Parrots as Pets

"Parrots make great pets. They have more personality than goldfish." ~ Chevy Chase

I partially agree with this quote. Parrots make great pets, yes! They have more personality than a goldfish...yes, but it's just not fair enough to compare them with a goldfish! They have more personality than cats and are equally interactive as dogs. But of course, you need to own a parrot and keep it properly in order to observe that part! Parrots are not just ordinary birds, they are the birds that have a full potential of being your true companions. And the best part is that they have the ability to express how they feel in the same manner as we do, that is, TALKING! I know that you probably have an idea of all this, and are therefore looking forward to keep parrots as pets! Keeping them requires more than just getting a cage in the corner! Like dogs, you need to make sure that they get proper love, care and attention, so that both you and the parrot can live happily with each other.

Points to Keep In Mind Before Keeping Parrots as Pets

Are parrots the ideal pet for you and your family? Is your house the right house to keep them? Will your lifestyle give you a chance to take proper care of the parrot? You probably never thought of giving it such a detailed thought, right? But, yes, these are some of the main factors that you should keep in mind before deciding if parrots are meant for you or not. Mentioned below are some such points.

Space
Your house should have enough space for the parrot. The amount of space also depends upon the parrot type you are planning to keep as pet. The cage should be spacious enough for the parrot to move around in comfort, along with having a play stand! Parrots like macaw require huge spaces, whereas parrots like cockatiel do not require much room.

Environment
The environment of your house should be ideal to keep a parrot. This means that if there are other pets in your house, like a cat, snake, dog, etc., keeping a pet parrot wouldn't be such a good idea as he may end up becoming the meal of your pets. Also, if you have small kids at home, keeping large parrots may prove to be risky as they may bite and even break the little ones' fingers!

Commitment
Remember I said that keeping parrots is something more than just a desire! Parrots can be happy only if they have an owner who commits himself to them. They need attention, they need love, and they need to be with someone who can provide them with all this, apart from the basic necessities! If parrots are not given proper care and attention, they may end up showing behavioral symptoms like feather picking and may fall ill! Parrots love to play and therefore need to spend a lot of time outside the cage! Is your house ideal to meet these criteria?

Maintenance
Providing your parrots with seeds and fruits is not enough. Parrots are very messy birds. Their cage needs to be cleaned almost every now and then. Apart from this, expenses like getting a cage, food, payment of vets, etc. also come into play. If you are not ready for all these responsibilities, then it would be advisable not to go for keeping parrots as pets.

Choosing a Parrot

It is only after giving a deep thought to the points mentioned above, that one should decide to keep parrots as pets. According to your choice and suitability, the next step is to choose which type of parrot would be most suitable for your house! Some parrots are noisy and tend to make noise all the time. They get up when the sun rises and go to sleep when it's dark. Would you be okay with that? Most people keep parrots because of their wonderful personality! Especially their intelligent art of mimicking! Below is a list of some of the most preferred parrots, and what qualities would make them an ideal choice for your house. Have a look.

Quaker Parrots
Also known as the Monk Parrots, they have amazing talking abilities and can make an excellent pet. They originate from South America and are approximately 30cms in length. Although, when it comes to keeping these parrots as pets, you must know that they are not compatible with other species. So don't get them if you have other pets in your house! These parrots are excellent companions and can live for up to 25-30 years if given proper love and care. They like socializing with their owner and are quite dominant in behavior. Therefore, proper training is a must for these parrots. They usually feed on seeds and fruits, and are extremely energetic and playful.

Amazon Parrots
These parrots are absolutely lovely and socializing! The Amazon parrot species is known for there loyal and affectionate nature. Originated from South America, these parrots have excellent talking abilities and tend to be very noisy! But the best part is that they can be easily trained. They can be extremely loyal and affectionate to someone who gives them enough time and love. They can be up to 40 cm in height and mix well with other types of parrots. If taken proper care, they can live for up to 60 years!

African Gray Parrots
African Gray parrot is not only known for its talking abilities, but it is one of the most intelligent parrot types! If one wishes to keep them as pets, they should be ready to show some patience and a lot of commitment towards these parrots. The African Gray parrots tend to become easily bored and therefore must be engaged in some activities. If not under a person who is well qualified to handle these birds, they may develop behavioral problems like feather picking, chewing up things, etc. They are up to 45 cm in size and have an average lifespan of 40-60 years! And yes, they gel along very well with the next parrot on our list. Keep reading.

Eclectus Parrots
The reason Eclectus parrots go well with the African Gray is because both of them are known for their high intelligence. They are very inquisitive in nature which makes them an excellent communicator with us humans. When keeping Eclectus parrots as pets, you have to be like they want you to be. They believe in sharing and caring, the lack of which can make them prone to develop behavioral problems like feather picking and chewing up anything that comes their way! They need to be a part of your life actively. It is only when they are properly taken care of that they tend to live for almost 50 long years! Even if you keep this parrot with some other parrot, you however, should not deviate your attention from this one. Care for them and love them. Share your life with them, and they will prove to be the best of companions you can ever have!

Now that you know about how keeping parrots as pets works, I hope you will end up giving it a much more serious thought! And while you think, also equip yourself with these interesting facts about parrots. Well, parrots can be the most adorable pets in the world, but for that, you should give them a chance to adore you as their owner. So which parrot have you decided to keep as pet?