The number of hand reared baby parrots has increased tremendously over the last 10 years and before that few were hand reared successfully. Identifying behavioural problems in parrots is a relatively recent science and therefore solving problems is in its infancy.

Humans have been keeping parrots now for thousands of years but they were wild caught birds tamed by man. Imported wild caught parrots have been taught skills by their parents and can adjust to change, although not as tame as hand reared birds. Hand reared domestic babies depend on their owners to socialise them. In a large establishment, hand rearing on a production line little time is given to this aspect of parrot psychology. They have been allowed to develop basically on their own. In smaller breeding programmes, humans spend time with babies and therefore develop and adjust personalities.

Play time at Parrot Care is a very important time for the babies when they learn to integrate with other parrots, cats, dogs and humans,and often small children and visitors. They learn that other creatures exist and they must modify their behaviour to integrate. Humans consider themselves to be a "higher" form of life, but I have my doubts. Humans certainly do not show a lot of intelligence and common sense when dealing with baby parrots. Amazingly humans seem to understand that if you buy a kitten or a puppy it is going to behave differently from a cat or a dog and requires to be taught social skills so it becomes a good and happy pet and also integrates into the family enviroment. For some obscure reason we are not as good at understanding that baby parrots need to be taught the same skills.

THE TEXT ABOVE IS FROM "YOU PET PARROT" A PARROTCARE PUBLICATION FOR MORE INFORMATION CLICK HERE