Parrot Sweaters

Sometimes when I’m down, I like to Google things that’ll cheer me up. Just today, I did that very thing. On a wild goose chase for cuteness, I Googled “Parrots wearing sweaters” and came up with the most adorable search results I’ve ever seen.

I know what you’re thinking, “This is the same as dogs in a sweater.” But it’s not. It’s bit more ridiculous-looking and far more practical. People put sweaters on their parrots and birds for a legitimate reason.

Some birds are “feather pickers,” meaning that they pluck their own feathers out. There are several reasons birds do this. Some abused birds have anxiety disorders, and the picking is a side effect of mistreatment. Abandoned birds tend to have this habit. Birds may also have skin problems or a number of other causes behind plucking their feathers, and some will go to extremes. If a bird has been seriously mistreated or is bothered enough, they will pluck themselves bald! Some parrots will literally pull out all of their feathers.

As a result of plucking, caring owners and rescue agencies devised a super adorable and functional way to stop birds from plucking themselves to death! You can take any ordinary sock and cut holes in it to make a tiny, bird-sized sweater. The sock protects them from plucking out their feathers on their chests and lower bodies. This is the main area that parrots can pluck anyways, so they can’t hurt themselves any longer.

I found a really easy DIY tutorial on making parrot sweaters online. eHow had a great, simple tutorial that I like a lot. You need a sock and some scissors, and that’s pretty much it! You cut a hole for your bird’s body, and then two more holes for the wings, and you’ve got yourself a plucking-free bird sweater! Super easy, and a great use for old socks you may have lying around.

I know it may seem a bit ridiculous, or even frivolous, but bird sweaters are cute and practical. You can easily make a little sock sweater for your bird that will protect his beautiful feathers, and that will save you a lot of cleanup as well! Just be sure to be gentle when putting on the sweater, because you don’t want to scare your pet or break and hurt his remaining feathers.

I love tiny bird sweaters, and I’m planning on making one for my bird! He fits the criteria perfectly. He’s a cranky old bird because he was mistreated for a long time, and so he frequently pulls out his feathers, the poor thing. He may be crabby, but I still love my birdy, so I’m going to make him a cute little sweater. Have a great week and enjoy these adorable pictures!