Parrot owner wanna-be seeking advices

[Ellie777Australia]

[FONT=&quot]Hello again shinyuankuo,[/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]You are receiving the excellent advice that I had anticipated. It is a good thing that you are ‘preparing’ with all of this information gathering. In the end, no doubt, you and your husband will make the best choice for your current and future family.[/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]I believe that the ‘ultimate’ choice occurs when your bird chooses you. Although this is not always possible, I imagine that you will ‘sense’ this when you and your husband meet your future companion, Eclectus or not.
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[FONT=&quot]I was chosen by an Eclectus, quite literally. Ellie ‘flew in’ and landed on my shoulder. Her previous owners were definitely the 3rd, if not the 4th, owners. To make a long story short, once her owners were located by us, they eventually allowed my husband and I to permanently become her companions. She has been part of our family for 16 months now. We absolutely adore her.
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[FONT=&quot]I am the first female to whom she has bonded as primary. She also loves my husband and needs time with the both of us. We have specific routines that ensure quality time with each of us and Ellie looks forward to those times. I’m still ‘mommy’ despite her social behaviour. In fact she is calling out ‘mommy’ now so I’ll go get her and finish up here..[/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]Comments regarding your original post:
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[FONT=&quot]We regularly have visitors at home, so we need a bird who can be well-socialized to accept strangers (or at least...not freak out on them).[/FONT][FONT=&quot] Our Ellie is a social butterfly. So much so that we have to PREVENT her from climbing on strangers. She is particularly fond of elderly gentlemen with beards. Perhaps she bonded with a male owner of such a description previously. I swear that I do not have grey beard (yet, ha ha).[/FONT]
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Because of potential children and # of visitors, I am leaning towards getting a bird from a reputable breeder. I am not rejecting the idea of taking a rehome or rescue, but I simply don't know if my lifestyle is good from them. [/FONT][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot]There are a couple of ways in looking at this and you have seen that from the responses so far. [/FONT] Not knowing the birds full history can be scary. We did well as Ellie only had a couple of things that we had to work through at age ?2-3 yo. However, I always wonder what happened to her in the first few years of her life. If I were in your position I probably would choose to start FRESH. Sometimes it is easier to train rather than ‘untrain/retrain’ especially when you may have no idea what precipitated unwanted behaviour in an older rescued bird.[/FONT]


I cannot finish at the moment as Ellie is trying to eat the keys of my laptop...time to be harnessed and go for a walk, catch a few rays, and explore the garden... Apologies for font changes and any typos etc ha ha ha...it's called parronting and baby needs attention lol


will stay in touch,
Debbie

 

[Casper223]

[FONT=&quot]Hi all,[/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]I have been a parrot owner wanna-be for more than a year. I have been doing research, but too many of my concerns are situational. I want to triple make sure that I am making the right decision(s) before I move forward, so I am reaching out to seek advice from experienced parrot parents.[/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]I am a married woman in my late 20s. I have had pets growing up, but not many birds. I have a fulltime job (8-5 Monday-Friday). My husband has flexible schedule and ability to work from home. He is not too keen on getting a parrot or any pet, but he is supportive. If I get a parrot, he will care and give love to the bird. He understands the amount of work of having a feathered kid. [/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]We do not have children, but we probably will in the future. We regularly have visitors at home, so we need a bird who can be well-socialized to accept strangers (or at least...not freak out on them).

Because of potential children and # of visitors, I am leaning towards getting a bird from a reputable breeder. I am not rejecting the idea of taking a rehome or rescue, but I simply don't know if my lifestyle is good from them. Besides, there are no rescues around us, and most rescues won't do home visits 2-3 hours from their base. (I currently live in central PA.)[/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]Based on my research so far, I think eclectus are better fits for our family. Less likely to be one-person bird, and more likely to be independent, less noisy relatively. I know they require a special veggie focused diet. I am committed to the bird's health. [/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]BTW, Our second choice is pionus. I think either will be wonderful, but I have been charmed by the eclectus. [/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]Here come my questions:[/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]1. Am I asking too much from a parrot? I know parrots are sensitive to changes, but my life will be full of changes (visitors, future human baby...etc.). I am fully committed to do the best I can for the bird, but I want to make sure my goals of having a happy, healthy parrot is achievable.[/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]2. Since parrots are social animals and I don't plan on getting rid of my job, I am open to the idea of bringing two home. That way they can have some interactions and not rely on us solely for attention. Can I still bond with them if I keep them in separate cages and work on them individually? They will be near each other when I am not around.[/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]If yes, should I get a pair of same species? A pair of different species? I do not intend to breed, but I am a little unsure about how to prevent breeding from happening if I get two.[/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]Sorry for the long post. I hope it comes across that I'm a serious parrot mom wannabe. Thank you in advance for all your insights!
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Shinyuankuo, I've read every word that you've typed, and I strongly urge you not to settle for what you don't want. These babies demand commitment, and I feel your giving due commitment in doing your due research a year in advance shows your willing to go the extra mile, and if you settle for another bird other than what you originally wanted, you may not be as strong in that commitment, and your future companion may suffer because of it if you don't follow your heart. Hope that makes sense.
Second, for the record, I'm a very strong advocate for rehoming birds.... After all I rehomed one that belonged to my mother and cared for him until he passed, he was 55 years old. Were talking a long commitment with some of these babies. Rehoming a bird isn't for everyone, In my personal opinion which may not be shared by anyone else, rehoming a bird is a lot like holding a basketball in your hand, and trying to balance another basketball on top of that, It sometimes a very difficult maneuver, and so to explain this, the bird has usually already become accustomed to a routine, of a routine you knew nothing about, now you rehome this baby with great intentions, and start of another routine, thats the balance of balancing one basketball onto one another. Sometimes their close enough in balance to work out, and sometimes not. The exception in my opinion is if the bird chooses you, and your willing to work together in compromise, either way I just don't recommend a new parent attempt this, it's much more in my opinion for someone experienced to read body language, and willing to investigate behaviors, and excellent in problem solving. Again, theirs exceptions to every rule, and this again is just my opinion, from my previous experience. Luckily enough I was raised as the Moluccan's brother and knew a good bit about his routine, and was able to mirror it close enough to coexist. Granted, after he bonded all those years with my mother, we just coexisted, with Love but no bonding.
On your last question about two birds, I fully agree with that could be a lot of trouble that you may not be ready for, and may not have the desired outcome your seeking. Of course theirs exceptions to every rule, but if it did work out without issue, then you should probably rush out and purchase a lotto ticket, because you'r definitely the luckiest person on earth that day.
Finding that great breeder is like finding a needle in a haystack, so few are in it to better the breed, and find the person right for the traits of the bird, again my opinion. I have found that particular breeder in my situation, and have adopted, However the bird isn't fully weaned. I know right now she had a 2 year old rehome Cockatoo, but that's not within my interest, She also has several Blue and Gold Macaws, but again, thats what I was searching for. So very much like you, I've made up my mind, found my breeder, and now I am waiting until she is ready, and I do feel I'll be rewarded for that. So I really feel like I know where your coming from, and just want to be here to help and support your decision as a fellow parrot owner, and help any way I can.

 

[Ellie777Australia]

So I really feel like I know where your coming from, and just want to be here to help and support your decision as a fellow parrot owner, and help any way I can.

I suppose Casper223 summed it up for all of us shinyuankuo. We are all here for you and will support you in your decision...whenever you and your husband take that big step. (PS Ellie is off for a walk with 'daddy' now so no baby Ellie dancing on laptop keys )

 

[shinyuankuo]

All,


Thank you again for all the helpful sharings. I would like to share how we are using the information for decision making. This is for the purpose of:


1) Letting you know that you didn't risk missing more keys from the computer to type the responses for nothing. We appreciate all the tips.

2) There are always new members joining for the very same reason of mine - wanting a parrot. While I don't have parrot insights to offer, I would like to offer the method we use to make decisions. You might find it helpful for your own evaluation of parrot or no parrot.



I gathered your responses, made a SWOT analysis (https://www.investopedia.com/terms/s/swot.asp) to evaluate the pros and cons of having a pet parrot in our family. I wrote down my personal deal breakers. Then I presented all the information to my husband.


I then asked my husband to read it all, sit on the information, and tell me his deal breakers.



So far, he has not said no. (little success for me here, hehe!)

No, we don't have a conclusion of parrot or not yet. (We have the conclusion of if yes to parrot, just one for now.) But the fact he has not said no is very positive to me. It's part of his personality of "anything is acceptable", and it will be his first pet ever. It's fair for him to say "I don't know". We've got time to sit on it anyways.



Our next move is to visit a open visitor rescue center (just to experience parrots), and I might do more research about Eclectus vs Pionus vs Senegal. Will see you there at species specific parts of the forum sometime!



When our environment is right next year, we might just try our luck at rescues to see if a parrot will choose us. We will be able to ask the rescue if the parrot can fit into our family. If we don't see one, we will go with breeder birds.



Once again, thank you for all the warning/supporting messages, public or private. I will reach out to the resources according to our own timeline.

 

[Ellie777Australia]

"...I gathered your responses, made a SWOT analysis..."

As soon as I read this I was immediately back in a board-room meeting lol...now that I am retired, the only thing I SWOT are insects!

 

[LaManuka]

Hello and welcome aboard!

I have three words for you - cockatiel cockatiel cockatiel! Yes ok it’s the same word repeated three times, but cockatiels are brilliant. Our boy Fang is sweet natured, sociable and smart, as all 3 cockatiels we’ve had have all been. He definitely does prefer my husband over me but unlike some species who will actively attack the non-favourite household members, cockatiels don’t do that. He knows I’m the one who delivers the best head skritches so he always comes to me for those. Cockatiels are not notorious for being overly noisy (though there are always exceptions!) and in my opinion are probably best suited to family situations.

The choice is yours or course but there’s a reason why cockatiels are so commonly kept as household pets, they’re good natured, loveable little souls who charm their way into our hearts.

 

[Ellie777Australia]

[FONT=&quot]Hi all,[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]I have been a parrot owner wanna-be for more than a year. I have been doing research, but too many of my concerns are situational. I want to triple make sure that I am making the right decision(s) before I move forward, so I am reaching out to seek advice from experienced parrot parents.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]I am a married woman in my late 20s. I have had pets growing up, but not many birds. I have a fulltime job (8-5 Monday-Friday). My husband has flexible schedule and ability to work from home. He is not too keen on getting a parrot or any pet, but he is supportive. If I get a parrot, he will care and give love to the bird. He understands the amount of work of having a feathered kid. [/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]We do not have children, but we probably will in the future. We regularly have visitors at home, so we need a bird who can be well-socialized to accept strangers (or at least...not freak out on them).

Because of potential children and # of visitors, I am leaning towards getting a bird from a reputable breeder. I am not rejecting the idea of taking a rehome or rescue, but I simply don't know if my lifestyle is good from them. Besides, there are no rescues around us, and most rescues won't do home visits 2-3 hours from their base. (I currently live in central PA.)[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Based on my research so far, I think eclectus are better fits for our family. Less likely to be one-person bird, and more likely to be independent, less noisy relatively. I know they require a special veggie focused diet. I am committed to the bird's health. [/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]BTW, Our second choice is pionus. I think either will be wonderful, but I have been charmed by the eclectus. [/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Here come my questions:[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]1. Am I asking too much from a parrot? I know parrots are sensitive to changes, but my life will be full of changes (visitors, future human baby...etc.). I am fully committed to do the best I can for the bird, but I want to make sure my goals of having a happy, healthy parrot is achievable.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]2. Since parrots are social animals and I don't plan on getting rid of my job, I am open to the idea of bringing two home. That way they can have some interactions and not rely on us solely for attention. Can I still bond with them if I keep them in separate cages and work on them individually? They will be near each other when I am not around.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]If yes, should I get a pair of same species? A pair of different species? I do not intend to breed, but I am a little unsure about how to prevent breeding from happening if I get two.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]
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[FONT=&quot]
[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]
[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Sorry for the long post. I hope it comes across that I'm a serious parrot mom wannabe. Thank you in advance for all your insights!
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Hi there, what is happening with you now? Please stay in touch...