Caique

[Holly21]

I plan on becoming a registered nurse, my high school offers a program that can give me college credits for free while I am in high school. These credits will apply to the college I plan on going to which will allow me to eliminate some of the classes because by then I will have most of my credits...

 

[Brittany0208]

I second what @Mizzely said. When I was a freshman in college, I worked 70 hours a week, and I only had one cat. Most of the time, I had just enough time to come home from school, change clothes, grab my clothes for the next day, and books, and be out the door in a matter of minutes. I was lucky if I saw my cat for two hours a day. I worked as a sitter, which seems easy enough, right? No. My patient was bedridden, was very overweight, had a colostemy bag that I had to tend to regularly, I fixed his food, measured his meds, helped him adjust in the bed because he couldn't move on his own, and I had to find time to study on top of all of this. The worst part is, because of his critical condition, I could NOT sleep at any time. From 6pm to 7am, I was working while trying to balance just my freshman year. I had class from 8am to whatever time my class ended since different classes ended at different times depending on the week and the professor. I didn't have a bird then, I just had a cat, but my absence caused her to misbehave, become aggressive, and start urinating outside of her litter box. I worked like this for several months before I got burnout and ended up in the hospital. There was NO way I could have had a bird with the schedule I had. Even though my family helped feed my cat and keep her company, they also had to work, so it's not easy at all. Four birds? I applaud you for your determination, but realistically, it doesn't always work that way.
Even now, with me being on disability and being home 24/7, I still have to manage my time wisely because I have to go grocery shopping, take my cat and bird to the vet, buy pet food, maintain the house, pay bills, find some 'me time', deal with depression and anxiety, all while ensuring I'm on call for my animals if anything should ever arise. And I just have 2.

 

[Brittany0208]

I plan on becoming a registered nurse, my high school offers a program that can give me college credits for free while I am in high school. These credits will apply to the college I plan on going to which will allow me to eliminate some of the classes because by then I will have most of my credits...

That is a great career path, but just keep in mind that careers change. For two years, I studied Criminal Justice with every intention of becoming a Homicide Detective, but then I realized that I wanted something else for my future, and I majored in Chemistry and Biology. None of my credits from CJ transferred, so I basically had to start from scratch, but I was happy with my decision, and I don't regret trading one career for another.
Edit: Even though you plan everything out, it almost never works the way we expect it to. Life is a road of changes and surprises. If someone told me that I'd be in the situation I'm in today, five years ago, I would've thought they were talking nonsense. I've learned not to plan so hard for the future that I block out everything else. I've missed out on a lot of opportunities that way. Now, I'm open-minded to whatever life has in store for me, and I find myself less high-strung when things don't go the way I planned.

 

[Holly21]

My sister is becoming a pediatrician and she has class from 7:00am to 12pm mon-fri. She has 4 birds and a bird dog. I have 6 miniature horses 5 quarter horses 2 goats, and 13 head of cattle. My mother is a stay at home mom and helps my grandma who has dementia. During summer break I help with the chores and train all the horses. I also have a 13 year old Jack Russell and still have a lot of time left for my birds...

Plus we square bale our own hay

 

[Brittany0208]

I wish you the best of luck with your education and pets. By no means was I trying to discourage you from following your dreams, I just wish I had someone to tell me this when I was your age. It would've saved me a lot of stress and disappointment. Good luck.

 

[Holly21]

Thank you, when I say that out loud it makes me think why am I still wanting another bird but the main reason I want a caique is because they seem like very fun and loving birds that would suit the situation that I am in...

 

[Leiura]

Skip the caique and go for something you really want.
I don't think it's really fair to the bird that you settled for it as a "stepping stone" when it wasn't something you really wanted in the first place.
Besides, caique's, as cute as they are, are a handful. These birds DEMAND your attention during all waking hours of the day. They're not easy going. And like others said, they are usually aggressive to other birds. I've read stories of them actually killing other birds, even if those birds are bigger than them. So even if you manage to get it to accept your tiel's it might try to murder your IRN or cockatoo later. (They are not intimidated by size!)

Nice career choice, btw! I'm studying right now to become an RN also.

 

[Holly21]

Thank you I am going to talk to my mom about getting a IRN to see what she thinks

 

[painesgrey]

Thank you I am going to talk to my mom about getting a IRN to see what she thinks

If she is bothered by noise, she will be bothered by a caique. Even though I've heard people say they're a "quieter species" and "appropriate for apartments", this couldn't be further from the truth for my caique. All it takes is me getting up from my computer to walk to the kitchen (all in his line of sight, mind you) for him to scream and fuss. It only lasts a few seconds until he realizes where I'm going, but he definitely overreacts in a "HOLY $#!7 SHE'S MOVING WHERE IS SHE GOING OH MY GOD.. oh, okay" kind of way. Owners learn to take this all in stride, but other members of the household might not be so keen on having a bird freak out whenever we walk across the room.

I would say that my IRN is definitely the most vocal of the three birds I have, and she can certainly get a little incessant in her vocalizations. Getting her out of the cage and letting her fly doesn't diminish them - she'll bawk while flying laps.

That being said, if you're a sophomore in high school I would hold off on getting another bird at this point. Your senior year in high school will be riddled with the stresses of exams and tests, college applications, and part-time work. This is just a precursor to the absolute mess that you're going to deal with when starting advanced studies. That's not to say that it's impossible or hasn't been done, but it's better for everyone involved if you're focused on yourself and your studies and not having to worry about another bird - especially needy ones.

 

[Holly21]

Holly will scream when I leave the room and will fly to my shoulder, but my mom understands that she will stop once she is with me.... I have a lot to think about Thank you all!

 

[rockybird]

My caique is EXTREMELY loud. He will scream constantly if he thinks I am home and he is not out with me. He is louder than my nanday conure. Ear plugs do not help.

He is VERY needy. He wants to be with me all the time, and he wants my FULL attention. He is more work than all three of my conures combined. I have him out of the cage a few hours a day, with me, and it is not enough.

He is extremely intelligent and gets bored very easily. He is a real challenge to keep. I have him in a 4 foot wide cage, but even this is not enough space for him.

He will attack any new bird that enters the house. He will literally HUNT the new bird, even in the dark at night. He will lose all fear of everything, if he can get to the bird. I have found him wandering through the dark house looking for the cage of the new bird. I had a foster sun conure once. On the first night it was here, he boldly found its cage on the other side of the house. He climbed up the cage stand in the dark, unlocked the cage door and opened it. He was on top of her trying to kill her when I ran into the room. The bird had only been in the house for a couple hours. He had not seen it, but he had heard it. He had never seen the cage, nor had he even been in that part of the house, but in the dark, he figured out how to scale the cage, locate the door and break in.

For years, he bit terribly. He bit because he was mad at me for not giving him the attention he needed. He would be very angry at me. The bites were terribly bloody. He would not let go. I would shake trying to get him off, splattering blood on the walls.

I have had him for seventeen years and while the biting has improved, the noise and needy behavior have not improved. Seventeen years so far, and he will live to be at least 35. This is not a commitment to be taken lightly. You may still have this bird into your 50's.

I would NEVER recommend a caique to a high school student. It is a very challenging animal to keep. It would not be fair to you and it would not be fair to the bird.