Should I get a parrot?

I joined the forum several months ago and I've been lurking and learning about parrot keeping ever since. I've done a lot of reading and researching. I'm totally certain I want to get a parrot and I'm fairly sure the parrot I want is a blue headed pionus (although I recently met the most beautiful Senegal who has forced me to think a little harder about that). I've found a nice breeder with a really good reputation. I've checked with my landlord about keeping a pet, found a local avian vet with a good reputation, made a big list of stuff I would need to get and generally spent the last 8 months or so preparing assuming I would be getting my parrot some time this summer. I'm so excited about it that I've even tried making parrot toys already.

Now I've got a huge problem though. My job requires me to move country every couple of years. Until now I assumed that I'd only need to work in the EU so I researched emigrating within the EU with a parrot and the pet insurance, immunizations and documentations which goes with that. Now I have been informed that I might be relocated to Bhutan. The specific area I would be going to is very rural i.e. no mains electricity and water comes from a well. Clearly they don't have avian vets (or vets, or even human doctors...) and it would be almost impossible to get parrot pellets, although fresh fruit and veg is readily available. It's not a ideal place for parrot keeping for the reasons I've already said and I'd have to ship everything over from the UK or buy a new cage etc and have it shipped from China or India. In terms of the transporting and importing of a parrot it is theoretically possible though. Although I can't help but think that if I'm going to be living in rural Bhutan it would be making my life even harder to take a delicate pet with me.

So now I have a dilemma. Part of me wants to go ahead with getting a parrot this year and just hope that something works out and I get located somewhere in Europe instead, or that I could find a way to take a parrot to Bhutan. I have another 3 years on the current contract which means 3 years in the UK before I could potentially be moved, so that's plenty of time for something to change. But the more responsible part of me says I should put off getting a pet until I've done my bit of being sent to far flung corners of the planet, and have enough influence in my job to insist on staying in the EU. But that might mean waiting another 8 years.

I know I'm only going to get an answer to this by soul searching but I'd really appreciate some input of what you would do. (find another job isn't really a solution either).

You do have quite a dilemma. There are always ways around things. While on the one hand, such a possible "transient" situation may not be fair to such a long lived, emotional, sentient creature like a parrot. Yet, should you put off doing everything because you may have to move around so? Only you can know what you are willing to go through. You may be able to somehow keep your companion throughout all the moves. Personally, I'd wait and see what develops along the way. You may find birds available in Bhutan. If you do get a companion bird, you may be able to ship it wherever you go. I think research into possible problems & their solutions is definitely in order here. My idea would be to wait until you are more settled before commiting to a lifetime pet. I have seen too many birds who've developed problems from having to be re-homed. Many through no other solution situations like this. But, you must do what you feel will be right for yourself, and the chosen companion bird. Good luck.

Listen to the responsible part of you. If more people did this, we would have a lot less animals in shelters.

If it were me it would be hard but i think i would wait. The parrot human bond can be so strong at least it is for me, i am afraid it would devastate me and my birds. When my sister moved back to my parents house my parents didn't have room for Daisy their black headed Caique, i took her in. She had been with me as part of the family every since she was a baby. When i took her home with me even though she loved me she was hurt that my parents were not around for her like they used to be. It was an adjustment period and sad for me to watch. After a while Daisy became frusterated would fly after my Dad and attack him, she was very upset with him. Even if you are able to take your bird with you there could be some months where your bird is in quarantine which could be very hard on your bird, it could even cause behavioral issues. I have a friend who had a flock of 7 birds, they started traveling and it caused all different things to happen behavioral wise. The only one that did not seem affected was a sun conure. Eventually, they did part with all of their birds. It was sad to watch. You sound like you would be a wonderful owner, but i think long term it is too risky to get a parrot at this point. Keeping in mind that a parrot is like having a 3-5 year old. I hate to see someone and their bird go through hurt and possible loss. I hope you will be able to have a parrot at some point, in the end it is your choice.

It sounds like you should either wait until you know where you are going to be, or make the decision to get the bird with a solid plan in place of exactly what you will do if you are moved to Bhutan. (Do you have any friends who would want to 'co-parent' the bird and he could stay with them when you go?)

Wow thanks for all of the super fast replies.
I think you're all pretty much saying what I knew all along.
Sodaket - I don't think I would ever be willing to get a pet if I didn't have a pretty good plan of who would be looking after it. Clearly with such long lived pets as parrots you can't guarantee to be there for their whole life, but getting one knowing I might have to leave it would feel irresponsible to me.
ruffledfeathers - I will have a bit of a think about the possibility of a co-parent arrangement. I'm inclined to think a 5 year "foster" parent home would be very similar to being abandoned from the parrots perspective but it's worth a little more thought at least.
Thanks again everyone

If this is Shanlung, which I believe it is, he was banned quite a while back.

I have deleted all post pertaining to that link due to the member being banned quite some time ago from these forums. Please do not post the link again.

I had no idea he was banned. Dissenting views not allowed?

sodakat said:

I had no idea he was banned. Dissenting views not allowed?

Click to expand...

Not for or from banned members.

Thank you for all of the comments but it actually turns out this problem will not be a problem after all. I feel kind of bad for being happy about this, but Bhutan has legislation banning homosexuals and as I'm a lesbian this means I can't be relocated there. Therefore I can be fairly certain that future relocations will be within the EU and therefore somewhere I can take my parrot to safely. So I feel fairly safe about getting a parrot now

I would quit my job before giving up my parrot, but it looks like you wont have to make that kind of decision now. Best of luck to you.