Parrots are colorful, intelligent, and charismatic creatures.
They also happen to be popular pets!
These majestic birds have a variety of personalities that can range from shy to outgoing.
Parrots are, in general, tropical animals and cannot live in cold climates.
However, this hasn’t stopped people living in colder climates from adopting a parrot.
The key to keeping a parrot in a cold climate is to provide it with appropriate housing and care.
You must have your parrot in an insulated environment, and it’s also essential to provide the bird with an area that is not heated and where it can escape from the heat if needed.
So can parrots live in cold weather?
Yes, parrots can live in cold weather.
However, it does depend on the species of bird.
For example, African grey parrots are capable of living in colder climates than other types of parrots.
This is because they have a thick layer of feathers to keep them warm during the winter months.
They also need to be provided with an insulated cage or protective coverings for outdoor playtime.
Other types of birds, like cockatoos and macaws, will need more protection in cold climates due to their thin coatings of feathers that don’t protect against the cold as much as the African grey parrot.
Here’s what you’re going to discover in this article
- How Cold Is Too Cold For A Parrot?
- What Temperature Can A Parrot Survive?
- How Do I Know If My Parrot Is Too Cold?
- Ways To Keep Parrots Warm
- Tips for winterizing your bird’s cage
With winter just around the corner, it’s important as bird parents to know how you can keep your parrot warm
What’s too cold for them and how to know if your parrot is cold
So if you want to make sure your parrot is warm and cosy during winter then you’re going to love this article
Sound good?
Let’s get started!
How Cold Is Too Cold For A Parrot?
A parrot can suffer frostbite within minutes of a cold temperature.
This occurs when a parrot’s blood vessels freeze, and it may cause a parrot’s feet to be blue and wobbly and cause blisters or sores on the body.
If a parrot suffers from frostbite, you must immediately seek help.
A frostbitten parrot’s legs may also be permanently deformed from the injuries.
Parrots have high metabolic rates and can become extremely cold quickly.
You must keep parrots in temperatures that don’t cause frostbite to occur.
For this reason, a parrot’s temperature should be kept between 70-95 degrees Fahrenheit.
Never leave a parrot in a room with a temperature below 60 degrees Fahrenheit.
Temperature For Parrots? How Cold Can They Survive?
As humans, we are exposed to the elements all of the time.
So, our bodies can handle a wide range of temperatures.
Parrots, on the other hand, aren’t able to handle as wide a range of temperatures.
Parrots can tolerate temperatures as low as about 30°F.
They’ll be able to survive in temperatures that are slightly higher but not as extreme.
For example, in areas that experience temperatures between the low 40s and the low 50s, they can survive for a few weeks, but they may be without food and water for several weeks.
A parrot cannot survive winter with temperatures below 30°F is that their bodies do not cool themselves in this temperature range.
That’s why it’s important to make sure your house is warm enough for your parrot
Especially with winter around the corner, you know how cold your house gets so do ensure there is adequate heating to warm up the house
Now that we know how much a parrot can tolerate in regards to it being cold
Let’s find out how you can tell if your bird is feeling cold
How Do I Know If My Parrot Is Too Cold?
Let’s take a peek at some of the symptoms that suggest your parrot may be feeling too cold.
- Nasal discharge
- Puffed feathers
- Loss of appetite
- Dehydration
- Increased urination
- Coughing
- Sneezing
There are several ways to keep parrots warm in cold weather.
There are many ways to keep parrots warm in cold weather.
Carry on reading to find out..
Ways To Keep Parrots Warm
Simply line your bird’s cage with insulation or fleece.
Also, provide a nest with pine shavings, peanut butter, and seed-based food.
If your parrot enjoys perching, provide her with some long bird perches, cotton balls, sticks, or a feather-covered floor.
Just be careful, as snow can be very slippery.
In some cases, a bird will jump from an improper perch and fall onto the snow.
Tips For Winterizing Your Bird’s Cage
Take a look at some tips that may be useful for winterizing your feathered friend’s cage.
- Outdoor cages will be too cold for a tropical parrot to be kept year-round. If you choose to keep a parrot indoors, be sure to provide a ventilation system and ensure that it’s in a small, well-ventilated enclosure.
- You may need to keep your parrot in the same cage all the time, but try to change cages every few months to prevent condensation.
- Consider buying a plastic tube to provide ventilation.
- Some parrot owners suggest placing an insulated pad or carpet on top of the cages to help keep the temperature steady. A heated towel hung from the cage can also be beneficial.
Here’s something really cool you can get for your parrot
LeerKing Parrot Nest Plush Snuggle Bird Hammock
How cute does that look!?
Your parrot would love to snuggle in that when it’s cold
It looks so snuggly!
You can check it out over on Amazon by clicking here
Can Parrots Be Kept Outside?
All animals love the outdoors
Whether it be a dog, cat, mice any animal, they thrive being outside
The same goes with parrots
I mean parrots in the wild live outdoors
Parrots that don’t have any owners and are not pets have to look for their own food, shelter and safety
So why wouldn’t a parrot that’s a pet be able to live outside?
There are actually some benefits of a parrot living outdoors
Some of the benefits are as follows
- They get to fly around and be free
- Gives them plenty of exercise when they can fly about
- Parrots love the outdoors and gives them a boost in their mood
- Fresh air can be beneficial for your parrot
- The sun is vital to your parrots health. It helps produce strong bones, beaks and feathers
- Sunlight also helps boost the immune system
- Sunlight can also kill germs and bacteria on your parrots feathers
One other advantage of keeping your parrot outdoors is you can build a large aviary which is much larger than a bird cage
This allows your parrot to be safe outside in an aviary but also gives them much more space to fly about
If you want to build an aviary because you’re a DIY person then you should check out this guide called “how to build an aviary”
It’s a guide that shows you how to build an awesome aviary. Deffo worth a check out!
Now I’m not saying keep your parrot outside
Because as much as there are benefits there are also some risks
And of course one of them is extreme weather
Now if it gets too cold outside it will be difficult for your parrot keep warm
You would have to bring your parrot inside during the winter and the problem with this is your bird may not be used to being indoors
Other risks involve the following
- Pathogens – Parrots that live outside are exposed to all sorts of illness and diseases such as avian flu, parasites.
- Toxins can be harmful to your parrot for example pollution or insects that carry pesticides. If your parrot was to eat that insect, your bird could become ill too
- Predators – If you haven’t built a strong and secure aviary, your parrot could become a victim to predators such as a local cat, snakes, dogs, hawks and any other large birds.
Overall, it’s best to keep your parrot indoors
It’s just much safer for them
You get to keep an eye on them and you also get the chance to spend some quality time with your parrot too
Wrapping Up
I hope that this blog post answered all of your questions and was informative.
If so, feel free to share it with your friends and family through social media.
Parrots are tropical birds that have been evolved to live in warmer environments.
However, these birds can survive colder regions if you keep them in an insulated environment.
But, there still are several things you need to keep in mind, such as:
- The proper humidity for your parrot.
- Providing your parrot with a spot it can retreat to avoid the heat.
- Nutritional and water requirements.
So tell me, how do you keep your parrot warm in winter? Leave a comment below – maybe it will help other parrot parents too!
