Life story alert - please bear with me!
I'm a 35 year old SAHM/carer and I really want an animal companion. My husband is allergic to everything furry. My three kids have various amounts of high needs and I have caregiver burnout. A number of us are sensitive to loud noises. My oldest (9) is unsteady on his feet and spends a lot of time on the floor. One of his favourite activities is hitting things with sticks to see what sounds they make.
We have an aquarium, but I'm really craving something that's more of a companion and I really miss training my dog (from my teenage years). I used to own a budgie who was a feisty little thing, but I didn't know nearly as much about parrot training then as I do now (thanks, YouTube).
I would love a bird friend who will be gentle will all members of the family and not attack anyone, learn to come when it's called (other tricks would be a bonus), and be low in the biting and screaming department. I'm thinking about Bourke's, but I haven't seen any hand raised ones in New Zealand and I worry about their safety if they want to be on the floor a lot. I have always loved Eclectus (I remember them from my childhood in the Solomon Islands), and I like the thought of harness training, but I wonder if their care would be overwhelming. We'd also need a bird that doesn't aggravate asthma.
Can a bird be a good family pet, or am I dreaming?
I'm a 35 year old SAHM/carer and I really want an animal companion. My husband is allergic to everything furry. My three kids have various amounts of high needs and I have caregiver burnout. A number of us are sensitive to loud noises. My oldest (9) is unsteady on his feet and spends a lot of time on the floor. One of his favourite activities is hitting things with sticks to see what sounds they make.
We have an aquarium, but I'm really craving something that's more of a companion and I really miss training my dog (from my teenage years). I used to own a budgie who was a feisty little thing, but I didn't know nearly as much about parrot training then as I do now (thanks, YouTube).
I would love a bird friend who will be gentle will all members of the family and not attack anyone, learn to come when it's called (other tricks would be a bonus), and be low in the biting and screaming department. I'm thinking about Bourke's, but I haven't seen any hand raised ones in New Zealand and I worry about their safety if they want to be on the floor a lot. I have always loved Eclectus (I remember them from my childhood in the Solomon Islands), and I like the thought of harness training, but I wonder if their care would be overwhelming. We'd also need a bird that doesn't aggravate asthma.
Can a bird be a good family pet, or am I dreaming?