Are Parrots Messy? (Revealed!)

Whether you’ve adopted a parrot or not, we all have a general idea of what a parrot is.

They’re extremely unique birds that have become a popular pet to adopt over the years.

With the adoption of any animal, there comes a certain amount of maintenance that comes with the animal.

Some animals require more maintenance than others, while others are almost completely independent.

As for the overall mess of an animal, you’re probably wondering if parrots are messy.

To answer this question…yes, parrots are very messy animals. Although this shouldn’t sway your decision into adopting a parrot, it’s just how they are.

Think about it, if you were a bird that consumed food with a mouth and beak that parrots have, you’d have to eat messy like them.

Plus, not to sound too grotesque, but their diet tends to affect how their feces are as well.

Who do you think has to clean those feces?

I think you get the point.

However, there are several different kinds of parrots and their overall messiness varies from one another.

Their size, diet, species, environment, and other factors play a huge role in their messiness.

It’d be ridiculous to expect a parrot to be spotless.

Take a look at humans, we all come in different shapes, sizes, cleanliness, appearance, and so on.

So, if you don’t expect humans to be spotless, why would a parrot be spotless?

 

Are all parrots messy?

If you’re wondering about which species of parrots are cleaner than the other, don’t.

Although an all-around species might be technically cleaner in their natural habitat, it’s all subjective when it comes to your household.

It depends on how they might react to the environment of your home.

They might get overly anxious upon the arrival of your house which will make them significantly messier.

Similar to humans, if a parrot is in a bad state of mind, then they tend to be messier than they normally would.

This is why it’s key for your household to be properly set-up for a parrot.

If you want to adopt a parrot then you need to have enough space for them, a big enough cage, the patience to clean after them, a household that isn’t too loud, and a few other factors that’ll help them be comfortable in your house.

If they can be comfortable in your house then they’ll be less likely to cause as big of a mess.

Generally speaking, the smaller the parrot, the less of a mess they’ll cause.

Other than their size, their diet plays a huge factor in their messiness.

If they on an all-fruit diet, then their feces will be very waterlike which is extremely difficult to clean-up.

Other factors to consider when cleaning up after a parrot is when they shed their beaks and shed their feathers.

Although this doesn’t happen a lot, when both of these events occur, you’re going to need to clean up after them.

 

Why are parrots messy?

The real question should be: “Why are animals messy?”.

The reality is that parrots are messy because of their evolutionary biology.

Their natural habitat of a jungle is why we deem them as being messy.

Think about it. In the jungle, they fly around, go to the bathroom where they want, use their beak to smash open whatever they want to eat, shed feathers or their beak wherever they want, etc.

Basically, parrots are messy because they’ve acted a certain way for thousands of years.

Today, once a parrot is removed from their natural habitat and is placed into a household, it’s impossible for them to learn what we call table manners.

I’m not saying this is a bad thing since parrots can live extremely happy and safe lives in a household.

It’s just a matter of explaining why we shouldn’t get upset at a parrot over their mess.

Think of it like this scenario.

The majority of us have gone camping at some point in our lives.

While camping, a lot of us have gone to the bathroom in the woods.

Now imagine a wildlife animal coming up to you and saying: “Hey man, why are you making a mess in my home?”.

Do you get my point?

 

How can you help parrots not be messy?

Other than their physicality, there are a few ways to help your parrot not be as messy.

For starters, let’s talk about their diet.

Although most fruit is very good and healthy for parrots, if you were to only feed them on a fruit-diet, they’ll have very messy fecal matter.

Always double-check with your parrot’s veterinarian before changing their diet, but a diet rich with seeds, vegetables, and fruit will ensure they have a more solid bowel movement.

Other than their diet, it’s important to make sure your parrot is comfortable in your household.

If they’re anxious or upset in any way, they might be a bit messier than they normally would.

To avoid this, make sure they get enough attention, have a big enough cage that’s clean, try to eliminate frequent loud noises by them, and make sure they’re nourished well.

If you can take good care of your parrot then they’ll be less likely to cause an issue.

It’s nothing too difficult or crazy to understand. It’s not like there’s a secret way to make your parrot be spotless and clean.

The reality is that it’s just how they are and there are ways to make sure they’re comfortable and healthy enough to make less of a mess.

It’s as simple as that.

 

How do you clean a parrot’s mess?

Just like any mess around your house, you’d clean up after your parrot the same way as anything else.

You’d scrub and pick up after them, but it’s important to do this in a frequent manner.

If you forget to clean up after your parrot, then your parrot will be living in their own filth which is something that should always be avoided.

Imagine if you couldn’t control where you went to the bathroom, couldn’t throw your food out, etc.

You’d become very miserable fast if you were forced to live in your filth.

So, do your parrot a favor and clean up after them a lot.

They’ll appreciate it.

Whenever they finish eating, make sure whatever they leave is properly disposed of.

As we all know, food can go bad fast so it’s never a smart idea to leave spoiled food with your parrot.

Basically, just be smart about cleaning after your parrot so they can be in a comfortable living situation.

 

What should you be aware of about parrots and their mess?

When it comes to parrots and their mess, try to understand that they can’t help it.

It’s not like they’re purposely going to the bathroom everywhere or anything like that.

As noted earlier, they’re a direct result of their evolutionary biology.

If they lived a certain way for as long as they did, why would you expect them to be different around you?

However, don’t let their messiness distract you from how great of an animal they are.

They’re incredibly intelligent, charismatic, unique, and will make a great addition to any family or household.

 

Should you try to force parrots to not be messy?

No, you should never force your parrot to not be messy.

You can enact ways that’ll help their messiness such as a diet change, anxiety-reducing methods, etc.

However, the reality is that they’re messy creatures.

If you can clean up after them and take proper care of them then they’ll it’ll come at ease.

Try to come up with a cleaning schedule for your parrot and stick with it.

If you can do that then it’ll come naturally to you, which will evidently cause your parrot to be happy and healthy.

In simple terms, don’t be lazy!

 

In Conclusion

Hopefully, by now you understand how and why a parrot is messy.

It’s a result of their environment and is something that is deeply tied to them.

However, just like most things in the world, their messiness can be easily cared for to the point that you might not even realize it.

Just remember to clean up after them, and talk to their veterinarian about their messiness and what you can do to help them.


How Can We Improve This Article?