New Member w/ Question!

Hello, everybody! This is my first post and I am excited to be part of this amazing community! I also posted this on another forum, so hopefully I'm not over posting. I'm just excited haha

I know there have been a million threads about this, I have also read a lot of independent threads as well, but I feel the need to get specific answers.

So here is the situation. I am currently a 22-year-old going part time to college and also work part time or full time depending on the week. I will have at minimum 1 hour a day to be able to devote to my bird. Anytime that I will be home I will take the bird out, but I say 1 hour to be on the safe side.

Anyways, I am thinking of what is the quietest, most independent parrot would be. Right now I live at home and my mom doesn't really care for animals so much, so the birdcage will be in my room. On the other hand, my brother and father love animals so I can see them playing with the bird when they have free time as well. This is not a guarantee, though.

I will be moving out within the next year or two but I wanted to purchase the parrot now. I am looking for something that is independent, but quiet. A bird that does not make too much noise so I won't get in trouble with potential neighbors, or something that will not bother my family when I am not home. For me, I don't necessarily mind the loudness, but the frequency. I understand parrots make noises and I am not looking for something mute, but something that will not be constantly making noise.


In your experience, and seeing what I am looking for in a bird, which would you recommend? I want a bird that will get along with my friends, family, girlfriend, and future children. I understand the commitment of these animals and am a very responsible pet owner.

Thank you for reading this post, and as I had mentioned before, I am excited to join the parrot community!

The best choices are made from being well informed and willing to know the difference between: What is Easy and What is Right!

When you are dealing with a long life creature that understands and returns Love, their Needs and Wants must be taking into consideration First!

As we grow with time and experience, we learn and change between being 'Self Centered' to 'Other Centered!' Our Wants and Needs come second, third, four, or even more behind the Wants and Needs of those others!

A successful, life long relationship with another individual starts and continues with their displacing our Self-Centeredness and when they become the reason for your life, you are ready to be with them forever more!!! At a later point, if children are added, they - founded in your Love for Them, again moves your Wants and Needs even further from the forefront!

Based on the above, the question is: Are your thinking of your Wants and Needs or their Wants and Needs at this point in your Life!

Welcome to the forums, thanks for joining! I have no experience with either of your choices, but other members have and will offer opinions.

One hour per day seems a bit minimal, without the guarantee of your brother or father attending to your bird. I would also echo Sailboat's admonition to carefully consider the timeliness of your needs vs wants. You are at an exciting period in life, so much to discover, many changes. Yet it may work depending on your personality and level of continued commitment to a companion bird.

Hello and welcome to the community! I totally agree with Sailboat's advice above, and I'd like to add...

It is great that you are reaching out here and planning for the future. At 22, you are an adult and can make your own life choices. That is the beauty in life. The two species you are interested in are not particularly quiet, though. I know that conures, when left ignored or not socialized with enough, have a heck of a scream that can turn into a huge problem, and I'm sure Senegals are similar, though I have no experience with them.

One hour a day, even on the safe side, is not nearly enough time for a bird. As a general rule, they should be allowed out of their cage for 3-4 hours minimum a day to exercise, stretch their wings, etc. At 22, you are just starting to plan for your future. So, let's play some scenarios out.

Say you move in to your new house in a year or two, and all is great, but then start a new job after your graduate that requires you to work full-time so you can pay for the mortgage. Since your family will no longer be in the house as you live on your own, who will spend time with the bird while you are at work all day?

Or, say you have some buddies that want to go out after you've been working all day. Sounds great -- beer, wings, sports -- but then when you get home at 10-11pm that night, guess who hasn't been played with all day?
Another scenario....say you decide you want to travel, as many young adults do. What do you do when you are going to be gone for a couple weeks? Or you and your girlfriend get married and want to go on a honeymoon. What will you do with your bird when you are gone on vacation?

On top of that, you may also be planning for a family in the near future. What happens when babies start coming into the picture, but you're working full-time to support the family and the bird is screaming all day from not being played with, driving your wife crazy as the baby can't sleep. What then?

I'm not trying to be rude or anything, just trying to be as realistic as possible. At 22 you are just starting your life as an adult, and a parrot is a life-long commitment that sort of requires you to be grounded at home every day for at least several hours, which, at 22, you really aren't going to be. At that age you want to spend time with your friends, travel, and have fun on your own as you discover who you are. That doesn't exactly leave a whole lot of room for a parrot. It's not impossible, but you would have to be seriously dedicated. Are you ready to keep up with their needs, make chop, bring them to the vet for regular check-ups, and train them?

Both conures and Senegals can live well into their 30s, which, if you got one, would put you right at about 50-55 when they finally do pass. Are you ready for that long of a commitment?

Parrots are great, if you have the time for them. Left ignored, not interacted with enough, they can get pretty nasty, pretty quickly.

Have you considered other species, like cockatiels? They don't 'scream' the way conures do, but chirp, a lot less irritating than a full-belted scream, and they are relatively easy to own and train. Just think really hard about your future, imagine your feathered friend with you for that long.

Good luck with your decision and search, and keep us updated!!

SailBoat said:

The best choices are made from being well informed and willing to know the difference between: What is Easy and What is Right!

When you are dealing with a long life creature that understands and returns Love, their Needs and Wants must be taking into consideration First!

As we grow with time and experience, we learn and change between being 'Self Centered' to 'Other Centered!' Our Wants and Needs come second, third, four, or even more behind the Wants and Needs of those others!

A successful, life long relationship with another individual starts and continues with their displacing our Self-Centeredness and when they become the reason for your life, you are ready to be with them forever more!!! At a later point, if children are added, they - founded in your Love for Them, again moves your Wants and Needs even further from the forefront!

Based on the above, the question is: Are your thinking of your Wants and Needs or their Wants and Needs at this point in your Life!

Click to expand...

I agree with you. I am making a huge investment in both time and money and I have thought about this diligently. Again, I seriously appreciate this as it has really made me think about this in a different angle.

itzjbean said:

Hello and welcome to the community! I totally agree with Sailboat's advice above, and I'd like to add...

It is great that you are reaching out here and planning for the future. At 22, you are an adult and can make your own life choices. That is the beauty in life. The two species you are interested in are not particularly quiet, though. I know that conures, when left ignored or not socialized with enough, have a heck of a scream that can turn into a huge problem, and I'm sure Senegals are similar, though I have no experience with them.

One hour a day, even on the safe side, is not nearly enough time for a bird. As a general rule, they should be allowed out of their cage for 3-4 hours minimum a day to exercise, stretch their wings, etc. At 22, you are just starting to plan for your future. So, let's play some scenarios out.

Say you move in to your new house in a year or two, and all is great, but then start a new job after your graduate that requires you to work full-time so you can pay for the mortgage. Since your family will no longer be in the house as you live on your own, who will spend time with the bird while you are at work all day?

Or, say you have some buddies that want to go out after you've been working all day. Sounds great -- beer, wings, sports -- but then when you get home at 10-11pm that night, guess who hasn't been played with all day?
Another scenario....say you decide you want to travel, as many young adults do. What do you do when you are going to be gone for a couple weeks? Or you and your girlfriend get married and want to go on a honeymoon. What will you do with your bird when you are gone on vacation?

On top of that, you may also be planning for a family in the near future. What happens when babies start coming into the picture, but you're working full-time to support the family and the bird is screaming all day from not being played with, driving your wife crazy as the baby can't sleep. What then?

I'm not trying to be rude or anything, just trying to be as realistic as possible. At 22 you are just starting your life as an adult, and a parrot is a life-long commitment that sort of requires you to be grounded at home every day for at least several hours, which, at 22, you really aren't going to be. At that age you want to spend time with your friends, travel, and have fun on your own as you discover who you are. That doesn't exactly leave a whole lot of room for a parrot. It's not impossible, but you would have to be seriously dedicated. Are you ready to keep up with their needs, make chop, bring them to the vet for regular check-ups, and train them?

Both conures and Senegals can live well into their 30s, which, if you got one, would put you right at about 50-55 when they finally do pass. Are you ready for that long of a commitment?

Parrots are great, if you have the time for them. Left ignored, not interacted with enough, they can get pretty nasty, pretty quickly.

Have you considered other species, like cockatiels? They don't 'scream' the way conures do, but chirp, a lot less irritating than a full-belted scream, and they are relatively easy to own and train. Just think really hard about your future, imagine your feathered friend with you for that long.

Good luck with your decision and search, and keep us updated!!

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Wow, this post was amazing. You are not being rude in the least so don't even think that

This has put another perspective on everything. It's just difficult because my schedule can vary so much. There are days when I am not that busy and home for a decent amount of time, and there are days when I do not even come home. The thing is, ever since I was about 6-7 years old, I have always wanted a "companion" animal. Going through stages of getting multiple different animals but nothing showing the companionship of a dog or cat. My mom does not allow those animals and that is why I never bought them. I was doing extensive research and parrots fit the bill in terms of companionship.

The reason for me wanting a bird is not for "show off" or having an ornament. The main reason is that I want an animal that shows endless amounts of love like a dog for example. An animal that is loyal, bonds strong with its owner, and can reciprocate emotions.

That being said, I will put in maximum effort into the parrot. Sure, there will be days where I won't be able to give it as much attention as it would need, but when I am home it will be out. That being said it doesn't mean I will neglect the bird, but I want to be realistic when it comes to how often I will be home.

For now, I know that Tuesdays & Thursdays I won't be home until 10 p.m. - 12 a.m. because of school / gym. But besides those days I will be home in the evenings except for the rare occasion of work late at night. Just to be clear I do sales for a construction company so my schedule heavily varies.

I also wanted to add that I know my father loves animals / birds. We have chickens in our backyard and we also adopted pidgeons. I can see him hanging out with the bird after work (he gets home around 6-7) if I am not available. That being said I want the bird to be well socialized and not pick a favorite. To be more specific, is there any way that the bird can have multiple favorites, or at least not be vicious to those it does not favor? I do not plan on clipping the wings as I want the bird to be able to fly.

I understand that Senegals are notorious for being one person birds, but I just dont want it to attack other people. Or I dont want to run into an instance when I move out and take the bird with me, it won't like me

That's great that you are leveling with yourself and really thinking about this decision, some people dive right in and don't realize what they really signed up for.

I totally understand why you want a parrot, they truly are beautiful creatures and have the amazing capacity to show so much love. That being said, while dogs will love you unconditionally, some birds will hit sexual maturity and can turn into a terror overnight. Several members on here have birds like this, and kind of just have to live with it, because they love their birds. Eventually the hormones will subside as the season changes but during that time of year, bids can tend to get nippy/aggressive.


It can be worse in the larger species like Electus, Amazons, Cockatoos and Macaws, but this is a big issue to consider, because when hormones are flying, you may very well get bit, and you have to be prepared for that as well - tough love. Again, not trying to scare you off, but being realistic I wish I had had this kind of information when I got my first bird, and I probably would've decided otherwise (I got a Jenday Conure when I was 15, loved him for 4 years and then as college approached had to sell him, couldn't bring him to college 1.5 hours away and my parents would not care for him)

You are right, there are some species that tend to be 'one-person' birds. And it really does depend on the individual bird. However, with proper socialization starting at a young age to other people, a parrot can learn to be comfortable around others. If your dad is willing to hang out with your bird, that would help greatly to get them socialized. But they may pick a favorite anyways, and if your dad is spending a lot of time with the bird, it may end up as your dads bird.

Hope that helps a little and provides a little insight to bird ownership lol

SenegalLover said:

Flboy said:

Keeping the bird in your room may create a problem! They are social creatures and being alone and hearing other folks in the house may have them doing contact calls!

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Assuming that I can't put it in the living room, would leaving the t.v. on in my room or a radio help it feel more relaxed?

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They love companionship, if they know someone is home, they will flock call! If you want a socialized pet, you need to socialize him/her! A bird is NOT a pet! It is really a companion! Your mom may be very surprised! When we got our first bird, we were blown away!

itzjbean said:

That's great that you are leveling with yourself and really thinking about this decision, some people dive right in and don't realize what they really signed up for.

I totally understand why you want a parrot, they truly are beautiful creatures and have the amazing capacity to show so much love. That being said, while dogs will love you unconditionally, some birds will hit sexual maturity and can turn into a terror overnight. Several members on here have birds like this, and kind of just have to live with it, because they love their birds. Eventually the hormones will subside as the season changes but during that time of year, bids can tend to get nippy/aggressive.


It can be worse in the larger species like Electus, Amazons, Cockatoos and Macaws, but this is a big issue to consider, because when hormones are flying, you may very well get bit, and you have to be prepared for that as well - tough love. Again, not trying to scare you off, but being realistic I wish I had had this kind of information when I got my first bird, and I probably would've decided otherwise (I got a Jenday Conure when I was 15, loved him for 4 years and then as college approached had to sell him, couldn't bring him to college 1.5 hours away and my parents would not care for him)

You are right, there are some species that tend to be 'one-person' birds. And it really does depend on the individual bird. However, with proper socialization starting at a young age to other people, a parrot can learn to be comfortable around others. If your dad is willing to hang out with your bird, that would help greatly to get them socialized. But they may pick a favorite anyways, and if your dad is spending a lot of time with the bird, it may end up as your dads bird.

Hope that helps a little and provides a little insight to bird ownership lol

Click to expand...

That being said do you regret your bird? If the bird becomes a terror or nightmare I'll just feed it to my snake. I'm just kidding haha. But I'm assuming that it's just a phase for birds? Like I had mentioned I am mainly looking for companionship in a pet. If I lived alone I wouldn't think twice it's just noise I am mainly concerned about. I get extremely attached to my animals so I am sure I will provide him or her the proper care.

Flboy said:

SenegalLover said:

Flboy said:

Keeping the bird in your room may create a problem! They are social creatures and being alone and hearing other folks in the house may have them doing contact calls!

Click to expand...

Assuming that I can't put it in the living room, would leaving the t.v. on in my room or a radio help it feel more relaxed?

Click to expand...

They love companionship, if they know someone is home, they will flock call! If you want a socialized pet, you need to socialize him/her! A bird is NOT a pet! It is really a companion! Your mom may be very surprised! When we got our first bird, we were blown away!

Click to expand...

Any specific stories? What where you blown away with?

SenegalLover said:

That being said do you regret your bird? If the bird becomes a terror or nightmare I'll just feed it to my snake. I'm just kidding haha. But I'm assuming that it's just a phase for birds? Like I had mentioned I am mainly looking for companionship in a pet. If I lived alone I wouldn't think twice it's just noise I am mainly concerned about. I get extremely attached to my animals so I am sure I will provide him or her the proper care.

Click to expand...

I only regret getting him before I was truly prepared. I was not thinking ahead to how long he would be in my life. I was not thinking about what I would do when I started dating, went through college or started a career, or where I would eventually travel (Since rehoming him, I've been to Australia, Puerto Rico, Mexico, Alaska, hundred of swim meets all over the Midwest, lol)

Back then I was just in love with birds and he was my baby, all mine. As a high school student, I had no income of my own (I didn't really have a job, as I swam on swim team)and did not take him to the vet, did not feed him chop, only seeds, kept him in a cockatiel-sized cage, and was at school all day. I was young and naive back then, and I have come a long ways since that time and have learned SO much. As a future parent I will be adamant that if my child wants a pet, they know exactly what it takes to care for them and are prepared for their lifespans.

And as an adult, I know that if I plan to get any more parrots (which I do want to do, eventually I would LOVE a cockatoo or macaw), and I will be better prepared for their needs and proper care.

One of my teenagers just came home with a couple new birds. I wasn't thrilled, but he bought them with his own money and on his own initiative. There's a couple things here that make this more okay than other situations.

1) His parents are bird people. His stepfather has been keeping birds for 40 years. His mother is a crazy bird lady. We're here to help him learn to care for birds.

2) We're going to back him up if he needs help. MrC's daughters had a trio of cockatiels when they were younger. Once the girls graduated from high school, he had no issues keeping the birds and caring for them. The last one just died of old age in September. The girls are 32. That gives you an idea of the commitment we have to the animals in the house.

3) He chose parakeets. They're not going to live 30 years.

Granted, my son is a bit younger than you, but a lot of the same issues apply, since you're still living in your parents' house. Other issues are more important since you are older and a lot closer to launching yourself into the world on your own. It really is a lot to think about.

One last thing. The little bird currently on my shoulder is a senegal. They are amazing birds, but they do require a lot of attention. I spend about an hour (divided up into several chunks) each day actively training him, and many more hours just hanging out with him. His cage is to the immediate right of my desk, so even if he's not physically on me, he's right next to me. I'm a house wife. I'm always here. He's not my only bird, so of course there's times when I'm training the others. The rare times when I'm not home, MrC is home. I can think of a dozen times in the last year when both adults were gone at the same time, and only half of those times were for more than an hour or so. These birds and their needs dictate how I run my house. Are you prepared to make that kind of commitment? It's okay if you're not. I wouldn't have at 22, but at 41, it's a different story.

itzjbean said:

SenegalLover said:

That being said do you regret your bird? If the bird becomes a terror or nightmare I'll just feed it to my snake. I'm just kidding haha. But I'm assuming that it's just a phase for birds? Like I had mentioned I am mainly looking for companionship in a pet. If I lived alone I wouldn't think twice it's just noise I am mainly concerned about. I get extremely attached to my animals so I am sure I will provide him or her the proper care.

Click to expand...

I only regret getting him before I was truly prepared. I was not thinking ahead to how long he would be in my life. I was not thinking about what I would do when I started dating, went through college or started a career, or where I would eventually travel (Since rehoming him, I've been to Australia, Puerto Rico, Mexico, Alaska, hundred of swim meets all over the Midwest, lol)

Back then I was just in love with birds and he was my baby, all mine. As a high school student, I had no income of my own (I didn't really have a job, as I swam on swim team)and did not take him to the vet, did not feed him chop, only seeds, kept him in a cockatiel-sized cage, and was at school all day. I was young and naive back then, and I have come a long ways since that time and have learned SO much. As a future parent I will be adamant that if my child wants a pet, they know exactly what it takes to care for them and are prepared for their lifespans.

And as an adult, I know that if I plan to get any more parrots (which I do want to do, eventually I would LOVE a cockatoo or macaw), and I will be better prepared for their needs and proper care.

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You make great points. Do you have any birds now?

BeatriceC said:

One of my teenagers just came home with a couple new birds. I wasn't thrilled, but he bought them with his own money and on his own initiative. There's a couple things here that make this more okay than other situations.

1) His parents are bird people. His stepfather has been keeping birds for 40 years. His mother is a crazy bird lady. We're here to help him learn to care for birds.

2) We're going to back him up if he needs help. MrC's daughters had a trio of cockatiels when they were younger. Once the girls graduated from high school, he had no issues keeping the birds and caring for them. The last one just died of old age in September. The girls are 32. That gives you an idea of the commitment we have to the animals in the house.

3) He chose parakeets. They're not going to live 30 years.

Granted, my son is a bit younger than you, but a lot of the same issues apply, since you're still living in your parents' house. Other issues are more important since you are older and a lot closer to launching yourself into the world on your own. It really is a lot to think about.

One last thing. The little bird currently on my shoulder is a senegal. They are amazing birds, but they do require a lot of attention. I spend about an hour (divided up into several chunks) each day actively training him, and many more hours just hanging out with him. His cage is to the immediate right of my desk, so even if he's not physically on me, he's right next to me. I'm a house wife. I'm always here. He's not my only bird, so of course there's times when I'm training the others. The rare times when I'm not home, MrC is home. I can think of a dozen times in the last year when both adults were gone at the same time, and only half of those times were for more than an hour or so. These birds and their needs dictate how I run my house. Are you prepared to make that kind of commitment? It's okay if you're not. I wouldn't have at 22, but at 41, it's a different story.

Click to expand...

I had not realized they need THAT much attention. Granted I will give it as much attention as I am able to give, but definitely not 24/7. There will definitely be times where the bird will be home alone for long periods of time. That being said I do plan on spending MINIMUM 1 hour a day. To be honest, it will probably be much more than that but I am just being on the careful side.

To put it in comparison, would you say having a parrot is like having a dog in terms of care? Or would you say it is more like having a puppy that never grows up? The reason why I am not looking at other bird species is because the extensive care they need. I do not mind spending 2 - 3 hours a day with the bird, but I don't see myself being able to spend all day with the bird like yourself. Granted there will be days when I'm just hanging out at home where the bird will be with me.

I just want to make it as pleasant as possible for both the bird and I, if I decide to adopt one.

That joke about feeding your bird to your snake really really offended me. My stomach dropped when I read it. To me that's like joking about murdering a person. Please don't make a joke like that again.

Sunnyclover said:

That joke about feeding your bird to your snake really really offended me. My stomach dropped when I read it. To me that's like joking about murdering a person. Please don't make a joke like that again.

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-_________-

SenegalLover said:

BeatriceC said:

One of my teenagers just came home with a couple new birds. I wasn't thrilled, but he bought them with his own money and on his own initiative. There's a couple things here that make this more okay than other situations.

1) His parents are bird people. His stepfather has been keeping birds for 40 years. His mother is a crazy bird lady. We're here to help him learn to care for birds.

2) We're going to back him up if he needs help. MrC's daughters had a trio of cockatiels when they were younger. Once the girls graduated from high school, he had no issues keeping the birds and caring for them. The last one just died of old age in September. The girls are 32. That gives you an idea of the commitment we have to the animals in the house.

3) He chose parakeets. They're not going to live 30 years.

Granted, my son is a bit younger than you, but a lot of the same issues apply, since you're still living in your parents' house. Other issues are more important since you are older and a lot closer to launching yourself into the world on your own. It really is a lot to think about.

One last thing. The little bird currently on my shoulder is a senegal. They are amazing birds, but they do require a lot of attention. I spend about an hour (divided up into several chunks) each day actively training him, and many more hours just hanging out with him. His cage is to the immediate right of my desk, so even if he's not physically on me, he's right next to me. I'm a house wife. I'm always here. He's not my only bird, so of course there's times when I'm training the others. The rare times when I'm not home, MrC is home. I can think of a dozen times in the last year when both adults were gone at the same time, and only half of those times were for more than an hour or so. These birds and their needs dictate how I run my house. Are you prepared to make that kind of commitment? It's okay if you're not. I wouldn't have at 22, but at 41, it's a different story.

Click to expand...

I had not realized they need THAT much attention. Granted I will give it as much attention as I am able to give, but definitely not 24/7. There will definitely be times where the bird will be home alone for long periods of time. That being said I do plan on spending MINIMUM 1 hour a day. To be honest, it will probably be much more than that but I am just being on the careful side.

To put it in comparison, would you say having a parrot is like having a dog in terms of care? Or would you say it is more like having a puppy that never grows up? The reason why I am not looking at other bird species is because the extensive care they need. I do not mind spending 2 - 3 hours a day with the bird, but I don't see myself being able to spend all day with the bird like yourself. Granted there will be days when I'm just hanging out at home where the bird will be with me.

I just want to make it as pleasant as possible for both the bird and I, if I decide to adopt one.

Click to expand...

I almost certainly give my birds more attention than they strictly need, but I enjoy it, so I'm not complaining. People do successfully keep companion birds and work outside the home, but those people keep a schedule both before and after work and on the weekends to insure that their birds are getting the time they need.

It's a huge commitment, and if you're thinking about things like what to do when you want to spend the night at your girlfriend's house, it's perhaps not quite the right time in your life just yet. To give another example about my life, when MrC and I were dating, there were no sleepovers. He had his birds (the amazon, and at the time, the last of the cockatiels), and I had my children (his were already adults). Sleepovers just weren't in the cards and both of us were committed to the lives that depended on us to not even consider the possibility. We didn't spend the night together until I moved in, and that was just the way it had to be. These days, if we go out of town, we take the birds with us. Or one of us stays home to care for birds. But here again is where we can point out that the needs of the birds pretty much dictate how the house is run.

I do have to say that I'm impressed that you're thinking about these things and not having a tantrum when us old farts point out that maybe it's not the time in your life. That shows a great maturity level and evidence that when the time is right, you're going to make a great bird parent.

You ask some good questions, may I offer my two cents?

Time commitment - An hour a day isn't enough for any parrot. Parrots are sometimes described as having the intelligence of a three year old human and the emotional maturity of a two year old. Don't take that as science, but the essence is correct. Parrots are very smart. They need stimulation and interaction and social connections just like a human child. If they don't get enough attention and stimulation, they can go insane. They might pull out all the feathers they can reach and even chew holes in their own flesh. They can develop habits of constant, earsplitting screaming or of biting.

I suggest it would be instructive to go online at Petfinder and look up parrots in rescues. You will read some of the horror stories of neglect, and see how many of the birds have developed self destructive or aggressive habits. This is what can happen when a bird doesn't get enough attention, doesn't have enough toys to chew up or bop, is in the wrong size cage, doesn't get proper sleep, or gets too much attention and stress. These are some of the possible negative consequences of a bad fit between bird and human.

Also birds are expensive. I fully expect to spend a thousand bucks a year on our relatively healthy macaw. He's a rescued bird, and had prior infections, so he has to have periodic tests to make sure nothing has come back. Just a couple well bird checkups a year would only be a few hundred bucks including the tests, but if he got sick or injured the cost can skyrocket. Birds hide illness, so a sick bird has to go in right away, no wait and see. Plus, they need to go to certified avian vets and not a regular doctor, because they are complicated and very different from the usual cat/dog/gerbil etc.

Speaking of cats and dogs, birds don't mix well with them. Parrots are a prey species, cats and dogs are predators. Some people have had thei birds and dogs living together fine, some have had a dog that was fine for years suddenly get triggered and kill the parrot. Keeping both requires an exceptional level of diligence and supervision.

The household must be adjusted. No nonstick or teflon cookware. Portable heater and small appliances sometimes have teflon coatings, and when heated they will kill your bird dead, dead, dead. No painting, no bug spray, no hair spray, no candles, no toxic cleaners, no Pledge, no smoking...parrots have incredibly efficient lungs to support flight, and are very susceptible to inhaled toxins. They didn't use canaries in coal mines for the music, but because the bird would die before the people felt sick.

As far as temperament, parrots are much less predictable than dogs or cats. With a German shepherd or a beagle, you have a pretty good idea of what levels of playfulness or aggression to expect, and their personalities don't change dramatically with the seasons. While there are some generalizations that can be made with parrots, they are much more individualized. Macaws are supposed to be cuddle bugs, except for the ones that will bite your ear off. Any bird can have any personality and you won't know what that is until it is. Baby parrots can be sweet and tame, then mature into monsters. A new parrot in a house may be on its best behavior for a month or so until it becomes comfortable, then decide to show you who's boss. Any parrot can become aggressive when they mature sexually, and this can continue for YEARS or maybe they will just be bitey for a few months out of the year. For years.

And parrots form pair bonds, like humans, which can change in an instant. A parrot isn't going to sit around and agonize about hurting your feelings after a decade of devotion. Nope, they can be "I'm done with you now and love your spouse/partner/crush." It can be heartbreaking to find the bird you gave so much attention and money for suddenly wants nothing to do with you and in fact attacks you if you approach. You will find several stories in the forums here of just that.

It's tempting to think of parrots as less demanding because they are small, but in fact they are the most demanding per pound of any pet. Would you get a pet poodle and lock it in a crate for 23 hours a day, leave it alone their all day until late at night, play with it an hour and expect it to sit quietly by the rest of the time? Of course you wouldn't.

Parrots are also loud, which can get ou kicked out of an apartment. They chew whatever they can reach, which means you won't get your damage deposit back. They poop a lot, they require special diets and careful preparation of fresh foods and expensive pellets. They a lot of damn work. They interfere with weekends away, nights out, and vacations. New friends and lovers might hate them. They live a long, long time - as long as we do. They are not domesticated but merely tame and won't treat you as the adored alpha.

So...I suggest something like this. Keep researching parrots. Read some books - I recommend Tweti's "Of Parrots And People" as well as Blanchard's companion parrot books. Don't get a parrot of your own until you have your own place, because otherwise you won't know what bird would fit that environment. In the meantime...depending on your time...volunteer at a parrot rescue. They always need people to clean cages, socialize birds, and so on. If you had a good chunk of time off, you might even foster a parrot until it could go to a permanent home. Fostering is more work than a permanent relationship because the parrot probably had some issues that need working care through with love and wisdom, but it can give you a short, intense experience.

When the time is right, you will know. Birds get attached, and don't respond well to having to go to another home if something doesn't work out. It's just like sending a child to live with a stranger - very upsetting, mentally damaging, can destroy a parrot's ability to be a good companion which could doom them to a life of suffering as they get shuffled from one place to another.

I'm not going to echo what has already been said, everyone that has answered you already has been very responsible and accurate in their replies. However, as a pet bird owner/breeder for over 30 years, and a current Senegal Parrot owner, I wouldn't be doing the responsible thing for any bird that you might get in the near future if I didn't say what is on my mind.

First, yes you do seem very responsible for your age and I'm impressed that you're doing your research BEFORE you go out and buy a bird. Unfortunately a lot of people, in fact most people that come onto the forum who have a fairly new bird that is having behavioral problems and showing extreme aggressiveness, do no research at all before getting a parrot. So I commend you for that. Now the question that you have to ask yourself is are you going to really think about the answers, opinions, and the advice you've been given by several very experienced bird owners and lovers, and do what is best not for yourself (really it's not what is best for yourself either, rather just what you WANT at the moment) but rather do what is best for the living creature you're thinking about bringing into your life.

I'm not really concerned about your level of responsibility as far as getting a bird medical care from a certified avian vet if it needed it, or feeding a bird a proper, high quality, healthy, fresh diet and not just a cheaper seed mix diet, etc. You do seem like a a very thoughtful, responsible young man in these respects. I am however worried that the area where you lack responsibility and are still very immature is in being able to read what you wrote to us about the amount of time you currently have to spend and interact with a bird, your current living arrangements and where your bird will be kept, etc. and realize that right now is not at all a good time in your life for you to become the sole caretaker of a parrot. Not because of who you are or because you wouldn't love your bird greatly, and not because you wouldn't want your bird to be happy, healthy, and have the best of everything, but because your life right now does not allow you to provide anywhere close to even the minimum amount of time with or interaction with a parrot that is needed. And when I say "that is needed" I mean the minimum amount of time spent with and interaction with that is needed to keep any parrot happy, healthy, entertained, free of boredom, and most importantly and what you really need to consider, to keep any parrot from developing behavioral and emotional issues, aggression, and manifested physical health problems like plucking.

I certainly am not at all in any way trying to be rude or disrespectful to you, and I can honestly say from the bottom of my heart that I truly believe you will one day make a wonderful parrot owner, but one day in the future, when your schedule allows more than an hour or two a day to spend and interact with your bird, when your bird can be allowed out of it's cage for longer than an hour or two a day, one day when your living arrangements allow for your bird to very happily have his cage located in the "main room" of your home where even if he's licked in his cage he will constantly have people walking back and forth past him, talking to him, simply put one day when your bird will be able to be properly socialized by people. While turning a TV or radio on for your bird during the day when you're gone is a wonderful idea, it is not in any way a substitute for having his cage out in the main room of the home. This is a topic that has been brought up a lot here recently, and the bottom line is that even when a bird is locked inside their cage, if that cage is located in a room where they can see and hear people walking around them interacting with each other, hearing all the noises and sounds that go on every day, having people simply sitting on a couch or at a table near them, even if they aren't directly interacting with that bird, the bird benefits so much from this socialization. If you were to get a bird now, put his cage in your bedroom, and leave him alone in that room with the TV or radio on for most of the day, the problem is that he is going to hear EVERYTHING that is going on out in your house. He will hear every word that is said, every sound that is made, everything. But he won't be able to see it. So he will start screaming. And this will continue on and on and on. Where as if his cage is amongst the talking and the people and the sounds, he will be able to see it, he won't feel left out, and he will not scream but rather be happy that he is a part of life in the house, and he will play with his toys and be able to entertain himself...To a point of course. Locking him inside a cage and then the cage in a room away from the action in the house is not healthy and will only cause future issues. But this is the least of the problems..

I'm sure that you can understand that allowing a parrot to be out of its cage for only 1-2 hours a day is not at all good for any bird, except maybe a finch or a canary. Let alone actually only getting to spend 1-2 hours with his sole companion. It's just not what is best for a parrot. As already said, 3-4 hours a day out of their cage time with it's people is a bare minimum to keep a bird happy, healthy, and socialized. Most of the birds that you see in rescues that self-mutilate by feather plucking or much worse do so because they spent most of their lives locked inside a cage for hours on end. You have to realize that parrots have the intelligence of a 2-3 year old child, some macaws, cockatoos, and African Grays a 4-5 year old child. They need constant stimulation, entertainment, and they really do form strong bonds and relationships with their people. And when they don't get enough attention from their people or interaction with their people, they become frustrated, depressed, and angry. These emotional problems manifest themselves in the form of aggression towards people, self-harming, and eventually they become cage-bound and totally unsocialized. So unless a person can devote at least, at the very minimum, 3-4+ hours every single day of one on one interaction with their birds outside of the cage, it just isn't good for the bird.

I bred cockatiels and English budgies for over 20 years, and have owned different types of birds since I was 6 years old. I'm now 37 years old and I currently share my life with a male 6 month old Senegal Parrot, a male 1 year and 2 month old green cheek conure, a male 11 month old Quaker parrot, a female 7 month old cockatiel, and 7 eight month old budgies...Not to mention 2 dogs and a bearded dragon. Some are animals that I rescued, some are animals I just fell in love with. I am single, I have no spouse and no kids, I own my own home (no worries about neighbors calling the cops because there are no quiet birds at all, lol), and I work 6 days a week. But I still manage to spend 3 hours EVERY MORNING with my birds before work, and all evening, EVERY EVENING from 6:00 until bedtime...Then all weekend as well. I made the decision a long time ago what was important to me, and I could tell that it was the right decision because on past Friday or Saturday nights when I would be out with friends, on a date, playing a gig with my band, drinking too much, etc. I missed my family that was at home waiting for me. I used to work over 60 hours a week, I did that for a long time and I made a lot of money. But I had to sacrifice having pets because it just wasn't fair to only give them a couple of hours a day for 6 days a week out of 7. I made the decision what was important to me, I sacrificed the income and the constant partying, the constant gigs and being on the road with my band, and I chose my animals. But I'm 37. You're 22 and you haven't even begun to live your life. There is no quiet bird, green cheek conures are supposed to be the "quiet" conure, well I've had 2 of them and there is no way I could be in an apartment with them. And I spend a good 4 hours a day with my Senegal Parrot, as he's young and it's very important to socialize Senegals as much as you can on a daily basis, they are extremely possessive birds that get very aggressively jealous of their person if you don't make a point to expose them to as many people as you can every day. 1-2 hours a day out of cage time/interaction time is no where near enough for a Senegal or any other poicephalus species.

Please just think about the big picture and do what is responsible for the bird rather than what you want to do in the moment, because the end result of your decision could be one that you deeply regret.

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