Larger parrot that would be good with a 3 year old?

[zeusophobia]

Hi, I was looking for a larger parrot that would be ok with a 3 year old boy. It's primarily going to be my parrot, and I'm home all the time.

My dream parrot would be some type of amazon, but I don't think that's practical around a child. My second choice was a quaker, but I don't know much about them other than the guy at the bird store said they were more gentle than amazons.

Some advice would be appreciated.

 

[SailBoat]

Please see this Thread in the Off Topic Forum: February 2020 POTM Contest

Near the bottom of that Thread, you will find a family photo, which include a new borne and Amazon!!! The very happy mother grew-up under the care of an Amazon. That said, in both cases the Amazon was near 10 years or older. Amazons can be faced with a difficult transition into Adulthood as the flow of a Hormonal chemical rush and spin them up quickly. That 4 to 8 years of age can be difficult for them to understand what the heck happened.

IMHO, it would have been better if the Amazon came first and the core family developed a strong trust bond prior to your three year old coming into the picture. But, that just my opinion... And, it's not real life!

I would strongly recommend looking at an Amazon that is over the age of 7 or 8 and not a young Amazon. Please understand that the Larger Amazon seem to have more difficulty than the smaller Amazons do.

You're 3 year old is going to have to be taught that Amazons are not toys and proper handling is a must.

You Must Agree to Have the Amazon Choose Your Family!!! That means that the Amazon shows an interest in your Family and comes near you... If the Amazon runs the other way, whether on the first, second or third visit, that's a Not Interested comment from that Amazon. But, if the Amazon keeps coming to you, that's a very good sign.

Is this possible, Yes! But it requires a life time commitment!

 

[ParrotGenie]

This is going to be one of those controversial topics, as some will flat out say NO, "Arrows will be coming soon"? I learned how to train and had a parrot when I was young myself and actually learn how to hand raise a unweaned blue streak lorry from a vet as my father at the time bought her from a unethical breeder and she live her full life. I have a friend who gave his 7 year old daughter, now 16 a rescued moluccan cockatoo named Angel. He taught her responsibility of course with supervision at a young age since he owns a farm and etc. Plus he would at times bring the bird with him as well even at work. She know now how to handle parrots better then most professional trainers and she treats that bird well.

So yes younger kids can own large parrots, just have to teach them proper care and responsibility and be supervised till kid gets older. Don't buy on impulse as these birds can live a very long time and generally expensive to care for, plus have the intelligence of a young kid themselves and you will have to take full responsibility as well. Plus has to be in full agreement with the family as you all will have to care for the bird and bird can choose one family member over another?

 

[noodles123]

there is no such thing as "my parrot". The ENTIRE house must be on-board 500%---for better or for worse. You will not all be liked by the bird, but even those who are liked WILL be bitten. You will ALL have to stop using any teflon/ptfe/pfoa/pfcs in the house (period). No scented products or standard cleaners...no candles etc (everyone will have to follow this). Everyone will also have to be on the same page behaviorally--- responding according to plan when the bird shows bad behavior. A 3-year old may have a hard time ignoring screaming, and that could be a big problem (as many birds will do anything for any kind of reaction).

Also the parrot may not choose you when other options are presented- it also may not choose your family members if it does choose you...Imagine your 3 year old with a crazy sharp beak, wings, and a scream louder than humanly possible, with EXTREME respiratory sensitivities (as well as non-human behavioral quirks)...then keep life-span about the same an that is a pet parrot.

A baby parrot will also always be nicer than an adult (and quieter) and it can take many years for them to transition out of that "baby" period (during which many people teach them bad behaviors and trigger them hormonally without knowing that a few years later, it will blow up in their faces.) I would definitely adopt instead of shopping because you will have a better idea of your bird's adult preferences.
Also-- just because a baby bird loves you, doesn't mean it will continue feeling the same way in adulthood (much like teens/adults, birds often "push" away from their earlier parent figures at maturity).

 

[Flboy]

They will bite! Sometimes deliberately, sometimes by accident! Sometimes severe!
No different than any four year old getting mad, holding a pair of clippers! Or just playing!
I still have memory of really hurting my older brother with a pair of lineman pliers! At the time, I really was just trying to make him jump to the moon! As I had seen so many times in cartoons! No, the family kept me!
As said, EVERYONE must be onboard for the long haul! A single dissenter can poison the family pool! Your little one will learn the parrot’s boundaries!
As said, a mature parrot will be much easier on you all! A hormonal, teen Amazon is a force of nature way up on the adventure scale!

 

[Aavogaro]

I decided to chime in after this thread being quiet for a couple weeks because we just adopted a 22 year old African Grey and I have an about-to-be 3 year old. He is very gentle for a grey but he is still nervous about my 3yo. It makes sense. She’s a great calm kid around birds and has a beautiful relationship with our cockatiel and budgies. But our grey has watched her dancing, running, squealing in delight, throwing tantrums, and more and I think he is decided she is a bit too unpredictable right now. My 3yo has only “held” him once and that consisted on my sheathing her hand with mine and Paco actually standing on my hand. He was a bit nervous and gave me a light bite to let me know he wasn’t happy so we ended the session. With that said I wouldn’t say he is bad with a 3yo. We are working on other things she can do with him. She reads to him, dances for and with him while he is sitting on the door of his cage, she talks with him all the time and he will often, but not always, take high value treats from her hand. We adopted him to be a family pet but know that doesn’t necessarily mean every family member gets to have the same type of relationship with him all the time. I don’t blame him for being nervous of her. Toddlers are erratic highly emotionally charged small people. Our goal is in time (like several years), they will develop a relationship of their own and he will trust her as she matures and calms down and she will have the joy and memories of having such an amazing creature in her life for as long as she can remember. With that said, she is good about following the rules of not poking at him or sticking fingers in his cage if he is inside, and he is good about not being a “snapper” lunging at her when she walks right by. I hope this helps some. I believe you can’t decide what type of parrot you want for your family, you need to decide any types you DON’T want and be open to letting one you would consider choose you instead.