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Tell me more about your parrot, I'm curious.
Name
How long you have had it
age, how long will it live
Is it easy to take care of
Does it get annoying
Is it expensive to purchase own
What is it vocabulary
My wife needs something to distract her from what I am doing, I wonder if she might like a parrot.
Name: He's a Meyers parrot (small African species).
How long you have had it: one year, got him from previous owner, he's about two years old.
Age, how long will it live: Meyers live about 30 years.
Is it easy to take care of: Providing for their basic care is easy, but they are very HIGH MAINTENANCE pets that NEED lots of attention and social interaction or else they can become a problem really fast (biting, etc.). You can't just lock them in a cage and forget about them for hours. They are highly intelligent (like dolphins) yet emotionally volatile. You need to work at developing a relationship with them which takes lots of time (and I mean QUALITY TIME). So, if you're not fiercely dedicated to building that relationship, to studying parrots, etc., I would not recommend it. But if you are, you'll have an affectionate lifetime companion better than any dog or cat you could imagine.
Does it get annoying: sometimes, but it goes with the territory; you need to be very patient and understand how parrots think, what they respond to, etc. -- much different than a dog. Many people get parrots not knowing what they're in for, then get rid of them, which is irresponsible and cruel. They're a lifetime commitment (bigger species live 80-years plus). It's like having a small feathered kid. So if your wife isn't ready for that kind of serious, demanding connection, I'd recommend a parakeet, canary, dog, cat, etc.
Is it expensive to purchase own: I'd recommend getting a rescue bird with a good behavior history vs. from a pet store or breeder. I paid $600 for my little guy, his first owner said she paid $1k. They need a large cage with lots of toys to be happy, which would run you around $500 to start. Food is not expensive, plus they eat healthy human food like fruits, veggies, pasta, whole-wheat toast, etc.
What is it vocabulary: He talks a lot -- hello, hi, bye-bye, what, I love you, and lots of stuff I can't quite make out. He likes to play tug-of-war, a modified form of catch, likes to wrestle a bit and loves to have his head, neck and upper back scratched. I let my bird fly around which is the best for their overall well-being. He likes to hang out on my shoulder a lot. Likes watching the Pats and thinks the Jets really suck. If you want to know more, PM me.
