Showing posts with label Senegal Parrot. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Senegal Parrot. Show all posts

Tuesday, June 12, 2018

SENEGAL PARROTS - Feed and Nutrition

A juvenile Senegal Parrot.
A juvenile Senegal Parrot. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
I have a 6 yr old Senegal parrot that I hand fed.  My Senegal is named Sunni and he has a vocabulary of about 6 words. He can imitate many noises such as the microwave, smoke alarm, running water and telephone. He has a sweet little personality and has bonded very well with me. I am able to handle him anytime, day or night, and he has only bitten me once when he was a few months old. He will let others handle him, but has bitten on quite a few occasions. Most Senegal parrots are as friendly as Sunni. I have learned a lot about parrot feed and nutrition while caring for my Senegal parrot.

The most important thing in raising a parrot is their nutrition. Most people are led to believe that a diet of just seeds is adequate for these birds, but it is not. In wild Senegal's will eat different foods such as fruits, vegetables, and nuts. I feed a variety of foods to keep my Senegal parrot healthy. His main diet consists of commercially made parrot pellets. There are a few different brands of pellets out there is different shapes, colors, and flavors. Some parrots will take to one kind and not another.

Check out this website Caring for a Senegal Parrot for a list of companies that sell parrot pellets to get free samples. Care must be taken when switching over from a regular diet to pellets. You should only change their diet by about 10% each week.

I supplement my Senegal parrot's pelleted diet with fresh fruits and vegetables. Avacodos and chocolate are POISONOUS to parrots and should never be fed. Sunni's favorites foods are grapes and apples. It is very interesting watching a parrot eat a grape. Sunni "unzips" it with his beak, sucks out the inside, and drops the skin. This also keeps him pretty busy. Parrots like to "forage" for their food so it is recommended that you put bowls in various positions in the cage.

Senegal parrots are drawn to colorful foods and also like things in different shapes and sizes, so experiment!! You can cut up carrots into sticks or squares. Some birds will only eat cooked or steamed veggies and some like them fresh. I like to stick some broccoli in his cage bars and make it look like a tree. Sunni has a blast picking through it!

Noodles and grains are also good for parrots. I do give him meat every once in a while and he eats that heartily! I feed cornbread, wheat bread, whole wheat or white noodles, and white or brown rice. An easy way to get a parrot to eat some veggies is to puree them in a blender and use the liquid with a little water to make a batch of cornbread according to the box directions. I cut these in little "bars" and freeze half for easy thawing.

Seeds and nuts are an important part of a parrots diet but should be given in moderation as treats since they are high in fat. They love sunflower seeds! I also give some spray millet as a treat.  I have also purchased some treat dispensers for birds where they have to work a treat through a maze before they can eat it. It is very important for parrots to stay busy and not get bored as they tend to develop bad habits such as feather picking.

Wednesday, June 6, 2018

Adopt a Smaller Pet Bird - POICEPHALUS Meyeri

"Mohrenkopfpapagei1 Licensed via Wikimedia Commons.
The bird with the scientific name Poicephalus Meyeri originated from the wilds of Central and Eastern Africa. Meyers have gone through countless hybrids without having to consider instant look "standard" in plume color and other features. Meyer parrots appear to be of six sub-species; each looking perfectly similar with the rest, resulting to lack of dominant marks to distinguish each from the others.

It is believed that breeding has started from the wilds where the bird originated, and gone through with disregard in the proper manipulations and considerations on the bird's total breed. Meyeri parrots are inferior in size compared to other birds, a preferred choice for household pets. Being small saves you from preparing a large cage, conducive to smaller space in its foster home.

Like other parrots, there's no assurance that the Meyer will talk. It takes a lot of patience and determination to let it mimic in return to efforts done in training. The disadvantage of its having gone through unprecedented hybrid processes is believed to have started while on captives in the forests; original breeders, mindless to focus on basic colors.

Later breeders have difficulty in their assessments; as to whether they could still resolve to come up with the desired feather color combinations, that may under mind a fixed determining appearance of the bird. They are less capable to detect how many species are scattered, making for a whole population of confusing inter hybrid in captivity.
Six Sub-species of the Meyer Parrot (Poicephalus Meyeri)
1. Poicephalus Meyeri Meyeri
2. Saturatus
3. Reichenowi
4. Matschiei
5. Damarensis
6. Trasvaalensis
It takes a very knowledgeable observer to detect which this and that, of its sub-kind because of the complicated spread in overall plumage. It's a general vague overview on the breeding approach; and presenting today a big controversy what touch in a hybrid to concentrate, if only to settle to one image. Meyers' bird breeding has similarities to what was done with the Senegal bird; kind of "mind twist" run-down observation tests which, and what sub-species.

Plumages' dominant hue is of gray and brown. Back part is gray, and bills are dark gray. Thighs, wings, crown, and shoulders are yellow. Heads and beaks determine what apparent sex it belongs. Males obviously have flatter heads, but to get the total assurance of its sex is through operation or DNA test.

Mature Meyers weigh 100 to 135 grams, measure between 7 to 9 inches (20 to 22 cm.), and length of wings spread to full span is 5 to 6 inches (14 to 14.9 cm). It reaches sexual maturity from age three to four years old, and lay 3 to 4 eggs, hatched after a period of 3 months (12 to 13 weeks) but could leave the nest after 9 weeks.

    By Low Jeremy Low Jeremy has been writing articles on science, sports and internet marketing for a few years. - Article Source: EzineArticles

Gearbest Binocular for Bird Watching
Binocular for Bird Watching

Sunday, September 3, 2017

The SENEGAL PARROT - An Overview

Senegal Parrot - Three Variations
The Senegal parrot (Poicephalus senegalus) is classified as a Poicephalus parrot. The parrot is generally green in color with a red, orange, or yellow belly. There are three different subspecies of this parrot, but the only difference among them is the color in their bellies. If it has a red belly, it is the Senegalus versteri. If it has an orange belly, it is the Senegalus mesotypus. If it has a yellow belly, it is the Senegalus senegalus. All three subspecies can be raised and sold as pets and can be given the same kind of parrot care.

English: Poicephalus senegalus senegalus, the ...
Poicephalus senegalus senegalus, the Senegal Parrot (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Senegal Parrot - Natural Habitat
The open woodland and the savanna are the habitats of choice of the Senegal parrot. A gregarious species, this parrot chatters continuously and makes a wide range of whistles and squawks. When left alone in their natural habitat, the parrot has an average lifespan of thirty to forty years. When held captive, they have been known to live for as long as fifty years. Despite the different colors of their bellies or "vests", the three subspecies share the same characteristics. They have the same needs and the same qualities, and they can be shown a similar kind of parrot care. All have a height of approximately nine inches, and they have a weight of about 140 grams.

The Senegal Parrot as Pet
If you are looking to have a feathery friend for a pet, then you might want to consider the Senegal parrot. The Senegal parrot makes an excellent pet. It does not matter whether you are a novice pet owner or an experienced one; the Senegal parrot will settle and feel right at home with you. Some owners even regard this bird to be "bulletproof". This is because this parrot does not scare easily. In fact, they always seem to be up to the challenge of a new experience! If you are concerned about parrot care, fret not since this bird is fairly easy to take care of.

This bird puts the P in personality, or parrot if you wish. This bird makes the perfect feathery companion. The Senegal parrot is, by nature, affectionate. Just like most pets, this parrot loves to be constantly cuddled and kissed. It also loves having its head and belly rubbed often. This bird is also naturally inquisitive. It is not a clingy creature. As long as you provide it with tons of toys it can play with, then the parrot would not mind being left on their own in their cage. Talking is not its strongest point. It can mimic a few words, but that's about it. It imitates sounds more than it does words.

Senegal Parrot - Parrot Care
There is not much fuss involved in the parrot care of this type of parrot. The bird needs the basic food, water, and spacious cage, but that's about it. Bear in mind that you need to expose the parrot to a social environment while it is still young to prevent aggression problems later on. It helps to introduce the bird to different people, situations, and environments to avoid it becoming a one-person bird. This is a dangerous scenario because the bird can get aggressive and jealous.

Love your pet, and it will love you in return, perhaps even more. Given time, effort, and the proper parrot care, you will be one happy Senegal parrot owner.

Saturday, June 24, 2017

SENEGAL PARROTS: Five Things They Love Doing and Some Other Behavioural Traits

It is a pleasure for me to write in detail about five things which our Senegal parrot loves to do after many years of close observation of his antics. Some things, I hope, may still surprise other owners and I hope that I can, at the most, encourage people to own a Senegal and, at the least, add to the overall collective knowledge in praise of these little rays of Senegalese sunshine.

English: Senegal Parrot (Poicephalus senegalus...
Senegal Parrot (Poicephalus senegalus) at Philadelphia Zoo. Photograph shows front upper body. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Firstly, if I may, a quick background note as to how we came to own our green and yellow feathery-beak of fun, aka Choi, for 15 years. He was the type of case wherein he was passed from owner to owner until my partner brought him home one day as the result of a rescue mission. No cruelty involved, fear not, but he had seen him (and we call him 'him' because to this day we still don't know what sex he is) at his friend's flat, whistling and walking upside down in his cage. He knew there and then that he would be the one to give him his final home as he had been passed 'from pillar to post' more often than any parrot should be and, fortunately, his friend gave his consent as he was really too busy to care for him properly. As it happened, I could not believe this was the same parrot I had seen in a cage hanging up in a fruit shop in the high street (in yet another previous ownership), whose legs were constantly shaking (now I realise with cold or fright, for they never shook once he was ours) and earned him the 'then' name of 'Shaky'. Little could I have imagined at the time that we would end up owning the very same little parrot. So, in short, our ownership of him was quite serendipitous.

Here are Choi's five fun things that he loves doing:

1. Getting Up Early On Sunny Mornings He instinctively knows it is a bright sunny morning despite being covered up in a dark room overnight. Just in the same way, he knows when it is a cold, dull morning and his enthusiasm to come out is as damp as the day. He absolutely loves sunny mornings, no doubt because he is from Senegal, so get out of bed, let him out fast and let him whistle, screech, fly around like a helicopter for all he is worth! He will dive-bomb you incessantly with his exuberance of greeting the bright day, so watch out, but it is all great fun and he will raise your spirits too. Garden birds at the window are at their liveliest in the morning too, so there is quite some 'party' going on what with all the noise from him and 'his' birds.

We decided early on that he was going to have a lot of freedom out of the cage during the day so we never have a problem with him flying around the room. Actually, we have found that he does not excrete all over the place as you might expect, but has his 'favourite' few perches where he lands with old newspaper placed on the floor at the ready, of course. It is worth giving him the freedom of the room to fly around and, actually, I would be concerned if someone owned a parrot that was confined to a cage all the time.

2. Chewing Cardboard He adores chewing through small boxes of cardboard - his favourite is an egg box. It must be that particular chewy consistency. We make a tent on top of his cage, like a sort of 'house extension', by putting his feeder pole in the middle to form a peak and then hanging his night blanket over it. He often walks in there like a Tyrannosaurus Rex (and those of you who have a Senegal will be familiar with that particular gait!) and lurks in the shadows, hiding behind residual bits of other cardboard. If you so much as tentatively touch a bit of cardboard box with the end of a pencil he will 'crash out' at you like a T Rex as well - yes, you know he can be very scary! One particular time, we noticed he was 'on a roll' with his cardboard chewing and kept bringing him in an ever-so-slightly bigger box to chew than the last time we came in, which he continually made an enthusiastic grab for.

They started to get beyond the bounds of what you would expect he could cope with chewing. It actually got to the point where we came in with quite a substantial size of cardboard box and we knew when he eyed it up in readiness that this had gone too far! He was actually prepared and waiting to take this huge thing on board and start dismantling it! Suffice to say we diverted him with a monkey nut as you will appreciate when we discuss that much-loved item further down the list below. He also loves these heavy-duty whiskey bottle cardboard containers. If you dislodge the end bits it gives him the toughest chew ever and, even better, a tunnel to run through back and forth. It adds a particular challenge for him if you put your face at the other end of the tunnel and gives him extra impetus to 'charge'! This leads nicely onto his next fun thing to do...

3. Looking into Dark Tunnels I would never have believed how hypnotised he becomes with the sight of a dark tunnel. In this instance, I mean a certain 'shaping into a dark hole' of the neck or sleeve of a jumper you can achieve while it is innocuously lying on the back of a settee. If you open up the neck of an idle black sock into a shape of a tunnel or manage to shape a dark entrance to a hat when not in use, he will fly down and approach them with stealth, rattling into entrance of said dark holes and tunnels and stand guard by them ferociously. We can't get near these items when this obsession has overtaken him! He has absolutely no fear of dark tunnels. There could be all sorts of beasts lurking inside for all he knows but it makes no difference. We have only discovered this peculiarly fun trait in him in the last couple of years and it is something we would never have dreamt would turn out to be so absorbing for him. Now we enjoy propping up hats, jumpers and socks in tunnel-shaped formats for his amusement (so long as it amuses us enough at the time too!)

4. Eating Monkey Nuts If we were to put three parrot-type tantalising foodstuffs in a row, let's say, a slice of tangerine, a monkey nut and any other kind of nut or fruit - there is no question that he would pick the monkey nut - the monkey nut wins hands down every time! It would not matter what the choices were, it is the monkey nut or nothing! I have tried to offer him all sorts of luxury nuts from Christmas packs but nothing else will do. He is very fond of cashews but, you guessed it, monkey nuts rule supreme.

5. Looking at Mirrors He has an extraordinary obsession with mirrors and he will roost beside his reflection contentedly for hours on end, after an introductory fight or flight session with his reflection of course. He has his own mirror noises. If we were blindfolded we would know by the noises that he makes that he had landed on a mirror in the room somewhere. Word of warning here though - don't let him land on a big vanity mirror on your wall for long or he will start chewing the frame. The same warning goes for pictures as he is attracted to the reflection of the glass within the frame, so beware. One of these fun activities that has to be supervised, I'm afraid.

It has to be mentioned at this point that if it had not been for his love of the last two items we would grievously not got him back down out of the trees when he flew up one branch too many one fateful day. It was actually Midsummer's Day - the shortest night of the year thankfully - when we took him down the country lane on a picnic with us. Stupidly, we were delusional about how well-behaved he would be with regard to staying close to his cage in our company. Of course, he was only used to the closeness of a room in the house and didn't know that he could really - really - stretch his wings out here. He had been sitting on top of his cage for a short while, not knowing any better than to do such, but when we leveraged a branch-type stick at him to climb on, it 'spooked' him a little as it was unfamiliar material and he flew up onto a nearby branch above us. Of course, he flew on up to another, then another until he positively revelled in the fact that we couldn't even see him through the thick greenery of the high-summer tree foliage.

It was the longest remainder of the day - a nightmare situation. There were endless periods of him ignoring our entreaties to come down when we did catch sight of him, then horror-filled moments of crows chasing him and I could not believe the number of birds of prey that were nesting about the trees at that time. We actually had to leave him overnight, believing him to have crossed over the river and never believing that he would cross back again. However, I heard him screech very early in the morning, after a blessedly short night, from far down in the field again and we hurried there with his cage. Suffice to say, after relentless flashing upon flashing with mirrors and long held-out monkey nuts he circled precariously downward towards us from the very tree I had last seen him in. God knows how he crossed back over the river to it and, seriously, God does know because I do consider it a miracle when I think about the horror of seeing some crows chasing him.

The point of this cautionary but thankfully uplifting tale is that, again, if it had not been for his love of mirrors and monkey nuts it would have been doubtful if he could have trusted his perspective to fly from the tree down to the cage again. Luckily he was extremely hungry. With one foot in the cage and the other holding onto the door he had the cheek to act as if we were the Monkey Nut Men and he would just fly on upwards again after he had eaten his fill. A swift, smooth, firm, forward pressure manoeuvred him into the cage, however, and a similarly swift, smooth, firm closure of the cage door followed forthwith - as you can well imagine! He spent a full night and day asleep up on the curtain rail to recover. We remain humbled and chastened by the event to this day as to how we could have endangered him so by our stupidity. May I also add what an extremely brave little bird he proved to be by outflying his pursuers and surviving this episode, finding himself so suddenly out of his comfort zone? Such incredible courage. How on earth did he find his way back over that river? It made me believe in miracles.

Two final endearing factors... I don't know of a better 'Sir Jimmy Savile OBE' impersonation given by bird or mammal. You know the gorilla-thumping-chest type 'uh-ah-uh-ah-uh-ah' noise he used to make on 'Top of the Pops' (UK residents only perhaps!)? We still intend to shoot a video of it if we can ever get him to do it on cue.

Also, he never, ever gives up trying to land on my partner's head or back, while flapping his wings furiously (very funny to watch!) when he sees a good 'strike' opportunity. It's taken in good spirit because actually he is a one man parrot and my partner is the only one who can stroke him behind the ears, under his chin and is generally the hand that feeds him and 'feathery' knows it. However, I love the way you can actually see him plotting and thinking, 'I'm going to get him today..yes, today...'
Suffice to say, I could never go back to a 'budgie' (budgerigar) after a Senegal parrot. We have no idea how old he is but we feel blessed to have him in our lives for however long we all shall live!

Monday, June 19, 2017

SENEGAL PARROT - 5 Personality Traits That Make the Senegal a Great Pet Parrot

The African Senegal Parrot has worked its way up on the list of top picks for pet birds. Here are 5 of its best personality traits that help make it a great choice for a pet Parrot.

Quieter Than Many Parrots-Sometimes the Senegal is listed as a quiet bird which is absolutely true, except when it's not. Even though they are not prone to making screaming and screeching sounds as frequently as some parrots, when they want to be heard they have no problem making it happen. In their defense, they are not usually noisy except when excited or wanting attention. And as always, a lot will depend on your individual bird.

A juvenile Senegal Parrot.
A juvenile Senegal Parrot. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Can Entertain Themselves-These are pretty independent birds that do well without another bird sharing the cage with them. With a variety of toys that are rotated in and out of the cage frequently, they are happy spending their days exploring, swinging, climbing and chewing their toys for stimulation. They still will need to spend several hours out of the cage each day for proper exercise. They will also need several hours of human interaction daily to remain tame and to continue to foster trust and affection between caregiver and bird.

Talkers-Many learn to speak well, while others tend to sound mechanical when speaking. There are still others who never learn to speak at all but enjoy whistling, and imitating household sounds such as doorbells, alarm clocks, or microwaves. There are a number of videos and books written about the best way to get your bird to talk, but ultimately they are no guarantee that the bird you've chosen will do so. The best way to insure that your bird will talk is to hear it talk before you buy it.

Highly Trainable-Senegals enjoy short, but regular training sessions for tricks with the outcome being great tricks and a stronger bond between you and your bird. Remember to go slowly, be consistent, and reward with a treat when they have done a good job for you. Never, ever, scold or punish your bird if it does not meet your expectations. This will only injure your relationship with your bird and lessen the chances of getting your Parrot to learn the trick.

Fun and Entertaining-With proper toys, perches, ropes, and a swing or two they are energetic birds that are highly entertaining. Watching them can be a lovely way to unwind any time you have a minute to watch the show.

Wednesday, March 15, 2017


If you are looking for a pet parrot that is best for the whole family, then you must consider a Senegal parrot. Most pet lovers and parrot pet traders agree that Senegal parrots have been popular family pet birds because of their lively and engaging personality.

Image from page 7 of "Bird notes" (1902)
Senegal Parrot - Photo  by  Internet Archive Book Images
But, before you finally purchase a Senegal parrot and make it a family pet bird, you must be knowledgeable about its traits and characteristics for you to have an idea how it should be taken care of.

According to parrot experts, the Senegal parrot one of the best-known members of the entire Poicephalus family for having compact and cuddly physical traits and a very playful attitude. Frequently seen in pet shops around the United States and Europe, Senegal parrots originated from the north central part of Africa.

Unlike other parrot species, parrots posses an entirely different nature which are extremely playful, gentle and sweet in temperament that is perfect for its charming personality, cleverness, clear speech, and manageable behavior. They are also quieter but are good talkers if taught and trained properly. Since they possess much tamer nature, are known to be less demanding especially if they are given daily attention and interaction.


Senegal parrots are the most commonly kept Poicephalus birds there are. Identified for being a green bird with a gray head, Senegal parrots are famous for sporting different colored under parts, either its belly or vest with a bright yellow iris.

Senegal parrots can be divided into three sub-species that can easily be characterized by the color of their bellies as well as by their following names that include Poicephalus senegalus senegalus hailing from Southern Mauritania, southern Mali to Guinea and from the Island of Los, these are known as the nominate race and has a yellow belly; Poicephalus senegalus versteri originates from the Ivory Coast and Ghana east to western Nigeria and has red belly; and Poicephalus senegalus mesotypus coming from Eastern and North- eastern Nigeria, northern Cameroon into south-western Chad and has an orange belly.

These parrots live in moist woodlands and on the edges of the grasslands. They primarily feed on seeds, fruits, and grains particularly the seed of locust beans and newly formed buds of a various trees.

A Senegal parrot's diet should consist of a good quality seed mixture of nuts, seeds, lean meat, biscuits, fruits, and vegetables-either raw or cooked. Vitamin and mineral supplements are also given to meet the nutritional need of the parrot.

Hand reared Senegal parrots are the most suitable pets because they are small enough to handle and can be placed in a medium sized parrot cage. These should be kept in cages or aviaries where they can eat and sleep. Preferably, Senegal parrots should be housed in relatively small cages manufactured for "small birds" and should be provided with lots of toys, T-stands and swings.

Senegal parrots are not as great talkers like the African Grey parrots but have the ability to learn a vocabulary depending on the owner's patience to teach. Senegals can be bought from $149 to $500.

    By Low Jeremy
    Low Jeremy has been a hobbyist writer for the past 3 years. During this free time, he contributes informative articles on various topics like health, electronics and gadget reviews for websites.
    Article Source: EzineArticles

Tuesday, March 7, 2017


Of all of the parrot species, the Senegal parrot is one of the most colorful of the parrot families. They are relatively easy to breed and are often bred in captivity for the pet trade since it is no longer legal to capture, export, or import parrots of any species due to conservation concerns.

They are not as large as other parrot species and are not as loud which makes them more popular for people who have limited space or who live in apartments or condominiums where disturbing the neighbors would be an issue.
English: Senegal Parrot Deutsch: Mohrenkopfpapagei
Senegal Parrot Deutsch: Mohrenkopfpapagei (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

They are quite long-lived in the wild and in captivity so a person should make sure they want to make a long commitment to caring for a parrot before buying one. Acclamation into the environment of the owner can be quite tricky if there are multiple people in the family. The parrot should be introduced to as many people as possible and moved to different environments or rooms within the home so that it does not become permanently attached to any one member of the family. 

If this happens the parrot may become jealous of the attentions of other family members and may act out with misplaced aggression. By spreading its time equally among family members and among rooms in the home it is not as likely to bond to one single person or one single place and acclimation will become much more smooth and desirable for all.

As with any pet, research is needed to make sure that you can properly handle and care for your pet. If you decide to get a pair for possible breeding purposes it may be difficult to tell the males from females based on their appearance alone. It will be up to a professional breeder or pet store person to help you determine that you have a pair that is suitable for mating. Research for building a nesting box and providing for the female and the young until they are taken from the parents at approximately 12 weeks of age is imperative.

Senegal parrots are not as well-known for being talkers as other species such as the African Greys but are still quite elegant in the number of sounds and whistles they can produce. As with other parrot species, because of their intelligence they need to have interaction and distraction to keep them from becoming bored because boredom can turn to depression and death in Senegal parrots due to aggression against the cage, injury to itself, or refusal to eat until it dies.

    By Alan Stables
    Alan is a lover of animals and nature. He writes on all types of alternative farming topics, as well as nature articles including those on the different parrot species [] and which ones are the most suitable parrots as pets [].
    Article Source: EzineArticles