A profile of the Senegal Parrot
Be careful about carrying the bird about on your shoulder outside. They can get great distances with just a few flight feathers and can at times spook very easily. Many a senegal has been lost this way.
Caging: Medium-sized
cage that is big enough to allow lots of climbing. Senegals like to climb and
hang upside down at times. Add lots of perches and plastic chains for climbing.
Diet: medium
hookbill seed, medium pellets, fresh vegetables, some fruit, figs, corn,
sprouts, and grains. Give a varied diet to keep the bird interested and also to
avoid food “phobias”. Generally good eaters who will accept new foods readily.
Health:
Very robust birds. Not prone to feather plucking. Enjoy regular human
interaction, but also can play independently.
Noise: Not
particularly noisy. They can make an extremely loud screech at times, but they
do not have a reputation for becoming screamers. They will usually send out one
loud screech then quiet down. They will learn to imitate the natural calls of
other birds in the house (or outside) with ease.
Sleep: At
least 10 hours of darkness and quiet. A tv in the room does not equal good
sleep.
Sexual behavior: Can
become aggressive and sometimes phobic after reaching sexual maturity. Most
major problems can be avoided by developing a strong relationship early on and
using gentle dominance techniques. It is a good idea to expose the bird
to new things on a regular basis early on and throughout its adulthood so it
learns to adjust.
