What Are the Best Parrots Types For You?

You too possess a great love for parrots and want to know about their different varieties... almost every species of this most loved avian is bright colored excluding a few. Some parrots are smaller and look cuddly and cute while others give a grand appearance.


Parrots are mostly green in color, but some parrots are multicolored as well. Brilliant talking abilities and tendency to mimic human voices makes parrot a wonderful pet. This is a playful bird that loves company.Parrots are grouped in different types in accordance with their nature, color and size. A list of some of the most commonly known types of parrots is given below-

Parrots or True Parrot - This is a grouping of most common types of parrots. They are known as true parrots and are of the Psittacidae family of birds. This huge family includes 330 different species and some of the popular examples of true parrots are Meyers Parrot, Senegal Parrots and Amazon Blue Fronted Parrot.

Macaws - These are loud, multicolored, clever and attractive birds. They are widely seen on TV and in films. The Macaw group of parrots is made of six different genus including Ara, Anodorhynchus, Cyanopsitta, Diopsittaca, Orthopsittaca, and Primolius. Though some scientists claim that this is a grouping of 18 different species, many species are extinct now.

Dense rainforests are the most popular habitats of Macaw birds. These birds possess a bizarre eating habit. They love to munch on clay. If you want to tame a Macaw bird, you must train it well because an untrained Macaw is like an ill-trained kid that causes uncalled for embarrassment for you.

Conures - This grouping of peace loving wild parrots is known as Conures. These birds are generally of a very friendly and sweet nature. Seldom are these chirpy pets seen indulging in a fight.

Cockatoos - These unique, white colored birds make wonderful pets. This is another of the parrot species that is very sweet-natured and gets along quite easily with their human friends. Their enjoyment of cuddling and pampering make them another favorite among bird owners.

Parakeets - The smaller types of parrots, Parakeets can be seen in an array of colors. In accordance with some experts, Conures are a part of Parakeet grouping of birds. These are also known as Brotogeris parakeet, Monk Parakeet and Lineolated Parakeet.

Cockatiels - A delight for pet owners, cockatiels are among the most playful grouping of parrots. These wonderful pets are cheerful in nature and are less demanding.

Budgies - Budgie is a popular name of Budgerigar species of birds. These Australian natives are generally of green and yellow color and are among the most preferred grouping of parrots, which are tamed. With gentle nature and entertaining personalities, Budgies gel wonderfully with kids.

Lovebirds - This is a group of nine species of Agapornis genus. These birds are Africa and Madagascar natives. Lovebirds are among the thickest species of parrots and some of them grow up to 17cms. These parrots can live almost upto 15 years. Fischer's Bird and Black-cheeked Bird are two most famous species of Lovebirds.

Parrotlets - the smallest available species of parrots is also among the stockiest birds. These blue-headed parrots grow up to 5 inches and are known to be the greatest mimics.

With so many to choose from it will be no problem for you to pick out your favorite parrots types.

The author, Karla Deacon, is an expert parrot enthusiast. For more great information about parrots types visit ParrotCareBasics.com
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The Secret to Finding The Perfect Parrot Pet Sitter

We would all love to spend 24hrs/7days a week with our parrots but eventually you have to get away. And who wants the hassle of taking your pet parrot to a pet boarding place and dropping them off in an often crazy and foreign place. You MAY not like it but your parrot ABSOLUTELY isn't going to like it. Finding and using a pet-sitter is the perfect solution to your dilemma.

Your bird gets to stay in it's own environment, eat its normal diet and it keeps them away from other potentially sick animals at the local pet boarding place.
Screening your pet-sitter will give you the piece of mind that you need while away and your pet parrot will thank you for it. The process of picking the perfect parrot pet-sitter should begin with an interview at your house. Invite the pet-sitter over to discuss their company and pricing. And be prepared to ask the important questions. Here are some tips and questions to help you find and screen the perfect parrot pet-sitter.

1. Do they have experience sitting for your type or kind of bird? As you know, a bird is not a always a bird. Different birds require very different diets, care and attention. Does the pet-sitter have experience with your type of bird or a similar bird? A good pet-sitter will have experience with sitting for a variety of birds.
2. Do they own pet bird themselves? If possible, try to find someone that actually owns a bird. Not owning a bird shouldn't immediately disqualify them but owning one is certainly a plus. If they own one, they'll be more likely to understand the care and maintenance required of birds. A good bird sitter will own their own bird and have a detailed understanding of their required care.
3. Do they have good references AND can you call them? It is critical for you to check references. ANYONE can call themselves a pet-sitter. And just because they have a website or a listing in the phone book doesn't make them a reliable, capable or a good pet-sitter. Don't fall for the 'testimonials' posted on their web-site. Also make sure you talk to more than one reference. It's easy to fake one or two references. Finally, make sure they are quality references such as actual clients (not their mothers, brothers, and sisters) or local veterinarians. A good pet-sitter will offer you a list of QUALITY references to recent and/or current clients AND their contact information.
4. Are they insured (in case of accidents) and bonded (in case of theft)? Nobody likes to think about something going wrong. But it can happen so make sure you're prepared and make sure your pet-sitter is covered in case something does go wrong. Any professional pet-sitter should and will be bonded and insured.
5. What is their process? For example, will they spend time with the pet, will they visit more than once a day, will they visit early in the morning, late at night etc. Are they flexible, willing and able to fulfill your requirements. A good pet-sitter will be willing to do whatever you require and whenever you require.
6. Is the parrot pet-sitter a professional member of any pet care organizations? This obviously isn't a requirement but it often shows a more detailed level of interest and professionalism. A good pet-sitter will be connected in the pet-sitting industry and will be a member of professional pet-sitting organizations.
7. Have they been in the business for a while? Beware of those just starting out. If you're their first client, they may be good but there's no way to tell. It's certainly not worth the risk for extended times away from home. If they pass all your other screening requirements, you may want to consider them for a single day visit just to get to know them. A good pet-sitter will have considerable experience and a history of pet-sitting which shows that they are in the business to stay in business.
8. Are they a member of the Better Business Bureau and have they had any complaints? Not everyone has to be a member of the BBB and just because they don't have complaints filed against them shouldn't give you the automatic green light to use them. Most people don't contact the BBB for complaints when they come across a bad pet-sitter. However, if they DO have complaints, then that's usually an indication that there is a problem. A good pet-sitter will be a member of the BBB and will not have any complaints against them on file.
9. Are they professional? Do they keep notes and records of visit times, feeding details, feeding schedule etc. The exact process they follow and the notes/records that they keep should be discussed. A good pet-sitter will be organized and will take notes when discussing your specific needs. They'll also have a daily check list to be followed while you're gone to ensure that they complete all the necessary items required for your bird.
10. Finally, ask your pet. No, not literally but watch the interaction between the potential pet-sitter and your pet during the in house interview. Make sure they look comfortable around your bird (some people are afraid of birds) and make sure your bird isn't afraid of them. One parrot owner searching for a pet-sitter interviewed a pet-sitter with a fondness for facial jewelry (nose, eyebrows AND ears). Which is fine if your parrot doesn't mind but in this case, the parrot was absolutely terrified of the pet-sitter. The good pet-sitter will feel comfortable around your pet bird and your pet bird will feel comfortable around them.

Hopefully these tips and questions will help you screen potential pet-sitters to find the perfect parrot pet-sitter. A little effort up front will save you a lot of worry and heartache in the long run. And when you do find the perfect pet-sitter, don't forget to tip your sitter well and offer to be a good reference for them.

The Author is the creator of the InfoSuperFlyway.com. It's a web page dedicated to Kibibi a Congo African Grey Parrot with parrot recordings, funny parrot videos, top ten lists, parrot jokes, clicker training info and a large database of parrot articles. For more articles about African Greys and other Parrots, check out http://www.infosuperflyway.com/birdinfo.php.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=David_B_Weber

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Want to Buy Parrot Birds? Check This Out First!

There are a lot of people who want to buy parrot birds for various reasons. But before you act on your desire to have a companion parrot and buy the first one that you see perched on a cage in your local pet shop, it would be best that you take some time in knowing how parrots are properly cared for and determine if you have the necessary level of commitment in making sure that the bird will be happy and in tiptop shape for life. Also, before you spend on a companion parrot, you also need to know the reason why you want to have one.
It is not really surprising that you or your kids want to buy parrot birds because such pets are beautiful, smart, and loyal to their owners.
However, it is also important to note that there is so much more to caring for a parrot than just feeding them. There are matters that will really test your patience such as cleaning the cage every so often, making sure that the food tray of the bird is free of rotting fruits or vegetables, clipping the wings, hand taming the bird before you can start speech training, and also giving the bird a bath occasionally. If you cannot spare some of your time to get the bird out of the cage once in a while, then it may not be a good idea for you to own a parrot. Even if parrots adapt easily in a cage, they also need to exercise their wings and fly around.

Since you want to buy parrot birds, you also need to take into consideration the type of parrot that you want. If you are interested in a parrot that can easily learn tricks, especially mimicking your words, then you might want to buy an African Grey, Monk Parakeet, Red-Masked Conure or an Eclectus Parrot. However, if you just want a pet that is beautiful and have colorful feathers, you may want to own a Greater Sulphur-Crested Coackatoo, Major Mitchell's Cucktoo, Scarlet Macaw or a Cockatiel.

Looking for a perfect cage is also one of the issues for those who want to buy parrot birds. If you really do not have enough space in your home, it would be better that you just get a small parrot. However, if you have a space that can be used exclusively for your parrots, then a big aviary is also a good idea.

Gideon Williams is a parrot expert and provides excellent advise for new Parrot enthusiast that want to buy parrot birds
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Gideon_Williams

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Sexing Parrots - How to Tell If Your Parrot is Male Or Female

The parrot's lack of sex organs make it very difficult to distinguish between males and female simply based on the way they look. Some species have different colorings between male and female that enable them to be distinguished, and some have different eye colors. However, for the vast majority of parrots scientific sexing is required. Some pet owners do not take this step, but it is vital for breeders.

We describe birds where sexes cannot be determined by their markings as monomorphic, and a number of methods have been used to determine the sex of such birds including: vent sexing (the posterior opening known as the cloaca serves as the only such opening for the intestinal and urinary tracts), laparoscopy, steroid sexing (measure the levels of steroids in excrement or blood plasma), and DNA analysis.

With DNA analysis the sex of is determined by looking at the genes located on the sex chromosomes. The difference is that male birds have two Z chromosomes and females have one Z and one W. This is considered the least intrusive of the methods as it simply involves taking a sample of blood to send away to a laboratory. The laparoscopic surgery approach, however, involves a minimally invasive surgery, where an incision is made in the parrot's abdomen and the gonads are inspected.

DNA analysis is not as simple as it may at first sound, and involves chromosome isolation and karyotyping. It can be difficult to get the cells needed for analysis, and there is a time delay in getting the results from the cytogeneticist. The more invasive laparoscopy gives instant results and allows the vet to inspect the general condition of the reproductive organs at the same time, which can provide valuable information for breeding.

People often use feathers for the DNA testing instead of collecting blood, but it should be pointed out that this is highly unreliable. If you keep a male and female together then the female's W chromosome, which is in every cell on the female, could contaminate the feathers of the male.

Once you have determined your parrot's sex does it have any implications beyond making it easy to select breeding partners? Well it is fair to say the difference between male and female pet parrots is nothing like the difference between a bitch and a dog. There is no difference in their ability to mimic or any notable difference in the way they will interact with their human companions.

Danny Oakes writes about the a wide range of parrot issues, including Parrot health care along with advice on which species make the best talking parrots.
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