Where do we begin?
Here are six questions you have to ask yourself before the purchase:
What can I afford?
For those who want to buy a parrot, for instance, you have to consider its species. You can buy for example a budgie for less than 10 $. The price of the cockatiel varies between 25 and 35 $. In fact, there are some parrots that can cost you up to a good $15,000, but to keep things in more realistic bounds, you can get a grey parrot or an Amazonian parrot for about $300-400, while cockatoos would normally sell at around $1,000. Obviously this is the first question you would want to ask yourself before making the purchase.
How much space will the bird need?
Larger birds and even some of the small ones are very active physically and need big cages and space in which to play.
How much time do you have to take care of the bird?
The third, and probably the most important thing to consider. Birds are intelligent, playful and mostly " social " creatures. Will you have time to play with your bird? Or what about giving it proper care? Or what about your family, would they not mind having its presence around? Birds live longer than most pets - this is something to consider. A small parrot cockatiel lives for 20 years and more! As for Amazona, or African grey parrots, they are capable of living up to 50 to 60 years, and there have been some Methuselah-like cases where these birds have actually lived up to a hundred! Daunted by this yet? It is not uncommon for people to pass birds from one generation down to the next. You may be better off buying other pets if this all seems too much for you and/or your family.
Will your bird make a lot of noise? If so, will it be a bane to the neighbors?
Cockatiels and budgies are quieter than most birds. They are ideal if you live in a flat. On the other hand, you can bring a Moluxco cockatoo to your flat, provided you have neighbors with the following occupations - heavy metal guitarist, machine operator, dance club disc jockey, firecracker tester - okay, we just made the last one up, but you get the idea. The African grey parrot tends to be one of comparatively non-noisy parrots. Certainly, there are individual differences between birds. Somewhere there could be cockatoo, that don ' t make noisy to heaven. And you just might be seeing it on Regis and Kelly...or Jerry Springer, God forbid. Remember that noise is a subjective and relative sensation. A bird can be considered as " non-noisy " only at the background of another one,considered as noisy.
Does the bird possess "destructive" powers?
Do you possess peerless old furniture? Classic books, perhaps? Birds have strong and powerful beaks - you have been warned! Some of them are less inclined to " nibbling " than others, but nibbling is completely natural behaviour for them.
Do you need special food for your parrot?
Lory parrots, for example, need a specialized diet. Can you find such food in the market and provide it to them? Consider this and the other tips above, and be well informed and do your homework before buying a parrot. PARROTS ARE NOT LADIES' BAGS OR SHOES - THEY ARE NOT MEANT FOR IMPULSE BUYING!
Here are six questions you have to ask yourself before the purchase:
What can I afford?
For those who want to buy a parrot, for instance, you have to consider its species. You can buy for example a budgie for less than 10 $. The price of the cockatiel varies between 25 and 35 $. In fact, there are some parrots that can cost you up to a good $15,000, but to keep things in more realistic bounds, you can get a grey parrot or an Amazonian parrot for about $300-400, while cockatoos would normally sell at around $1,000. Obviously this is the first question you would want to ask yourself before making the purchase.
How much space will the bird need?
Larger birds and even some of the small ones are very active physically and need big cages and space in which to play.
How much time do you have to take care of the bird?
The third, and probably the most important thing to consider. Birds are intelligent, playful and mostly " social " creatures. Will you have time to play with your bird? Or what about giving it proper care? Or what about your family, would they not mind having its presence around? Birds live longer than most pets - this is something to consider. A small parrot cockatiel lives for 20 years and more! As for Amazona, or African grey parrots, they are capable of living up to 50 to 60 years, and there have been some Methuselah-like cases where these birds have actually lived up to a hundred! Daunted by this yet? It is not uncommon for people to pass birds from one generation down to the next. You may be better off buying other pets if this all seems too much for you and/or your family.
Will your bird make a lot of noise? If so, will it be a bane to the neighbors?
Cockatiels and budgies are quieter than most birds. They are ideal if you live in a flat. On the other hand, you can bring a Moluxco cockatoo to your flat, provided you have neighbors with the following occupations - heavy metal guitarist, machine operator, dance club disc jockey, firecracker tester - okay, we just made the last one up, but you get the idea. The African grey parrot tends to be one of comparatively non-noisy parrots. Certainly, there are individual differences between birds. Somewhere there could be cockatoo, that don ' t make noisy to heaven. And you just might be seeing it on Regis and Kelly...or Jerry Springer, God forbid. Remember that noise is a subjective and relative sensation. A bird can be considered as " non-noisy " only at the background of another one,considered as noisy.
Does the bird possess "destructive" powers?
Do you possess peerless old furniture? Classic books, perhaps? Birds have strong and powerful beaks - you have been warned! Some of them are less inclined to " nibbling " than others, but nibbling is completely natural behaviour for them.
Do you need special food for your parrot?
Lory parrots, for example, need a specialized diet. Can you find such food in the market and provide it to them? Consider this and the other tips above, and be well informed and do your homework before buying a parrot. PARROTS ARE NOT LADIES' BAGS OR SHOES - THEY ARE NOT MEANT FOR IMPULSE BUYING!
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