Can You Have A Conure While In School?

Hello! Thank you for doing some serious research before making any decisions.

The answer really is no, you really shouldn’t consider it. The reason is because you have to consider what will happen to it when you go away to college. Your parents will likely not want to care for it, while simultaneously you won’t be able to keep it with you while at college. It could force you to have to rehome the bird, which is a scenario that needs to be avoided at all costs.

Parrots of any size best flourish under more stable conditions. Once you’re graduated and settled into a home where a screaming bird isn’t going to annoy the next apartment over.

for the reason stated above of college, I say no. Even then if college isn't on the cards you're going to find that key point of time from College to first real job you're in a bit of a haze of social life, studying, new jobs and the brief 30 seconds you get to have a nap. On top of that most colleges wont allow pets (especially birds) so you have that to deal with. If it's a family pet that of course is different as everyone is on board. I say best time to wait is until you're in a stable job in your own home (rented or bought) and whoever is in charge of the property allows pets. You have an idea of your life at that point and can more readily assess if a pet is right

From the two statements above I would have to agree. The all ready on set of stress through schooling and life through it would be sensed through the bird. The time and effort that also goes into keeping one also conflicts with school. But In saying that, I’m currently going through my high school years and have owned a conure for 2 years now ( and have expanded my flock) but I am only able to do this though the sacrifices I have made for them. Now don’t get me wrong I would do anything for my animals and taking time out of my social life does not bother me one little bit to spend as much time as I can with them. I have come to learn that my flock especially thrive on routine and that has been the way for the last 2 years I’ve had them. I love each and every one of my parrots and would not do anything to change it, it does get stressful at times with exams and work but that is where I get help from my family who are happy to take out and look after them. I do plan on going on further with my education and have no intentions of leaving the parrots.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I would say that it is unwise for anyone to get a bird in school.
There is not enough time to properly attend to one at that point and life is in flux, which means predicting future decisions/living arrangements is almost impossible. Then there is the issue of having to live with family and/or roommates and this can be dangerous for the bird due to things like candles, teflon, noise etc.

I was that person who got a (Jenday) conure at 13 years old, wanted one SO badly.

And guess what happened.... after 4 years I had to rehome him because I was going away to college, couldn't have him with me in the dorms and my parents refused to take care of him. For a creature that lives around 30 years, it was NOT FAIR to him to even purchase him in the first place, since I was not committed to the lifelong commitment he needed, he was rehomed and was probably very upset about this.

Don't do what I did....WAIT until you are done with all school, living on your own, and have your own source of income and transportation!

It depends on your situation. If you have a family that doesn’t mind taking care of the bird correctly when you cannot then there isn’t any reason you can’t. Without the family support then no you shouldn’t.

I had horses, cats, birds, reptiles & other assortment of small animals while still in school. My parent had no problem taking on the financial burden of these animals. I took on the majority of care though even taking care of a small barn (5-7 horses) when I was 12. I also knew that I was never going to go away for college either so that’s helpful to know. I went to a local college and I’m not big on people so I didn’t do parties or social events. At most I had gatherings with people that were no longer in college and that only happened once in a blue moon. I did a study abroad program for 3 months and my mother took care of all my animals while I was gone. So if family isn’t on board or if you are people oriented then I wouldn’t do it.

The conure should be socialized with everyone just for reference in the future. My macaw can be left out with people when I leave even though he doesn’t like them. Unfortunately my cockatoo and amazon cannot. My amazon deals with being left by himself just fine but my cockatoo self destructs if it’s for too long. You definitely want any future bird to be socialized enough that family/friends is a fine substitute even if he misses you like crazy. I had conures when I went away for months and they were fine even though they were bonded to me. I’m certain the muttering in my ear for awhile when I got back was her cursing me out but she was perfectly fine and healthy haha

There are exceptions to most every rule, but acquiring a bird while in high-school for a college-bound person is difficult. Please read this excellent opinion by one of our super moderators! http://www.parrotforums.com/new-mem...-students-should-ask-before-getting-bird.html

I am a college student myself with birds, but I also live off campus in a very pet-friendly complex and I tend to study in the peace of my own room, so having plenty of passive interaction and company for my fids hasn't really been an issue. When I moved off campus after my freshman year, I brought my childhood cockatiel to live with me and did not acquire my conure until I was certain I would have enough time to interact with him.

If you are still in high school and looking to get a bird, you need to ensure your parents are in on it. Luckily for me my parents met in a pet shop and had no aversion to caring for my boy while I was gone, as my mom had had birds of her own and loved Sol as well. If your family is not okay with it, however, it is a no go.

If having a conure while in school doesn't work out, you can always just transfer to doing your studies online at home. lol. That's what I'd do, lol.


In all seriousness though, as long as they are given an adequate amount of attention and interaction (the recommended minimum is 2hrs a day) they will be fine while you're gone as long as they have things to occupy their time (music and toys are ideal choices). As for the 2hrs of interaction, it doesn't have to be direct attention (meaning doing nothing else) and many are just happy to be out and with you so even a little bit of time before school (while you're getting read for instance) counts.



Also, while you're doing your schoolwork at home, that way if you forget to do it, you can say your conure ate it. lol. Seriously though, that is one time I would NOT recommend having them out with you (while you are studying) because they would essentially be unsupervised while you are focusing on studies.

My take on high-school aged, or simply just teenagers, getting any type of pets that they are going to be responsible for, especially any type of parrots that require a ton of attention and interaction every single day to stay happy and healthy (and that also live for literally decades), is that you should wait, if for no other reason than you have absolutely no idea what life is going to bring your way in the next 10 years!!! And I really do mean that, I know it doesn't seem that way to you now, you probably have a set-plan, like "I'm going to graduate from high-school, go to college for 4 years, then do this, and then do this, etc.", as we all did...I'm 39 now and I can't tell you how different my life is from what I thought it would be when I was 18!!!

The point is that "life-happens", and at least at such a young age, taking-on that kind of responsibility while a teenager in high-school could very well be setting yourself up for either #1) Having to actually change your life plans to cater to your parrots, or #2)Heartbreak because at some point you have to make the decision to re-home the parrot you've had for a few years already and that you love like your own child because of some curve-ball that life has thrown you, or because some awesome opportunity has come your way but you can't take advantage of it with your parrot...Ask anyone who had a human-child while they were in high-school or college and they'll tell you that it completely altered their life and their future, because obviously you can't "re-home" a human child, lol (although I imagine people do try to, sadly)...And parrots are one of the pets that require a more child-like attention to stay healthy, just the same as getting a primate as a pet, like a Monkey, a Lemur, a Bush-Baby, etc.

You've got a lot of years ahead of you to take-on those types of responsibilities, and honestly you've not even begun to live yet...You need to experience some life first, and then you can make informed-decisions about taking-on those kinds of responsibilities...

Why do you think the bird is stressed? In my honest opinion, if the bird is thriving and the owner knows what they're doing. Then there is no reason for you to worry about someone else animal. However, if the animal isnt being cared for properly, and you know this, then you have every right to worry about the animals' wellbeing. The real factoring questions are, is the animal being cared for properly? Do you think so? I think that age is not the factor, or school really, as you can go to school and still give your animals great care, and give them enough attention.



Dust GCC
Kansas Sun Conure
Coop Blue crowned conure
Snowball Jenday Conure
Candy Cockatiel
Hope Rose breasted Cockatoo
Vinny Scarlet Macaw

I didn't go to college but got Kiwi when I was 19 (and did not still live with my parents/fully supported myself). The vast majority of my free time as an adult has not been spent out having a great time with friends or traveling, it's all been spent at home training the bird, cleaning the bird, making food for the bird, playing with the bird etc... Don't get me wrong, I adore my bird but I probably shouldn't have rushed out at that age to get him. I'll be 30 next month and feel the majority of my 20's were consumed by the demands of owning a bird/ I've never been free really to do as I pleased without considering my bird.

Being a near hermit and not really enjoying socializing with other humans, this does not bother me, but virtually everyone else I know of this age would not be satisfied had that been how they spent their 20's. Getting one before you even have your own apartment/home? It should pretty much be out of the question for 99..9% of teens/young adults. Take it from someone who 'did that' and actually managed to keep my bird with me (most end up rehoming due to the extreme demands these animals place upon you),

Kiwibird said:

I didn't go to college but got Kiwi when I was 19 (and did not still live with my parents/fully supported myself). The vast majority of my free time as an adult has not been spent out having a great time with friends or traveling, it's all been spent at home training the bird, cleaning the bird, making food for the bird, playing with the bird etc... Don't get me wrong, I adore my bird but I probably shouldn't have rushed out at that age to get him. I'll be 30 next month and feel the majority of my 20's were consumed by the demands of owning a bird/ I've never been free really to do as I pleased without considering my bird.

Being a near hermit and not really enjoying socializing with other humans, this does not bother me, but virtually everyone else I know of this age would not be satisfied had that been how they spent their 20's. Getting one before you even have your own apartment/home? It should pretty much be out of the question for 99..9% of teens/young adults. Take it from someone who 'did that' and actually managed to keep my bird with me (most end up rehoming due to the extreme demands these animals place upon you),

Click to expand...

This is completely understandable for most teens. But some don’t have life’s and need their animals. From the poster, she looks to have birds, and she is obviously a teen. Which means that she is probably able to care for them. A lot of teens who are truly passionate wont allow social life to get in the way of their animals. As I did when I was a teen. When I was a teen I had parrots and other exotics. I hated socializing, and still do to this day. So I mean, it really factors in to what the teen is like and what they are capable of doing. Or if they actually care.

As much as I love my bird and love birds in general, I would almost never recommend getting a bird, to anyone really, not just teenagers. I just turned 20 this September and I've had my GCC for about 10 months now. Few people are suited to being a bird owner, it takes a lot to raise a bird and preserve the special bond, and they have very different needs from dogs or cats. It seems many posters who have had birds since their teen years either did not go to college or sacrificed much of their social life, which may create a very bleak picture. It does take a lot of effort, but it is definitely possible to have a bird and enjoy college and a social life. You will not be able to stay out super late, live in dorms, lose control of your behavior (aka drink/take drugs irresponsibly as most college kids do), and you will have to say no to hangouts sometimes to look after your bird. However, I am privileged enough to live in a pet-friendly apartment and have a group of friends that can provide bird-friendly hangout spaces that I can bring Nico to. Overall I'd say I'm a little bit more of a homebody than most college students, and I'm definitely the opposite of the partier type, but I have a fairly enjoyable social life and can balance that with schoolwork and taking care of Nico. But it's definitely not for everyone! Make sure you do tons and tons of research before getting a bird.

sweetpeamusic said:

As much as I love my bird and love birds in general, I would almost never recommend getting a bird, to anyone really, not just teenagers. I just turned 20 this September and I've had my GCC for about 10 months now. Few people are suited to being a bird owner, it takes a lot to raise a bird and preserve the special bond, and they have very different needs from dogs or cats. It seems many posters who have had birds since their teen years either did not go to college or sacrificed much of their social life, which may create a very bleak picture. It does take a lot of effort, but it is definitely possible to have a bird and enjoy college and a social life. You will not be able to stay out super late, live in dorms, lose control of your behavior (aka drink/take drugs irresponsibly as most college kids do), and you will have to say no to hangouts sometimes to look after your bird. However, I am privileged enough to live in a pet-friendly apartment and have a group of friends that can provide bird-friendly hangout spaces that I can bring Nico to. Overall I'd say I'm a little bit more of a homebody than most college students, and I'm definitely the opposite of the partier type, but I have a fairly enjoyable social life and can balance that with schoolwork and taking care of Nico. But it's definitely not for everyone! Make sure you do tons and tons of research before getting a bird.

Click to expand...

I totally agree. Some teens can manage. I know I did. Also research is definitely needed. So really to answer the posters question, yes you can. But only if you are truly passionate about birds. Which would mean that you would make time for them and leave your social life for them. Because you can’t assume what one other is capable of doing, maybe even if you know them first hand. Becuase a lot of people hide things and they are complicated to understand, so some people may look like they don’t care. But they really do. I just think if as a teen you want a parrot, you need to be ready for a lifetime commitment. Especially if you want to go to college. During my collage, all my friends thought I wouldn’t be able to manage having my parrots and school, but I did. I still have all the parrots I had at that time. I only had Vinny and Dust at the time. But even those two were very demanding.

CrystalFeather04 said:

This is completely understandable for most teens. But some don’t have life’s and need their animals. From the poster, she looks to have birds, and she is obviously a teen. Which means that she is probably able to care for them. A lot of teens who are truly passionate wont allow social life to get in the way of their animals. As I did when I was a teen. When I was a teen I had parrots and other exotics. I hated socializing, and still do to this day. So I mean, it really factors in to what the teen is like and what they are capable of doing. Or if they actually care.

Click to expand...

There are certainly types of animals that are suited for more responsible teenagers who like animals such as retiles, amphibians, rodents, fish and even some species of birds like canaries, finches, doves etc... I personally kept reptiles as a kid/teenager and greatly enjoyed them and took my care duties very seriously. But the reptiles didn't care if I went a day or 2 without handling them/letting them out of their enclosures like a parrot would. My parents had/still have large parrots and while I greatly enjoyed growing up with them and spending a lot of time playing with them, I'm certainly glad I wasn't the primary caretaker for them! For the vast majority of teens and college age students, even very responsible ones, the attention needs of parrots is just too much to handle. That's not to say there is the rare young person out there who could get a conure or macaw or whatever at 13 and have the bird for the rest of it's life and care well for it. Just like some 15 year olds who have a baby may do a wonderful job as a parent, but most kids who are raising kids put the child at a disadvantage so you wouldn't ever encourage any 15 year old to get pregnant. Animals who have the mental capacity of a small child and live 30+ years (or longer for larger parrots), are also typically at a disadvantage when being raised by a teenager and it certainly shouldn't be recommended or encouraged because a very small percentage can do it right. Hope that makes sense

Kiwibird said:

CrystalFeather04 said:

This is completely understandable for most teens. But some don’t have life’s and need their animals. From the poster, she looks to have birds, and she is obviously a teen. Which means that she is probably able to care for them. A lot of teens who are truly passionate wont allow social life to get in the way of their animals. As I did when I was a teen. When I was a teen I had parrots and other exotics. I hated socializing, and still do to this day. So I mean, it really factors in to what the teen is like and what they are capable of doing. Or if they actually care.

Click to expand...

There are certainly types of animals that are suited for more responsible teenagers who like animals such as retiles, amphibians, rodents, fish and even some species of birds like canaries, finches, doves etc... I personally kept reptiles as a kid/teenager and greatly enjoyed them and took my care duties very seriously. But the reptiles didn't care if I went a day or 2 without handling them/letting them out of their enclosures like a parrot would. My parents had/still have large parrots and while I greatly enjoyed growing up with them and spending a lot of time playing with them, I'm certainly glad I wasn't the primary caretaker for them! For the vast majority of teens and college age students, even very responsible ones, the attention needs of parrots is just too much to handle. That's not to say there is the rare young person out there who could get a conure or macaw or whatever at 13 and have the bird for the rest of it's life and care well for it. Just like some 15 year olds who have a baby may do a wonderful job as a parent, but most kids who are raising kids put the child at a disadvantage so you wouldn't ever encourage any 15 year old to get pregnant. Animals who have the mental capacity of a small child and live 30+ years (or longer for larger parrots), are also typically at a disadvantage when being raised by a teenager and it certainly shouldn't be recommended or encouraged because a very small percentage can do it right. Hope that makes sense

Click to expand...

Agreed. Of course most kids that come up to me and ask me how to care for a parrot. I tell them the harder things about having parrots, just to discourage them. Parrots are difficult pets and I totally don’t recommend teens having them. But like you said, they’re the very rare teens that understand all of the parrots needs and can handle them.