Birds & Parrots
Our Birds & Parrots
Petaholics are the place to find an amazing range of birds,
we can advise on all aspects of care!
Keeping Birds
We have a wide range of bird species so their husbandry needs are very different. Some are better suited to aviaries, some are great talkers and others might be very noisy and unsuitable for those with neighbours. We are experts in bird keeping, and will be able to discuss the pros and cons of the different species with you, to help find you the perfect feathered companion to suit your life-style, budget and needs.
Variety & Enrichment
All bird species require variety and enrichment in both their environment and their food.
As a minimum, your bird should be able to perch high enough that the tail feathers do not touch the floor of the cage, and should be able to spread its wings in either direction without touching the sides. An enclosure large enough to enable flying is ideal, and allowing them supervised free-time outside of their cage on a daily basis in a safe and secure room is even better.
Providing the opportunity to fly keeps a bird's cardio-vascular system healthy, and develops confidence and provides enrichment.
Enrichment can include providing natural perches from fruit or willow trees of different widths, providing leafy twigs, chewable or interactive toys or nesting materials to shred and collect.
Food enrichment can be provided by using a good quality dry seed mix, along with seasonal vegetables and fruits, either placing them in a bowl or making 'veggie kebabs' that hang in the cage, or using puzzle-feeders. Try varying the type, texture, shape and taste of the food that you offer them.
For more information on bird nutrition, please drop us a line at info@petaholicsltd.co.uk and ask for our parrot nutrition sheet.
Which bird should I buy?
There are many smaller birds that can make ideal companions, and some have huge personalities in a small, compact (and more 'manageable') body! Some believe that only the larger parrots can talk and perform 'tricks', whereas there are videos of small finches and budgies performing 'obstacle courses', cockatiels dancing and reciting beautiful tunes, cheeky Ring-Necked Parakeets chatting to their owners and the forever-entertaining Caiques performing a whole bunch of amusing antics!
We do not recommend the larger birds such as cockatoos and macaws to novice bird keepers. An adult macaw has the intelligence of a five year old child, and they require a lot of attention, company and enrichment to keep them happy. Macaws and cockatoos can be extremely noisy, and because they are demanding, they often develop behavioural problems to compensate for insufficient attention. They are also extremely destructive and can crack a walnut with very little effort; they see no difference between this and your door frame or antique dresser!
Why is it difficult to buy African Greys now?
In an effort to protect wild-caught African Grey parrots from entering the pet trade , they were added to the CITES protected list several years ago. This has resulted in the need for them to have DEFRA paperwork to prove that they are captive-bred when they are bought or sold, and either a closed leg-ring or a microchip, which is implanted under the skin using a general anaesthetic with a specialist avian veterinary surgeon. These procedures can be very expensive to the breeder, along with the risks of anaesthetising birds, and this cost is then passed on to the buyer. Many breeders did not want to invest the finances and time required, and stopped breeding. Now African Grey breeders are difficult to find, and the cost of a single, hand-reared African Grey has risen from £800-£900 to £1500-£2000 or more. If you are offered one for much less than this, I would be wary of scammers or illegally smuggled, wild-caught birds.
Our birds are either bred and reared by ourselves or are from close and trusted friends, to ensure the best start in life
FAQ's
Will my parrot talk?
Many parrot and parakeet species can learn to talk, and some of the smaller species such as budgies and cockatiels can learn to say a few words and can recite beautiful tunes. Remember that your parrot will only learn to talk
if you talk to it!
Should I get a hen or a cock bird?
There is no real difference between the sexes in most birds with regards to their suitability as a pet. Some birds can be visibly sexed as they have noticeably different colouring or features, with some the differences are slight and require an experienced eye, and with others the only way to sex them is with a DNA test. This involves plucking some chest feathers and sending them away to an Avian lab
for anaylsis.
Should I cover my bird at night?
Yes! Most birds require a good eight to twelve hours of sleep at night in order to stay healthy! Switch off the TV, turn out the lights and cover them with a cloth cage cover and use a verbal cue such as 'Night Night' to let the bird know it's bedtime.
Does my bird need UV light?
Yes! UV light enables birds (and us!) to produce vitamin D in their skin, and this enables them to absorb the calcium in their diet. Calcium is essential for a healthy skeletal and immune system, but UV also dramatically affects behaviour including healthy preening and feeding, and is a common deficiency with feather-plucking birds. Some birds are more prone to calcium deficiency (African Greys and Eclectus). Pet birds are mostly kept indoors so will greatly benefit from a UV light positoned either above or to one side of their cage where they perch. A UV light with a clamp is available for attaching to the cage, but make sure they
cannot reach any wires.
Should I clip my bird's wings?
We do NOT recommend that you clip your bird's wings - one of the most enjoyable activities for your bird (and for you to watch) is flying! Clipping can lead to behavioural problems, reduce the bird's ability to fly away from predators (pet cats and dogs) and incorrect clipping can result in fall injuries. Never clip a young bird's wings, since learning to fly can prevent injuries at a later date, builds confidence and therefore reduces the risk of behavioural problems, and develops the cardio-vascular system and muscles which will ensure a healthy, fit and happy bird. Bird safe your room and screen your windows instead. Free flying indoors should always be supervised.
Where should I position
my bird cage?
Position your bird's cage in the room where you or your family spend most time, but away from the kitchen. Birds are very suspectible to fumes of any kind, including scented candles and air freshners, but the fumes from using Teflon-coated utensils in a kitchen are invisible and odourless but can be fatal. A corner is ideal, so that the bird feels 'secure' on two sides, and away from the main 'traffic route'. The more secure your bird feels in its new home, the quicker it will settle in. Allow them to move up and away from dogs, cats and small children who may poke their fingers in the cage. A good range of natural branch perches at different heights will allow your bird to move to a position it feels safest.