Pet birds?

[ilovejack02]

Ever try to house break a bird? ........you can't.

Funny you bring this up, not true. My Goffin Cockatoo was potty trained. The larger exotic birds usually have an IQ of a 2 or 3 year old child , very easy to train. Every time Tubby was removed from cage, we said the magic potty word and he did it immediately .

Birds are a life long commitment , not for the fair weather pet owner. I managed my in laws pet store for several years, and helped hand raise their baby birds that they bred .

 

[JESW]

Personally, for girls your daughters ages I would go with a hamster or some other small pet they can actually interact with. We have birds (1 cockatiel and 5 parakeets) and while I love them, they really aren't "fun" pets for kids. We have had hamsters and my dd (now 12) loved them as did her friends - in fact, she just asked if we could get another one.

Good luck with whatever you choose.

Jill

 

[sunnyday123]

I agree with everything everyone said-we had a blue/gold macaw for about 18 years ( he was fairly old when my parents got him ) and I love animals, but I would never have another one. For some God forsaken reason, he really liked me. As soon as he heard my voice, he made this glass shattering screech until I came over to his cage. If I didn't want to sit next to him all night, I had to sneak into the house, and stay out of sight. I swear he was a deciding factor in me moving out. My Dad loved him though. I think it was because he was grumpy too and they were so similar in personality!!

A few years ago my Dad got a gray parrot (?). Last year he was hospitalized and among other things found out he has severe COPD. The Dr was going through a list of things that could cause something so severe and was at a loss. My brother was telling the Dr my Dad doesn't do anything much, he likes to teach his parrot tricks. The Dr. told us he had to get rid of the bird because that ( the gray and the macaw) was the reason his COPD was so severe.

Needless to say, a year later he still has the damn bird.

 

[RUDisney]

Ever try to house break a bird? ........you can't.

Not a small bird, but large birds definitely can be trained. Even Igor... if he poops on me, it's my fault because I haven't given him a chance to poop off of me. That hasn't happened in a very long time.

I agree with everything everyone said-we had a blue/gold macaw for about 18 years ( he was fairly old when my parents got him ) and I love animals, but I would never have another one. For some God forsaken reason, he really liked me. As soon as he heard my voice, he made this glass shattering screech until I came over to his cage. If I didn't want to sit next to him all night, I had to sneak into the house, and stay out of sight. I swear he was a deciding factor in me moving out. My Dad loved him though. I think it was because he was grumpy too and they were so similar in personality!!

A few years ago my Dad got a gray parrot (?). Last year he was hospitalized and among other things found out he has severe COPD. The Dr was going through a list of things that could cause something so severe and was at a loss. My brother was telling the Dr my Dad doesn't do anything much, he likes to teach his parrot tricks. The Dr. told us he had to get rid of the bird because that ( the gray and the macaw) was the reason his COPD was so severe.

Needless to say, a year later he still has the damn bird.

Sounds like what I would do. Breathing is overrated anyway.

Seriously, I hope your Dad has found a way to balance his breathing with still loving his bird.

 

[Kirby]

We had a Sparrow when I was growing up. My sister found it in a nest that had fell out of a tree during a storm. It was featherless and my mom fed it baby pablem (sp?). Somehow it survived and when it got big enough to jump up to the edge of the box it was in, it fell off onto the floor and crippled both feet. We transferred it to a bird cage and enjoyed it's company for 12 years.