| I realize that most of you already own parrots. | | | | basis. 5. Do you have reasonably consistent work |
| However, if you are like most parrot parents, you are | | | | hours or live on a consistent schedule? Parrots need |
| tempted from time to time to add to the flock. | | | | consistency in their lives. They live on a schedule and |
| Whether you are buying your first parrot or your 10th, | | | | they expect their humans to do the same. They can |
| the considerations are the same and you want to be | | | | adjust to different schedules to an extent as long as |
| smart. There really can be too many parrots for some | | | | there is consistency. Too much change can result in a |
| people while other people are happy to care for | | | | stressed out parrot! Parrots want to be awake, |
| dozens and dozens or even hundreds of parrots. I've | | | | uncovered and fed in the morning. Many of them like |
| learned these things that must be considered because | | | | to get up at sunrise and will tell you about it if you try |
| of my personal experiences and experiences of my | | | | to sleep in. They want to settle in for the night not too |
| friends in relation to becoming new parrot parents. Yet, | | | | long after it gets dark outside. During the hours in |
| I have had to make mistakes to learn from them | | | | between rising and going to bed for the night, they |
| myself. Even with years of experience with parrots, it | | | | want their humans to pay attention to them. 6. Do you |
| is easy to make an error if you don't go back to the | | | | have the time and willingness to provide proper training |
| list of factors and review them from time to time. 1. | | | | on a consistent basis? Parrots need to learn good |
| What is your motivation to buy a first parrot or to add | | | | manners through basic training. If you want your parrot |
| to the flock? You've all read about my SunDance, the | | | | to learn to talk, you'll have to provide that training as |
| sun conure I had from age eight week until her death. | | | | well. You will find that you need to teach your parrot |
| I'd like to tell you how wrong my motivation for buying | | | | what belongs to it and what it should not bother; |
| her really was. Now, understand that I enjoyed 17 | | | | keeping in mind they only learn this to a point because |
| happy years with her and loved her dearly, but my | | | | they are mischievous, curious creatures by nature. |
| true motivation was flawed. I would not have missed | | | | Parrots can actually be potty trained, but only through |
| those years with her for anything. My honest | | | | consistency and training can that happen. Some |
| motivation was that I had just moved from cold and | | | | talented parrots can learn to use speech in context to |
| snowy Colorado back to my former home in Cape | | | | let their humans know what they want, but only if the |
| Canaveral, Florida and bought a brand new bicycle. | | | | time is spent to teach them the words. A parrot, as a |
| Everyone in that area rides their bicycles around town | | | | rule of thumb, takes almost as much time as a |
| and on the beach and very good bicycle paths are | | | | two-year old human to raise properly! 7. Are you willing |
| provided. I had seen several people riding their bicycles | | | | to learn about your parrot and ensure it has the proper |
| with parrots and I wanted one to ride my bike with me! | | | | care? In order to care for a parrot properly, you need |
| I already had cockatiels and budgies but I wanted a | | | | to know what species it is and what that species |
| beautiful, striking, bigger parrot to show off riding | | | | needs to be healthy and happy. Some parrots, |
| around town. Now, realize I had already been published | | | | Lorikeets and Hyacinth macaws for example, have |
| in Bird Talk magazine and I was dumb enough to think | | | | special dietary needs that must be met in order to be |
| along these lines of motivation. Guess what? | | | | healthy. There are State laws in the United States |
| SunDance was terrified at the sight of a bicycle! There | | | | about certain species and I'm sure this is true in other |
| was no way in the world that I could get her to even | | | | countries as well. Quaker parrots, for example, are |
| consider sitting on me while I was NEAR the bike, | | | | illegal to transport in some states and in others they |
| much less on board! However, things worked out and I | | | | are illegal to even have possession of. Some states |
| knew enough about parrots to love her for what she | | | | require closed bands to remain on the parrots; others |
| was and we were happy, even though I never went | | | | do not. The parrot owner has to investigate and learn |
| bike riding with a parrot - but then how safe would that | | | | about their specific species and how to best create a |
| be, anyway? I would NOT recommend it at all! Why | | | | healthy, happy home for the parrot. 8. Do you have |
| do I tell you this? I am sharing this because it is so very | | | | space in your home for a parrot or another parrot? I |
| important to search ourselves and find exactly why | | | | once lived in a one-bedroom apartment with a dozen |
| we want a parrot. If we want it as something to | | | | small parrots. That isn't for everyone, however. If you |
| impress our friends or to show off as a status symbol, | | | | choose a large parrot, you'll have to have sufficient |
| we are using the wrong motivation. The only right | | | | space to put a large cage and you'll probably want a |
| motivation is that we have a place in our lives that will | | | | place for a play gym. Parrots are messy and you can't |
| provide room and care for the parrot and we want to | | | | just put their cage anywhere. They'll often sling food |
| give of our selves and our time to the parrot. After all, | | | | onto the walls and make a mess with their food on |
| it takes work and dedication to keep parrots properly | | | | the floor. 9. What is your housing situation? If you rent |
| and they require a consistent schedule and daily | | | | your home, are pets allowed? Are the walls sufficiently |
| attention. 2. Is the expense something you can afford | | | | sound-proof so that your parrot will not bother |
| initially and over time? Parrots are NOT inexpensive. | | | | neighbors and result in complaints against you? As I |
| The bigger parrots cost lots of money. Sure, a budgie | | | | said, I did live in a one-bedroom rental apartment for |
| isn't a major investment, nor is a cockatiel, but you also | | | | years with a sun conure without getting any |
| have to provide proper housing, food, treats, toys, vet | | | | complaints. Whether that had to do with my neighbors |
| care, and you have an expense in time you have to | | | | or fate, I can not say. I do know that most of my |
| spend with the parrot. If you want a large parrot, | | | | neighbors loved seeing SunDance and our walls were |
| before deciding you have the money for the parrot, | | | | not thin. Many apartments or attached homes allow |
| price the large cage it will call its home. A large, sturdy | | | | lots of noise to travel between apartments. 10. Do you |
| parrot cage that would be roomy enough for a blue | | | | have the dedication needed to give a parrot |
| and gold macaw, for example, can cost as much as | | | | everything it needs? Just as with raising a child, there |
| the parrot! Toys for big birds can run into money as | | | | will be times that you have to spend money you may |
| well. Some of our subscribers have stated in their | | | | prefer using for something else to obtain things your |
| interviews an average expense of up to $500 per | | | | parrot needs such as health care, a new cage or toys. |
| month for total average expense of caring for their | | | | Also, your parrot will expect you to be with it during |
| parrots - and they only have one, two or three! Sure, | | | | part of every day. I hear too many stories about |
| this includes their wing clipping or other grooming by a | | | | people who obtain untamed parrots and then don't |
| vet and health check ups, plus lots and lots of toys and | | | | have the dedication to tame them. It can take months |
| treats. Even a budgie, however, costs money and it | | | | or even years to get an untamed adult parrot to |
| has to have the things it needs to be happy and | | | | become trusting of humans. Do you have that kind of |
| entertained. 3. Consider family structure and family | | | | dedication? This is a good time to bring up the |
| stability. Right now you may be a single person with | | | | differences of buying an adult untamed parrot and a |
| lots and lots of time to spend with a long-lived parrot. | | | | hand-fed well-socialized baby parrot. If you want to |
| But what happens to the parrot if you... a) Marry and | | | | ensure you have a loving pet that will allow you to |
| have children? b) Become unemployed? (Do you have | | | | handle it and pet it, you should buy a hand-fed baby. |
| the resources to care for the parrot during times of | | | | Even with a hand-fed parrot, if the parrot is allowed to |
| financial stress?) c) Are you in college and have time | | | | exist as part of the parrot flock, it will learn to be a |
| right now, but once you enter your new career, will | | | | parrot. If a baby parrot is placed in a loving family as |
| you be working long days and leaving before daylight | | | | an only parrot and you follow guidelines about spending |
| only to return after dark? d) Do you travel a great deal | | | | time every day with your parrot, you'll almost certainly |
| or plan long international trips? SunDance loved me | | | | have a loving, cuddly parrot. Some untamed adult |
| through more than one marriage, several jobs, different | | | | parrots become trusting and loving; this depends on the |
| housing and even different family components. | | | | parrot and the humans involved as well as dedication |
| However, that might not be the case for you. Think | | | | and consistency. 11. Do you want a parrot that talks |
| long and hard about your future plans. She traveled | | | | and will NOT be happy with a non-speaking parrot? |
| with me at times and other times visited with her | | | | The only way to obtain a parrot that is guaranteed to |
| Grandmother (my mom) or with another trusted friend | | | | talk is to buy one that is already talking! There is |
| or relative. I once had to change roommates because | | | | absolutely no guarantee that any specific parrot of any |
| SunDance could NOT stand the roommate I chose. | | | | species will talk. There are African Greys that never |
| She was right and I was wrong, but nonetheless, I had | | | | learn to say a word and others that seem to know |
| to go through finding another roommate because I | | | | most of the Webster's Dictionary. Can you love a |
| couldn't afford the housing alone. There's a lot to | | | | parrot no matter whether it ever speaks? Will you |
| consider about what could happen in the future. Also, | | | | love the parrot for what it brings to your life, no matter |
| parrots are long lived and plans must be made for their | | | | what? If you don't feel you can be happy unless you |
| care should something happen to you. They can easily | | | | have a parrot that talks, you should either buy a parrot |
| outlive their owners. One African Grey in Alaska was | | | | that already talks or look again at your reasons for |
| documented by Bird Talk magazine to be 112 years of | | | | wanting the parrot. If you do want a parrot that talks |
| age! 4. Do you have time and desire to provide | | | | and is also tame and loving, you can purchase a |
| attention to your parrots every single day? One | | | | species that is known for talking ability and then train |
| mistake made by many parrot buyers is that they buy | | | | the parrot, hoping it will learn to speak. But you have to |
| a hand-fed just weaned baby parrot and, because the | | | | keep in mind that there are absolutely... no guarantees |
| parrot is new, pay loads of attention to the parrot. | | | | no matter what anyone tells you! Final Thoughts If you |
| Then, reality sets in and the parrot doesn't get nearly | | | | consider all these factors and become well educated |
| as much attention as it previously was lavished with. | | | | about the parrot you intend to purchase, you'll make a |
| Some parrots become stressed out by this and begin | | | | very good parrot parent. If, however, you find yourself |
| to pluck feathers. Cockatoos are especially emotional | | | | thinking you may not be able to provide enough |
| parrots and, if you choose a cockatoo, you should | | | | attention or your other pets may cause danger or |
| begin at Day One paying only as much attention to the | | | | stress, you might want to think about your purchase |
| parrot as you reasonably expect to provide on a daily | | | | further. |