Rescue a parrot for a pet

You wake up in the morning, grumpy and disoriented, and stumble into the kitchen to make coffee and toast. You hear a cheery voice say "Good morning darling", and spend the next half hour reading the morning paper, sipping your favorite blend, and sharing breakfast with your best friend in the world…your pet parrot.

Owning a parrot can be both a challenging and a rewarding experience. It is difficult to describe the bond that develops between these loving, devoted creatures and their human friends. The joy and surprise that a parrot parent feels the first time their baby says a word, repeats a whistle, or learns a trick is no less triumphant than a human parent watching their child take her first steps.

Before you consider purchasing a parrot or other companion bird, you must first examine your motives. The decision to adopt a feathered friend into your family should be taken seriously. Exotic birds are not status symbols to impress your family, friends, and neighbors. They are not a substitute pet to quiet the constant pleading of a child who desperately wants a puppy. These highly intelligent creatures need and deserve a permanent home where their physical and emotional needs will be met. The amount of work, time, and money required to keep them happy and healthy is often underestimated by well meaning but uninformed people.

Consider your family. A large parrot can inflict harm on a young child's fingers. Conversely, a young child can seriously injure a bird if left unattended even for a moment. Is a bird the best choice of a family pet for you?

Consider your budget. Besides the initial expense of purchasing the animal, the cage, the toys and the food, exotic birds require regular visits to a specialized avian veterinarian for check-ups, beak and toenail trimming, and feather clipping. Can you afford an emergency vet bill of $300 the week before Christmas when Polly manages to escape from the cage and get stuck behind the refrigerator, breaking a wing in the process?

Once the decision has been made to purchase a parrot, it is essential that the choice of bird be carefully considered. There are dozens of species available, each with predictable behaviors and attitudes. Size, coloration, age, sex, lifespan, talking ability, playfulness, cuddliness and personality are all factors which should be weighed before you go shopping. Not all parrots are created equal. Do your research and choose one that is capable of fulfilling your wishes and expectations so that a loving, permanent friendship can develop between your family and your new pet.

There are as many types of parrots available in the pet industry as there are colors in the rainbow. Before you even consider heading to a pet store or calling a breeder, you must educate yourself as to what is available. Each species will have distinctive personality traits. Some may be wonderful talkers, others may crave affection, and still others will entertain with clownish antics. Just remember that a bird with a talent for talking who loves to vocalize can be constantly noisy, and a bird that craves cuddling may scream like a banshee when ignored. Do your homework. Your local library will have wonderful books in the companion animal section. The internet provides species descriptions, pictures and anecdotes of parrot behavior. Companion bird magazines have illuminating articles, colorful pictures, and classified ads of bird breeders in your area. Narrow down your search to 5-10 ideal candidates. Then go window shopping -- and leave your cash, and possibly even your children, at home! It is all too easy to fall in love and drag home the first friendly bird you meet. The chance of the first bird you see being THE bird for you is slight. Of course, after interacting with a particular bird you may decide that you want it after all. But do yourself a favor and make that decision at home, away from the sales pressures of a pet store, away from the breeder that assures you that this bird is exactly what you are looking for, and away from your clinging child that wants immediate gratification. You will be responsible for all aspects of the bird's care, regardless of what promises your children might make. Remember that in this instance you have the choice of how your future "child" is going to look, how large it will get, how intelligent it will be, and to some extent how it will behave. Take advantage of this luxury. Expect your search to last weeks if not months. You will be glad you waited when you finally bring that perfect bird home.

For some reason, when people think "exotic bird" they believe that larger is better. That is absolutely not the case. Of course, large parrots can be stunning visually, and in the hands of an experienced bird person can make incredible pets. But be warned. Larger birds cost much more to purchase and maintain. They require heavily constructed enclosures that are bigger than most livingrooms can comfortably accommodate. The destructive ability of their beaks is formidable. And last but not least, these highly intelligent birds learn very quickly if people are intimidated by them, and without proper discipline become completely unmanageable. If you truly believe, after careful consideration, that a macaw or large cockatoo is for you, then follow your heart. Find a reputable breeder or pet store that is able and willing to hold your hand and bite the bullet. You may be one of the lucky ones. But far too often these beautiful birds are paired with owners that are just too inexperienced or unprepared for the relationship to last very long. These birds are then destined to live "Black Beauty syndrome", where they are pawned off on increasingly undeserving owners until they are in a hideous and sometimes abusive situation. Their only hope then is to be rescued by a knowledgeable bird person who can undo the damage done. For novice parrot owners, a small to medium size bird is most suitable. They embody many of the wonderful qualities of the larger birds without quite as many negatives. Consider Senegals, Pionus, Ringnecks, small Amazons and other similar sized parrots. These birds retain the true parrot personality, are easier to house and handle, and are readily available at reasonable prices.

The lifespan of a parrot is basically related to size; the larger the bird, the longer the lifespan. Even a small parrot can conceivably live 20-30 years, given that diet, exercise and veterinary care is adequate. Larger birds routinely live 50 years or more. Owning a parrot is truly a lifelong committment, even longer than raising children! Make sure that your long term plans can accommodate these conditions. Make allowances for transfer of ownership of the bird in your will.

So good luck. Take your time. Choose wisely. And most importantly, when you bring that darling home, give him as much love as you can, and you will have it returned tenfold.