SandraK
Ripping up the road
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- Joined
- 3/21/11
- Messages
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- Sandra
Birds have personalities just like people do and with birds it isn't by species. I have 5 Quakers - 1 is blind -2 males in different cages - 2 females share a cage. None of them have the same behaviour or attitude. I hate to break this to you, but you might find that you'll flush a whole lot of reading down the toilet when you come to discover that the bird YOU like doesn't give a fig about what you think it should be doing. And it won't be pretty.I got my bird Cecil, a turquoise green cheek conure in July and he is my first bird. I waited until after I graduated college and had a well paying job before getting him. I did a lot of research on birds, as I've wanted one since I was in elementary school. I decided on him, and bought him without giving much thought on what I thought was a small beak injury that would heal over.
His injury was pretty bad and required multiple xrays, his wings were clipped way to short, and he has cost a little over 1000 dollars between him, his cage, all of his food and toys, as well as his vet bills. The vet gave an estimate to when he would be able to fly, and he estimated 18 months.
I'm sharing all of this because although I did my research, he is nothing like I expected or anticipated. He cost more initially than I expected him to, he was cheap, 200 dollars, but his vet care exceeded 500 in the first two months. He doesn't like to be touched, he isn't cuddly, he screams loudly when he wants to, he throws food, poops everywhere, he has bitten us to where we have bled.
But honestly I am so incredibly happy with the decision I made, he is a joy in my life. He learned to step up, and most of the time he is willing to. We've become better at avoiding being bitten and he has begun biting less, we love giving him baths, he has started to preen us and sit on our shoulders without attacking our hands when getting him down, he learns quickly and loves spending time with us.
I'm telling you this because you should do your research, and research in depth about which species you would consider. But what you choose may not turn out the way you expect. Their personalities might be different, they may have surprise costs, and they could be more than you expected.
Your responsibility to the bird is extremely important, we are why the exist as pets, and if you aren't prepared for all the responsibility of owning a bird, then it is at their detriment. If you end up going to college and not being able to care for them, will your family put in the same work to keep it happy and healthy? If you move to an apartment will they allow a bird that can be very loud? I understand you plan on renting with friends at a house, but plans change and friends don't always stay. That bird is going to depend on you for everything, and even if your plans change your bird deserves the best possible.