First Parrot

[MGMork]

Hi everyone,

NOTE: If you vote in the poll, please explain your vote! (Message or comment is fine)

So for about a year now, I've been stricken with a love for parrots. It started with Cockatiels, and has, more recently, spread to Conures, Caiques and Indian Ringnecks. But before I get to the details of my question(s), I'll shed a little light on my living situation/lifestyle.

For starters, I live with a family of 5 (myself included) in a rather large household (roughly 4200 square feet). The youngest member of my family is my 11 year-old brother. A fair thing to mention is the fact that we do have a small dog as well (a miniature schnauzer), and while he may be quite noisy at times, he's never been one to chase/harm anything or cause issues, so he is of no concern. Like I said, the house is rather large, and we have a lot of free and open space to spare.
Now, about my (and my family's) lifestyle. As a whole, we are a pretty 'in-and-out' family, but that doesn't mean the house is always empty. Both my parents work (my dad is full time, and my mom is on call), my younger brother is in elementary school, and I have a light course load myself. The only other member of the family is my older sister, but we rarely ever see her anyways. Most days, the house is totally unoccupied from 9 until noon, and some days that can stretch until 3, but other than that, there's almost never less than 1 person at a given time. Even still, I'm at the house most of my time, whether it be in the morning before classes or relaxing afterwards. I do have a part-time job as well, but I don't work many hours. So, personally, I'm out of the house for roughly 6 hours each day. Again, that can vary, but I generally have classes in the morning and work in the evening. And like I said, the house almost always has someone in it, whether it be my parents or my brother, and they have all agreed to care for the bird when I am unable.

Alright, so that's enough about me and my family. I hope that's enough to give a sense of what kind of environment the parrot would be living in, but if you have any further questions, feel free to ask! The more help, the better.

So, now on to my questions and current situation. Like I mentioned before, I've got my heart set on a few types of parrots. As it stands, I am leaning towards a Conure, but more specifically, a green-cheek or a sun Conure. My local pet store actually works with a breeder from Vancouver, who both breeds, rescues and hand-raises Conures. I've spoken with him quite a bit, and spent some time last month with a green-cheek he brought in. I've done hours of research and forum-searching, and have asked almost everything I can to both the breeder and the pet shop. While it does seem that everything would work out, I'm still petrified that I'll make the wrong decision, and end up with a bird I can't care for. I even got to meet a green-cheek in person and get used to it's nature (and I ended up spending hours in the pet store...)

But that brings me to my next question: Is a Conure the right choice for me? Like I said, I've been torn between them, Cockatiels, Caiques and Indian Ringnecks. They all have such wonderful personalities and potentials that I'd happily embrace. The only important thing to me in terms of qualities/traits is their ability to socialize/interact. I love cuddly animals, and them being hands-on is a must. I've heard that all of them are quite clown-like and acrobatic, with Caiques being the most energetic, and the more playful the better.

Anyways, I think that's about it! Again, if there are any important details that I missed, don't hesitate to ask. Ans if you do decide to vote in the poll, please explain your vote! Thank you in advance!

 

[chris-md]

Hello and welcome!

Unfortunately you aren’t going to like the answer: none of them are appropriate at this time.

You seem to be a teenager. While you could - for the time being - provide a good home, life is going to happen to you very soon. Off to college very soon, where your probably living on campus, then in assorted apartments. Extra curricular activities, studying late nights at the library.

Then graduation and moving to a new job, where you are likely to have roommates in an apartment that possibly won’t allow any pets.

The list goes on. The short answer is that parrots - of any time, cockatiels to large macaws - are best suited for stable homes, better for after you’ve bought a home and aren’t leaving anytime soon, a time when you have a greater emotional intellect to properly coordinate FUTURE care of the bird. The average parrot will see 5-7 homes in its life, which is so tragic. Part of that is a lack of planning and thinking ahead. . Buying parrots for teenagers who will be leaving home soon.Parrots are unfortunately viewed as expendable, readily discarded at the slightest inconvenience. We don’t treat dogs like this. So sad given how emotionally and intellectually intelligent they are.

 

[LordTriggs]

agreed with Chris on this one

I would say anyone wanting a pet (of any sort) should wait until settled in their own home to know if it's suitable to keep a pet. The amount of posts online selling parrots that have been in a home for only 2 months because "don't have the time" is mind boggling

 

[Sunnyclover]

Agreed with those guys. You're too young for such a huge commitment. Getting a conure is like getting a 2 year old with a weapon on it's face that will scream it's head off if you don't spend enough time with it. In same cases the conure might only need 1or 2 hours of time a day but in most cases they won't be happy unless it's 5 to 10 hours a day out of cage and with you time. Personally I have 2 Conures and I love them with all my heart but they're a lot of work and my house is covered in tree stands and bird cages and various bird paraphernalia to help keep them happy and healthy with plenty to do. Don't get a bird unless you can put in 110% into it and at your age that's not possible for a sustainable timeframe. So I have 2 birds and one of them is the perfect bird and the other one has a ton of issues and is very taxing and frustrating on me mentally and emotionally. Sometimes birds are just like that...you can get a perfect bird like my Ollie or a difficult bird like my Finley and if you get the later it will be very very hard to take care of as a teenager. Not to mention the vet costs. My difficult bird Finley has gone to the vet 5 times in the 4 months I've had him and the total cost for those visits have been around $1600...are you and your parents prepared for such an expense? Some of the vet visits were life or death so of I didn't take him he most likely would have died. Just food for thought. Sorry to put a damper on things.

 

[clark_conure]

I have to agree with the above comments. BUT if you Know your going to be diligent....a GCC in my experience is the funnest part of my life....besides the other things. But it's not like getting a cat that you can ignore....birds need socialization all the time. And everyone in the family would have to be on board. And you will be going to college or off to work when he needs most his interaction time. Think about the future....several years ahead.

 

[clark_conure]

I'm sure you're like OMG why all the no!... It's because we put the parrots first.....It's the standard with which we base decisions....and teens about to go off and do amazing things.......the bird usually gets left behind.

Now if your dad wanted a parrot.....that would be a different story....

 

[LordTriggs]

don't forget too the entire family needs to be on board with noises when it's your birds bedtime, the noise (even quiet birds like conures can make your ears ring) and the family and you need to be aware a bird can easily bond to just one person (not always the one who interacts with them) and can begin attacking everyone else and start screaming non-stop if the other person leaves their sight.

Also are they ready to do without their non-stick cookware? typical cleaning products? aerosol deodorant? Perfume? Air Fresheners? Teflon coated appliances? All of those cannot be present with a bird around or they will kill a bird.

 

[Sunnyclover]

Also are they ready to do without their non-stick cookware? typical cleaning products? aerosol deodorant? Perfume? Air Fresheners? Teflon coated appliances? All of those cannot be present with a bird around or they will kill a bird.

Excellent addition LT!

 

[marrmarr]

I'm sure you can make it work if you really tried. people here are way too sensitive about bird keeping. people in 3rd world countries (which is most of the world) keep birds in what people here would consider "atrocious" conditions and are probably just as healthy. just my 2 cents. good info here, just don't let others discourage you from doing what you consider possible.

 

[MGMork]

Thank you everyone for your answers!

You seem to all think that I'm younger than I am... I'm 18 years old, taking college courses already. My parents and I live a few minutes away from campus, so there is no need to move. And everyone in on board with it! Not one person isn't ready for this commitment. And yes, we have prepared to make the changes regarding chemical products. I would be putting the bird first, trust me. There's nothing you guys have said that I haven't prepared for.

 

[eickhorn]

I just got my Yellow Collard Macaw, last Sunday. I know the feeling of stepping into this field. I have massive data to learn myself and will not shy from it. My Rio is doing well, considering the previous owners abuse of her. Get your cage and toys , food first. Then make a decision on the type of bird. It takes a long time to learn about them. I spent 2 weeks researching and found little that was for my bird. Others here and elsewhere have filled in some of the blanks. Just got for it, you will love raising your bird.

 

[MGMork]

I'm sure you can make it work if you really tried. people here are way too sensitive about bird keeping. people in 3rd world countries (which is most of the world) keep birds in what people here would consider "atrocious" conditions and are probably just as healthy. just my 2 cents. good info here, just don't let others discourage you from doing what you consider possible.

And thank you for this Although I do understand where everyone is coming from, I know it's possible... So thanks for the reassurance!

 

[MGMork]

I just got my Yellow Collard Macaw, last Sunday. I know the feeling of stepping into this field. I have massive data to learn myself and will not shy from it. My Rio is doing well, considering the previous owners abuse of her. Get your cage and toys , food first. Then make a decision on the type of bird. It takes a long time to learn about them. I spent 2 weeks researching and found little that was for my bird. Others here and elsewhere have filled in some of the blanks. Just got for it, you will love raising your bird.

Wow, just last Sunday? It's nice to have advice from someone who's has extremely recent experience! Any recommendations for me specifically? The only birds that are ever available for me to meet are conures, so i currently have no experience with Caiques, Cockatiels or Ringnecks.

Thanks again

 

[chris-md]

Marrmarr, I don’t think you understand. Parrots have DIED as a result of this arrangement, have been horribly neglected as a result of this arrangement. Mine included. And the rate of rehoming is astronomical, and wholly unacceptable.

We have a obligation to be the best stewards we can be for these animals we’ve forced into our homes. An ounce of conservatism is absolutely warranted.

Know better, be better.

MGMork, 18 is square in the age range we’re concerned about, and right around where most of us assumed you are, given the age of your younger brother. Now really isn’t the time. Taking classes is one thing. But you’re still in your family’s house.

Yes many of us have had birds as kids. Doesn’t mean it was the smartest choice for our parents to make.

Can it be done? Yes. Should you? No. You have more improtant things to worry about. Birds are encumbering, it’s a fact. They restrict your oifestyle options. Now is not the time for this encumberence on your possibilities.

 

[MGMork]

Chris, I understand, I really do. I know I can't rush into this or risk giving any animal a poor home or quality of life. But how does being in my family's house affect this? And I know I have responsibilities regarding both classes and personal life, but doesn't everyone? At every stage in life? Because I'm pretty sure there are people who work 9-5 jobs every day and still manage to maintain a healthy, happy parrot. And I did forget to mention, I have a friend, my age, who attends classes just as I do, and they own a cockatiel from their childhood, and are also looking into conures as well. I'm not trying to argue or deny, I'm just trying to understand. I've done my research, I've talked to professionals, but I just want to know why you personally think I couldn't provide for the bird.

 

[EllenD]

First of all, PLEASE IGNORE THE STATEMENT MADE BY MarrMarr of "people here are way too sensitive about bird keeping", as it is one of the most irresponsible and idiotic statements I've ever heard made by someone who actually already owns a pet parrot, and is a member of a parrot forum. THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS "BEING WAY TOO SENSITIVE ABOUT BIRD KEEPING", or "pet keeping" in-general, regardless of the type of pet...Why do you think there are hundreds of thousands of pets in need of homes in this country? BECAUSE OF PEOPLE WITH THE SAME MENTALITY AS MARRMARR...Get mad at me, I don't care one bit MarrMarr, it was totally irresponsible of you to make that statement to a teenager who came onto this parrot forum asking if getting a pet parrot would be right for he and his family right now...THIS 18 YEAR OLD IS FAR MORE RESPONSIBLE THAN YOU ARE ALREADY, JUST BY ASKING THE QUESTION THAT HE DID!!!

Now, moving on to your question...I do think people perceived you as being a young teenager, I did at first too, I assumed you were in your early teens. So you're 18 and going to college, and living at home and commuting...okay. The point that everyone was trying to make to you is that "LIFE HAPPENS", and trust me, it does. Things happen out of your control, plans change, you meet your future spouse, you have kids, you move for a job, etc. That's what we're talking about. You have to realize that you're talking about a Green Cheek Conure, Sun Conure, etc. that can and probably will live into their 30's. That's a long time. Not that getting a dog, a cat, a rabbit, a ferret, etc. isn't also a huge commitment, it is, but when you buy a parrot, even a Budgie (who can live into their 20's despite what people commonly think), you're making a commitment that will automatically last for decades, just like having a human child. In addition, the other big factor that makes getting a parrot, any parrot, different than getting most other pets, is the fact that they have the intelligence of a human toddler! So put that all together and think about it for a minute..."So I'm talking about bringing home a baby Conure, who has the intelligence of a human toddler and will live into his 30's"....Now you see why parrots usually have an average of 5-7 different homes throughout their lives, usually more than that? We can't just sell or "rehome" our human children like we can parrots, though I'm sure if we could there are many people who sadly would...

For me, the questions that you need to not only ask yourself but also EVERY PERSON WHO LIVES IN YOUR HOUSE are:
-Can you keep your bird's main-cage in the "main" room of the house, the room where the action in the house is, the room where most people are when they are home, such as the living room, den, family room, etc.? You cannot keep your bird in your bedroom or a "spare" room where he will be able to hear people are home but will not be able to see them. And even though this will be "your" bird, per se, you cannot put his cage in your bedroom, go to school or work, and make him stay in your empty bedroom while anyone else is home, watching TV or whatever in the living room. He will cry and scream and have socialization issues if you do this. Even if no one is paying direct attention to him, just him being located in the room where people are, where he can see them doing whatever it is that they are doing, will allow him to feel comfortable and content being in his cage and entertaining himself with his toys and such inside of his cage.
-Do you all have the financial resources to not only pay for the bird himself, and not just for the "initial" costs such as the largest cage you can possibly afford and fit in the main room of your house (the larger the better as long as the bar-spacing is the right size for the species you get), initial toys, etc., but like the monthly food bill, which should NOT be simply a bag of medium to large bird seed mix; you must make his main staple food a high-quality, fortified pellet, such as Harrison's or Zupreem, which may involve ordering them online on a monthly basis or in-bulk, then a supplemental-only, high-quality seed mix that includes a varied list of ingredients, not just seed, but rather dried veggies, fruits, grains, nuts, etc., such as SunSeed vita seed or Tropimix, and then also a varied mix of fresh veggies and fruits EVERY SINGLE DAY; a different mix of toys for him that should be switched out every month and rotated inside of his cage so he doesn't get bored; and very importantly AN EMERGENCY FUND FOR A CERTIFIED AVIAN VET!!! This last one is the one that most people discount and forget about, of they just assume that they won't ever need. The fact of the matter is that Certified Avian Vets are more expensive than a general dog and cat vet, but are totally necessary if and when your bird gets sick or injured. The difference between paying for a Certified Avian Vet or just taking your bird to an "Exotics" Vet when he gets sick is the difference between him living or dying. So you need to make sure that either you are saving money each month for a Certified Avian Vet (he should have at the very least a "Wellness Exam" that includes baseline blood work and Fecal Cultures once every year), or that your parents are going to be willing to pay for the CAV visit, tests, and treatments if he becomes sick or injured, which are usually at least a couple of hundred dollars a pop...
-Are you able to allow your parrot to get at least 4-5 hours of out-of-cage-time with you or someone in your home every single day? That's the minimum amount of attention and direct stimulation a parrot needs to stay happy, healthy, and to prevent boredom, behavioral issues, and syndromes resulting from a lack of attention, such as feather plucking..
-Do you have a plan if a problem with your current dog arises? The fact is that he is NOT a "non-issue", not by a long-shot. He's never shared his home with a bird before, i don't know if he's ever shared his home with any other animal before, but definitely not a bird, so the truth is that you don't know what kind of issues are going to arise at all. He may become very, very jealous of the bird and become violent towards him, he may exhibit a prey-drive towards the bird, and it may be impossible to have them both out at the same time. In this case, the bird cannot suffer, he cannot be punished by spending all of his time in his cage and not get his minimal 4-5 hours a day out, nor can the dog be punished by being constantly locked inside a crate or a room alone all the time. ***I'm putting emphasis on this issue because it's obvious to me that you haven't put ANY thought into it as all, as you automatically wrote it off as a "non-issue", and as anyone on this forum will tell you, you cannot at all judge how any current pet is going to react or act like when you bring home a new parrot. And just as you don't know how the dog is going to react, you also don't know how the bird will react, he may be aggressive towards the dog, and their beaks can do a lot of damage. Everyone here will also tell you that this is such a common and usually overlooked issue prior to getting a pet bird, that it often results in one of the two pets having to be rehomed shortly after the arrival of the bird. It's not fair to the dog to have to leave his home, he was there first, and it's not fair to the bird to get settled into his new home and then have to leave. So this is an issue that you must sit down and speak about with your family before even thinking about bringing a bird into the house. You must discuss all of the possible issues that could arise and how you will handle them.

The other thing that YOU in-particular must think about, since I'm assuming this is going to be "your" bird, meaning you will be his "person", is what will happen to the bird after you graduate from college, or even possibly prior to. You're only 18 now, you just graduated from high school not long ago, but you're not going to want to live with your parents forever, and as I said above, "life happens". So if you meet someone and develop a romantic relationship with them and they want to move-in together, they might have pets already, etc., or if you have to move for a job, etc., what will happen to your bird? These are the things that unexpectedly happen in life my friend, and though you cannot predict them happening or how they will happen, you do have to make a commitment to that bird the day you bring him home!

We all care very much about our birds, they are our families, this is very true. However, we also care about the literally hundreds of thousands of birds living in rescues and shelters, and in abusive and neglectful homes, and bouncing from home to home to home to family to family to family. This is why we take questions like this so seriously, because we are trying to educate you BEFORE YOU BRING A BIRD HOME! We want to do everything we can do to prevent another bird from being a lost soul, floating throughout it's life with no stability or love at all. Contrary to what MarrMarr apparently thinks, this is not us being "way too sensitive about bird keeping", IT'S US BEING RESPONSIBLE, CARING, LOVING BIRD OWNERS WHO DON'T BELIEVE IN SIMPLY JUST GOING AND BUYING A PET BIRD "BECAUSE YOU WANT ONE"...

 

[EllenD]

Something I forgot that you need to discuss with your family, mostly your parents, is whether or not they are willing to throw-out every piece of non-stick, Teflon cookware that they own, all of their pots and pans that have the black, teflon on them, if they have them, which a lot of people do, as you CANNOT use ANY non-stick Teflon pots or pans, not EVER, with a bird in the house. The fumes that are released whenever you cook with Teflon pots and pans can and will instantly kill your bird. Period. You must replace them with either ceramic non-stick, cast-iron, copper, etc. No pots and pans with the black, non-stick lining...

This also goes for ANY ceramic heaters, air purifiers, etc., as they also contain the same stuff as Teflon does (PFE's and such) that will instantly kill your bird. This is a big problem for a lot of people, as they don't realize this until AFTER they get a bird, then they have to spend a bunch of money replacing stuff.

They also cannot EVER use any scented cleaning products, scented candles, oil burners, plug-in scents, basically nothing with "scents". They will have to start cleaning with only non-scented, natural cleaners such as white or red-wine vinegar and water, or the clear, natural cleaners made from plant enzymes, such as Green Works products. No other commercial cleaners at all, no bleach, no scented lysol, febreeze, Mr. Clean, nothing...

 

[MGMork]

Hi Ellen,

Let me just say: this is exactly the response I was looking for. Thank you so much for taking the time to address each of my points, pointing out what I may have missed, and giving me REAL advice rather than just saying what everyone else has said (even though I do value what everyone has said.) I'll definitely make sure to double-check and prepare for everything you listed here, especially the issues regarding my dog. I hadn't thought about whether the bird itself would be comfortable living with another animal under the same roof, and I would never want to force either of them into conditions that, to them, are not ideal. The only reason I wrote it off as a non-issue is because we've had small animals in the house before, and he's never been an agressive dog... But I see what you mean, and I'm glad you pointed that out. I'll definitely consult the family on this one. Every member has agreed to this commitment (even though, yes, it will be my bird) and are, in fact, eager to interact with a lovely new addition to the family. I've been browsing multiple pet supply stores, planning for food, toys, and cages, and have budgeted appropriately. I even have money set aside for emergency situations. And I do realize that all of you here are just making sure that I don't rush into a commitment that I won't be able to handle, but that's exactly why I came here. I do believe I can take proper care of a parrot, and I'd really like the chance to do so. I have always been an animal lover, and would never want to do bad by any creature. I know life gets in the way, trust me, I do. But I know that people, such as everyone on this forum, has been and are willing to sacrifice their time to care for their own parrot, no matter the breed.

So again, thank you. I really, really appreciate your help!

If I can, I'd just like to ask one question: is a conure the right type to look into?

 

[DoubleTake]

If I can, I'd just like to ask one question: is a conure the right type to look into?

EllenD made some excellent points. If you really want a sun conure. I suggest you visit one or know someone with an adult sun and see if you and your family can handle the high pitch of their scream. Same goes from green cheeks, although they aren't quite as loud or high pitch... but' I have heard some come close to sun conure pitch only because it was trying to mimic the sun's call. So my advice would be take a family outing so everyone can experience the noise level since they will have to live with it too. Green cheeks, Pyrrhura species, is smaller than the sun, Aratinga. So there is a size factor. From my own personal experience, the green cheeks seem to be nippier than the suns but that can always be worked on and there are plenty of green cheeks owner on here to help you with that.

 

[MGMork]

Thanks, Doubletake. I'll see what I can do! I'll contact the breeder and ask if they're any possibilities to do a 'meet-and-greet', so to say.