Frequently asked Questions

Below we try to answer in our own words some of the most frequently asked questions that we are asked, if you have any other questions or want us to elaborate on any of the following please feel free to contact us.

Q. We have been told that we should buy from a breeder not a pet store is this true?

A. This is the million dollar question, as in all walks of life there are good and bad in both. Word of mouth and recommendations are the key. I would strongly advise NOT meeting someone in a layby or carpark to take possesion of your bird. If possible go and see the bird when it is 2 - 3 weeks old and least reserve it and visit it as it is being reared. Get to know the bird and the hand-rearers. We do not think the first time you see a bird should be the day you take it home. It is not fair on the bird or the keeper. If someone expects you to give the bird a life-times commitment (and every seller should) then it is only fair and right to let the perspective carer of the bird have a part in the birds life from the start. bird or you.That said if you live a very long distance away visiting may not be possible, so this is where you must be confident in your hand-rearer.

Q. What parrots are the best talkers?

A. Well African Greys have the reputation of being the best talkers, but the best we have personally heard a parrot talk were 2 Yellow naped amazons housed together who had an immense vocabulary. Also we have a Blue fronted Amazon who sings, laughs, and speaks dozens of words and sentences. Eclectus parrots can be very talented mimics also. There are actually lots of species of parrot that can be potentially excellent mimics, but they are all individuals and they only give back what you put in.

Q. Are your parrots bred in this country?

A. Yes. All of our parrots are aviary bred in this country, either by us or by close friends and hand reared from about 2 - 3 weeks of age. We do not import parrots from abroad and we do not agree with wild caught parrots being imported into this country. Please only ever consider buying a captive bred parrot bred in the U.K.

Q. What Parrot is best for me?

A. Well that depends on you. Do you work? Are you around all day? Do you have a family who also want to interact with the Parrot? How much space do you have? What knowledge of parrots do you have? Have you kept parrots before? The list is endless and too complex to go into on this small page so contact us and we will steer you in the right direction.

Q. If you could choose a parrot which one would it be?

A. Easy a Blue and Gold Macaw - and the Green Winged Macaw - my absolute favorites followed closely by the crazy Black Headed Caique.

Q. What do i get when i buy a parrot from you?

A. You get a hand reared baby parrot, reared in the family home, you can visit the baby as it is reared, we will e-mail pictures and updates of its progress. We harness train all large macaws and can harness train most birds for you if required, although African greys can be very temperamental with these harnesses and we will not stress and push the bird into something it doesn't want to do. You get a hatch certificate, diet sheet, a specific species care sheet and a general baby parrot care sheets - giving in-depth advice, care and facts on keeping your particular species of parrot. You also get a parrot that is very comptetively priced with back up advice and help even after hours via telephone.

Q. Can we get BIRD FLU from our parrot ?

A. NO! It is virtually impossible for your parrot to give you bird flu. It would have to be in close contact to wildfowl (ducks, geese, swans) who have the disease (which itself is also very unlikely for them to have the disease). So for a parrot that is housed indoors this is Impossible. Unfortunately due to several low quality tabloid news papers scaremongering the British people, just to sell papers this disease has been blown out of all proportion. Panicked bird keepers have abandoned their parrots all over the country, some birds have been in the family for years and for no fault of its own is abandoned to who knows what care and conditions. Please do not abandon any parrots, there is absolutely no need. PLEASE GET THE REAL FACTS.

Q. What do i need to do before i buy a parrot?

A. First of all is to make sure of your commitment it must be 100%. As mentioned in our care sheets read and inform yourselves of as much information of your chosen parrot as possible, both in the wild and in captivity, there is lots of ways of doing this, by reading books, talking to other keepers and breeders, the internet, videos, magazines and societies such as the parrot society U.K. World Parrot Trust and asking questions. Consider taking the course that is co-hosted by Paradise park and the World Parrot Trust on Parrot behaviour, training and enrichment, we have been on this course and can well recommend it. Before you take your parrot home make sure your cage is as large as possible. Make sure you have toys, appropriate foods, dishes, supplements all ready for your new arrival.

Q. One of my family suffers from asthma, is it safe to have a parrot?

A. Probably not, most parrots are quite dusty, this is the way they clean their feathers. Cockatoos are most definately the worst of all, they produce alot of dust called powder down. African Greys are fairly dusty too. Parrots that are not so dusty as Cockatoos or Greys we have found are the Macaws and Caiques, Senegals, Meyers and Jardines. We would advise extreme caution where asthma sufferers are concerned and it is best to seek proper professional medical advise.

Q. What age are the baby parrots ready to take home?

A. Most average sized parrots from Senegals to African Greys are ready no sooner than 11 weeks Old, large Macaws are no sooner than 16 weeks old. Although this can vary, all parrots are individuals and some develop quicker than others. And as we do not force wean any of our birds this time scale can vary sometimes quite considerably. For instance we once had a cockatiel that was gone past 20 weeks before it was independantly feeding itself.

Q. I have seen cheaper 'second-hand' adult hand reared babies in our local paper for sale, are they worth the saving of a few pounds.

A. In almost all cases NO. Although there are very rare exceptions no careing owner would get rid of a treasured family pet for no good reason. These birds are most likely biters or screamers and will probably go through extreme trauma being sold to new keepers. Why take the risk of taking on someones problem bird. Who knows what these parrots have been through and what negative experiences they have had that may affect them forever. Buying one just because you feel sorry for the bird is totaly the wrong reason to take one of these on.

Q. We have been told that a parrot in our local pet shop will tame down given time as it is very nervous and aggressive, is this true.

A. Probably not, it is so difficult to get their confidence and trust, that is not to say it cannot be done. But why start with an up hill struggle!! It's fine if you have countless time and patience and let's face it who does? The best thing to do is get a proper hand-reared baby that is freindly from the start. Don't buy a bird that you cannot handle. Or the seller will not let you handle.

Q. Do you courier your birds?

A. NO