# Anybody have/had pet birds?



## Chew Toy McCoy

I've never had a pet bird but recently found out about parrotlets and am thinking about getting one.  Miniature parrot?  Take my money.


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## thekev

Parrotlets are cute, but I'm not a fan of keeping single birds like that, unless you want to give it constant attention. They are not particularly solitary.


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## Chew Toy McCoy

thekev said:


> Parrotlets are cute, but I'm not a fan of keeping single birds like that, unless you want to give it constant attention. They are not particularly solitary.




I've seen some owners saying you shouldn't keep more than 1 in a cage, could fight it out.  Also you need a second area outside the cage that is also somewhat designated as theirs to help keep them for being too territorial in their cage.


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## thekev

Chew Toy McCoy said:


> I've seen some owners saying you shouldn't keep more than 1 in a cage, could fight it out.  Also you need a second area outside the cage that is also somewhat designated as theirs to help keep them for being too territorial in their cage.




They can fight, particularly if you get two of the same sex or two that just don't like each other, but they need regular attention from some source. You're correct about them being territorial.


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## Chew Toy McCoy

thekev said:


> They can fight, particularly if you get two of the same sex or two that just don't like each other, but they need regular attention from some source. You're correct about them being territorial.



As far as attention, beyond work and occasional visit to friends and my parents or cabin (both the latter the bird could come with) I am mostly a home body.  So I figure come home and let them out, of course giving them direct attention too.  Are the kind of like an attention needing cat but much smaller?


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## thekev

Chew Toy McCoy said:


> As far as attention, beyond work and occasional visit to friends and my parents or cabin (both the latter the bird could come with) I am mostly a home body.  So I figure come home and let them out, of course giving them direct attention too.  Are the kind of like an attention needing cat but much smaller?




In my own experience, kind of. If you don't handle them frequently, they seem to become difficult to handle. I haven't owned any personally, just observed a number of them frequently and looked around for care notes when I considered owning one.

Similar to other species of parrots, they are frequently mentioned as flock birds, which in owning one means that they're going from social interaction with a flock (which can include fighting). Goats are similar, in that they can fight and gore each other with their horns, yet they are not considered solitary animals.


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## Chew Toy McCoy

thekev said:


> In my own experience, kind of. If you don't handle them frequently, they seem to become difficult to handle. I haven't owned any personally, just observed a number of them frequently and looked around for care notes when I considered owning one.
> 
> Similar to other species of parrots, they are frequently mentioned as flock birds, which in owning one means that they're going from social interaction with a flock (which can include fighting). Goats are similar, in that they can fight and gore each other with their horns, yet they are not considered solitary animals.




Love pigmy goats!  Luckily I don't have the space.  Although goat eyes kind of freak me out (and I love insects!).  There's just something about them that makes me think they're more aware and intelligent then we think.  

Still in the research phase of my parrotlet consideration.  In your consideration, what stopped you from pulling the trigger?


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## thekev

Chew Toy McCoy said:


> Still in the research phase of my parrotlet consideration.  In your consideration, what stopped you from pulling the trigger?




I am extremely hesitant to take on pets in general, because optimal care for many of them can differ drastically from commonly observed care. These can also live very long lives, depending on how well their dietary needs are met, so they require a very high degree of certainty before purchase.


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## Edd

I’ve had pets but not for many years. Decided the whole thing isn’t for me; I’m not a homebody and am quite lazy.

Birds strike me as prohibitively loud.


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## Thomas Veil

That thing is extremely cute.

Birds do like to chirp and squawk, some more than others. So if you've got a tolerance for that, they're okay.



Chew Toy McCoy said:


> As far as attention, beyond work and occasional visit to friends and my parents or cabin (both the latter the bird could come with) I am mostly a home body.  So I figure come home and let them out, of course giving them direct attention too.



When I was growing up my mom always kept a parakeet, and yes, she'd let it out every once in a while. Naturally, we ended up having to clean up the occasional bird dump on a lampshade. For some reason they like to sit on lampshades. And drapes.

I'll never forget one time when the bird was being given free rein around the living room, and somebody accidentally opened the front door. The parakeet headed right for it and we kind of panicked because we knew there was nothing we could do to stop it.

That bird actually flew out the front door. Then it took one look at the bright sunlight, got scared, did an immediate 180 and flew back into the house.

We couldn't believe it.


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## Chew Toy McCoy

I'm also concerned about the noise level but these are rated moderate to low.

On a related note, I'm also interested in frogs but the male frogs are basically construction workers constantly yelling out "Hey ladies!  Hey ladies! Hey ladies!" all day long.  We currently have one at my work hidden is some bush and it's not a sound that can be ignored or mistaken for something else.


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