I have a 5 year old at my house

[CockatielLover2005]

Hey I am 13 years old and about to buy a cockatiel but my nephew loves cockatiels like the rest of us and he is 5. I already know he will cry and try to handle it even though it will be in my room. I’m asking should I let him handle the cockatiel, I’m asking this because I had one since I was 4 but I was a calm child but he is not calm at all the 5 year old is rough even when he had a pet bunny he used to throw it around by the tail

 

[Banana]

I think you should be very cautious about letting him handle your cockatiel. Tiels can get stressed out, so maybe just let him give your bird neck scratches. Also, don't let him pet it's back/wings because that can lead to a bird's hormones going wild. If you need more on that subject, here's a link Bird Sexuality - Bird Behavior Problems - birdparadise.biz

 

[Owlet]

To be blunt if he is pulling a rabbit around by the tail you should wait until he's older to allow him to handle your bird. Rabbits are fragile but birds are more so, I would be cautious.

 

[Anansi]

...the 5 year old is rough even when he had a pet bunny he used to throw it around by the tail

I think you have your answer right in that line. He doesn't know any better yet. Don't allow him handling privileges until he does. Better to err on the side of caution in this case.

 

[CockatielLover2005]

...the 5 year old is rough even when he had a pet bunny he used to throw it around by the tail

I think you have your answer right in that line. He doesn't know any better yet. Don't allow him handling privileges until he does. Better to err on the side of caution in this case.

Ya but that was around a 1 year and 8 months ago

 

[EllenD]

...the 5 year old is rough even when he had a pet bunny he used to throw it around by the tail

I think you have your answer right in that line. He doesn't know any better yet. Don't allow him handling privileges until he does. Better to err on the side of caution in this case.

Ya but that was around a 1 year and 8 months ago

The answer to your question is, "If you even have to come online to a forum and as this question, that means that you already know the answer".

Birds are extremely fragile, extremely. And if you EVEN HAVE A DOUBT ABOUT ANYONE HANDLING YOUR BIRD, then the answer is that you already know that he shouldn't be handling it, AS IT'S NOT WORTH THE RISK!

If he were to come into your room, open the cage up, grab your cockatiel, and EVEN ONCE, ONE TIME, toss, throw, drop, or bang the bird off of anything, whether on-purpose or accidentally, the bird can and probably will die, even with a very, very expensive Avian Vet bill. THERE ARE NO TAKE-BACKS OR RE-DO'S WHEN IT COMES TO THIS, IT ONLY TAKES ONE MISTAKE, ONE ACCIDENT, OR ONE TANTRUM/YOUNG CHILD BEING A YOUNG CHILD TO INSTANTLY KILL YOUR BIRD!!!

And you're talking about a little cockatiel (not that it matters what species of parrot at all, none should EVER be subjected to even the RISK of this happening), they can be killed instantly by simply flying into one window or wall. And you're talking about a now-6 and a half year old child who has a habit of handling animals roughly already.

****Here's my question...You're only 13, why is this your responsibility? Where are the adults in the house who would most likely be buying you the parrot, or at least the ones who would have to say you're allowed to get one in the first place? Why aren't they/weren't they addressing the issue with the bunny rabbit? Why was a 5 year old allowed to do such a thing to an animal?

This shouldn't be on your shoulders, if there is any risk of a child in your home hurting/killing a potential pet, then there shouldn't be any pets until he's old enough to understand what he's doing is cruel, abusive, and wrong. OR you need to have a lock on your bedroom door that opens with a key from outside of the room so he can't get into the room, which I doubt will happen with a 13-year-old's bedroom...

 

[Kiwibird]

Wow, this sounds like a dangerous situation to bring a bird into. I'm not sure about most 5 year olds, but I had a general idea by that age (as did all my cousins and pretty much any kid I've ever known) that animals deserved to be treated gently and weren't toys. The ADULT(S) responsible for the child in your home needs to work with and keep a closer eye on him. Though, I get the impression none of the adults were doing their job in the first place if flinging around a bunny by the tail happened on more than one occasion without serious enough repercussions the child would do it again.

Personally, I think this is an unsafe situation for any new pet to come into until the 5 year old is taught better. Even if he's not allowed to touch the bird, all it takes is one time for him to sneak in your room while your in the bathroom or depending on how the adults in the home react, for him to throw a tantrum and one of them gives in. It is unfortunate for you, but with maturity should come an understanding that it isn't right to put an innocent little animal in harms way. Perhaps you should try speaking to your parent(s) about these concerns.

 

[EllenD]

I agree, while it's very mature of you as a 13 year-old to come onto this forum and ask this question to begin with, you also need to have the maturity to realize that you must put the well-being of the bird first (or any pet/animal in this type of situation), well before your own. Just because you "want" to get a pet bird does not mean that you should, nor does it mean that it's what is best for the pet that you bring into that environment...

I had to ask the same question, though it's not your fault in any way as you're only 13, but where are the adults in your home if it was a regular occasion for a 5 year old to "throw around a bunny by it's tail"? If I saw ANY CHILD, whether my own or not, grabbing any animal that way and doing anything like this, I would not only take hold of the animal away from the child immediately, I would also ask their parent/guardian what the heck they were thinking allowing their child to abuse an animal that way...They are helpless living creatures that are at our mercy. And when you commit yourself to being responsible for the life of any animal, which you do the minute you decide to bring them into your home, you cannot excuse things like this...

Like I already said, I think you already know the answer to your question, otherwise you wouldn't have had to ask it...

 

[BirdGeeks]

Hello! I am actually around your age and know how young children and birds do not mix. I have a 7 yr old, 3 yr old and 1 yr old cousins who come to my house sometimes. I don't know if the 5 yr old lives with you but in my experience NO small child should be allowed to handle a animal by theirselves. Even my 7 yr old cousin got scared and almost dropped on of my pets the other day, which may or may not have been very bad for the pet. The other thing you must think about is that you, as a 13 yr old, are still going to school and have a lot of time ahead of you before you are an adult. I recently came on to this website with almost that exact question but I determined that it was okay in my situation.
But I have two backup people willing to take my birds in the event of something happening, complete parent approvel, a job, a college 20 min away for when I am that age and most of my life planned out. No matter what species of parrot/ bird you get your life WILL revolve around that bird! No more teflon cookware, or harsh chemicals near the bird. There is a lot of stuff to think about when it comes to parrots with diet being overlooked often. If you have already thought about all of this than good for you for doing your research! Very sorry I kind of got sidetracked from the original topic! Good luck!
Here's some threads for you to read:
http://www.parrotforums.com/new-mem...hould-ask-before-getting-bird.html#post714343
http://www.parrotforums.com/general-parrot-information/71897-cost-owning-parrots.html

 

[CockatielLover2005]

Ok thanks for all your replies everyone I won’t be getting anytime soon then.

 

[eagle18]

He has to be taught how to handle animals.

At age five I got my first pet, a black bunny I named Hoppy. I thought it was so cool to roll him back and forth on the grass like a rolling pin.

My sister who is nine years older than me yelled at me from the window to stop. She told me that she would tell our parents and that the bunny would be taken away from me. I stopped immediately.

There is no reason to give up on having a bird. Everybody has to learn at one point in their lives.

Children, five and under, are too rough when it comes to handling animals. They act like they are stuffed toys. Your nephew can pet the bird but only if he is being supervised.

 

[African_charlie]

im 13 with an african grey
and i also have a 6 ear old brother
i dont let him go NEAR him
just talk to ur parents about it and get a lock for ur room
it helped alot

 

[ChristaNL]

I will not let my nephews around my birds till they are at least 22 y.old.!
(and maybe never)

Even though some of them really like animals, they also have poor impulse controll-
so no way they get to handle something as fragile (and sensitive) as the parrots.
The eldest would be okay - but he has little interest in animals (he is too busy being 16 and a c00l guy), but the rest of them...no way!


LOL I met my first grey at a very, very young age (did not know he would become my grey several years later) - so I was 13 ... and main caregiver of a CAG.
I've had animals and birds before that- so I sort of knew what I was doing ( no internet, so it was flying by the seat of my pants a lot!).


Every child is different, in the middle ages childeren of 12 were thought to be wise and mature enough to marry and run a household, these days kids are even smarter and boatloads better educated, so 13 is fine to be a responsable parront (if you are 'the type'). (Some people should not even have birds/ animals when they are 53 - it all depends on the person.)



If that 5 year old is a bunny-swinging type: no way that he would be allowed within 5 feet of a bird!
That should not stop you from have a tiel (unless you live in the same house and of course can not supervise your nephew every single second he is around ).

 

[GaleriaGila]

Ok thanks for all your replies everyone I won’t be getting anytime soon then.

YAYYYYYYYY! I applaud your responsiveness and responsibility! I am so impressed!
You'll have a bird someday, and you'll be glad you waited!