Weighing your Parrot

THE BEST INVESTMENT IN YOUR BIRD’S HEALTH

CONSIDER A BIRD SCALE

Good periodic weight records are your most important tool in monitoring your birds’ general health status. We weigh all chicks daily through weaning and thereafter at least weekly for the first three months. We recommend weekly weighing of every bird.

Be sure to weigh the bird at the same time of the day, preferably first thing in the morning before breakfast. Weights can vary considerably during the day. Weights of an adult bird should not vary more than 2-3%. For example a typical African Grey weighing 450 grams should weigh roughly between 440 and 460 on any particular morning. A drop of weight greater than this should be investigated. This may mean checking the accuracy of your scale, reviewing previous weights, looking for trends and observing your bird carefully for other signs of illness.

Whether you weigh weekly or daily, it is more important that you study your bird’s appearance and behavior, especially eating habits every day. By the time you notice that your bird is showing symptoms, he or she may have been ill for a week or more. Many hidden infections and potentially fatal conditions may be detected early by weighing frequently.