Convincing parents to let me have a bird/parrot!

[123animals]

Hi there.

I really really want a parrot for Christmas and I asked my parents but they said no. I have done heaps of research and even provided them with my top three so that they could choose and they still said no. I have a lot of pets already...
Four chinchillas
Two rabbits
But I really want a parrot. It is a pet I have always wanted so I am a little mad that they won't even consider it. I said that I would pay and I am even selling my bike so I have the money. What are some other ways I could convince them?
I think they think I have too many pets and that I am not responsible enough. How can I prove that I am?

Thanks in advance

 

[itzjbean]

Hello and welcome! Glad you're reaching out.

Without your parent's consent, there really isn't much you can do. You are living in their house and it will ultimately be up to them. Remember that even the smaller parrots require a lot of attention, time, training, and will need routine veterinary care from a Certified Avian Vet.

But just because your parents say no to owning a parrot, doesn't mean you can't get involved in a local rescue and get some experience with being around them, learning about the different species, and even handling them.

Where are you located, and what is your age? Based on your location we can point you in the right direction for a parrot rescue in your area and you can begin getting some great experience! Most parrot rescues are always looking for volunteers. You'll most likely be cleaning cages and assorted food/water bowls, but also may get to interact one on one with the birds and get to understand them. What species were you interested in?

I hope you consider volunteering, because you get the experience of being around parrots without the responsibility of ownership. Everyone wins!

Stick around, this is a great community here and there is so much information too.

 

[GlitchTown]

I agree with itzjbean! Volunteering to rescues is a great way to get experience, wether your parents say yes or no. I get how it is living with your parents and having to get their consent for things you love , especially animals though. I've wanted a pair of finches for a while, but my dad is absolutely against it because I already have Sammy. Ive wanted many animals in fact, but the only pet he has let me get was Sammy (he turned out to love him as well ironically). So id consider yourself lucky your parents let you get the amount of pets you have LOL

My advice to you: Remember that your parents may not be questioning your responsibility, and to not take it personally. All parents have their unpassable limits, i would simply wait until you are on your own, many people's hobbies truly show once they have independance. So resist that aching nerve to get one! I know it is hard, but sometimes i wish i resisted it better, but im stuck with Sammy for the next 25+ years LOL.

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[ParrotLover2001]

I understand how it is, my mom hates birds! Yet, I somehow convinced her to me one, and that grew to multiple birds...somehow.
I got my lovebird, Jordan, for Christmas last year.

You can't do much if your parents won't let you, I only had my mom against me, my dad was fine with it, although they were both fine with it when I got my first bird.

Since you have other animals, I'd suggest taking care of them first. I have a dog, a cat, and multiple birds, and just the birds alone are a whole lot of work, all of my animals take up most of my time, my schoolwork takes up the rest of my time. I barely have time to do other things. Parrots and very needy, and need lots of attention.

To prove you are responsible, take care of your current pets, try volunteering at local shelters.

What I did to get my first parrot (when I was 11) I had to keep my room clean for an entire week, then I got a budgie.

I asked my parents a couple weeks ago if I could dig out the fish tank and get some fish, I was told no, because I have too many pets. I wanted to turn it into a salt water aquarium. Lol.

Sent from my Galaxy s8

 

[wrench13]

Hi there.

I really really want a parrot for Christmas and I asked my parents but they said no. I have done heaps of research and even provided them with my top three so that they could choose and they still said no. I have a lot of pets already...
Four chinchillas
Two rabbits
But I really want a parrot. It is a pet I have always wanted so I am a little mad that they won't even consider it. I said that I would pay and I am even selling my bike so I have the money. What are some other ways I could convince them?
I think they think I have too many pets and that I am not responsible enough. How can I prove that I am?

Thanks in advance

How old are you ? What are your 3 parrot choices?

 

[123animals]

Thanks for all the answers! I am 13. I am not allowed to say where I live in NZ but obviously I live in NZ. My three choices were:
1. Sun conure
2. Male electus
3. A blue and gold macaw. My friend has one who I have played with before. I have done a HUGE amount of research on these and I am aware they are not a beginner bird however I really love them and I think with the right amount of research I could care for one.
I think my parents were scared off by the price
I am going to raise enough money.

But in the meantime I think volunteering would be a great idea!

 

[BeatriceC]

I agree with the above posters. For now, it might be better to focus on how you can volunteer with a parrot rescue. My 15 year old has two birds, but his parents are bird people (we have three of our own), and we're willing to step in and help when he needs it. That includes transportation to the vet if either of his birds get sick, and loaning him money if necessary to pay for it. Birds need specialized vet care, and it tends to be expensive. The larger birds you like can wind up being very expensive, and that's probably not something you can afford right now.

I know it sucks to have to wait for something you really want, but you have to think about the bird's health and happiness too. If you can't properly take care of an animal because your parents aren't willing to help you, then the animal suffers through no fault of his own. But if you volunteer your time at a rescue, you get to be a positive force in the lives of many animals, and at the same time gain valuable experience so that when the time is right for you to get a bird of your own, you will be knowledgeable and confident in handling whatever bird you bring home.

 

[YUMgrinder]

if it's cost they are worried about, try finding one at a local shelter, they are very much cheaper. Also, budgies (parakeets) are very affordable ($20 here in the states at the store, cheaper at a shelter and sometimes free in the classifieds!) and they have the same amount of personality as many larger birds in my opinion. You could work up from there once you show your parents you are able to care for a budgie.

 

[LordTriggs]

13 is wayyyyy too young to care for a parrot especially the 3 you have chosen. A macaw if peeved enough with you could easily re-arrange your face and take a few fingers

ultimately your parents have said no. You need to respect that, it's tough but it's what I had to deal with when I was your age. I now only found out this year that my mum is terrified of birds and that's why I wasn't allowed one when younger

Like others have said try seeing if you can help out at a rescue, or if that's not possible see if you can find a saturday job at a store that sells parrots but the hard fact is even if they were to say okay it would be better to wait until you have your own place to get your own pet. When at your parent's home it's either their pet or a family pet

 

[RisingSun]

I wanted a parrot as a kid. I am so glad I did not get one. It is one thing if your parrot becomes the family pet, but in this case it sounds like your family is against it for now. As someone mentioned above, as you get more independence, your priorities may change. Even if the change is just temporary as you navigate friends, school responsibilities, boyfriend/girlfriend, university, new job etc...your bird may not understand why he has dropped from your social calendar at certain times.

If you decide to attend university, they may not allow pets, or your first apartment may not allow pets. Want to study abroad? Probably can't take the bird with you. And guess who will be stuck with the bird? Your family. And they know this. Getting a parrot is a decision on par with getting married and having a kid, as they can live for 30+ years. You have to try and visualize the obstacles having a dependent at the age of 13, may present, and how it might possibly affect other goals you may have.

There are other ways to outlet your love of parrots without owning one, like volunteering, as others have mentioned. Maybe you could convince your family to let you foster even, since it's only temporary. Lucky you, living in NZ. I am sure there must tons of bird and parrot conservation and rescue operations looking for help from a young passionate person such as yourself.

I don't mean to discourage you, or to imply that young people should not have parrots as pets, I just want you to try and see it from your parents point of view by imagining what your life would look like not just now but for the next five years, with an animal who requires several hours of your attention every day and will likely only want it from you and you alone, no substitute, except maybe the male Eclectus haha; but even they can be a handful. As much as I love my Matisse, he can be a bit much at times, and I am a 33 year old woman who works from home with nothing much else exciting going on in her life LOL. He is just very demanding of my, specifically MY time. He will play by himself happily enough, but I can sense an immediate shift in his mood if I go just 1 or 2 days not giving him the one-on-one attention he's accustomed to.

 

[Flboy]

Hi, a tough three, especially for a household that is against birds! FYI, a parrot is NOT a pet!


1. Sun conure- very loud, sound system feed back loud!
2. Male electus- very specialized bird!
3. A blue and gold macaw. VERY LOUD- half mile loud!

 

[ParrotLover2001]

Hi, a tough three, especially for a household that is against birds! FYI, a parrot is NOT a pet!

Your right. Parrots aren't your pets, you are the parrot's pet. They own their humans, the parrots control us! Lol. They also aren't as domesticated as other "pets" like cats and dogs.

Sent from my Galaxy s8

 

[clark_conure]

I agree with flyboy and lordriggs those are Large and high maintenance birds that need a lot of attention. Have you seen one in person up close? Or held one? I'm intimidated by a bird that size and I'm a grown up and have been around them...and it would take me a while to get comfortable. Yes they are pretty, but for your age I'd recommend going smaller, and with your parents on board to help train and buy the food, and vet bills and etc.

 

[RisingSun]

Hi, a tough three, especially for a household that is against birds! FYI, a parrot is NOT a pet!


1. Sun conure- very loud, sound system feed back loud!
2. Male electus- very specialized bird!
3. A blue and gold macaw. VERY LOUD- half mile loud!

I agree. I tend to use "companion" and have never seen my birds as "pets", but I catch myself "parroting" (hee) the term back to someone who uses it. I love that you brought that up because it really is a distinction from domesticated animals (who I also personally like to also call companions).

The birds made me basically change my life around. My routine, my grocery shopping, even how I eat.....Deciding to bring a parrot into your home is definitely a lifestyle choice LOL!

 

[Kiwibird]

FYI, a parrot is NOT a pet!

Indeed. We refer to ours as our avian overlord. He is master of this house (and knows it), not the other way around

If you wouldn't consider yourself capable of providing the attention and care needs a toddler demands, you are not ready for a parrot. They are more like winged toddlers who will never grow out of the terrible two's than a feathery [dog, cat or other misconceptions of an easy to care for domesticated house pet].

 

[wrench13]

Too young to own any of these. Besides costing over a $1000, cages are almost as much, and Vet bills can run several times that if the bird gets really sick. Special wholesome fresh food.

And think about the sort of life you are going to offer these parrots , who are easily as smart as you. Cage all day, maybe 1-2 hours out with you, when you are not off doing school work or playing with friends.

An unbelievably bad idea and I agree with your parents. Wait 10 years. Sorry for being blunt.

 

[LordTriggs]

An unbelievably bad idea and I agree with your parents. Wait 10 years. Sorry for being blunt.

where were you when I convinced my mum to get me a Tiel when I was 10? Was fun at the time but looking back on it I wish I didn't get them, I had no idea what I was doing

And my damn siblings accidentally let him loose when cleaning the cage, a fact I didn't learn until this year

 

[GlitchTown]

An unbelievably bad idea and I agree with your parents. Wait 10 years. Sorry for being blunt.

where were you when I convinced my mum to get me a Tiel when I was 10? Was fun at the time but looking back on it I wish I didn't get them, I had no idea what I was doing

And my damn siblings accidentally let him loose when cleaning the cage, a fact I didn't learn until this year

Ohhh yeah. I agree, I wish I had someone to get through my thick teenage skull. I'm 16 and I only got him last June! But I should have waited much longer. Oh well, my dad likes him a lot anyways so he's fine with it.

Also, your choices... not good.

1. Sun Conure - No. Not at this point... Sammy is loud and repetitive. Once again I'm lucky my dad is not sensitive in the slightest to his yells. Neither am I. But if your parents or especially you are, absolutely a no go... they may be gorgeous birds, but they aren't good for your situation. For Conures, I recommend a Green Cheek Conure. But even then it's pushing it far. I'll go over what you should get if you are sure later.

2. Male Eclectus - I really don't know much about these guys. I know they have very vibrant colors that vary between gender, which is pretty cool. But they're still true parrots. I'd say no to this one, too.

3. Blue and Gold Macaw - NO amount of research will ever properly prepare you for a B&G. I mean it. This is my blunt and sincere answer for this choice: NO. But like you said, given that you will get experience in the future and get on your own, then its a good option.

My recommendations:

1. Budgie (parakeet): Right off the bat I'm sure you're thinking "What? That's boring! They don't do anything!", there's nothing more wrong. They do everything other parrots do, and yes, they're parrots. Also they make sweet little noises instead of piercing screams most of the time. I'd say they would be perfect for your situation.

2. Finch or Canary: These guys are less directly interactive. But they are very cool! They certainly allow us to admire avian life without the amount of responsibility we see in parrots. A great bird for bird lovers all around. Again, they make little cool noises too!

That's about all I can think of. Just use your better judgement and look at the future as possibly best that you can!

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[itchyfeet]

There are other ways to outlet your love of parrots without owning one, like volunteering, as others have mentioned. Maybe you could convince your family to let you foster even, since it's only temporary. Lucky you, living in NZ. I am sure there must tons of bird and parrot conservation and rescue operations looking for help from a young passionate person such as yourself.

I wish! You'd think I guess it's a good thing, but most of the parrots here are rediculiously expensive, and only in the hands of those who have found a way to afford them. The few that get rehomed turn up on trademe (our craigslist, I guess) and are snapped up pretty quickly. As a result, fostering & volunteering isn't really a thing here.

That being said...OP those parrots are all really damn expensive! They won't slot in easily - you'll be so aware they're there.

I'm really sorry you're not getting the answers you want. It'll be worth the wait though.

 

[BirdSquawk]

If you are dead set on a bird, may I suggest a pigeon/dove? They are very much like parrots in that they can be affectionate and form strong bonds with their owners, but do not scream and have less attention needs than parrots (though still need interaction on a daily basis.)

However! They still live 10-15 years, need a large flight cage, and a high quality feed supplemented with fresh food.

While they are still a pet for very dedicated and responsible owners, in my opinion they are much better suited to life with humans as they are domesticated.

Plus you have the option of choosing from a variety of breeds (my favorite is the Old German Owl). My coworker breed them and has said they can be quite addicting!