Help with bird choice?

[matacalro]

Hello Parronts,

My name is Matt and I am new here. I wanted to join a community of fellow parrot lovers, and luckily I've found this retro yet charming website.

I am 18, not that it matters, and I have fairly recently discovered a love for these beautiful and intelligent animals. I am going to get a parrot of my own, not very soon, but I want to make a choice or at least be confident in what I want.

The two parrots that I personally am most interested in are Macaws and African Greys. Now I KNOW I will be lectured about these birds being "too advanced" for a first-time owner and that I should get a "starter bird." I don't believe in the smaller "starter birds" because I simply don't want smaller birds, and I don't want to be with them for 20+ years. Quite honestly, these birds have their own minds and are amazing creatures I am not going to buy one just to practice so I can get the bird that I actually want. I HAVE done my research. Now that we have THAT out of the way, I have some questions.

EDIT: I will only buy birds that are fully ready for an adoption from breeders or rescues.

Also, is there another intelligent large bird that I have looked over? What is another bird I should consider? I know that Macaws can be risky, one bite can do damage, but Greys are less dangerous. :40:

Do you trim your birds nails and beak at home? Did you take a class to learn this?

I am not going to be getting a bird until years from now. I am here to learn, I want to know everything I can. Thank you so much!

 

[chris-md]

Ok, no no no no no no. Too many red flags to count here.

First off welcome and thank you for doing your diligence. This will be harsh but a point needs to be made very clear to you, and is only said out of care and support (not malicious):

You’re too young. You’ve got school and a life to start building. You’re going to be mobile for the next 7-10 years which is not conducive to parrot ownership.

Second, forget raising from a baby. You have no experience in this, it’s just a dumb idea. You can kill a young chick A million different ways by improper technique, which has many different meanings into itself. It’s generally frowned upon anyways for a breeder to sell an unweaned chick.

Thirdly, you don’t have a good reason why you want a large bird. Everyone who knows nothing start off saying “I want a larger bird!” That’s a recipe for disaster. Since you don’t know birds well at all, to simply dismiss something like a conure out of had is...well, I’ll just say it, ignorant.

Lastly, have you researched parrot prices??? A hyacinth baby is going to run you over $15,000. Doable if you come from money but to just throw it out there that a Hy is what you want without qualification says you haven’t done your homework. 1) good luck finding a hyacinth breeder willing to sell and unweaned chick, and 2) if god forbid you do somehow manage to get one you really want to put $15,000 at risk by attempting to hand feed yourself?? Poorly thought out economics there.

In short, you have a lot more learning and research, and GROWING, to do before a conversation of “what bird should I get” should even begin. That question if off the table right now.

 

[Birdman666]

A hyacinth macaw - first of all takes about a year to wean, and secondly is by far the most difficult of the bunch to hand feed. DON'T!!!

JUST DON'T!!! ODDS ARE YOU WILL KILL YOUR BIRD. AND NO REPUTABLE BREEDER WOULD SELL YOU A CHICK ANYWAY.

Second... a hyacinth macaw is a $10,000 bird. $2,000+ stainless steel cage (they can tear apart regular macaw cages) and they are specialized feeders, so that will cost you an additional $100 per month to feed them, PLUS the cost of toys. And trust me, they go through them. Easily another $50 to 100 per month and that's if you make them yourself...

 

[psychocircus91]

Parrots go through so many phases during development. Hand-rearing a bird yourself does NOT mean a better bond.

I had parrots growing up, but that was with support of my dad. While I was involved in the care, the responsibility really fell on HIS shoulders, should problems arise.
The best thing I did was wait until I had stability in my career before getting a parrot. When the time came, I revolved part of my house buying process on something that would be conducive to parrot ownership.
Because I waited, I was able to get a species I truly wanted and provide him with the space he deserves.

 

[matacalro]

If you read my post, you would have seen that I said YEARS down the line, I have done my research. Also, I am more on the side of getting an African Grey anyways. Why would I need to explain to you why I want a larger bird? I simply don't want the smaller varieties, I would like a more medium to large size. It is simply ignorant of you to assume I know nothing about birds, you know nothing about manners. For raising the bird, like I said in the post, I would get a license and learn from a sanctuary or class. I want to know which variety of bird I would like so I can better learn about them. Your post gave no help.

 

[matacalro]

Thanks Don, I see your point on hand-rearing. I won't raise it from chick, I was just considering it since I heard a lot about it, but it doesn't really make a difference in bond anyways so there is no point. I am going to get a bird years down the line, I just want to learn.

 

[matacalro]

Okay Birdman... I won't raise from chick. Years down the line I am going to get a bird, and I am considering African Grey. I am 95% sure I'm getting an African Grey in a few years.

 

[ToMang07]

You are the embodiment of why I always say "Don't ask the question if you don't want the answer."

 

[itzjbean]

Hello Matt and welcome to the forums!

Your best bet at this age is to find a bird rescue near you that has some larger species and volunteer! It will be a great experience to learn and understand big bird body language (those beaks can be very intimidating) so getting experience around these larger species would be a great way to dive into the bird world without the responsibility of owning one just yet.

You will be hard-pressed to find breeders that sell unweaned baby birds to novices, is there a reason you don't want to wait until weaning? I have heard SO many horror stories of baby birds being purchased that end up getting sick and dying because the new owner didn't realize how difficult it is to raise and successfully wean one properly. They will need a brooder (a source of heat) if they don't have feathers until a certain time, and for the larger species they are even more delicate than the smaller species, in my opinion. Problems can and do happen when venturing into this without experience.

I have raised baby cockatiels (smaller species) and when the parents rejected one baby I had to step in and hand-feed. It was 4-5 weeks old at this point so needed 3 feedings a day for a while but eventually weaned just fine. Not sure where you are getting your information about feeding baby every 20 minutes, usually brand new babies (freshly hatched) require feedings every 1-2 hours at first.

I'm not familiar with breeders near Atlanta but I advise you to research and reach out to local breeders in your area and ask to observe the hand-feeding process and learn from them. It will be a great way to gain experience.

There should be a Certified Avian Vet in your area that works on birds and can help you, once you acquire your bird in the future, with nail and beak trimmings. I don't think there are classes but your vet can teach you, maybe watching the first couple times, allowing the vet to do it and then eventually doing it at home to save money and time.

I love macaws, there are other large species out there like Greys, Cockatoos and Amazons, and they all have their distinct species characteristics and remember, every individual will be different. Also remember that ALL birds bite and are dangerous, not just macaws. They all have incredibly painful bites and all will bite if body language is ignored.

Again, welcome to you Matt and I encourage you to take a look through all the sub-forums of the different species and do as much research as you can! Good luck and hope to be hearing from you again.

 

[matacalro]

If you don't something nice to say, don't say anything at all. This post if for learning, not insults. Go have fun with your cockatoo.

 

[Kiwibird]

I would suggest you start cutting your teeth with parrots by volunteering at an avian shelter (if you have one nearby) and not get too focused on any one species yet. It doesn't sound like you've met very many parrots to have a real gauge of what species you like and feel comfortable with. A shelter/rescue is where you'll learn the good, the bad and the downright ugly about parrots. You'll see everything from neurotic pluckers to birds who bite anything that moves to birds who are so afraid of people they have fits and everything in between (including some very friendly and loving birds). You will also come to understand why larger parrots (and specific species) are so much more prevalent in shelters (i.e. some species get dumped more often because they are harder to care for and deal with). I would imagine in a major metro area like Atlanta, you would have an avian shelter somewhere you could get in contact with. Like any animal shelter, they always need volunteers! Most likely, you'd start with cleaning, food prep and the like before any real interacting with the birds. Many shelters also offer (paid) courses in parrot care and they are a requirement if you ever consider adopting a parrot from them. Volunteering at a wildlife rehabilitation center with wild birds, while potentially a rewarding and interesting time, will be a VERY different and mostly unrelated experience than dealing with pet parrots.

I know everyone loves a baby bird, but don't write off rescues either this early in the process of learning. Especially if you start volunteering and witness firsthand the capacity these animals have to forgive and learn to trust humans again. Homeless parrots really is a huge issue. There are less parrots overall than there are dogs and cats, but I bet percentage wise, more parrots are being abandoned than other pets and the average large parrot gets rehomed somewhere in the neighborhood of 10 times in it's lifetime. I adopted my amazon when he was 10 and am his 3rd KNOWN home. There are few things more rewarding in life than pulling an animal out of that cycle of broken trust and potential abuse/neglect and earning it's trust. And there is no greater bond than the hard earned one from a rescue bird who has no reason to ever trust a human again.

 

[matacalro]

Thank you Jackie! You are one of the first members to not attack me with insults! I am going to get a bird when it is fully weaned and ready, and I am most definitely getting an African grey or similar large to medium variety. I hear what everyone is saying about hand feeding babies, it is very difficult for first timers so I won't risk it. I will be getting a bird in a few years but until then I want to learn all I can and go to sanctuaries and help out.

 

[matacalro]

Thank you KiwiBord! I am going to begin volunteering with a shelter very soon, I want to help out these parrots that have been abandoned. I honestly just want to help, and I want to have a companion of my own one day. I want to learn, just not from those that are obviously posting out of bad intent.

 

[chris-md]

Matt, take it easy, no one here has insulted you; you interpreted it that way but not a single person here has a mean bone in their body and only want to help you. And to tell a well established member of this forum to kick rocks like that does not bode well for building good will to help you.

Tomango is absolutely right. Your upset is that you didn’t get the answer you wanted. But it’s the answer you needed. Your plans were THAT dumb and dangerous, not to mention needlessly expensive. Just because we are emphatically telling you it’s a bad idea and you’re going about it @$$ backwards (which every poster on your thread has said, yet only some are accused of insulting??), a point that REALLY needed to be driven home, doesn’t mean we are being mean or insulting.

Read between the lines. Better yet, read the exact line I wrote that said “this Will harsh but is supportive because you need to hear it”.

Heed the advice you’re getting here. You’re getting it because you asked for it.

 

[Katu]

This is a huge life changing decision. It is on par with deciding to have children. Definitely research. Also know that there are African Greys that never talk. No bird is guaranteed to talk, ever. No bird is guaranteed to even like you, and trust can take months or years to earn, even with a baby bird. You may put your all into your bird, and it may choose to like someone else more than you. It may ignore you completely after it chooses it's person, and you're not it. These are the risks we have to be willing to take, and the timeline is the rest of your life because parrots outlive owners a lot of the time. I believe I've read that the average person who adopts/buys a bird only keeps it 3 years before they give up. That's a terrible statistic. You'll learn a lot about those things by reading through the forums here. There are many experts here.

 

[Squeekmouse]

Sounds like you're doing all the right things by learning and volunteering and asking for advice WELL in advance. Bravo!

To the naysayers who say he's too young for a bird, 18 years old seems very young to me as an old fogey looking back, but I do remember when I WAS 18 and didn't FEEL like I was too young. Everybody's different. When I was 18 I was putting myself through college and managing a comic book shop, having been living on my own for 2 years at that point. By the time I was 21 (which is about when Matt is thinking of getting the bird) I was out of college, engaged, and certainly was mature enough to take care of a pet. After all, many people have kids by that age and that's more of a commitment then a parrot. Who's to say what is the right age and what is not? Matt, if you feel ready, go for it! Just remember a larger parrot, freshly weaned like you are thinking about is going to be alive and with you long after you have retired!! Think about that... where will you be in 50-60 years? Actually... the bird will be lucky to grow up and grow old with you.

On the other hand, I've got a little green cheek conure (I originally wanted a larger parrot also, African Grey was where my heart was set), but my husband was a bit nervous about diving into Parronthood with a bird that large, intelligent, and long-lived. Now that I have Yoda, I kinda like that he's hand-sized. After all, he's ALWAYS with me so I have been able to learn to do everything one-handed. If he'd been a huge Macaw... well, I don't think I would have been able to get ANYTHING done with a Macaw hanging off my shirt all day, every day.

Of course there's cost of the bird, cost of care, and cost of cage to consider, which can be very expensive for larger birds. Another thing to think about is that the larger the bird, the louder it's cries (generally). Chances are you will be living in an apartment at some point in the next 10 years. Your neighbors will hate you if they have to listen to a Macaw screaming for love and attention at 6am. My experience has been that African greys are much quieter, but they CAN still be loud if they want to.

So keep doing what you are doing, visit and volunteer to get more exposure to parrots of all sizes and get to know ALL of the options out there before you take one home. Also keep in mind, sometimes the bird that's right for you will pick YOU and not so much the other way around. Yoda stole my heart when I first met him, while the African grey at the bird shop just didn't connect with me.

Good luck, whatever you end up doing! And welcome to the forums!

 

[chris-md]

Squeekmouse, many of us have had birds as older teens, and the consensus opinion is that it’s not a good age, not because they lack the wherewithall to do it, but because of priorities.

I’ll share my own experience. I had a red throated conure, Aphrodite, when I was in high school/college. However, as college students are, I was living on campus so my bird stayed home with my family who really didn’t care for her. She was bonded to me, her person living an hour and a half away, and nobody else could handle her. So she never got much attention when I left. They covered her a lot because she was always screaming.

Well, parents went on vacation and left the bird to my brother to care for. They covered the bird and left. Brother forgot about her for a week and she died.

Someone like the OPs age will be going away to school, moving into apartmnents where birds really can’t live, or will have roommates who can’t tolerate birds. Parrots thrive best in a stable enviornment, with a steady hand. Early twenties are no t an ideal age to be having birds when you’ll be mobile and unsteady. Not to mention not likely to be able to afford the proper care for the larger birds he purports to want.

It’s about what’s best for the bird, after all.

 

[texsize]

Hello Parronts,

My name is Matt and I am new here. I wanted to join a community of fellow parrot lovers, and luckily I've found this retro yet charming website.

I am 18, not that it matters, and I have fairly recently discovered a love for these beautiful and intelligent animals. I am going to get a parrot of my own, not very soon, but I want to make a choice or at least be confident in what I want.

The two parrots that I personally am most interested in are Macaws and African Greys. Now I KNOW I will be lectured about these birds being "too advanced" for a first-time owner and that I should get a "starter bird." I don't believe in the smaller "starter birds" because I simply don't want smaller birds, and I don't want to be with them for 20+ years. Quite honestly, these birds have their own minds and are amazing creatures I am not going to buy one just to practice so I can get the bird that I actually want. I HAVE done my research. Now that we have THAT out of the way, I have some questions.

EDIT: I will only buy birds that are fully ready for an adoption from breeders or rescues.

Also, is there another intelligent large bird that I have looked over? What is another bird I should consider? I know that Macaws can be risky, one bite can do damage, but Greys are less dangerous. :40:

Do you trim your birds nails and beak at home? Did you take a class to learn this?

I am not going to be getting a bird until years from now. I am here to learn, I want to know everything I can. Thank you so much!

I must say I don't understand such harsh treatment.

Nothing in this post said he/she was looking for unweened birds. He/she says "ready to adopt".

I bought my first bird (Amazon) when I was about 20-21 not knowing anything and not having internet for learning. It was a learning experience for both of us (the bird and myself).

African greys are amazing birds and very intelligent. Don't let there smaller size make you think they cant do serious damage with that beak. You have to treat all birds even the smaller ones with respect. even the smallest can draw blood.

I felt the same way about small birds until a Cockatiel landed at me feet and I took him in. A small bird can have a big personality.

Sorry for such harsh treatment to your OP. I think there may have been some misunderstands.

texsize

 

[psychocircus91]

texsize: The original post has been edited pretty significantly. That's why people came on a bit strong initially.

 

[Kiwibird]

Sounds like you're doing all the right things by learning and volunteering and asking for advice WELL in advance. Bravo!

To the naysayers who say he's too young for a bird, 18 years old seems very young to me as an old fogey looking back, but I do remember when I WAS 18 and didn't FEEL like I was too young. Everybody's different. When I was 18 I was putting myself through college and managing a comic book shop, having been living on my own for 2 years at that point. By the time I was 21 (which is about when Matt is thinking of getting the bird) I was out of college, engaged, and certainly was mature enough to take care of a pet. After all, many people have kids by that age and that's more of a commitment then a parrot. Who's to say what is the right age and what is not? Matt, if you feel ready, go for it! Just remember a larger parrot, freshly weaned like you are thinking about is going to be alive and with you long after you have retired!! Think about that... where will you be in 50-60 years? Actually... the bird will be lucky to grow up and grow old with you.

I was engaged at 18, got Kiwi at 19 and had been living on my own for some time, making me even a little ahead of the game compared to most 18/19 year olds. College was totally out of reach financially for us (especially once the economy tanked!), but full time, mind numbing jobs weren't! Now speaking in hindsight in my late 20's, I think Kiwi was by far the hardest part of those first few years as an adult. I could budget, I could save, I could show up to work on time, I could talk things out like an adult with my husband, I could pay bills on time but Kiwi was a complete wild card. As are ALL parrots, he is a force of chaos and requires complete commitment and that is difficult to a young adult.

It's not that a 18/19/20 year old can't be a good bird owner, it's just that it makes a big impact on your life and doesn't afford you the chance to be a "normal" 18/19/20 year old who is figuring out life and could do with fewer responsibilities. I think the OP is on the right track volunteering and learning now, then getting a bird down the line when he is older and ready.