);
  • alexandretta parrot;
  • goat parrot;
  • papuga cockatoo.

What’s the difference between them? For example, origin, appearance, size, life expectancy or character. Now it’s time to get to know these species better.

Nymph parrot

What does a nymph parrot look like? It belongs to the cockatoo family, but is slightly smaller than the cockatoo. She has orange patches marking her cheeks and a feathery tip. It is a rather large bird (the length of the body including the tail is 28-31 cm). It lives in nature in Australia, New Guinea and the surrounding islands. Can be bred at home. She is intelligent, outgoing, and is good at imitating sounds.

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What should you know about these parrots? Birds should have fairly large cages (or outdoor aviaries, although they may only be released there in good weather). At home, the nymph parrot lives up to 20 years.

Budgerigar

Wavy parrots are also popular in Polish homes. They come, like the nymph, from Australia, but are also found in Asia and some regions of Africa. The budgerigar is much smaller than the nymph because its body and tail are between 18 and 20 cm. Nevertheless, it is slim and colorful. This species can live up to 15 years in home conditions. What else are these birds called? Wavy parrots are also called lovebirds.

Ara parrot

Among the species of exotic parrots, the macaw should also be mentioned. This pet, which comes from South America, is a large bird. A macaw parrot grows up to 95 cm (body with tail). I am talking about a human-friendly species that is easy to tame. Macaws will also be great at home with other animals.

The macaw is a long-lived species of exotic parrot. Such a bird can live up to 50 years. It is quite large, so an aviary will be better than a cage.

African Gray Parrot

What does an African Gray Parrot look like? It is a large bird whose body and tail are between 30 and 34 cm. The animal is distinguished by gray plumage, with red feathers in the tail. An African Gray Parrot is an animal known as a talking parrot. These birds perfectly imitate human speech. Due to the color of the feathers, the parrot is also called gray. It comes from Central Africa.

African Gray Parrot – nature

What should you know about these birds? African gray parrots require special care and a lot of attention. They should not be left alone at home any longer, as they may even become depressed. They are strongly attached to their owner and are loyal, but may show aggressive behavior towards strangers. The African Gray Parrot lives up to 60 years, so it can accompany you all your life. The cage for this species should be large enough for the bird to move safely and freely in it.

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Alexandretta parrot

An interesting parrot that has at least several subspecies is the Alexandretta. It comes from Asia. Greater and collar alexandretta are bred most often. These ornamental birds are intelligent, so they learn without much difficulty in imitating the sounds of human speech. If you choose a larger alexandretta, it will be up to 60 cm long (including the tail). The ringed alexandretta parrot is smaller – it reaches about 40 cm. Such birds live up to 25-30 years. They need a cage or aviary at least 5 meters long.

Goat parrot

The goat parrot is also called the blue-billed, red-eared and New Zealand parrot (due to its origin). It is a small animal because its body is only 27 cm. Goat parrots are extremely social and crave contact with humans. They are best kept in a cage in pairs or even in a larger herd in an aviary, as they do not like solitude. They can be bred with wavy parrots without any problems. Unfortunately, they cannot be considered long-lived. They only live for a few years.

Papuga cockatoo

The magnificent cockatoo parrots are considered to be one of the most beautiful, although they are not as colorful as macaws. How do they look? They are over 50 cm long and have a characteristic yellow plume on the head. They are generally all white. They come from Australia, but can also be found in nature in Tasmania, Malaysia and New Guinea.

What do you need to know before adopting a cockatoo parrot?

Unfortunately, these birds are not easy to breed. They have a very strong beak, so their cage must be large and solid. How are they behaving? These birds become attached to their owner, but can show envy. They cannot be left unattended for long as they become lethargic and may become depressed. This makes them a demanding species and not for everyone. News about cockatoo parrots indicate that it is a long-lived species, reaching up to 60 years.

What do parrots eat?

It is best and easiest to use ready-made mixtures that are available in pet stores in the diet of these birds. You can spice up their menu with greens, fresh fruit and vegetables, as well as grains, corn and rice. It is very important to provide them with constant access to fresh water. The animals cannot be allowed to be thirsty because it causes them pain.

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You also need to know what parrots don’t eat. Birds must not be given:

  • pora;
  • chives;
  • garlic;
  • onions;
  • an avocado;
  • rhubarb.

Which species of exotic parrots have the lowest breeding requirements?

Do you have a small apartment? In such conditions, it is difficult to keep large parrots – Greater Alexandretta, Macaw and Cockatoo. Smaller birds will be much better. Parrots, which can be kept in small cages, are undoubtedly budgies and goats, as well as Catharines, lovebirds and passers-by.

How much is a parrot?

As you can see, the species of exotic parrots differ in many ways. It is no different with prices. Cheap wavy parrots cost as much as PLN 20-30, but for a macaw you have to pay from PLN 1,500 to even PLN 10,000. Of course, the highest amounts are paid for the most sumptuous, colorful specimens of these proud birds.

Interesting news about parrots, or a word about accessories

Large parrots are more active and have greater needs. Letting a pet out is a risky lottery. You never know if he’ll be back – especially if he’s not fully tame. Interestingly, breeders can use special harness for the parrot. These accessories allow you to safely lead exotic birds outside. It takes a bit of practice to fasten these harnesses safely and efficiently, but it is worth trying them out if you are afraid that your pet will run away.

Parrots are extremely colorful animals, and the number of their species is impressive, just like the parrots themselves. Now that you know the most popular varieties, you can decide on the most suitable species. However, remember that a parrot is an exotic bird that has its own requirements and does not like solitude. Keep this in mind especially when you are considering a long-lived pet.