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The photos are of "Coco," our 5 year old lesser sulfur crested cockatoo. He's very active and tends to shred his chest, leg, and tummy feathers. He, like most animals, needs some sunshine in his life. Scientists tell us that sunshine, via the vitamin D we get from it, helps to make calcium for our physical needs. And, as most parrot owners know, birdies need calcium. (Remember the cuttle bone? That is put in there for chewing and for the calcium birds need.)
We used to put Coco outside in a traditional cage, but no matter how well I cared for it, covered it, and sheltered it... it rusted and got icky. So, this year, I bought a King's aluminum cage and stuck it out on the deck. Mostly my Congo African Grey goes into the big cage and then my timneh and Coco go into the smaller aluminum carriers to be outside. Here is my game plan for a happier (entertained) and healthier (some sun) bird:
Put Coco in the cage after the mosquitoes have retreated (after early morning) and make sure he's inside before the nasty things come back out in the evening.
He is only in the cage when I am around to make sure I can see and hear him.
I have a sun cover so he isn't blasted by the Texas sunshine and overheated.
The hose is nearby and it conveniently has a "mist" setting. If it's warm enough outside, I mist Coco. At first he wasn't thrilled, but now he looks excited and happy and that cockatoo crest goes up when he's squirted.
Fresh water and a little bit of food is placed in the cage. He never eats out there... but just-in-case. He doesn't drink out of the bowl much either, which is another reason for misting... to keep him cool.
Cockatoos are notoriously attention-seeking and especially when they get bored. When outside, in the safety of a large cage (where there is a nice rope perch to safely position in the middle, away from the bars), my Coco revels in the action around him. There are butterflies, birds, neighbors, sounds, and me... mowing, trimming, gabbing on the phone. When Coco comes back into the house, he's much more relaxed and ready to chill-out in his cage.
I have 4 parrots and alternately take them all out to the deck-cage for a stint. They all love it. They all are carefully trimmed so they can't fly away, but I am still very VERY careful and roll the cage to the back door, so house-to-cage distance is less than 2 feet.
So, if you can afford an aluminum 'big' cage or 'travel' cage, that's great! You won't have to worry about rust and you can take your bird outside for some sunshine and wind-in-the face. If you don't want to invest that kind of $ in an outdoor cage, a roomy (safe) carrier will do. Before I got the cage, I put my parrots in tiny travel cages and sat them on the picnic table while I read, drank my coffee, or just chatted with them through the bars.
I never leave my birds unattended when they're outside. It would just take a second for a serious mishap. I always make sure their "back" is to the wall and there is a cover over their head. This leaves only 3 sides they have to monitor.
So, please! Put Polly or Paco in their little carrier or big cage...and take them outside and tell them about what a great mom/dad you are. Watch their eyes light up while they're out there and then see how calm and sleepy they are when they come inside again.
Debbie will write her own "tips" article as soon as she has time, but I thought you'd like to hear how I do "outdoor birdie" for now.
Happy Bird Day!
Donna D.
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How to keep birdie healthy and happy during the summer lmonths
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