Karin Writes With Her Concerns About Aging as a Parrot Care Giver

Last Updated on September 12, 2024 by Mitch Rezman

Hello, Since parrots are long-lived as well as humans is it possible to have some articles that address some of the difficulties a senior person parrot caretaker has?

Such as cage cleaning and meeting the many needs of a parrot.

Also included could be suggestions on what to put in place when one dies, and how to have a plan to provide for the parrot. For example,

I keep an extensive list of caring for my parrot.

This could be useful if I were ill or deceased. And there are many more questions. Thank you for listening, Karin

PS I love this group and learn so much.

Full transparency Karin

I’m 73 and Catherine is 67 which clearly puts us in the category of dare I say “seniors.”

Yes, the bending is a little harder these days, our knees ain’t what they used to be and moving up and down the stairs with a large vacuum takes a little more time these days.

Regardless of age, my first recommendation is ABC “Always Be Cleaning.”

We place multiple layers of paper on the bottom of the cages (the grate).

For the Ringneck, Quaker and Cockatiels, the paper goes on top of the grate to catch the refuse.

4 birdcages with 9 lights overhead

Note paper in front of all birdcages

Keto will chew some of the paper, not much, so every day or two we remove the soiled top layer leaving clean paper below.

I have rows of paper lined up in front of all of the bird cages with a smaller sheet of paper aligned with the birdcage doors to catch seed particulate and poop that the long sheet of paper may miss.

By using paper I’m cleaning far less of the floor.

Reducing the mess means not overfilling the birdseed dishes and using “Tweeky Cleans” in the budgie cage where six of the Hooligans reside.

As I’ve stated many times if you don’t like to vacuum don’t get a bird.

The more often you attend to Birdcage cleaning maintenance the less you will clean.

Poop Off Bird Poop Remover 32oz (.95 l) Spray Top

Now to address your concerns about elderly people keeping Birds.

We wrote a post about that here:

Your Parrot May Out Live You – Whats Your Plan?

“I keep an extensive list of caring for my parrot.” It would be a very useful tool and something that I will in the very near future, create for our own flock.

If you feel that your parrot may outlive you then yes, it would be appropriate to have plans expressly written into your will.

I use the term “expressly” so those plans would be specific, not simply “Please ensure my bird finds a new home with another family or a rescue.”

We specifically will state that our birds should go to a no-rehome pet bird rescue located not far from here and we are also providing them with any and all bird supplies and food that is left after the last one of us passes.

We’ll be around should any other questions arise.

Best

MitchR