Living with a Parrot

Living with a parrot takes serous commitment. Believe it or not, there is such a thing as love at first sight. As beautiful as they are, this is not enough reason to adopt a parrot. Without a substantial commitment for the success of the relationship, they have a tendency to fade away.  

You must consider the likely possibilities of your future. How will you provide for this feather ball of love when you get married, or have a baby, or the kids move out, or you lose your retirement account in the stock market?    

You must promise to love, respect, and care for this creature through good times and bad, thick and thin, for richer or for poorer, through sickness and through health until death do you part and parrots can live a long life. Even after Polly chews through your window molding, or turns grandmas antique wedding clock into a small pile a splinters. Even after the vet bill that causes your eyes to pop out of your skull. Even after the hearing loss, wasted food, expensive toys and lacerations. (Not to dwell on the fun part of living with a parrot!)

While you won't have to splurge for the full carat ring, your savings account will be hit where it hurts when it comes to housing (cages can range in the $1000's of dollars), toys ($20-$300 a month, A MONTH !), health care, and food (you'll be feeding them all the healthy stuff you eat!).

In some ways the decision to share your life with a parrot is just as important as having children.

While, your kids will eventually outgrow the terrible twos and (hopefully) will move out of your house and be on their own sometime after their 18th birthday, a parrot can stay in the "terrible two" stage for 50 years. A parrot won't move out. A parrot will NEVER be able to provide for itself, even when they are 40 years old.

Deciding to live with anyone (animal or otherwise) should only be done on great and serious consideration. This holds especially true for animals like parrots. With life spans that can rival that of most humans, these birds are truly lifetime companions.

Contact the Oregon Humane Society free Behavior Helpline (email, 503-416-2983).