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COFOAF MEETUP GROUP

FEATURED FLOCK MEMBER OF THE MONTH
Einstein

THIS IS WHAT EINI'S MOMMY HAD TO SAY ABOUT HIM!

BEFORE YOU SHARE YOUR LIFE WITH A PARROT
VIKI BULLOCK

Too often we see birds being rehomed for various reasons and we can understand and relate to life's trials and tribulations, foreclosure's and death's in the family. The one thing I personally can not relate to is people giving up these birds for reasons such as "they make too much noise or too much mess".

This is why parrot education is a must for any one wanting to take on one of these creatures and it is far too overlooked until there is one in a home and your windowsill gets eaten and you no longer can sleep past 8am and you are constantly sweeping up and refilling bowls and washing bowls and trying to carry on conversations on the telephone and there's not enough Calgon in the world to take you away from all this madness.

Parrots are not for everyone and I will admit, there are times I wonder why I do when I think about wanting to go away for a weekend, or plan a vacation, or have people stay in our home when visiting. There is a lot of additional planning that has to be done like who will care for them while I'm away and such.

I suffer from migraines, I have for 15 years and believe me, when I am in dire pain and I can't see straight and I have my screaming banshee Wonder Twins playing dueling cockatoo's...it makes me wonder again.

Contrary to the impression traditionally offered by the pet trade, parrots are not easy to care for companions. They are arguably amongst the most difficult and require observational skills, a lively imagination and an overall extended investment of mental energy to understand and interpret a parrot’s natural inclinations, and to provide activities and distractions that will keep that parrot engaged.

Then, there are the days the Wonder Twins are sweet as can be, stepping up when asked, playing nicely with each other, going a half day without pulling out a feather, eating all their supper, snuggling with you and giving kisses, that remind me why I do have them in my life.

We force our parrots to live in our world, and then we don’t understand why they scream, beg, become aggressive, become phoebic, feather pluck, self-mutilate... Sometimes it is necessary to force ourselves to live in their world before we can understand how to address the issues of parrot guardianship creatively and help ease their experience with us.

Sometimes it warrants us learning from books or researching online, from others experiences, by volunteering at a local rescue or shelter, fostering various species to learn about their individual needs and care. Even for those of us who think we know all there is to know about these feathered friends as we've had years of experience...we don't. We probably don't even know half of what there is to know. I know I don't. I am learning more things each day....week...month from my birds alone and much more from other owners. It's a constant education to where no amount of college courses can prepare you. Educate yourself prior to acquiring a bird and continue that education throughout and you and your flock will continue to have a sustaining life-long commitment...just as you promised them on that first day!

Parrots do not give unconditional love, if only it were that easy and wonderful. You will have to earn it by building a trusting and respectful relationship with your bird through consistent and nurturing teaching, especially when they are young. You'll have a better chance at molding their behavior when they are young but that's not to say you can't teach an older bird. When I first brought Blue home, she would step up for us only. It took me a few months of sitting by her cage on a regular basis and talking to her and when she'd come near enough, I would sneak in a scritch or two to eventually being given the "full head down" for the full head scratch.

And often they bond to only one person in the household. Again, not always the typical as Clark is able to pick up, head scratch, feed Blue and be preened by her, although it did take longer to gain Blue's trust than it did with me.

They generally do not make good pets for young children. Most children react or move too quickly, spooking the bird which can often result in a nasty bite and the bird being rehomed. If at all possible, keep young children away from the birds. As the children get older, involve them more with the day to day activities of having a bird until there is a trusting relationship built on both parts.

You think you are ready for a bird in your life? Consider some basic questions about your lifestyle, motivation, and your ability to care for one of the most incredible, intelligent creatures on the planet. Whether you are thinking about an $85 cockatiel, or a Cockatoo or Macaw costing thousands of dollars, the commitment is still the same.

There are cages and toys and special vets they have to see and daily play time with their human and out of cage time and toys and cages to clean regularly and food and toys and have I mentioned toys yet? Please don't bring home a bird if you can not care for him. I look at it this way, if there are frequent times during the month that you barely have two nickels to rub together....Don't get a bird! A bird is not going to know it can only get sick on the 15th and last day of the month! I'm by no means saying you have to be rich to own a bird....but it does help! What I am saying is they deserve the proper care when needed and if they get sick on the 5th of the month....they just may not make it to the 15th. I'm baffled by the amount of people I see that rehome ANY creature because "they just can't afford to take it to the vet". I see this DAILY on Craigslist and it burns my....you know.

Start a small savings account for your birds...the Fid Fund. Dump your loose change daily in a jar and use it solely for your birds. You will be surprised how quickly it can add up. Use it for new toys or sudden vet visits. I have always said, "I will go without something before I neglect any of my animals care or nutrition!" and collecting change can make a difference when necessary.

Always consider before getting a parrot, their diet. They need a varied, balanced diet based on pellets (preferably), fresh fruit, fresh and cooked vegetables, and grains. Research by avian nutritionists show that parrots raised on an all-seed diet develop long-term chronic illnesses and are more susceptible to diseases than parrots raised on a veggie and pellets diet, and have poor plumage. To maintain a healthy bird and insure a long life you will have to cook for your parrot. Corn, beans, grains, all this stuff. You will find you hit the produce section more when you own a bird then before you brought it home. Are you ready to become his personal chef? Better yet, is your family ready for you to feed the bird before & better than them?!

Have I mentioned the time commitment of birds? Parrots need a lot of mental and physical stimulus and lots of individual attention and play time out of the cage. You can't bond with a bird when you first bring it home, and a few months go by, and its all good and then *poof* you suddenly have more important things to do than care properly for your pet, and its cage bound for umpteenth days.....weeks......months......years and yes, we HAVE received birds that have not been let out of their cage in YEARS and its a damn shame!. Imagine keeping a 3-year old child locked up in her/his room all day. Wouldn't this child go insane, scream, bite, and even self-mutilate? Wouldn't this child resent you in some ways and may even be aggressive towards you? Damn skippy it would!

It is not a joke when many of us preach about the time involved to care for these creatures. Some people will tell you it's a full time job and then some! They're noisy, messy, often demanding of your sole attention, and time consuming with the cooking and cleaning required to care for them properly. So, think about it long and hard and I mean think LONG TERM, if you can handle this type of commitment. Don't just think "Oh, if it gets too much I will find another home for the bird!" Bouncing birds from home to home is one of the most detrimental things to happen to a bird. In the wild, exotic birds bond for life. Birds who are shuffled around from home to home lose trust in humans and are often caused great stress by having to adjust yet again, hence inappropriate aggression, plucking, excessive noise. A parrot, on average, will have been in 5 different homes within its first 10 years of live. It's unfortunate but true....how many kids have you seen that were in numerous foster homes and are well adjusted?

I've said it before, we force these creatures to live in our world for our enjoyment and it should be a fulfilling relationship between bird(s) and human! This is why its imperative each and every one of us research for ourselves, and educate ourselves and others, about parrot ownership.