Annaquilts

I am looking at a rehome but eventhough I think it is great to try rescue birds, dogs etc. I definitely do not think it is for everyone especially if it is your first parrot. I am nervous if I am ready enough. We have a large family and I have lots of experience with people that are "rescue" so my kids are super excited about adopting a bird. Sometimes helping people or animals that come from hard circumstances can hurt the people in the family. Not everything can be fixed. I wish people would think more then twice before they would get a bird because so many are in need missing basic care. Our rehome is not from neglect. There will be enough of an adjustment I am sure but it will help one bird and will give one family the joy of owning a bird.

Annaquilts

I love all the bird stories. We already have two budgies and I think they are the best too ube quilting.

Feather3

I have 3 large parrots & 2 toy poodles. I had more poodles (8 total), but they have passed away, from old age, since we got the parrots. My parrots are all now 13 years old. 2 came from pet stores (African Grey & Umbrella Cockatoo). The 3rd parrot (Blue & Gold Macaw) was a rehome/rescue. You would not believe the condition she was in or the terrible life she had & she was only 2 when I got her. There are many sad stories about parrots. My dogs soon learned those big beaks bite, so they keep their distance. My dogs were also taught to let the parrots alone, ie, do not chase them, etc.

A large parrot requires a large very sturdy cage (stainless steel is best if you can afford it) & lots of chewable toys. A playgym would be a good idea for a "away from cage exercise area". However many can & do climb or jump off them. They must be left out of the cage daily to exercise. Large parrots have LOUD voices, so expect LOUD high pitched screaming, which can be heard a few blocks or more away. Each sound/scream they make is for a reason. If you watch them you cna learn what sound they associate things to. Many parrot owners make the mistake of telling/yelling at them to shut-up, which just makes them scream more to get the added attention. They are sort of like a 2 year old child that never grows up.

Moluccan Toos are big chewers, so do expect damaged furniture, cupboards, etc. If you do decide on a M2 or other large parrot, visit a local lumbar yard, Lowe's, etc that has untreated pine & ask for scraps. Many toss them out & you can make cheap toys for your bird from them. Take note a M2 can destroy a $50.00 toy in a day. My U2 took the lock apart on her cage while I was at work. Yep she managed to unscrew the nuts/bolts/screws & got out. She did major damage to my sofa, TV cable, drapes, wall decorations. Came home to find her sitting on top of her cage just as happy as could be. We now padlock her in.

Large parrots also require more than a seed mix & pellets for diet. They should have some veggies & fruits daily, as well as nuts. I buy all my nuts (raw in shell) off the internet as it's much cheaper to buy in bulk. We store all foods (seed mix & nuts) in gallon glass jars. I got the jars at a local Italian restaurant. I place 2 layers of wax paper on the jar & screw the lid down tight. This keeps the food fresh for a good 1.5 years in our basement. If your basement is not cool then you can store food in the freezer for up to 2 years. Also note that large parrots waste a lot of food. It's in their nature to reseed the Earth, so they toss/waste a lot of food.

Then you have the dust factor. Cockatoos are "powder" birds. They make powder to coat their feathers. This powder can not just be sucked up in the cleaner, as it's sort of oil based. It sticks to everything & must be wiped up. Cleaning soon becomes a dreaded chore once you own a cockatoo. They should be showered at least once per week. I use a table perch in the tub to shower the U2 & Grey. My macaw loves showers & plays for a good 20 minutes before she's ready to get out.

Large parrots tend to chose 1 person as their mate, so do not expect a large parrot to be a "family bird" & like everyone. Large parrots can also sense your adrenal levels & with kids in the house it will cause the bird to be more active/scream/etc. The M2 & U2 have what is called "3 point beaks" the lower beak has 2 points, which can land a nasty cut if bitten.

As another poster stated...you just can't let them with a neighbor & go on vacation. If you do you may come home to a bald bird. They will rip out their feathers or even go as far as to chew a hole in their chest. Not all will do this, but many will. They bond to you as a mate & when their "mate" leaves they become stresses/depressed. Also vvet bills are not cheap when it comes to parrots. One visit can cost a few hundred to several hundred, depending on the illiness.

M2's & U2's can live into thier 60's or 70's. That's a long time, so you need to consider what will happen to the bird down the road. Cost is a major factor as parrot foods keep going up in price & most are not cheap. Feeding a large parrot is nothing like feeding parakeets.

Of my 3 parrots if I had to chose one it would be my Blue & Gold Macaw. She is less "needy". She doesn't make the massive powder that my U2 & African Gery does, so cleaning would be so much easier. She entertains herself & even invents games to play. She is fun loving & very forgiving. She loves to be in the middle of everything I do...dishes, baking, cleaning, weeding, etc. She is a good talker, but note that not all large parrots talk & if they do not all talk well.

At 13 years (all 3 are same age within 6 months of each other) we are now to the point they have damaged their cages (chewed the paint off/broken welds/feet no longer roll/etc.) so we will need to buy new cages. Stainless steel cages for 3 large parrots will set us back major, but they should be the last cages we have to buy.

Don't get me wrong, large parrots are awesome, but they are also a ton of expense & work. This is why so many end up in rescues, stuck in garages, abused, etc. They are highly intelligent. You can teach them many things, including hand signals. They do not come knowing how to step up/down/talk/etc. You must teach them & they are nothing like a dog. You can not teach parrot "No". No to a parrot means try later, lol. They should be included in daily activities to keep them busy & wear off energy. They busier you keep them the less they are apt to become a screamer. So play games, involve them in what you are doing, etc.

I would highly suggest you locate a rescue & visit several times before deciding on a large parrot. Go on line & research the species you are interested in before you make the choice. Once you get the bird home give it a few days to settle in. Then take it for a walk thru your home. Explain things it sees, furniture, frig, door, etc. Touch things so the bird knows they are safe. Let the bird touch them. Birds see things different than we do. Never under estimate their intelligence.

Best wishes

Annaquilts

Thank you for your post feahter3. Wow I will have to reread it several times to take in all the information.

quiltingcandy

My husband and I had an umbrella crested cockatoo (Maui) for several years before we had children. Maui was fun, messy but fun. I had to clean under her cage daily. Usually when I got home from work I would let her out and go about what I needed to do. Most people liked her, but there are some people, such as my mother who did not like birds in the house, so then she would have to stay in her cage. Maui had few demands like if you ate a banana, you better share or she would yell at you. The same with grapes. If she was out of the cage, she gave you an opportunity to share, but if you ignored her, before they were all gone she would steal a grape, then glare at you as she ate it.

Before our first daughter was born my husband had her sitting on his chest, she would rub her head against his chin if he needed a shave, then one night she threw up on his chest and we were both shocked, I ran to get the bird book and started laughing, my DH was not amused when he said, okay what's wrong? Nothing, she was trying to feed you.... She never did it again, but we think it was because her feelings were hurt from his reaction.

When we had our first child Maui was fine. She was very good with her, then 3 years later we had our second daughter and Maui was not happy. She would get on the edge of the playpen then hiss and threaten her. So I could only let Maui out of the cage when the baby was asleep or not home. After a few months my sister said she would take Maui - actually she wanted my daughter but we felt it was better that she take the bird. It is our understanding she now resides at a bird farm making babies with her mate, Jack.

My sister thought Maui was lonely so got her a mate because out of the blue she started laying eggs. Once she had a mate she quit being a pet. So my sister traded Maui to a bird farm for an Amazon Parrot.

We have never gotten another bird, for some strange reason my youngest doesn't like birds in the house either.

Peckish

Unlike everyone else here, I don't know a whole lot about birds. My husband had a yellow crested Amazon before he met me. We seriously considered adopting an African Grey, but had young children at the time and realized we wouldn't be able/willing to provide the amount of care they require. It wouldn't have been fair to the bird. A few years later we were visiting friends who had a large, beautiful, very vocal white bird, I think it was a cockatoo. I felt so bad for that bird, he was obviously starved for attention and they kept covering his cage and putting him in a room by himself. I think they said something about the bird going through puberty and acting out, which could be another consideration.

Annaquilts

I love hearing all the stories. right now I am obseeing about the dander of birds. Recently one of my children was tested for allergies and was fortunately not allergic to birds but it was eye opening to me that people can be allergic to birds.

Feather3

Parrot dust does & will cause allergies to be worse. I don't know how they can say your child was not allergic to birds. How would they test, as each species of parrot is different? Many end up on allergy meds after they get a parrot. So any of the "powder" birds (Cockatoos, Afrrican Greys) would add to this problem. The best I can explain the "powder" is like tossing talc powder under a ceiling fan running on high. No kidding! We run two floor size air cleaners & still have a ton of parrot dust on everything & I mean everything.

Annaquilts

They did testing on my child's back. It is a grid work that they actually put substances on their back. They also tested her blood for some items in particular but that was not for birds as she had tested negative on her back. This is standard medical testing.

Feather3

I've had those standard allergy tests done, twice in my life (am 55 now). Even tho you test negative you can still have allergic reactions, esp in sinus cavity, to different kinds of dust. If your child is allergic to dust then I'd say a "powder" parrot (Cockatoo, African Grey, etc) is not for you. All parrots produce some amount of dander, but the Cockatoos & African Greys produce the powder, which would not be good for anyone with allergies. Also allergies change over our life time, so even tho you may not be allergic today you could be in months or years.