The Senegal parrot belongs to a group of birds renowned for their exceptional qualities as pets, stillness, and unusual calm demeanor. These birds are the most prevalent of the Poicephalus, having their origins in Africa (thus the name “Senegal”). They are extremely simple to find at a pet store. They are regarded for their pleasant disposition and the fact that they are much less expensive than their Poicephalus relatives, which makes them a wonderful option for someone looking for a “bigger” bird.
Appearance
The Senegal Parrot, which is around 9 inches long, is not a very “flashy” companion parrot-like some other birds of a similar size. With an iridescent green throat, orange thighs, and yellow breasts, they are generally dark green and brownish-gray in color. The eye has a pale yellow-orange color, which is contrasted by the deeper grey of the face, and the beak and feet are also black. All the “flash” is not necessary. They have some fantastic personalities to go along with their natural beauty.
Temperament
Hand-fed Senegals are well-known for being humorous and amusing, and they also make exceptional pets. Most well-socialized Senegals have affable personalities, but potential owners should be advised that Senegals have the propensity to become “one person” birds and may not enjoy interaction with other family members. Even if it’s not always the case, it does occasionally happen. Making sure that your entire family interacts with your Baby will help prevent this one-person connection from happening.
Senegals are Great companions
These adorable, easily trained-parrots have a talent for providing their owners with hours of fun and delight. They have a reputation for being a laid-back and playful companion birds, despite not being as widespread as African greys or cockatiels.
Love to make sound
The most popular Poicephalus parrot and one of the most common parrots kept as pets are Senegal parrots. They often make high-pitched whistles and squawks, as well as mimicking sounds, but they are not as loud as many other parrot species.
Compared to other parrot species, they are quite amiable and make good companions. Senegal parrots can be quite independent and require a lot of sleep during the day. Having a buddy can greatly benefit a parrot’s social and physical health, so keeping two as pets is highly recommended.
Price in India
The cost of a Senegal Parrot in India is around INR 17000. This breed of parrot is easily available in pet stores. If you’d like to be a pet parent of one you can search for a reliable pet store nearby you.
Speech and sound
Although Senegal parrots are not typically the chattiest of parrot species, some can learn to speak fairly effectively and develop a vocabulary of many words. They prefer to whistle and cluck rather than scream; they are not screamers. You won’t run afoul of your neighbors with a Senegal.
How to find one Senegal Parrot?
The cost of a Senegal parrot varies according to its temperament, plumage quality, size, and whether it was bred or caught in the wild.
Here’s a simple guideline on how to distinguish a healthy Senegal.
- Choose Senegal parrots that are energetic, bright, and alert.
- Be cautious of birds that are sitting still and have puffed feathers since they can be sick. The feathers of an avian must be lustrous, silky, and lay flat.
- Verify that their vent or cloaca, the entrance via which they discharge their wastes and pee, is clear of faces and is clean and dry.
- If their scales are smooth, check their feet to make sure they don’t have scaly leg mites.
- Verify that their beak is smooth and in good form and that their nails are in perfect condition.
- Finally, look inside their nostrils to see if they are clear and clean.
How to keep Senegal Parrot at home?
Cage requirements
It requires a cage with a minimum footprint of 20 inches by 20 inches and a height of 28 inches; larger cages are always ideal. Naturally, the cage needs to be larger if you’re maintaining two birds. Bars should be spaced apart by about 3 or 4 inches.
Provide the cage with a number of horizontal bars that can be used as stools. Potential owners should prepare to spend money on a range of accessories and toys for their birds. Senegal’s can have powerful beaks, so it’s a good idea to provide them with toys to keep their beaks active.
Choose either a dome-top cage or a play-top cage
Dome-top cages have an extra room at the top that is shaped like a semicircle. Flat play-top cages may have extra perches or toys outside the cage. There are some advantages to both of these cage designs. For your bird, dome-top cages provide more internal area. Given how crucial space is for Senegal parrots, dome-top cages are typically preferred by owners.
Birds who spend a lot of time outside their cages are especially drawn to play-top cages. One cage design may appeal to you more than the other in terms of aesthetics. Just make sure that your room can accommodate any style you decide on.
Decide a place
You might not have many options for where to put a cage this size. Yet, there are a few things to take into account. Birds are susceptible to odors and temperature changes. Place the cage of your bird in a place where there are no drastic temperature variations (away from open windows, drafts, heat vents, and air conditioners).
Set up the cage for your bird in an area that is free of fumes (such as food smells, fireplace smoke, car fumes from your garage, or strong smells from the backyard).
Note: Keep the cage away from the kitchen especially since non-stick pan fumes can be fatal to birds.
Place a liner on the bottom of the cage
On the bottom of the bird’s cage, put normal newspaper, parchment paper, or any other paper that is pigment-free. This will collect any food, waste, or excrement. It is important to keep hygiene as a top priority and be aware of all the do’s and don’ts while keeping a pet.
Regular cage cleaning
- All you need to do after setting up your cage is routine maintenance. Keeping your bird’s habitat clean will help keep it happy and healthy. You must: Alter the lining every day.
- Every day, wash the meal and water dishes.
- Several times a week, sweep or vacuum the area close to the cage.
- Every month, clean the entire cage.
Diet and Nutrition
A Senegal parrot does not need a large cage because of its modest size. Senegal Parrot eats plants. In addition to eating young tree buds and locust beans, they occasionally enjoy eating fruit, seeds, grains, and blooms.
The Senegal parrot mostly consumes fruit, seeds, and blooms in the wild. Fresh fruits and vegetables, healthy seeds like flax, hemp, chia seed, and tree nuts, and a high-quality designed pelleted feed should all be included in the diet of Senegals kept as pets.
The average Senegalese consumes 1/4 cup of food daily. Each morning, provide a seed/pellet mixture. Feed the bird as much as it will eat. Provide pellet food with fruits and vegetables as a supplement. Think about learning to prepare chop, which is a freshly frozen diet. It’s a simple and practical way to provide your Senegal access to a wide range of vegetables, grains, and plant proteins.
Like with any companion bird, everyday fresh water should be provided in a clean bowl. A diet consisting solely of seeds should be avoided because it is very harmful and can cause disease or even death from nutritional deficiencies. Your Senegal diet should consist of roughly 70% premium pellets. Choose a blend designed specifically for parrots or utilize a cockatiel blend. Follow the product’s serving recommendations. Give one serving of pellets to your parrot each day.
Typically, pellets are administered in the morning.
Tip: Unconsumed pellets do not need to be taken away, but if your parrot routinely leaves leftovers, you may want to reduce the amount you give them.
Lots of fresh fruits and veggies
About 20 to 30 percent of your parrot’s diet should consist of fresh fruits and vegetables. Every day, give your parrot between 14 cups and 12 cups (59 to 119 ml) of fresh produce. When feasible, use organic produce, and throw away any leftovers after 24 hours. Beet greens, carrots, peas, maize, broccoli, sweet potatoes, apples, apricots, and bananas are a few alternatives. Foods like avocado, chocolate, onions, and mango can be poisonous to parrots. Check any new foods again with your veterinarian. Using pellets, you can provide a serving of vegetables in the morning and another in the afternoon.
Tips: You might even work only on pellets in the morning and only on produce in the afternoon. Try observing your bird’s preferences.
Provide fresh water
You should give your Senegal parrot fresh water every day. You can utilize a water dispenser that looks like a fountain or provide water in a dish. Daily top out the water bowl for your bird.
Birds also like to take baths in water. For bathing and drinking, you might want to provide a large water dish that is shallow enough for your parrot to climb inside. If you let the parrot take a bath in its cage, be careful to replace any wet bedding afterward.
Take your bird to the vet
As long as they can, parrots have a natural tendency to conceal any discomfort or illness. Bring your Dog in for a checkup every year to help identify any issues early. The vet can also trim the wings and nails of your Senegal. At your routine checkup, your veterinarian may advise doing pricey (but potentially life-saving) blood tests. For the sake of your safety and the protection of your Senegal, you must clip their wings and their nails.
Get the easiest assistance
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Read Also: Cockatoo Price In India | Kolkata | Chennai
Watch out for common health problems
The most typical health difficulties of Senegal parrots are respiratory ones, such as psittacosis, aspergillus, and infectious bronchitis virus. Avian pox can also infect Senegal parrots. All of these conditions require skilled veterinary care because they might all present with identical symptoms.
TIPS for taking care of your Senegal Parrot
Spend time with your parrot daily
Senegal parrots require a great deal of care. A single Senegal parrot will require 1-3 hours of daily care if you possess one. You should be interacting with your bird at this time. Bring them with you as you move from room to room, talk to them, and play with them.
If you have two parrots, they can entertain themselves and you might not need to watch them as closely. When your parrot doesn’t want to leave its cage, never force it. Your parrot needs to be watched while it’s out of the cage. Limit their use to areas that have been bird-proofed.
Socialize your parrot
You can aid your parrot’s socialization by taking a few extra steps in addition to spending quality time with them. As soon as you bring the bird home, make sure to start this process.
Talk to the bird all day long. Invite a wide range of people to see the bird. If there are guests present, let the bird out of its cage. Let others handle the bird eventually. You can try to let others hold your parrot once it is used to being handled by you and is calm around visitors.
Train your parrot
The finest birds for novice bird owners are not parrots. Senegal parrots are among the simpler to train parrots, nevertheless. Teaching your parrot lowers the likelihood of behavioral issues and contributes to their happiness. Your Senegal parrot can be trained by starting with:
Creating beneficial behaviors in your bird by rewarding them when they behave properly. Clicker training is a potential tool for forming positive behavior. Creating simple techniques (such as stepping up or fetching). Do lots of exercising speech
Toys are important to Senegal parrots
Purchase numerous puzzle toys and disposable/destructible toys. If your parrot can find something to do inside its cage, many behavioral issues can be avoided. You should add three or four toys at a time, depending on the size of your cage. Some possibilities can be Perches \ Bells, ascending ropes, Chains, Swings, and wooden games.
Fun facts about Senegal Parrot
- Senegal Parrots are known for their excellent vocal abilities and can mimic human speech, laughter, and even household sounds like a doorbell or microwave beeping.
- They are very social birds and love interacting with their owners, often demanding attention by making noise or climbing onto their owner’s shoulders.
- Senegal Parrots have been known to dance to music, bobbing their heads and moving their bodies in rhythm with the beat.
- They are quite independent birds and can entertain themselves for long periods of time with toys or puzzle feeders.
- Senegal Parrots have been observed using tools in the wild, such as using sticks to extract insects from tree bark.
- They are very smart birds and have been trained to perform tricks like waving, playing dead, and even riding a skateboard.
- Senegal Parrots have a unique way of showing affection by gently nibbling on their owner’s fingers or cheeks.
- They are quite mischievous birds and have been known to steal small objects like jewelry or keys and hide them in their cages.
- Senegal Parrots are masters of camouflage and can blend in with their environment to avoid detection by predators.
- They have a playful and curious nature and love exploring their surroundings, often getting into trouble by chewing on furniture or electrical cords.
Conclusion
Keeping a Senegal parrot as a pet can be a rewarding experience for bird lovers. They are social, intelligent, and have unique personalities that can provide endless entertainment and companionship. However, it’s important to note that they require a considerable amount of attention, care, and patience to keep them healthy and happy. Prospective owners should do their research and ensure that they have the necessary resources and time to provide for their feathered friend before bringing a Senegal parrot home. With the proper care and attention, a Senegal parrot can be a beloved addition to any household.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Q. Do Senegal Parrots need toys?
Yes, Senegal Parrots require toys to keep them mentally stimulated and physically active. Provide a variety of toys, such as puzzle toys, chew toys, and foraging toys.
Q. Can Senegal Parrots be housed with other birds?
A: Yes, Senegal Parrots can be housed with other birds, but it depends on their individual personalities and the species of the other birds. Always supervise interactions between birds and provide separate food and water dishes for each bird.
Q. How often should I take my Senegal Parrot to the vet?
Senegal Parrots should have a routine wellness exam with an avian veterinarian at least once a year. Seek veterinary care immediately if you notice any signs of illness or injury in your bird.
Q. Do Senegal Parrots require a special type of cage?
Senegal Parrots require a spacious cage that allows them to move around freely and have access to toys and perches. The cage should be made of non-toxic materials and should be cleaned regularly.
Q. Are Senegal Parrots noisy?
Senegal Parrots are generally not as noisy as some other parrot species, but they can still make loud vocalizations. Training and socialization can help reduce excessive noise.
