5 ways to pamper your parrot
We are all busy these days and I know it is difficult to meet all the demands of your life. But it’s time for a breather. Take some time with each of your feathered children and give them the royal treatment. I know some of you have multiple birds so it doesn’t have to be all parrots on the same day! Get in the habit of doing at least a short version of this regularly. Your parrots will thank you!
Some birds are more “social” than others. I can take two of mine and snuggle without fear of needing stitches. The other one that I have to be very careful with. I use a stick as the main means of transportation. No matter what level of “accommodation” your parrot prefers, you can adjust each step to your parrot’s comfort level.
I hope both you and your feathered children have fun. Not only is this a great time for your bird, but you also relax a bit. For an added bonus, turn off the phone!
Spend quality time one on one
Hang out together. Let them help you gather things around the house. My cockatoo likes to help me fold my clothes. One of my African Grays prefers to converse in English from one side to the other. My other African gray likes to sit on top of me and scratch while
I lie down on the couch.
He runs up and down on me, the couch, and sometimes he perches on my knee and just sits there. You could put on some classical or jungle music and sit quietly together for a while. There are no rules, the point is just to give your bird your undivided attention.
Share a meal
Prepare some veggies, fruits, pasta, or any other bird-friendly dish that your parrot likes to taste. Share with your bird, heck, eat from the same plate. A bite for you, a small bite for them. Of course, remember to give them your own spoon or fork so you don’t give them your nasty human germs.
Interactive game
Hand toys such as bird bagels, bars or marbella shapes; A piece of string, a popsicle stick, a towel, even a crumpled piece of paper can really be interactive bird toys.
There are hundreds of safe and fun things to play with. Go ahead and show your bird a good time. One of my African Grays loves to play ball with crumpled paper. When the catch time is up, he loves to shred it. It doesn’t have to be expensive, it just has to be fun!
New toy
Give your parrot something new to do when he hangs out in the cage! Remodel a bit. Rearrange the toys that are there and buy a new one. Parrots come aboard! Why not buy an extra toy or two for later? You could rotate the toys when your parrot loses interest in them. I have a toy box for little birds that all my toys fit into. Periodically, I take out his current toys and put some out of the box. The others return to the toy box for later use. If the toys are badly damaged, see if you can use the parts of various toys to make a new toy. Rotating and recycling toys prevents boredom, saves you money, and gives your parrot a change of scenery regularly.
Shower
What pampering session would be complete without a good shower or bath? Depending on your parrot’s preference, let him splash around in the sink or tub. Spray your bird with a water bottle or for a finer water spray, you can use a little bird like Mr. Mister. I use a Mr. Mister for all my parrots, in fact they have their own shower perch. Whatever they prefer, make it fun!