Ask Lemmy

Parrots are the type of animals that if you have to ask if you should get one, you shouldn't.

They are like buying a permanent toddler with a pair of vice grips for a face that can develop trauma from innocuous things and well develop bad behaviors that have to be addressed appropriately or they will get worse. They can develop mental issues that can lead to self mutilation.

There is no guarantee that an eclectus will be anything like the bird you met. They all have different personalities and they are only vaguely similar. You can have one that is totally chill and loves to cuddle, or you can have one that has anxiety and will viciously attack water bottles and you have no idea what bird you have until it has gone through "puberty".

If you want a bird, get a cockatiel, not a parrot.

Source: 25+ years of experience living with parrots and 4 years working in a pet store that sold parrots as the "bird guy". My bird that has anxiety and viciously attacks water bottles is currently yelling from his cage because that is what he likes to do before bed for 10-15 minutes.

Yeah you're probably looking at. 60 year commitment.

The reported lifespan of Eclectus sp. varies widely, from ~20 years to more than 60 years. This range is largely due to their relatively recent popularity in aviculture, with many individuals in captivity having not yet reached their natural lifespan. Many owners of eclectus parrots have reported ages upwards of 45 years, noting their birds show no obvious signs of age-related health decline.

I love birds and want to get one again (had cockatiels) but they are a big commitment.

Things to think about:

• is there an avian vet close? Is it an emergency vet?
• what kind and how large of a cage do you need?
• what kinds of things in my house kill birds (I think hot Teflon pans)
• what am I going to do with them when I leave town?
• what am I going to do with them in an emergency
• how do they do in captivity alone? You may need to get them a companion

Going to chime in. Parrots are very hard work. This is a perpetual child that will never grow up. And you never know when and if, it will go from a really great pet, to the loudest, multi-hour, daily, screaming pain in the fucking ass. And good luck finding out what it wants. Many, not all parrots, like to chew the shit out of things. They can destroy your house and everything in it. And you have to clean up after them daily because they love to fling food everywhere, and shit whenever they feel like it. Even if you train them to poop, they don't always follow that. This is not a cat that sleeps all day. Or a dog that you can go for a run, feed it treats and expect it to nap. Parrots are tiny little aliens and they do as they please. You can never know how much work they are until you have had one for a year minimum, and at that point, you have lost your damn mind.

My personal opinion, based on real world experience is, birds should not be pets. It's really selfish and immoral to keep a bird in a house. They need to fly in their natural habitat.

A long time ago I did some volunteer work for a companion bird sanctuary, and the number of people who got a bird as a pet and were totally unprepared for the care required was astounding. Almost all the birds at that sanctuary had some sort of serious behavioral issue because the people who got them just could not keep them cared for. You should probably talk to someone with experience keeping birds before making a decision because experience can be terrible for the bird if you are not ready.

If you've never kept birds maybe get a couple of pigeons first. They're more affectionate, less work, less delicate when it comes to diet, shelter and toxins, less destructive and generally more easy going than most parrots. They don't speak but there's no guarantee your parrot would do so either.

Whatever you do don't rush the decision. Parrots can reach a very high age and they require a lot of emotional work in addition to their physical needs, much more than a cat honestly. They're an awesome choice for the right person but they're less common than cats and dogs for a reason.

Parrots are incredibly smart, social and LOUD animals. They will require constant attention, care and enrichment. If not provided, they are very prone to depression, which comes with bunch of related health issues. They are fragile and require veterinarians that know how to deal with birds / exotic animals. They love destroying stuff and will destroy your house. For a bird that isnt just screaming all the time, you will have to feed them a balanced diet with fresh veggies, and ideally 12 hours sleep in a dark area.

I love parrots, and I took care of one for a time before, but I wouldn't do that again until I am retired and settled down and know that I can dedicate myself to having one. You need to think about all the downsides and how to overcome them.

Have you thought about an easier animal with a shorter lifetime such as a mice or an hamster? They are also extremely sociable and smart animals and also can like to be handled. This would give you a "trial" run of sorts where you can think about how it would like to be have a harder to care animal.

Also, check out Clint's Reptiles on youtube. He has a series of videos about various different animals and how easy / hard it is to care for them along with explaining their general personalities.

Dude just get a cat. I know exactly what you’re going through and you will regret the parrot. A cat is what you need.

Hey OP, I know these responses all generally say not to get one, and for good reason, so that might bum you out. But I just wanted to applaud you for doing your due diligence before getting an exotic pet that you are unfamiliar with. So many people out there get animals that they are unprepared for and don’t do any research before hand, and ultimately it’s the animals themselves that suffer the most. That’s how you end up with pythons in the Everglades. So it’s refreshing seeing someone with forethought and who is genuinely willing to listen to the experience of others. I hope you find a pet that you like, avian or otherwise.

I once had a great bond with an eclectus. It took a lot of work, but when I finally earned her trust, we were great friends.

One day, I trimmed her nails, and it destroyed our friendship 😔 If you get one, have someone else trim its nails so it doesn't hate you. Parrots can really hold a grudge.

What if it doesn’t shut up?