Parrots naturally maintain a slightly higher body temperature, which can feel more noticeable on their feet since they are not covered in feathers.
The feet are often warm, but, if they feel too hot when you hold your parrot on your finger, something may be wrong.
In most cases, it means that your parrot is feeling hot. Since parrots do not have sweat glands and their feather-covered regions limit heat dissipation, they release excess heat through their feet.
However, there can be other factors that may contribute to this problem, such as obesity, stress, illnesses, and overheating.
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Reasons Why Your Parrot’s Feet Are Hot
Your parrot’s feet are a good indicator of how well they tolerate extreme temperatures. They are one of the two main unfeathered areas where you can touch to perceive how your parrot is experiencing the weather in their surroundings. There can be several factors that may affect the temperature of a parrot’s feet. Below are the following reasons:
Higher Body Temperature
According to the New Zealand Journal of Zoology, parrots have high basic metabolism rates and low heat transfer.
This means that not only do parrots have a high resting body temperature but their ability to dissipate heat is significantly low, causing them to retain much of the heat from their environment.
A parrot’s body is also naturally warm. It is not noticeable when you touch them because most of it is covered in feathers. But if you touch their skin underneath the feathers, you will find that they generally have a warm body temperature.
Hot Weather
On summer days, if your parrot is exposed to the sun’s heat without proper shade or when the temperatures inside the house aren’t bird-appropriate, it may start to get overheated and suffer a heat stroke.
When a parrot is overheating, its feet may become warmer as it is unable to remove the excess heat.
Besides hot feet, other symptoms of overheating in parrots include panting or open-mouth breathing, drooping wings, and feathers held away from the body, and restlessness.
Stress
Stress can lead to an increase in body temperature and heart rate of parrots, particularly in response to a short-term stressor, like a sudden loud noise or restraint.
A study conducted by BioOne measured the influence of stress on body temperature and heart rate in parrots. The study found that with 15 minutes of manual restraint, the parrots’ body temperature went up by around 2.3°C. The breathing also got faster, going from 129 breaths per minute to 252.
This type of acute stress can be caused by improper handling, sudden flashing lights, or the presence of a predator. If the stressor continues to affect the parrot, its body temperatures can get dangerously high and may lead to fatal consequences.
Intense Exercise
Parrots have a high resting body temperature than mammals. So even a slight increase can feel evident to us. A parrot’s resting temperature might increase temporarily during exercise and other physical activities like flying and playing.
So if your parrot’s feet feel warmer right after a flying session, it may not be something to be concerned about. In hot weather, the rise may seem more alarming as the body uses more energy to dissipate heat.
In this case, you should limit their physical activity as they can get exhausted quickly which can increase the chances of a heat stroke.
Obesity
Parrots that are overweight are more susceptible to overheating. Extra layers of fat on the parrot’s body can make it harder to thermoregulate and demand more energy. As the muscles have to work harder, it becomes difficult to effectively cool down.
Maintaining a healthy weight is important for birds, especially in hot weather where they can be at risk of heat stroke and dehydration.
Health Conditions
If your parrot’s feet are consistently hot for a long time, it could be because of renal disease. The kidneys help clean waste from the bird’s body allowing it to operate at optimal temperatures. So when the kidneys aren’t functioning as they should, it may lead to an abnormal increase in the parrot’s body temperature.
Symptoms of renal disease in parrots:
- Increased thirst
- Frequent urination
- Dehydration
- Reduced appetite/weight loss
- Constipation
- Labored breathing
Diagnosing kidney issues require proper diagnosis and testing. It is crucial to see a vet when you suspect your parrot may be sick.
Is It Normal For Parrots To Have Hot Feet?
The average temperature for a parrot is between 40°C – 41°C. But since the parrot’s feet and legs are able to dissipate heat better than the feathered areas, they are relatively cooler. The normal temperature for a parrot’s feet is around 37°C – 39°C.
While it may still feel a little warm, it is perfectly normal for parrots. If your bird is otherwise healthy, you should not worry about it and ensure that its immediate surroundings are at a comfortable temperature setting.
What Should You Do If Your Parrot’s Feet Are Hot?
There are a few different ways you can help your parrot cool down if the heating is caused by environmental issues. These are the following methods that you can use:
Offer Them Water
If your parrot’s feet are warm due to high indoor temperatures, giving your parrot some water should help them cool down almost immediately. Water also helps replenish fluids in the parrot’s body and prevents dehydration.
Maintain Cool Indoor Temperatures
You shouldn’t take your parrot outside in scorching heat as that might put them at the risk of overheating. Parrots should be kept indoors in comfortable temperatures during hot summer days.
Feed More Water-Rich Foods
Just like water, fruits, and vegetables can be an excellent method to help your bird cool down in extreme temperatures. Watery foods not only provide your parrot with much-needed energy but also keep their electrolytes in check.
Address Possible Stressors
Stress can exacerbate a bird’s responses to heat. To prevent your parrot from overheating, recognize the sources of stress in their environment and work to remove them.
Usually, it is sudden stressors like thunderstorms or fireworks that may temporarily shock the parrot and raise their temperatures. But sometimes, it can also be due to fear and anxiety that can be caused by the most subtle of changes in their surroundings.
In order to help your parrot relax and bring down its temperature, you need to make sure it feels secure and also work towards removing that particular stressor.
Take Your Parrot To A Vet
If your bird appears to be sick, taking it to a vet may be the best course of action. Diseases in parrots often surface when it is too late due to their unfortunate instinct of hiding them.
