New bird?

[Adriana_33]

What are you looking for in an emotional support animal?

There are many contexts as for emotional support animal, and what kind of 'emotional support' you need.

My birds are emotional support animals. However that is because I need something to structure my time around and to help me force myself to remain calm and relaxed otherwise I have emotional spirals that tend to go out of control. (I have bipolar).

A bird is not a good emotional support animal for someone who has say anxiety unless taking care of the animal lesson's that anxiety.

Some people have Budgies as emotional support pets in that they like having company but aren't all that bothered by having a 'cuddly' animal.

Larger Parrots are on par with adopting a baby. They have emotional needs, tempertantrums and such things on par with a 2 year old for a very long time. Plus they have beaks that I liken to can openers. In a house with multiple children, and with your parents... having an animal with a can opener on its face that will live for 40+ years might not be the best investment of your time. Plus... cuddly for a cockatoo, or a macaw is the same as cuddly from a 2 year old. When they are happy they are adorable... but when they are angry, jealous, scared, or playful they are destructive, messy and sometimes dangerous.

Something smaller is probably better in your situation. Simply because you don't have to stress about the destruction, and someone your age shouldn't need to deal with a feathered toddler with a PSI of 200-5000 behind those beaks. (Pressure per square inch).

As for cuddly I recommend a white winged parakeet, Cockatiel, or if you MUST get a cockatoo or a Macaw... think Galah or Mini macaw.
Hahns Macaws are a third the size of their larger cousins, have less of a beak and are still just as goofy as their counterparts.

Galah's while still having the Too attitude and being clingy, are slightly less of a worry physically and are still friendly playful birds.

Do not go by species rules on what could be 'cuddly' or not.
It depends on the individual bird.

I would recommend going to a bird sanctuary and actually interacting with these birds to get a better idea of what you want, and maybe even adopting from there.

Hi!

Wow! Thanks for all the advice!!!

I visited some pet stores, and from what I've seen, I really like African grey's for some reason. If it makes any sense, I like how they have a sort of calm, mysterious personality. The only thing I'm not a fan about AG's is that they usually aren't cuddly, but then again, no birds are for sure cuddly. I also really wanted a bird that will come up to you and ask for interaction, and from what I've heard and seen, Grey's aren't really like that.

Sincerely, Adriana R.

 

[KhanKrazy]

There's been a ton of great advice and guidance here. I hope you take everything written here with deep consideration and thought. Truly think about the pros and cons of bird ownership. It's not all good and it's not all bad. Some days are really, really good! But some days are really, really, bad...

And honestly? In my opinion, the only way you're going to "know" if you're a bird person, is getting a bird and living with that bird. A LOT of people romanticize the idea because of videos they see on YouTube or a few hours they spend with a friend's/family member's bird. That's not an accurate depiction of life with these guys 24/7. The honest truth? If I knew what I knew now, and I've lived with birds for only a short 15 years, I wouldn't do it again. I LOVE my flock. But they required a LOT of sacrifice and dedication. And they will for as long as they live, which is a looooooong time. I've missed out on a lot. I've had GOOD relationships fall apart because certain people just can't understand or deal with the commitment. It doesn't make them bad people. I've been unable to go on fun vacations with my friends and family because no one could watch my guys. There are days they scream and scream and I sit there in tears because I've had a bad day and all I want is 10 minutes of peace and quiet. I want a day where I don't have to spend hours cleaning, only to have it a mess again in 2-3 hours.

Some people thrive on this. Some people really don't. It doesn't make you any less of a good human being if you decide, "Hey... they're cool, but they're not for me."

Just something to keep in mind Adrian. You seem very dedicated and motivated.