Pet parrots?

[sickofthecold]

I know this is a niche interest at best, but has anyone here had a pet parrot in grad school? If so, any tips, breed recommendations, etc.? I'm about to start a PhD in California and I've wanted a parrot since I can remember. (I'm staying with my parents for the summer and we have a 20ish, very cute cockatiel, but I have something like a conure or a pionus in mind.) I'd love to hear you guys' experiences!

[shinigamiasuka]

A cockatoo!

[MangoSmoothie]

I hope I don't sound mean, but the fact that you're asking which type of parrot you should be getting suggests to me you haven't done enough research on this and aren't prepared enough to get one. Maybe someone who has had one while in grad school can offer better insight, but to me it doesn't sound like a good idea. I've also wanted a parrot for as long as I can remember, but I won't be doing it until I've finished grad school (doing a professional masters), have a stable source of income, have someone else in the home with me, have enough savings in case something goes wrong, and have secured someone who can look after the bird in case I can't (even just for vacation). Avian vet bills are somewhat expensive, plus there's everything you have to do to modify your house (special cleaning products, no teflon, etc). If you want a flighted bird, that could be even more expensive.

 

Will there be someone else in the home who's going to be home a lot? While the birds you mentioned aren't as emotionally demanding as, say, cockatoos are, if you're only going to be home for a few hours and then sleep, the bird could easily get lonely and depressed, which not only affects it emotionally, but can affect it physically as well (can become ill, plucking, etc). A friend's bird started plucking when her mom went back to work, because the bird was now alone for most of the day and needed the socialization. They had gotten it when the mom was on leave and worked from home, but their finances meant she had to find a job outside the home. Will you have a separate space for the bird, so it can sleep in peace if you're up late at night working? A blanket over the cage isn't enough, especially if noises spook it easily.

 

Are you willing to constantly buy or make new toys? Parrots are intelligent, even the small parakeets, and they're not gonna be content with the same toy for months like a dog is. I have a friend who had to get a new toy every two weeks to engage her parrot, and is still exploring new ways to stimulate her bird after 4 years.

 

Are you willing to keep this bird with you for potentially decades? Through your own life problems, and the bird's? Through a move across the country if you have to?

 

A parrot is a high-commitment animal that requires more than just feeding it, cleaning up, or a quick cuddle at night. I don't know how much of a time commitment your PhD program will be, but are you certain you can really dedicate enough time to training it, engaging it, and socializing it, not to mention basic care like feeding? Can you be home enough if you have to? It will take hours a day. I can't imagine having that much time, especially if you live alone. If you have a partner or multiple people in the home who are willing to dedicate time to training and socializing it, this might be different.

 

I'm not trying to talk down to you, and you likely know a lot of this already. I've never even owned a bird, but I have friends who have, and I have really wanted to, but I've put it off because I'm not ready to have one. I really, really want to. It's not even just a financial and time commitment, it's a life commitment, and will change everything about your life, even whether or not you can go out and meet friends on a Friday night. This short article is not specifically aimed at PhD students getting a parrot, but it might be helpful.

 

http://www.birdtricks.com/blog/understanding-what-it-means-to-have-a-lifetime-commitment-pet/

 

I would actually peruse the birdtricks.com website and blog if you haven't already. They have great articles on specific birds, including the ones you mentioned, and a lot of articles on other topics. I don't agree with birdtricks 100% (I'm not against clipping like they are), but they have great insight on getting, owning, and training a bird. If you do decide to have a bird (and it's probably doable), I think you'll find it to be a great resource.

 

Of course, I may be way off base, since I don't even have experience owning a parrot, but that's because I've read up so much on the topic that I decided against it. I actually hope to own a cockatiel some day, but that's going to be years down the line and might not even happen.

 

(Again, I'm sorry if you knew all of this, and it seems like I'm talking down to you. I just feel pretty passionately about people not owning a parrot before they're ready and can commit to it 100%. I wish you the best, whether you get a parrot soon or in 6 years!)

[ballwera]

My parents have a Quaker parrot. Couple of points ( disclaimer I am not a fan of the bird). 1) They are VERY loud, I mean ear bleeding, can't concentrate on what the hell I am doing loud. We have a large 2 story house, and it doesn't matter where in the house I happen to be, the bird can still be heard. I cannot imagine what it would be like to live with one in an apartment, possibly with a roommate. I would also be prepared for possible noise complaints. 2) Parrots are extremely messy and be prepared for that. 3) Parrots require a lot of attention. Ours can get really mean if it't not handled enough. If you are convinced that you want a bird, I'd go with a canary or parakeet. 

Edited June 12, 2015 by ballwera

[sickofthecold]

MangoSmoothie, I appreciate the concern, but rest assured — I've done probably over a thousand hours of research, visited and held and interacted with different types of parrots, and talked to friends extensively about the pros and cons of the species and subspecies they own. I'm well familiar with the websites, forums and Facebook groups. I've also tamed and cared for a few cockatiels, although I know they're not as demanding as other species. (Highly recommend it, by the way! They are pretty much the least demanding birds. They are also not too loud. My tiel, who I've had for 20 years, is uncaged and shares communal living space, but she pretty much plays by herself, with the exception of perching on us at mealtimes.)

 

I ask for recommendations because 1) I love them all and find it hard to choose one above the others! and 2) I haven't started grad school yet and am basically asking for advice, from those who've been there, on how much free time it's realistic to assume I will be able to give and which species others have successfully cared for. That's why pyrrhura conures (green-cheeked, black-capped, crimson-bellied, etc. — personality-wise, even breeders say they are indistinguishable) and pionuses appeal — I don't think I'd be able to commit to a cockatoo or a grey, much as I wish I could!

Btw, Quakers also have a special corner of my heart, but they're illegal in California, where I'm moving for my PhD, because escaped pets have bred there and become an invasive species. The noise is a concern, too, because I'm fairly certain I'll be in an apartment for the foreseeable future.

Ballwura, again, I appreciate the concern, but I do know what I'm getting into and I do want a parrot, not a canary! I know many people buy birds impulsively and then don't want to dedicate the proper amount of time, but given how long my enthusiasm for them has already lasted, I don't think I'm at risk of neglecting or regretting a larger bird. I'm a bird person !

Edited June 12, 2015 by sickofthecold

[sickofthecold]

Unrelatedly, I do think it's interesting that people tend to bring up the negatives — noise, mess, time commitment — when you mention being interested in getting a parrot. Those things are definitely true, even of my little tiel, but they're also true of dogs, and people tend to be much more encouraging about them. (I've seen a few threads here about getting dogs in grad school, for example, and people were overwhelmingly enthusiastic about the idea.) I wonder if it's because birds are so physically small (most of them, anyway) that people don't expect them to be the same kind of commitment that a larger pet is.

[ballwera]

If you were by yourself, I wouldn't recommend any kind of pet except for maybe a fish. 

[MaryGreen]

I had a budgie for few years, then I accidentally forgot to close the window before opening the cage and so it left... What about feeding I bought usual fodder at the pet-shop.