New Member

[Therapyparrot]

Hello Parrot forum world. I’m joining because I’ve always wanted to know more about these wonderful birds. This is probably the closest I will ever get to housing/taking care of a parrot, because at this time, my lifestyle doesn’t really allow for it (I have a small child, a wife who is not on board with the idea, and I’m gone at least 1 weekend a month). Best I can hope for is one day there will be a rescue near me I can work with (there’s only one in my state, and from what I’ve read on their page, I lack the time, and dedication to help them), and reading everyone’s experiences here.

As an aside, I’m a guy who used to think my mother in law’s cockatiel was annoying, but the more I read, the more I realize I was just being a jerk to it.

 

[Laurasea]

Awwww Welcomed! I personally feel craigslist is a rescue, most parrots never see a real rescue place. They are just re-home on craigslist, some are terribly neglected , some are just in over their head and need to re-home..

Anyway welcomed, we hav many parronets in waiting here.

 

[Therapyparrot]

Thank you. I have a soft spot for all parrots, but lm a big fan of conures, umbrella cockatoos, and blue and gold macaws.

Maybe one day l can get some hands on experience with them. Until then, l can live vicariously through everyone else

 

[Scott]

Welcome to the forums, thanks for joining!

 

[Jen5200]

Welcome to you! This is a great place to live vicariously. Lots of pictures here, good info and good people to chat with - there may someday be an opportunity to help at a shelter, rescue or other “bird place” in your area.

 

[GaleriaGila]

Wow!
You're doing it right... thinking of all the complications... considering others' feelings... giving ultimate importance to the birds' welfare...
You may be my favorite non-parrot-owning parrot-lover so far.
I'm glad you found us. I'll share the Rickeybird with you!!

 

[Therapyparrot]

Thanks for the warm welcome everyone. This forum has passed a very lackluster day at work. It’s really kinda cleared up some misconceptions I’ve had about parrot ownership.

I approach parrots the same way I approach dogs. There’s a reason I don’t have a dog, particularly a breed I would love to have, like a German Sheppard. I don’t have the fenced in yard, I don’t want to board the dog when I’m gone, and I don’t have a particular task to keep the dog occupied with.

I feel that way about any animal. I’d love (all things being equal) to have a big umbrella cookatoo, or a Macaw, but my toddler would terrify it, my wife wouldn’t like the noise, and there’d be the possibility of a ton of resentment, and someone getting hurt.

That said, there are other, not as intensive options on the table that this page has shown me. I’m also looking for parrot rescues (legit ones, not a hoarding situation) to work with so I can learn about bigger birds (I figure I can scratch that itch, and learn about their behavior close up, without having the bills, or the stress of being in over my head. As an aside, if there are any of you in eastern Virginia that know of reputable Rescues in need of some help, drop me a line.

So, we’ll see how it shakes out. I know this has opened my eyes to so many possibilities (up to, and including adopting a smaller, less intensive bird). I’ll share my journey as it develops.

 

[ParrotGenie]

Definitely recommend working at a rescue, or sanctuary for awhile. You gain a lot of valuable experience that way. Just find a reputable one and not some person hoarding and looking for loopholes, or bragging rights, or owner only interest is paying the mortgage and unrealized lifestyle and charge more then most breeders would for a baby bird of same species. Unfortunately experienced those over the years. The other way to gain knowledge is to find a experience reputable breeder you can become friends with as you gain a lot more knowledge that way and how to raise them and what required overall, where I gained the most knowledge over the years when I was younger.

A macaw would be the most lay back as I refer to them as gentle giants as they are easy to train and more forgiving and not attention demanding as a large Cockatoo. My neighbor macaw I leave out 24/7 and don't even cage. I built a couple large tree stands one I keep in the bird room for her and she climb down when she want to and not destructive get along with my other birds. I wish I could say the same for my U2's. A African grey is also another layback overall bird that not a clown all the time. Conures depending on species can be very loud and aggressive, I dealt with some that are calm, but is very rare and not the norm. The smaller cockatoo's like a little corella, or a Long-billed corella are pretty lay back and nothing like the bigger bother/sister Umbrellas and Moluccans are. Frankie which is a little corella is my most behaved bird and even goes to his cage on his own when it time to go to bed and no where near as destructive, or as temperamental as my U2's, to come think about it, he hasn't destroy anything of mines, or wood trimming yet? Baby I lost count? They are also better talkers as he speaks full sentences very clearly. Umbrellas tend to mumble a lot. Cockatiels are great as not as loud, but require a lot of attention as part of cockatoo family and pretty much close to Conures without being aggressive and very social overall. I recommend them over Conures for the most part and reason they are popular. They do put out a lot of dust like Cockatoos do. If you have family members, or you that have allergies issues, then Cockatoos and cockatiels are out of the question.

I say give it time and do what you stated earlier and you find a bird will pick you and may not be the species you were expecting. I lost count of how may were dead set for example on a Macaw and ended up adopting a eclectus, or lory and etc. Never judge by YouTube videos, besides the cringe-worthy misinformation some put out? You see mostly the good, but rarely the bad, best is always on hands in person. Plus you learn in time that you are a servant to the bird, not the other way around and the bird usually picks who going to be there servant?

You definitely joined the right forum as a lot of experience members to learn from and share.

 

[Flboy]

Welcome to you! What part of the world are you in?

 

[noodles123]

Parrots are way different than dogs--- that is often a mistake people make (because that is what most people are most familiar with when it comes to pet ownership). They have to be treated differently and so what works for a dog while training will often actually make things worse for a bird...Plus, parrots are SUPER sensitive to change and move very slowly in terms of bonding...unlike dogs. They move in SLLLLOOOOOWWWW-MOOOOOTTTTION and often bond closely to a single person, and you cannot force them into anything without harming your bond.
They also have all of these crazy restrictions in terms of Teflon/PTFE/PFOA/PFC usage and fumes in general (including standard household cleaners). I wish that they were like mammals in terms of their respiratory sensitivities...ALAS...Everything kills them...ugh. Dogs are way more easy-going, portable and hearty than birds.

I have an Umbrella Cockatoo and there IS lots of resentment lol....and noise....(among other things)
I wouldn't ever, ever recommend one even though I love mine very much--they are very unique and challenging (a macaw tends to at least be more aligned with typical parrot behavior)...Keeping a U2 from being destructive or self-destructing is a major challenge.....Don't do it-- but if you do, make sure you adopt an adult from a shelter because they are the most re-homed of all species and they are overflowing in rescues).