Things like THIS Anyone wanna sell me an african grey parrot? i would LOVE one(:? - Yahoo! UK & Ireland Answers
http://uk.answers.yahoo.com/question...2210903AAWTqkJ

make me angry.
Great post! My parents bought me a budgie when I was 7-8. That didn't work out because they bought me another and I didn't quarantine. Then they got me another, and the cycle went on .
Then I finally got told about quarantine.
So now I have a healthy flock, apart from my new one , and they are happy.

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My Fids!

Budgies~

Marigold
Skye
Thimble
Lexi
Chubba Chubs
Zeus
Betty
Dude
Fang
Elly
Chloe
Zoe
Nixon
Phil
Cam
Annabell

Cockatiels~

Buzza
Jasper

Wow that was a mouth full, and glad to say...... so worth reading
Hopefully before purchasing a bird, they will read this post, be honest with themselves, and make the correct decision.

Von thanks so much for typing it all out................ You are an

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Love your post Von! Most people think that "oh he/she's such a cute baby." Young birds will let you do almost anything to them without much fuss (normally because they are babies and don't realize they can say 'no'). This leads to impulse buying by people who don't always know what is best for the bird or if it will fit in with their lifestyle.

On a side note: Baby was the BEST impulse buy of my life. I was 13 when I got him (now I'm the wise old age of 22 :P ) and he was on an all seed diet. Now he eats pellets and sometimes carrots and broccoli. Loves apple juice and we are working on other stuff to broaden his diet. I did not know all the stuff on your post when I first got him and it would definitely have helped. Thank goodness Baby is really easy going and still lets me do anything to him! A VERY laid back birdie!

Anyway, thanks again. Your post was very good. Something every potential bird owner should read!

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Forums: for people who's friends/familys are tired of pretending to listen to their obsessions

I'm so glad that you lot are backing me up on all of this. If any potential parronts DO read this then they will see I am not some mad person and the only one to think of this!

Noone is perfect and those of you who DID impulse buy, it was fortunate it worked out - but then you clearly ARE wonderful parronts.

As Di said as an impulse buyer herself - it doesn't work out often. I would say 90% of the ad's I see that one could correctly presume these birds were impulse buys.

Parrots are a LOT of hard work. There are none of us on here that can hand on heart say it was a breeze.

I can however put my hand on my heart and say that my OTHER pets were and are a LOT easier to keep happy and healthy. This is not to say that ANY pet does not need a lot of looking after but with the parrot....it is another world entirely.

Amen brother, my wife laughs every evening since we got Tiki because this little bundle of TNT runs me ragged all day and by night fall, I'm in need of a break. But I'm loving ever minute of it.

I had contiplated getting a second bird, but I'm not sure I could handle another one right now. My hat is off to all of you multiple bird owners. I appluad you because with just one, I'm a whipped puppy by the end of the day and I'm retired with nothing better to do than to spoil my bird rotten.

Mike

I know what you mean. There is alot to be said about just having one bird to take care of and spoil. Right now I have a bird molting and a long haired cat shedding her winter coat. You can guess what I have been doing.

I'm a brand newbie and I am still in the "research" stages of getting a parrot and this was a WONDERFULLY written post and it helps me tremendously.

I am one of those people who fell in love with parrots because they talk and they are comical. Yup. I fully admit my shortcomings.

I am also not stupid. I know the time and effort that needs to be put into these beautiful babies to make them happy, healthy and loving (most of the time) members of your family.

I have a family - I have kids. I have other pets. They are ALL part of the decision making process for me. I know for a fact that I cannot handle a Macaw. No way. And I wouldn't put a Macaw in my home. They would not thrive at all.

I also know that I could not handle any sort of "too" - no way. They would not be happy and thrive in my home.

So still being in the research stage - I made an appointment with a local Avian vet to chat about my concerns and some of the things she has experienced in her practice. Some of the things I should be looking out for and I will add this to my current folder of information I'm gathering.

I have also contacted 5 breeders so far. I have asked a zillion and one questions and not one time has any of those breeders ever pushed me to buy a bird. I love that. I am enjoying the research part of this.

If, at the end of all my endless research that I decide a parrot won't work for my family, I will be ok. I just can't take the chance of putting a living animal through that kind of stress because I wanted a bird that talked.

Ann

its wonderful that you're researching thouroughly Ann. if more people were like you rescue centres wouldn't be half as full.
good luck with your search, lots of members on here can answer questions you may have, keep us posted on how you do xxx

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Thanks, Mellykyitus - I appreciate that.

I have been devouring the information on this forum. It's great! The members are so forthcoming with advice - which I thoroughly need and appreciate.

I did have the fortune of being able to handfeed Amazons and Macaws during my pet store days (gasp!) - but I also had the misfortune of being bitten for misreading their signals.

I don't think anyone can really prepare you for the bite of a Macaw. HOLY MOLY! I thought he had broken my forearm. I kid you not!

But nobody ever prepares you for the the awesome smell of an Amazon. *swoon* - it's like puppy breath. You either love it or you hate it. I adore it.

Again I am so thankful for this forum and I look forward to gathering more information/advice and hopefully the results will end up in me posting about my new feathered family member

Ann

Those amazons do smell lovely don't they? My girlfriend is always on about how my bird may be quieter and better trained, but her bird smells better (she has a red lored Amazon ) I fully admit to huffing Cody's feathers when he sits on me, Like musky flowers... Somone once said it reminded them of chysanthemum.