Tell me about owning a bird.

[Anonymous]

I grew up with birds -- Macaws, Blue fronts, African Greys, a few parakeets and a cockatiel.

The parrots are hard and can be loud.

A hand raised cockatiel is an ideal pet for kids. Gentle and loving. Quiet and not very messy. Our biggest issue is that birds were so "exotic' back in the 70s and 80s that getting supplies were a hassle. Now even Chewy.com carries bird supplies.

[Anonymous]

Check out Phoenix Landing, they adopt out birds that have been surrendered. Or very often, outlived their owners....

[Anonymous]

https://www.phoenixlanding.org/adoption.html

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:16:34 here, one more thing to add. Vet bills. Avian vets are more rare and hard to find. One of our budgies had a little infection (in hindsight he had it from when he was purchased from the pet store). It cost approx $400 to get him back on his feet. Something to take into consideration. Some have said we should have let him die, but I do not agree.

Good for you. When you get any animal, including a $40 pet store budgie, you’re responsible for another life. My cousin quit a private veterinary practice because she got sick of hearing people say, “no, I won’t pay because my kids need a new TV.” (She works for the Ag department now.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Birds are flock creatures, so they require a lot of socialization, at least several hours a day and more if you can manage. It needs to be the right socialization, too—too many people think poking your finger at a bird is all the entertainment it needs, and then they’re surprised when it bites.

I have a medium-size parrot who has been partially blind since hatching. She would definitely not do better in the jungle. The vet told me to return her, but we all know how that would have ended. She’s out whenever I’m home. She’s a great companion, and she’s quiet except for one scream in the morning and one at night. Yes, her poops are messy, but she’s leaning to poop on command. (The smaller parrots generally can’t do that.) Lots of people have great relationships with their birds, if you know how to care for them.

I guess in the end, though, I wouldn’t recommend a parrot for most people. I have a lot of patience, a lot of experience, and I like the way they interact— which is warmer and more interesting than anybody’s interactions with the cat I inherited from my mom. (And yes, I spend a lot of time making sure the cat and bird never meet) But I’m not the norm.

If you do decide to try a bird, do consider adopting from a bird sanctuary like Phoenix Landing or one of the ones on PetFinder. Don’t support breeders or PetSmart when there are too many birds waiting for adoption. Also, getting grown birds means you’ll have a better idea about the personality. in Phoenix Landing even makes you take two (short) classes before they’ll let you adopt, which might be a good test for your son.

Also, definitely consider a smaller bird, like a parakeet or cockatiel (louder). Nix on the more emotionally complicated Amazons and Greys, which are for more experienced owners

^ NP - and I think this PP is correct.

Please, if you do get a bird, make sure the bird is not stuck in a cage for all of his or her life. It is a horribly cruel existence. There are lots of birds who need new homes because their owners were unwilling or unable to care for them, so as PP said please make sure you aren't buying one from a pet store or anything like that if you do decide to bring one home.

Here is a good resource: https://bestfriends.org/resources/parrot-adoption-considerations

https://bestfriends.org/resources/parrots-sale-why-adopt-rather-buy

https://bestfriends.org/adopt/adopt-our-sanctuary/birds

https://www.humanesociety.org/news/no-fly-zone

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have never allowed my son to have birds. I don't believe in them as pets. Birds were meant to fly and we are not equipped to offer them an appropriate environment. Also, birds can be quite difficult to care for properly.

+1

It is cruel to own a caged bird.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have never allowed my son to have birds. I don't believe in them as pets. Birds were meant to fly and we are not equipped to offer them an appropriate environment. Also, birds can be quite difficult to care for properly.

+1

It is cruel to own a caged bird.

Pet birds that are well taken care of fly daily around their houses and bond closely to their owners. The problem is, most pet birds are stuck in their cages.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Oh man we had neighbors who had a huge cockatiel. That thing was a NIGHTMARE. Screamed all the time, would repeat the same phrases over and over (one of which was SHUT UP!).

I'd say no. He keeps asking because he's sensing weakness. Be firm, say no.

LOL!

[Anonymous]

Lots of noise. Lots of poop. They live for a long time. And it's also cruel unless you let them out all the time in which case, I refer you back to lots of poop.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Birds are flock creatures, so they require a lot of socialization, at least several hours a day and more if you can manage. It needs to be the right socialization, too—too many people think poking your finger at a bird is all the entertainment it needs, and then they’re surprised when it bites.

I have a medium-size parrot who has been partially blind since hatching. She would definitely not do better in the jungle. The vet told me to return her, but we all know how that would have ended. She’s out whenever I’m home. She’s a great companion, and she’s quiet except for one scream in the morning and one at night. Yes, her poops are messy, but she’s leaning to poop on command. (The smaller parrots generally can’t do that.) Lots of people have great relationships with their birds, if you know how to care for them.

I guess in the end, though, I wouldn’t recommend a parrot for most people. I have a lot of patience, a lot of experience, and I like the way they interact— which is warmer and more interesting than anybody’s interactions with the cat I inherited from my mom. (And yes, I spend a lot of time making sure the cat and bird never meet) But I’m not the norm.

If you do decide to try a bird, do consider adopting from a bird sanctuary like Phoenix Landing or one of the ones on PetFinder. Don’t support breeders or PetSmart when there are too many birds waiting for adoption. Also, getting grown birds means you’ll have a better idea about the personality. in Phoenix Landing even makes you take two (short) classes before they’ll let you adopt, which might be a good test for your son.

Also, definitely consider a smaller bird, like a parakeet or cockatiel (louder). Nix on the more emotionally complicated Amazons and Greys, which are for more experienced owners

What does she do when you let her out? Just fly around? How do you interact with her?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have never allowed my son to have birds. I don't believe in them as pets. Birds were meant to fly and we are not equipped to offer them an appropriate environment. Also, birds can be quite difficult to care for properly.

+1

It is cruel to own a caged bird.

Do you have a cat? Keeping your cat indoors is unnatural and cruel, but that’s absolutely what you should be doing because cats are invasive species and kill millions of rodents and birds, who didn’t evolve to deal with housecats, every year.

Keeping fish in an unclean fish tank is cruel.

Keeping a dog and not giving it love and attention is cruel.

Pet ownership is s mixed bag everywhere, and there’s plenty of cruelty to go around. A well-socialized bird with plenty of time outside the cage and maybe a bird friend is no worse than any of the scenarios above.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Birds are flock creatures, so they require a lot of socialization, at least several hours a day and more if you can manage. It needs to be the right socialization, too—too many people think poking your finger at a bird is all the entertainment it needs, and then they’re surprised when it bites.

I have a medium-size parrot who has been partially blind since hatching. She would definitely not do better in the jungle. The vet told me to return her, but we all know how that would have ended. She’s out whenever I’m home. She’s a great companion, and she’s quiet except for one scream in the morning and one at night. Yes, her poops are messy, but she’s leaning to poop on command. (The smaller parrots generally can’t do that.) Lots of people have great relationships with their birds, if you know how to care for them.

I guess in the end, though, I wouldn’t recommend a parrot for most people. I have a lot of patience, a lot of experience, and I like the way they interact— which is warmer and more interesting than anybody’s interactions with the cat I inherited from my mom. (And yes, I spend a lot of time making sure the cat and bird never meet) But I’m not the norm.

If you do decide to try a bird, do consider adopting from a bird sanctuary like Phoenix Landing or one of the ones on PetFinder. Don’t support breeders or PetSmart when there are too many birds waiting for adoption. Also, getting grown birds means you’ll have a better idea about the personality. in Phoenix Landing even makes you take two (short) classes before they’ll let you adopt, which might be a good test for your son.

Also, definitely consider a smaller bird, like a parakeet or cockatiel (louder). Nix on the more emotionally complicated Amazons and Greys, which are for more experienced owners

What does she do when you let her out? Just fly around? How do you interact with her?

Mostly she likes to sit on my shoulder as I go about tasks around the house, cook, watch tv or read. She asks me to scratch her head by butting her head against my ear, and I oblige by doing this multiple times a day (most pet birds love this because they can’t preen their own heads). She flies a bit but not much, due to the partial blindness. She’s figured out where things are but sometimes botches the landing. She says a few words, and greets us with “pretty bird” only in the morning, so apparently she thinks it means “hello.” When I say “poop” sometimes she will, as I hold her over a trash can, and we’re working on that.

She likes her cage and goes into it when she’s ready to go to sleep. I’ve had several birds who do this. She’s also a bit territorial about her cage. A cage doesn’t have to be a terrible place, instead it can be a refuge for birds that are lucky enough to get a lot of time outside. Unfortunately, some birds don’t get out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have never allowed my son to have birds. I don't believe in them as pets. Birds were meant to fly and we are not equipped to offer them an appropriate environment. Also, birds can be quite difficult to care for properly.

+1

It is cruel to own a caged bird.

Parrots are cavity nesters (like woodpeckers, chickadees and some other birds) so they actually like a safe place to go at night. Some people put snuggle huts inside the cage. So if the bird is out a lot, the cage is actually a refuge at night and a place to pop back into for food during the day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have never allowed my son to have birds. I don't believe in them as pets. Birds were meant to fly and we are not equipped to offer them an appropriate environment. Also, birds can be quite difficult to care for properly.

+1

It is cruel to own a caged bird.

Do you have a cat? Keeping your cat indoors is unnatural and cruel, but that’s absolutely what you should be doing because cats are invasive species and kill millions of rodents and birds, who didn’t evolve to deal with housecats, every year.

Keeping fish in an unclean fish tank is cruel.

Keeping a dog and not giving it love and attention is cruel.

Pet ownership is s mixed bag everywhere, and there’s plenty of cruelty to go around. A well-socialized bird with plenty of time outside the cage and maybe a bird friend is no worse than any of the scenarios above.

The bolded is ridiculous. Your opinion, maybe. But far from fact. And not like the other things you mention at all.

[Anonymous]

I once thought about getting a bird and my Ph.D. biologist spouse strongly objected. Bird poop can contain some nasty stuff that can make humans very sick. We'll stick with a dog and cat.