Parrot Problems and Solutions

Parrots make wonderful pets, but they do require love, patience, dedication and attention.  Naturally, parrots may have some behavioral issues, such as: biting, screeching, chewing, hormonal issues, and feather plucking.  Most of these behavioral problems have a solution and can easily be remedied with proper care and attention.

Biting Problems and Solutions

Many parrots have the behavioral problem of biting or chewing.  By instinct, parrots use their beaks as a way of expressing and protecting themselves. Biting or chewing is also a way of learning about the world around them.  If parrot owners want to maximize the discouragement of biting and chewing, the solution is simple: provide the parrot with chewing toys and entertaining food variety. Providing parrots with large chunks of a variety of fruits and vegetables, cuttlebones and mineral blocks, or chew trees and toys will not only assist with their well-balanced, nutritional needs, but will also aid to lower their need to bite and chew things owners don’t want them to.

Screeching and Screaming

Most varieties of parrots are vocal birds.  The next problem arises when parrot’s screeching and screaming becomes excessive.  The solution to this problem is training a parrot to mimic their owners voice or other sounds.  This will require time, patience, and dedication, but will ultimately be better for both the parrot and owner. Certain parrot varieties will be easier to train than others, but by providing a parrot with an alternative to screeching whether with vocal training or toys, owners will see a lessening in screeching issues.

Some Other Problems and Solutions

Another important problem to note, some varieties of parrots go through a normal phase of hormonal aggression, usually between 5-10 years of age.  Most parrot owners may become concerned that their once cuddly parrot friend is now belligerent and aggressive. However, know that this phase is natural and will require patience.  Limiting the parrot’s amount of sunlight, to a certain extent, may be a solution to mellowing them out some.  Whatever the object, other animal, or person the parrot seems to be aggressive towards should have no or limited contact with the parrot until the aggression eases.  Discuss solutions with the parrot’s vet; medication may be an option to easing the hormonal aggression problem, as well.

And finally, feather plucking is a large problem amongst parrots. First, parrot owners should seek medical advice. If there are no medical problems causing this behavior, owners should evaluate their parrot’s diet, stimulation levels, and overall contentment.  Feather plucking is a sign of distress and can easily be remedied with close attentive care.

With any parrot variety, love, patience, dedication, and proper care are essential.  A parrot friend should have adequate stimulation, a large, clean cage, toys, plenty of sunlight, daily, a well-balanced, healthy diet variety, their grooming needs met, and, above all, love, time, and attention. A loving and attentive owner is the solution to any parrot problem.