Old World vs. New World Parrots:
Precautions that need to be taken in a multi-species household
By Kathleen Boshoff
We have all heard that it is a bad idea to keep old world and new world parrots together but why is this? Are aviculturists just pedantic or is this something we should be aware of? Parrots can be broadly classified into old world and new world divisions – with old world parrots being classified as those originating from Asia, Africa, and Australia, new world parrots on the other hand originate from South America, Central America, and Mexico. Generally old world parrots can be classified as dusty and new world parrots as non-dusty species – this classification has to do with the methods these parrots use to keep their feathers in pristine condition.
The dusty old world parrots (most notably cockatiels, cockatoos, and African Greys) have a large proportion of powder down feathers scattered among their normal down feathers – powder down feathers are not molted but instead break down over time to produce a fine dust layer which, in combination with oils produced by the preen gland, keep the feathers clean and bacteria free. New world parrots (most notably macaws) on the other hand tend to have adapted to high humidity conditions as found in rainforests and use regular bathing (in lakes, streams, and even rainwater) along with oil from their preen glands to keep their feathers clean. This is all very well, but why then can’t we keep dusty and non-dusty birds together?
Dust to dust Cassie and Echo, an Orange Wing and Blue-Fronted Amazon bonded pair that was recently surrendered to Cheeky Beaks Rescue, can easily be housed together as they are both subspecies of the same parrot.
Recently avian veterinary specialists began to describe a condition where non-dusty birds developed severe respiratory symptoms (wheezing, coughing, and difficulty breathing) – the one thing all these birds had in common was that they shared a living space with dusty parrots. It was realized that these ill new world birds were being affected by the copious amounts of fine dust produced by the old world parrots and unfortunately by the time the bird started showing symptoms it was either to late to save the bird or permanent respiratory damage resulted.
Oil glands vs. powder glands Eclectus parrots have a very specific trait that almost sets them apart entirely from other species – they have an oil gland instead of a powder gland, like the majority of parrots. This means that Eclectus are particularly sensitive to airborne pollutants, such as dander from Old World species. Pictured: Pistachio, a male Eclectus in foster care with our Gauteng branch at Cheeky Beaks Rescue.
I own both old world and new world parrots – what should I do? Firstly it is imperative to separate your old world and new world species – either by housing them in different rooms or different aviaries, unfortunately in many cases this is not enough as the fine powder down tends to spread throughout the whole house, not just the room where the old world parrot is kept, therefore you should also: 1.) Ensure your old world parrots bathe regularly – even if this means you have to spray them down (with a fine mister). The water will trap the dust particles and make them less likely to spread. 2.) Invest in an air purifier (these can be purchased at large pharmacies) – the air purifier will trap most of the dust produced by the old world parrots. 3.) Change the cage substrate (newspaper/paper liners/paper pellets etc.) more frequently – at least once a day is recommended – you can also mist the substrate down before changing it so that dust particles are not released by the motion associated with cleaning the cage. 4.) Take both species to a secure outdoor area as frequently as possible – the outdoors is the best ventilation system you can hope to find.
Nothing like Cockatoo dander The feather dander produced by the white cockatoo species quite a handful for any parrot owner familiar with it. It is also the most visible because of its starkly pale colouring – and believe us, it sticks to clothing, furniture and almost any other surface like an absolute menace. Owning a cockatoo definitely reminds us how ever-present large amounts of feather dander is in our home atmosphere on a day-to-day basis. Pictured: Dosh, the Umbrella cockatoo – another Cheeky Beaks Rescue bird in Gauteng.
Do all old world parrots produce feather down dust? All parrots whether old world or new world produce dust to some degree – the main difference is the dust in old world parrots tends to be very fine and is produced in large amounts, whereas the dust in new world parrots is more granular and produced in a lesser quantity. Not all old world parrots are dusty – the brown headed parrot is an example, similarly some new world parrots produce a finer dust, such as the Amazon parrot (they do not have preen glands and rely on dust for feather hygiene). As a general rule if the parrot species originates from an arid area or a grassland type setting they will have finer dust, whereas parrots from tropical areas produce more granular dust.
Hypoallergenic parakeets? If you are prone to respiratory issues such as asthma, you might want to look at which parrot species are less likely to inflame your chest if you’re a prospective parrot owner. Parakeet species such as Indian Ringnecks, Pionus parrots, Eclectus parrots and even macaws are known to produce less dander than birds like African Greys, Amazons and Cockatoos.
What’s the moral of the story? If you have old world parrots and new world parrots you need to take precautions to ensure your new world parrots do not get respiratory issues from fine dust. If you are considering adding another parrot to your flock, rather go for the classification you already have (i.e. if you have old world parrots get another old world parrot). Your birds are reliant on you to care for them – do not play with their health and well-being by exposing them to known dangers.
Comentarios