PARROT ADOPTION/A PARROT LOVER!

Mission Statement:
The Parrot Outreach Society is a non-profit organization whose sole concern is parrot welfare in captivity and conservation of parrots in the wild. We are an outreach and placement program which places into safe custody, parrots which are abandoned, abused, or in need of a home for any reasoon.
Parrots are intelligent, highly social and complex beings with a life span of up to 80 years. The individual bird's best interest and well being of the present flock will determine if a parrot is accepted into the organization.
We actively support networking with other parrot welfare groups, animal welfare organizations, the veterinary community, conservation organizations and the general public. Education is of the utmost importance concerning the well being of a parrot and it's ability to successfully live with it's human companions.

Standards of Care:
Parrot Outreach Society is a 501c3, non-profit organization. We are an organization working to create awareness of parrots throughout the world by supporting international conservation efforts and local public education regarding pet parrots. We currently maintain 6 programs: education, rescue, rehabilitation, foster care, adoption and conservation.

Thinking of adopting a parrot? If you're in SW Fl. visit our web site at www.caged-bird-club.com. Once there you will find an application you can download and orint. Fill out the application and mail it to the Post Office Box given on the form. You will be contacted to set up a home visit. If you are approved, you will then meet the parrots! If you are a match with one of our parrots you will then be asked to sign an adoption contract. This contract requires that if you can no longer keep the parrot for any reason it must be returned to us, not sold, traded or given away.

Before purchasing or adopting a parrot, there is ALOT to learn. Parrots are a lifelong committment. They can live from 25-80 years and in many instances outlive their humans.
These creatures are not only beautiful, they are very intelligent. Some have the intelligence of a 5 year old. Anyone who tells you parrots are easy pets that need little care and interaction, is sadly mistaken. These creatures crave human interaction and require time and devotion.
Daily out of cage time is a must! An average of at least 2 hrs per day out of the cage with your total attention are needed. Simply placing the bird on a perch and going about your way does not count. Parrots should NEVER be left unattended out of their cage. Even if the wings are clipped, they can become frightened and end up on the floor in dangers way.
Most enjoy what parrot people call "scritches", which is similar to petting a cat or dog. Scritches and petting should be contained to the head/neck area of adult/mature birds. Scritching down the back or near the tail can cause sexual stimulation which ultimately leads to sexual frustration in sexually mature birds.
Diet is extremely important to parrots, just as it is to humans. There are 100's of commercially prepared diets for parrots. Some are species specific. I personally use Zupreem pellet, Harrison's Bird Food and a low sunflower, safflower based seed mix. Sunflower is rich in fat and not a good idea as the basis of a parrot diet. Just like humans, parrots can become over-weight. They also suffer the same health problems related to obesity that humans do, as well as, fatty liver disease.
Another important part of a parrots diet is fresh fruits and vegetables. Avacados are toxic to parrots. Fruits should have seeds and pits removed in most instances. Most new parrot owners in an attempt to feed their companion well, actually over do it. Remember their size in comparison to the amount of fruits and vegetables given. Full bowls of fresh foods lead to much waste, small amounts go a long way. Variety is as important to your parrot as it is to you.
"Birdie bread" is another great wonder of the parrot world. There are commercially prepared products as well as a mutitude of recipes avilable all over the web. Google macaw bake for some samples.
Cages for your companion are VERY important. Just as your home needs to be of adequate sze, so does your parrots. In the case of parrot cages the old adage is true, "bigger is better"! Your bird should have room to hop, jump, swing and flap their wings.
The next item to consider is toys for your parrot. Be careful not to overload the cage so the parrot is unable to move around freely and play. A wide variety of toys is important. Your parrot will need toys that are destructable, such as wood and paper. Other items they love are leather, loaded with other things or knotted so they can untie the knots. Cotton rope is another favorite. Always keep a close eye on rope and trim as it frays or remove as needed. Toes can be caught in loose strings and cause the circulation to be cut off. If this happens your parrot could lose a toe. Non destructable items such as hard plastic threaded onto rope, leather or chain. When chain is used to make your own toys make sure they are parrot safe. Zinc and lead are toxic to birds. Plastic chain is also a good choice.
Cleaning is a chore no one likes but a neccessity with parrots. Cage trays can be lined with newspaper( black ink only), pine shavings, paper litter commercially produced or corncob bedding. I do not reccommend corn cob bedding because if not kept dry and clean your bird can contract aspergilliosis which is a deadly disease. Your parrot should not be able to reach the tray lining product through the grate bars. Parrots are notorious for throwing food from their cage, therefore the cage should be placed on hard flooring that is easily cleaned. If carpet is underneath the cage, using a plastic mat under it will help contain the mess and make cleaning easier. Some cages come with seed gaurds that also help contain the mess. Another product on the market are cloth seed catchers that fit around smaller cages to contain messes.
Before adopting/purchasing a parrot do heavy duty research reegarding noise levels of each species. If you live in an apartment or duplex you certainly do not want a cockatoo. Some of the smaller species can also be extremely loud so don't be fooled by size.
Before adopting/purchasing your companion, join a local bird club or find a local breeder willing to share information and knowledge with you so you can make an informed decision. This will also allow you to interact with different species to discover some of their personality traits, noise level, diet needs, etc.
Please know what you are getting into before obtaining a parrot, it truly is a life long comittment. It is the same as having a 2 year old for life!

Cockatoos are probably one of the better known parrots by the average person. People see these big, fluffy, cuddly birds and fall head over heels in love. They are set out so pretty in the pet stores and go to just about anyone. What the average person doesn't know is their life span is approximately 80 yrs for large cockatoos and 40-50 yrs for smaller cockatoos. They also don't tell you how, loud, messy, destructive and LOUD they are.
If you're into "chunk missing" furniture styles then a cockatoo is the bird for you! They will gladly decorate your cabinets, chairs, tables and baseboards with "chunks missing" style. They also love to eat sheetrock behind their cages or where ever they can find it. The truth is cockatoos have a fairly large beak and love to destruct wood. They are not particular about whether it's their toys or your furniture or walls.
Cockatoos are also messy to a degree beyond the average imagination. They like to cook "birdy soup". Their pellet/seed/fresh foods end up in the water bowl and are stirred to the perfect mush consistency. Unfortunately their soup is not really healthy for them as it can grow bacteria/fungus if left this way. Frequent water changes are neccessary to prevent health problems and odor.
Not to be noted only for messy behavior, they will bath in their water bowls to clean up after cooking their favorite soup. Now they really try to help out and wash the floor around their cage also with their water.
Cockatoos fly great distances in the wild to forage for food. Flock calls in the morning and evening are neccessary to keep the flock together. Mother Nature provided them with loud voices to reach their flock at distances. Unfortunately our human neighbors aren't always appreciative of their calls to bring their flock together. Imagine closing all the doors and windows in your house, walking a block down the street and hearing your cockatoo call for you. This is not an exaggeration, I've tried and tested it! Parrots who are bored may begin to call incesently for their human, which may be the demise of their human home. I do not recommend purchasing/adopting a cockatoo if you have close neighbors.
Cockatoos are active birds. They require a large cage with plenty of space to flap, jump and hop from one area to another. They also require foraging opportunities & toys to destruct. It's nothing for some cockatoos to destroy a $50 toy in a day. It's best for your bank account if you are a little creative and can make yout own toys.

PELLETED BIRDIE BREAD
2 cups Kaytee/Zupreem Pellet
1/2 cup barley
1/2 cup oats
1/2 wheat flour
1 cup applesauce
1/2 cup mashed banana
1/4 cup bron sugar
4-5 large eggs with shells (washed)
1/2 cup fresh almond butter
2 tbsp. baking powder
1 pinch each of nutmeg and cinnamon
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup finely chopped broccoli
1/2 cup frozen corn
1/2 cup frozen peas
1/2 cup mixed, unsalted, chopped nuts
1/2 cup finely chopped collard greens
1/2 cup carrot juice

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Thaw out frozen vegetables. Mix all ingredients together. If too dry, add more carrot juice; if too wet, add more pellets. BNake in pan for 45-60 minutes or in muffin tins for 30-35 minutes. It is done when toothpick comes out clean or when the bread is pulling away from the sides of the pan.

Everywhere you look you will find different advice on feeding your parrot. I personally recommend a commercially prepared pellet diet through the week and a safflower based seed diet on the weekends. Fresh fruits and vegetables daily will add needed vitamins and minerals for your parrot.Green, leafy vegetables contain iron, copper,zinc,maganese, iodine, calcium, magnesium, potassium, sodium, phosphous and chlorine, all minerals essential to good health for parrots and humans. Fruits that will make your parrot happy include, banana, apple(remove the seeds), orange, pear, raisins, strawberries, apricot,melons, peaches(remove the pit) and plums to name a few.
Pasta, rice, cheese and meat, and even an occassional chicken bone are all good treats to make your companion happy and healthy. Nuts are also a good treat. Peanuts need to be human grade, roasted and unsalted. This will help prevent aspergillosis from fungi growing on the shell of peanuts in the shell. Aspergillosis can also be contracted from moldy seed & corncob bedding.
Birdie bread is a great edition to the diet also. This can be bought commercially prepared or made at home.
Never feed your parrot chocolate, caffiene or alcohol! These items are TOXIC to your parrot!
Studies have found that small birds such as cockatiels, lovebirds and parakeets need seed in their diet more than larger species. In the wild these small creatures feed off seed from plants and flowers.
It is important if you adopt/purchase a parrot to gradually change the diet if it is on an unhealthy one when it comes to you. Mixing the new diet with the old and gradually increasing the amount of new until that is the birds diet is what most find to work best.
Before you acquire a parrot do your homework regarding proper diet. I've only scratched the surface here. Ask other bird owners, breeders and an avian vet for recommendations also.