a parrot
- Thread starter GrnMtFinn
- Start date
GilligansIsle
Member
I have never had one but I know this:
They live a Loooong time, so don't make the decision lightly.
and
I have been told by owners its like living with a two year old.
I would love a Macaw myownself, but since there are some wild ones here on the Island I will just enjoy them in flight.
They live a Loooong time, so don't make the decision lightly.
and
I have been told by owners its like living with a two year old.
I would love a Macaw myownself, but since there are some wild ones here on the Island I will just enjoy them in flight.
A woman went into a pet store, saw a parrot, and asked to buy it. The man at the counter said, "I don't think you want that one, it used to live in a whore house." The woman replied, "I don't care I'll take it." She brought the parrot home and the parrot said, "New house, new master."
The woman's daughter came home and the woman said, "I got us a parrot." The parrot said, "New house, new master, new whores."
The woman's husband came home and the woman said, "Honey I got us a parrot." The parrot said, "New house, new master, new whores, hi George!"
The woman's daughter came home and the woman said, "I got us a parrot." The parrot said, "New house, new master, new whores."
The woman's husband came home and the woman said, "Honey I got us a parrot." The parrot said, "New house, new master, new whores, hi George!"
My parrot Akika is 27! She's a blue fronted amazon, and she has been my best friend for a loooonng time.
She is waaay too smart for her own good, using target training I can generally teach her a new trick in about a day (ex. getting her to pick the blue objects out of a bunch of coloured objects). She has a huge vocabulary, and she knows how to use her words in perfect context, but she is lazy, she always shortens words haha, "what are ya doin?" has turned into "Whatya"
I love her to pieces, she is super affectionate.. when she gets angry she is a bitch though, its so wierd having a pet that tells you to fuck off when its angry haha.
I'd say the biggest thing with getting a parrot is realizing the time investment it takes to care for one. I spend atleast an hour every day with my parrot, if i don't she gets really aggresive and tempermental. Also they live a long ass time.. my parrot is older than I am, she has been with me my whole life, kind of trippy to think about.
Also having a parrot IS exactly like having a little kid, they are a handful, but they make such amazing companions
She is waaay too smart for her own good, using target training I can generally teach her a new trick in about a day (ex. getting her to pick the blue objects out of a bunch of coloured objects). She has a huge vocabulary, and she knows how to use her words in perfect context, but she is lazy, she always shortens words haha, "what are ya doin?" has turned into "Whatya"
I love her to pieces, she is super affectionate.. when she gets angry she is a bitch though, its so wierd having a pet that tells you to fuck off when its angry haha.
I'd say the biggest thing with getting a parrot is realizing the time investment it takes to care for one. I spend atleast an hour every day with my parrot, if i don't she gets really aggresive and tempermental. Also they live a long ass time.. my parrot is older than I am, she has been with me my whole life, kind of trippy to think about.
Also having a parrot IS exactly like having a little kid, they are a handful, but they make such amazing companions
I used to have a Blue and Gold Macaw, he was with out a doubt the best and coolest animal I've had the pleasure to be with. He was way more than just a pet. He would talk to you and ask questions, he never lived in a cage, we had a tree for him. The saddest day was giving him back to his breeder as we were unable to keep him any longer. A huge time commitment daily and for 70 to 80 years so you have to figure who to leave it to. and they can have broken hearts to.
They hold grudges for forever too. My parrot one day just turned on my father about 10 years ago and started basically attacking him, he maybe comes around once a year if that too visit now a days and my parrot still remebers.. every time she see's him she still straight up flys at dad and attacks yelling "fuck you" the whole time haha.. She has NEVER done this to anyone else either
litebuzz
Member
i have one...i've had him over 20 yrs. he's very tempermental and a HUGE commitment...don't buy one on a whim. they require lots of attention and they cover everything around them in white dander...lol. i clean his cage daily, fresh water, walnuts, peanuts, fruit, veggies and seeds. he's insanely intelligent and talks up a storm. most people are so intrigued by him they end up staying too long...lol. they mimmick everything...especially the things you'd rather they didn't. he's so part of our family i couldn't imagine life without him. i don't let him outside...of course i dont live in a warm climate either. there is so much you need to research so don't take it lightly...do your homework and make damn sure its something you can commit to.
good luck!
good luck!
Tigerr1972
New member
Exactly What they said lol
i have an African Grey Timneh (smaller than Congo)... i read alot about many different breeds. She was best what i wanted... something to teach. well she just turned 2 and she's quite the learner. Not to be takin lightly at all i cant leave the room without her bumming. Calling for me till i return. She is a all day job from cage to play time to learning.. but i wouldnt trade her for the world. I have some videos if you wanna see her let me know. I know this is old but maybe original poster is still around.
i had a macaw once. it fell in love with my girlfriend and would chase me out of bed unless caged at night. i tried to teach it to say cracker. curly wants a cracker. well he ended up yelling curly wants crack. then he would repeat crack,crack ,crack. he also learned to say what. i would say curly and he would say what. he became mean to me so i sold him to her when i moved out.
R
Rysam
I have a 2 yr old congo grey named Tiki and he/she/it is the coolest freaking critter ever. I bought it for my wife and the bird doesnt want anything to do with her, but loves me. It really is amazing all the things it can say and let me do to it. The kicker is, I cant teach it anything at all, only my wife and uncle.
yeah them birds deciede they like someone and thats it^^^^^^^^^^
Yzma
Member
I've had several (one now) - they are the best and the worst, in some ways. They do require far, far more attention than a cat or dog, and can be needy, like little children. They have very distinct little people personalities and each one has his or her own quirks - something that can be both fun and annoying sometimes. If you want THE ultimate pet - one with more intelligence than any kind of dog or cat, capable of a higher level of interaction and relationship, then a parrot is IT. The flip side is that you really need to invest some time into learning parrot psychology if you want to make the relationship mutually happy in the long term. They are like little children.. very smart little children, and are capable of pushing you in ways you'd never imagined. They can learn to bite as a means of manipulation, but doing your homework and making sure you are consistent with your guidance and reactions, the rewards are just out of this world.
Definitely also do your homework on the various species of parrots and their individual personality trends (they are all individuals, but they can and do have some typical general traits for their species) - cockatoos, for example are some of the most emotionally intense and socially driven animals in the world. They thrive on attention and interaction, and because of this (and the fact that people tend to beby them because of their inherent sweetness and love of being cuddled) they really are best in homes where they do have a lot of interaction and where they are taught to entertain themselves and to play on their own as youngsters. Just something to keep in mind.
They are also a lifetime commitment - they can live 60-80 years or more, depending on the species, so be sure you're really honestly willing to make that kind of commitment. It can mean deciding whom to leave your bird to in your will. Unfortunately they can and do get passed on a lot, sometimes due to their noise level (consider yourself warned!!), their mess level (I don't like red anymore.. i shall TOSS these strawberries on the wall of shame!! Ooh! Why are you jumping up and down and screaming?? This looks like fun! I shall join in too!! RAAAWK!) or that they bite (read consistent guidance above) or take on abnormal behaviors such as plucking (see mention of teaching birds to be independent and play on their own above) out of desperation for attention - make sure you are emotionally, financially and mentally prepared to provide the right environment and coaching for the bird and are willing to work through things that crop up here and there. Like I said, they are amazing, amazing creatures, and they are worth the effort if you are up for it!
Definitely also do your homework on the various species of parrots and their individual personality trends (they are all individuals, but they can and do have some typical general traits for their species) - cockatoos, for example are some of the most emotionally intense and socially driven animals in the world. They thrive on attention and interaction, and because of this (and the fact that people tend to beby them because of their inherent sweetness and love of being cuddled) they really are best in homes where they do have a lot of interaction and where they are taught to entertain themselves and to play on their own as youngsters. Just something to keep in mind.
They are also a lifetime commitment - they can live 60-80 years or more, depending on the species, so be sure you're really honestly willing to make that kind of commitment. It can mean deciding whom to leave your bird to in your will. Unfortunately they can and do get passed on a lot, sometimes due to their noise level (consider yourself warned!!), their mess level (I don't like red anymore.. i shall TOSS these strawberries on the wall of shame!! Ooh! Why are you jumping up and down and screaming?? This looks like fun! I shall join in too!! RAAAWK!) or that they bite (read consistent guidance above) or take on abnormal behaviors such as plucking (see mention of teaching birds to be independent and play on their own above) out of desperation for attention - make sure you are emotionally, financially and mentally prepared to provide the right environment and coaching for the bird and are willing to work through things that crop up here and there. Like I said, they are amazing, amazing creatures, and they are worth the effort if you are up for it!
jack Haze
Member
I've owned a few dozen Parrots/Macaws/Conures/Cockatoos. A few have touched on the intensive care they need. Imagine waking every morning [For the next 100-150 years] and having to prepare fresh fruits/vegetables.
As others have suggested. Get a smaller Parrot such as a Quaker or Conure before going full bore large parrot. Your best bet is to buy a baby and hand feed it [With Syringe/formula] They generally choose to like either a male or female, usually whichever gender hand feeds them.
Before getting any bird, read a good book on them, pick up a few copies of Bird Talk magazine and read some bird forums.
You can take them outside but be certain their wings are clipped regularly. I was an idiot and didn't cut an African Grey's wings. An idiot buddy got drunk and opened his cage and I watched a $1000 bird simply fly away. They are incredible pets and can be an endless source of joy or endless nightmare depending on how they're cared for.
Just remember. A hand-fed baby is always the best bet.
