Thinking of Getting a Pet Parrot?

Parrots aren’t really “rare” pets anymore. Even small pet stores carry large birds, and most people know at least one person with a parrot. Captive breeding provides a good selection of species at a wide range of prices. Hand-rearing has gives us birds that are apt to see people as friends rather than monsters. It’s easy to find a pet parrot these days. Maybe too easy. It’s not uncommon for people to acquire one in less-than-well-thought-out circumstances. This leads to many unwanted birds. Parrots are ending up in rescue situations almost as frequently as dogs and cats.

One sure way to decrease unwanted parrots is to educate potential owners. Chances are many of you already have a parrot, but some of you are still be mulling over the idea. You’re doing what you should be doing, which is thinking, so good for you! It’s much better to sort things out carefully than to make a snap decision you regret later. While some parrots are bought on impulse, there are people who think ahead of time and still wind up making a poor choice because their motives weren’t in the best interest of the bird, and/or they were given bad information.

Be sure you have the right motivation for getting a parrot in the first place. Don’t think it’s a good way to impress people. Don’t try to complete your tropical island décor with a live prop. Don’t get hung up on the whole “because it talks” thing. Get a parrot because you want a smart, active, engaging pet that wants to be and can become part of your family. And because you don’t mind that sometimes it’s stubborn, noisy, messy, destructive and demanding. Sort of like a kid that will never grow up. If you’re cool with that, then maybe you’re good to go as far as your motives are concerned.

Your expectations about what you’re getting in a bird need to be clear and based in reality. Plenty of people end up unhappy with their feathered pet because of the difference between what they expected and what they actually got. They thought they were getting a relatively low-maintenance pet that didn’t need much in the way of daily care or training, one that would want to be played with and held at their convenience, and always be the sweet big-eyed baby they cuddled back then.

These are unfortunate, common misrepresentations that you hear get tossed about as easily as yesterday’s seed mix. No matter where you seek your bird, you may be told “You just have to feed him this seed and take him out once in a while”. Or “He’s a hand-fed baby so he won’t need to be trained”. Or “You don’t need to give him toys because you want him to focus on you”. Or “Any vet will do”. And you can really get a good story from the people with the “for sale” ad in the paper who claim they’re getting rid of their bird because they a) have to move; b) are having a baby; c) just got a new job; or d) insert various other excuse for getting rid of a bird here. But what they really should say is “We had no idea what we were getting into. We can’t take anymore a) noise; b) mess; c) biting; d) insert various other reason for getting rid of a bird here and just have to get him out of here!”

I’m kinda painting a dark picture here, and if parrots were always bad, no one would have them. But they are one of the more challenging pets to keep if you’re going to do it properly... especially with species like the African Grey and Cockatoo. You need to be prepared to spend money on more than just the bird, provide a varied diet, spend lots of time socializing and training, possibly drive long hours to find a good vet, and be adept at picking up all sorts of parrot-related messes. Parrots may be exotic, they may talk and they may be impressive, but they aren’t low-maintenance, inexpensive or automatically well-mannered. The more you accept that going in, the more likely you are to be a parrot-worthy home. The next step is to figure out what species you might want and where to get it! Looks like you still have lots of thinking to do. Good thing I have more for you to read….

Parrots as Pets: Undemanding and low cost? Not!

Today I'm excited to announce a new voice to my blog. There's so much bad information on the internet about parrots, that I've made the decision to scoop up a few of the real experts and convince them to post some really breakthrough, and accurate information to my blog on a regular basis.

It's my hope that over the next several months I can attract some of the most advanced parrot behavior specialists in the world and get them to share their thoughts, articles and insights with you for free on this blog.

This website attracts over 7,600 visitors to it a day, making it one of the highest trafficked parrot websites on the internet. So if you know of a good parrot behavior specialist who you think might want to contribute their knowledge to this blog then contact me at info@birdtricks.com I don't know why no one has ever assembled many great parrot trainers in one place where they could share their thoughts and advice with you... but the wait is over, and on a weekly basis you can now check back to this blog for up to date training information and insights to help you strengthen your relationship with your parrot.

So with that said... here's the first article from one of our new writers, Kim Bear!

Parrots as Pets: Undemanding and low cost? Not!

Usually when I write, I have a clear plan of what I want to say. Sometimes that plan doesn’t take. Originally, I was going to present standard “is a pet parrot right for you?” information, and go over the pros and cons and whatnot. But then I read something that changed my focus. Now it’s more of a rant.

This rant pertains to the very medium you’re using right now, ironically, and how one must be careful when using the internet to look for information. It started out innocently enough. I was searching for statistics about where parrots rank in the pet population. I’d read something a while back that says they’re the 3^rd most popular pet, and I wanted check that out.

So, like many people looking for answers, I did an internet search and got several sites. The first one I visited was one of those large “we cover everything” sites where people post all sorts of articles, so you can read about everything from how to conquer bad breath to how to get a good rate on your mortgage refinancing. And, evidently, how to choose a pet. Hey, this site even has one of my ads on it! How cool is that?

I wasn’t long into reading one particular article before I started looking for the statement “and these are all myths about pet parrots”. But that statement never came. Anyone who reads the article would get a very wrong impression about parrots.

Phrases used to describe them included “less demanding” than dogs or cats, “less involved” in the family, and not needing “the same amount of attention and training” as other pets. Oh, and also “not as expensive to maintain”. That sound you hear? It’s probably the collective “HA!” and “YOU’VE GOT TO BE KIDDING!” sounds coming from parrot owners who know better.

Now I’m not saying the author doesn’t know anything about parrots. He has written several articles on that site, though I didn’t see much about his parrot-related credentials. He may actually be an expert. But he certainly has a different perspective than other experts I know. People have the right to form opinions based on their own experiences, of course. And it may be that in this man’s experience, his statements are true.

But I wonder how much has he ever expected from his parrot? Perhaps he has never realized his parrot’s potential. Never noticed just how involved in his life the bird would be if given the chance. Never thought to buy lots of toys or build a play gym, to teach trick training or take his bird to the park. And maybe he’s been lucky and has never had to take his parrot to the vet.

But that’s the thing about the internet--There’s so much out there, and you have to sort through it. I feel for you folks who are just beginning to research whether or not a parrot is right for you, and what type of parrot that may be. You’re in a mine field, so tread carefully. Most websites these days are nicely designed no matter who is actually behind them, and the information looks like it’s coming from people who know what they’re talking about. And, for the most part, you can gather good information.

But you can also get a hold of some very not-good information. Like one of the other articles on that same site that says something along the lines of parrots not being picky eaters. Listen carefully...you may hear more scoffing from parrot owners as they toss out yet another uneaten bowl of pellets or scrape another slice of banana off the wall.

So ends my little “reader beware” lesson. Please gather your sources carefully. Feel free to check up on me so you can decide whether or not I’m credible, since I’m pointing fingers here. Oh, and I did find out where parrots rank as pets. One site said they are the second most popular pet in the U.S. But you know what? I think I will keep checking. I don’t want to believe it just because I read it on one website.