People are attracted to parrots.
They are beautiful, they are intelligent, they are humorous – the attractive qualities of a parrot go on and on.
But before you dive into buying a parrot for yourself, there are some things that you should know.
Just like you would research before buying a dog, you should research before buying a parrot.
And the first question you should be asking is “is a parrot easy to take care of”?
The answer to this question is no. Parrots are not easy to take care of. Parrots require a lot of time and dedication. They are very social creatures that need regular interaction with their owners. Without regular social interaction, parrots can become bored, depressed, violent, and destructive. In comparison to a dog, a parrot is a lot more work. Dogs are much easier to care for than a parrot.
But what makes a parrot so difficult to care for?
What parrots are the most high maintenance?
What parrots are the most low maintenance?
And how can you ensure that your parrot is cared for properly?
Today we will answer all of these questions and more so let’s not waste another minute!
Why are parrots so difficult to take care of?
Parrots can make excellent companions but only if you have the time and effort to dedicate to them – and it takes a lot of time and effort.
But what exactly is it that makes a parrot so difficult to care for?
They require a lot of attention.
Parrots are very social creatures.
In the wild they travel in flocks but in captivity, you are their flock.
This means that they rely on you for their social interaction time – and they require a lot of social interaction time.
Unlike a dog that you can leave at home for 8 hours while you go to work, you probably won’t be able to do this with your parrot.
If you do, you will have to make sure you wake up early to spend time with them in the morning and also spend quality time with them when you come home from work.
The more time your parrot spends out of their cage and with you, the happier they will be.
If your parrot does not get enough interaction they can become bored, depressed, and destructive.
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Parrots require a lot of cleaning.
If you don’t like cleaning, a parrot is not the pet for you.
Anyone who owns a parrot knows that they are not clean.
Parrots are very messy eaters and their cages require regular cleaning (unless you want to attract bugs).
Not only do parrots leave food droppings in their cage, but these droppings are likely to end up all over your floors and walls as well.
For this reason, parrots are not recommended in a room that is carpeted.
Because they leave both food droppings and waste droppings, a parrots cage needs to be cleaned daily.
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You can’t travel with a parrot
Love to travel to beautiful and faraway places?
Well unless you know someone who deals with parrots regularly, you can say goodbye to your vacation time.
After all, if it’s hard to leave your parrot for 8 hours, how are you ever going to leave them for a week?
Parrots are not self-sufficient and cannot be left alone for long periods.
And finding a parrot sitter isn’t as easy as finding a dog sitter.
There are some amazing websites like Trusted Housesitters where you can find some decent pet sitters.
In most places, you won’t find a “parrot hotel” or “parrot daycare” – there simply aren’t enough parrots in captivity for this to be a profitable business.
For this reason, if you wanted to go on vacation you’d need to find someone you know personally to watch your parrot.
In some cases, a close friend or relative may do. But in most cases, your parrot won’t adapt well to new company.
Parrots tend to bond closely to one person (their owner) and may be aggressive or uncooperative to anyone else.
Without their owner around, parrots can become depressed very quickly.
This can make it very difficult to leave them with anyone else for extensive periods of time.
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Parrots can be territorial
Parrots can be territorial – of their food, of their space, of their toys, and of you.
In the wild, parrots mate for life. But in captivity, they don’t usually have a mate.
As a result, you become their “mate”.
As their mate, parrots can become extremely protective and territorial over you.
If a parrot is not properly socialized they can lash out at others who come near you, even attacking or biting them.
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Parrots can become aggressive
In most cases, parrots who are properly socialized and cared for will not lash out at you or others.
But this isn’t always the case.
Parrots have been known to bite for multiple reasons – if they are bored or angry, if they are not cared for properly, if they are being protective or territorial – the list goes on and on.
Even if your parrot is well socialized, most parrots will go through hormonal changes during mating season which can make them lash out as well.
When a parrot bites, it hurts.
Parrots have very strong beaks that can break the skin, draw blood, and do damage.
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Parrots have moods
Like people, parrots have different moods.
They experience a wide range of emotions including happiness, sadness, boredom, anger, frustration, excitement, and so on and so forth.
When a parrot is in a good mood, they will be easier to care for.
Parrots that are not happy can be extremely difficult to care for.
They can bite, scream, become destructive, and even engage in self-harming behaviors.
So if you aren’t prepared to deal with a bird that has the temper tantrums of a toddler, a parrot might not be the right pet for you.
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Parrots are loud
One of the things that people love most about parrots is that they can talk (well, some of them anyways). This is very cool.
But what people don’t realize is that sometimes parrots don’t stop talking.
They talk, and talk, and talk – even if you tell them to stop.
Not only that but parrots can also squawk and scream, and some do it all night long.
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They are a long term commitment
Think you can just hand your parrot off to someone new if you can’t handle them?
Sure, you can find a zoo or association that will probably take your parrot but that’s really unfair to the parrot.
Remember, parrots bond for life so if they have accepted you as their mate, they can become very depressed if they all of a sudden have to go and live with someone else.
Even if you decide to raise your parrot, it’s important to know that this is not a short term commitment.
The average Macaw, for example, lives for 50 years.
But this is just the average.
They have been known to live as long as 100 years.
And this means your parrot could outlive you.
Are you ready for that kind of lifelong commitment?
How can you ensure your parrot is cared for properly?
The best way to ensure your parrot is properly cared for is to do your research before you buy one as a pet.
Understand the kind of time and commitment that they require and if you aren’t prepared to give them that, don’t get a parrot.
It’s that simple.
Which parrot is the most high maintenance?
There are lots of high-maintenance parrots out there but some require more work than others.
The Amazon Parrot, the Macaw, and the African Grey are the three highest maintenance parrots out there.
These three parrots are extremely intelligent and pack a lot of personality in a little body.
To keep them fulfilled they require enormous amounts of social interaction.
When not with you, they can become bored easily. In return, they also require a lot of toys and games to keep their minds entertained.
Amazons, Macaws, and African Greys are not for the faint of heart.
There are few people that can handle their toddler-like temper tantrums along with their upkeep and maintenance.
But if you are one of the people that can, rest assured that you will have a friend for life.
Which parrot is the lowest maintenance?
Let’s start by saying that there is no “low maintenance” parrot.
With that being said, there are parrots that are lower maintenance than others.
If you don’t have the time to dedicate to a Macaw, Amazon, or African Grey, there are some lower maintenance species that might be better suited to your living.
Lower maintenance parrots include Cockatiels, Parakeets, and Budgies.
In conclusion, no, parrots are not easy to care for.
There are very few people out there that can handle the time and dedication required to own a parrot.
You may be one of those people but please do your research before you get a parrot.
Once you own a parrot they will bond closely with you, at which point they can become depressed if you should decide that you cannot handle their ways.
Do your research and don’t get a parrot unless you are prepared to dedicate your life to their care.