Help! Parrot obsession!

[MommyBird]

A puppy is an excellent opportunity to polish up your training skills for when you get a bird.
You use the same methods for both... clicker training aka positive reinforcement.
A food or praise motivated puppy is a perfect start.

 

[tka]

Bear in mind that the reality of living with a parrot is not like your dreams. Many parrots don't take to being harnessed. Parrots will "help" you with your schoolwork by stealing (and potentially breaking) pens, ripping up paper and books, and generally getting into trouble! They are noisy, messy, destructive and expensive.

They are also long-lived. You will not be a teenager or living with your parents forever. If you are planning to go away to university, you are almost certainly not going to take your bird away with you. Even if you are not planning on university, your late teens and early twenties can be tough as you find a job, find housing, move around for work and so on. Depending on where you are, many young people live in houseshares which is difficult with a bird: the bird can be noisy and messy, and housemates may do things that are not good for the bird.

Your late teens and early twenties can also be very exciting! You can move away from your parents, go away to college or start earning, make friends, go out in the evenings, maybe even meet someone special and go on dates. A parrot who needs several hours of out-of-cage time is going to restrict this, and it can lead to you becoming resentful of your bird.

I would not have been a good carer for Leia when I was in my teens. I was a pretty patient teenager but now I'm in my 30s I have a stable income and can afford to care for her properly, have got my partying out of my system (mostly), and am overall more patient, compassionate and forgiving. I have levels of chill that 16 year old tka could only imagine

My advice is to wait until you're more settled before taking on a bird that can live for several decades. Work on training your puppy (which will give you good skills for training your future bird) and work on becoming a patient, well-rounded adult yourself.

 

[M_Riddly]

Love that. Ask for a snake or spider.

If you really want to put your bird endeavors in perspective. Maybe try what I do every time I bring home a new bird. I tell my dad it could be worse. I could be doing drugs instead of birds. Maybe try asking for a horse. Those animals are huge money pits. I love them. But they are.

 

[Doctress]

I understand... it can be hard when you're denied a dream. You've done your research, and it's still out of reach.

Every time I shower, I imagine a parrot showering with me. Every time I go on walks, I think of a bird in harness, with me. Every day when I do schoolwork, I think on a feathered companion keeping me company.

Not every bird will be OK with this. I put my Georgie Girl in the shower once, and she hated it. If I tried to put her in a harness, I wouldn't have a hand right now! Even with training and reinforcement, they're not guaranteed to go along with it. It's like dreaming of having a little baby you can dress up and play with, but leave out the tantrums, changing diapers, extreme stress of raising a child. I've been close to tears trying to complete my studies at night, and having a screaming macaw that won't stop no matter what you offer her. My mother suffers from migraines, she's had to leave the house sometimes. There's good and bad to all sides. Sometimes birds like to be left alone, they may not want all the attention and hands-on activities.

1. Any possible way to get a bird fix without my parents having to do much?
2. Help in convincing them that the bird won't be trouble on their end, and I won't lose interest? I'll be trying my best in terms of school and chores this year, to show them that I can be dedicated to something, long term.
3. Most important: How to I beat this obsession? I feel mildly depressed whenever my mind isn't occupied, as my thoughts drift to what can't be for at least a year more.

There are ways to get your "fix" without having a parrot in the house:

- I noticed you're artistic. You could consider developing a comic, animated film, etc starring your favorite bird species. I know plenty of bird lovers would enjoy it!

- Start a bird lover's group- you could arrange a meeting of bird people at a library or community center. Your local vets may allow you to post flyers, and some bird owners may offer to show off their flock at a meeting (I know I'd be happy to).

- Some assisted living facilities and nursing homes have birds- you may ask if you can sponsor a bird. The residents would be around to interact with the bird while you're at school, and you could visit as often as you like.

Best way to beat an obsession is to occupy yourself with other things. The more you look at bird forums, bird pics and videos, the more you'll want one. What are your other interests? What do you plan to do for a career? Things can change in life, and what may seem do-able now may not work out later on. Birds will always be around- there's lots of bird breeders, and as owners age and become ill, there will be plenty of feathered fluffs needing homes like yours.