October 7th, 2008 by Gypsy

Image reproduced with permission from Meredith Gran.

Talented graphic artist Meredith Gran is the author of Octupus Pie: A Brooklyn Drama, and one of Brooklyn’s wild Quaker Parrots shows up in a recent episode. I don’t want to spoil the drama but the plot involves a sick bird, a slacker with a heart of gold, and a very happy ending. Meredith tells me that some of this action was inspired by my own tale of an attempted rescue of a sick parrot that didn’t go half as well.

Octupus Pie is a witty, poignant, delightful series about life in Brooklyn. Oh, just a quick note to kids and skittish parents: the stories occasionally contain some frank language characteristic of young Brooklynites.

You can experience more of Meredith’s fine work at octopuspie.com.

September 18th, 2008 by Gypsy

If your parrot seems bored and depressed, then parrot toys just might cheer them right up. Some parrots get bored and depressed when their owners aren’t around. For these birds, giving them parrot toys can keep them busy all day and prevent them from becoming depressed or acting out trying to get your attention. Parrot toys aren’t just fun for the parrot, but also the owners that get to watch their birds play with the toys. It’s interesting to see how your bird will interact with the toy and respond to the problems set before it.

Parrot toys range in functionality and there are a wide range of toys available on the market. From simple chewing ropes to puzzles containing treats inside, these toys will mentally challenge your parrot and encourage it to be more active.

Some things to be careful of when buying your parrot toys are the durability and cleanliness of the toys. Less durable products that may break and dismantle easily can be dangerous to your parrot if swallowed. You should check to make sure that the product does not come apart easily into small parts that the parrot can accidentally swallow and choke on. Also be careful of the cleanliness of the toy. Toys that are not packaged can have bacteria and harmful chemicals on them that can cause disease or illness in your parrot. Be sure to clean your parrot toys regularly to ensure that they are clean. If these simple things are considered, you can instantly add more fun to your parrot’s life.

Related toy articles

Pros And Cons Surrounding Parrot Toys
Make Your Own Parrot Toys
Keep Your Parrot Happy with Safe Toys
Choosing Safe Parrot Toys

September 18th, 2008 by Gypsy

Because of their impressive nature, people buy parrots to become their pet while visiting pet stores on impulse. Popular choices are amazons, macaws, and cockatoos because of their adorable traits and characteristics.

But, better be careful in choosing and buying parrot pets on impulse because caring for them can be an overwhelming and stressful task for you. Before you bring home a parrot to become your pet, make sure that you do a little research on its types and caring procedures so you will know what is the most suitable parrot specie for you.

Parrot shopping Guidelines

Every parrot–or any pet or animal for that matter–is different. Thus, they require special needs and caring. You must know by now that choosing a parrot for a pet is a lifelong commitment so it’s advisable that you do not make hasty decisions in buying one. Since buying a parrot requires a good decision-making, here are some things that can get you started:

Noise - The Joy Of Having A Pet Parrot

1. A parrot’s “noise” is one of the major considerations in choosing any pet parrot. Majority of the Conure species and Quaker Parakeets produce ear-piercing screeches that you might not tolerate.

Amazons, Macaws, Cockatoos, and African Greys, one the other hand, give out information about you that can smear your reputation while Pionus, and some medium-sized Poicephalus like Senegals and Meyers, are known to create lesser noise compared other parrots. Budgies, Lovebirds, and Parrotlets, on other hand, are famous for not having very loud screeches because they do not possess a real ability to scream.

Mess - The Joy Of Having A Pet Parrot

2. The next basic thing to consider when you’re pondering over buying a pet parrot is the mess the bird will create. Don’t be shocked if you see at least one-third of the food you give to the parrot will end up scattered on the floor.

This “food-scattering” is just part of a parrot’s nature of being experimental or just being naughty. Aside from food particles, feathers will also be present everywhere. If you are not used to having pets as messy as parrots and you are about to have one, you might want consider placing its cage where cleaning materials are accessible.

Attention - The Joy Of Having A Pet Parrot

3. You should also consider the attention you can give and the attention your parrot pet will need. Being social flock animals, parrots are known to enjoy utmost attention. You must know when to pay attention to your pet parrot because they become easily depressed, lazy, and untrusting. Give them enough freedom to explore and interact with you.

Cleanliness - The Joy Of Having A Pet Parrot

4. You also be prepared to maintain the cleanliness of your pet parrot. No bird–or any pet for that matter–will be happy and healthy if they are confined in a soiled, dirty cage. Putting newspapers under their cage is the easiest way to get rid off soiled perches but make sure you don’t use colored papers because they contain toxins that can be harmful to your parrot pet.

Food - The Joy Of Having A Pet Parrot

5. Lastly, contemplate on feeding your parrot pet. Far from common perception, birds–especially parrots–cannot live in birdseed alone. Daily pelleted or seed diet combined with a variety of dark green, orange, and yellow vegetables or cooked brown rice, pasta, and beans are best for your winged pet.

This content is provided by Low Jeremy. For more information on Pet Parrot & other useful information, please visit http://pet-parrot.articlekeep.com

Other Articles About Buying Parrots

How To Select The Right Parrot
Buying Parrots, Things To Think About
Disadvantages Of Having Pet Parrots
6 things to consider before buying