Senegal Parrot
A
Truly Loved Parrot!
What Makes The Senegal Parrot One Of The World’s
Most Beloved Companion Parrots?
Want to know why the Senegal Parrot is one of the most common companion parrots
around? One of the biggest reasons is that they’re not as noisy as the
majority of parrots. This makes them ideal for just about any type of
living situation from small studio condo to mansion, the Senegal parrot is an
ideal parrot pet.
What else makes the
Senegal Parrot so
loved?
The Senegal parrot is a small parrot, about 9 inches long that is native
to West Africa. They have a large head and beak when compared to
their body and unlike many parrots the Senegal has a short and broad
tail.
Adult Senegal’s have a charcoal grey
head, grey beak, bright yellow irises. They have a green back and
throat, and yellow under-parts and bottom. The yellow and green areas on
a Senegal Parrot's front form what is commonly called a vest due to its
V-shape. |
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There are three subspecies of Senegal Parrot and their main difference from each
other is the color of their vest with colors ranging from yellow to orange to
red. Senegal Parrots live an average of 25-30 years in the wild, and have
been known to live for 50 years in captivity.
The Senegal Parrot is a bright and entertaining little bird. Not only can
they learn a variety of phrases, they can learn a number of tricks. Known
for their acrobatics, the Senegal Parrot enjoys climbing, playing, and hanging
out atop a perch or standing on their cage. They also enjoy flying about
your home and their cage.
Speaking of cages, the optimal size for a Senegal is larger than you might
think. As is the rule with all birds, the larger the cage the better,
however a minimum cage size for a Senegal is 20" long x 20" deep x 28" high.
These dimensions are given with the assumption that your Senegal is going to be
able to spend a significant amount of time outside of the cage every day.
If they’re not, then look for a cage that is
larger than the provided dimensions. Providing your
Senegal Parrots with a variety
of toys, perches, and climbing branches will benefit them tremendously.
Also, look for a cage with horizontal bars about 3/4 of an inch apart to make
climbing easier.
In the wild the Senegal parrot eats seeds, nuts, berries and fruit. In
captivity, and one of the reasons they live longer, is that they’re given a diet
that is a bit lower in fat. A diet based in pellets is ideal along with a
daily supplementation of fresh fruits and vegetables. Seeds and nuts can
be offered as treats and training rewards each day.
The Senegal Parrot isn’t endangered though it is listed on the CITES index and
it is illegal to import them. Fortunately, Senegal Parrots are relatively
easy to breed in captivity. Senegal Parrots can start to breed at the age
of 3 to 4 years, though some do not breed until age 6 or 7. They usually
lay usually 2 to 3 white eggs which hatch about 27 or 28 days later and chicks
are independent at about 12 weeks of age.
Most experts recommend DNA or surgical sexing however there are some visual
gender differences including: a longer vest in the females, smaller beak and
head in the females, and the females are generally a touch smaller.
Did we answer the question why the Senegal Parrot is one of the world’s most
beloved companion parrots? Let’s sum it up. They’re smart,
entertaining, fairly quiet, acrobatic and interesting birds.
They can learn to talk and do a number of tricks
and overall their behavior is pretty good – though they can be known to be a bit
nippy during sexual maturity. If you’re in the market for a bird
companion, you’d be wise to consider the Senegal parrot. |
