Does anyone have a parrot?

[canthavetoomanylights]

Thinking of rescuing one. We’re retired so have plenty of time at home, but don’t want another dog or cat. The house is quiet tho and we would love something.
Would welcome any thoughts or advice.

We had one years ago. We rehomed it when a neighbour died. He was beautiful but a lot of work. They are very intelligent and no matter what we did to secure his cage he would always manage to break out. We didn’t actually mind him free roaming, he would strut around our large dog and two cats with not a fuck to give.
However, the damage caused to our house was extensive, furniture, shoes, cupboards, window frames and stair spindles were all fair game.
He adored our eldest Ds and was never happier than when sitting on his shoulder pottering around the house or going to the local shop. He hated our youngest Ds and would take every opportunity to chase him around the house biting his ankles. He would happily go into his cage at bedtime, he would say goodnight ( he had an extensive vocabulary) and we would cover him and not hear a peep until morning.
But on the rare occasion we had to lock him in his cage during the day the noise he would make was awful and resulted in complaints from neighbours. We tried covering him but he knew it wasn’t bedtime. It was mostly the noise that led us to very reluctantly finding him another home.
He went to a lovely older couple with no dc for him to abuse, and they didn’t have close neighbours. He was and still is very happy with them.

No I don't
No I don't
No I don't
No I don't
No I don't

Oh wow. Well I’m glad I asked (I think). I do want personality. I def don’t want just a caged animal or bird ( im a bit uncomfortable with anything being caged tbh). But I don’t think I want damage!

We acquired one a few years ago. An amazon parrot. He's very pretty but makes a LOT of noise. He doesn't talk just shouts & poos everywhere. He's a terrible pet tbh 😅

An old neighbour of ours (meadow fields , detached bungalow in Kent) did. A rescued African Grey who sadly became more misbehaved with age. Started with small scale vandalism of a back box room but then gradually took over the house resulting in our neighbour losing his left upper ear, a toe and multiple black eyes. He (neighbour) lived with us for the final 2 weeks before he (parrot) was captured and rehomed

😧

really?

Sadly yes, in the early 90's but I may be wrong thinking it was an African grey, I know it was the same breed as the evil parrot that was once on a episode of Tales from the Unexpected. Absolutely terrifying

Yes, I had a parrot. She was very beautiful and we taught her to say a few things.

However, she liked to bite and her beak was big and dangerous; I sustained a few nasty bites so I could never fully trust her. She also chewed furniture up and often got under the furniture.

One thing to research is vet care. No vet in my city was happy to treat a parrot, which meant a longish trip out of the county - which was always accompanied by a massive bill (£600) to examine her and do blood tests.

If it wasn’t for the vet issue, I’d love another bird.

Oh blimey.. so many things to consider and issues I hadn’t thought of.

My family inherited my nan’s parrot after she (my nan) passed away. She wasn’t particularly aggressive and could be very amusing. She used to dance to the radio and whistle tunes that she had picked up. But she wasn’t kept in her cage and if she did get on to the ground, she was destructive and was very quick to be so before we could catch her and put her back on her cage. She pecked the skirting boards and through loudspeaker cables for example. Her cage needed cleaning often, otherwise it became smelly. Also they live for a very long time. My mum had her well over 20 years and she wasn’t a young bird when we inherited her. I would never have one

https://www.instagram.com/the_green_bird_brigade?igsh=N3NpZjQ4M2NpYWw2

This is an excellent site for information and education about parrots and similar birds. She is very knowledgeable and explains what is really involved in looking after birds; the good and the challenges,not to mention how many owners don't understand what they're taking on and the effects that can have on the bird.
She's also on You Tube,and probably elsewhere.

https://youtube.com/@greenbirdbrigade?si=3ahbhOley4hn37GY

Have you considered a smaller bird? A pair of budgies for example would be less destructive and not nearly as dangerous if they do nip but have lovely personalities. They also entertain one another so don’t need so much stimulation.

The main thing I recall from Zoology Classes at school was - if you must put it on your shoulder to impress your classmates make sure you always wear a mackintosh.

I've had a few. Like other people's have said they can be destructive, very loud, expensive, messy... You'll need to give them fresh fruit and vegetables not just seeds. Learn to keep doors/windows closed if they are out of their cage. Air pollutants can be fatal so no candles, air fresheners, aerosols, no non-stick Teflon pans etc. They poo every 20 minutes and it's a pain to clean up! They can get sexually aggressive and over attached to their favourite person while hating everyone else. Some species create a lot of dust.

They can also be very loving, funny, intelligent companions and form very strong bonds with their owners but please do your research first! Some have very long lifespans so be prepared for the commitment!

We had a cockatiel, all the same issues, albeit with a smaller beak.

OP have you considered short term pets e.g. fostering if you have experience? Lots of small pet rescues around who get overloaded e.g. in kitten season.

Well I did a bit of reading last night and then came back to this thread… we won’t be having a parrot! I had no idea what I would be letting myself in for, so very glad to have asked (thank you) and read up a bit.

My in laws have some sort of smallish grey parrot. He's never out the cage which I absolutely hate and I think the cage is too small. He was a rescue they found through a charity - his owner died and poor parrot plucked all his own feathers. He's still semi-naked and no more will come back now.

He's completely obsessed with mil and screeches the entire time she's out of his direct view, which is just great for FIL when she goes to work as he's retired and disabled and home all day.... The screeching is absolutely ear splitting and even a phone call with them now is almost impossible.

I don't like big birds being kept in cages and we have warned them that if they die before the parrot, parrot is not coming to live with us and they need to plan where he can go.

Yes I had two. Things to consider:

• Poo everywhere you will always need to clean up (personally I couldnt let a bird be in a cage all day it’s not right). Some breeds can be toilet trained to do it on the cage if you are lucky
• Parrots have personalities and will usually love some family members and hate at least one IME
• Those beaks are destructive. Chewed books, wallpaper…no matter how many toys they have
• Noise - unless the cage is covered they will squawk and it is loud! They will do this especially if you leave the room and they can’t see you.
• Some parrots don’t do well alone - check the requirements for your breed. Generally they are flock animals and want company
• They are very intelligent and need interaction and entertainment. A lonely parrot will self harm.
• They live a long time for their size. Even the small ones.
• Vets are specialised and expensive (though they are rarely ill). Likewise bird sitting services are much harder than finding care for a dog or cat when on holiday.

It is essentially like living with a badly behaved, noisy toddler who will never grow up. Make sure you are fully informed before you take the plunge but for me there is no animal like them - magnificent!

No but my neighbours several doors away have one and it’s fucking noisy. Either they have their windows permanently open or an outside cage, either way it’s a pain in the arse.

That is so cruel for them to keep it locked up in its cage greenfootstool. Birds are meant to fly. Ours has a perch on the top of his cage, he flies between the cage, lampshade and door. Has only left the room once even though he has free roam. They aren't usually very flighty if that's what they are afraid of? We just put his food back inside and he goes in to sleep at night.

The thing about Green Bird Brigade is that she makes it sound like to be a parrot (parrotlet, parakeet) owner, you must be perfect and feed them just so and watch their hormones & get them bathing and do that and the other ... I love how much GBB shows off the birds as lovely companions, but she sets the bar so high that I can't imagine anyone who would have a parrot, either. It's kind of the same with other videos from pet care enthusiasts (chickens, dogs, rabbits, whatever), the enthusiast videos put me off hugely ever having one of whatever animal they are featuring.

I was a parrot mad kid. I'll still try to befriend random parrots I ever meet like other people befriend stranger dogs. I could take care of a parrot over a long weekend, but not long term because I can't put in the daily time.

Fucking hell they sound terrible. No wonder you don’t want one now

We were persuaded to have a small one by a rescue (we'd gone to re home a budgie), I'm not surprised they couldn't find anyone else...had him 10 years and expecting to have him another 30 but everything everyone else says is so true. He destroys things, very messy, very loud and screechy, cage and water stink if not cleaned thoroughly daily, can't find a vet to cut his beak and nails (so file them whilst avoiding being savaged), he bites really hard but on the plus side he's easy to put away at night, he's quiet overnight and he loves noise and a busy household so has never feather plucked or been stressed. I would never have another one but I am strangely f ond of him and his beady little stare! oh and his diet is,atrocious- he spits vegetables out and only likes certain fruit and refuses the very expensive parrot food (we've wasted so many kinds), what he really likes is human food in tiny portions and rich tea biscuits which he dunks in his water, it's like trying to get a toddler to accept healthy foods...

Family member does. He was a tradesman and an older lady was going into care and asked if hed like her. Wife wasnt impressed. Shes very funny. She copies his cough and laugh and oos and hmms and "thats right" from them both. She winds their dog up then tells him off "noooo dog's name" If you sing to her she dances. But sadly she can't free fly because this dog would have her. They've already left her to theirs son when anything happens.
There's a reason why you dont feed wild birds in Australia. Lady next door to my sis did and corellas and cockys destroyed her porch.

@MinnieCoops I’m so glad I asked. No way.. May as well have another dog; at least I could train it!
Am loving all these stories though..