Should I Adopt A Parrot?: First Time Bird Owner Tips
Written by Allison Parks, BS
You may have walked through big box pet stores and seen the cockatiels or budgies (parakeets) and thought about buying one. They are relatively cheap pets, and many people adopt them for their children as a distraction or something to care for to learn responsibility. However, the life of a parrot owner is not as simple as you may initially think. Here are some things to consider before adopting any type of parrot or pet bird:
Space:
You may think you only need a small cage for one small bird, but you must remember birds like to fly. If it has too little space, it will have no room for flying and exercise. For a single budgie, you are looking at needing around 12x18x18 inches for the cage. My flock of four’s cage is 31x20.5x52 inches. You may prefer a long cage as birds fly horizontally rather than vertically, but I find that my flock flies around and utilizes their cage space just fine. If you are looking at larger parrots such as a macaw or cockatoo, you will need to ensure you have the space needed for the bird. A small macaw needs a cage with the dimensions of 34x24x36 inches. For a larger macaw, you are looking at around 36x48x60. So make sure you have enough room!
Time:
Time is not something people think of when it comes to a bird. Most people fill their trays with seed, leave, and come back when everything needs to be refilled. You have to remember that birds poop. A lot. And everywhere. Budgies poop around 40 to 50 times a day, and macaws can poop around 15 to 20 (Burkett and Zielezienski). They will lay in their food trays if they are large enough and poop in them as they are having lunch. They will bathe in their water trays if you are using a tray and get it dirty with their feathers. I clean my food and water trays every two days. That may seem tedious, but it ensures that your bird is not eating bacteria and keeps you from needing to go for a vet visit. Every two weeks, I clean out the cage lining and any areas that need to be cleaned. You may need to clean earlier depending on how dirty the cage has gotten.
Handling:
If you are planning on handling your bird (which I highly recommend you do), you are going to have to socialize your bird(s). Socialization, depending on the history of the bird, can be a tedious and painstakingly long experience. Caring for baby chicks took me up to three months to get them comfortable with my hands as prey animals are far more skittish than any other pet. Most people don’t adopt their birds right out of the egg, so they will already have history and experiences you don’t know about. You have to be ready to work with them daily and be patient as jumping the gun too fast can either erase all progress or make the situation worse.
Money:
Last thing to consider is money. Some parrots may be 25 dollars in the pet shop, but just like any other pet, they require continuous care and a vet. Parrot toys are typically made of wood, rope, and other natural materials that the bird chews up and destroys. Do not panic because this is the type of behavior you want! However, that means you can’t just buy four toys, stick them in the cage, and never buy toys again. You’ll be buying toys throughout the life of the bird, and if you have a flock like me, you will go through many, many toys. Food is also costly as a parrot’s diet consist of many different components. A strictly seed diet is too fatty and can shorten your bird’s lifespan, so you will need seed, pellets, and various fruits and veggies (but mainly veggies). Cages alone can cost up to 100 dollars depending on the size you need. So even though the adoption fee seems low, remember it is similar to any other pet that requires lots of care and attention (and money).
If you have decided you can handle all these things, then congrats! You may be ready to adopt a parrot. Research is always great when getting any pet. Find out what parrot fits your lifestyle best and go from there.
References:
Chewy. (2015). All You Ever Wanted To Know About Bird Poop.
Link: https://petcentral.chewy.com/all-you-ever-wanted-to-know-about-bird-poop/