New Member doing my research

Hello everyone!

I am a new member from NC. I strongly believe in doing your research before bring home a new family member. I work from home and my 14 year old son is home schooled, so someone usually home. We have one senior rescue mix breed dog, 4 year old Boston Terrier, and a 3 year old Leopard Gecko and my son very much would like to add a parrot or macaw. I had a parakeet as a child but that is it as far as in raising birds. We have supported and cared for our senior dog through Evan's disease which is a rare highly fatal auto immune disease who has been in remission now over a year and even taken our gecko to the vet for her initial visit. I believe a pet is a family member and give them the best care to our ability. Before bringing a bird into our home I am looking to do the research to find the best fit for all involved. My son lots the African Gray because of its great ability to talk and interact. I have always wanted a bigger macaw for its beautiful color and emotional connection such as the harlequin. Again, remember this is just our first thought and preference and sure we will learn more and change our minds as we do. I am joining your forum to learn and grow through this process so please be patient and I will promise to use search for answers before posting questions.


THANKS in advance

Welcome! We love when folks come around to do research and ask questions. I myself joined after being 'charmed by an ekkie' (who months later came home to us). Feel free to poke around and ask a lot of questions

I found using the search function particularly helpful when it came to reading about different scenarios and species.

One good starting thread to read through would be this:
Tips for Bonding and Building Trust

There's also a few threads by a knowledgeable member, Birdman666, for macaws in particular. It helped me a lot when I started interacting with a friend's macaw: Big Beak O Phobes Guide to Understanding Macaw Beaks

As with any bird, just be aware you're basically adopting a toddler - they have the mental and emotional capacity of a human toddler. So it is a lot of time and attention, so they don't feel deprived of flock interaction and mental stimulation (which could result in plucking or screaming). Our ekkie is too smart for his own good, picking up simple tricks within 10 minutes - his only limitation is my human stupidity . Oh, and at least 12 hours of sleep for them.

I know those with Greys will chime in, but they're the more subtle of parrots. And even though a species may be renowned for talking ability, that does not necessarily mean an individual bird will match the stereotype.

Parrots do result in a bit of a life overhaul. Like a canary in a coal mine, they have sensitive respiratory systems - no PTFE/PFOAs, which means no non-stick/Teflon pans, most hair dryers, all air fryers, etc, and no aerosols/sprays, most scented things like candles and essential oils, limited cleaning supplies that are safe. I'm sure others will cover more of the common household things that can kill a bird.

But even with all of those changes (buying good pots and pans that won't kill them is so expensive, and my hair styling is a bit limited now without a safe hair dryer), I feel like Cairo is 110% worth it

Welcome ToniB.


You are in the right community to find sound advice and support...it pours in from great people from around the world, so patiently await responses whilst some sleep as you write...


I was adopted by an Ekkie so I can't help with the Macaw scenario but will cheer you on all the way...


Kind Regards,
Debbie

Welcome! Where is home?

Welcome to the community!!! And thank you for doing your research BEFORE you bring home any type of parrot...

First of all, Parakeets (Budgies) are a species of Parrot, so you do have a bit of experience with parrots, albeit when you were a kid yourself...Something that you need to realize right up-front about ALL species of Parrots is that there is absolutely NO GUARANTEE that they will talk, that they will be emotionally-connected to you, that they will be cuddly, etc. There are MANY Congo African Greys who don't say a single word during their entire lives. And there are plenty of Macaws that are not at all friendly and that have never bonded-closely with any person. Also, you should NEVER, EVER choose the species of parrot you decide to add to your family based on it's appearance or it's colors. That's a good way to get yourself into a real mess and a possible re-homing situation.

***You ALWAYS want to research the personalities, common behaviors, etc. of each, individual species of Parrot, and THEN ask other owners of that specific species what their experiences have been. And then I would also find a few Avian Rescues near you and go and visit with the birds in-person, because parrots, all parrots, have the intelligence of a 3-4 year-old human child, they use logic and reasoning skills, and they form bonds and develop relationships with others in very much the way that we as people do...So if you are able to spend time visiting Avian Rescues and you allow an individual bird TO CHOOSE YOU instead of the other way around, this is the best way to ensure that you will bring home a bird who will be very-closely bonded and loving with you. And maybe more-so your son, if that is who you'd like the bird to be bonded-closely to...

And that's the other thing you need to be aware of, there is absolutely no way to control/choose what person in your household that the bird will bond-closely with. A lot of parrots choose "their person" to be the one person they give their trust to and bond-closely with, while they just tolerate the rest of the Flock in the house. And you cannot control who that person is going to be, regardless of who feeds the bird, who cleans the bird's cage, who is with the bird all day long, etc., they often still choose the person who wants nothing to do with them. It's a common cause of real issues within marriages, between siblings, etc. And if you decide to bring home a young baby or juvenile parrot from a Breeder or a pet or bird shop, then that will mean that they have not yet gone through puberty, which means that the person in your home they choose to bond closely with may very well change once they go through puberty/sexual maturity, just as their entire personality and behavior may also change when this happens.

****So for these exact reasons, I highly suggest that you adopt an adult bird from an Avian Rescue, and that you take your son to visit with the birds and allow a sexually mature bird to CHOOSE YOUR SON instead of buying a baby/juvenile bird from a breeder or store. And you will know when a bird "chooses" your son, and your son will also know as well...And it probably won't be any of the species you have been talking about, as it won't matter the species but rather the individual bird...

And by "sexually-mature" bird I don't mean and "old" bird...Most species of parrots go through puberty between the ages of 1-3 years old, with some of the largest species like Macaws, Greys, and Cockatoos having this happen between the ages of 5-8 years old. So it won't be an old bird, just a bird who has already gone through puberty and won't go crazy right after your son becomes very bonded/attached to it, because once again, you just cannot force or do much at all to make a parrot bond with anyone specific, they choose who they choose. They are nothing at all like dogs, cats, rodents, reptiles, etc. The only other type of pet that would even be close to what a parrot is like to own would be some type of Primate, like a monkey, lemur, Galago, etc. That's about it...

***One more thing, since you are looking for a companion/a bird to bond with your son, and you want a bird that you know that you'll be able to handle with little issue, and also because your experience with parrots/birds is limited, I would try to avoid some of the more challenging species of parrots there are to own (unless an adult one at a Rescue does in-fact choose your son, then you have to do what you have to do, lol)...I would absolutely NOT consider any of the Cockatoo species, as they are challenging for lifelong parrot owners to take-on, they are very much like human toddlers and they can become very neurotic and demand attention 24/7...And also, you mentioned Macaws "because they are colorful", but once again you don't ever want to choose a parrot based on it's looks, and Macaws can also be very challenging birds to own, especially if you have multiple dogs in the house, etc. Honestly, if you're really looking for a bird that will be loving, who will bond-closely to your son and be a cuddly, friendly, "Velcro" type of bird that always wants to be with you guys, then I'd highly suggest you look into the many species of Conures, as they are well-known as being the cuddly, snuggly parrots who become very attached to their owners and who are not horribly difficult to care for, and who still can live into their 30's and 40's. There are small, medium, and large Conures, and if you go to any Avian Rescue you'll almost always find a bunch of different species of them...But again, the specific species shouldn't really matter, what should matter is that you and your son have visited with the bird multiple times and that the bird chooses your son...

Hello, and welcome!!! Folks here LOVE that you're researching before making any decisions. I second Ellen's thoughts. As always, she's a wealth of knowledge. If you have a rescue place anywhere near you, maybe consider some volunteer time with them. It's a great way to meet many different species that you otherwise might not have considered, see how individual personalities come in to play, and gain first hand working knowledge of the every day routine of caring for a bird. I also agree with adopting an adult. As said, babies are sweet, but there's no way to know how they will be when they mature. Also, you may be shocked at the number of wonderful birds out there that get re-homed for whatever reason. They are so deserving of a good forever home, and if one does in fact choose you, it's magic. It's SO worth it. I very recently adopted my YNA Baxter, when I had no intention of a second bird. She called out to me from across the room. She had been at the refuge for over a year, since she didn't like most people, and especially not men. For whatever her reason, she took to me right then and there. I visited her a bunch before I got my head around the idea of two birds. In the end, I just couldn't leave her there. So happy she's home with me. For me, she's the sweetest Amazon I've ever met. For my daughter, not so much, but she's getting better slowly.

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Good Morning ToniB, and nice to see you here! Your already miles ahead of others who just impulse buy a pet, then find out it's too much work, or a product of poor breeding and prone to health issues and so many other pitfalls. Like you, I joined a few days ago myself, and am doing research on an adoption I recently made. I say adoption in lieu of buying, it just sounds so much better. I've spent the last couple days using the search bar, and of course "Google" in many cases. In my personal opinion, which may not be shared by anyone else, coming to a site like this is like being able to interview many different type of bird owners/breeders without the commitment of being sold on anything, or committing to anything. One thing more I have noticed here, is sometimes a question is met with a sharp reply, I know theres a better way to say it, I'm just language bound this morning, lack of coffee I guess. Those sharp replies are generally aimed at a person who is just dead set to jump off in a situation that the experienced folks know is over their head, and the pet often suffers from the situation of multiple adoptions, so when you read those responses, just try to keep in mind the enormous love and passion these folks have for the bird breeds. I myself was raised with a brother in which we were both the younger ones to a Moluccan Cockatoo in which we had to share our mom with. lol That Moluccan Cockatoo seen me from Diapers, to graduation, first job, first marriage, through my mothers funeral and ended up in my care after outliving everything he knew and loved so much, So to say they can be a lifelong commitment is an understatement. Knowing all this and seeing you here for research in making an informed decision is just awesome. Hope to see you around asking lots of questions, as I'm sure I'll be doing the same thing, although I'm switching from a Moluccan to an Umbrella, there are still differences between the species.

A warm welcome to the forums! Wonderful introduction, we’re always happy to see new members researching before bringing home a new family member. Thank you for sharing the very beginning of your journey with us.

I’ve always admired the gorgeous macaws but I’ve never lived with one. We have an African Grey, he’s wonderful. No matter what species you choose, we wish you well. You can’t possibly ask too many questions, that’s why we’re here.

Welcome Toni!

I as many others am completely thrilled that you're taking steps to fully look into getting a parrot!

I would also recommend volunteering at a shelter before you actually get one.
That way you know what you're getting into. The mess, the noise, the commitment, the time, and again...the noise. Nothing really prepares you for parrots like one accidentally screaming in your ear;;

I am by no means an expert as I've only recently started the process of getting a cockatiel after years of not having any type of parrot or bird. Hopefully my limited experience can still help in some way!
I think EllenD's suggestion is great! Find a parrot that chooses your son. I also wouldn't recommend any of the bigger cockatoos. There's thing to consider in the future with him, like what will the bird do if he decides to go to college or move out?

Regardless whether you rescue, adopt, or buy, the first step to finding a healthy and well adjusted bird is actually meeting them before you take them into your home!
That way you can see the environment they live in, if they're healthy, and whether they'll be a good fit for your family.

While I do advocate adopting or rescuing, you have to consider if you're ready for such a step. Some of these birds have been hurt in the past. You have to consider if the bird isn't the right fit for you and has to be rehomed, in the long run that's just more traumatic for the bird.

Keep in mind, these things take time. There are people who have taken a year or so to get their bird to even step up. Some never become friendly at all.
If you don't think you're ready, I would go with a good reputable breeder.

Other people in this thread have given great advice already but here is what I personally did before even considering bringing a bird home,

• Made sure my husband and my roommates were okay with it and on board.
• Replaced my pots/pans/appliances/heaters that contained PTFE/PFOA with ones without. I personally use ceramic nonstick that do not contain them, but others swear by stainless steel and cast iron.*
• Looked for a certified avian vet and also a 24h emergency vet. Luckily I had one in my area and I asked my avian vet for recommendations!*
• Cable management in my house. No pesky wires left uncovered. All my power bars are in power bar boxes.*
• Blackout curtains for the place where my parrot will be sleeping.
• Full spectrum lighting so she can enjoy sunshine even in the winter months.
• Researched different types of parrots and which one would generally be most suited to me.*
• Researched what type of diet that parrot needed to be eating. Some bigger birds especially Cockatoos need a low fat diet, and Eclectus are on a whole nother diet! You cannot feed these beautiful birds seeds all the time, they'll become overweight and prone to many diseases.*
• Researched how to train these beautiful birds.
• Things to consider, parent raised or hand raised? Both have their pros and cons.*

After that I scoured to find a parrot that would fit, went to visit, then finished preparing my home for the bird. I'm actually going to pick her up tomorrow!

Welcome, thanks so much for joining and taking a studious approach! At some point, assuming you proceed, first hand experience with various species is invaluable. Rescues, pet shops, and breeders may afford the opportunity to observe and handle parrots. Many birds "choose" their owners, an important consideration!

Everyone is giving such great replies to the OP in this thread!!!

One thing I forgot to mention in-regards to bringing home an adult bird who has already gone through puberty and who hopefully chooses you instead of the other way around...I have been the Medical Liaison at a large, private Avian/Reptile Rescue for about 8 and a half years now, and I've pretty much seen it all when it comes to the WHY behind what brings tens of thousands of parrots into Rescues and Shelters every year in the US (and that's not counting the tens of thousands of others who are "Re-Homed" by their owners on sites like Craigslist)....Something to keep in-mind is that while there are a lot of parrots in Rescues and Shelters who have come from "bad" homes with their prior owners ("bad" meaning everything from being neglected to being abused, and then everything in-between), it's very important that everyone realize that probably 90% or more of the birds who are surrendered to Avian Rescues across the country by their prior owners have not been at all abused, neglected, or treated badly in any way at all. This is a very common misconception that unfortunately many, many people truly believe, and it just simply is not at all true...

I cannot tell you how many people I've seen come into the Rescue to look at the birds we have that need to find their forever-homes, and that I hear say "I don't know, I just don't want to bring home someone else's problem"...And I'm not even involved in the adoption-process at the Rescue, these are people who I hear saying things like this while they're just walking around looking at the birds and the reptiles we have! I am however very involved in the Surrender-process at the Rescue, with both the birds and the reptiles. I receive the surrender-paperwork that the owners fill-out when they first come in to the Rescue and say they want to surrender their bird. And then after they finish the paperwork and the Office Manager gives me their paperwork, then I go out and call them back to the medical office/my office and I do their Surrender interview, where I go over all of the questions they answered on the paperwork regarding their bird's age, gender, and their life history (at least as much as they know or were told, if they weren't the bird's first owner)...We go over what their regular, daily diet has been, we go over their medical history in very great detail, I collect any and all of their medical-records/Vet bills, Health-Certificates, DNA-Certificates, and I always ask for any copies of test-results, such as past Blood-Work results, Fecal-testing results, any and all past imaging-test results such as X-rays, MRI's, CT Scans, Ultrasounds, etc., and collect any SD Cards, Flash Drives, etc. that contain the imaging results, or I have them email the files to me directly if they have them on their phones/computers/tablets...And I can tell you that we do an extremely thorough Behavioral-History with the bird's owners before we do any medical exams or testing, because we want and NEED TO KNOW not only what each bird is like and what issues they might be displaying, but even more important is for us to DIRECTLY ASK the question that so many people don't want to ask, which is "WHY are you surrendering your bird?". And the answer that I have gotten the most for the past 8+ years, probably around 90% or more of the time, is "We just don't have the time for him that he needs"...I also get a lot of "We had no idea how much of our time a parrot would require every single day of our lives", as well as a lot of "Owning this bird was like having another child! And we didn't want another child, we wanted a pet!"...So I have absolutely no problem at all with telling you that most of the birds you will find in Avian Rescues all across the country and the rest of the world are not there because they are "bad" birds that misbehave, or because they are too aggressive or they bite, or because they they are not social birds who don't like people, or anything else similar; Most-all parrots who are surrendered to Avian Rescues all across the country are there because people thought that they were bringing home just another "pet" that was not going to be any different than taking care of a dog or a cat, or a ferret, a chinchilla, an Iguana, a Bearded Dragon, etc. So they didn't at all realize that ALL SPECIES OF PARROTS, from the smallest Parrotlet, Budgie/Parakeet, Cockatiel, Green Cheek Conure, etc., to the Sun Conures, Jenday and Nanday Conures, to the Senegal and Myers Parrots, to the Pionus' and the Caiques, to the Macaws and the Greys, that they are ALL extremely intelligent and require the attention, interaction, and the care that basically a young child requires every day...And they didn't realize that if they just left their birds inside of their cages most of the day and night and only let them out for an hour or two right before bed that this was going to result in a bird who constantly screams all day long, every day, who starts plucking themselves and self-mutilating, who starts throwing food and toys all over the place, and who eventually will become extremely frustrated, depressed, and yes, eventually aggressive, simply out of sheer boredom...

So the point is that too many people make uneducated assumptions about parrots in Rescues and really believe that "they are going to get other people's problems"...That statement makes me so sad...and so angry...Because not only is it not at all true, but it implies that we should just forget about the tens of thousands of birds in Rescues in this country alone, and we should only buy young, baby birds because they haven't been ruined by someone else...The reality is that most people who do go to an Avian Rescue to look for their new family member, if they keep an open-mind about the species and the appearance/color of the birds and they don't go in to the Rescue only looking for certain species of parrots but rather just interact with ALL of the birds, THESE ARE THE PEOPLE WHO FIND THE PERFECT PARROT FOR THEM AND THEIR FAMILIES...

I'm the dedicated parrotforums A-hole realist (seems to be) so I need to bring up...

A boston terrier is a bird killer.....

Now a senior dog I trust over a puppy any day of the week, I think many senior or adult dogs would interpret a parrot as a member of it's PACK (vs flock).

A some said above a conure is surefire bonding....but also with a teen they can loose interest...a new girlfriend with a soft sweater....that nicely curves.....you get the idea.

A bird is going to live about 30 years....some less some much more but that's say typical for a conure, which is super cuddly, it's like a teddy bear, and I recommend as a companion. So normally I don't recommend a bird for teens, who will going off to college or whatever soon, unless......THE PARENTS are actually the caretakers.

I'm just being honest. The parrot community is all about this gorgeous supermodel group of smart animals that have evolved with us...

Also look up the thread in the search for the cost of owning a parrot. you can search that in the top bar. its not 5 bucks a month peanuts....

Honestly I hope you tell me to sit on it and spin, but I will not sugarcoat people into getting a parrot when 1) predator in the house 2) teenager owner about to leave into adulthood with a pet that may OUTLIVE THEM.

I DO COMPLETELY APPRECIATE YOU RESEARCHING! but if your going to get a parrot, just naturally assume you, you the one researching, will be the owner, not your son who is about to grow up and do something else.

I hope you are happy either way, but sometimes I need to put reality into the mix, I'm about the parrots. Feel free to reply back, belittle, or PM me.

Thanks for doing your research--

Know that lifestyle changes will likely be gigantic. These include cleaning routines, pet safety, sleep schedules, cooking changes etc.

Any sort of heated mechanism (anything that heats or is heated) and contains PTFE/PFOA/PFCs/Teflon will be out of the question--This includes things like pots, pans, cupcake trays, cookie sheets, cake pans etc, but it will also things like include hair-dryers, straighteners, curling irons, curlers, rice-cookers, popcorn poppers, air fryers, microwave meals (including certain types of microwave popcorn), steamers, irons, ironing board covers, electric skillets, griddles, George Foreman Grills, drip trays, toasters, toaster ovens, poaching pans, electric blankets, humidifiers, heat lamps, SPACE HEATERS, etc etc...To find out what contains PTFE/PFOA/PFCs/Teflon, you have to call and be a bull about it over the phone (and in some cases, you won't get far). Almost always, it will take a few days for them to get back to you and you must provide the full chemical names, abbreviations and brand-names. Shopping when you have a bird is super annoying..You cannot visually ID these chemical coatings, as they can be colored, transparent, or mixed into metal/fabric during the manufacturing process. Teflon and chemically similar products have killed birds on separate floors with the doors shut. Similarly, while DuPont claims that off-gassing only occurs at higher heats, there have been myriad parrot deaths (even within academic circles) at temperatures well within the 300 degree F range!

Your bird will wake up early and 10-14 hours of dark, uninterrupted sleep=essential to hormonal and immune function. This means that someone must be there to cover and uncover the bird at the same time each night and that your home must be conducive to sleep...

If you cannot be home at the same time each night and wake the bird up at roughly the same time each morning (forever), you will have issues. They need routine, so a 6:00 PM soccer game cannot stand in the way of a bird's dinner and sleep schedule...Late nights at work become a thing of the past...

Make sure you aren't using any unsafe products around the bird. This is pretty much everything with a scent (and some things without). No perfume, carpet cleaner, flea shampoo, aerosols, solvents, air fresheners, paints, smoke of any kind, vaping, sunscreen, bugspray, candles of any kind (organic or non), insecticides, certain soaps/shampoos, fire-places, burning or heated oil/fat, self-cleaning ovens, gas and any household cleaners (e.g., bleach, windex, lysol, fabreeze, scrubbing bubbles, kaboom, pine-sol etc)...The list goes on. Birds have VERY sensitive respiratory systems. Essential oils are also fairly unsafe due to their ability to be absorbed into the blood-stream and due to a bird's sensitive air sacs.

Pet your bird only on the head and do not allow any shadowy spaces in the cage (boxes, bedding, crumbled paper, tents, blankets, low furniture, in clothing etc)..Cuddles are the devil.

DO NOT assume that all members of the family will be able to safely handle the bird. It doesn't matter how much time you spend with a bird--some birds just prefer certain people....AND others may become the source of violent jealously (not always, but it can and does happen).

DO NOT react to bites and do not scold.

DO NOT react to screaming and do not scold.

It can be VERY difficult to have a parrot with a young child in the house...My mother is 60+ and I am still trying to train her to not react to biting and screaming when we visit...Everyone has to be on the same page...

ABA is an important behavior concept that you should research thoroughly.