Q: Do parrots need vaccinations?
A: Parrots don’t typically need annual vaccinations from disease like dogs, cats and horses. In South Africa, most parrots are kept individually or in small collections that are not exposed to other parrots. Occasional disease outbreaks with bird breeders are treated with specialised vaccines but this doesn’t affect the average parrot owner.
It’s a good idea to get your parrot groomed every six months by an avian vet who can assess the overall health of the bird as well as answer any queries on health, behavioural or husbandry issues.
Dr Malcolm Peck, veterinarian
