Popular types and features of keeping parrots

Many people cannot imagine life without a pet. But not everyone has the opportunity to get and care for a dog and even a cat. In this case, the question often arises on the agenda: but should I buy a parrot? For children in the family - this is not only an important means of upbringing (you have to take care of a parrot), but also an object of love, friendship, affection. For lonely people, parrots may be the only creatures to talk to.

And there is another category of people who drew attention to domestic parrots - businessmen. See how many online training sites on the topic "Breeding parrots as a business." In any case, regardless of the reason, you must learn as much as possible about these pets before buying a parrot.

Typical inhabitants of tropical countries - parrots, representing a detachment of parrots - this is a fairly closed group. The physique and very characteristic beak sharply distinguishes them from other birds and speaks of an ancient origin. According to the description of ornithologists, such a beak is found only in birds of prey and owls. The legs of parrots are called thick and fleshy, which are never high. The bird has 4 long fingers on each foot, 2 of which look forward and 2 - back.

The wings of different species of parrots are quite well developed: large, pointed, tapering or curving towards the end. The tail depends on the species, varies in length and shape. The color of the plumage is very diverse, which is what attracts domestic parrots. Moreover, the bird itself can be of the same color or multicolor.Most often, there is no difference in the color of plumage between females and males, as well as adult birds and chicks. But it all depends on the species.

Ornithologists also call the parrot language interesting: it is short, thick, soft, in some species the tip of the tongue has countless filiform papillae. All this distinguishes parrots from other orders of birds. But there are many differences not only in structure, but also in lifestyle and behavior.

Large parrots have a heavy take-off, but a quick flight, while small parrots are more agile. Someone flies in zigzags, and other species - in a wave, earthen parrots rarely use wings, but run fast. On earth, most parrots look awkward, jumping more often than walking. But to move along the branches, they use both beak and legs with long strong fingers.

Modern ornithologists are still inclined to the theory of rationality of these birds. That is why they do not just repeat memorized sounds and phrases, but are able to engage in dialogue. A striking example is the favorite of the Internet, Jaco Grigory.

But in order for the parrot to develop intelligence, you need to constantly deal with it. This is exactly what can be observed in the series about Grisha.

A distinctive feature of the life of parrots in nature is the constant hunt for them: flocking birds bring too much damage to agricultural land, so they are exterminated. The result - extinct species of parrots, which in the XX century still met, but now they are no longer there. An example of such an extinct species is the Caroline parrot. Small birds, gathering in flocks, destroyed the fruits of fruit trees and cereals in the fields. The place of the extinct Caroline was taken by a parrot's relative - a monk.

The second reason is trapping for the purpose of selling for domestication. The third is the parrot feathers, which are used for decoration and national costumes. And the meat of parrots is used for food, although it is harsh. Therefore, breeding parrots at home can even be considered as the salvation of rare species of these beautiful birds.

Currently, about 400 species in the world of the parrot family are divided into five subfamilies: woodpeckers, loridae, non-breeding, owl, and true parrots. But in order to choose a pet for the home, you need to determine the purpose of the purchase and the conditions that you are able to provide to a feathery friend. Also for the purchase you need to know the following facts.

• The female and male in the behavior do not differ much, but the character depends on the breed and individual characteristics. Boys are more jealous, girls are calmer.
• Males are better trained to speak.
• In appearance, it is difficult to distinguish a male from a female. In male budgerigars, the place above the beak is blue and shiny, in females it is grayish-white with a brown tint; Macaw males have a larger and more powerful head, and at the base the beak is wider than that of a female; because of the wider pelvis, the paws are wider in girls than in boys because of the wider pelvis.
• You can buy a bird from a domestic or foreign nursery, as well as wild birds. Cons of buying savages: the possibility of infection with exotic diseases, they are difficult to tame, they are more difficult to teach to speak. But parrots caught in nature are much cheaper than relatives from nurseries. For a bird - a foreigner, the seller must present a document of origin - Cites.
• To determine the health by external signs, it is worth paying attention to these factors: the parrot should not look sleepy or disheveled; litter should not be liquid; plumage - smooth, without bald spots; beak and nostrils - clean, shiny, without secretions; the keel viewed on the chest is a sign of exhaustion; eyes are shiny, clean; the parrot is behaving actively.

Of the nearly 400 species combined into 90 breeds, there are many varieties suitable for keeping at home. And since for many of our families the size of the pet is important, then we will talk about these varieties from the position of this category. But it is worth paying attention that division is very conditional.

In nature, the smallest woodpeckers are 8 cm high, among domestic species, the small ones include the popular wavy, lovebirds, pyrrhur, passerine, white-bellied and others.

• Budgerigars reach a height of 17-20 cm. They live in captivity for 8-15 years. In nature, they have a bright green color, but they have long learned how to breed yellow and blue, variegated, purple, white, gray and other colorful birds. For budding breeders, budgies are an excellent breed, as they are unpretentious. You can learn to speak only on condition of constant studies with young individuals, and then with difficulty. But they will please you with their love and affection.

• Lovebirds got their name due to the fact that after the mating season, the birds do not fly away, but remain together. The legend that in the case of the death of one parrot the second can not stand the separation, does not correspond to the truth. You need to try to find a replacement for the bird, and the parrot will get used to the new pair. All 9 types of lovebirds are similar in diet and conditions. Parrots differ in energy and mobility.

• Pirrura refers to rare exotic species that are not easy to obtain, but several varieties are commercially available. For wild birds, the traditional green color is typical, but red tail plumage is found. Pyrrhura has a strong body 30 cm long, this species is larger than wavy.

• Parrots considered a good choice for domestication. These small birds with a short tail can have a green, yellow, blue plumage and a bill extending to the sides. If you decide to have several species of birds at once, then you should keep them separately, since these birds are quite aggressive, including in relation to their chicks. That is why it is recommended to plant young parrots separately.

• White-bellied also have several varieties, different bright appearance. Birds with a developed intellect and an unpleasant loud voice, an obsessive character and difficult to learn, get used to a person well, repeat individual sounds. Pets from them will turn out funny, because they are very sociable, like to tumble and dance. But they need attention, so either get ready to devote a lot of time to them, or immediately buy a pair. White-bellied live up to 20 years.

It is believed that it is medium-sized parrots that are best suited for home breeding for both beginners and experienced breeders. Moreover, species of birds with a body of 30 to 45 cm are enough.

• Goffin Cockatoo it belongs to this group in size, its length with a tail is 32 cm. It is a very noisy and active bird that lives up to 35 years. A white cockatoo with a pale yellow tail and a rounded crest on the head slowly gets used to the person, but forever. In the top ten most expensive parrots, this species is the cheapest - about $ 1,000.

• Royal has a body length of 40 cm and a tail of 21 cm. The male has a neck, head and abdomen bright red, the back with wings is green, and the beak is orange. The female, in addition to these flowers in the plumage, also has a blue, and the beak is black-brown. But this coloring appears only in the second year of life.

• Luxury mountain parrot has a body of 40 cm, tail - 20 cm, grace and quick wits. You can be friends with this bird if you get used to a sharp and loud voice. Males of yellow-green color with an olive shade of the head are much brighter than females, who are more likely to have a calm olive-green color. In captivity, birds can live up to 30 years.

• Rosella different variegated scaly color. The older the individual, the brighter the color.The parrot has a tail length of 25-35 cm, life expectancy is up to 15 years. The bird is timid: after the purchase, you should not catch it in your hands with your hands and transplant it into a cage. The carrying pole is installed in a new housing, the cage and the carrier are pushed to each other, the rosella will fly onto its own pole.

• Lorikeetperhaps the brightest parrots. To maintain color and food should be bright, they love pollen and nectar. They live about 20 years. Friendly, sociable, active, able to repeat sounds and language. Not very noisy, for which they are popular with breeders. A noble or two-color parrot related to lorikeet generally refers to loners.

• Senegalese Parrot different in size of 35 cm, serious and independent disposition, life expectancy of 25-40 years, ability to train. The feathered one loves to sleep (at least 10 hours a day). The Senegalese has a green back, wings and tail; yellow-orange abdomen, dark gray head, crest absent.

• Corella - A popular home look. Red or yellow plumage on a 30-35-cm body with yellow, white or blue cheeks and a long, wide tail. These parrots live for about 15-20 years, easily in contact with family members. These smart birds with the intelligence of a five year old child, unfortunately, can poorly imitate human speech.

• Ringed parrot - a beautiful view, but has a vociferous voice. In birds, the body length is 30-50 cm, green plumage, a long tail in the form of a wedge. They have a good level of adaptation to captive life (they will live for about 30 years), while they are trained in human speech.

It is among the large breeds of parrots that the most intelligent are found. Perhaps the fact is connected with this, that these birds are most difficult to grow at home. The following species are most popular.

• Ara - the largest (up to 90 cm) and the most expensive (blue macaw costs $ 50,000). These are very bright birds, like a rainbow. The parrot just needs constant communication. If this does not happen, then the bird becomes aggressive and even dangerous. If it is not possible to personally devote time to are, then you need to provide him with a large number of toys and periodically change them. This species can live 50-60 years.

• Amazons inexpensive, more affectionate, but moody. Recognizing one of the family members as their master, the rest can be ignored and even bite. Over their 50-year life, they grow up to 40 cm. They also really need communication, but having remarkable intelligence and feeling love for their person, they begin to become impudent and hysterical if they have not received something from the owner. Breeders call them hooligans and talkers, but the Amazons respond very well to training.

• Large Cockatoo - This is an individual 60 cm long, difficult to maintain. But with proper care, he will live 60-80 years. There are many species of large cockatoo. They differ in white or white-pink, gray colors, but all are crested. Big birds need an aviary, not a cage, made of durable vertical rods. And do not forget that a smart cockatoo is able to open the cage, if it is an ordinary valve. This species is not for beginner breeders: birds have a problem of excessive chewing and biting as a method of raising all people and animals.

• Jaco (Gray Parrot) - Among large ones, it is considered a small representative - up to 33 cm. Under different conditions, it can live up to 80 years. The level of intelligence corresponds to a child of 4 years old (communicates with sentences, asks and answers questions). But Jaco, like Macaw, needs communication at least 6 hours a day. If the buyer is unable to provide this, then do not start a parrot. These are vulnerable and touchy birds tied to their master, who is considered a relative.

The right cage or aviary is the foundation of the content. The bird should freely spread its wings in the cage. It is better to choose a long cage, horizontal, with horizontal rods. The house is put away from drafts and windows with bright lighting, electrical appliances. It is advisable to press it with one side to a vertical surface (wall, cabinet, board), at the height of the human eye. It is important not to overload the cell with objects, filling it with only the most necessary:

• there must necessarily be poles (possible from different materials);
• two permanent non-plastic feeders (for grain and a mixture of minerals) and one temporary (for wet food);
• drinking bowls (open - quickly contaminated, closed - more hygienic, automatic - the most reliable);
• toys, rope ropes and ladders;
• a lamp (ultraviolet or wide spectrum) is placed in the cage, above it or from the side: even if the room is sunny, this electrical appliance is still required due to the peculiarities of the structure of the eyes of these birds and for their heating.

A varied set of food is the key to the health and good life expectancy of the pet. For this, there are purchased feed mixtures with minerals for birds - this is the first part of the diet. The second half - fruits, vegetables with herbs, cereals cooked on water without salt and sugar, sprouted cereals, fresh twigs. Water must be changed every day, in the summer - even more often.

Parrot cleanliness and order in the cage involves daily cleaning inside the house, washing feeders and drinking bowls, as well as regular washing of the cage itself. This is best done in the bathroom without the use of chemicals. But the parrot itself needs to be washed regularly in the way that he will like: under the tap, in the basin, sink, bathroom. If the bird does not like to wash, then you can hang wet lettuce in the cage: while eating, it will wash. Bathing should be pleasing to the bird, so it is important to understand how to achieve this. Do not forget to dry the bird.

If he is alone at home, he should have something to do. The pet should not be bored, so toys are a must. Boredom is the cause of unwell parrots. Many want to have intellectually developed birds. For this there are interactive toys - foragers. Inside she has a treat: overcome obstacles, complete tasks - earned refreshments.

In nature, most species of parrots live in schools. Social birds vitally need communication. And “vital” is not a metaphor. This is not a mechanical golden bird in a golden cage. Especially if you want to get a talking friend. It is important to deal with the pet, it is even more important to do this in a good mood with you and the parrot. If there is no mood, it is better to postpone the lesson and just talk to your pet.

For breeding, healthy birds are allowed (age depends on the species). Before you hang up a house-nest, artificially increase daylight hours to 14 hours, and the diet is changed in the direction of increasing protein food. Boiled eggs, sprouted grains are removed from the menu after the first egg appears. In different species, a clutch of 2-4 eggs is incubated by both parents or only a female.

To start breeding, it is better to choose a warm season. In autumn and winter, more efforts will have to be made to maintain conditions for the growth of chicks. In spring, it is not recommended to breed parrots due to the lack of vitamins in vegetables and fruits.

You can buy or make a house yourself, but keep in mind that soon there will be not only a male with a female, but also restless chicks. Sawdust and buds of non-coniferous tree species must be poured to the bottom.

Presumably, the larger the parrot, the longer the female hatches the eggs: wavy ones acquire the first chick on days 16-18, and macaws on days 29-30. If the female has not refused to play the role of mother, then do not interfere in her actions. Only enrich her diet, and also regularly check the nest for dead chicks.

• the first parrot in Russia appeared in 1490;
• African Jaco Nkisi uses 950 words, and our Jaco Gregory recently learned to add numbers;
• the wavy Pak, listed in the Guinness Book of Records, used 1728 words;
• in the USA, the parrot was able to remember the names of the robbers and repeat them to the police;
• parrots have a sense of rhythm, but no vocal cords (all sounds they reproduce through the mouth);
• these birds do not see in the dark;
• human speech parrot schools have been opened in Australia;
• a person distinguishes 16 images per second, a budgie - 150.