CARING FOR YOUR LICENCED CAPTIVE PARROT.
Many parrot species should live for more than 50 years. Follow this guide to give your licenced captive bird the best chance for a long and happy life in your care.
Parrot
Health.
It is illegal in Belize to keep a wild-caught bird captive. You must apply for a licence from the Belize Forest Department and in order to qualify you must satisfy many strict criteria.
This brief guide outlines the basic needs of your bird and how best to fulfil them whilst he is in captivity
You can download this document, or contact us for more information, advice or assistance with your bird.
Caging
First and foremost remember that no cage is ever big enough for a parrot.
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The legal minimum for a parrot cage in Belize is 6' x 6' x 6'. Use ½” wire mesh so rats, snakes and possums can’t get in. Chain-link and chicken wire is not suitable. Secure wire on the floor so nothing can dig into the cage.
Provide covered areas for protection from weather extremes and an open area so he can choose rain or sunshine.
Parrots hate to be at ground level; make sure there are perches high up. Position the cage under a tree if you can.
Perching
Use different thicknesses and heights of perches for good foot health and exercise. Perches must be secure and not twist around.
Parrots love to chew leaves so give fresh greens every day. Never use plastic or metal pipe - it is bad for the feet.
Enrichment
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Parrots are social birds. In the wild they live in large flocks. Boredom makes a parrot aggressive and miserable: he may even pluck out his own feathers.
He needs toys and a friend (human or parrot) exactly like human children. Give him lots to do, and love and attention: solitude is torture for a parrot.
Give sticks, leaves and berries to bring out his natural behaviours
Toys
Use craft beads, Popsicle sticks, wood blocks, small bush sticks, sugar cane, plastic bottle tops, leather strips, leaves, coconut, flowers, pasta pieces, toilet roll inners, clean rags, buttons, nuts, mango pits and baby toys.
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Connect with chains, ropes, string, vines and cable ties (which are also excellent for securing branch perches)
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Don't give metals, and especially not rusty metals. The minerals in them get into the bird's blood and will eventually kill them.
Food
Most fruits, vegetables, nuts, beans and even flowers.
e.g. banana, mango, watermelon, papaya, unsalted nuts, sunflower seeds, sugarcane, figs, oranges, kinep, plums, celery, spinach, carrot, okra, craboo, hibiscus flowers, corn, green beans, all apples & plums, grapes, peppers. Too many sunflower seeds make him fat.
Peanuts carry a fungus that is toxic to birds: experts advise not to give peanuts.
NO salt, alcohol, fizzy drinks, sweets, sugary cakes, salty chips etc.
​POISONOUS: chocolate, avocado, onion.
ALWAYS: CLEAN, FRESH DRINKING WATER
Wing-clipping
Cutting a bird’s wings does not make him tame. That can only be achieved through hard work and dedication.
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He needs wings to keep warm and dry, protect soft body feathers, exercise his chest muscles and to control landings and avoid injury.
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If you must do it, do it right. DO NOT cut all of the feathers and do NOT clip them short. Follow the diagram for the best way to clip your parrots’ wings or check out one of the many You Tube videos.
Warning signs of sickness
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Sleeps all the time (head tucked)
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Feathers fluffed
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Eyes half-closed or shut most of the time
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Balance issues, trembling
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Discharges from the eyes or nostrils
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Swollen eyes or throat.
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Stops eating, or excessive thirst
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Limps or doesn’t use one foot.
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Unusual behaviour (not talking, playing or moving as usual)
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Heavy or irregular breathing, especially if the tail bobs at the same time
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Weight loss. (If you don’t have a scale, feel the long ‘keel bone’ in his breast. If it sticks out and feels sharp, your bird is too thin and needs help, even if he’s eating well
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If you can’t feel his keel, he may be too fat: cut down on the sunflower seeds!
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Do your own health check
Normal poop should be a mix of dark green, lighter green and white. Depending on what he’s been eating, it could be darker in colour (seeds) or orange (papaya) but the majority of the time it should look the same.
When to worry:
If the colour changes for more than three or four poops - especially if it’s dark brown, very pale green, yellow, black and sticky, or bloody
If it’s bubbly or is sticking to the parrot’s feathers
If it decreases in size for more than a day or two
If it is watery, runny or smells bad
If he's straining to poop
Hazards in the Home
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Dogs & cats attack and bite
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Hot stove and pots, and hot food burn
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Ceiling fans can break legs and wings
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Slamming doors can kill a loose parrot
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Birds can drown in open toilets
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Electrical wires can kill if they are chewed
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Strong chemical smells can damage tiny lungs, and even kill
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Some paints, plastics, treated wood and natural plants contain toxins: be careful what he chews
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Parrots quickly chew through window screens
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Parrots chew everything –be aware of what you leave around the house with a loose bird
