General Care Recommendations

Your bird's cage is its home base, the place where it eats, sleeps, plays, and retreats to when it needs to feel safe. Bigger is always better. Generally, your parrot should be able to fully extend and flap its wings inside its cage without touching the bars.

Bar spacing matters just as much as size. Bars that are too wide can trap a bird's head or body. For small species like green-cheeked conures and parrotlets, bar spacing of about ½" Medium sized species like Indian ringnecks and caiques do well with ½” to ¾" spacing. See Species we raisefor more species-specific recommendations.

Cage placement is equally important. Choose a spot that is:

·       In a social area of the home where the bird can see and interact with family

·       Away from drafts, air vents, and exterior doors

·       Out of direct, unshaded sunlight for extended periods

·       Never in the kitchen (see Household Hazards below)

Perch variety is important for foot health. Include perches of varying diameter. Parrot-safe woods like dragon wood, manzanita, and apple.

Tip: Place the cage against a wall so your bird has a sense of security at its back. Birds in the center of a room with exposure on all sides can become chronically stressed.

A healthy parrot diet is varied and fresh. While a quality pellet should make up the foundation of what your bird eats, it should be supplemented daily with fresh vegetables, some fruits, and whole foods. Seeds should be a small part of the diet not the whole of it. An all-seed diet is nutritionally incomplete and one of the leading causes of early health problems in pet parrots.

Safe & Recommended Foods

• Quality pellets (Zupreem, Roudybush, Harrisons, Psittacus)

• Dark leafy greens (kale, chard, dandelion greens)

• Cooked grains (quinoa, brown rice, oats)

• Bell peppers, carrots, broccoli, squash

• Legumes (cooked lentils, chickpeas)

• Berries, mango, papaya (in moderation)

• Cooked eggs (protein boost)

• Sprouts

Never Feed These

• Avocado — toxic, potentially fatal

• Chocolate & caffeine

• Onion & garlic

• Apple seeds & fruit pits

• Alcohol of any kind

• High-salt or processed foods

• Dairy (birds are lactose intolerant)

• Raw dried beans

• Xylitol (artificial sweetener)

Important: Fresh water must always be available and changed at least once daily. Water dishes that also serve as bathtubs should be refreshed more frequently.

Parrots have an extremely sensitive and complex respiratory system what barely affects a human and can be fatal to a bird within minutes. Before your parrot comes home, do a full audit of your household with the following in mind.

●      Non-stick cookware (PTFE/Teflon): when overheated, releases fumes that cause rapid respiratory failure. This is one of the most common causes of sudden parrot death in homes.

●      Aerosols & fumes: air fresheners, scented candles, incense, cleaning sprays, hairspray, perfume, and paint fumes are all dangerous.

●      Open water: toilets, full sinks, buckets, and even drinking glasses pose a drowning risk for free-flying birds.

●      Ceiling fans: always turn fans off when your bird is out of the cage. Collisions are often fatal.

●      Other animals: even a "gentle" cat or dog poses a real danger. Cat saliva contains bacteria (Pasteurella) that can kill a bird even from a minor scratch.

●      Windows & mirrors: birds can fly into glass they don't perceive as solid. Ensure windows are closed or screened during out-of-cage time.

●      Toxic plants: many common houseplants are toxic to parrots, including pothos, philodendron, dieffenbachia, and oleander.

●      The kitchen: between hot surfaces, steam, fumes, and open pots, the kitchen is the single most dangerous room for a parrot. Never allow unsupervised access.

Rule of thumb: If it has a strong smell, produces smoke or steam, or is something you wouldn't want to breathe deeply yourself keep it away from your bird.

Parrots need 10–12 hours of uninterrupted sleep per night. Chronic sleep deprivation can lead to hormonal imbalances, feather-destructive behavior, aggression, and immune suppression over time.

The cage can be covered at night with a breathable cage cover to block light and reduce disturbance. Establish a consistent sleep and wake schedule. Birds are highly attuned to light cycles, and irregular schedules confuse their internal clock in ways that affect both behavior and long-term health.

Natural or full-spectrum lighting during the day is beneficial. If your bird doesn't get access to unfiltered natural sunlight (glass can filter out UV), consider a full-spectrum bird lamp for a few hours daily. UV light is essential for vitamin D synthesis and calcium metabolism.

Tip: If your household stays up late, consider placing your bird's cage in a quieter room at bedtime so it gets its full sleep even while you're still active.

Most parrots enjoy and benefit from regular bathing. Bathing keeps feathers in good condition, supports preening behavior, and helps with dander. Aim for 2–3 baths per week, more during molting season.

Bathing options include a shallow dish of room-temperature water, a gentle misting with a spray bottle Bathe your bird earlier in the day so it has time to dry fully before its sleep period.

Wing clipping is a personal decision. Clipped wings reduce flight ability and can be a safety tool during early bonding or in homes with hazards. However, a fully flighted bird has more opportunities for exercise and enrichment. Discuss options with your avian vet to find what's right for your situation. Flight is important for the mental and physical well-being of your bird. If you choose to have your bird clipped the bird may develop behavioral issues and health problems.

Nail trims are needed every few weeks to months depending on the bird and perch setup. Natural wood perches of varying diameter help wear nails naturally. Never attempt beak trimming at home this should be done by an avian vet or other qualified, experienced individuals.

Parrots are flock animals. In the wild, they spend their lives in social groups foraging, playing, calling, and grooming one another. In your home, you are their flock.

Plan for a minimum of 2-4 hours of out-of-cage time daily for interaction, play, and exploration. Birds that are caged for most of their lives without stimulation can develop behavioral problems including screaming, feather destruction, and aggression not because they are "bad" birds, but because their needs aren't being met.

Rotate toys regularly to prevent boredom. Foraging toys where your bird must work to find food are especially valuable because they mimic natural behavior. Foot toys, shredding toys, puzzle feeders, and swings all serve different enrichment needs.

Talking, singing, and training with positive reinforcement (small food rewards) builds your bond and gives your bird mental exercise. Even short, consistent daily training sessions of 5–10 minutes make a meaningful difference.

Remember: A bored parrot is often a loud or destructive parrot. Enrichment is a core part of their care.

Every parrot should have an avian veterinarian. A baseline wellness exam should be scheduled within the first 72hrs of bringing your bird home. Early detection of illness makes an enormous difference in outcomes.

Parrots are prey animals by instinct, which means they are hardwired to hide signs of illness until they are very sick. By the time a bird looks unwell, it has often been ill for some time. Know your bird's normal baseline its weight, energy level, droppings, and vocalization so you can catch changes early.

Weighing your bird once a week on a kitchen scale is a good way to catch issues early, weight loss is a symptom of health issues.

Signs that require a vet visit:

• Fluffed feathers for extended periods

• Sleeping on the cage floor

• Discharge from eyes or nares

• Changes in droppings (color, consistency, volume)

• Loss of appetite or sudden weight loss

• Tail bobbing or labored breathing

• Sudden behavior changes or loss of vocalization

• Feather destruction or over-preening

Signs of a healthy, happy bird:

• Active, alert, and curious during the day

• Smooth, well-preened feathers

• Clear, bright eyes

• Consistent droppings

• Eating and foraging regularly

• Vocalizing, playing, and interacting

In an emergency: If your bird is on the cage floor, unresponsive, or breathing with visible effort, this is a veterinary emergency. Keep the bird warm and get to an avian vet immediately do not wait to see if it improves on its own.