Nick sits at the kitchen table in the Moser home, nibbling on
some roast beef for lunch.
He doesn’t eat much. In fact, some might say he eats like a bird.
Well, Nick is a bird.
The 2-year-old eclectus parrot acts much the same way that many
2-year-old children do. He is picky about food, cries when he is
hungry and loves attention.
Dean Moser of Windsor is the proud owner of Nick, as well as two
Goffins cockatoos and six other Eclectus parrots. Moser started with
two parrots five years ago and has continued to add birds to the
family ever since.
The birds are so much like family that they are allowed to roam
freely about the house. Nick even flies outside and may be seen
circling the neighborhood.
“I’ve always enjoyed birds and am intrigued by flight,” Moser said.
Growing up on a farm, Moser was familiar with ducks and geese, but
since game birds aren’t allowed in town, he decided on parrots.
Moser got more than just a parrot with Nick, though. He says the
bird is like having another child. The parrots are fed a concoction
that includes yogurt, wheat germ and carrots. Like any baby, the
food is warmed to just the right temperature before the feeding
begins. And, like any 2-year-old, Nick cries and grows impatient
while waiting for his meal, as do the other parrots.
“They’re a lot of work,” Moser said.
In addition to the feedings, Moser also must bathe the birds. He
has a shower perch that the birds sit on while he showers. Sometimes
though, the natural instincts of the birds take over. Nick once flew
on top of Moser’s head while he was mowing the lawn. Nick stayed on
Moser’s head with wings spread out preparing for rain.
“The lawn mower sounded like a thunderstorm,” Moser explained.
“He was waiting for the rain.”
In addition to a family of birds, Moser and his wife, Jennifer,
also have three children: Rebekah, 9; Josh, 8; Zach, 4; and a family
dog. The dog doesn’t seem to mind having birds in the house, and
Rebekah thinks they’re a lot of fun.
“I like playing with them,” she said. “I try to get them to fly
to me.”
Moser said eclectus parrots aren’t typically good for free-flying
— flying outside of the cage. But, he said Nick once surprised
everyone when he circled the yard while outside.
Now, Nick may be seen circling the neighborhood and singing with
delight while doing so. Although there have been times when Moser
has had to track Nick down, he usually comes back on his own.
“I am definitely taking a huge risk letting him free-fly,” Moser
said. But, Moser also says letting Nick fly is great exercise for
the bird.
While having a flying, talking parrot may sound appealing, Moser
warns against blindly purchasing a bird.
“They are not an easy pet,” he said. “A lot of people think with
their checkbooks but pay the real price later.”
Exotic bird care tips
Signs of good health in a bird include bright eyes, clean shiny
feathers, good appetite and lots of energy.
Take your new bird to a veterinarian for a bird checkup.
Buy the largest cage you can reasonably manage in your home. Be
sure he can not slip his head between the bars. It should be
convenient to clean and allow easy access to food and water
containers. The perches should be of varying sizes, preferably of
natural branches.
Birds’ diets vary greatly from one species to another, but a good
rule is that no more than 50 percent of a bird’s diet should be seed
and nuts. The remaining 50 percent should be vegetables, leafy
greens, fruits, small amount of cheese, lean cooked meats, boiled
egg and other people foods with a powdered vitamin supplement added.
Many birds love yogurt. All need fresh water daily.
Scrub out water and food bowls daily with hot, soapy water, and
disinfect them in bleach twice a week (make sure to rinse away all
the bleach after you disinfect the dishes).
Avoid walnut shell bedding material for the cage bottom. This
frequently carries a fungal infection called aspergillus. Paper
towel or corn cob bedding is all fine. Clean or replace them daily.
Source: www.HotSpotforBirds.com
