09/05/2026
https://youtu.be/qeQuhSjnSew
New long form video and full transcript - What bird is right for me? - Part 1 - Commitment levels: The birds, their needs and what to plan for. All the birds from easy to extreme!
Full Transcript of the video below, for those who would rather read than watch. Absolutely no A.I. used in any part of the video or essay.
This is the first video in the "Picking the right bird for me" series, of which there are a few others already up on youtube as I have not been doing them in any particular order. A long video, there is quite a bit of important information covered. Great for those unfamiliar with the different breeds of parrots, those looking for their first bird, or anyone looking to add to their flock.
I go over all the different birds that I work with here, their personalities and natures, and what will be required in time, cost and effort to keep them happy and healthy. It is always important to pick a bird that meets the level of commitment you are willing to assume. Picking a bird that is beyond your commitment level is not good for you, your new bird, your family, your pocketbook or your sanity!
You can watch the whole video in the link below or on the Little Joe's Companion Birds Youtube Channel here.....
http://www.youtube.com/
or read the full transcript right here.....
Full video transcript....
-=What bird is right for me? - Part 1 =-
-Commitment levels, the birds, their needs and what to plan for.
hello all, and welcome to the first video in what will be a rather long series, all focusing on making a very important decision when thinking about getting a parrot as a pet....Which bird is right for me? This first video will be all about commitment levels,one of the most important factors that will determine what bird is right for you and your family. How much time, how much space, how much money, how much work, and how much overall effort you want to commit to keeping a particular bird happy and healthy. Before choosing a specific breed of bird you have to choose the level you can commit to then limit yourself to the breeds that fits your choices.
I will be breaking the birds up into 6 levels of commitment, low to high, and will cover the topics of socialization needs, housing requirements, diet, lifespan and special considerations. I will be including all the birds that I have experience working with, either as personal pets, in the breeding program, or the rescues and surrenders that have come here for rehab and rehoming. This will include everything from canaries and finches to budgies, lovies, linnies, parrotlets, cockatiels, conures, quakers , ringnecks, senegals, caiques, amazons, greys, cockatoos greater and lesser and more.
I will not be trying to scare anyone away, this is not one of those videos, but I will try to give you the information needed to make the right decision. I take in many rescues and surrenders here for rehoming every year, many from people who were unknowing or unprepared for the challenges that came with their birds.
Now, for this question there is no quick answer, it is a far too important consideration. Determining your commitment level will either rule out or include many of the parrot breeds that I will be going into. Adopting a bird that is beyond your commitment level is not good for you, your bird, your family, your pocketbook, your lifestyle or your sanity!
I do have to say that this is not going to be one of those “nobody should have a parrot, nobody is ever ready” videos. In reality, keeping a parrot happy and healthy is not really all that hard, at least until you get into the higher level birds such as cockatoos and macaws. It is not going to eat up your entire life to have a couple of budgies, not going to drain all your money to keep cockatiels, not going to drive you mad to make sure your conure or quaker is having their best life.
I will also try to make this information as relatable as possible, and use as examples for comparison the pets the most of us are the most familiar with, cats and dogs.
A cat, a dog, a bird, even a goldfish for that matter, all have different commitment levels and require certain levels of care. It is our responsibility as pet owners to provide that care.
But remember, with the requirements that I will be listing, I will be talking about minimums, the base requirements of care. How much you end up exceeding these minimums will be up to you.
I calculate housing costs on the price of cages purchased from me or from online retailers like amazon, Walmart, and aliexpress. Expect to pay 50 to 100% more in a retail store. Don't bother looking at big box pet stores, most don't bother stocking anything of proper size. I calculate seed cost at 5$ a pound, for fancy seed in small bags, but you can buy good seed in 40lb bags at around $2 a pound. I recommend mother natures seed mixes, a good simple seed mix found at many pet and farm feed stores. I calculate making chop, which is a variety of fresh veggies chopped up fine and frozen for storage, at $5 a pound, which would be a very high quality mix.
Now on to the 6 levels of commitment and the birds that fit in them!
Level 1, very low commitment, the trial level.
Here we have the easiest birds to keep, canaries and finches. This is where many people get their first start with birds. Canaries like rollers or red factors, and finches like the zebra, society and the stunning gouldian. Unlike all the other birds I will be going over, finches and canaries are not hookbills, but songbirds. And this is what makes them very low commitment birds.
Socialization needs...
Songbirds are not handfed like hookbills, they prefer to be left alone in their cage, do not like to be handled, and do not need the same socialization with their people the other birds do. You will not have to commit much time to their socialization needs.
Housing ...
Canaries and finches still need a good sized cage, but can have a much lighter duty wire frame cage that can be freestanding or table top. They can do with a 24 inch cage, but 30 is always better, and standard for most birds. For a decent cage, expect to pay around 150 dollars. They are not messy birds, so expect to spend about 15 to 30 minutes a week with cage and area cleaning, with a longer session for a deeper clean once a month.
Diet...
This is easy, seed and a bit of fresh. Cost of food will be nominal, expect to go through 1 pound of seed a month for a canary or pair of finches. For fresh, chop or a bit of whatever you have on hand. A leaf of romaine lettuce clipped to the side of the cage, a single string of whole grain spaghetti, a sliver of apple, a few peas. Expect to spend 5 to 10 minutes a day changing out seed, washing bowls, and providing fresh water.
Lifespan...
Canaries and finches do not live very long, compared to the hookbills. 2 to 5 years in the wild, 5 to 10 years possible in captivity, 15 years at the extreme.
Special considerations...
These birds have a few special considerations. They are more sensitive to air quality, things like smoke or scents, get startled a little easier, and are a pain in the but to catch if they ever get out. Their song is wonderful and melodious, especially canaries, and at the volume that most people would listen to relaxing music to.
A common comparison for these birds would be goldfish, or tropical fish for the rarer finches. Pretty to watch, nice to have around, but not something that needs too much attention.
Level 2, low commitment
The first of our hookbills, budgies!
Yup, budgies are the perfect beginner bird, and after dogs and cats the third most common pet in north America! Small, low cost, friendly, and endlessly entertaining. You can find them in many pet stores, but will have to go to a breeder for one that has been handfed. They come in a hundreds of combinations of colors and feather patterns, love to play, like having their people around, and while they will put up with some handling they are mostly a hands off birdie.
Socialization...
Expect to spend a half hour to an hour each day having them out of cage, flying around, and engaging in light interaction. No great harm will be done if they miss a day or two here or there, and it is easy to have them out of cage all day just flying around and being budgies. They like being talked to, fed treats, but since they are usually kept in pairs and groups they do not require as much one on one time.
Housing...
Budgies can make do with a light duty wire frame cage at least 24 inches across the front, although as always 30 is better, Expect to pay 150 for a decent table top or 250 for a free standing cage. Budgies really should be kept in pairs, or even groups, due to their high flock drive, and a large cage gives them room to play and interact with each other. They can be a bit messy, flinging around their seed and fresh, so expect to spend 45 minutes to an hour cleaning over the course of a week.
Diet...
Food costs will be low, expect to go through 2 pounds of seed a month for a pair. They will go through fresh like a bird twice their weight, but that is still pretty small. At this stage feeding chop begins to make great sense. But you can still throw a whole cob of corn, or half an apple into their cage and watch them rip right through it. Expect to pay around 15$ per month for seed and fresh, and spend 5 to 10 minutes a day doing food and water duty.
Lifespan..
Budgies live anywhere from 5 to 15 years, the better their diet and housing, the longer their lives. This is a long time, but not a lifelong commitment
Special considerations...
Not many special considerations for the easy to care for budgies. They do best in pairs or groups, have a medium low noise level, mostly chatter. They can learn songs and words, even stringing a few together. Volume level would be equal to a couple of people having an animated but civilized conversation.
A GOOD comparison for these birds would be a cat that is mostly independent, that likes to be around their people, but is not a big fan of being touched and engages mostly in solo play. Feed them, clean up after them, give them the occasional pets when they are in the mood, and generally just enjoy having them around.
level 3.Medium low commitment
Here is where things start to get interesting! In this level we are introduced to cockatiels!
Finally a birdie that likes to ride around on a shoulder all day, is tolerant of being handled, and will engage in active play and converse with their people. A good sized bird, a little larger than a conure, they are part of the cockatoo family, and are a very popular pet choice for ambitious beginners. With their easy going passive natures they are also easy to care for despite their larger size. They can also learn to sing songs, sometimes quite complex and long songs, and will even sing along with you.
Socialization...
Here we begin to get into real socialization needs. These birds do need time each and every day out of the cage and interacting with their people, even when kept in pairs. At least an hour out of cage each day is needed, and at least two or three hours with people around in the house. If they are kept as singles, they will need more time daily in contact with their people to keep from getting lonely or bored.
Housing...
These are larger birds, and do require a good size cage, a minimum of 30 inches across the front. Large wings and long tail feathers mean they need lots of space. They can he housed in light duty cages, and you can expect to pay 150 to 250 for a decent cage. They are not messy birds, but cockatiels, like cockatoos, are dusty birds, and this will mean some extra cleaning. Expect to spend a total of about 45 to 60 minutes a week cleaning the cage and surrounding area, with a deeper cleaning once a month. You can probably add another 15 to 30 minutes extra a month , dusting whatever rooms they have free flight in, not a big deal if kept up with.
Diet...
Here seed and chop costs do begin to climb. These are larger birds, again weighing more than a conure. Expect to go through about 3 pounds each of seed and fresh per month for a pair of cockatiels, about 30$ worth. Add to that the regular 5 to 10 minutes daily for changing out food and water.
Lifepan...
They can live anywhere from 12 to 15 years, and it is not uncommon to see some reach 25 or more. This is where the concept of a multi-generational bird begins.
Special considerations....
Cockatiels mate for life, and do much better in pairs, as they are quick to become lonely if their people are not always around, calling out and seeking companionship. They are also very sensitive birds, and do not do well with angry words, tense situations, or negative reinforcement. And then there is the dust. Not really all that noticeable with only one pair over a short time period, but it can build up over several months if not cleaned. This dust, or dander, can also be an allergy trigger for those who are especially sensitive to it. Noise is also something to consider. They do call out, especially mornings and evenings, and like to sing. Nowhere near as loud as conures, but expect something on the same level as young children playing, and occasionally getting just a little bit out of hand. Not really yelling, but singing the same sing song teasing chants over and over and over.
A good comparison for cockatiels would be a smaller easy to care for dog like a beagle, or a friendly cat. One that will follow you around from room to room, sit on your lap for pets while you watch TV, and do a little light shedding.
Level 4, medium commitment
Here things begin to be a bit of a challenge. Birds in this category have more special needs, either in socialization or care. I will be putting the birds in this level into two groups. The first group will be the well known lovebirds, and their little friends the parrotlets. This is the friendlier group. The other group will have your lineoated parakeets, kakarikis, bourques parakeets, multi colored parakeets, princess of whales parakeets, and other various similar grass parakeets. This is the less friendly, more delicate, group.
Lovebirds and parrotlets make great pets, they have all the personality and confidence of the larger parrots in a tiny little body. They are friendly, bond strongly with their people and their mates, and relish contact and play. A lovebird will ride around all day in your shirt pocket, a parrotlet will hover in front of your face to get your attention. They miss you when you leave, and are visibly happy when you return. They can spend the whole day out of their cages, interacting and living their lives with you.
The parakeets in this level are a bit of a different story, they are more hands off birds. They might step up on a finger, or like the linnies ride around on a shoulder for a while, but they prefer to be left alone, and many of them prefer to be in the safety of their cages most of the time. These birds are bred mainly for their looks, and many come in colors that are a wonder to behold. The challenge with these birds comes in their care. Many have very wide wingspans, and long tails, needing an extra large flight cage. Their diet needs to be carefully crafted to keep them from becoming overweight. They have a very delicate bone structure, and are easy to injure. But mostly they are naturally more skittish, prone to environmental stresses, and just plain finicky about pretty much everything.
Socialization...
The challenge with lovies and parrotlets is dealing with their big personalities. The jealousy, the corrective nipping, the mood swings, the possessiveness, the heightened need for interaction and companionship. Lovies really should be kept in pairs, while parrotlets are a little more acceptable with being solitary. They still do well in pairs, and many of my 'lets will even hold hands while they sleep. They all need a lot of out of cage interaction with their people each day, on a shoulder, in your hands, being played and interacted with. Expect to spend at least an hour a day with active interaction, and likely several more with them flying around out of cage. They do very well out of cage, and are some of the best behaved birds when given this freedom.
The parakeets are not so demanding with interactive socialization, preferring to have it on their terms. For interaction ongoing training will be required. They will still need out of cage time if they are not kept in a large flight.
Housing...
Lovies and 'lets do not need as large a cage as cockatiels, and can make do with one 24 inches wide, just as long as they spend most of the day out of their cage. With their smaller size and usually good out of cage behaviour, having them out all day every day is normal. That being said, a standard 30 inch cage is always a better idea, even if it is a table top cage instead of a free standing one. A light duty cage will work, but here the improved latches of a medium duty cage will fare better. Expect to pay 150 to 250 for a cage.
They can also be a bit messy, especially if they like to play with their food. Expect to spend 30 to 60 minutes a week in cage and area cleaning.
Ninnies need a cage that is high, as they do not fly as much but do a lot of climbing, and at least 24 inches wide, although wider is better. A light duty cage will be just fine, and expect to pay 200 to 250 for the cage. Socialization and cleaning will be the same as for lovies and lets.
For the larger parakeets, the grass parakeets, cage needs are a bit more. Light duty cages are still fine, but they need ones that are much larger. Most of these birds, when kept long term, are kept in walk in flights, several feet on a side, to allow them the flight they desperately need to keep from becoming overweight and sedentary. Because they are so skittish, letting them out of cage for flight is not always recommended, as the process of catching them to get them back in, can cause serious long term stress. Keeping these birds happy and healthy will require a significant outlay in cash for a proper flight, likely custom made. Walk in flights can be purchased online, but start at one or two thousand dollars. With the delicate natures of these birds, expect to spend a couple of hours a week at least in cleaning and upkeep, with a half day of deep cleaning once a month.
Diet...
Food for lovies and lets, and even linnies, will be similar as for cockatiels. For a pair expect to go through 2 – 3 pounds of seed a month, 10 to 15 dollars, and another 10$ for fresh. The other larger grass parakeets are a bit more complicated. You will often have to make your own seed mix, doing research for each particular breed, and experiment with various fresh ingredients. Expect this to double your costs for each pair, spending 50 to 60 a month for food. Expect to spend the regular 5 to 10 minutes a day servicing food and water.
Lifespan
These birds typically live 10 to 15 years, with parrotlets a little more at 15 to 20 years. But with proper care and housing they all can live to 25 years or more.
Special considerations....
Lovies and lets, while easy to care for, do have some special care needs. Because of their big personalities they need constant training to keep them from becoming overbearing or bossy, and to teach them manners. Ninnies have to be watched carefully to keep them from becoming overweight, as well as to keep them out of trouble while out of cage. They are all pretty quiet though, compared to other birds. They don't call out much, don't chatter much, just the occasional chirp, or in the case of the linnies, their little trill.
The other grass parakeets are all about special care needs. From diet to socialization to exercise to over stimulation, security, night frights, the list goes on. They are very beautiful birds, and the challenge of keeping each particular breed happy and healthy, for many people, is part of the draw. Noise level is pretty low for the most part, though some breeds can have a loud call at times.
A good comparison for lovies and lets are those small little yappy doges, chihuahuas, yorkies, jack russels and such. Very loving and loyal with their favourite people, yet always eager to pick a fight with the biggest and baddest opponents they can find. Ninnies would be a old fat cat, not going anywhere fast, looking for attention on their terms only. The other grass parakeets are definitely tropical saltwater fish. Wonderful to look at, but require a considerable investment in time, money and space, with constant special care and attention paid to their feed and environment.
Level 5, high commitment
Here the fun really starts! Here we get the ultimate, in my opinion at least, companion birds. Conures such as the green cheek, crimson bellied, black capped and more. For even more of everything, we have the sun conures and quakers.
These birds have the best challenge to reward ratio. Supremely friendly, eager to form strong bonds, entertaining yet still easy to care for. They enjoy contact, perfectly happy to be picked and up and carried around. Always out of the cage as soon as it is opened. They really are companion birds, and love to ride around on a shoulder all day being flock members with their people.
Socialization
These bird do have a higher socialization need, and expect to spend at the very least an hour or two a day in active interaction, holding, petting, playing with and teaching your birdies. They are a little more destructive out of cage, but if you are home and doors and windows can be closed or covered, these guys should be out and about. They are very hands on birds, and love to experience the world with you, joining you in whatever you are doing, chores, opening the mail, or crowding in on your dinner. They need daily interaction and play, free flight and exploration, and will want to be part of everything from waking to bedtime. You will have to be prepared to meet these needs, on a daily and ongoing basis, but you will be rewarded with a companion bird that will show true affection. Expect to spend at least an hour or two a day with active interaction, and several more just having them out and about.
Housing...
Housing needs also increase with these birds, as they are smarter and stronger than what has come before. They need a medium to heavy duty cage, at least 30 inches wide across the front. Expect to pay 250 to 300 for a basic cage, and significantly more for something fancier, up to 800. They will also benefit from separate play stands and other various perches placed around the house, to keep them from damaging your furniture, drapery or fixtures. They can get messy, especially the quakers, and expect to spend an hour to an hour and a half in cleaning each week for a pair.
Diet....
Food costs will also be a bit higher, expect a pair to go through a pound of seed a week, fed in the abundance method, and about a pound and a half of fresh. Total costs about 50$ a month for a high quality diet. Here it makes sense to save money buying larger sizes of seed, and making chop in bulk to freeze. This can cut costs by about 50%. Expect to spend 10 to 15 minutes a day doing food and water for a pair of birds.
Lifespan...
This level is also where lifespan begins to increase. These birds can live 20 to 25 years easily, 30 years with a decent diet, and some can even make it 40 years. These are birds you can have as companions for your entire adult life. But they are significantly easier to rehome than the larger parrots, should they outlive you.
Special considedrations...
First of all conures can be loud. And sun conures and quakers can be extremely loud. Morning calls, evening calls, and of course the greeting calls whenever you enter the room. Green cheeks can still live in apartments, just as long as the walls aren't too thin, but sun conures and quakers can get to a volume that can be a problem even in a free standing house. With an open window your neighbours across the street will be able to hear them just fine. Any one of these birds giving out a scream while on your shoulder will give you that “biinngggg” sound in your ears for a minute or two. Green cheeks can be compared to a TV on loud volume, while sun conures and quakers are more like a couple of young children at active and rambunctious play, yelling out and even screaming.
It is also with conures and quakers that feather plucking becomes a more common issue. Damaged feathers, bare areas, even naked birds, feather plucking is a serious problem that causes permanent feather damage. This usually happens when the bird comes under long term stress. It could be from an improper diet, from boredom or lack of companionship, frustrated sexual urges, too small of a cage or even the environment. Too hot, too cold, not enough humidity? It can be a challenge to keep these highly intelligent and interactive birds happy and stress free.
These birds are also big chewers, and do get a little nippy at times. It is best to be around to supervise out of cage free flight, and make sure they are not in a destructive mood. Electrical wire, furniture, pictures on the wall, electronics, anything they can reach has the potential to get damaged. This will include our fingers, ears and noses, and special care must be taken around young children.
That being said, quakers and the various conures are the most fun you can get in a feathered friend with a challenge level that is realistic for most people. They are excellent companion birds. A good comparison would be a big friendly dog, a Labrador or doodle. More work, a greater challenge, a big booming bark, but also a greater reward.
Level 6, High challenge
The most well known bird in this category would be the ringnecks. Very intelligent, and very popular due to their talking ability, but also much more of a commitment due to their behaviour and needs. Ringnecks are not really cuddly birds, they don't like being held, or riding around on a shoulder as much as conures, quakers and other parrots. They do enjoy active play, and having people around, for the most part. But there is a chance for any ringneck, even one handfed from hatching, to go “wild”, to revert to being fearful, to just not want anything to do with people. Somewhat common, this usually happens when the bird is still young or goes through a transition, and can be like a switch being thrown. It can also happen during puberty, or even later on in life, it is just a trait of these birds.
The other parrots I would place in level 6 are all those rarer, or less popular birds. Rarer usually because they do not have as high a work to reward ratio, and are kept mostly for their talking ability, appearance, rarity or other factors. Some are truly wonderful birds to keep as pets and companions, just not for everybody. This includes: alexandrines, great talkers and beautiful but standoffish, senegals, talkative but somewhat bitey and hard to train, caiques, super energetic and acrobatic but hard to keep up with, lorikeets, with their special liquid diets and projectile poops but stunning appearance and playful attitudes. Eclectus, very talkative and vocal but requiring perfect conditions and very expensive. The list is huge for this category, and includes most birds not already listed other than the big ones, the amazons, greys, cockatoos and macaws.
Socialization
For time needed, these birds need more than an hour or two a day out of cage with their people. They need to be actively played with, to be trained, to be worked with every day, for at least two or three hours. They need to do more than just ride around and experience your life with you, you must focus on them completely. They need their person to engage with them to keep them entertained and happy, and many of these breeds require specialized techniques particular to their breed. Much too much to go into here, but potential new owners have to research and learn about their particular bird and be prepared to spend whatever amount of time and effort each day that is needed.
Housing...
Housing needs for these larger birds are also a bigger commitment in space and cost. Cage size increases as the birds get larger, and while some will still do well in a standard 30 inch wide cage, others will need something considerably larger, and considerably more expensive. They also need heavier duty cages due to their increased strength, size and intelligence. Expect to pay anywhere from 250 to close to a thousand dollars for a proper cage. Cleaning times can also increase with the size of the birds, expect to spend one to two hours a week in upkeep.
Diet...
Food costs will also be higher, and can vary greatly. Expect to pay at least double what you wold with a pair of conures or quakers, easily being around 100$ a month once you add in higher quality seed, pellets, the special diets for lorikeets, supplements, harder to find fruits or veggies, treats and any alternate foods needed. Research must be done, and done extensively, for each particular breed. Time spent feeding can also increase, especially for the lorikeets with their special liquid and fruit diets. You could easily spend an hour a day with some of these birds making sure they have a proper diet, measuring out ratios and keeping track of consumption levels.
Lifespan...
These are also multi generational birds, with most living anywhere from 30 to 50 years. Even younger people will have to make long term plans for the eventual future care of their birds. Higher commitment birds are a lot more work day to day, and might be too much for their owners as they age.
Special considerations...
Special needs for each breed are also a consideration. Housing, temperature, humidity, many of these birds will have special needs that are unique to them, and are based on where they originate from. Again, too many to list here, but research must be done on each particular breed. You have to become an expert on that certain bird, what it likes, and what it needs to be happy and healthy. Budgies, cockatiels, conures and quakers are so popular in part because they are relatively easy to keep. Many of the birds in this higher level have challenges in diet, housing, behaviour and personality that will make them more of a challenge than many people are ready for. Never a good choice for a person's first foray into the world of parrots as pets.
All that being said, I do not want to scare anyone off from bringing any of these birds into their home. Their uniqueness is what makes them very special to certain people. Their talking ability, their unique behaviours, their stunning appearances, all these can make a certain bird a perfect companion for a certain person. But people must be prepared for everything that keeping one of these birds will entail. Higher costs in time, money and effort for what could, or could not be, a huge payoff.
Comparison animals have a wider range here. It could be a rare, finicky and very moody cat, like the hairless ones that need a special diet, skin cream and little sweaters Others would be a working dog, those dog breeds that need a job to do like the Belgian malinois, Siberian husky or border collie. Big payoff, but also a big responsibility.
Well, that is the 6 levels of commitment for normal birds, but there is one more level, one more group of parrots still to talk about. The big ones, the ultimate in psitticine perfection. The extreme level, where we have the amazons, the african greys, the cockatoos and the macaws!
Level Extreme!
These birds are not just pets, they are lifestyle choices. Their commitment level is definitely extreme, one reason why most end up sooner or later in rescues or sanctuaries, and the reason that I no longer breed any of these birds. It is much too hard to separate the responsible potential owners, who are willing to spend the time, money and work to keep these wonderful birds happy and healthy, from those that are unprepared or unwilling to do what is needed over the coming years and decades.
Amazons and African greys are the best talkers of the parrot world, the cockatoos the friendliest and most interactive, the macaws the largest and most beautiful. I have people messaging me every single day looking for one of these birds, but very rarely do I ever find myself talking with someone who has the experience, knowledge and resources that are truly needed.
For socialization, it is not merely a matter of how many hours each day. It is all day, every day. These birds need constant companionship and stimulation. They usually are in their cages only to sleep, and want and need to be out and about all the time. They have to be actively worked each day. They will be sharing your breakfast with you, on a special perch while you shower, in your lap being stroked while you watch TV, waking you up in the morning and needing to be tucked in at night. Inadequate socialization will result in a bored, bitey, vindictive, plucked, screaming bird. You have to be an expert in parrot behaviour and training before bringing one of these birds home.
Diet costs can be more than triple than that for conures, and it would be more but they will be eating a lot of what you eat, when you are trying to eat it. Each time I sit down to eat dinner, my amazon walks circles around my chair, looking up at me and demanding food. If she could fly she would be on my plate. I have to make sure that each night I cook for myself a couple of dishes that I can share. These birds are also prone to obesity, and require a higher amount of fresh in their diets, as well as pellets and regular supplementation. Improper diet will result in a stressed, overweight, feather plucked cranky bird. You have to be an expert in parrot diet before bringing one of these birds home.
Cage costs will also be high, even though they will likely only be in the cage at night, or when you are out o the house, which will be a lot less often then before. Heavy duty cages of appropriate size start at around 700, easily reach 1000, and can get to be much more. They need the extra strength and complexity to keep them inside, and the extra room to keep from feeling confined and making them sedentary. Most of these birds will have their own rooms in the house, containing their cage, their toys and perches, and anything their people do not mind being chewed to bits. Improper housing will result in a frustrated, inactive, unhealthy and unhappy bird.
These are also very long lived birds, often reaching 80 years, another reason why so many end up in sanctuaries. And as for special considerations? Everything about them is special. But the big one is their biting ability. This combined with their possibly unpredictable nature means they can do a lot of damage very quickly. Their beaks are designed to crack open the toughest of nuts, and could take off a finger with equal ease if they really mean it. Even their playful or corrective nips can cause damage.
And as for damage, they can do a lot of it! Left alone unsupervised for too long, and there goes your chair, your couch, or your TV. Or your drywall for that matter! Your doors, your floors, anything not made from steel or stone.
As for comparisons to other common pets? That is a hard one, nothing really compares to a cockatoo or macaw. Think a combination of friendly lap dog, with a touch of unpredictable pit bull, and a horse. A big freaking horse that loves you but has the ability to make a huge mess and suck up all your time, money and effort.
Again, I don;t want to scare anyone off these wonderful birds. I have had amazons and cockatoos long term, greys short term, and have found the experience incredibly rewarding, but also incredibly challenging.
Well, that's it, from canaries and budgies to cockatiels, conures and more. Before choosing what bird will be right for you, you have to be honest with yourself about how much time, how much money, and how much effort you really want to spend, over a long period of time, with your new friend. Many people choose their bird based solely on appearance or talking ability, but a bird is so much more than that. They all have their different challenge levels and their different reward levels, knowing all that you can will help you into making the right choice and getting the perfect companion.
The first video in the "What bird is right for me?" series, all abo...
