Preventing dehydration in parrots and pet birds might seem like an easy task, but yet there are still many accidental deaths attributed to dehydration every year. There are a few things that a parrot owner can do to help monitor their bird’s water intake and help prevent dehydration.
Water Bottles
Parrots and pet birds like to dunk their food in to their water bowls, making a soup, so to speak. To counter this, many parrot owners use a water bottle for their bird or birds to drink from. The common problem with water bottles is that birds will often shove food or other debris in to the tube, clogging it. If an owner does not check the state of the water bottle often, at least twice a day, then a bird could end up unable to access its water supply.
To ensure that a bird is able to access its water supply through use of a water bottle, be sure to monitor the bottle’s water level daily. If it does not look like the water level is going down, check to make sure that the bottle is functioning properly. If the bottle is working, but the water level still does not seem to be going down, mark the bottle in the morning and check it again in the evening. If there is no difference in the water level, the owner should switch to a bowl and contact an avian veterinarian to have his bird checked out immediately.
Water Bowls
Using an open water bowl will ensure that a bird has constant access to its water. However, a water bowl must be cleaned and refilled with fresh water at least once a day, more for some messier birds. Parrots and other pet birds will contaminate their water with bits of food and even fecal waste. If left untended, a bird’s water bowl can become a deadly source of bacteria.
It is also important to notice the water levels of open bowls. If a bird is ill or have sustained an injury to its beak, it may not be drinking. Birds are very capable of hiding both illness and injury, so it is up to an owner to look for other signs, such as not drinking or eating.
There is no right or wrong way to provide water to a pet bird, so long as the bird’s water intake is monitored. A bird can begin feeling the deadly effects of dehydration after just one day and will succumb to dehydration after only three. If dehydration is a concern, seek the advice of an avian veterinarian immediately.
Janine Logue - Logue is a freelance writer with several years experience in the newspaper industry as both a reporter and editor.
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