The time has come!

[HamadAhli]

The time has come for her to come! My one sided love. My Galah Cockatoo will arrive by next Monday!

Anyways; proceeding to the point of higher importance; I would like to ready myself for the great arrival of my beloved. I would like help on 3 main aspects regarding the love I have yet to meet.

1- What should it eat and more importantly what should it not eat?

2- What are the best types of toys for it?

3- What is the best way to approach playing with her? I do not want her to hate me by being obliviously rough with her.

If you have any extra advice then please do share. Anything is something for me. Now if you will excuse me, my mother should know about her new daughter in-law.

 

[Kiwibird]

The time has come for her to come! My one sided love. My Galah Cockatoo will arrive by next Monday!

Anyways; proceeding to the point of higher importance; I would like to ready myself for the great arrival of my beloved. I would like help on 3 main aspects regarding the love I have yet to meet.

1- What should it eat and more importantly what should it not eat?

2- What are the best types of toys for it?

3- What is the best way to approach playing with her? I do not want her to hate me by being obliviously rough with her.

If you have any extra advice then please do share. Anything is something for me. Now if you will excuse me, my mother should know about her new daughter in-law.

Congrats on deciding to get a Galah! Do you know definitively if it is a female, or are you just "guessing"? Got a name picked out yet?

1. There are 3 "primary" staple-foods parrots can eat- pellets, seed or cooked mixes. Most first-time parrot owners (and even some very experienced ones) will choose pellets because they are the easiest means to ensure your bird is meeting their nutritional requirements and isn't getting too much protein or fat. Seeds are more natural, however, they can lead to obesity and liver problems if the parrot does not get enough variety in other areas (i.e., fruit, veg and table food), and the "right" seed to other food ration is difficult to perfect (probably not recommended for a first time owner). Cooked mixes are the healthiest, but most difficult. They are messy, require cooking and have to be fed on a strict 2x a day schedule to prevent spoilage (you can't just leave it in the cage all day). My bird gets the cooked mix and a little seed to snack on during the day. For the little bit of extra work/mess of the cooked mix, I feel better feeding him natural foods rather than processed pellets. However, that is a HIGHLY debated subject (best dietary staple), and you need to get on your research ASAP to decide which one or what combination looks like the best fit for you. I'm also unsure how popular parrots are where you live, nor if any of the well-known US/UK/AU companies ship to Dubai, so there may not be a whole lot available in the first place. Perhaps someone else on here is, but I have no clue of any good/reputable brands of parrot foods sold in your part of the world. Before she arrives, you do need to know what is available, research which brand best meets her nutritional needs and have food, whatever it may be, on hand.

In addition to a staple food, parrots need fresh fruit and vegetables EVERY day. You can either give them chunks of it OR make "chop mixes" (google recipes online), but a day should never pass where your bird isn't eating some kind of fresh produce. Parrots can and should also eat (in small quantities) things like eggs, cheese, pasta, bread, crackers, oatmeal and grains. Here is a link to a comprehensive list of foods parrots should NOT eat- Unsafe Foods For Parrots

2. Parrots need a wide variety of toys, and their toys should be rotated (swapped out) at least twice a week to keep them mentally stimulated. So long as toys are in good condition, you can keep them and put them back in after the bird hasn't seen it for a while so it will be interesting again. There are 5 basic toy types- thinking, foraging, foot toys, noise makers and shredding toys. With a new bird, you should introduce them to all the toys types and see which ones they enjoy most. Not all birds like the same activities. My boy likes thinking toys and foot toys, but he's not big on shredding toys or ones that make noise. Other birds would ignore a foot toy and only want stuff to chew up. You just have to wait and see what personality your bird has.

3. Socializing and bonding with a parrot is often a long process that requires the patience to allow the bird to go at it's own pace. To start with, you should have her area set up and IF she is timid, keep the cage half-covered the first few days to allow her to adjust and feel safe. You should start the socialization/bonding process by sitting near her cage and talking softly to her (no need to have her out, possibly becoming frightened when she is still new to your home). Offering food through the bars is also a great way to build trust. Do expect for her to be fearful of you at first, and just keep working with her (talking and offering food) until she is comfortable in your presence and THEN you can start working to get her out of her cage and stepping up on your hand. That could take a few days, or possibly a few months. It all depends on the bird. But always keep in mind, even if it takes a year for her to trust you enough to start stepping on your hand, she is going to live 60+ years, so you'll have PLENTY of time with her and will have built a trusting, loving bond by allowing her to go at her own pace.

Best of luck, and please keep asking questions (and we won't mind a few photos when she arrives :09

 

[Mishcka]

Everytime i read this forum i learn more and more ! Ty. To this Day even after two years i question if i feed Sophie right she is so fussy !

 

[Kiwibird]

Everytime i read this forum i learn more and more ! Ty. To this Day even after two years i question if i feed Sophie right she is so fussy !

I don't think theres a parrot owner out there who's 100% confident their feeding their bird "right". A truly natural diet is simply not available commercially (i.e., the fruits, seeds and nuts they ACTUALLY eat in nature). Diet is probably the most debated topic in aviculture. What we DO know about the longest lived captive parrots on record (some well over 100 y/o!) is that ALL of them had a diet heavy in fruit and veg with a bit of seed/nuts and a little of everything else. Birds who ate primarily seed tend to have reduced life expectancies and end of life health issues from fatty liver disease and malnutrition. Pellets are so "new" to the market, there isn't any long term data on how a bird who has been fed on them since it was weaned is faring at 60 or 70 years old. Theres just not enough long-term data on pellets to really argue their long term benefits IMO, but I would venture to say it would still be unhealthy long term if the bird isn't getting any variety in their diet. VARIETY IS THE KEY TO A HEALTHY DIET FOR PARROTS!

 

[MomtoPercy]

Excellent post, Kiwi!

 

[HamadAhli]

Thank you guys. :10: However, I need your assistance in another dire matter in another forum.