Why get a Parrot?

All too often get a parrot because they want a talking bird and never take into account the birds’ needs and what must go into bird ownership. Owning a bird is best described as a combination of a dog, cat and toddler in terms of care. Like dogs they need to be played with, treated as one of the flock and need training. Like cats they can entertain themselves for hours while you are out and you need to clean up after them (the bottom of their cage is a parrots litter box). Finally like a toddler they are smart and emotional animals that need to have plenty of mental stimulus and positive emotional experiences.

Jenday enjoying itself with toys

            When choosing a parrot one must research each parrot species general traits and qualities. Some birds, like Cockatoos, demand attention constantly to the point that they want to be a surgical attachment to you while others like Budgies require very little attention or care. Some breeds are excellent talkers such as African Greys and Amazons while some are not known to talk like Cockatiels. You also have to take into account your living conditions. You can’t smoke around them because it kills them in less than a year, you can’t use scented candles in the same room as them and you absolutely must not use Teflon which when heated releases a toxic gas that is invisible to our senses. The respiratory system of birds is very sensitive and can be harmed easily by things we don’t realize are there. Plus some species such as Sun Conures are too loud to be kept in apartments.

            On that note parrots are the loudest pets you can own. Quite a few species are louder than a jet engine and they’ll be in your home. Conures in the Aratinga genus like the Sun, Jenday and Nanday Conures tend to be some of the loudest of what are known as screamers. Screamers is the term used in aviculture to describe a group of noises that parrots often use to gain attention, contact fellow flock members and warn of danger. Other loud screamers are Quakers and Macaws. These loud birds would not be a good idea for apartments or condos.

My parrot R2 trying to pull the keys off a laptop

            One thing you must also keep in mind is the cage! The bigger the bird the bigger the cage and some like Macaws need cages that could be almost as wide as a love seat. I own a Green cheeked Conure, a species no bigger than a cockatiel but his cage is the size of a medium dog crate and the bars are almost as thick as a pencil. Unlike mammals a parrot’s beak is remarkably powerful and can crush through metal so the bars must be of appropriate size for the species of your choosing. Even more shocking is the lock. Some parrots, like Cockatoos and Greys are smart enough that they can find a way to unlike their cage doors, even with locker locks. Remember you have to clean this cage and the bigger the cage the more you have to clean.

            Probably the major thing to consider is:

Why do want a parrot?

Do you want a companion you can cuddle with while watching TV and to talk to when you’re lonely. A companion who is always happy to see you and is there to greet you whenever you come home with bird song or maybe one day a “hello”. Have you always wanted to have a bird as part of the family or to have an avian companion who will play with you and be happy to sit on your shoulder? These are all good reasons to own a parrot, you don’t get one cause you want a talking bird or they would look good in your living room. Parrots are social animals who need lots of care and attention to stay alive and thrive but no matter how much care they need it is always worth it for all the love and care they give to you.