Is a parrot right for me?

Question

I love animals and have had just about every one (dogs, hamsters, fish, chameleons, worms, horses, etc) and was wondering if a parrot would be right for me. I'd be looking to buy a bigger breed like a Macaw, but don't spend much time at home on a regular work day. Would a parrot work?

Answer 1

Please forgive me if I am a bit confused, but I really do need to ask a question.

You do indeed have experience with animals. In that vein I note that you had a chameleon, not a Komodo Dragon. You say that you have had fish. I wonder if your first fish was a 30 foot whale shark? You state that you had hamsters, not that you had capybaras, the worlds largest rodents.

Since you started with small members of your other animal species, why do you wish to start with a large parrot?
Large Parrots are NOT easy companions to own! They are expensive, VERY demanding, hard to understand at times, and have the ability to take off human fingers if they get mad!
My advice would be for you to start with one of the smaller Parrots, namely a Quaker Parrot. Quakers are exceptionally bright, loving, and can be great talkers. They also cost about $200 instead of $1000-$1500. Being smaller
they will require less space, a less expensive cage, less expensive toys, and less food. Plus, if they get angry or unpredictable ( such as can happen during breeding season ) you stand to get nipped and perhaps lose a few drops of blood instead of losing a finger, ear, or eye!
If you find that you have no trouble with a Quaker Parrot for 2 or 3 years, then you may be ready to move up to a Macaw, a Grey, a Cockatoo or one of the larger birds. But please consider the wisdom of starting with a smaller bird since you are a beginner where birds are concerned.

Good luck.

Answer 2

Parrots love attention! They tend to become bitter and pick up problem behaviors when left alone too much. Perhaps before adopting a large parrot, which does require quite a bit of commitment, you might consider a cockatiel, which is a lovely pet and will give you a definite taste of whether you really want to get further into bird parenting. They are easier to tame, handle, and don't require quite so much time- also much easier when you need to find someone else to care for them when you aren't going to be home for a while. Start small, that's what I did, and I'm very glad- my Moluccan cockatoo is lovely but requires a lot of attention and like horse care, some training.

Answer 3

The simple answer is no.... a parrot is not right for you. The big birds need a lot of attention..... affection and time cleaning and training. Just the fact that you are asking the question and have had all those different kinds of animals implies to me you know the answer. I WANT a dog but don't want to devote the time that the animal should have from me. I have have a green cheek conure (very small parrot) and he doesn't have to be walked but needs, wants and demands attention.

Answer 4

Hello, That's wonderful you love animals so much but as you say you aren't home much then I wouldn't recommend a parrot especialy a large one. Maybe consider a small budgie and have at least 2 to keep eachother company.

As a new parrot owner I know they take a lot of care, and not just the basics, in order to have a happy and well adjusted pet you have to give them a lot of training to prevent behaviour problems and take them out of the cage for many hours in the day. I love my new parrot but I do only work from home, and that's part time. If I worked outside fulltime I wouldn't get one. Parrots are companion animals, and if you got one, it would see you as it's mate/family. If it was alone much of the time it would be very sad, remember that in the wild they would be constantly with their flock/mate.

Answer 5

Parrots require a lot of time spent with them.
Unless you can take the bird with you to work, then, no, it will not be good for a macaw.
They are MESSY birds, throwing food, chewing paper and tossing it around, seed and nut hulls all over.
The bigger the macaw, the bigger the poops, my daughter has a blue and gold, which is a smaller big macaw, then a scarlet, which is a little bigger, then she has a monster green wing. He can poop BIG!!! LOL, plus his beak is quite intimidating at over 3 inches tall, and will open wide enough to take your wrist.
They must have toys and socialization. The can become mean and pluck their own feathers out if left alone in their cage all the time.
You can not simply just take a big bird home, slap it in a cage and feed it and expect the bird to love you. They have special diet needs, you can't feed them 'seed' and pellets need supplements, fruits, veggies, birdie breads, they love to tase your human foods, eating is a social time for birds, and they can be quite messy while eating!!
No, I don't think your situation would be good for a macaw.

Answer 6

nope parrots need ALOT of one on one time plus the other normal duties.

We have 3 large parrots here and 2 of them are cockatoos they HAVE to be out at least 3 hours a day, plus their one on one time with their people.
I also spend about an hour a day feeding and cleaning cages.
If your not home much then a parrot isnt for you at this time in your life

Answer 7

I love parrot jokes too, well stuff. The funny story is at the parrot even though, because the gents would not have the funds for to bid, at the better cage, nice seed, or cutting-edge fowl tub. Not to say, the partner he had planed to shop for, the feminine, with the lovely plumage. Well nail me to the pearch

Answer 8

no birds need alot of attention get a parrokeet they do not need much

Answer 9

Please remember that parrots have a long life. They need interaction with humans.