Jaco parrot: photo, content, owner reviews

2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21

The Jaco parrot is a recognized favorite among bird lovers. A rather large bird with a spectacular appearance is very talkative, for which it has earned special popularity among indoor feathered pets. How to keep these birds at home, how to feed them, how to increase their vocabulary and many of their interesting features will be discussed in this material.

Description

The Jaco parrot is a species belonging to the genus Paittacuss. Experts define two subspecies. The first, the red-tailed, is a native of Central Africa north of the equator. This is a medium-sized bird: body length is 35 cm and weighs about 400 grams. Tail - 9 cm, wing - 24 cm, tail - about 9 cm.

This Jaco parrot, the photo of which we posted below, has a large black beak and gray paws. Adult birds have an ash-gray plumage, feathers on the chest and neck have a darker or lighter edging, creating a ripple effect. The tail and back of the back are colored red, which gave the name to the subspecies. BeforeAt the age of three, birds have a dark iris, it gradually turns gray, then brightens and turns yellow by the age of four.

Interesting fact: parrots make all sounds with their tongue and beak, because they do not have vocal cords.

The second subspecies (brown-tailed) lives naturally on the coast of Africa (Liberia, Guinea, Sierra Leone, western regions of Côte d'Ivoire). The body length of these birds does not exceed 34 cm, the wing is 21 cm, the tail is 8 cm. The weight of representatives of this subspecies is about 350 gr. The beak of a brown-tailed Jaco parrot is slightly smaller and lighter than that of a fellow, at the base you can see a pink spot, turning into gray-yellow and black at the very tip. In addition, there is a difference in the color of the tail - it is colored maroon.

A group of scientists is inclined to single out a third subspecies, to which they attribute the royal jaco. Under natural conditions, it is found only on the islands of Principe and Bioko. It is larger than its relatives, it is more brightly colored due to the presence of a large number of red feathers. However, most experts consider this bird a kind of red-tailed parrot. There are heated debates on this issue even today, but officially the bird is not singled out as a separate subspecies.

Lifespan

It is not easy to answer the question of how long gray parrots live. This is due to the fact that the age of an adult is difficult to determine even for a specialist, and most birds get to their owners, as a rule, already in adulthood. Howeverhowever, there is evidence that this variety of parrot at home lives up to 60 years.

Basic Content Rules

Judging by the reviews, the Jaco parrot needs quite comfortable conditions. The cage is not recommended to be installed next to heating appliances, TV, in a draft. Lighting is of great importance for the condition of your pet. If the apartment is not too bright, an additional light source should be installed next to the cage. The cage should be placed against a wall. This will provide the bird with a resting area. Jaco needs at least 10 hours of darkness and silence.

Cage selection

Jaco parrots spend most of their time in cages, so you should carefully choose a home for your pet.

Size and shape

The main parameter when choosing a cell is its size. The parrot house should be quite spacious so that the Jaco can spread its wings without touching the bars. The minimum cage size is 65x45x80 cm. Undoubtedly, the larger the cage, the better. The undoubted advantage of such a dwelling will be if the length of the cage exceeds its height, since under natural conditions these birds move in a horizontal plane.

This variety of parrots has a very powerful beak, therefore, when choosing a cage for a Jaco parrot, pay attention to the reliability of the locks and the strength of the rods.

Home improvement

Position the cage in such a way that the perch is at the level of your eyes - thiswill allow you to communicate more comfortably with your pet. Feeders in the cage must be securely fastened and made of durable plastic. There will be no extra grille that will separate the living space from the retractable pallet. We advise you to additionally purchase protection against debris - panels made of plexiglass, which are placed around the pallet.

Acquired cage should be thoroughly washed with soapy water, and then poured over with boiling water. If perches are included with the cage, then it is better to replace them with natural snags and branches. These details are processed in a similar way. Do not use branches that have been cut from trees near busy highways, as well as within the city, to equip the house. Softwoods should not be used as they are high in resin.

Features of care

This is a low maintenance bird. Keeping a Jaco parrot comes down to observing simple hygiene rules and rational nutrition.

Feeding

Under natural conditions, Jaco parrots feed mainly on fruits and nuts. When kept at home, their diet changes somewhat: the parrot is fed with mixtures of grains, nuts, seeds, fruits and vegetables. From vegetables, give preference to carrots and potatoes, any fruit is allowed. Very useful for Jaco greens - lettuce, spinach.

You can make up for the lack of calcium by adding crushed eggshells to the feed. If you prefer to use pelleted food, then make sure that your pet does not get too much vitamin C, as this can cause iron overload.in the body. Water should be used only filtered, room temperature.

Fun fact: Parrots are the only members of the feathered family that can eat by holding food in their paws.

Bathing

The main place in the care of Jaco is bathing. Any water procedures maintain the condition of the horny covers of the beak and paws, feathers, skin, cleans them from dust and dirt. Most owners put a container of water for baths directly into the cage. In this case, the bird is sprayed with a spray bottle. And you can bathe your pet in the shower. Zhako is taught to these procedures gradually so as not to scare the bird.

In addition, caring for a Jaco implies keeping the cage in perfect cleanliness: it must be washed and cleaned regularly. Jacos are extremely sociable birds, and therefore, for their comfort, the owner must provide them with all the conditions for communication.

Training

It's no secret that for every owner a talking Jaco is a real pride. Of course, it is much easier to teach chicks to human speech, but it is possible to teach an adult bird to speak, however, with a little more effort.

You should start training only after your pet has gone through a period of adaptation. You will notice this in behavior: the bird will be friendly and interested in you. Jaco is extremely sensitive to the emotions of the owner, so the owner should conduct classes only in a good mood. In addition, your pet should be alert, full, not distracted.games.

Classes spend no more than 10 minutes three times a day. During class, sit in front of the Jaco and repeat the phrase that you prepared in advance for training. Experienced owners argue that it is impossible to predict how the process will go. An important factor in its successful outcome is the fact that the bird likes the phrase proposed by the owner. Therefore, pre-prepare several options and watch the reaction of Jaco. This variety of parrots perfectly remembers emotionally charged phrases. In addition, the success of these birds should be praised.

Interesting fact: Jaco Alex took a worthy place in the Guinness Book of Records as the smartest bird. He mastered more than 400 words in different languages, he could build sentences.

Jaco Breeding

In captivity, Grays breed quite easily. Perhaps one of the difficulties in this process is determining the sex of the bird. The problem lies in the fact that there are practically no differences between males and females. Unless, the females have a slightly smaller head, the beak is less hooked, and the plumage on the abdomen is slightly lighter.

Preparation

You should not place one bird in a cage with another when breeding. This is best done in neutral territory, for example, in an aviary. After two or three hours of communication, the birds are resettled, and only after several such walks can you leave the gray as a couple.

If it is well composed, the birds spend almost all the time together. After that, it is necessary to build a nest box in the cage, the minimum size of which is 30x30x30 cm, and the diameter of the trayshould be about 11 cm.

Procreation

The female lays 3 to 4 eggs that are pigeon-like in size. Their postponement occurs at intervals of three to four days, sometimes stretching up to a week. The female incubates them for a month. After the chicks hatch, and for a few more days, the mother does not leave the nest. All this time, the male guards the nest and provides the female with food.

Chicks hatch covered with gray down, their eyes open in the third week of life. For about a month, the female spends in the nest, heating and feeding the chicks, only after this time does she begin to fly out for food on her own. When the chicks are three months old, they leave the nest, but even after that, the parents teach and take care of them for some time.

Jaco Parrot: owner reviews

According to most owners, the Gray is not an ordinary bird. To many, she resembles a stubborn, mischievous two-year-old child. Jaco needs a lot of attention, love and care, so if you have problems with time, you should not get such a pet. The characters of all birds are different, so it is impossible to predict in advance whether your parrot will misbehave: tear wallpaper, spoil furniture, litter (this is common to many members of the family). Although many owners claim that their birds are absolutely calm and clean.

Whether your pet will be affectionate and tame, or the bird will become aggressive - depends on the time that the owner will devote to Jaco. It's a birda long-liver, therefore, acquiring such a pet, you find a faithful, affectionate and kind friend for life. Owners recommend purchasing a chick in the nurseries, since it is difficult to re-educate an adult bird and wean it from bad habits.