Would my current and planned lifestyle suit a bird?

[saurian]

Hey guys- me again.


I'm just here to ask some of you what your opinion is on, uh, exactly what the title says! Don't worry- I'm just curious, I'm not ignoring the advice I got yesterday!



So, as you know, I'm of school age. However, I've been taught at home since 2017 because I've never mixed well with other children due to being born with a problem, which I don't want to discuss right now, as well as having social anxiety. Being taught at home means that my schedule is very flexible and not fixed. Sometimes, my lessons finish at twelve or one P.M. Another thing is that, after school, I get incredibly bored and lonely. I have absolutely nothing to do most days from £:30-10:30 PM. 80% of my after-school time or weekends are spent working on my PC for clients or exercising in my room. I don't really go out with anyone except my brothers or someone I've known for a while.


I like talking and exercising my use of the English language. And, I'm almost always in need of some kind of emotional interaction. And, I hear you say, college? Simple! The colleges I'm on the list for all mean I'll be able to go there during the day and come back to my house at night. Bird time from about 4:30 PM to the latest being 10:00. I think I learned from Mister how much time birds need and the cost of their care, and I know I'll also have the time and money going into the future, because, after some inquiries, I have found it will be possible for me to work from home, doing computer things and writing. Working from home means I'll always be with the bird. I'm not saying I'm a perfect planner; I'm like a chess player. I always like to put myself moves ahead.


Thank you for reading.

 

[LaManuka]

The funny thing about life is that it rarely goes exactly to plan. I would have loved nothing more than to have been able to stay in my home town but darned old “life” had other ideas and I ended up travelling half way around the world and had to leave my budgies behind.

More than pretty much any other type of pet, birds really do require everyone in the household to be on board with their care and well-being. This includes the family cook ditching their Teflon coated cookware, no-one using air fresheners or scented candles anymore, the list of adjustments people have to make is fairly extensive. If you’re really keen to have another bird at this stage you may well consider a cockatiel. There’s lots of reasons why they’re so popular. They are friendly and sociable without the issues of over-bonding to one person that many other species can have. They’re generally a lot easier to manage should the situation arise where maybe your parents have to step in as primary carers if you’re away for any length of time. I saw in your first post that you’re keen on African greys - well you can always get one of those later, no reason why you couldn’t have both. Cockatiels in my experience have always been birds that are just happy to hang out with me, and my boy Fang certainly was there for me when I just about lost my mind following the devastating loss of my green cheek conure last year, I wouldn’t have got through it without him!

Whichever way you choose to jump I wish you every success with your next feathered buddy, I’ve always thought birdie-love is pretty special.

 

[saurian]

The funny thing about life is that it rarely goes exactly to plan. I would have loved nothing more than to have been able to stay in my home town but darned old “life” had other ideas and I ended up travelling half way around the world and had to leave my budgies behind.

More than pretty much any other type of pet, birds really do require everyone in the household to be on board with their care and well-being. This includes the family cook ditching their Teflon coated cookware, no-one using air fresheners or scented candles anymore, the list of adjustments people have to make is fairly extensive. If you’re really keen to have another bird at this stage you may well consider a cockatiel. There’s lots of reasons why they’re so popular. They are friendly and sociable without the issues of over-bonding to one person that many other species can have. They’re generally a lot easier to manage should the situation arise where maybe your parents have to step in as primary carers if you’re away for any length of time. I saw in your first post that you’re keen on African greys - well you can always get one of those later, no reason why you couldn’t have both. Cockatiels in my experience have always been birds that are just happy to hang out with me, and my boy Fang certainly was there for me when I just about lost my mind following the devastating loss of my green cheek conure last year, I wouldn’t have got through it without him!

Whichever way you choose to jump I wish you every success with your next feathered buddy, I’ve always thought birdie-love is pretty special.

Thank you very much! The advice/stories on here have been great so far.

 

[Scott]

You may be a exception to the generalized advice of postponing parrot companionship until older and/or more independent.

Please read this extraordinarily candid thread. Don't be put off by the title, the contents are simply amazing: http://www.parrotforums.com/questions-answers/74949-mental-illness-owning-parrots.html

 

[Alehner529]

I can tell you that the majority of people who own parrots have 8 hr per day jobs and manage to have parrots just well. I am one of these people. My sun conure gets 4 to 6 hours a day out of cage, much more on weekends.

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk

 

[Laurasea]

You want to meet and read about the different species. And try to let the parrot choose you! You can tell they choose you because they come right to you, really want to look and interact with you. I met my first Green cheek conure at at a store with lots of birds, she came right to me, let me touch her, watched me while I looked at other birds. But she was a runt, sickly, and her cage mate picked her feathers. So I was thinking of getting the pretty one next to her. That's when the bird lady came over and said it's pretty special when a bird chooses you!!! She told me that the bird didn't act like that with anyone else, even her. She told me to go across the store and spy on her. Sure enough she held perfectly still when others came around and never went to them. So I got her and we had a wonderful relationship for 17 years!!! Best advice I ever got!!!!
I let all my birds choose me, and all have been wonderful fteindly babies!!
Some species are allowpreeners, so they are more into touching and head scritchs. If that's something you want. Definition of allopreen. of a bird. : to preen or groom the skin or feathers of another bird On other occasions in succeeding weeks the female allopreened her mate, who sometimes solicited by putting his head down.–
Some birds that are allowpreeners are Quakers, and conure species.
And I would add that many parrots are way louder and messier than most novices bargain for !

 

[noodles123]

If you aren't living alone or with those who understand that their entire cleaning, cooking, perfume, heating/cooling, quiet times will have to change a ton for a bird, then I would say no. I mean, the cleaning/cooking lifestyle changes are MONUMENTAL and annoying/exhausting (due to all of birds' sensitivities to ptfe/pfoa/teflon...plus any air-borne chemical (including burning food, perfume, air freshener, standard cleaners like lysol/windex/bleach etc, candles, plastic fumes, flea shampoo, essential oils, carpet shampoos, hairspray and then 90% of kitchen pans/trays/gadgets etc)
I would wait until you have a stable job and are finished with school completely...and until you are not living in an apartment or in a house in which you cannot make the rules.

 

[saurian]

If you aren't living alone or with those who understand that their entire cleaning, cooking, perfume, heating/cooling, quiet times will have to change a ton for a bird, then I would say no. I mean, the cleaning/cooking lifestyle changes are MONUMENTAL and annoying/exhausting (due to all of birds' sensitivities to ptfe/pfoa/teflon...plus any air-borne chemical (including burning food, perfume, air freshener, standard cleaners like lysol/windex/bleach etc, candles, plastic fumes, flea shampoo, essential oils, carpet shampoos, hairspray and then 90% of kitchen pans/trays/gadgets etc)
I would wait until you have a stable job and are finished with school completely...and until you are not living in an apartment or in a house in which you cannot make the rules.

We researched this kind of thing around the time we got Mister and I believe some if it is common sense. Parrots are "delicate" creatures. Everybody in my house knows of the requirements, so I think us having a bird before is an advantage there. I'm also probably going to meet some parrots tomorrow.

 

[noodles123]

If you aren't living alone or with those who understand that their entire cleaning, cooking, perfume, heating/cooling, quiet times will have to change a ton for a bird, then I would say no. I mean, the cleaning/cooking lifestyle changes are MONUMENTAL and annoying/exhausting (due to all of birds' sensitivities to ptfe/pfoa/teflon...plus any air-borne chemical (including burning food, perfume, air freshener, standard cleaners like lysol/windex/bleach etc, candles, plastic fumes, flea shampoo, essential oils, carpet shampoos, hairspray and then 90% of kitchen pans/trays/gadgets etc)
I would wait until you have a stable job and are finished with school completely...and until you are not living in an apartment or in a house in which you cannot make the rules.

We researched this kind of thing around the time we got Mister and I believe some if it is common sense. Parrots are "delicate" creatures. Everybody in my house knows of the requirements, so I think us having a bird before is an advantage there. I'm also probably going to meet some parrots tomorrow.

Coming from a house that used a lot of natural cleaners already, I am not sure that much of it is "common sense". Teflon is hidden in blow dryers, straighteners, slow cookers, irons, ironing boards, clothing, mascara, drip trays, griddles, grills, hot pots, humidifiers, SPACE HEATERS, some microwave popcorn bags, poachers, air fryers, slow cookers, waffle irons, ovens, microwaves, toasters, cookie sheets, cake pans, ranges, electric skillets, curlers, curling irons, air poppers etc... and things like perfume, candles, potpourri, air fresheners, intense etc are used all the time in most homes...especially in bathrooms.
Perfumes and deodorants, bug spray, sunscreen, insecticide, polishes, markers, paints, glues, floor cleaners etc are all things people use.

Then there is the issue of your future. If you go to college, what happens to the bird? Bringing a bird with you will be very hard and roommates are not trustworthy in many cases (Spraying fabreeze, using scented oil heaters and essential oils, spraying aerosols, using straighteners/blow-dryers etc without checking for teflon). Plus, 99% of dorms will not allow pets AND use unsafe cleaners per maintenance. Then there is the issue of apartment living and neighbors---if you live in a place with thin walls etc, then drug-us, smoking or teflon use by your neighbors could impact your bird...Not to mention the fact that many places spray for insects as a part of your lease. Then there is the noise...plus 12 hour sleep requirement w/ a set bedtime and wake-up (which is very hard for a student). If you have to be home at 6 every night to put the bird to bed, that is going to significantly impact your freedom (as well as your ability to entertain guests or appease noisy roommates).
Now add the insane cost of medical bills, toys, cages etc...

Travel will be much harder as well and you will never get to sleep in again--doesn't matter if you are puking, depressed and bleeding from your eyes...The bird will require 100% of your devotion not matter what.
Travel becomes EXTREMELY complicated because, as a guest in someone's home (or a hotel) you cannot dictate what cleaners or chemicals they use. You cannot tell them to stop cooking because all of their dishes contain teflon either... doors and walls DO NOT protect a bird from teflon use either...So the alternative is to board, but if your board, you risk exposure to asymptomatic carriers of myriad deadly diseases (diseases for which testing is not mandatory or reliable---diseases spread through feather dust in the air-vents etc).
If you take your bird with you on a road-trp, what happens if you have to go to the bathroom? You can't take the bird inside of many gas-stations etc due to Teflon use on those food warmers etc, and leaving a bird alone in a car is also risky...Air travel is even more stressful... Birds also are super sensitive to drafts and temperature shifts, which make travelling in most seasons more stressful than travelling alone.

My point is, until you are totally settled in your life, a bird is a poor choice. You just cannot know where you will be in 10 years, and it is easier for someone who is 25+ to make that call than it is for someone still living with their parents and in school. You will have to work late, attend dinners, travel etc but you won't be able to if you have to come home to the bird (for play, covering, dinner/breakfast etc).

There is also the fact that your bird is going to bond with someone in your family and if you leave to go to school (or take the bird when you leave) there could be some trauma there...especially if your bird bonds more closely to another family member (which can happen).

I know I sound negative and that is not my goal. You sound like you will make a great bird owner, but in the future....Even the most genius 15-25 year-olds could not have predicted how much life would change for them within those 10 years....

In many cases, birds can be more work than children, and they never grow up...So, if you aren't ready to take on a hyperactive toddler with special-needs who doesn't speak English and is allergic to the world, then I would wait to get a Grey. If you have children of your own, there is also the possibility that your bird will become upset by this. Furthermore, you may meet someone who tolerates birds but isn't willing to make all of the sacrifices it takes in terms of lifestyle..

 

[Scott]

I believe Connor has shared a viable vision for long term life with a parrot. Few of us offer perfect homes, motivation and dedication overcome many daunting life obstacles.

Hopefully the community will offer continue to offer meaningful advice as he begins the search for ideal companion.