Here are just some of the things to bear in mind for while you are away, although please be aware this is a non-exhaustive list. 

·    Find a reliable friend you are totally confident in, who is happy to come into your home, or seek a close family relative who will live-in while you are away.

·    Whoever you decide on, make sure that they are familiar with an avian vet, in case of an emergency, and have their contact details to hand.

·    Make sure they are familiar with all the feeds and feeding arrangements.

·    Make sure the bird is left in complete safety, ie, cage or enclosure is secure, all items and accessories are securely fixed.

·    Make sure that nothing can be removed from any small items and ingested, and there are no tapes or strings that could get wrapped around the bird that could not be removed if you weren’t there.

·    Ensure that the person looking after your bird is aware of potentially hazardous positions for the cage or its enclosure, don’t put a cage directly in front of a window or radiator, or in any other place that could be subject to high or low temperatures.

·    Make sure the bird sitter is aware of household hazards, eg, overheating of non-stick appliances, air fresheners or any other potentially toxic vapours, fumes, aerosol can contents (eg, furniture polish, oven cleaners, etc.).

·    Also make sure you give that person your contact details in case or emergency.

Have you had a good look around our website?  If not, spend some time getting yourself familiar with the content, as you may find there’s a whole lot more on there than you first thought.
 
The Parrot Social header includes sections on parrot postcards, video and photo galleries, Forum – get chatting with other parrot enthusiasts, calendar of events, weekly blog, readers’ letters, free ads, suppliers and clubs.  The Parrot Care header includes the UK and Worldwide lost and found registers, CITES information, buyer’s guides, comprehensive and worldwide vets’ listing, breeders’ directory, and articles on breeding.  So already just from two headers, there is a lot of information for parrot owners.
 
The Shop is the place to go if you want to buy the latest issue of Parrots magazine, order a subscription, back issues, digital e-mags, books, dvds, binders, greetings cards, accessories, videos and articles for download.
 
Go to the Help and FAQ header to find out about registering with the site and one registration gives you access for all areas.
 
We look forward to welcoming you there!
 
www.parrotmag.com
 
Photo courtesy of Bob Alison