parrots, I would love to have one, but isn't it true you never know who they will like ?

Question

My daughter had a parot she kind of inherited for a while. I love parots and feel like I have a parot personality. But I've been told they take to one or two people and if I buy one even as a young one, it might not let me near it ?? true ?

I KNOW THERE ARE THE MORE MELLOW PARROTS, BUT I LIKE THE MC CAW AND THE SASSY TYPES. I also know the McCaw is as smart as a 6 year old. I am afraid of parrots. We both have aggressive personalities, but I think I could use the dog whisperer techniques except i've been told parrots are never totally domesticated ???

Answer 1

First, it's a macaw. Second, personality really depends upon the type of macaw and how you train it. Blue and gold macaws tend to only like one or two people, but this can be trained out of them with a little hard work. Before getting your own bird, LOSE THAT FEAR! Birds can sense when you're afraid of them, and will be more likely to "attack" you. If you really want this bird to be a "family" pet, get a young one because it'll be easier to tame. It's not to hard to train birds as long as you're going about it the right way. Here's some links to help you out:
http://www.cockatootrainer.com/ready/
http://www.cockatootrainer.com/checklist/
http://www.cockatootrainer.com/newowner/
http://www.cockatootrainer.com/timidness/
Email me if you have any other questions or need help training your new bird!

Answer 2

Hi I understand that you want a macaw but if you are afraid of it he will know and he WILL dominate you.. Trust me you don't want a bird that you are afraid of.. I would suggest a male Eclectus the the Vosameri are the largest of this breed and the males are so very gentle , good natured and anyone can handle them..They don't bond to just one person of coarse he will have his favorite but he bonds to the whole family they are the only birds that can mate and then be seperated ... They are absolutlely beautiful to look at and they have lots of personality.. they have a wide range in thier vocabulary and most of them aren't screamers.. as for your question that it might not let you near it that isn't true.. If you go thru a reputable breeder wait untill it is fully weaned and has been hand raised the whole time he will be used to people so he will let you hold him.. Have you thought about bird rescues? there are alot of birds that need homes that are sitting in a rescue .. you have to fill out an adoption form and then get approved for adoption then start looking for what you might like.. Please know that some of the bigger birds will require a person who has worked with larger birds before and isn't going to back down from them.. They can be very intimidating... The rescue will charge an adoption fee and some of them will offer a cage or you can buy the cage for a reasonable fee as well.. If the bird came to them in thier cage it is best to purchase the cage as well because birds like people get familiar with things and thier cage is thier "home".. The good thing with a rescue verses buying a bird from someone in the paper is you know it has had all it's vaccinations it has been vet treated and it has been on a good diet and people have handled it almost daily.. buying from an ad you have no idea what that bird has been through what its habits are or if it is aggressive.. Buying a baby bird from a breeder also has its benifits if you are close enough to the breeder you can see the baby as it grows ( not all breeders will allow you to do that as they fear disruption to the enviroment the babies are in ) you can contact past customers and see how thier experience was and how thier bird is.. You can request the # to the vet they use and ask him questions about them and thier care of thier birds.. Taking a parrot into your life isn't some thing you should do if you are not commited to the care and well being of the animal.. Certain breeds will outlive you and you have to remember that they will need care after you have left this world.. They are loud messy needy it is a full time job all things to think about before you commit to one.. Also you need to make sure you have an AVIAN vet available in case of a problem and they are not cheap if your bird requires attention.. I hope this gave you some of the answers you were looking for and I wish you good luck on your choice...

Answer 3

No wild animal is ever really TOTALLY domesticated. Parrots and other hook-bills are blessed with a great deal of intelligence and problem-solving skills which makes them much more fun and easy to work with.

Parrots accept attentions from some people and resist interacting with others. How they choose is partly mysterious and partly based on the attitude they observe in the people around them. Parrots are challenging companions. They ARE low-maintenance BUT require a lot of interaction to turn into the life-long friends they can be.

A neglected bird is a wasted soul, never able to show you their full potential or value. Our birds are part of our family, each with its own skills and personality, its own preferences and personality.

So ... its hard to say what makes a parrot fall in 'love' with its human or for that matter what attracts a person to another in a relationship. All you can do is be a loving person - the rest is up to them.

Answer 4

With certain species yes it can be somewhat true but certainly not with all species. There are parrot species out there that're whole family pets & don't choose a mate. I have one myself.

I also have a parrot that is a 1 person parrot but I changed that when I got her. If you want the parrot to equally love the whole family then it's upto the WHOLE family to put in their fair share of work for the parrot, feeding, playing, everything! If you see the parrot starting to bond with 1 particular person, then have this person do just a little less with the parrot & any person it start to get a little narky with, have this person do a little more with it daily, offer treats, train tricks etc & have the person the bird is bonding with out of sight while the other person is giving it attention, out of sight, out of mind.

There is no guarentee this works as all parrots do have their own personalities & ultimately it's upto them who they choose & don't choose. How a parrot in the very end is is also upto the owners. The owners raise the parrot & mould it into what they want the parrot to be like as well. So, if you want a trouble free, family loving parrot, then simply have the WHOLE family raise the bird in such a way.

As I said it worked well for my rehomed sun conure. She wa a man hater for 4 years & now she loves everyone who comes into the house.

Answer 5

Something to keep in mind about LARGE parrots -- they will live a LOOOOOOOONG time and unlike human kids, they don't eventually grow up and move away. Are you willing to commit yourself to properly caring for a bird that will need you for that long?
I have never met a young, well-socialized bird that doesn't like new people to play with. But most parrots go through "puberty" and get hormonal and can behave like the worst spoiled brat you can imagine. If you're patient enough, you'll do just fine.
I've got three birds (not macaws), and they're my babies, but they're a handful when they're cranky.

Answer 6

You cannot have a macaw if you cannot spell it.

Please do not get a bird of any kind or size unless you subscribe to BirdTalk magazine and read it for 6 months. Read every artlcle. Also - Google - Nurturiing Dominance and read it.

Any parrot will go to anyone if it is properly socialized. You may want to start out with a small parrot like a lovebird or a Quaker parrot,

Please do your homework before taking a big bird into your home. If you want a pet, just get ONE -two will bond to each other and not to you. Good luck.

Answer 7

Parrots can bond to almost anyone as long as the person plays with them a lot, talks to them, cares for them, etc.. It can take a lot for a parrot to like you though.

Answer 8

ive got an african grey,i think i have a parrot personality! he's nearly 4,he's so cute,and he loves me to death,if your the 1 who spends time with him mostly he'll take to you,so make sure no 1 else is around,then he'll be all yours,but if you get 1 u need to spend 7 hours with him at least,each day,if you dont have the time,dont get 1,its cruel,good luck x