I want to adopt, but I'm a minor

[Heyit'sChaney]

I've done the research and I'm almost positive I want to adopt (I don't know if I can right this second). The only downside is that I'm under eighteen and I don't know if I can adopt because of that. The shelters near me require at least over eighteen and I don't know what to do. Any suggestions?

 

[Mizzely]

You can adopt off craigslist, or you can get in touch with a rescue. Many will help a minor find the right bird provided an adult is available to sign off on everything.

 

[webchirp]

Volunteer...once you get to working with a rescue, you might find they are willing to help a bit. I wonder if you could foster and then adopt?

 

[MahaSarah]

Are you living with anyone like parents/guardians? Are they on board with getting a bird? If so they can fill out the form for you.

 

[rocky'smom]

Please go volunteer at a rescue, there are many that want to adopt but having experience with birds will help during the process.

 

[saroj12]

Will our parents take it to the vet and pay vet bills? Can run into thousands. We read about minors all the time whose parents refuse to take their child’s bird to the vet.

 

[Tanya]

What @saroj12 said is true. I was very lucky. When my sweet cockatiel Ruffles got her leg broken, my mom rushed us all (I'm one of four kids) to the vet and Ruffles got a tiny cast on her leg. I was 9 years old at the time but mom was so dedicated that the paid $25/month for years on that visit. (We also had a super-understanding vet, who was willing to work out a payment plan with our family.)

 

[analliecat]

are your parents on board with you getting a bird? it’s incredibly expensive. just getting a good cage, quality food, toys, and a vet visit can cost you thousands of dollars. i’d just hate for you to fall in love with a bird and it get sick and your parents not want to pay.

 

[JLcribber]

Wait until you're 25. Because you're a child. Wanting another child. Unless it's budgies/cockatiels.

Standard advice.
You're very well spoken for such young person. You're no doubt very intelligent but one thing you do not have and can not have at your age is life experience. You can't possibly know how bumpy and twisted that road is until you've travelled on it for quite a while and that's once "you" are driving and not just along for the ride.

You have many, many years ahead of you to fulfill all kinds of dreams. You are but a child that is thinking of getting another child. Imagine if you were to get pregnant now or get a girl pregnant now (sorry I don't know if you are a boy or girl?) and had to become a parent at your age. It would be overwhelming and something you will need to deal with for the rest of your life. On top of that the "child" you are thinking of getting is never going to grow past the age of 3 and is "never" going to move out. This child is going to need as much space, time and enrichment as you do. Not just a cage.

Live some of your life first and get those all important experiences under your belt. Become independent, stable and have a much more defined path before you make this life time commitment. You are going to want to meet and share your life with a special person also. This bird will be a factor in that even happening. There is no rush to do this because you are so young.

You just don't know what you don't know until you know. A lot of us old farts do know because we've been there, done that.

You sound like a very committed person but there is no rush.

 

[Pipper]

I bought a bird decades ago before they called it adopting with money I made as a busboy at 15 years old. No reason why you can't adopt a bird now.

 

[Monica]

I've had birds since I was 12... unless you can fully cover the costs of owning a bird *OR* you have a parent(s) willing to help out with expenses, I'd have to agree that it wouldn't be a bad idea to wait until you are more independent. I didn't have much support and lived in an area where it wasn't easy getting a job. I still did a lot of research into care and did my best! And when people found out I had birds and loved birds, I ended up with more birds! Honestly not ideal, but I don't regret having my birds!

The only birds I've been offered but haven't taken in have been cockatoos! And a macaw! And that's with me being an adult now! The cages I would need for them (because I don't do "small" cages) wouldn't fit in the house... not to mention the added expenses!

 

[Feather]

I brought home my red-bellied parrot when I was sixteen, and then added my pionus the moment I was out of high school. I love my birds more than life itself, but I still sometimes wish I'd had an adult tell me to wait. It hasn't been easy navigating teenage and now young adult years with a flock to take care of, and I've certainly fallen short a number of times for reasons both in and out of my control. It feels like every choice I've made has been dictated by my parrots, and like a lot more doors have closed to me than maybe would have been otherwise: "I could do X if I didn't have birds."

 

[NK_717]

I was around 13-14 when I finally brought home my first two tiels.
I had paid for both them, their cage + all the stuff for it and their first vet visit.
My parents paid for any vet visits afterward and still do. It helps they also now have birds of their own so they help with food n stuff.

I'm still a minor and while one of the original 2 tiels is gone I am owned by the other and a GCC. I help care for the rest of the family flock, tiels + lovie + budgie.

I guess it just depends on the person, if they are ready or not.
I'm lucky to have my family's support cause vet bills (especially when a bird is sick and it'll happen at least once!) are really expensive..if it was on just me to pay I wouldn't be able to have my two.

Just something to think about.