Several questions

[CrowCall25]

1. Pet-hating parents
I have two parents that REALLY dislike noise and mess. I have two dogs, and although I really want a bird, they refuse to have more than two pets in the house. They also are opposed to birds thanks to a budgie I had when I was eight and really irresponsible. Any tips on swaying them?

2. How to satisfy myself!
I LOVE birds but my parent's don't, again, this causes problems. I can't volunteer solo at any bird rescue until I'm 16 (three years in the future, sigh.), and my mom and dad aren't keen on spending long around a bunch of big, loud birds. Any way to get a regular "Bird Fix" until then? I'm considering parrot-sitting, as my parents would possibly be okay with a bird staying just a week or so.

3. If I could get a bird, what kind?
Again, my parents hate noise and mess, so it would have to be something smaller. I want a bird that's at least cockatiel size, so budgies and parrotlets and such are out of the question. The initial cost of the bird would have to be below 200$, although adopting is an option. I want a bird that is cuddly, playful, and smart. Talking isn't all that important. I would be comfortable owning any bird Sulphur Crested Cockatoo sized or smaller. I HAVE owned a budgie before and done lots of research on parrot species.

Thank you for taking the time to read and (Hopefully) answer my questions!

 

[MonicaMc]

1.) Once you are able to - move out.

2.) Bird sitting might be an option... if you are lucky, there might be a bird store near you that raises babies and might be interested in helping to socialize chicks. (don't know how many stores would actually allow this however...)

3.) Doesn't exactly fit your criteria, but I'd recommend a bourke parakeet. Slightly bigger than a budgie, but not nearly as large as a cockatiel. They are on the quieter side and can be fun little birds. After that, maybe a linnie? Again, bigger than a budgie, but still smaller than a cockatiel. Or perhaps a canary wing/bee bee parrot?

 

[Owlet]

Probably not a good idea to get an animal of really any kind at this time. And to be blunt 200$ isn't really enough for a decent cage, let alone the bird and toys and perches and vet funds and all of that. I advise you wait until you're older with a stable job and living on your own / with someone who would be okay with the noise and mess that comes with ANY bird.

 

[BoomBoom]

Hi there!

1) Wait till you have your own place. I've seen a lot of heartbreaking stories as a result of uncooperative parents putting their foot down when they've had enough of the noise, furniture chewing and mess.

2) Great tips from Monica. To add, look up local bird clubs and join their meetings and activities. Chances are, they'd bring their birds along. I think they'd also appreciate your motives for participating.

3) My experience with birds are limited to budgies and a sun conure so I am biased for one of those. That said, I advise waiting a few more years.

 

[PetoftheDay]

Perhaps for now, content yourself with feeding the wild birds? It s what has kept me sane during my time in this "no pets" apartment building. Sure the Canada geese and their brantlings come running when they see me, as does the wild turkey, but they are wild birds, not "pets" - but I get to feed them, talk to them and interact with them.

The mourning doves and song sparrows serenade me, it's not just the large birds.

 

[CrowCall25]

Thank you all for the great advice! I will definitely look up some parrot clubs, and you really are right, I'm not in a great living situation right now for a bird. Hopefully I can survive the next 3 years, lol. Hopefully my beautiful puppers help keep my sanity intact.

 

[EllenD]

Yes, I agree, for now I would probably concentrate of taking advantage of the time you have left before you move out and use it to learn as much as you can about the different species of parrots, what is necessary to keep them happy and healthy, and learning about all the personality and character traits of parrots, etc. This way, when you are able to make decisions for yourself, you live on your own, and you have a steady source of income, you can make an informed-decision about what species of parrot you want to bring into your family...

Being forced to choose a species of parrot based on the requirements of your parents is not a great way of doing things, as ultimately, as we tell many, many people, the species of parrot you're looking for, one that is the size of a cockatiel but no larger than a SC2, is not at all noisy or messy (ha ha), that costs less than $200, etc...this doesn't exist my friend.

The other thing you have to keep in mind is that you are only 13 years old, and I'm going to assume that you don't have a steady source of income...So while you may be able to eventually come-up with the money to pay for the actual bird (although as stated already, $200 is what an adequate cage costs), you are not going to be the person who is going to have to pay for everything the bird needs for the next however many years...Right off the bat, forgetting the cost of the actual bird, you have to buy a cage that must be as large as you can possibly afford, large enough that the bird can spread it's wings fully open, have room to climb, jump, swing, and play, etc., as well as comfortably and spaciously hold between 6-10 toys at a time to keep the bird entertained and from becoming bored, so figure that's a minimum of another $100-$200 if you find a used one on Craigslist, then at least 6-10 toys/foraging activities to start off with, a few different perches to replace the dowels or plastic ones that come with the cage, and then it's food costs every month, which are not at all cheap..You'll have to buy a bag of high-quality pellets, a bag of high-quality seed-mix, and then fresh veggies and fruits, nuts, etc. every single month...you've got to figure that food alone will cost at least $50 at a minimum...So that's a lot of costs in the beginning, and that's not even including the cost of the actual bird, which if you're looking to get a hand-raised baby from a breeder, is going to cost you at least a few hundred dollars...And then you have the regular monthly food costs....So you have to think about all of these things ahead of time, as it's not just about buying the bird and a cage and that's it...

And something that a lot of people totally neglect to think about is the future cost of medical/health care for a parrot...You cannot, or at least you should not get a bird before finding out where the closest Certified Avian Specialist vet is to you, as you should not take a bird to simply an "exotics" vet who sees a bird, then a lizard, then a ferret, then a mouse, then a frog, etc. So you have to find a Certified Avian Vet, and you have to take your new bird within the first week or so of having him for a "wellness exam" with the Certified Avian Vet...and Specialist-Vets are more expensive than a General Vet, so figure just an office visit alone, without any tests or medications, will cost around $100+...

What we see a lot of, unfortunately, is a lot of young people coming here for help because their parrot is obviously sick, and their parents absolutely refuse or just can't afford to take the bird to a Vet, even though it's usually the parents who bought their kid the parrot in the first place...So then the kid/teenager, who obviously loves their bird very much, doesn't know what to do or how to help their sick bird, and there is very little we or anyone else can do to help them either, as a bird who has an infection, or who has broken a bone, or has a bad wound, etc. will not recover without an Avian Vet, proper testing like cultures, blood work, x-rays, etc. So you're looking at usually a minimum of $500+...And a lot of the time the bird dies, simply because the poor kid has no way to get their bird help...So you don't want to end-up in that situation either, that isn't fair to the bird, or to you...

So i'm glad you came here to ask this question before just going out and bringing a bird home, or working on your parents to get you one, because there's so much that goes into this decision, and you're only 13, you've got a lot of big changes coming-up in your life in the near future...So again, take these years to learn as much as you can about parrots, the differences between species of parrots, about what is involved in owning a parrot, etc. And then by the time you're living out on your own and working, supporting yourself, you'll be so much more prepared and ready to go!

 

[GaleriaGila]

Wonderful compassion and advice, dear members.

And to you, young Crow, I extend my sincerest compliments on your maturity and receptiveness. Someday you'll make a fine parront!

 

[Scott]

Thank you for seeking advice before taking the plunge! Great advice so far, please check this superb "sticky" written by SuperModerator "Anansi."

http://www.parrotforums.com/new-mem...-students-should-ask-before-getting-bird.html