Can I leave my bird alone?

[Layla]

Hey everybody! Recently I have been considering getting a small parrot such as a cockatiel, lovebird, or perhaps a parrotlet. I have had pet budgies in the past but that's about where my experience ends, so I would feel best with a bird on a more beginner level(and one that's small in size).

Anyway, my main concern involves leaving your bird home during the day. I'm a student who would be alone roughly 7-8 hours on weekdays. I could only get one bird and would have to keep it in my room due to the other members of my household(who don't want to hear birdie noise during the day). Of course the moment I get home I will shower it with attention but I must be realistic and admit that sometimes i'll be going out with family/friends and the bird will be left alone longer

I've read that some people leave the tv or radio on while they are gone which is supposed to help with boredom but I just feel really guilty about leaving ANY pet alone for so long. So do you think I should wait until i'm out of school and have more free time or am I worrying too much about this? Or perhaps is there a different species that would better fit my situation?
Any advice will be greatly appreciated!!

 

[noodles123]

I would STRONGLY advise against getting ANY parrot as a student...Too many dangers associated with cleaning and roommates...Parakeets aren't much less intelligent than African Greys...

 

[brighterdaysaviary]

I think you should wait until your out of university to get a bird. It seems like you will be gone too long during the day.

Cockatiels, Lovebirds, and parrotlets are very social animals. All birds are really. I would suggest waiting.

 

[Layla]

Thank you so much!!! I'm really glad I got some advice. I'm sure there are other people in a similar position to me that want a bird and I hope they see this as a good eye-opener I'll definitely be waiting till I'm out of school.

 

[EllenD]

I'm glad that you've chosen the responsible thing to do and NOT get any bird until you're able to provide it with at the very least 5+ hours a day, every day, of out of cage time and direct attention. And getting 2 birds isn't really a solution, as usually when you get 2 birds at the same time, assuming that they were clutch-mates and are certain to bond with each other, what tends to happen is that they end-up being closely bonded with each other, and have little to no interest in a person being their family, and they end-up being something that you look at but never interact with.

Parrots are extremely intelligent and unlike any other type of "pet", including a dog, as all species of parrots, whether we're talking about a Parrotlet or a Cockatoo, have the intelligence of a 3-4 year-old human child. This includes Budgies, Parrotlets, Cockatiels, etc. There is no such thing as a "beginner" parrot/bird, it just simply doesn't exist, and this is a common misconception of people who have not ever had a parrot, or that have only had a pair or multiple birds who entertained each other and had little to no interaction with them. Budgies are one of the most intelligent parrots there are, and if you only have a single Budgie, then just as a Macaw, a Cockatoo, a Conure, etc., you must provide it with at least 4-5 hours every single day of out-of-cage-time and direct attention. Otherwise they will become terribly bored, lonely, and typically they start self-mutilating. Most of the general public think they can buy their kids a pet Budgie at the pet shop for $30 and it can live in a cage with a few toys, will last for 5-6 years at most, and that will be it. And unfortunately when a single Budgie is locked inside a cage it's entire life, alone, and gets no attention, no out of cage time, and no mental/psychological stimulation, it's health goes downhill quickly and they do die young...When in reality, the lifespan of a healthy, well-cared for Budgie is on-average around 15-20 years, with the oldest Budgie on-record living to be 29 years old. So regardless of the "size" of the parrot, how common the parrot is, or what the common perception of it's "level of care" is, Parrotlets, Budgies, Cockatiels, Conures, Lovebirds, Macaws, African Grays, Cockatoos, Amazons, and every species of parrot in-between requires at the very least 4-5 hours of your day, every single day.

The other factor that you need to keep in-mind is that if you cannot keep your parrot's main-cage located in the "main room" or the room where the "action is" in your home, the room where the people who live in the house spend most of their time when they are at home, but rather have to keep your parrot in a cage in your "bedroom", a spare room, a "back" room, etc., then this not healthy or stimulating for the bird either, and tends to cause self-mutilation and much more noise (screaming) from the bird than they would create if they were located in the main room of the house. Whether the people who live in the home are watching TV together, reading, playing video games, eating a meal, talking to each other, playing a game, having visitors over, etc., the bird needs to simply be among it's family/people, able to see them, and feel included in the family. Otherwise, if the bird is located in your bedroom, and they can hear that people are home but they can't see them and are not being included, they become frustrated, bored, agitated, have a feeling of being left-out, and this is typically what causes a parrot to start screaming and squawking all day long, every day. In contrast, if the bird's cage is located in the main-room of the home and the bird is always in the presence of the people of the home when they are at home, the parrot is going to feel safe, secure, like they are a part of the family (or "flock"), and not only will they have a feeling of contentment, they are far more likely to entertain themselves with their toys, and stay a loving, tame parrot. You must always remember that parrots are "flock animals", and the people who they live with are their "flock", so if you are not able to keep your parrot's cage in the living room, family room, TV room, Den, etc., whatever room of your home is the place where the people spend their time when they're at home, and the place where visitors spend time when they come over, then it's not fair to the bird at all, and it is not a good idea to bring one home, regardless of the fact that you cannot spend at least 5 hours or more with the bird and the bird out of it's cage each day.

****A good rule-of-thumb when it comes to the decision of whether or not to bring home a parrot or not is that if the entire family who lives in your home is not on-board and they all don't want to be involved with and responsible for the bird, and the bird is going to have to be kept inside a cage most every day, all day long, in your own bedroom locked away/kept away from the rest of the people who are at home, then please don't get one. You wouldn't keep a dog locked inside a cage in your bedroom for 8+ hours every day, with no interaction from the other members of the household, so why would you do the same to a parrot who's intelligence is much greater than that of any dog? That's the way you have to look at this situation. And I'm glad that you are doing so, you're doing the responsible thing, and making the decision that is going to be best for the bird. Thank you for that...

 

[IndySE]

A few thoughts. Most members disuaded you from a parrot as a university student, and with good cause as many times our lives change a lot from graduation to final careers. I DID get my parrot in college, although I was living at home and this supplemented some of her social needs. It can work, but only if you're willing to make lifestyle changes.

- You mentioned you don't want others in your household to "hear birdie noises" throughout the day. Roommates, I presume? If you are concerned about noise, it is my understanding that parrotlets really don't make much in the way of noise... in which case, would your roommates be receptive to a bird? Would any be willing to spend time with the bird while you're out? Or... trusted around the bird in general? Also if you have roommates, is everyone using bird-safe items (i.e. no tephlon pans, incense/smelly things, etc).

- 7-8 hours a day gone isn't neccesarily impossible for owning a bird. Many bird-owners on this site work 9-5 jobs and still own birds. It does, however, take planning and creativity. Keeping the cage stocked with stimulated toys (so regularly rotated foraging activities and things to shred), making sure the bird gets fresh veggies (they can only be served for maybe 3-5 hours before they start to spoil, so perhaps it is best to serve as a breakfast/dinnertime meal), and many members do leave the radio or tv on while they're out. It is certainly possible. But again, it takes planning.

- You will need to think about the kind of job/career you plan to have when you graduate and if this will work with a bird. If you intend to get a 7-9 job, then this is doable. If you're looking at grad school or going abroad, it is less so. Remember, most parrots have very long lifespans unlike other animals like gerbils. So they require considering the long-term.

So just ask yourself how willing and serious you are in rearranging your life. There's no harm in waiting at all, but just wanted to provide you an alternative perspective on this matter. Best of luck

 

[GaleriaGila]

I applaud you for your maturity and character, for waiting at this point. Someday you'll be a great parront. I made MOST of the mistakes that people have presented to you here, and there were indeed some hard times!

Again, I'm very impressed. A lot of people ask for advice... not all will take it, of course.