General Comfort - Dangerous Influences - Effects of Draughts, Excessive Heat, and Foul Air - Overhanging of the Cage - Care of Plumage - Bathing - Moulting - Play of Wings - Attention to Feet - Description of Perch.

Every lover of speaking parrots should regard it as an especial problem how to obtain for such birds as comfortable an existence as possible, to procure for them pleasures of all kinds, and to protect them from all hurtful influences. For this not only a suitable cage is necessary, but sufficient food of the best quality, attentive and affectionate treatment, and also the most careful attention to health. The last requires, above all things, that the bird be protected from all dangerous influences, from draughts, damp, cold, rapid changes of temperature, too great heat (artificial warmth as well as burning sunrays), steam or dust, air filled with noxious gases, or otherwise rendered injurious, from bad or unsuitable food, impure water, uncleanliness, and neglect of all kinds. I also include tobacco smoke, although experience teaches us that a parrot may become accustomed to the atmosphere of a busy inn, impregnated with smoke and vapour, and live in it long.

A speaking parrot, even after it has been years in our possession, and is therefore fully acclimatised, should never be placed at an open window, even in calm warm weather, because there is always a draught under these circumstances, and this is invariably injurious to the bird. If it be desired to take it into the open air - and this is indeed very beneficial - it must be crone about with the greatest prudence. In the first place, the weather must be warm and calm, and then a place must be chosen where the bird will be protected from currents of air as well as from the direct glowing rays of the sun. Moreover, night air and fog must be avoided. Often enough a bird falls ill with influenza or inflammation of the throat and lungs without the cause being in any way apparent. Then assuredly a cold draught has. caught it, which has probably rushed in from an adjoining room when the door was opened, or which pours in through some unnoticed chink in the door or window, and blows straight to the spot where the cage stands. It has not been observed that the opening and shutting of every door produces a draught which often, at a considerable distance and quite unexpectedly, does much harm. Therefore the situation of the parrot's cage or stand in the room must be chosen with great care.

Parrots, like all cage birds, suffer most in the morning, while the sitting room is being cleaned, when they are exposed, not only to draughts, but to damp dusty air and rapid changes of temperature, when icy cold air streams in, and the bird is not sufficiently protected. Covering the cage even with a very thick cloth is not sufficient; the cage should always be taken, while the room is being cleaned, into another room of equal temperature. A cold, much more severe than one could suppose, and, from that cause, all the more mischievous, is often produced by some one coming out of the open air, or even from a cold room, and going at once close to the cage, as one is apt to do, without thinking, when giving food. If the parrot becomes in this way suddenly and seriously ill without any apparent cause, it is put down to the "delicacy of such birds," without considering that such would not be the case if it received proper treatment and were reasonably accustomed to circumstances.

Too great heat has a most injurious influence, especially in a badly-ventilated room, whereas most parrots can bear a low temperature, even as low as 21deg. Fahr., if rapid variations be guarded against. The best temperature for all birds is that of an ordinary sitting-room, about 65deg. Fahr.

Many who keep a parrot hang a cloth round the cage of their favourite during the night. It is well to do so in the case of newly-imported, and consequently unacclimatised, birds, or with birds of a species which is known to be weak and delicate, or with very valuable birds. It may also be done if the bird stands in a room which becomes much lower in temperature during the night, or in which the parrot would be disturbed by a number of persons coming and going. But on no account must this be overdone, for it is very apt to make the bird become delicate. Therefore, a thick woollen cloth must not be chosen, or, if such be considered absolutely necessary, a thinner one should be taken for the summer. I recommend sackcloth, or carefully cleansed sacking of stout hemp or jute. These have the advantage of not being too warm in summer, and yet of being sufficient to keep out the cold in winter. Moreover, they are especially suitable for the purpose, because the bird cannot pull off threads and fluff, which may so easily be done from woollen or cotton materials, the swallowing of these often causing disease.

The plumage needs great care, and this it should get in the case of all cage birds, but particularly parrots. One must see, in order to believe, in what a miserable condition our feathered friends from the Tropics arrive. Ragged, frequently almost featherless, sometimes bleeding in several places, the end joints of the wings beaten off by continual uncontrolled flapping, bleeding, or even festering, with the hard firmly-fixed stumps of feathers; the lower part of the body and the feet, sometimes the whole body, very dirty; or, when in better condition, with better plumage, yet the feathers of one, or usually of both wings, and even of the tail, very much cut. Now at once to set about a thorough course of treatment for the plumage of this pitiable new-comer would be the surest method of killing it; it must be done gradually, and with the utmost caution.

After the parrot has quite settled down, and become to some extent acclimatised, for which about four or six weeks will be necessary, attention must be paid to the plumage. The dealers moisten the whole body by means of the mouth, either merely with lukewarm water, or with some to which about a fourth part of rum or brandy has been added. The amateur can do this by means of a syringe or dusting brush. The alcohol and water must not be allowed to get into the eyes and beak. The cage should be placed in a tub, and syringed from all sides, so that the whole body is well wetted. Or, if preferred, on a hot summer's day, the bird may be put out in a heavy shower of rain. In any case, the slightest cold must be most carefully guarded against, and the parrot must be placed in a room of a temperature not lower than 65deg. for several hours - indeed, until the plumage is thoroughly dry. A bath may be given once a month; in warm weather more frequently. The bird soon becomes accustomed to it, and takes an evident delight in it.