Jim McKendry

First up – welcome to the new ABK online site and our `blog’ section! I believe that quite a few members of the extended ABK family will be contributing blogs from time to time with tips, insights, hot links, snippets of knowledge and food for thought across a variety of areas of interest that make up the kaleidoscope of birdkeeping. My job is to share some perspectives on the keeping of parrots as companion animals. To kick things off I thought I would highlight some of the key points from my latest article in ABK Magazine. The article itself shares some of my thinking and the processes of elimination I went through recently when making the decision to acquire another parrot. Make sure you pick up a copy of the Feb/Mar issue for the full read.

Here are some of the key `pointers’ from the article...

When acquiring a new parrot, consider the complete picture of the financial commitment you are making. This challenges you to seriously assess the costs involved in properly housing the bird, providing suitable enrichment opportunities, a varied and nutritionally sound diet, and the possibility of veterinary check-ups and perhaps even a session with a behaviour and training consultant to set you and your parrot up with the most up-to-date knowledge on creating a dynamic and positively reinforcing environment for a companion parrot. The cost of owning a parrot as a pet starts with cost of housing and maintaining it properly and doesn’t stop with the price tag of the bird!

Consider some natural variations in the characteristics of different species groups. The parrot you saw in the glossy magazine or quietly sitting on the perch in the bird store might not be `exactly’ what you had in mind when you really start to experience life with such a creature. Do some research into some of the general characteristics behaviours and requirements for each species you are interested in and make sure you gather your information from sources that offer more than just a sample size of one. Relying on establishing a true picture of what owning a species of parrot you are interested in from the anecdotes of someone you meet online who has only owned one of these birds is unlikely to really paint the full picture of what to expect. They may have some great experiences and valuable knowledge to share but make sure you speak with as many owners and breeders as you can to identify the consistent experiences that seem to hold true. When researching, forget about ridiculous reasons for choosing a parrot, such as colour and `talking ability’ and instead, see if you can find out a little about the following...

• Functional activity levels – think about Lories and Pesquet’s Parrots as opposed to Amazons and African Greys
• Natural vocalisation characteristics – think about Aratinga Conures as opposed to Grass Parrots
• Natural receptivity to tactile handling and preening – think about Asiatic Parrots and Rosellas as opposed to Macaws and Cockatoos
• Physical size and relative flight and enrichment requirements – think about Macaws and Cockatoos as opposed to Pyrrhura Conures or small Poicephalus Parrots.

Having found out as much information as you can about the above, the choice you make should then ultimately be based on the following self-evaluation...

• Am I starting out with a species whose natural calls I was comfortable with?
• Am I choosing a species that I am confident in being able to house, feed environmentally enrich and cater for appropriately? (ie – Can I `really’ afford this commitment?)
• Am I aware of what to expect from my chosen species in relation to its natural level of receptivity to tactile handling?
• Am I confident that the natural functional activity level of my chosen species is compatible with my desired interactivity levels?

Hopefully that quick self-evaluation and those characteristics to consider when researching will help some people out there make a considered and educated choice before committing to owning a parrot as a pet.

Feel free to e-mail me with any questions or issues you would me to see me write a little `blog’ in response to! I can be contacted via ppp@birdkeeper.com.au

Take Care – Jim McKendry
Parrot Behaviour & Enrichment Consultations
Find out more at: www.pbec.com.au