Читать книгу Keeping Gray Parrots - Klaus Beckmann - Страница 19

Our bird habitat

We house our parrot pairs in an annex to the house that is directly connected to it.

Each couple has its own interior aviary that is 2.50 x 1 x 2.45 meters in size. All of our aviaries have windows through which the birds can access their own designated outdoor aviary. The latter each measure 2 x 2 x 2 meters. Outside of the brooding period, I can open the individual aviary compartments to create one big outdoor space for the birds. All three couples get along great sharing this space. The Esafort wire mesh width is 25.4 x 25.4 x 2.45 mm. The fixtures in the aviaries are made of natural wood and coffee plant roots. They feature swings, bird baths, feeding spots and have concrete flooring. They do of course include locking systems so that the birds cannot fly off, which might otherwise happen despite the owner’s careful supervision. In addition, for hot summer days, I have installed a sprinkler system above the aviaries. All of the birds take advantage of it with abandon. Besides roof covered areas in the shade, the aviaries offer numerous open spaces so that it can rain on the birds. Nothing is more beneficial than rainwater for the Gray Parrots’ plumage since it is considerably softer and has a lower pH value than tap water. The birds do indeed have to be exposed to rain, wind and variable temperatures as these conditions stabilize their immune system. Our birds are free to choose their locations at all times – in the indoor aviaries, in the shade, in the sun or in the rain. When it rains, they prefer to be out in it. Many birds kept strictly indoors are “pampered” too much and their immune defense is hardly ever challenged. Hence, they get sick very easily. By comparison, observations show that indoor birds get sick more frequently and more severely than those that enjoy time outdoors to fly and inhale fresh air.

Nevertheless, the temperature difference between the indoor and outdoor aviary should not be more than 10 degrees Celsius (around 60 degrees Fahrenheit). It goes without saying that well trained, hardy parrots can tolerate more intense temperature fluctuations. However, my example is the standard scenario. Timers control the entire interior lighting system to ensure that the birds enjoy a controlled rhythm throughout the day. The light is activated at 7 am and turned off at 7 pm. The birds quickly adjust to this 12-hour rhythm and will already sit quietly in their sleeping positions just a few minutes before the light goes off in the evenings. It is absolutely essential for parrots to get 10-12 hours of quiet time at night. These days, scenarios where the cage is sitting next to a noisy TV set and covered with a woolen blanket in the evening, should be unheard of. To close this chapter, I’d also like to mention that I have the entire aviary facility under 24/7 supervision provided by 4 cameras so that I can check every corner and watch our birds at all times.