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Is a parrot right for me?

fishy5678

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Apologies if this is in the wrong section, as I'm rather new to the site.

(Copypasted from my Reddit account)
Here is a bit of background - I'm currently a high school student and I've been passionate about pets and animals for as long as I remember. I mainly keep aquariums so I am very well aware of the responsibilities of caring for any type of animal.

My main concern is when it comes to college. I would definitely prefer if I could take my animals with me, though housing may not permit birds (my top pick for college lets first year students live off-campus) due to noise or mess, and I don't know if I'll have the time for caring for a parrot. However, my dad does like birds a lot, and he says he is willing to learn about and care for a parrot if needed.

I heard from somebody that parrots can get attached to their owners, and once their owners leave they may become aggressive to other people. How accurate is this? I do plan on socializing my bird and get them used to my family members.

If I were to get a bird, I would prefer to get a single bird, but I wouldn't be opposed to two since I do spend around 7+ hours at school. As for species, I like medium sized birds, I'm not too big of a fan of parakeets or finches. In addition, I know that all parrots can get noisy, but I prefer something on the quieter end.

(I know this is a parrot forum but I had people suggest pigeons to me on other sites, they're illegal to keep as pets where I live)

Thanks!

TL;DR:
I'm in high school but I am interested in getting a parrot (or two). I am willing to do research on how to properly take care of birds, and I have enough funds to afford them. May not be able to bring parrot to college, but my dad is willing for care for it. Prefer medium sized quieter birds

EDIT: Very well aware that parrots live a while, and I definitely will plan ahead for my bird just like I do with my other animals.
 
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tka

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Personally I think no. Even if your dad is happy to look after a parrot while you're at university, the next ten years of your life are likely to be unpredictable. Get a parrot when you're a bit more settled and know that you have time, space and money for one.

I'm a university lecturer. Most of my undergraduate students are 18-22; most have just left home and are living independently for the first time. I would say that very few of them live a life that it conducive to responsible pet ownership, especially one with complex needs like a bird.

Most of them live in shared housing either on or off-campus. This means that even if they themselves are responsible, they may have a housemate who uses teflon-based non-stick pans, burns incense/candles, uses air freshener etc and in doing so, will harm a bird's sensitive respiratory system. It only takes one person to forget to close a window and the bird escapes. I know various students whose housemates have accidentally set things on fire in a number of ways, including irresponsible use of incense, putting things that shouldn't be microwaved in the microwave, burning food and so on. This is not a safe environment for a bird!

Many landlords do not allow pets due to potential damage/noise. It's hard enough finding accommodation that's 1) in your budget 2) will rent to students and 3) doesn't completely suck. Adding a parrot to the mix makes it even harder and the word "parrot" seems to make landlords think "giant macaw that will scream all day and eat the walls". When flat-hunting, I had to try several different letting agents before finding one that didn't automatically refuse to let to me because of Leia. I even got rejected by one on the day I was meant to sign the contract. Leia is actually in the terms of my lease because I want it in writing.

Student life is both demanding and exciting. You will have lectures and seminars, and will be expected to put in hours in the library, in the lab or on practical activities. Depending on your course, you may do fieldwork and spend extended amounts of time outside the university. Many universities have exciting student societies - these offer amazing opportunities to develop new skills and make new friends. The university I work at has everything from student music groups to working in the the campus vegetable garden to dance groups to cooking classes to sports. Events usually take place in the evenings after lectures and seminars. This can make it really hard to juggle a bird's need for time outside the cage with university work, potentially paid work and taking part in activities and spending time with friends.

Life after university can often be unpredictable. I don't know what career you're planning to go into (and it's okay if you don't know yourself! Some of my final year students still don't know) but you may find yourself doing additional training, moving regions or even countries, and working unpredictable or long hours while you establish yourself. You may find yourself living in houseshares or with roommates. Most people I know have had to tough out a few years before they find their feet in terms of stability (both personally and in terms of career). This goes for people working in law, social policy, TV and radio, book and magazine publishing, teaching and many others.

If you get a parrot now, it may be a decade before you're settled enough for them to live with you. If your dad genuinely wants a parrot for himself and you can hang out with them during universiy breaks that's one thing, but otherwise hold off on getting one until you're actually in a position to care for them yourself.
 

jh81

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If you come here, asking this question, seeking advice from others.. Yes, a parrot is right for you.
However, if we change the question to “Is now the right time for me to get a parrot“ then i would say no.

Your life is about to change so much when you enter college.. your parrot could get bonded to your dad, and then to take him away when you leave college.. thats just sad :(

i agree with @tka wait untill you have a job, a home, a stable life :) You are so young still! Enjoy whats coming, and not take on the resposibility’s of taking care of a 4 year old that never grows beyon that age ;)
 

sunnysmom

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I think you should wait. You sound like a very mature teenager who I think will make a wonder parrot owner someday. However, at this point in time, you don't know where your life will lead you. Parrots require a lot of time and attention. College is a wonderful experience with so many opportunities. Many of my friends' children have studied abroad. One studied marine life in Australia. Another wildlife in Madagascar. These are things you can't really do if you have parrots depending on you. Have you thought about volunteering at a rescue for now? Or look into bird sitting? I would love to have a responsible teen come over and help with my birds. :)
 

Pockets

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I got Pockets, our Bourke's parakeet, when I was in my first year of graduate school, about five years ago. I think this (the timing) was one of the worst decisions I could have made.
I love having a parakeet buddy, and Pockets is fantastic - but combining my changing routine, workload, and real life responsibilities with tending to the needs of a new parakeet is an experience I would not ever recommend to someone who is going through a transition. It's a recipe for perpetually feeling guilty until things balance out. I can't even imagine doing it with a bigger bird.

What I *do* recommend is volunteering at a bird rescue for a while if you want to spend time with all sorts of different birds to learn what you like, and (more importantly) which birds like you!

On a less rain-on-your-parade note: If your dad is truly passionate about having a companion bird, and not just assuming basic caretaking roles like providing food and water, then I could see it working long term - assuming he continues to take care of your friend when you leave for college. If he is willing to take the bird out of the cage for a few hours a day (even if the bird doesn't like him/bites/he's busy), etc. etc. then I imagine he could provide a nice life to a parakeet or smaller bird, which would become a great family pet. The big boiz like long lived (25 years+) parrots are a decision I think is unwise to make as a teen.
 

Miss Annamarie

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As an 18 year old with 6 birds of all sizes (technically 5 rn, I get the macaw Friday). I wouldn't recommend it until you're out of college or eventually have a schedule with less time with classes. I'll give you a bit of my experience since I'm guessing we are around the same age.

Time- I adore all my babies, but I still plan to go on college and have to find a way of doing that with still having time with my birds, I'm sure you know they need constant attention, but no one really realizes how much until you get one. My birds are only alone for about 2 hours at most 2-4 times a week. I go to work at 2:30 and my dad comes home at 4:30. EVERY single second I have at least one bird on me, even in the shower. If you have a bird, even small ones, you get NO alone time. They need a very put out schedule for meals, bed times etc.

Price- It costs around 100-200 for ONE vet visit. You should always have a minimum of 2k set aside for vet visits in case something happens. Bird toys, if you buy them, my parakeets and lovebird it's around 10-15 each, my ekkies it's around 20, and macaw toys are around 20-40. I just started making my own which saves so much money, but it still is TIME STAKING, I switch out toys every week to keep them entertained, the money adds up.

There's a lot more I could say, but I've had ALL sorts of animals and birds are the highest maintenance, but they're completely worth it when your in a place of life where the time is right.

But you definitely seem like you will be an awesome parrot owner! Even if you don't get one right now, you can always stick around here too!

But as @MKMDDN said, maybe if your dad is as interested in a bird as you are, maybe a parakeet or a cockatiel if he has enough time for that and is willing to!
 

Vmax

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I, too, am a university lecturer. One of the saddest things I’ve witnessed in my time teaching was seeing a caique at a gas station across from campus at the end of term. I tried to attract the bird. Repeatedly for several days, but I’m sure the little creature was terrified and I had to fend off panhandlers every time I went to try and capture the bird. He stopped calling out eventually and I lost track of him or he flew off or someone picked him up. College was one of the best and most difficult times in my life. You might find the biggest challenge is taking care of yourself as you proceed on this journey. MKMDDM had a great suggestion: volunteer at a bird rescue. With the variety of species and their quirky personalities, you might be surprised by who takes to you. My little guys will reportedly live a good 30 years, give or take. I would recommend not getting a bird at present. Lots of good input above, so I’ll stop now. But, welcome to the avenue:hiya:
 

Cat The Great

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First off, welcome to avian Avenue! You are going to find that a lot of knowledgeable people are on here.

Next regarding your question. As a high school student myself, I do understand your view. However, there are couple of things you must understand/keep in mind even when considering a bird in your current situation. Things like: What will happen to the bird when you graduate? Furthermore on that question, if you were able to take your bird to college would you have the time to take of this bird’s needs? Are you willing to sacrifice things like going abroad in order to take of the bird? Are possibly even willing to give up living at campus for your bird? All of these questions are important for you to answer yourself. Furthermore, you must also think of not only the plan that you have going into the future as far as college, but also if you can handle the bird itself. What I mean by that is can you handle a bird who will at sometime in his or her life have momentary bad behavior such as biting and screaming. Are you willing to work on those issues if they ever come up? Can you handle a bird that is messy both through eating and toys? If your answer is no, then don’t get a bird.

Please don’t feel that I am dissuading you to get a bird, I am not. I am merely pointing out the facts that I have either faced or will face. You will need to think hard at whether or not getting a bird at this time in your life will be good or bad. Good luck on this exciting decision.
 
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