First bird

[Jacobslagle018]

Hey everyone. This is my first post, so i will probably have enough questions to annoy everyone 3 times over. Thanks in advance for any information you all can give me. Also I am on my phone so forgive any mishaps you may see.


So i am here to get some guidance. I am looking to get my first bird. I want to give you all some info on me first so you can help my judge what would be best for me. Im 23 and just got my own home in a small neighborhood. I work rotating 12 hour shifts 6am to 6pm or 6pm to 6am. Unless i need to work over, ill be off 14 of every 28 days.
I currently own two chinchillas and will have a dog in the future. I have a good career as does my girlfriend. As far as birds go, i have never owned one, but have always wanted to. I would prefer a medium to large bird. I know those arent "beginner" birds, but i dont like to use that term. Everyone starts somewhere and i would rather not look for one that i know isnt what i want, just to have a starter. I have the desire and resources for a large bird, but the way my work schedule goes worries me. Im not going to invest in one that i cant give the best possible home. I know that birds this large are not easy, but i am more than ready to put in the time and effort. I have already been looking at vets as well. If i decide to purchase one, it will be 6 or more months before i do.

I have been mainly looking at macaws, african greys, or an eclectus. Again i know those arent for a beginner, and i probably sound like every other first timer on the web, but here i am

As far as time, will my work schedule be a problem for any of these birds? I have no problem letting them out before work, and a few hours a day when i get home. When i am off, it wont be a problem at all.

As far as noise, i understand thats what birds do. Most days i will be up that early anyway. But how are they throught the day? Im sure this has to do with environment, training, and personality but which of the above is generally the least likely to scream throught the day. Also are they good about sleeping at night if they are not disturbed? Im just afraid of them screaming and waking my girlfriend up all night.

I know mess goes along with bird size, but can they be trained to be less messy so to speak? Im not afraid of messes, but if i can teach them to cut back im all for it. Im cleaning my chins cage daily so another wont hurt.

As i think of more i will ask. Im just looking for info before i do anything. I have been looking for books to read about the 3 i have listed above. Do any of these stand out as a major pass because of my work schedule though? That is my biggest concern. As i said i am beyond ready to put forth time and effort into a forever family member, but if i dont have the time because of work, im not going to make the jump. Thanks again for all the help.

 

[Sean21]

Well first of all I wouldn't get a large macaw or an african grey as they need an awful lot of attention.I wouldn't recommend an Eclectus parrot. I would say you should look into conures as they are known as the mini macaws. They are very playful and do not require as much attention as their larger cousins.Another bird would be the caique parrot as they are the clowns of the bird world. Another bird would be the rock pebblers they are pretty large.I myself have a little green cheek conure called Rio. I always wanted a macaw or a grey but do not have the time or space.So I got Rio and she makes my day.I breed rock pebblers and I think their gorgeous birds.I really hope you make the right decision and you and your bird will be very happy, .all the best,Sean

 

[Mimsy01]

In your case if you are really determined to get a larger bird it will be very important that you teach your bird independence and how to self entertain during your long work days. Those long days will be hard on you, since you will still need to spend some quality time with your parrot and prepare it's food, clean up and such. On the plus side you have more days off so you can spend a lot more time with your bird during those times.

The other thing to keep in mind is your schedule is not the same all the time, which again is why it's important to train your bird to be independent and adaptable for those times it will be alone. Your lifestyle could allow for any parrot..with maybe an exception of a cockatoo, if you are really committed during the time you are available and home. This will also work if your girlfriend is also committed to the bird.

I would suggest visiting bird stores and rescues to get to know some birds. You may think you know what kind you want, but after meeting you may find one who just really picks you and that you know will make a great match. Even birds of the same species can be really different from each other in personality.

Keep researching so you know what you'll be getting into. A lot of birds can bring a ton of joy into your life, but they can also be a lot of work..much like having a permanent 3 year old that knows how to use a pair of pliers well.

 

[SilverSage]

My first question is WHY a larger bird? There seems to be a "perfect" species for most people, or as I call it, a "Heart bird" lol. Many people are under the false impression that smaller birds are somehow less of a parrot; they are NOT I can assure you. And sure people compare conures and macaws, but I swear I would never trade my conures for a macaw, and you can't understand until you meet and truly get to know ADULT birds of each species. The three species you are mentioning are very VERY different birds, and you really need to MEET and GET TO KNOW several adults of each of those species. But I really suggest you expand your search. You picked three of the most popular species, but it sounds like you did so mostly by reading, which you can only learn so much from. Are you aware that those three are also some of the most likely to develop plucking behaviors? I highly recommend finding a local parrot club to get involved with so you can actually make freinds who have parrots and spend time in their homes. Let them scream in your ear, let them bite you and make you bleed, poop all over you, get the nitty gritty of the budget and the destruction, etc. I dont doubt that you will find the right bird for you and be completely devoted, but I have SO MANY friends who brought home the wrong species of parrot based on months, sometimes years of research, and it has led to so much sadness and frustration. Please go meet a hundred parrots before you get one, and dont rule out the dozens upon dozens of species that are simply smaller than the bird you have in mind. Dont let the false ideas about "real parrots" and the perceived status that goes along with them cloud your view.

 

[JerseyWendy]

Hi there, and welcome to the forums.

You've come to a great place for questions, no doubt about it. There is a plethora of information regarding the three species you are most interested in. Just have a peek in the sub-forums for Eclectus, African Greys, and Macaws.

Yes, mess DOES go along with bird size, but I promise you Eclectus are FAR messier than African Greys, at least IME. Food flinging is high on the Eclectus list, along with a more complex diet. http://www.parrotforums.com/eclectus/52737-so-you-think-you-want-eclectus.html

Big macs (the larger macaws) truly put a new meaning to 'big mess makers'. Well - mine certainly do. :54:

 

[Moose]

I believe your best option is to go and meet as many birds as you can. It's an option I don't have here, but I am looking into ways to remedy that.

With the larger birds, it is doable...you'll just have to put a lot of focus and training into the bird when you are home. They require so much attention and time.

Welcome!

 

[wrench13]

Remember - parrots are companion animals, they need and crave 1 on 1 human interaction. Dogs will take what ever time you have for them, cats could care less, fish as long as they are fed, they are happy. Parrots if they dont get the human interaction they need suffer both physically by plucking or other self mutilation but mentally. While your reading up on keeping parrots, take a look at some pictures of parrots that have suffered from lack of human interaction, and ask yourself if you want to be responsible for doing that. I am not saying you would but the fact that your schedule is a big part of your professional life means that it might.

 

[Sean21]

Go on you tube and search which parrot is for me

 

[plumsmum2005]

Hey everyone. This is my first post, so i will probably have enough questions to annoy everyone 3 times over. Thanks in advance for any information you all can give me. Also I am on my phone so forgive any mishaps you may see.


So i am here to get some guidance. I am looking to get my first bird. I want to give you all some info on me first so you can help my judge what would be best for me. Im 23 and just got my own home in a small neighborhood. I work rotating 12 hour shifts 6am to 6pm or 6pm to 6am. Unless i need to work over, ill be off 14 of every 28 days.
I currently own two chinchillas and will have a dog in the future. I have a good career as does my girlfriend. As far as birds go, i have never owned one, but have always wanted to. I would prefer a medium to large bird. I know those arent "beginner" birds, but i dont like to use that term. Everyone starts somewhere and i would rather not look for one that i know isnt what i want, just to have a starter. I have the desire and resources for a large bird, but the way my work schedule goes worries me. Im not going to invest in one that i cant give the best possible home. I know that birds this large are not easy, but i am more than ready to put in the time and effort. I have already been looking at vets as well. If i decide to purchase one, it will be 6 or more months before i do.

I have been mainly looking at macaws, african greys, or an eclectus. Again i know those arent for a beginner, and i probably sound like every other first timer on the web, but here i am

As far as time, will my work schedule be a problem for any of these birds? I have no problem letting them out before work, and a few hours a day when i get home. When i am off, it wont be a problem at all.

As far as noise, i understand thats what birds do. Most days i will be up that early anyway. But how are they throught the day? Im sure this has to do with environment, training, and personality but which of the above is generally the least likely to scream throught the day. Also are they good about sleeping at night if they are not disturbed? Im just afraid of them screaming and waking my girlfriend up all night.

I know mess goes along with bird size, but can they be trained to be less messy so to speak? Im not afraid of messes, but if i can teach them to cut back im all for it. Im cleaning my chins cage daily so another wont hurt.

As i think of more i will ask. Im just looking for info before i do anything. I have been looking for books to read about the 3 i have listed above. Do any of these stand out as a major pass because of my work schedule though? That is my biggest concern. As i said i am beyond ready to put forth time and effort into a forever family member, but if i dont have the time because of work, im not going to make the jump. Thanks again for all the help.

Hi you have already received some splendid replies here but if I may be so bold, have real doubts relating to your length of shifts you work and making a bird work. It's not exactly as if you can say oh dont worry chap just sit tight, I've got x no of days off soon. You are young at 23 and probably want to do all sorts of things in your life - where does the parrot go during this time? You want a dog too - it does work but it's another thing in the equation. Twelve hour shifts, dog exercise and care and parrot exercise, training, feeding, cleaning sounds not fantastic to me 'cos all I'd probably want is a hot meal and my bed! Please, please think and think hard about a parrot, think about your life plan and what else you want ie kids 'cos I would hate for us here to say to you yes you go ahead and that poor thing ends up on the long, long list of unwanted birds of which there are many. You could use your time off to volunteer at a bird sanctuary etc if possible so get your fix that way but not have the responsibility of owning.

 

[Piasa]

Regarding mess.. You can train some birds to be a little less messy, but the real trick is to make your setup one that is conducive to not getting so messy in the first place. And easy to clean. You can probably get lots of wonderful pointers here, but it is definitely something you will have to experiment with.

Under normal circumstances, a parrot isn't going to be screaming at night and waking you up.

I'll echo the advice to visit parrots of the species you are interested in and see how you like them in person (and how they like you).

I personally think you can make your schedule work with one of your dream birds, but of course you have to want to make it work. You know your priorities better than anyone. A parrot is not like most other pets, they are much more like a young human and do best when you treat them as such, with respect and thoughtful interactions.

 

[cpsseals]

Another consideration that many first time bird servants don't consider is dust. Certain birds are dustier than others. Size isn't always a good measurement of dust and dander.
Of what you listed the Macaw, the largest, and the Eclectus being less of a dust bomb than the Grey. Greys and Cockatoos are literally dander generation machines.
In my experience one of the biggest reasons for rehoming a bird is due to "allergy" reasons due to the dust and dander.

Just another thing to consider in a multi decade decision.

Even in the smaller birds there's a big difference. ie. Lovebird vs Cockatiel, the Tiel being the dust bomb.

 

[savannah78754]

Hey, Welcome to the bird world! I want to start off by saying PLEASE don't take what I am saying as a mean or rude thing against you at all, because that would never ever evvverrr be my intention, but there are some things people need to learn about birds that just aren't on the internet usually.

WHYYYYY WHY WHY WHY WHYYY do you want a large bird? Because they're pretty? Because you want to look cool holding it in public and showing him/her off? I know you are secretly denying it but honestly if you want your first bird to be a large bird.. those are probably 2 big reasons. If this is the case, don't get a bird.. they are not something to 'show off' necessarily and have the intelligence of a THREE YEAR OLD HUMAN CHILD. At 23 are you ready to have a toddler? Probably not. This is what ANY bird is like. If you cannot see yourself having a toddler for the next 80 years, don't get a bird.

While birds can be 'left alone' for 12 hours a day those 12 hours shouldn't be in a row and inconsistent. Your work schedule is not one to please a parrot and can lead to SO MANY behavioral problems like aggression, depression, and self mutilation. Wouldn't you feel awful having done that to a living creature? Birds are more maintenance then any dog I know for sure. They can't just be let outside for an hour and have their exercise for the day and be content with you leaving whenever you please, parrots NEED attention from their humans.

At 23 I'm sure you still want to go out with friends and your girlfriend and whatever, and with a parrot that will be VERY limited. What if your parrot doesn't like your girlfriend at all? What if he swoops in on her every time he sees her and won't let her get within 20 feet of him without a nice new HARD bite on the arm or chest or FACE? Parrots are usually monogamous, and you will be their mate FOR EVVVEERRR. Would you give him/her up if he/she hated your girlfriend? If you decide to do that are you willing to be responsible for the mental separation issues and probable behavioral issues it will have after it no longer sees you ever again? Birds usually don't just 'get over it'. They will 'look' for you until they die some 60 years from now and never trust another human.

At 23 you are not done with your life at all, you're just getting started! Do you know what you'll be doing 2 years from now? 5? 10? 50? Will you still be able to care for this parrot? You need to be aware that no matter what, if you get this parrot, it is not something to bond with for 10 years and then give it up on a whim. It can be very emotionally damaging.

Don't you love sleeping in on your day off? Well say goodbye to that. There's no such thing as an 'off' switch for a parrot. If sirens are heard at your house frequently you better bet your buns that your parrot will pick that noise up and sing that police siren noise to you whenever it pleases, even 3 AM! They will scream, screech, howl, bark, meow, mock anything they hear enough and they will remember it forever. If your bird screams like this will you still keep him/her? If you're saying yes to this you are living in a fantasy. I'm not saying that if my bird did this I would give him up because I know what I had gotten myself into ( I wish I would have been told things like this though ) and was prepared to have him regardless. If noise is a problem, even a Budgie can have ear piercing noises, and a macaw screaming could make your ears BLEED! We have a macaw at the rescue I volunteer at that has picked up the sound of her previous owners 6 year old daughters scream. If you think it's annoying coming from a little girl, imagine it times 10, and all day long. She can be heard from miles away.

These are just a few things to think about before getting a parrot, and ESPECIALLY before you get a large macaw just for the looks. They seriously have the immaturity of a 3 year old child and will show that every single day.

Please read this article from another parrot owner warning you about the lifelong commitment you're about to make: Ten Reasons You Shouldn?t Get a Parrot | VIE Magazine



Despite what it sounds like I am not necessarily trying to deter you from owning a parrot, but I strongly advise against it. I only have a lovebird and my social life is completely non-existent. I wake up at 6 AM every day regardless if I want to sleep in, and spend hundreds of dollars every month on veggies, a good pellet brand, treats, and toys for him. Please think about it, and even though it doesn't seem like a smaller parrot would be just as fun, reconsider why you even want a large parrot to begin with. Did you know that even budgies can learn to 'talk' and do tricks as well? Look up some videos!

 

[itchyfeet]

Hey, Welcome to the bird world! I want to start off by saying PLEASE don't take what I am saying as a mean or rude thing against you at all, because that would never ever evvverrr be my intention, but there are some things people need to learn about birds that just aren't on the internet usually.

WHYYYYY WHY WHY WHY WHYYY do you want a large bird? Because they're pretty? Because you want to look cool holding it in public and showing him/her off? I know you are secretly denying it but honestly if you want your first bird to be a large bird.. those are probably 2 big reasons. If this is the case, don't get a bird.. they are not something to 'show off' necessarily and have the intelligence of a THREE YEAR OLD HUMAN CHILD. At 23 are you ready to have a toddler? Probably not. This is what ANY bird is like. If you cannot see yourself having a toddler for the next 80 years, don't get a bird.

While birds can be 'left alone' for 12 hours a day those 12 hours shouldn't be in a row and inconsistent. Your work schedule is not one to please a parrot and can lead to SO MANY behavioral problems like aggression, depression, and self mutilation. Wouldn't you feel awful having done that to a living creature? Birds are more maintenance then any dog I know for sure. They can't just be let outside for an hour and have their exercise for the day and be content with you leaving whenever you please, parrots NEED attention from their humans.

At 23 I'm sure you still want to go out with friends and your girlfriend and whatever, and with a parrot that will be VERY limited. What if your parrot doesn't like your girlfriend at all? What if he swoops in on her every time he sees her and won't let her get within 20 feet of him without a nice new HARD bite on the arm or chest or FACE? Parrots are usually monogamous, and you will be their mate FOR EVVVEERRR. Would you give him/her up if he/she hated your girlfriend? If you decide to do that are you willing to be responsible for the mental separation issues and probable behavioral issues it will have after it no longer sees you ever again? Birds usually don't just 'get over it'. They will 'look' for you until they die some 60 years from now and never trust another human.

At 23 you are not done with your life at all, you're just getting started! Do you know what you'll be doing 2 years from now? 5? 10? 50? Will you still be able to care for this parrot? You need to be aware that no matter what, if you get this parrot, it is not something to bond with for 10 years and then give it up on a whim. It can be very emotionally damaging.

Don't you love sleeping in on your day off? Well say goodbye to that. There's no such thing as an 'off' switch for a parrot. If sirens are heard at your house frequently you better bet your buns that your parrot will pick that noise up and sing that police siren noise to you whenever it pleases, even 3 AM! They will scream, screech, howl, bark, meow, mock anything they hear enough and they will remember it forever. If your bird screams like this will you still keep him/her? If you're saying yes to this you are living in a fantasy. I'm not saying that if my bird did this I would give him up because I know what I had gotten myself into ( I wish I would have been told things like this though ) and was prepared to have him regardless. If noise is a problem, even a Budgie can have ear piercing noises, and a macaw screaming could make your ears BLEED! We have a macaw at the rescue I volunteer at that has picked up the sound of her previous owners 6 year old daughters scream. If you think it's annoying coming from a little girl, imagine it times 10, and all day long. She can be heard from miles away.

Please read this article from another parrot owner warning you about the lifelong commitment you're about to make: Ten Reasons You Shouldn?t Get a Parrot | VIE Magazine

Eeek, I know this wasn't a post directed at me but it has my goat up a bit - you can be firm in a message without being condescending. This is condescending. At 23 I'd been married three years, had one child with one on the way, and purchased my first home in a difficult market. OP is doing online research, already checking out potential avian vets and not making impulse choices. Credit where credit is due, yeah?

As for the OP - it's a difficult set of circumstance but still viable to have a parrot at home. I'd suggest something comfortably independent. Is your girlfriend a live in arrangement, is she keen on a parrot, and what are her work hours? I second the idea of time at a rescue type facility, both to learn the ins and outs of how birds can work and think, but also to make yourself available if the 'right' bird comes your way. We might all say....'Nah, (insert species here) is never going to work, they're too loud, or 'this will be fine, just get an (insert species here). But therein lies the problem with the post prior to mine....generalisations. Take lots of time, do lots more research, and make yourself available to individual birds, not consumerism of a species. Good luck!

 

[savannah78754]

I understand that everyone's situations are different, but the majority of people have not figured their life out at 23, and are still trying to decide how it'll be. I applaud you for being so brave and already getting out there for sure, but it's not usually the case with people that age, and I was definately not trying to be condescending...

I wanted to show the 'bad' parts of owning a parrot in a very straight forward way because lets be honest, on the internet they tell you ONLY the good things because they want it to seem like a blast ( don't get me wrong it is definately AMAZING at times and birds can be the best companions ever! ) but it's not always the case.

I wasn't being condescending at all when I said those things and I apologize for seeming like it, but there are so many factors that go into owning a bird that most people just don't know until they're neck deep in it. Birds can be wonderful and sweet and honestly a dream, but sometimes their not and what I said is to make it clear that when they are not you will want to stop. You'll want to give them up. You'll want to do anything but be there and be with your bird, and that's a totally normal reaction to an extent, but you need to be willing to stay and help the bird and train it to be comfortable with you being gone.

Like I said 1000 times in this post ( XD ) I was not trying to be rude, I would never want anyone on here to think that. I wish someone would have told me those things I said before getting a bird and I'm not saying I regret it at all, but it's been a huge lifestyle change that I will deal with for the next 20 years! The reality of bird companionship is that it's not always easy and if you're willing to accept that, we would be more than happy to advise you along the way with your new feathered friend!

Online research is great and I'm glad you are seeking an avian vet! Cudos to you! Something that other people have mentioned is getting one on one with a rescue and meeting some birds! You can see how it is there and see what bird fits you best!

 

[itchyfeet]

Admittedly I may have taken that to heart to quickly, however obviously it's a thing near and dear to my heart. Maybe it's cultural...I certainly wasn't/am not alone in my thought processes....

And I find the opposite. I researched for years without acting....got myself in to a wee thing of 'analysis paralysis'. I was nearly put off altogether from what I read, when in reality I'm pretty damn good with my birds. (I teach - my MIL has a 'too and teaches...there's this theme here. Run out of human kids...find some fids...). I spent a good few years on forums, mainly just stalking but occasionally asking the odd question here or there. It's pivotal we keep these guys feeling welcome so they get the opportunity to learn from our day to day lives.
The thing with the forums, as has happened to both of us today, is tone and attitude are hard to read. As such, we need to be encouraging and supportive of those seeking information on their first birds. We don't have to say....go shopping NOW!...But we can keep them present, engaged and revisiting by supporting two way conversation.

I don't necessarily think we should be encouraging big birds, little birds, etc etc.
I think we should be encouraging visiting numerous species, and opening up big wide conversations about preparing for parrots through nutrition, foraging, toy construction etc. By encouraging future fid owners to research and take a stance on flighted vs. clipped, pelleted diets etc - and by keeping them engaged.

 

[Piasa]

Ugh - why do you have to be "done with your life" before you own a parrot?

Who cares whether or not a parrot owner has figured out life, I doubt many if any of us ever do no matter what age. What matters is, will you love your bird? Seriously.

 

[savannah78754]

Admittedly I may have taken that to heart to quickly, however obviously it's a thing near and dear to my heart. Maybe it's cultural...I certainly wasn't/am not alone in my thought processes....

And I find the opposite. I researched for years without acting....got myself in to a wee thing of 'analysis paralysis'. I was nearly put off altogether from what I read, when in reality I'm pretty damn good with my birds. (I teach - my MIL has a 'too and teaches...there's this theme here. Run out of human kids...find some fids...). I spent a good few years on forums, mainly just stalking but occasionally asking the odd question here or there. It's pivotal we keep these guys feeling welcome so they get the opportunity to learn from our day to day lives.
The thing with the forums, as has happened to both of us today, is tone and attitude are hard to read. As such, we need to be encouraging and supportive of those seeking information on their first birds. We don't have to say....go shopping NOW!...But we can keep them present, engaged and revisiting by supporting two way conversation.

I don't necessarily think we should be encouraging big birds, little birds, etc etc.
I think we should be encouraging visiting numerous species, and opening up big wide conversations about preparing for parrots through nutrition, foraging, toy construction etc. By encouraging future fid owners to research and take a stance on flighted vs. clipped, pelleted diets etc - and by keeping them engaged.

I agree! If you want a finch and end up going to a rescue and finding a macaw that really cliques with you and you get him/her we totally will support you along the way and give advice when asked.

I completely agree with what you're saying about how tone cannot be 'read' over the internet. I wasn't trying to be rude of condescending, but I understand how it came off that way. Most of the online world will tell you only the good parts of having birds and I wanted to point out that although birds can be wonderful there can be some 'downsides' as well and future parrot owners need not to be afraid and we will know that if they run away when these things are mentioned, then they wouldn't have done very good with the bird in the first place. Birds are complicated and rewarding living creatures and we all must treat them as such.

If you have read everything I was saying and think " Well I think I could do all of that" Or " I can do all of that but one thing, but I am willing to change for my new bird" Then you will be a GREAT bird owner and mom/dad to this new bud.

Ugh - why do you have to be "done with your life" before you own a parrot?

Who cares whether or not a parrot owner has figured out life, I doubt many if any of us ever do no matter what age. What matters is, will you love your bird? Seriously.

I wasn't saying you need to be "done with your life", I was trying to emphasize that birds need more attention during the day than a dog or a cat. They need as much attention as a 2-3 year old child in all reality. I wasn't saying they need to figure out their life I was saying that they need to set aside several hours a day spread out throughout the say to care for their new bird in order to have a happy and healthy new friend. Birds are unlike any other 'pet' ( I put the ' marks because lets be honest, we don't own the birds, the birds own us :09: haha ) and actually NEED attention from their flock, and when in captivity these undomesticated animals think we are their flock.

Unfortunately, 'love' isn't the cure to having a happy bird or a healthy bird for that fact. I volunteer at a bird rescue and we have so many cases where the owners truly love their birds more than anything, but know that they cannot properly give them the time and attention they need any more and unfortunately need to give them up because they know what would be best for them. We have a new member, Lulu who plucks her chest, legs, and back because her owner of several years started going to college and because she was gone so much, it stressed Lulu out and she started having several behavioral problems. The owner loved her very much and did everything for her, spent every waking moment with her or at school, but for some birds it's not enough. In the wild they would be with their flock 23 hours a day. Lulu is very young and impressionable and has a whole life ahead of her, and her owner wanted nothing more than to spend it by her side, but she knew that college was not going to work out with her macaw.

We have many birds at this rescue whom we've had for a long time, and unfortunately 'love' isn't going to make them better about wanting to trust humans and 'love' won't solve any of their behavioral problems. So many people go home with birds and they love them to death and they think " Oh well if I love him, he will stop biting me. If I love him tomorrow, then today when I can't play with him at all, he will forgive me". Giving them a huge cage with a nice pellet diet and fruits/veggies every day and getting them out for 5+ hours every day is not always something that will make them happy all of the sudden. We have an African Grey right now whom gets more care and attention than a lot of birds in the rescue because his cage is in the middle of the living room and he sees a lot of people and he gets a lot of love, but he still has behavioral issues like aggression and screaming and even though we've had him for quite a while, this may never go away no matter how much we 'love' him.

Lulu's mom was only out at school for say 8-9 hours a day and that was enough for Lulu because she was used to being with her human all day every day. That is NOT ALWAYS the case, and some birds will be absolutely fine with sudden changes in schedule and will be fine entertaining themselves for several house while their human slaves are out at work, so don't get me wrong, this was a special case, but it is possible. You need to be ready for this to happen if you get a bird knowing that in 5 years, 20 years, you'll be living a drastically different lifestyle that maybe your bird might find unmanageable. He might start plucking like Lulu and get so far into feather-plucking that she now has a skin disease and probably will never stop plucking. This is all because her owner changed her lifestyle and Lulu didn't approve.

It's scary to think about how much your life can affect your bird, but unlike a dog they won't necessarily just accept it and move on, they may freak out a bit. Loving your bird won't fix everything and even though you definitely should there are so many things that go into making a happy healthy bird companion, and those need to be addressed as well..

( DISCLAIMER: Like I've said before, I truly truly am not trying to sound rude to any person, or condescending, or a know-it-all ( Because I have so so much to learn about birds and I always will ).. I am PURPOSELY trying to point out some scary, or 'not fun' parts about bird ownership and that even if you try your hardest and love your bird more than you love the sun, it still might not work out between you two. There is nothing wrong with that! Not everyone is fit out to take on parrot 'ownership'

 

[Piasa]

I also volunteer at a parrot sanctuary.

I guess we disagree. I do believe love is what it takes. Love is what gives you the motivation to give a bird a good diet, to look out for his needs, and to spend time with him. A bird that has problems needs an owner who loves him and will try to understand and work with him, and ultimately do what is best for him.

 

[Birdman666]

I hate the whole "starter bird" concept as well.

You get what you love, and you find out how to work with them, preferably before you get one.

Nobody knows anything about it, really, until you actually work with them.

Reading about it only takes you so far... actual hands on working with them, being around them, teaches you what you need to know.

If you're looking at Eckies - YOU NEED TO UNDERSTAND DIETS!

If you're looking at Macaws - YOU NEED TO UNDERSTAND BOUNDARY SETTING.

If you're looking at CAGS - YOU NEED TO UNDERSTAND HOW TO EXPAND A BIRDS BOUNDARIES, OPEN THEM UP TO CHANGE, AND GAIN TRUST. (IT HELPS IF YOU'VE WORKED WITH MULES... )

 

[Birdman666]

I also volunteer at a parrot sanctuary.

I guess we disagree. I do believe love is what it takes. Love is what gives you the motivation to give a bird a good diet, to look out for his needs, and to spend time with him. A bird that has problems needs an owner who loves him and will try to understand and work with him, and ultimately do what is best for him.

I couldn't agree more!

Most of mine were somebody else's problem birds... funny, they're not problem birds at my place. I wonder why... HMMMM....