Finding an Apartment

[NightEule5]

Does anyone have any experience with living in an apartment with a GCC? How hard was it find an apartment that would let you have one? How much did you have to negotiate? I want a GCC, but I have to get details first. I've seen many apartments that are listed as pet friendly and yet only allow dogs or cats. Any advice?

 

[SilverSage]

It really depends on the land lord. Some allow birds even in non pet friendly homes, some don't allow birds even in pet friendly homes. But you have to be smart in choosing a place. Don't choose a home that says they allow them but also has extremely thin walls. Even consider knocking on doors and talking to the people who would be your closest neighbors about noise, etc.


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[NightEule5]

Thanks for the quick answer. I'll just have to email several landlords ahead of time. I purposefully chose a Green Cheek because they make less noise, but I will still ask everyone just in case.

 

[RavensGryf]

Here is a tip that I'd learned whenever I was shopping for an apartment. There is a big difference in rental properties owned by management companies, or private owners.

Every time I've lived in an apartment, it has been with a management company, and believe it or not none have ever counted birds as pets. Birds of any size were always allowed. I've even had large birds in apartments, and neighbors did too.

But, when inquiring with private owners, I've found them to be much more picky, and most do count birds when they say no pets.

Edit:
About noise... I've noticed that it's certain pitches that will carry more than others. For example, I once lived next door to a Goffin's Cockatoo who was really loud when the front door was opened, but when it was closed I could barely hear it. It was a raspy sound that didn't really carry through the walls the way a higher pitched sharp sound would like a conure.

Also, don't be too paranoid about 'no' noise. People understand that some noise in the daytime whether it is birds, dogs, tv, stereo, people's voices, etc. is normal and acceptable during daytime hours.

 

[NightEule5]

Thanks for the tip. I think the one I was looking at was a management company. I will contact them and see if they would allow it.

 

[SilverSage]

Also with a gcc don't say "parrot" say "small cage bird" lol. I live with many "small cage birds." We discussed size, number, and the fact that they don't stay in their cages, but it just sets a totally different tone for the conversation.

Keep in mind though, you will be responsible for training, socializing, and caring for your bird in such a way that he or she is a decent neighbor.

I share my life with 6 GCCs in a tiny condo where none of us have AC so we all have our windows open. Yet when I did a favor for a friend by pet sitting her two GCCs, they made more noise than my entire flock including babies and fosters, over 30 birds at the time. Why? Because they had been conditioned through various means to scream their heads off constantly, and my birds have the opposite experience.

You can also do things like hang blackout curtains and rearrange your schedule to accommodate. For example my birds wake up around 6:30 but don't really "celebrate" until around 8. By then, most people with jobs or kids are awake. If your bird tends to be loud right after waking, you can artificially delay "sunrise" with cage covers or curtains until a late enough hour that most people are awake.

If your bird is throwing a giant screaming party, you can do things to dampen the noise such as running large fans, doing laundry, running the dishwasher, and turning on music or the tv, if you feel a particular day your bird is disrupting your neighbors.

I guess my point is that you have a lot of influence on whether or not your bird is a good neighbor. I've had people come into my house like repair men, who are startled to notice one of my birds sitting on a perch or my shoulder, even after being in the house for quite a while. All birds make noise, but choosing the right species (we have mostly IRNs, GCCs, and cockatiels) and altering your lifestyle to meet their needs can really cut down on the noise.


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