7 Fascinating Stages of a Parrot’s Life
Parrots as pets! Sounds amazing. Doesn’t it? Parrots are among the most beautiful and exotic birds in the world. They live long lives. However, unfortunately, they are also among the most endangered species. Besides dogs and cats, parrots are an all-time favourite and interesting pets to keep.
Before keeping parrots as your pet, you must know the different stages of their lives to nurture them well and take better care of them. The following article will tell you about the life cycle of your charming pet covering all the important aspects of its life.
1. Hatchling:
The first stage is “neonate” or “hatchling” in which parrots are naked and blind. They are completely dependent on their parents for food and a healthy environment.
As a human breeder, you have to feed baby formula milk to the parrot with the help of a syringe. Handle with care, as the pet is extremely soft and sensitive.
2. Imprinting Parrot:
The second stage is the “nestling” or “imprinting” stage. Now, the bird has its eye open. It looks around and surveys the environment. It develops a bond of habitual trust with the parent or breeder, while still depending on them for food.
This is a crucial phase for a breeder to tame the pet. Training can be done in later stages as well but it will require more time and effort. Taming is easy in the imprinting stage.
3. Fledgling Parrot:
Fledgling is the third stage in which the parrot learns to fly. They are still dependent on the parents or breeder for food as they are unable to acquire it themselves. At this stage, they are eager to fly. Depending on the species, their feathers develop between 4 to 15 weeks.
4. Weaning Parrot:
Weaning is the fourth stage. The parrot now learns how to seek and eat food for themselves and develop essential motor skills. At this point, the beautiful bird can take care of itself and start eating solid foods. The breeder can now give solid foods instead of formula milk. However, the breeder should take care that the pet does not starve or suffer from malnutrition.
5. Juvenile Parrot:
Parrots are highly intelligent. In the Juvenile stage, they undergo different processes of adolescence. Many changes occur in their body and they develop their unique personality. They gain independence and explore on their own but are not yet mature to breed.
6. Parrot Puberty:
In this phase, the parrot becomes sexually mature and searches for its intended mate. The age may vary in different species but is usually between 1 to 4 years. They undergo a personality change with temper changes as well.
If the pet has imprinted on a human and has not seen any other parrot around, it will be sexually attached to the owner. It will assume “you” as the intended mate. A dissatisfied mature parrot will start to show an aggressive attitude by plucking its feathers, screaming etc.
7. Adulthood:
The last stage is that of adulthood. The parrot has gone through many mating seasons. They settle down in their behaviour and remain calm. At this stage, they are less willing to try new adventures as compared to the previous stages. This shows that now they have become adults.
Final wording:
Parrots are fascinating long-lived animals. Their ages range from 30 to 90 years, depending upon different species. Their behaviour and lifecycle replicate that of human beings. As a parrot owner, you must know your pet deeply, apprehend his nature and deal with it accordingly.
