Before You Adopt
Birds, especially parrots are not as easy to care for as many seem to think. Perhaps the most important thing to realize is that birds are NOT domesticated animals like cats or dogs, most parrots are only within about 3 generations from the wild. They're also very intelligent and social animals, which means they require a lot of mental stimulation.
There are many important factors to consider before choosing a bird to adopt, or to adopt at all.
There are many important factors to consider before choosing a bird to adopt, or to adopt at all.
Why do you want to adopt a bird?
Before you take anything into consideration it's important to ask yourself "Why do I want to adopt a bird?"
Birds aren't ornaments, they shouldn't be adopted for aesthetics. They're very social so they require a lot of attention, some of them are a life-long commitment and may even outlive you. Those with parrots should be patient individuals who are not only willing to spend a lot of time and effort working with their bird everyday, but will enjoy it. They're wild animals, there's no doubt that at some point you'll get frustrated with the noise, and you'll get bitten for seemingly no reason. Over the years you'll learn to better understand your bird as an individual and in the process you'll develop a strong bond.
If you feel as if you can get frustrated easily, then a bird probably isn't for you. If you want a laid back, cuddly companion to sleep with at night, then a bird probably isn't for you. If you're just looking for an attractive, unusual or exotic pet to show your friends, then a bird probably isn't for you. If you're fascinated by birds, not just by their appearance or as a novelty but their character and you're interested in a very long-term companion then a bird might be for you.
Birds aren't ornaments, they shouldn't be adopted for aesthetics. They're very social so they require a lot of attention, some of them are a life-long commitment and may even outlive you. Those with parrots should be patient individuals who are not only willing to spend a lot of time and effort working with their bird everyday, but will enjoy it. They're wild animals, there's no doubt that at some point you'll get frustrated with the noise, and you'll get bitten for seemingly no reason. Over the years you'll learn to better understand your bird as an individual and in the process you'll develop a strong bond.
If you feel as if you can get frustrated easily, then a bird probably isn't for you. If you want a laid back, cuddly companion to sleep with at night, then a bird probably isn't for you. If you're just looking for an attractive, unusual or exotic pet to show your friends, then a bird probably isn't for you. If you're fascinated by birds, not just by their appearance or as a novelty but their character and you're interested in a very long-term companion then a bird might be for you.
Time
Birds demand a lot of your time, depending on the bird this could be several hours of your day. In the wild most species gather in large flocks, and they're constantly interacting with each other. Cockatoos are particularly well known for their extremely loud vocals and demand for attention, so if you have a full time job then you're probably going to have a hard time fitting a cockatoo into your schedule. For most species it would be reasonable to have at least 2-4 hours a day dedicated to training and interacting with your bird.
Another aspect of time you should consider is the longevity of your bird. This can vary from a few years to over 60 depending on the species, are you prepared to look after a bird for that long? Who will take care of them when you're gone?
Another aspect of time you should consider is the longevity of your bird. This can vary from a few years to over 60 depending on the species, are you prepared to look after a bird for that long? Who will take care of them when you're gone?
Noise
The majority of birds are quite loud and this is due to their reliance on communication in the wild. In general, the larger the bird the louder the bird. However, even some of the smaller birds such as Sun Conures are capable of pretty loud vocals. For this reason you not only want to consider your own noise tolerance, but any neighbours you might have as well.
Most birds are very vocal at dawn and dusk for about 20 minutes or so, this is completely normal and there's not much behavioural training that you can do to stop this. If you or anyone in your household doesn't like loud noises at 6am, this could be a problem for you. They will also occasionally make noise throughout the day, especially when they're bored or want attention.
If you're thinking about adopting and noise could be a potential issue for you, then definitely ask about how noisy the individual is, what times they're most vocal, etc.
Most birds are very vocal at dawn and dusk for about 20 minutes or so, this is completely normal and there's not much behavioural training that you can do to stop this. If you or anyone in your household doesn't like loud noises at 6am, this could be a problem for you. They will also occasionally make noise throughout the day, especially when they're bored or want attention.
If you're thinking about adopting and noise could be a potential issue for you, then definitely ask about how noisy the individual is, what times they're most vocal, etc.
Safety
This is an extremely important thing to know before adopting any bird. All harsh cleaners and chemicals such as windex or bleach as well as anything containing PTFE should be thrown away upon adopting a bird. There are a variety of different things that contain PTFE such as some space heaters, non-stick pans, hair dryers and more. The reason these and other airborne chemicals are especially hazardous to birds is mostly due to the way a bird's respiratory system works. Birds have developed a very efficient respiratory system for flight, not only does this allow them to inhale oxygen faster but other elements in the air as well. To emphasize the importance of this, PTFE is the leading cause of deaths in pet birds. Alternatives for cooking are cast-iron or stainless steel pans, for cleaning is water, vinegar and dish soap.
Other potential dangers include poisonous plants, flying into/onto hazards such as mirrors, windows, hot pans while cooking, on-top of lamps/light bulbs, chewing on cords or outlets and many others. If you have any concerns about bird safety in your home, feel free to contact Flying Hope and we can give you some advice.
Other potential dangers include poisonous plants, flying into/onto hazards such as mirrors, windows, hot pans while cooking, on-top of lamps/light bulbs, chewing on cords or outlets and many others. If you have any concerns about bird safety in your home, feel free to contact Flying Hope and we can give you some advice.
Expenses
Food:
Ideally you would want to feed them pellets supplemented with a variety of fresh foods. Seeds and nuts should be fed in moderation, they're fattening and an all seed diet can lead to a variety of health issues including liver disease, vitamin A deficiency, etc. Diet will be talked about more in-depth in a future category.
Toys:
Bird toys are often destroyed and need replacing. They can be very expensive but you can also create your own to save money.
Vet:
Vets visits for birds tend to be more expensive than dogs or cats. This is because you need an avian vet, someone that specializes in birds. In addition, birds tend to hide their illness and by the time they show obvious symptoms they're in serious danger. This makes frequent vet check-ups more important.
Cage:
Suitable cages are usually more expensive than the birds themselves. The general rule is to have the width(shortest dimension) to be at least equal to the wingspan of your bird. For the most part, the bigger the cage the better.
The exact costs will depend on a lot of factors, but birds are definitely not cheap.
Choosing a Bird
When choosing a bird there's a lot to consider, unlike dogs or cats there are no "breeds", they are entirely different species with varying physical and behavioural characteristics as well as dietary needs. Some species tend to be more easygoing, while others are best suited for those with a lot of experience. If you're adopting from Flying Hope, we will ask you lots of questions and do whatever we can to make sure you adopt the right individual, not just the right species.
While it's very important to consider how much experience you have, you shouldn't "settle" for a bird just because it's an "easier" species. For example, if this is your first bird and you're really interested in Caiques, then go for it but expect a challenge and be prepared. However, this should be within reason, cockatoos for example are not at all recommended for a first time bird owner. If you're set on adopting a large bird, you should get experience by volunteering at a rescue like Flying Hope. After getting some experience, you might even change your mind about adopting a larger bird.
Here is just a little bit of information about some common species suitable for beginner - intermediate bird owners, if any of them stand out to you then you should continue to research them and feel free to contact us if you have any questions. I won't be mentioning a lot of large parrots, because if you have the experience then you should already be quite knowledgeable.
While it's very important to consider how much experience you have, you shouldn't "settle" for a bird just because it's an "easier" species. For example, if this is your first bird and you're really interested in Caiques, then go for it but expect a challenge and be prepared. However, this should be within reason, cockatoos for example are not at all recommended for a first time bird owner. If you're set on adopting a large bird, you should get experience by volunteering at a rescue like Flying Hope. After getting some experience, you might even change your mind about adopting a larger bird.
Here is just a little bit of information about some common species suitable for beginner - intermediate bird owners, if any of them stand out to you then you should continue to research them and feel free to contact us if you have any questions. I won't be mentioning a lot of large parrots, because if you have the experience then you should already be quite knowledgeable.
Cockatiels
Cockatiels can make GREAT family pets, most parrots tend to strongly bond to one person and while cockatiels will still have a preferred person they will also enjoy interacting with others. Males tend to be more vocal and are excellent at whistling tunes.
Cockatiels can make GREAT family pets, most parrots tend to strongly bond to one person and while cockatiels will still have a preferred person they will also enjoy interacting with others. Males tend to be more vocal and are excellent at whistling tunes.
Budgies
Sadly, budgies are frequently overlooked as ornaments and as a result are often neglected. However, they're very intelligent, lots of fun, they can learn tricks and males can make excellent talkers, although it takes a trained ear to understand what they're saying. I don't see noise as much of an issue with budgies because I love listening to their chattering, but they do tend to do it a lot. They can make good family pets.
Sadly, budgies are frequently overlooked as ornaments and as a result are often neglected. However, they're very intelligent, lots of fun, they can learn tricks and males can make excellent talkers, although it takes a trained ear to understand what they're saying. I don't see noise as much of an issue with budgies because I love listening to their chattering, but they do tend to do it a lot. They can make good family pets.
Love birds and Parrotlets
I've grouped these species together because they're similar to each other, a lot of people call them "Little birds with BIG personalities." Parrotlets are the smallest birds you can get, but for some reason they seem to think that they're the biggest. Love birds and parrotlets are both strong willed, feisty birds that want things done on their terms. For this reason they're not great at tolerating kids, and they can be a little bit frustrating for some people but they can make great companions with a lot of personality if you can tolerate their sass.
I've grouped these species together because they're similar to each other, a lot of people call them "Little birds with BIG personalities." Parrotlets are the smallest birds you can get, but for some reason they seem to think that they're the biggest. Love birds and parrotlets are both strong willed, feisty birds that want things done on their terms. For this reason they're not great at tolerating kids, and they can be a little bit frustrating for some people but they can make great companions with a lot of personality if you can tolerate their sass.
Green-Cheeked Conure
Most Conures are very loud and noisy, green cheeks on the other-hand are usually pretty quiet and they're one of the smaller species. If noise isn't a concern, then you might want to look into other conures as well. There are around 40 species, but keep in mind the bigger they are, the louder they are, the harder they bite, the more space they take, etc. Anyway, green cheeks are very sweet birds, they're "cute&cuddly" and love to show affection. However, they have tendencies to be territorial and hormonal, so it's best to avoid "cuddling" or touching them below their neck too much. They will develop a strong bond to one person, but will usually tolerate others as well.
Most Conures are very loud and noisy, green cheeks on the other-hand are usually pretty quiet and they're one of the smaller species. If noise isn't a concern, then you might want to look into other conures as well. There are around 40 species, but keep in mind the bigger they are, the louder they are, the harder they bite, the more space they take, etc. Anyway, green cheeks are very sweet birds, they're "cute&cuddly" and love to show affection. However, they have tendencies to be territorial and hormonal, so it's best to avoid "cuddling" or touching them below their neck too much. They will develop a strong bond to one person, but will usually tolerate others as well.
Quaker Parrot
If you don't have a lot of experience, and you want a talkative parrot then you'll probably want to consider adopting a Quaker parrot. They're not only good at mimicking, they can learn tricks and how to communicate with you in your language surprisingly quick. However, Quakers tend to bond very strongly to one person and can easily become aggressive toward others, for this reason they often don't make great family pets. They can be very demanding of your attention, and are fairly noisy.
If you don't have a lot of experience, and you want a talkative parrot then you'll probably want to consider adopting a Quaker parrot. They're not only good at mimicking, they can learn tricks and how to communicate with you in your language surprisingly quick. However, Quakers tend to bond very strongly to one person and can easily become aggressive toward others, for this reason they often don't make great family pets. They can be very demanding of your attention, and are fairly noisy.
Conclusion
Remember that individuals vary, even though Quakers are known for their talking ability, that doesn't mean all of them will talk. It's always best to get to know the bird before you adopt them and finally,
Don't shop, adopt!
Don't shop, adopt!