Thinking about getting a bird

A kind of conure, specifically. I guess I was immediately biased because my girl and I went to a pet store and I saw this sun conure (I know, I have expensive taste in birds apparently). I petted him through the cage and he was just so sweet. We continued to walk around the store but everytime I came back that way, the little bird hustled to get to the side of the cage I was near to get more rubs.

Now I've done some research on different kinds of birds but I'm curious if any of you have a type of parrot and how big is the learning curve? I've only ever had dogs and cats before.

 

A screenshot from the video. It was too long to post.

 

He has you well trained already...


Birds are amazing but don't ever get one on a whim... They really can be a handful when it comes to care/feeding/health/etc. They are nothing like a cat or a dog. More like a young child... that's psychic.

 

Oh I would never do that on a whim. I know they're more high maintenance and a lot of them live way longer than dogs or cats. I just want to talk to some people who have birds so I can continue to think on it. I can't really get a bird right now anyway, but it's a potential plan in a few years.

Haha I read something about them having the intelligence of a 2 year old human. And I know from my nephew that 2 year olds can be pretty manipulative and I guess I fell right into that trap with the bird at the pet store lol

 

Oh I love him.
Get him.

 

Didn't Ty just say no go on the whim?

@la Principessa
If you feel it then you're already on the right track. Keep researching and keep on keeping on. The best relationship between pet and person is started with understanding

 

I always go on a whim. lol

 

Fun fact: all birds species have more dna in common with crocodiles than any mammal

 

My friend has some kind of canary that looks a lot like that one! Except the colours: yellow and light green

I don't really understand it (have observed it a lot as well had some interactions). Except when it wants new (fresh) food.
Apparently he is quite content but I, and I don't think my friend the owner either tbh, don't know what he's on about with all the different kinds of sounds he makes.

He also comes to sit on my friends bald head at times, which does imply a friendly bond, but then he also sometimes poops there (no issue, its not like seagull or pigeon poop, but still, why?)

It doesn't seem to take a lot more maintenance/care than a dog at all (just different), and the bird i know seems happy despite getting really understood.

 

The picture was from about a week ago. I went to the pet store again today to get my dog a new toy and that conure was still there. The cockatiel and some of the budgies were gone. You would think if no one is buying the bird, they would lower the price eventually. God knows how long that little guy has been there and never gets to leave the cage.

I'm not sure if he remembered me but he scrambled to get to me when he saw me. He almost fell asleep with me rubbing his little head. I'm not going to lie. We did go to the store to get a dog toy, but I specifically chose to go to the one where the bird was because I was curious to see if he was adopted. But I guess 650 bucks is too steep for most people, as it is for me.

 

One day I may have a bird...like a conure or some type of parrot. I have cats now. I have had dogs (just one at a time), but I truly don't think my heart nor sanity could handle getting another dog and losing it...now I have these many cats. I am absolutely NOT going to get any more cats either if one day all of these are gone. I can't handle digging any more holes in my pet cemetery, and filling them in.

Hence, I will get a bird. I do NOT NOT NOT want to be alone, and I can't stress this enough. Therefore, a bird. I know, or am fairly certain, a bird would outlive me...and have told my son of these plans since he would be the one to inherit the bird.

I do agree with Ty about not doing it on a whim...and I've thought about this for some years now.

 

Birds are lots smarter than most people think. We had a Cockatiel for 28 years. He was the last of a his hatchlings in the pet store. He had a deformed foot and everyone just passed on him. The pet store owner was going to euthanize him and I just had to rescue him.

We also had a Yorkie at the time. Our Yorkie and our Cockatiel were about the same ages.

Buddy, our Cockatiel, loved being out on the screen porch and when I'd let Chuckie, our Yorkie, out in the yard and call him back in, Buddy would also call him. And I didn't think it was just mimicking me because he'd always look down and say, "Chuckie, Chuckie" whenever our Yorkie walked by his cage. I think he really loved that little dog and, little did he know, Chuckie would have probably eaten him.

Chuckie passed away at age 18 and Buddy seemed to miss him. After a year or so, we got another little dog and Buddy never seemed to care about this one. Well, friends came to visit and they had a little Yorkie. When Buddy saw their Yorkie he started back with his, "Chuckie, Chuckie", when their Yorkie passed under his cage.

I think you can, and will, enjoy your new friend but do remember it's a long commitment.

 

Damn!

The one my friend has was only around €20! And it really looks a lot like the one in your pic (except colours)

 

This is a good youtube if you are interested in birds. Watching this women showed me I am not a bird person. Their intelligence and needs are beyond a dog or cat. I would not feel right if I can't give the right level of care. I think a conure is considered less work compared to the birds this women has though.

MARLENE MC'COHEN

 

I also have concluded i am (at first instance at least) not a bird person. Neither a fish person. Although they're a lot better in big fish tanks. The smaller, like bowls, really suck imo..
But with birds its not so much the higher intelligence level or bigger level of care (id say different care, not a lot more than taking proper care for lets say a dog), but the fact i don't get half of their communication. I simply don't know what they want more than half of the time.

 

i think keeping birds as pets is a horrible thing.

 

Hm, seems to me it depends on the details. The affinity of the owner for their bird(s). Wether it lives without other birds completely or has companions of the same species (may depend on the kind of bird). The bond and some kind of mutual understanding between bird and owner. Wether the bird can go out of its cage at leisure or a big part of the day, etc. etc.

 

love birbs.

i raised a few that have fallen out of nests/were injured. wanting a dove atm after having raised a baby pigeon and releasing it.

 

Doves are called flying rats here, mainly in the cities. Some are so fat of all the trash they eat they can't properly fly anymore

 

People say that about pigeons here, probably should add this to the something I learned thread but I didn't realize pigeons and doves are essentially the same species.