Hey, Occulties,
While not an occult post, it's something I've been meaning to write because I get a lot of people who think my little bird is adorable and want one too. ;) There is an occult post coming up, so skip this one if you don't give a shit about pet birds.
OK, so many of you have said how adorable (or annoying, depending on who I'm speaking to,) my birdie sounds when he's getting himself into some trouble, or speaking like saying "Watcha doin?" when we're on the phone.
And while he's my little buddy and I wouldn't trade him for all the world, I was prepared when I purchased him from a breeder for the fact that pet birds - truly happy, healthy companion parrots, - are not an easy pet to care for. So before you drive out to the pet store and purchase that bird, keep the following in mind:
Pet store birds, like the vast majority of pet store animals, make lousy pets. The reason is that they are often not properly handled. While, with some training, this might not be a concern with birds, the best birds have been raised by someone who handles them. Hand-fed parrots means the breeder fed the bird instead of letting his or her mom (and often dad,) feed the chick. Parrots regurgitate their food into their babies' mouths when they are young, and when the youngster starts eating on their own, the parents will eventually stop this behavior. If a breeder is "hand feeding" the chick, he or she will reduce the hand feeding and wean the chick like the parents would. HOWEVER, if the breeder allows the parents to feed the chick, as long as the chick is handled very early on by humans, he or she will be far more receptive to being handled by humans when they reach maturity. Most young birds are not actually adults when they are ready to go to new homes (think of this like a puppy or a kitten, even though the young bird is often about fully-grown,) so if you get a very young bird at a pet store, handling this animal (once he or she has been home with you for at least 36 or so hours - wait that long so the bird can calm down,) will probably make him or her amenable to handling by humans. That said, you do not necessarily know the age of your bird if you buy him or her in a pet store. A bird which has never been handled and who is over a certain age may be absolutely terrified of humans, and as parrots are a prey-species, if something frightens them, they can remain afraid of this for a very very long time. This is a survival instinct. Predators (kitties, doggies,) tend to be more bold, but prey species have the innate response to flee and avoid anything scary because in the wild, it can save their lives.
This means you are better off buying an animal from a BREEDER not a pet store. You should also ask the breeder questions about how he or she raises his or her birds. Are they handled? Are they hand fed? A healthy, well-raised bird is worth 10 beautiful but ignored birdies from the pet store. If you're a bird pro (some people are,) you can get a bird about anywhere and make him or her far more friendly than someone who has never raised a bird, but ask a bird-rescue organization....beginners are not recommended to handle a big bird, or an unsocialized bird. Start with a bird from a responsible breeder.
You will get bitten. EVERY bird I've ever owned has bitten me at least once, though in the case of budgies (parakeets,) it was probably only once or twice. The problem is if you yell at them, they can take this as a sign that you like this. To them a loud exclaimation sounds like praise because birds are loud (we will get into that,) so if you're bitten, it's best to adopt a low sounding "no." We say "bad bird, no," and this guy knows what that means. My current bird is not very bitey (he's bitten me about 3-4 times at most during 2018, usually because i was forced by medical concern or because he was stuck to put him outside of his comfort zone,) but some birds are. With a budgie or a cockatiel or even a lovebird, you probably won't have them draw blood (he's only ever gotten me just right one time to draw blood,) but a large parrot will definitely draw blood. My avian vet has a few battlewounds. Now, you will get "beaked" probably daily, and beaking is when the bird uses his or her beak to test a surface, like you might feel with your hand. Before my bird climbs on something (even a hand or arm,) he tests it with his beak to make sure the surface is stable. Beaking does not hurt but can be scary to people who do not understand birds. Since birds have 2 feet and no arms/paws, their beak is used much as hands or forepaws are. If you're afraid of a bird putting his or her beak on you EVER (but could stand getting bitten maybe 2 times,) then do not get a bird. They need to use their beaks as part of their mobility, so beaking is a very normal behavior. Again, it does not hurt at all, but the bird's mouth is definitely on you. ;)
You cannot leave them in a cage. A cage is more like a crate. Parakeets will tolerate far more cage time out of all of the rest of the parrot family. It is CRUEL to cage a parrot 24-7. I might make an exception for someone with an aviary where there is a lot of room and a lot of other birdies, but generally speaking, unless you are raising finches and canaries (who prefer to remain in a cage, and are more like fish in how you raise them,) you need to have a large cage and to be willing to have your birdie out (and start with no more than 2 small parrots if you want a parrot, so a lovebird or a cockatiel or a budgie, if you've never raised a bird,) at least an hour a day. I will honestly say when you first get the bird, he or she will retreat to the safety of his cage, so it may not be immediate that he or she wants to be out for this long, but as this animal becomes comfortable with you, "out time" must increase to at least an hour a day. Some birds love their cage - it has toys and fun stuff, - then you have birds like my bird who hates being caged. He literally lives out of the cage all of the time. That comes with it's own set of issues...
Like the fact that parrots, in general, are hugely destructive, some more so than others. My little dude chews on EVERYTHING. He's bored a hole in our couch. He chews on my clothing in the hamper. He's eaten the wood trim on the doorways. He eats all things paper. He cracked a freaking laptop screen. When he's mad, he will actually work on that hole in the couch because he knows it makes us mad. Now there are definitely toys for your destructive friend on the market, and you are expected to buy new ones when the bird has chewed through the whole thing and destroyed it. This curbs them destroying other things...sometimes. My guy is the great destroyer, so toys and not toys...he eats them all.
Furthermore birds poop A LOT. You must become somewhat immune to bird poo. I don't mean you leave it there. I mean I clean up birdie poo several times a day. Even if you leave them in their cages for 23 hours a day, birdie poo gets on your floor. It's not the only way they make a mess, because...
Even if you feed them with pellets, they need some seed. Seed shells get everywhere. It looks like a bird seed factory exploded in my house if I don't sweep up a lot more than I would need to if I was just here with Mr NinjaCat and no pets.
And if they are molting, feathers are everywhere. Even if you cage them, the little feathers often fly out of the cage.
Because they are naturally curious animals, they also tend to endanger themselves stupidly. We had to tie up a lamp cord just so because my bird would try to chew it. Something about it's appearance was irresistible to him.
They are also noisy animals. Parakeets are not so bad, probably for size, but if you've ever been on the phone with me, "the screaming that sounds like an alarm clock," that my cockatiel makes is a common noise. If I am napping and he wants to play, he makes that noise. If Mr NinjaCat and I are in opposite rooms and he wants to hang out with both of us, he makes that noise. He makes that awful sound so regularly that I have neighbors who probably want to wring his neck. :/
They are needy....sometimes they are playful, sometimes cuddly, but his can change in a second. You need to know them well. Mine gets grouchy and pushy when he's tired. He will decide it is time to cuddle when I am doing work or when I'm washing dishes and will keep coming over making his "kissy face" (when he wants cuddles,) then can get more aggressive if I don't give him cuddles. I have seen videos of birds having full meltdowns and screaming and throwing things if their human did not give into their desire, but of course I've seen them scream and throw things just because they don't like a toy someone got them, or similar.
They tend to attach to one person. My bird favors me. If I am gone for any length of time, he begins starving himself. If myself and Mr NinjaCat are....having some lovey interaction, he will fly over and glare at Mr NinjaCat, or even start singing in an attempt to get my attention on to him instead as the better mate. This has it's cute moments, like how if I fall asleep, he sometimes sleeps on my pillow or my chest, or it can be downright terrible...like when I was in the hospital for 2 days and he tried to kill himself because I wasn't home and couldn't see him. He also attacks me if he thinks I'm leaving sometimes. Yes, seriously.
Boy birds are the talkers and singers in many breeds of parrot, but some may never do either. Just because you have a male bird, it does not mean he will ever mimic talk or sing, and sometimes if you have a female bird, she will, even if it is uncommon with her breed for her to do so. They will mimic what they find interesting. This is not always what you find interesting.
Lastly, the avian vet is expensive. For the doctor to see my birdie, it is $75. I live in a small to medium sized city, and he's the ONLY avian vet in the area. He needs to see the doctor at least once a year, and since he eats weird things and gets himself into trouble because that's his thing, it isn't like it would be out of the ordinary for him to have to see his vet more often than that. Birds, much like cats, often do not show signs of illness, so if they start acting even a little sick, it's almost always time to call the vet NOW. A person who waits too long is generally the person who finds a dead bird on the bottom of the cage or on the floor in a short time.
I'm sure this novel has opened a few eyes. This isn't to discourage you from bird ownership - I love birds, and they live a very long time and are very loyal and affectionate pets who will make you laugh pretty much every day if you care for them right. If you are willing to do your homework and get a well bred bird, and spend at least an hour with him or her out of the cage on a daily basis, you will probably love having a bird as a pet. They are great little companions. However, they are, in my opinion, not a "beginner" pet. A budgie is usually the easiest to raise and I think people tend to do well with them, however anything even a little larger is going to require you to dedicate time to his or her well being that may be more time than you have. If you can make enough time for a dog, then a bird might be right for you. BUT, as a caveat, many birds end up in rescue situations because people did not know what they were getting into. I read some terrifying statistic that something like 85% of all large parrots have been rehomed an average of five times. That is so horrible. Birds, like dogs, form bonds with their humans, and that is beyond question absolutely cruel to the animal to not be able to trust that it is not just being given away and not loved. Please do not buy birds for very small children, and please kindly take the time to consider whether or not you have the time train a bird and love and live with a bird.
Because just because my birdie sounds like he's so cute and snuggly and fun sometimes...well, is all of those things, but he also screams and destroys and tries to commit suicide if I leave the house. ;)
He's my homeslice, though. He's a smart and hilarious little jerk. :)
Thank you for reading my becoming-a-bird-owner PSA.
~Cat
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