Could you be a Parrot Owner ?
Problems with pet ownership originates not with the animal but with the animal carer. A parrot can be a companion for life, so much depends on the person caring for it, their attitude, education and affection. Not everyone has the commitment required to care for such a pet. You should not choose to buy a parrot because it is colourful, fashionable or because your friend has one. Neither should you expect all parrots to talk.
Many parrots suffer cruelty simply because the owner does not understand them. Buying a parrot is a long term responsibility, they have a long life span, require lots of attention and can be expensive to keep. Do not consider buying a parrot and believe that if it doesn't work out, well, we will simply sell it! Parrots are intelligent creatures and have the same emotions as humans.
Veterinary care for all pets can be expensive, this is especially the case with parrots. Finding a qualified avian vet is not easy, you may have to travel a considerable distance to find the nearest one, are you prepared to do this?
Insurance for your parrot is essential, all offer cover for veterinary fees and treatment and are paid annually.
Birds are not simple creatures. They have needs and demands which have to be met. While some birds are very affectionate and social, some can also test your tolerance to your limits, especially with noise and mess. You need to know all this before you decide a parrot is for you, as well as which bird to buy, where to buy one and how to deal with the inevitable behavior problems that challenge nearly every bird owner from time to time.
Birds are not low-maintenance pets, you can't just put them in a cage, change the papers, food and water and ignore them! Cared for properly birds are time consuming, they need to be loved, handled, trained, fed, played with and cleaned up after. If you don't have that time or energy, perhaps you should choose a canary or a finch, or better still a goldfish!
What about the cost? Have you the money to not only purchase your bird from a reputable source, but for a large, safe cage, various perches, safe toys, a travel cage or carrier, play gym, cleaning products, and of course, an appropriate diet?
Some costs are naturally on-going, can you sustain these kind of costs?
Never buy a parrot without great thought, research and a true commitment. Do not be in a hurry to buy your bird, if well cared for, your parrot could be with you for many years. Never buy unweaned babies believing your bond will be so much stronger, in inexperienced hands unweaned babies can die.
If you do decide a parrot is the right pet for you, consider which species would be more suited to your lifestyle, do research, read books, search the Internet, ask other parrot owners or breeders, the learning process has just begun.
Falling in love with a bird changes your life, we should know, it changed ours.
©2004