Man's new best friend

When people think of a companion animal almost everyone thinks of a dog or cat but many would be surprised to learn that the third most popular companion of the world is the Parrots and their popularity is rising. According to the newspaper USA Today there is over 11 million pet birds in the US alone. Once you own one you'll know why so many people are getting into parrot ownership. Parrots are colourful, playful, extremely lovable companions who have the intelligence and behaviour of a human child. Unlike a dog you don’t have to walk them and unlike cats you don’t have to clean a litter box but you do have to clean their cage which isn’t as smelly or dangerous to your health. They can learn dozens more and cooler tricks than other pets and they can learn to talk to you.

            You don’t get a parrot cause you want an animal that can talk, Parrots need special care but this care is worth it in the love and entertainment they will give you for many more years than you could imagine. You get a Parrot because you want a pet that is more loving and loyal than any dog who will be happy to watch TV with you, play video games with you, sing and dance with you, entertain you with their comical ways and you love a companion who becomes a fellow family member.

            Ever since I could remember I always wanted a pet bird. Me and my dad wanted to raise finches but my mother always said no and I imagined owning a Macaw or African grey when I got older but I found that there is much more diversity to the pet bird trade than Macaws and Greys. In February of 2012 I went to a local Petsmart and me and my dad, like we always did, went to view the birds for sale. There we saw a Green Cheeked Conure, a small South American parrot, who I fell in love with. It rolled over like a puppy when it saw us; it danced a little happy dance and kept trying to hand us its food and water bowls. That day I and my dad decided that without my mother’s permission we would get a parrot. We didn’t buy the Petsmart bird but instead found a local store that specialized in parrots called Exotic wings and pet things. They have the greatest amount of parrot supplies at the best prices in the area and a wider variety of parrots to adopt. We took a visit as a family then a month later without my sisters and mother in tow me and my dad went out and bought a baby Green Cheeked Conure that the whole family, even my mother, now love. Even our 3 cats get along with it. We named him, we don’t actually know for sure the gender, R2 after the star wars character and just like the character, and what all parrot owners find, and for a non-human being they have huge personalities and quickly become a major part of the family.

            The journey into parrot ownership will change your life and might be the greatest journey you could have. Parrots make wonderful, loyal, comical, entertaining and over all enjoyable companions. Once you live with one you will always wonder how you ever lived without one.