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If you’re thinking about bringing a parrot into your home, parrot-proofing is the best thing you can do – both for the safety of your bird and for your own sanity. It’s not unreasonable to think of a parrot as similar to a toddler, just much smaller and much more capable of getting into trouble.

By adhering to the following tips, you can create an environment that is safe and enjoyable for you and your new companion.









Determine Where Your Parrot Can Go

It’s just about impossible to parrot-proof every last inch of your home. For this reason, you have to give some thought as to where your bird will be allowed to roam free and where it will not.

Two areas of the house where parrots should absolutely not be allowed access are the kitchen and any bathrooms.

The first reason that a parrot should not be allowed in the kitchen is for hygienic purposes. Typically, parrots use the restroom once every 15 to 30 minutes. This means that even if your parrot is potty trained, there is always a chance it may have an accident. You definitely don’t want that happening where you keep or prepare food.

The next reason that the kitchen should be a no-fly zone for your new pet is because there are lots of hidden and seemingly innocuous dangers in this area of the house. For example, Teflon – a coating you’ll find on many of your pots and pans – emits a toxic fume that can kill birds when it is overheated.

Another area of the home that should be inaccessible to your parrot is the bathroom. This area is often full of small items that birds can chew and choke on, such as floss and makeup. Further, the bathroom is where you’ll find the toilet, an open water source where parrots can drown.

Read More: Should You Clip Your Parrot’s Wings?

Remove Dangers

As you know – or will soon find out – parrots love to chew. To keep them safe, it’s imperative that you carefully examine every item in the spaces where your parrot will spend its time to ensure that there is nothing that can hurt it. Some items you’ll want to eliminate or move elsewhere include:

Lead and zinc products – birds are easily poisoned, so take note to remove dangers such as figurines, window pulls, chains and wire.

– birds are easily poisoned, so take note to remove dangers such as figurines, window pulls, chains and wire. Plants – while not all plants are poisonous to parrots, it’s much easier to eliminate all of them from your pet’s play area than try to figure out which are harmful.

– while not all plants are poisonous to parrots, it’s much easier to eliminate all of them from your pet’s play area than try to figure out which are harmful. Medicine – if you’re prone to keep aspirin in the living room or your blood pressure pills near the TV, you’ll have to find another place for them.

Other items you should consider removing, disabling or hiding include:

Mirrors and windows – these items will give your parrot the idea that it has a lot more room than it really does. The bird can be injured if it flies into glass.

– these items will give your parrot the idea that it has a lot more room than it really does. The bird can be injured if it flies into glass. Ceiling fans – a parrot won’t understand that a ceiling fan is in motion, which will lead to disaster if it gets too close.

– a parrot won’t understand that a ceiling fan is in motion, which will lead to disaster if it gets too close. Items hanging on walls – parrots love to climb and perch, so it’s important that you take inventory of what you have in your home that they can latch onto. Picture frames are a prime example of something that can fall when a parrot climbs onto it.

Cigarettes, scented candles and air fresheners – birds are much more sensitive to air and toxins than we are. Smoke and other air irritants can harm or kill a parrot.

Manage Your Cords and Hide Your Books

Just as young children like to put everything inside their mouths, parrots enjoy digging their beaks into pliable surfaces. Some of their favorite household chew toys include power cords, books, paper and anything with a nice, crisp corner.

To keep your parrots from destroying your electronics and possibly suffering from an electric shock, encase all cords and cables that your bird can get to. You can do this using a PVC pipe or special tubing that is made especially for hiding cords. While you’re at it, make sure you invest in caps for all open electrical outlets so that your parrot can’t wedge a beak or foot into the small slots.

As far as books and other items you’d prefer to keep intact, consider investing in bookcases or storage cabinets with doors. As smart as parrots are, they can’t open latches or handles, so your valued possessions will be safe. Alternately, you can move these types of things to a no-parrots-allowed area.

Develop a Two-Door System

One of the greatest risks to your parrot is escape. All it takes is one moment of inattention and your parrot could be flying out a door or through a window. And don’t think that clipping your parrot’s wings will keep them safely indoors: As you’ll learn, even clipped birds can fly, albeit poorly.

The best way to ensure your parrot stays safely indoors is to develop a two-door system for entering or exiting the house. Depending on the style of your home, this might be an easy chore. Even if it is more on the difficult side, it’s something that should be seriously considered.

If you have a small foyer at the entrance of your home, you can easily enclose the space and add an extra door in a weekend. If you hire a professional, the job could be done in a day. If you don’t have space on the inside of your home for an extra door, try constructing a small patio or enclosure on the outside.

As there will be others entering and exiting your home at some point, creating signs that inform friends and family of your free-flying parrot will also help with preventing an escape accident. A simple sign that says “live bird – don’t open door” would be sufficient enough to get others to act with greater care.

Once you bring your new companion into your home, you are sure to find a hundred other little tweaks that will help make life with a parrot a safer and more enjoyable one.

Read More:

What to Do if You Want to Get Another Companion Parrot

Should You Clip Your Parrot’s Wings?

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