HOW CAN I MAKE MY PARROT HAPPIER AND STOP IT BEING BORED?

• Daily sessions outside the cage ­ at least three hours a day.
• Interesting diet including different fruits and vegetables. Use varying food to give your bird something to do. Don't cut it up. Make the bird work for it. Fresh corn on the cob, pomegranates, peas in the pod, and a few whole nuts, are good for large parrots. Don't just provide unchanging food. Cooked food and fresh fruit/veg should be changed quickly for fear of bacterial contamination.
• Tree branches ­fruit trees, willow, elm, poplar, hazel, rowan, elm, sycamore to tear up. (Beware of poisonous trees like yew. If you are not sure, don't give it). A few (not too many) nuts in their shells to open. Place a nut in cardboard box, which has to be destroyed to get at the nut. Pomegranates are a great favourite for parrots.
• Parrot gym to play on. Hemp ropes (never nylon ropes) to climb.
• Leave the radio or TV on when out. Silences stresses parrots.
• Find a neighbour who will parrot-sit at his or her home , if you are out all day. Some people would enjoy time sharing a parrot. It will take time for your parrot to get used to this. So get advice before doing it on how to proceed. Or build an aviary in the garden, which you can use as a day-flight for the bird when you are also in the garden. This will make sure your bird gets enough ultra-violet light necessary for Vitamin D3. Remember security-people steal parrots.
• All pet parrots should be trained in basic obedience, and this should include flight commands. This is essential for your bird's mental well-being and your relationship with the bird.
• Get the parrot some company ­introductions can be very very tricky and may not work out. So take advice from an expert before doing this.
• Give the bird small chewable foot toys ­ corks, pine cones, cardboard strips, wooden clothes pegs, untreated leather strips, short lengths of natural fibre ropes.
• Something to look at out of the window will also help, as long as the bird doesn't get terrified by predators. But don't put the cage in direct sunlight through glass ­ it's bad for them. Parrots also benefit from natural sunlight. There is a special light produced by Arcadia, similar to ones used for reptiles. Some parrots enjoy car rides, if they are used to them.
• A swing inside the cage. The highest perch in the cage will be the one the bird wants to use as its roosting perch so don't put it there. Roosting perches should feel safe and secure for the bird. There should be room so that the bird can perch without the swing getting in its way.
• A large cardboard tube of the kind used inside a carpet roll or for a poster with a diameter of 8 inches. The parrot can destroy this from the inside.
• Squeaky dog toys - when you are in the house to make sure that he doesn't hurt himself with them.
• A parrot Kong.
• A dummy nest box so that that parrot can get away from things. We all need a place to retreat from life at times.