Need some advice - indoor vs. outdoor

[natv]

Hi guys!

I'm in the early research of the Eclectus breed and options for cages/housing.

I live in South Florida. My first question which I can't seem to find in anything I've read so far... can an Eclectus parrot be kept outside full-time in Florida (i.e. - in an aviary or large cage, covered from direct sun of course). Obviously before hurricanes or very cold weather we'd take the bird inside.

We are debating between an indoor or outdoor cage but before looking too deep into outdoor options I first wanted to find out if that was even a good idea or not...

I would want to bring the bird in for a few hours when I'm home after work... so one concern if the bird is outside are things like fleas, or similar issues.

Also, it's my understanding that you can potty train them to poop in their cage... not sure how long they can go without pooping if I take them in for a few hours a day?


I also had question in general about cage size.. if their wings are clipped, do they really benefit from a large cage / aviary? Or are aviary's meant for birds that aren't clipped?


That's really my burning questions for now.

Thanks so much in advance.

Nathalie

 

[weco]

Yes, they can handle temps from low to mid 80s down to low to mid 30s (Fahrenheit), without any problem.....as long as there is not a severe chill factor on the lower temps & they are not taken from 70+ degree temps to 30s temps without several hours transition time.

If you are interested in outdoor caging, I might opt for both cages, where the bird could be outside most of the time & indoors on nights below 40 degrees.

 

[natv]

Thanks for the reply. mid-80s sounds like I may need to keep him indoors during the hot summers.

If I do consider an outdoor setup for full or part time... how much does size matter? I'm still a bit unclear about when their wings are clipped, how much they can fly.

If they can only mostly climb around then something large enough for him to fully expand his wings sounds like it would work. But if they can actually fly around a bit then I might opt for more of an aviary setup than a large cage...

 

[weco]

Even though parrots are native to tropical climes, a jungle canopy is not as hot as it is on the ground, so they are sensitive to extreme temps on both ends of the thermometer. To be able to stand higher temps, there would need to be some type of breeze (fan) source and the outside cage/aviary would need to be shielded from becoming a heat radiator (a roof probably at least 3 feet above perches).

Yes, properly clipped wings will allow a bird to fly, albeit on a downward glide, unless there is a breeze to give the bird lift, then, depending on the strength of the breeze and the bird's flying strength, they could easily fly off.

If a bird's wings are clipped too severely, they are left without even minimum defenses to escape a predator.

Something you need to consider about caging your bird outdoors in Florida, is snakes, then thieves, or maybe the other way around, but both pose a serious threat to outdoor birds in your area.

 

[natv]

Good point thanks, I think an indoor cage it is

 

[LoveMyParrots]

It depends on the temperature. I live in Australia, Melbourne, and the weather here is pretty good, not too hot and not too cold. Waco has already told you the temperature range that is best for parrot.

In a outdoor aviary, it would be best to not to clip a parrot. So it gets a chance to fly. I don't really need to worry about snakes and hawk here at Melbourne, since they are not very common here. However, you can clip if you want to.

But a parrot that is kept indoor may be more tamer than a parrot kept outdoor.

 

[Labbie]

In New Zealand we do not have to worry about snakes, but i would recommend keeping your bird inside. If you want a really tame friend get a young bird that is hand raised, if you are cofident and have the time, ask breeder if you could could get a bird that still has a week or two of hand rearing so you can finish feeding. I have done this with my birds and they have all bonded with me very well and I haven't had to get their wings clipped. If they are not clipped, Just be careful of windows both open and closed as well as doors, fans and other hazards.