How to understand a parrot. How to find out if a parrot is sick

Budgerigars make excellent feathered companions for bird lovers. They are funny, smart, easy to train, and easy to care for. Many parrots are initially afraid of people, but with training this fear can be overcome. With a little time and patience, he will soon begin to look at you as a source of love and attention.

Steps

Signs of sympathy expressed by a bird's body language

Notice the bird's tendency to cling to you. This behavior is a clear sign that the parrot likes you and wants to make friends with you. If a bird affectionately rubs its head against your hand, climbs up your body, tries to clean you, rubs against your neck, then it likes you and feels completely safe with you.

Look at the parrot's wings. Typically, bird wings are viewed solely as a tool for flight, but in many birds, including parrots, wings also contribute to body language. If a budgerigar flaps its wings, as if flying in one place, then this is a sign of a good relationship between the bird and the person. In this way the bird expresses its pleasure from being in human society.

Pay attention to the bird's tail. Just as a parrot's wings can be a sign of its pleasure, the same can be said for its tail feathers. If a bird wags its tail from side to side (like a dog), it is usually a sign that it is happy to see you, but it can also indicate that the parrot is about to go to the toilet. Likewise, wagging its tail up and down is considered an indicator of pleasure, which can be seen as a sign that your parrot is liking you.

Look at the parrot's body position. The way a parrot stays close to you can tell a lot about how it feels in your presence. A specific combination of the bird's body position with other elements of avian body language (in the form of wing and tail behavior) will help you get an overall picture of the bird's comfort level in your presence.

Look at the movements of the beak and head. Budgerigars use their beaks for a variety of purposes, ranging from performing certain physical actions to conveying messages. If your pet does any of the following, it can be considered a sign of pleasure and comfort in your company.

Sound signals of a bird indicating its sympathy

Promoting a good relationship with your parrot

Make sure all the bird's physical needs are met. It is dangerous for your bird's health if you forget to feed it or give it water, in addition, such an attitude towards your pet will, over time, negatively affect its trust in you and overall satisfaction with its life. Make sure your parrot always has clean drinking water and feed him properly.

Make your parrot feel safe. Your pet considers the crate to be its own home within your home. Keeping your parrot as comfortable as possible will help him feel safer and will allow him to show more interest in you.
- The parrot's cage should be spacious enough. It should be placed out of direct sunlight, out of reach of any other pets you may have, and away from sources of loud, scary noises such as televisions and radios.
Provide your budgie with toys. Budgerigars love to play, so your pet will be happy and content if you provide him with interesting and stimulating toys.
Sometimes, in order for a bird to like you, you just need to calmly watch it.
Never chase your parrot around the cage with your hands! Just calmly place your hand in his cage not far from the door and wait for him to get used to your presence.
To encourage a good relationship, give your parrot plenty of treats. If you give your pet treats for good behavior, he will behave appropriately more often.
Don't knock on the cage in front of your parrot. This will scare him.
The best way to please your budgie is to ensure all its needs are met!

Warnings

Don't force your bird to do anything it doesn't want to do. Never force her out of her crate or handle her if she doesn't like it.

Studying how birds communicate with each other helps us figure out how to understand a parrot. When interacting with each other, birds use tactile, olfactory and auditory methods of communication. They have an amazingly beautiful voice that is pleasant to humans.

Bird language

To figure out how to understand a parrot, you need to observe its behavior

In nature, budgies are less common than at home. The idea that they only reproduce screams is erroneous. This sharp, abrupt sound is not the basis of communication for them. In human speech it would sound like “cha-cha-cha.” Parrots use it to communicate that they are excited, nervous or scared. Sometimes it indicates the bird’s cheerful and daring mood. She begins to actively move around the cage and flap her wings, telling her owner about her fun.

With short sounds reminiscent of “chak-chak”, the bird expresses approval and agreement. At the same time, she leaves the beak slightly open. This action shows what brings pleasure to your beloved pet.

When a bird wants to have fun, it starts whistling

The bird is trying to talk

Gestures help express friendship. When meeting its owner, the bird may hit its closed beak on an outstretched finger. Such a greeting symbolizes trust and goodwill.

The chirping of parrots differs from other species of birds in its melodiousness. It reveals various intonations and halftones. A simple chirp expresses concern, curiosity, or a pleasant mood. It all depends on the volume level.

Owners like to communicate with their feathered pets in human language. However, the bird does not understand the meaning of the words spoken. For her, the sounds of human speech are a way to express emotions. She reproduces the speech in a good mood, expressing her readiness to communicate.

Parrots make wonderful pets, but they are not suitable for everyone. Many parrots remain homeless three years after they were purchased, simply because their owners chose them without thinking carefully. Here are some tips to help you decide if a parrot will make a good pet for you and your family.

Steps

First you need to decide what kind of parrot you want to get. There are long-tailed and budgies, and there are cockatiels (Australian parrots). There is a huge variety of parrots, not all of them are as large and colorful as macaws, some, like African grays, are less colorful, but they have a bright red tail. And cockatoos are white with a bright yellow crest. Parrots also have a hooked beak.

Costs can range from $20 for a budgie to $12,000 for a hyacinth macaw. But these are extremes. Most typically spend between $50 and $2,500 per chick. Just remember that just because a bird is inexpensive doesn't mean it needs any less love, attention, and care than a more expensive, flashier parrot.

You will need to purchase a cage with bars that is the right size for your bird and that the cage is large enough for the size of your parrot. For example, the white-bellied parrot is considered a small to medium sized bird, but they are so energetic that they require a very large cage. The parrot will use every inch of the cage, including its floor. The African Gray likes to sit on a perch in the middle of the cage or at the top, but he will also need a large cage even though he is medium sized. For them you need to buy the largest cages, as they love a lot of space. But there are limits for the smallest cells. Many stores recommend the smallest cages for African grays, measuring 46x46x46 cm. In fact, this is too small a cage. As the owner of such a parrot, I recommend 76x76x76 cm. A larger cage would be even better, but this is the minimum cage size that will keep your parrot happy and healthy. If you can't afford a cage of the right size, you may want to avoid buying a parrot. Cages can be expensive, but they should be thought of as an investment. Buying a cage and everything you need can take a long time.

You need to buy three cups for water and 6 cups for food (if you buy a large cage 1.8m x 0.4m x 0.9m; if the cage is smaller, then no need). There should always be 3 cups in the cage. One with fresh water, one with regular food and one for daily fresh food. If you want, you can add a fourth for treats or toys. A cup for water needs to be taken out and washed once a day, and a cup for dry food, such as seeds, twice a week (or unscheduled if your bird poops in the cup by mistake). You will also need to buy either a stand for your parrot or a play area for when you let him out of his cage. All parrots must be released from their cage periodically. They need to buy toys, and when you first buy, you need to buy several different types: puzzles, acrylic, wooden (although red-tailed parrots and macaws quickly disintegrate them if they are made of thin wood) and rope toys. These toys need to be alternated, removing them from the cage and replacing them with new ones when the old ones are worn out. Acrylic toys don't wear out, but parrots need toys that they will destroy. This can become costly because... toys cost from $3 to $150. To save money, you can learn to make these toys yourself. They are essential to your budgie's health and happiness. You will also need to include high quality pelleted grains in their diet, on their own they may not be a healthy diet for your parrot, but as a supplement to a balanced diet they are very beneficial. You will also need to buy them human food like nuts (in the form of treats), fresh vegetables and fruits. You also need cage cleaning products (Poop Off is a good brand) and bedding or newspapers for the bottom of the cage. We recommend using newspapers because they are always handy and non-toxic.

Calculate your budget. Expect to spend between $10 and $50 on toys, $30 on food, and $25 on other extra expenses each month.

Find an avian veterinarian. As soon as you buy a parrot, you will need to take it in for a medical examination. He may need to be vaccinated. The usual vaccination consists of several injections against the polyoma virus. If your budgie looks sick, take him to the vet immediately. Parrots are good at hiding their illnesses because... the defense mechanism is embedded in their behavior in their natural habitat, so you will only see symptoms if the parrot is already very sick. At an early stage, only a very attentive and loving owner can catch signs of the disease. And if one day your parrot shows obvious signs of illness, this is a critical period and should be taken to the vet immediately. This means that the disease has already been developing for some time. An urgent visit costs about $250 or more. In the seven years that I have had parrots, I have only been lucky enough to be in such emergency situations twice. However, there are people who have had to spend thousands of dollars to treat their pet. You should have the financial ability to pay a high veterinary bill if the need arises, or to schedule visits to an avian veterinarian, which will allow you to plan expenses. Many owners are wondering whether to go for an unplanned visit to the doctor or not, because it requires expenses, and the result is sad. Avian medical care is much more expensive than veterinary care for dogs or cats because it is a complex and constantly changing field of science. Therefore, such veterinarians have to devote more time to studying exotic birds. Therefore, it is very important to visit a certified veterinarian.

So, now you understand what a parrot is and how much it will cost you. And you still want to get a parrot. Now is the time to figure out what kind of parrot you want to buy.

Most of the low budget parrots are small in size, but there is still a variety to choose from. If you have more money, you can afford to be picky. However, more expensive does not mean better. The best parrot is the one that brings you joy, and it may not be a macaw at all. It could be a cockatiel. More expensive parrots are those that are difficult to breed or rare species that, in general, do not belong in a cage at home. Before you spend a large amount of money on a bird, determine whether the species is endangered.

Some parrots live to be 80 years old. Such a pet must be mentioned in the will when transferring it to someone. Diseases, illnesses, accidents and genetic defects - all this can end the life of any creature before its term. Many parrots today live long lives because we have a better understanding of their needs.

Start studying the information! A good book about parrots will tell you almost everything you want to know about becoming an owner of a wide variety of species.

Find a good breeder and look at their parrots. There will mainly be chicks there, and small parrots behave differently than adults. They are often less noisy, friendlier, more adaptable to change, and more endearing. It would be ideal if you could contact local parrot owners through online groups and view their adult birds. If there is a bird sanctuary near you, you can look there. They have courses there for first-time parrot owners or for those who want to adopt older birds. Remember, if you adopt a baby bird, there is no guarantee that its personality will be the same when it grows up! Just like human children, they have a period of childhood, maturation, youth, etc.

Appearance. This is the last thing you need to think about. All parrots are beautiful, some are just more colorful than others. If you want to choose this particular bird because it matches the color of your furniture, don't waste your money. Go away and better buy yourself some painting. When buying a bird, there is no point in focusing on appearance, the main thing is its character.

Decide how many parakeets you want. If you've never held one before, start with one and then see how many you can physically and financially handle. Keep in mind that if you add another parrot, you will have to double the time you spend caring for the birds, factoring in the mess and noise they will create. Consider the amount of time, money and emotional reserve before you buy too many birds.

Noise can be a problem. Parrots are very noisy by nature and will make flock calling calls throughout the day. Some species are quieter than others. Most of them are not suitable for those living in apartments, as the noise can annoy neighbors. There are no parrots that NEVER scream. Some people scream several times a day, others for at least 15 minutes or more, this is natural behavior for them. If trained correctly, excessive crying can be eliminated.

By preparing food for your parrot, you are showing him your love. It's good if you give them more variety of food, giving them choice and new habits. A popular favorite among bird owners is "bird bread." This is bread with some baked parrot food inside. This is a great way to feed your pet if he refuses a certain food because... this food is “hidden” inside the bread. This is an especially great idea if your parrot doesn't like vegetables!

Warnings
- Do not adopt a parrot with behavioral problems unless you have received special training or training in how to deal with such problems. Parrots that have been rescued from certain situations or older parrots that have changed homes tend to have these problems. *NEVER rescue a parrot from a pet store with terrible conditions! By buying a parrot there, you are supporting them financially, which ensures that they will continue to buy and torture birds, keeping them in terrible conditions. Report such a store to the appropriate local authorities and boycott it.
- Do not buy very tiny chicks. Hand feeding such a chick requires VERY specific skills, and you can seriously harm or even kill the baby with improper feeding. The parrot will not be more attached to you just because you hand-fed it as a child! Unless you're an expert, wait until they're big enough to take them home.

As a rule, a parrot that feels great has an excellent appetite, it is cheerful, active and always busy with something. And if the bird does not want to eat, moves little and increasingly sits on a perch with its eyes closed, while twitching its tail, it means that something has gone wrong and the pet feels unwell. Well, the most glaring signs of an approaching malaise are loss of voice, the desire to hide the head in the plumage, diarrhea, etc.

Of course, at the first sign of discomfort, it is best to immediately contact a veterinarian. But if this is not possible, and the symptoms of illness are mild, you can try to correct the situation yourself.

Often, parrot owners are faced with the fact that their pets begin to actively pluck their feathers. Of course, this process looks extremely suspicious, but this is not a symptom of some disease - this is how the most banal boredom is expressed. Buying a second parrot or special toys will help solve the problem.

If you notice that the parrot began to behave sluggishly, it's time to think about whether you are feeding him correctly. Birds living at home often have a lack of vitamins due to poor nutrition, which, of course, negatively affects their general condition. Severe vitamin deficiency is indicated by the parrot's trembling, inflamed, swollen eyelids, slow growth of the bird, and even convulsions. If, having noticed such signs, you do not compensate for the lack of vitamins in your pet’s body, it may die.

Fight vitamin deficiency special vitamin preparations added to the food help, as well as a diet enriched with sprouted grains, fresh herbs, fruits, berries and vegetables suitable for parrots. Never feed your bird the wrong food!

Sunbathing will also help replenish the lack of vitamins. In the summer, expose the cage to the sun for about half an hour to an hour.

In general, light and heat within reasonable limits are very beneficial for a sick bird. If signs of illness occur, it is often recommended to install a lamp with a power of up to 40 watts over the cage. and leave it running around the clock. The parrot will choose a comfortable place under the lamp itself.

In terms of drink and food, weakly brewed tea, chamomile decoction, millet, oatmeal, etc. will be useful for a lethargic bird.

If a bird has diarrhea, activated charcoal, boiled water with the addition of rice water, and branches of fruit trees with bark will help save the situation. Remember, diarrhea in parrots is a very dangerous symptom. If it is not treated in time, the parrot will die. Therefore, if the situation does not improve after a few days, you MUST contact a veterinary clinic.

By the way, diarrhea is often caused by poor quality food and water; be careful when feeding your pet!

When the disease subsides and the parrot is healthy, be sure to rinse the cage in boiling water to disinfect it.

Never forget that preventing a disease is much easier than managing it, so take care of your pet and closely monitor its behavior!

If your pet nevertheless begins to pull out feathers and, saving him from boredom, you decide to buy a second parrot, do not forget that the new parrot will need to be placed in a separate cage (and preferably in a separate room) for at least two weeks, this is a quarantine period. which must be endured.

Good luck and health to you!

If such an idea as breeding budgies arises, then questions immediately arise that I would like to get answers to.

The questions usually go like this:

How to determine that a female budgerigar is expecting offspring;
how to choose the right pair of birds for breeding.

Let's consider these and other questions of interest right now.

If you decide to breed birds, then you need to be aware of the main principles that must be followed in order to breed healthy and beautiful birds. In order to create a family of parrots, you need to choose the right pair. It often happens that parrots constantly fight, thereby showing which of them is more important. An important factor is that in order for the birds not to fight, it is necessary that there is sympathy between them and that they show interest in each other.

If the purchase of parrots was made from different breeders, or in different pet stores, then the first step is to put the parrots in different cages, in the same neighborhood. When you put a couple in different cages that stand next to each other, then the male and female will begin to get used to each other. The first attempts to plant them in one cage can be made after 7-14 days.

To breed offspring, both parrots must be healthy; healthy offspring are possible only from a healthy female and male. Also, the owner of his feathered friends needs to make a decision when he wants to start breeding chicks. Parrots are usually bred in early March or early June.

But if your plans do not include the beginning of spring or summer, but another period, then for this it will be necessary to fulfill a number of requirements and manipulations:

It will be necessary to increase daylight hours, this can be done with the help of fluorescent lamps. To do this, you will need to place a lamp near the cage. Also, the age of the birds you choose must reach a certain age.
You cannot attract males and females who are not yet a year old, these are too young individuals. Or vice versa, those that are already more than six years old will be too old for breeding.
The interval between laying eggs must be at least 6 months. There are breeders who do not want to comply with these deadlines. They want the female to produce more offspring so they can sell the chicks. But the pursuit of profit can cost your bird's life. This is necessary so that mommy can rest a little, or otherwise she will simply die.

The mating season of birds can be noticed immediately. A male parrot begins to become interested in the female, pays attention to her, shows off and flirts. The female, in response to courtship, reciprocates the mating games of the male. If you notice such active behavior of your feathered pets, then you can begin to prepare the nest.

You can make such nesting houses yourself, or simply purchase them at a pet store. It doesn’t matter which of these options you choose, buy or make yourself, the female will be interested in him in any case. She will jump into it and put everything in order, or she will just sit there for a long time and scratch in it.

How to understand that a female parrot is expecting offspring

How to find out what offspring awaits? It's very easy to do. In order to determine the pregnancy of a female parrot, you just need to observe her, and then everything will become clear.

Signs of pregnancy in a budgie:

The female's belly will become larger in volume than it was before.
The female's tail will move in time with her breathing.
the amount of litter in the cage should increase.
The female will spend most of her time in the nest prepared for her, she will equip it for further laying of eggs.