Parrot Indoor Playroom Ideas and Outdoor Flight Information

Parrots love to fly, walk, jump and generally play around in their environment. Depending on space allocation for them they may have anything from a large aviary to a small night cage or even a stand that they live on. Parrots need space to stretch their wings and get out some of that build up energy they would normally use during flight. The notion of free-flight parrots is becoming incredibly more and more popular amongst parrot owners and it is amazing enrichment for them. One to 100% check out is http://www.adventuresofroku.com/ where a large variety of parrots fly around just having the best time. This particular website also is a great place for the purchase of cold-pressed pellets with added probiotics (just an excellent overall pellet) as well as other foods such as sprouts and bird-zone seed mixes. Here also is a website on training for parrots for outdoor flight if you are interested-http://www.libertywings.com/. It is a big commitment but for larger parrots it is definitely an excellent way to provide exercise and the best enrichment possible for them. Sadly, training parrots free-flight is a little way off for me so I have to find an alternate. Luckily our property has a 15m x 4m shed perfectly suited for conversion to an indoor flight room. If you don't have any space suitable a stand made from natural perching would also be extremely excellent for parrots.


Creation of a indoor parrot play room-                                        

Unfortunately the room was being used as a storage room by me for many years a place to store general rubbish, old tanks and ruined terrariums my reptiles had upgraded from. It required a lot of cleaning. Then the branches could be secured to the ceilings and toys hung up. The original cupboards needed to be removed to provide more space to fly. Parrots are supervised AT ALL TIMES in this room in case they become stuck on something or need help.

 

The room is now shared with two 18 year old bearded dragons who are in their bearded dragon retirement village. The parrot do not even notice their presence, and during the day most days the dragons are in their outdoor sun reptile pen 

Seagrass mats provide a cargo net style area where they can hang off and play. All branches are movable as to create a challenge whilst landing etc. Plastic chain runs the length of the room providing muscle strengthening grip to stay on (but they have wings which majority of the time they choose to use) If you have a spare area it may be perfect for your parrots to stretch their wings in.

COMING SOON- Large outdoor planted aviary revamp ready for outdoor safe play area which may become permanent housing instead of caging.

Previously used as a small parrot breeding aviary, this will be very suitable when potted safe plants are added and a cement base and proper perching in the coming months. A little overgrown and neglected at the current time. 

Parrot Chop For This Week

Parrot chops are best if they are completely nutritionally balanced. Sadly, this is incredibly difficult as we do not know the nutritional requirements of any bird species aside from the chicken. It is therefore vital we have a "best guess" when trying to provide a nutritionally balanced meal for our companion parrots. Picking which to use can actually be quite simple. Some fruit and vegetables are high in certain vitamins and minerals. Picking a wide variety of these high value vitamin and mineral foods can help get the diet as close to balanced as possible. 

Below is an example of my personal breakdown of an Eclectus flock diet- 

Aiming to include at least ONE of all of the high vitamin and mineral foods is a good way to try and make sure the diet is balanced. Personally I determine energy requirements based on my parrots weight to determine the amount of feed to give based on their weight and life stage (this is not required but it will probably be discussed in another blog if there is interest) 

Quick and Easy Chop Process- 

- Utilising large and small size cuts of fruit and vegetables provides a place to hide the normally tossed out high nutrition value foods. It also provides the enrichment of holding and consuming the preferred food items in the larger size cuts. 

- A food processor or a fine hand chopper makes the job heaps quicker and easier for the fine chop. Foods such as papaya, celery, apple or other water dense foods are not as suitable for this as they become mushy and loose their form. 

- A food dicer such as this one here- http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/like/272335226191?chn=ps&dispItem=1 can make dicing large fruits and veg OR providing larger pieces in a neat and ordered way very easy and quick. 

- Preparing one week at a time is better and placing the chop into zip lock bags or into reusable plastic containers are a good method of storing. Each week placing one zip lock bag in the freezer will mean you won't run out and if there is no power or a shortage of fruit and veg you always have a weeks supply spare. 

Plastic tub option is also a good option for storage

Full Process from chopping fruit to happy customer little Annie