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Parrots are a life long commitment They, and indeed any animal, should not be bought as a present for Christmas, Birthdays or on a whim. At the end of the day, they are a living creature who deserve time, care and proper research. Especially when it comes to parrots, they are a life long commitment. Some species can live 50-80 years. The reality is, they may outlive you. Therefore, it is the owner's responsibility when they welcome a parrot into their home to have a continency plan in place as to what happens should they outlive them. Myself and my partner, for example, have agreed that we could not take in or buy a chick from a species such as a Macaw or another African Grey because they would outlive us and that is not fair on the bird as we would not have any children to look after them. Most parrots are in rescues or sanctuaries either because the owner has not researched the species before buying them, so they end up with behavioural or health issues, or their owners have passed away and there is no family member that is able to look after them, or they simply have no other family members. Please think responsibility before buying a parrot, or indeed any animal; aside from the practical sides of husbandry (e.g. proper diet, cage, safe environment and insurance for the vet), the emotional impact on your feathered friend should so be taken into consideration. Vocalisation, feather plucking or biting can also stem from emotional trauma or loss of a former owner. With that said, if you are able to give them the care and affection they need and are ready for a life long commitment, parrots make a wonderful addition to an appropriate family. There are a variety of options available out there for adopting an older bird and giving them their forever home, while this may require love and patience it is very rewarding to have one of these amazing creatures open up to you. If you are considering adoption and are based in the UK- please click the images below to find out more

As parrot owners you may have been in this situation: You're eating your dinner or a snack and suddenly you have a feathered friend(s) come to join you. You may even decide to give them a bite, they might have even taken it from you. I met a chap a couple of years ago and told me he also had a parrot, he gave it chicken bones to chew on and eat because it has protein. But just because you can, doesn't mean you should Parrots are social animals, and when it comes to food they are no different. You can often encourage them to eat and try new foods by trying some yourself, then letting them have it. There can be so many ways where these situations can be dangerous. Human saliva is the common way to transmit harmful bacteria to a bird. Externally it is obvious that their anatomy is different from ours, and this goes for the internal anatomy as well. Sharing food directly from your mouth, or letting them inside your mouth, could lead to lethal illnesses to your bird. Sharing food could be equally dangerous Not only could they be eating foods that really unhealthy for them, in that they have high fat or salt content; but the extra sauce or seasoning that may be on your food could be even more of a risk to your birds health. The same way with ducks, bread and other products of the like will bloat them, but not give them any nutritional value. The idea of giving parrots chicken bones is common in the bird community. However, these bones run the risk of splintering and cause internal and external damage to the bird, amongst other issues. You can get more protein in their diet by giving them a boiled egg once a month or giving them sprouted seeds in their chop every day. Just like a toddler, your bird may try to take food and drink from you. But just because they want it, doesn't mean it's good for them and just because you can give it to them, doesn't mean you should.

Who has/had, or knows someone who had, a budgie? The budgerigar was introduced to the UK around 1838-1840 from their native home of Australia. Unlike other parrot species, the budgerigar has a stable wild population and have no current restrictions on captive breeding practices as a result, making them a popular pet in the UK and across the world. There are many mutations and varieties of budgies, which is another reason why they are so popular. But there is an elephant in the room Because they are so easily available and there is no restriction on breeding, there is a sad truth that they are sometimes treated like objects. Many are sold or rehomed. Some are kept in abysmal conditions. Some are even treated as purely decoration. Now don't get me wrong, I adore my flock, budgies have a very special place in my heart and there are groups who promote their welfare, such as The Budgerigar Society; but the truth is, you can buy these guys for £5-£30 each. When in reality, their food, environment and healthcare cost so much more than that. Budgies are also very prone to obesity, lipomas which sometimes leads to cell carcinoma (cancer), renal neoplasia and thyroidal enlargement which can be expensive to manage. I bought one of my budgies from someone at £15, three years later he cost me and my partner thousands in vet care. I have no regrets having him in my flock. We lost him in August 2022, but we gave him every opportunity we could to help him live the rest of his life as happy and enriched as he could have. There needs to be an attitude shift Yes you can get them as your first bird, yes you can buy them for your child. But be aware of the responsibility and commitment required to look after them. If they look ill, take them to a vet . You'd be surprised, but you can insure them. Just because they have always eaten seeds and will choose that over fruit and veg, doesn't mean it's healthy . I know that the pet shop gave you this cage, you still need to get them a bigger one. Will your child get bored because their bird is too afraid to do tricks or go on their finger like they have seen on the internet? At the end of the day, budgies are living creatures just like hamsters, rabbits, reptiles, cats and dogs are. Just because you can buy them for cheap, doesn't mean their lives have any less value.

Since the time of Alexander the Great, parrots have slowly become a popular pet in the household. Whether it be a Budgie, an African Grey or a Macaw, we have loved keeping them in our family, with them being the third most popular pet in America. But, relatively speaking, parrots are not domesticated. Unlike the dog that we have bred and shaped to enjoy human interaction; parrots are still inherently wild. In some species, all you need to do is look back two generations to find them in the wild. That is why their behaviour can become fearful, aggressive and destructive. So why do I have parrots? Well, they didn't choose to be hatched into this situation, and they will not survive in the wild because they simply have not been equipped with the knowledge to do so. So, no, they really should not be pets But we can help those who have already been bred into the pet trade, to have a better life by adapting our homes (where we can) and their environment to suit their behavioural and dietary needs; whilst also discouraging wild capture and unregistered breeding. We are not entitled to them, but we are privileged to have them.