Buster, My African Gray Parrot
Parrots provide plenty of laughs for the whole family, however, getting the right parrot is essential.
Terms such as “hand-raised”, “hand-fed”, “spoon-fed”, and similar terms mean quite different things. I made the mistake of believing that a hand-raised parrot meant a tame parrot. If they haven’t been socialized before four months old they will NEVER be comfortable being handled no matter how old they get. Parrots experiencing “people fear” when young are imprinted for life.
Sometimes, sellers will try to pass off an older bird as a baby. They often can do this because birds are full-grown by about four months of age.
Tip 1: Ask how the parrot was raised. What you want to hear is that the parrot was fed by hand and that the bird was socialized. Socialized means the parrot was handled and played with by several people. Socialized birds welcome contact with people and like to be with them.
Tip 2: Look closely at the parrot. The eyes should be clear and without a yellow ring around the outside edge of the eyeball. If there is a yellow-ring the bird is older than one year.
Tip 3: Look at the parrot’s legs and feet. Older birds have a great deal of scaling (ridges) on their legs and feet while parrots under a year have smoother legs and feet.
Tip 4: Next, Check out the parrot’s health. Look at the beak. A smooth beak is one indication of good health. Feathers are another. They should be smooth and glossy with no signs of feather picking. The red tail on an African Gray should be a vibrant red and at least 3 inches long.
Tip 5: Make sure a “metal band” is on the bird’s leg usually signifying a professional breeder handled this bird.
I hope this article keeps you from getting hoodwinked by unscrupulous sellers!
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