Best species for me?

[glutes]

So what species are you leaning toward? I know you said small species, do you have an idea what you'd like?

I just cannot get over green cheek conures. I've met several and even though one kept biting me, they were all so wonderful. I also had the pleasure of meeting a white bellied caique, and he was just amazing. I hardly know the bird and he flipped onto his back to wrestle with me. They only thing that turns me off about caiques is the noise level. These two species are my top two, but I'm also open to meeting cockatiels, budgies, Quakers, and many of the poichepalus species.

 

[RatAtaT2693]

So, I'm going to start off by saying that I'm useless in the bird department. "Then why is she commenting?" you might ask.

Well, let me tell you a story. Our family dog had a litter of puppies my freshman year of high school. Cute, right? I adopted the fluffiest, cutest one of the litter and named him Samson. I knew he'd get pretty big, but I like big dogs. He was my Valentine's Day gift from mother nature.

Well, fast forward to my final semester of senior year, and now I'm trying to figure out what to do with Sam. Most colleges in my state at the time, North Carolina, required first year students to live in the dorm. And none of them accepted pets. Some wouldn't even take my beta fish.

To get around the campus housing, I took a year off from school so I could apply as a transfer student. It worked, but now I had to find housing that didn't mind my (50lbs) ball of fluff. There were places that took pets, but none over 20lbs. Places that took pets, but only cats. Places that didn't take pets at all. And then, the ones that worked the best for my situation, places that took pets... for a nominal fee of $400.

I finally found one, and they kicked me out because someone complained about him barking through the window. I didn't get any of the pet "deposit" back. And I was out of a house.

Now, I love Sam. I wouldn't give him up for the world. But if I could go back and just not adopt anything besides my cat, I would. Trying to make it through college, navigate my first apartment renting experience, first roommates (uck), starting a career, learning to really network, getting a good internship - all of those things would have been exponentially cheaper and easier to do without him or any of the animals I've adopted. I'm fine now, at age 22, but ages 16-20 were some of the most tumultuous years I've dealt with. Everyone but the cat almost had to find a new home, against my best wishes. Nobody here is kidding about the cost of their pets. Maybe you're like me, and sacrificing your paycheck isn't all that painful, or you don't mind splitting your food bill in half with your pet or being a year behind your peers. But you have to remember those things.

Even if it doesn't weigh as much or eat as much as Sam, it still is going to require time and a good vet. I know from experience that just walking into an exotics vet is $100. $200 if you actually want to breathe in the veterinarian's presence. Yeah, your parents may be on board for expenses now, but when you're splitting Ramen noodles at 21, nobody really wants to shell you out an extra $300 for your pet. Especially if college is in the picture; admission offices want extra curricular experience and proof of a work ethic. (And probably your left kidney at this point.) And that takes time. I've wanted a bird since middle school, and I'm just now in a stable enough position to consider it.

But who knows - maybe you'll adjust better than most. Maybe you'll find all the loopholes. Everything will go smoothly. I hope it does. I just want you to understand that the way things are set up for people in this age bracket are not designed to be easy for those with pets. It's not cheap, and calling your parents for pet expenses gets old really fast. By all means, get a pet, but I would choose something easy to hide (not that I encourage hiding things), easy to board, or something with a much shorter lifespan.

At least that's what I wish someone had told me.

 

[Christinenc2000]

Why not just do some volunteer work until you figure what you want. THAT way you get to kinda test the waters without a commitment .

 

[RatAtaT2693]

Why not just do some volunteer work until you figure what you want. THAT way you get to kinda test the waters without a commitment .

Great idea. That's what I did for rats; i started fostering. I get all the benefits (and hardships) of rat ownership without A) footing the food bill and B) fully committing to their medical care and full lifespan. I'd do it for birds if I lived near a rescue (and didn't have a landlord.)

 

[RavensGryf]

The volunteer work sounds good at first instead of just jumping right into owning an exotic pet. Of course you'll ultimately do what you feel, but it's not a bad idea.

I've never had problems with even 2 larger birds in apartments (neighbor's dog barking loud bothered me though lol), no pet rent was ever required for birds (at least with management companies I've encountered in CA) but it is a good point. Just because I never faced issues with renting with birds, you still have the issue up ahead of life changes. There are some you can't foresee like I will mention in the next paragraph, but for the ones you CAN foresee, you can't in good conscience ignore imo.

Although I agree the teenage/and many times young adult years are commonly the hardest times for many, I have to bring up the point that there is never any guarantee at any stage in life. In middle age there are a different set of challenges (big scary ones that your parents might not be there to bail you out in) that happen all too often too. Many people face divorce or break up from a long term relationship that causes excessive financial strain, aging elderly parents that require physical or monetary care or both, unexpected health care out of pocket expenses, job lay offs, and a plethora of other rather unfortunate "expensive" 'life happens' sort of things that you don't always face when you're younger, and you hope you'll never have to face. Not to go OT, but just a little reminder that once you're past a certain age it's not necessarily smooth sailing for the rest of your life as it is often implied . Hopefully it is, but we truly never know with the way the world and economy is these days.

 

[glutes]

I know I can't predict the next few years of my life, but I do know that college and friends are not at all what I want. I'm not a typical phone and boy obsessed teen, my entire life revolves around animals. I spend my free time learning about them and spending time with them. In fact at this very moment I am supervising my chameleon while he gets some natural sun and time outside. If I'm not with my current pets, I am out looking for wild amphibians or at petstores visiting other animals. They are truly everything to me. I don't care to expand on this statement, but my whites tree frog Betty saved my life. I don't talk to people unless I'm informing them about animals. So I can absolutely guarantee that unless I'm going to die, my animals will always be first.

I've already looked online for volunteer opportunities in my area, but there is none. However, there is two fabulous local parrot rescues. Both rescues offer foster opportunities and a "trial" period for future parronts which I will definitely be taking advantage of. I agree with RavensGryf in that there really is no right time to adopt a parrot, because parrots were not meant to be adopted in the first place. All I ask for from a bird is an unbreakable and amazing bond.


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