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 

Sprouting... Easy, Nutritious, Delicious

Sprouting is a surprisingly easy task. It is vital in most parrot diets as it would make up a large portion of their natural diet. Dried seeds are hard and on the most part- very dry. There was a paper published suggesting when a bird hulls (removes the seed case) it is also removing quite a large portion of the dry seed nutritional value. Sprouting bioactivates the seed, making it more digestible. It uses carbohydrates and fats to grow. This creates a food with excellent nutritional value including a vast variety of proteins and enzymes. Some of these enzymes can even assist your parrot in the breakdown of other foods within its diet! Sprouted seeds can be used in a variety of ways from being fed when just sprouted (highest nutritional value) to being used to grow until leaves are formed. There are many seeds and even nuts that can be sprouted these are mentioned below. * Sprouting time is in ( ) where F (fast 1-2 days sprouting time) M (medium 2-3 days) and S (slow 3-5+ days) 

• Lentils (F) 
• Peas (M) 
• Chickpeas (F) 
• Adzuki bean (S) 
• Mung Bean (F) 
• Soybean (sparingly) (S) 
• Sunflower Seed (S) 
• Safflower Seed (F) 
• Millet (M) 
• Oats (M) 
• Grain (M) 
• Canary Seed (M)
• Chia seeds (F) 
• Rapeseed (S) 
• Hemp seed (M)
• Buckwheat (M)
• Rice (brown or black is best) (S) 
• Quinoa (F* Very fast overnight in some cases)  
• Sesame seed (F) 
• Broccoli seed (F) 
• Alfalfa (it must be let grow until it has a leaf produced) (S) 
• Kale (M) 
• Amaranth (some discussion about this causing GIT upset but study only conducted in chickens so validity is questioned. Feed sparingly) (M) 
• Pumpkin Seed (S) 
• Papaya Seed (very high in nutrients can be sprouted in fruit) (S) 
• Whole Corn (S) 
• Flaxseed (M) 
• Some nuts can sprouted as well such as cashew, pecan, walnut, almond (S)

Sprouting is very easy, you just have to mimic the natural process where a seed falls into the soil and is repeatedly watered and dried. Copying this process is incredibly easy. You need to allow the seed to gain a lot of water and swell, then drain the water but keep the seeds moist (as they would be with the soil after rainfall) 

How to Sprout- 

1.    Soak all seeds overnight or for 8 hours. Be prepared for some seeds such as chickpea and mungbeans to absorb more water than expected so adding a cup of water per 20 seeds would be sufficient

2.    Remove seeds from soaking and drain (e.g. on a pasta strainer) then rinse until water runs clear. It is very important they are properly cleaned in this stage.

3.    Let the water drain from the sprouts while in a strainer and rinse a few times each day not allowing the seed to dry out (two to three times in a humid environment) *** Most important part is that the water must be completely drained away from the seed for it to sprout there are numerous ways to do this such as in a drink bottle with holes in it in the bottom, plastic bags with holes, large stainless strainers. There is no need to purchase a proper expensive sprouter, but it may provide convenience and there are  automatic sprouters that can be very useful as well. 

4.    Wait for the seeds to sprout --> this process may take up to five days. It is best to separate fast and slow sprouting seeds. 

5.    While the seeds are sprouting, on about the second day it is a good idea to start the next batch then there is a continual supply. 

6.    Sprouts can be stored in the fridge up to three days or frozen for later use **please refer to below caution**

**CAUTION**
Always always smell sprouts, if there is any smell throw them away and start again
Always feel the sprouts before feeding- any slimy feeling throw away and start again
Do not store for longer than 5 days, as microbes on the sprouts will begin to degrade them despite being in the refrigerator 

TROUBLESHOOTING-
Seeds not sprouting: 

• Most common issue is the actual seed may have been treated in some form to prevent sprouting. To avoid this purchase seeds produced in your country of residence rather than imported seeds. If issue persists on more than three tries perhaps search for alternative sources of seeds 
• Seed is constantly going mouldy or has a smell: The water may not be draining enough off the seed try getting a strainer or sprouting less amounts at once. Rinsing well before sprouting will also help. Washing with dilute apple cider vinegar or grape seed extract can also help. 
• Hard to find certain seeds such as chickpea, lentils, peas- amazingly the store purchased dry soup mix will sprout as mentioned above. 

DO NOT SPROUT (DANGEROUS) Large beans including kidney, lima, white, black, fava, pinto, anazi and sorghum seed Don't be discouraged by failure... it may take a few tries. One of the best place to get cheap seeds is the wild bird mix, and a legume mix for horses etc. at your local animal produce store and asian supermarkets often have dried clean seed perfect for sprouting.