Meyer’s parrots are pretty peaceful, calm, and collected.
They will live out a large portion of their day being perfectly quiet, observant, and at ease. However, their tendency to avoid being the discussion of everyone around them and rather noticing others doesn’t mean they’re not affectionate.
A Meyer’s actually bonds really well with all family members.
These parrots are not very striking or visible in a pet store because they don’t have flashy colors. However, as far as nature is considered, Meyer’s parrots are the perfect companion for a home.
The species’ binomial nomenclature is Poicephalus meyeri.
Meyer’s Parrot Information
Meyer’s parrots are small-sized parrots usually colored brown and green. They have an average lifespan of 20-25 years and are considered definitively social even though they prefer watching things from a distance for the most part.
The Meyer’s parrot is a clear vocal communicator and that’s one of the major reasons for its popularity.
However, I’ll point out that the Poicephalus family includes two breeds: Senegal and the Meyer’s. Meyer’s have always been problematic when it comes to captivity breeding. That coupled with the fact that the Senegal breed is more vibrantly colored, makes the Meyer’s less popular than its close cousin.
The natural habitat of Meyer’s parrot is the African woodlands and savannas.
Meyer’s Parrot Care guide
You might think that because Meyer’s parrots demand less affection and time from their owners, it’s okay to leave them to be with a few toys and spend a very little amount of time with them. Well, you’d be gravely mistaken.
Sure, Meyer’s demand lesser affection and time (as compared to an Amazon, let’s say). But you should not take it as they’re low maintenance or don’t require handling. You have to spend time with your Meyer’s too and very often.
Still, there’s less maintenance involved overall. But that requires proper toys or chewable things like softwood, rawhide, rope knots, etc. Once you make these things available, you will see that Meyer’s remain content in their own place.
Essentially, give Meyer’s parrot a perch and a toy to destroy and they will keep at it for hours. They like to sit on the sidelines and observe things from a distance. So, make sure you set their cage a bit further than action and don’t make them the center of attention regularly. Give them their space – the bird deserves it!
As for feeding, they’re just like any other parrot breed. Pelleted base diets work the best, needless to say. You can go with Nutri-Berries or other types of pet bird pellets. But always make sure that you include fresh fruits and vegetables in your pet bird’s daily diet.
With Meyer’s parrot, you need to pay attention to the development of Aspergillosis. It’s an although common fungal diseases in birds but many parrot breeds are quite resistant to it for unknown reasons. In either case, Meyer’s parrot isn’t and therefore good care, a clean environment, highly nutritive diet, and absolutely zero stress are all very important aspects of having Meyer’s parrot.
The Meyer’s Parrot’s Behavior and nature
Meyer’s parrots have an amazing behavior that the entire family will love. They are social with everyone in the family and have no favorites.
In general, their temperament is very mild, stable, and safe. You run no risk of being attacked by Meyer’s parrot in its whole lifetime if everything goes according to the plan, which is saying something!
Meyer’s parrots like to be quiet and watch the world go by. They observe closely, however. They’re not athletic but neither are they lazy. Simply put, Meyer’s parrot is pretty content and happy being on the sidelines and going with the flow. Sure, there has to be some entertainment or some sort of pastime and chewable items and bird toys are perfect for that.
Now, if you’ve had a Meyer’s since the time it was a baby and used to always hand-feed them, then you have nothing to worry about when they grow up to be an adult. They’ll be used to the hand-feeding system. However, adult parrots that are not overly familiar will usually hate hand-feeding, scratches, cuddles, or other kinds of physical affection. This can make them go nippy sometimes and if they do, remember that Poicephalus boys bite hard and strong. It’s in the blood!
Sound
Meyer’s parrots don’t imitate human speech but might learn a few words. The striking quality of the parrot is its love for quiet, not talking or imitating human speech.
Their intermittent squeaks can be bone-rattling. There’s nothing jarring about their voice otherwise. From clicking noises and whistling to learning common household sounds and bleeps – they are pretty capable of learning and repeating sounds.
Meyer’s Parrot Price
$400-$800.
Now, you should remember that it’s the average price. In fact, if you’re going for a hand-fed baby Meyer’s parrot, then the prices will vary from region to region throughout the USA. It’s best to search for and find a local breeder. Local breeders will have the best baby parrots that can be easily domesticated.
On the other hand, it’s equally easy to find online websites selling hand-fed Meyer’s for close to $1,500 as well. The reasons for the higher price are the shipping charges and other possible aspects like they could be weaned or have special characteristics.
Once you purchase a Meyer’s, remember that it will be a while before they feel warm enough with their new owners. Even if they’re already friendly and tame, they require a little bit of time to get used to the new environment, people, and abode. If you try to force a friendly behavior, it might result in the development of stress.
