Parrot Parenting. Carol Frischmann

bird may ask to have his beak stroked or to go to your finger so that you can provide him with bites of your own breakfast, which will be infinitely more interesting than whatever you planned to feed him. Before heading out for a very busy day, having a few minutes just to talk things over as you change the paper and exchange yesterday’s water for a fresh supply can be gratifying. This may be one of the high points of your day—just the morning routine.

      Parrots love their routines, and their needs help give our own lives stability and meaning. By providing for his needs in the way of food, toys, social interaction, and a clean, well-lighted place to live, you enjoy the daily constancy of a relationship. For people who have few demands in their lives, a companion bird provides a focus and a purposeful routine of care, feeding, and interaction. Sometimes, life with your parrot will be an unbelievably rewarding experience.

      Well-socialized parrots are highly interactive and often affectionate companion animals.

      Link to the Wild

      For some of us, parrots provide a link to the wild that is otherwise missing in life. While living and working in cities or suburbs, we long to be elsewhere, living in a remote place filled with trees and the calls of monkeys and birds. In other words, the fact that a parrot is not a domestic animal, molded through thousands of generations of selective breeding to fit in with our lives, is exactly what we’re looking for. Before we head out for work, we’d like to be reminded that there is something else in the world, something not quite so civilized as our version of life.

      Lifetime Fascination

      Some of us cannot stop admiring the beauty, the wonder, and the complexity of wild birds. We have to have birds in our lives. We cannot imagine life without birds as an integral part of each and every day. We realize that we not only need to have birds in our lives, but we work to preserve birds in their natural habitats so that their species can flourish. These are the people who join various national and international associations to support research into understanding companion and wild birds, and who promote their health and welfare, associating with others who also cannot stay away from these sometimes raucous companions. Even when our parrots are stubborn, we remember that they are doing what they’ve evolved to do (at least we remember that most of the time!). What makes them difficult is also what makes learning about them so satisfying.

      Other Reasons

      Parrots have been companions of humans for thousands of years; for many Native Peoples, these birds’ feathers provide essential elements for religious ceremonies. For many others, parrots’ ability to mimic speech or sounds is an attraction. Whatever the reason you fall in love with these birds, there is likely a species that will suit you and your living situation, if you are willing to provide what that bird needs.

      Why Not Keep a Parrot?

      There are many reasons not to keep a parrot. The trick is to anticipate them and decide whether you are a parrot person. If you love antiques and oriental carpets and covet the perfect looks from Architectural Digest, a parrot is not for you. You will resent the mess, the non-designer cages, and the parrot paraphernalia. If you love the obedience of dogs but want the colors of a parrot, get a poodle and have your groomer sculpt and color his hair. Do not expect a parrot to be obedient. If you want another pet but feel you don’t have much time, a parrot is a poor choice.

      The Worst Possible Scenario

      Whenever I try to explain why one might not want to have a parrot, I suggest the following scenario: Imagine a two-year-old who will never grow up and out of the “No!” phase. Now, give the little tyke a small chainsaw (if you don’t believe that is a fair comparison for a beak on a bored parrot, you definitely haven’t spent enough time with parrots). Finally, imagine that the chainsaw-wielding two-year-old can fly.

      Now, a budgerigar is a bird with a teeny-tiny chainsaw that is targeted toward paper and other easily chewed items like the pages of cookbooks or knitting patterns. A scarlet macaw, on the other hand, can crack a 1 × 1-inch piece of wood with a single closing of his beak. To be a successful parrot companion, you have to be an anticipator, a bad-behavior preventer, and a person who can swoop in and present the feathered two-year-old with something so interesting that he is no longer interested in cracking the leg on your antique chair or chasing after your sister’s newly pedicured scarlet toes.

      If Decor Is Important

      In addition, the larger parrots require large accommodations. If you are a person who values flawless carpets and Japanese wood-carved figures, think again before considering a parrot as a pet. To the parrot, everything in his environment is for chewing, tasting, pulling apart, and examining. Most parrots are jungle natives. Their ecological role is as a spreader of partially digested seeds and a provider of uneaten plant parts and nutrients that serve as fertilizer. This evolved behavior will not change because you have brought a parrot into your home. Although there are cases of people potty training their parrots, in general, this approach does not work well for a variety of reasons. Inevitably, your most valuable and rare figurines will be the ones that attract your parrot’s attention, and you’ll need to put them behind glass or in an enclosed display area out of your parrot’s way.

      If you value your furniture and home décor highly, a parrot is probably not a good choice for you.

      Do You Value Obedience?

      Unlike domestic animals, parrots have no interest in pleasing you. Training a parrot is a bit like training a cat. You have to find a way to appeal to the parrot’s higher want. The trouble is that, without quite a bit of experience, this is much more difficult than training a dog. If you do want to train your parrot, there are simple approaches that work. The issue is that you must follow the experts’ directions, because nothing about training your bird is intuitive. This is all practice, repetition, and patience in rewarding very small improvements.

      To enjoy having a parrot as a companion, you have to be able to put aside your ideas about what is acceptable behavior and find a way to coexist with an animal who evolved in the treetops, to lives in flocks, and to spend a majority of the day foraging for food. If you cannot provide either these conditions or conditions that mimic the parrots’ natural environment in these critical ways, your life together will not be as happy as you both would wish life to be.

      Family Cooperation

      One of the most practical parrot behaviorists in recent years is Liz Wilson. Her advice about the difficulties of having a parrot as a companion is that not all household members are enthusiastic about living with a bird. Because parrots can be so difficult, for the relationship to be successful, it is essential for everyone in the home to be enthusiastic about the prospect. Everyone in the family will need to handle the bird, keep the same rules, and cooperate with one another in parrot-related responsibilities. This cooperation begins prior to acquiring a bird. If everyone is not enthusiastic, then acquiring a parrot is a mistake. The placement will not be a success.

      Questions to Ask Before Acquiring a Parrot

      How long have I been committed to acquiring a parrot as a pet?

      If your answer is less than six months, then think again. Even the smallest parrots are long-lived. Make sure you want to commit to a beautiful (and needy) animal’s well-being.

      Is my family as enthusiastic as I am about this pet?

      Any pet impacts the entire family. Parrots, especially those with loud voices or those who require lots of space, do have a significant impact on everyone in a household. Allergies, as well as attitudes that include being frightened of birds, pressure the bird-lover in the household into relinquishing her pet quickly. Consider waiting until another time in the family’s evolution before getting an avian companion.

      Do I live in a place that will allow parrots? Will my neighbors be troubled by my new companion?

      Everyone dreads living uncomfortably next door to someone who hates pet noise. And an angry neighbor wears