Jaco parrot: description of species, content features, selection rules

Today it’s not so common to meet families without pets. In addition to the most popular dogs and cats, it is worthwhile to separately distinguish parrots. The Zhako parrot is a smart bird, thanks to which it coexists perfectly in the room with people, and since birds are long-livers, such a pet can live side by side with a person throughout his life.

Jaco is a fairly popular bird, which is scientifically referred to as African Gray Parrot Psittacus, which means "gray African parrot." Due to the unique disposition of this bird in the dwellings where Jacques settled, a peculiar cheerful and enchanting atmosphere will reign. The bird comes from a family of parrots and is the only representative of the genus blunt-tailed. Since Jaco is still an exotic bird, Before acquiring it is recommended to study in detail its nature and features of the content.

The size of an adult is about 30-35 centimeters, while the average wingspan can exceed 60 centimeters. The wing itself has a length of about 20-25 centimeters, the end of the wing is highly developed. The tail of the parrot is small, its length will not be more than 8-9 centimeters.

The skin is secreted by leathery nostrils and a bridle located in the area of ​​the bird's organs of vision.Birds can have several color options for their plumage: today you can find parrots with a color in the color palette of mouse shades, as well as bright purplish-red Jacques. As a rule, external features relate to gender - males have a more powerful beak and a thickened skull, while the head of a female individual repeats domed outlines. However, after the bird has matured, the external differences will no longer be pronounced.

Jaco - uha talking parrot that can be kept at home. The bird has the ability to imitate the voice of a person, in addition, Jaco are long-livers who can live in a family for at least seven decades. Among birds of this breed, there were individuals that survived to 90 years.

As for the natural environment where the gray parrot lives, then the birds sometimes emit a rather piercing scream and even a whistle, while quite loudly clicking their beak. At home, the bird can also behave extremely emotionally, but these character traits can be smoothed out if you give the pet proper attention, engage in its development, and properly care for it. It is noted that Zhako throughout life stands out for its extremely high memorability and observation.

The name of the bird was not accidental, because Africa is considered to be its homeland. Depending on the breed of bird, the areas of settlement of individuals across the continent are slightly different. Thus, the red-tailed bird inhabits the Congo and Tanzania, and the brown-tailed species prefers the areas of Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone. However, today a similar bird can be found all over the world. Zhakos fly a little hard, in the wild they can make long flights with the aim of attacking farmland.

Birds spend the night on the tops of green trees, settling there closer to sunset. Due to their tenacious, clawed limbs and beak, they climb well on the trunks of fruit crops in search of goodies, Jacques descend to the ground to get water, usually this happens in the morning.

The division of the breed into species is carried out according to external signs relating to the color of the tail. Today in the natural environment and in dwellings there are two main species and a subspecies of exotic birds.

Such a bird grows to a length of 37 centimeters, the predominant color of plumage is light gray. In this case, the color of the feathers on the tail will strongly contrast with the body, since it stands out with a bright red tint of the pen.

The bird will be slightly smaller in size than the previous species - the average parameters of an adult parrot will not exceed 30 centimeters. In this case, the gray plumage is somewhat darker than that of the red-tailed congener. The feather on the tail is painted in a brown-red tone, the beak has a shade of ivory.

The bird looks almost like a brown-tailed parrot, similarity is observed in the color of plumage. However, due to the artificial mutation, today you can find birds with a completely white color, as well as gray-pink parrots.

If you plan to keep only one bird of this breed in the house, then experts recommend purchasing a male at a young age. Since it is the male who is much quicker to settle in the new place.

There are several recommendations regarding the choice of an exotic bird.

• Primarily proposals for the sale of Jaco should be considered, coming only from specialized and certified nurseries. All presented parrots should be ringed. The fixed ring must have basic pet information.
• Feeding chick will be completely tame, on the legs it will have smooth scales, the beak will also be smooth.Young animals can be distinguished by black eyes, which only turn yellow with a half to two years old. The optimal age of the chick to buy is 3-4 months.
• When buying an adult parrot it is necessary to pay attention to his behavior in contact with a person, since some unscrupulous sellers sell wild birds under the guise of tame birds. If a parrot screams loudly at the sight of a person, then such an individual most likely has not been trained, so serious problems can arise at home with it.
• On the ability to talk the floor of the parrot does not have any effect, therefore, both female and male can be taught to imitate human speech at home.

Remember that parrots are social birds, Therefore, for them, an important point is the interaction with all family members. If over time its composition will increase or another pet is present in the home, it is important to correctly distribute attention for everyone.

It is worth highlighting the main features that relate to the content of an exotic talking bird in a living room.

The parrot house is selected according to its type and size, as well as the number of birds that are planned to be kept in one cage. So, optimal dimensions for a bird house will become the size of 65x45x80 centimeters, this applies to housing for one bird.

Since the jacquot has a rather powerful beak, the rods in the cell must have a diameter of at least 3 millimeters. Reliable fasteners will also be required for feeders and drinkers placed inside. For a parrot, it is worth choosing cells containing an Plexiglas insert, the bottom should be present protective grill.

Since an exotic bird stands out for its intelligence and good memory, it is worth considering housing options with this type of castle, which Jacquot will not be able to open on his own. For added comfort, parrot owners are offered mobile cages that have wheels at the bottom.

The internal filling of the cage is also important: in addition to the beak care insert, the bird will need a variety of twigs, sticks and twigs, it is preferable to use parts of fruit trees. There should be a lot of toys in the cage, accessories for playing with a treat placed inside are very popular.

The food for the parrot is placed in the feeders fixed in the cage, they must be made of impact-resistant polymer, ceramics or stainless steel. Birds eat different food, respectively, in the cage should be three or four feeders. In addition, you should take care of the presence of drinkers in the cage. However, a balanced feeding of Jaco with various fruits and vegetables will enable the bird to replenish the water balance, so it can approach the water extremely rarely.

It is required to feed a parrot at home in such a way so that the vitamin and mineral composition of food is as close as possible to natural conditions. Ptah should be introduced to new feeds gradually and with extreme caution. All types of fruits and vegetables used must be fresh, and the diet varied. The presence of cereals, nuts, and herbaceous plants recommended for parrots positively affects bird health.

An alternative to the above feeds are dry options, but in this case, water must be present in the cell without fail. It is more correct to use filtered liquid, if this is not possible, then tap water should be allowed to settle for at least a day. From time to time for zhako you can buy non-carbonated mineral water, which will positively affect the digestion and immunity of the bird.

In the wild, the diet of a parrot will vary depending on the season, so some changes in the fruits and vegetables used can be at home. It is forbidden to feed a parrot from a common family table, despite the fact that the bird will show a genuine interest in the food of households. This is due to the potential danger of most dishes for parrots, fruits and vegetables may be an exception.

The most important nuance regarding care is bathing a parrot. These birds adore water procedures, since swimming provides them with the opportunity to maintain plumage, skin, beak and limbs in a clean state. Water treatments are recommended regularly but without fail avoiding drafts and lowering the temperature of the air in the room after the hygienic measures of the bird.

A white powdery coating may appear on the feathers of the jaco. This is a physiological norm that allows the pet to maintain plumage in a normal state. To bathe and control the amount of powder on the wings, the owner can spray the bird from the spray bottle with warm water. Also, the bird is able to bathe on its own, for this she will need a container of water.

As for reproduction and pairing, exotic birds are quite selective in terms of partner selection, especially in captivity. Some individuals spend their entire lives alone. And even the cohabitation of two heterosexual parrots does not guarantee that they will create a couple.

But if this nevertheless happened, then for “lovers” it is necessary to distinguish a nesting place in which the female, after some time after mating, lays several eggs. Hatching lasts about 30 days, the female is engaged in this, and the male provides food. Young growth will be fully fledged closer to three months, until this time parents will look after and feed the chicks.

A bird can die due to contact with electrical appliances, glass, therefore, the apartment is for Zhako an unsafe place in which the parrot outside the cage should be closely monitored. Particular attention should be paid to windows that must be closed. If the bird remains indoors alone, then the jaco must be placed in a cage.

This breed can be safely classified as the most intelligent, so experts include the level of development of intelligence of a gray exotic guest for a 3-4 year old child. The bird speaks, repeating not only the sounds heard, but also clearly conveying the intonation with which a person pronounces phrases or words. Scientists agree that birds are quite sensitive to the situation, so they can play sounds with a semantic load.

In captivity, this breed suffers from self-pinching. Such an ailment can provoke the following points:

• errors regarding care, in the light of which parasites appeared in birds;
• psychological injuries;
• errors regarding nutrition.

In order to help the bird get out of this state, it is necessary to establish and revise the conditions of detention, take the parrot to the appointment with a specialist. Helminthiasis should be attributed to parasitic diseases from which the pet may suffer. For treatment, it will be necessary to use specialized medicinal formulations, as well as perform a disinfectant treatment of the cell. Non-communicable diseases of parrots relate to obesity, to combat it, it is necessary to reconsider the moments of keeping and feeding Jaco. In rare cases, a bird may develop tuberculosis, which cannot be treated.

As a rule, it is possible to determine that a gray parrot is suffering from any ailment by its hectic behavior. Frequent leaps in mood, refusal to eat, apathy or irritation will be the first warning signals, indicating the presence of any health problems in the bird.

Most parrot breeders of this breed characterize it as inquisitive and socially active. However, in order to have smart and healthy jaco in the house, the owner will need to pay maximum attention to the bird. Regular classes, a balanced diet and competent care will allow you to grow a smart and beautiful individual at home that can bring a lot of positive emotions to both the adult and younger generations of the family.

In the next video, you are waiting for the features of the content, nutrition and care of the Jaco parrot.