Totally smitten after seeing images of parrots
CYBERJAYA: Every weekend, prior to the implementation of the movement control order, a group of parrot owners would gather on the fringes of a residential area in Cyberjaya with their feathered pets.
There were various species of parrots, such as the Hahn’s Macaw, Blue and Gold Macaw (which could be as tall as one metre) as well as cockatoos.
Among them were Coco – a Blue and Gold Macaw – and Betto – an Indian Ringneck – both belonging to Masri Mahmud, an information technology engineer who has been keeping parrots as a hobby since 2018.
“When I was a child, I used to like admiring pictures of these colourful birds on the colour pencil box and TV,” he told Bernama.
He had acquired 13 birds since he started his hobby, but currently he only has Coco and Betto. The rest either flew away or died.
The father-of-three said that caring for the birds was akin to looking after a baby because you have to keep an eye on their health and diet – the birds also suffer allergies.
“Perhaps many don’t know that parrots cannot eat avocados as it can be fatal. Any milk-based food or drink, or even chocolate, should not be given to them,” he said, adding that parrots have a lifespan of between 50 and 80 years if looked after properly.
Coco and Betto eat bird pellets, beans, fruits and vegetables, as well as broccoli, mustard greens, pumpkin, mango and papaya.
And uniquely, parrots also like cili padi (bird’s eye chilli) because they have no sense of taste, especially for spicy food, he said.
On Coco and Betto’s activities, Masri said that birds also experience stress, especially when they are confined to a cage or aren’t let out for activities.
“If they are stressed, they will start plucking their feathers. This means that they are bored and we have to play with them or allow them to fly around so they can be active,” he said.
Masri said that Coco and Betto were good at “talking”, using words that they would often hear such as kakak (big sister) when wanting food, abah (daddy), hi and hello.
An adult parrot, he said, should only weigh between 900gm and 1.2kg otherwise it would be considered obese.
“Regular health check-ups are also done every six months to ensure that there are no fungal infections, digestive problems or other diseases,” he said.
Masri has a plan to acquire a Green-winged Macaw next which can cost up to RM20,000 due to its vibrant colours.
“We have a Free Fly Parrot Malaysia support group on Facebook for a large group of parrot owners in the country. Tips and information on bird care can be obtained from them,” he said.