How to Know if a Parrot is the Right Pet for You?

Olivia M: How to Know if a Parrot is the Right Pet for You?
I have a pet Cockatiel, but I really want to get a pet parrot. How do I know if it would be a good pet for me? I do have an American Bulldog also. I would keep the parrot in a seperate room when I had him out though. Or, I would put the dog outside. I really like birds a lot. I want a parrot that will talk. I also want a bird that does tricks. Should I get a parrot?

Answers and Views:

Answer by ronald m
there are many books to know care read materials you be fine

Answer by bslouck819
well the question is price and size wise what do you want. i have a blue front amazon which is a really pretty bird but parrots can get expensive and since you have a cockatiel you already know that you should get a hand tamed one which costs more. the blue front amazon talks and is a medium size bird. if you want bigger you can go for a maccaw, but with that again your going to pay a lot. i also have quaker parrots. these are a lot smaller then the blue front amazon but still talk. they cost less to. a blue front amazon or maccaw can hold their own better just in case a confrentation starts with your dog and they can do more then just a quaker parrot. my suggestion is the blue front. good luck

Answer by jrmno1
First thing you already have a parrot, a Tiel is a parrot and talks and does tricks as well.

Any parrot you get, there will be no way to tell if it will talk to you or do tricks. That is not a good reason to get a parrot. You need to evaluate your living conductions now and the in the furture . Parrot live a lot longer then Dogs or Cats. Think about college, and when you get married, how much time everyday can you spend with your bird, the nosie how much nosie can you stand. These are all consideration in owning a bird.

Answer by fragmental
First of all- I’m so jealous you have an American Bulldog..I’m getting on as soon as I get a house, they’re awesome dogs!

I don’t see any reason why you can’t get a parrot. Plenty of bird owners also have dogs and cats that live under the same roof.

What size bird are you thinking of getting? Just about any parrot will be able to talk- from budgies to macaws. With your dog I’d suggest a larger bird- perhaps an eclectus or amazon. I have three cats and our African grey doesn’t take any crap from them. Trust me- the bird will eventually establish that s/he is the leader and probably be able to cohabitate peacefully with your dog. Big beaks=bloody bites…the other pets learn eventually.

It would be in your best interested to get a cage with a playtop and some kind of play stand for the bird to keep it out of the dogs reach when its out. Its probably not necessary to keep the bird in a separate room and the bird probably wouldn’t accept that anyways- they get LOUD when they’re lonely.

Good luck!

Answer by mandy
If you r looking for a talking pet that can do tricks and can entertain you round the clock then the African Grey parrot is the one.He can arn up to 400 words and know the right context to use these words.He loves music,can dance,loves plastic toys and is a very friendly and sociable bird.
His price ranges from $ 650 -$ 2200 and i’d suggest buying a hand fed bird who was born in captivity rather than t ones captured as the ones born in aviaries r more tame and easily bond with their owners.
The one born in aviaries usually has a ring round his foot with dae of birth and details so make sure u get one with a brace or ring.
Also buy the congo African Grey and not the Timnah.Both may look the same but the congo has a dark beek and a dark red tail.
Remember to buy a parrot with dark pupil ,the dark red tail and excellent feather condition as that ould mean he’s healthy.
Goodluck:)

Answer by bschug
I recommend that you find a bird club in your area, attend some meetings and discuss this question in person with members who live with whatever species you would consider. For every species there are exceptions to the generalized species characteristics that people will tell you.

My wife had a cockatiel when we met. [I think cockatiels are wonderful and under appreciated in aviculture for their pet quality]. We now are very happy to share our lives with a Blue & Gold Macaw. We love her dearly; but she is large, and can be quite loud. It’s probably impossible for you to get enough personalized information over a blog like this – which is why bird club meetings would be such a good source of info.

Other variables to consider: How much time do you have. How long does this species live? Am I able to commit to this new member of my family for his/her full life span? How much space do I have for a proper cage for this species? Larger cages cost more $ . Vet bills. Type of interactions you want between your parrot and you, other family members, and strangers (some parrots are much more open to strangers than others, and some are considered ‘one-person birds’). Etc. Etc.

Here’s an interesting web page that provides some related info: https://www.avesint.com/choosing.html
I do not necessarily agree with it completely, but it is food for thought.

Good Luck.