Any Advice?

[Rebellious]

Hi all,
I have a good friend who came to my house one day and was enchanted by my parrots (they were behaving quite well!) She was especially smitten with Rebel, my Sulfer crested cockatoo, and today told me she was going to get her own SCC from a local parrot rescue in my area. I really love my friend but she has no experience with birds and I want to save her from the stress and responsibility that comes with owning parrots, especially a SCC. She literally has her heart set on bringing home her own cockatoo and expects it to behave as nicely as Rebel. How do I tell (nicely) that a cockatoo is not for her? Thank you so much!

[Graeme]

Well you could invite her over when you birds are misbehaving and being noisy. You could also take her to the rescue center she is wanting to gt the bird from, ask the people at the rescue to explain to her EXACTLY what she is getting herself into. Maybe even suggest your friend spends some time at the rescue, so get some sort of understanding.

You could also suggest she take some time out and look at other parrots, something less demanding.

[Pajarita]

Tell her exactly what you think and then direct her to the Mytoos.com site but I might as well tell you that, in my personal opinion, when it comes to impulse buying of pets, people only hear and believe what they want to hear and believe and no amount of data and common sense makes any difference.

[Cherman23]

After you have your talk, maybe you can invite her to spend a couple of days at your place. During that time let her be the caretaker for them. Then at least she can gain some experience while you impress upon her that having birds is a long term commitment. Try getting her to join this forum. i have been visiting here for months before joining. lots of good advice even though the "bedside manner" is sometimes lacking. good luck to you both.

[KimberlyAnn]

I know just what you are going through!

Friend 1:

"Where can I get a bird like Emmi?"

My reply:

"Didn't you ask me to take your daughter's hamster a few months ago because it was too much work?"

Friend 2:

"I just asked my husband if we could get a Green Cheek! He said yes!"

My reply:

"You have six cats! Six! They kill the outside birds! They bring them to your door step!

Friend 3:

"I'm so getting a bird now!"

My reply:

"You are having a baby in two months...really?"

Thankfully none of my friends ever got a bird of any kind. I'm seriously scared to post anything cute on Facebook about Emmi anymore because of this problem. I'm not saying that my friends would make horrible bird keepers, but I do know them well enough to say that some should not have any pets at all. Or plants for that matter.

I would just do what you can to educate. Sound excited as you go through the costs of the "highly specialized diet" and "daily responsibilities." Then go through the dangers like metal poisoning, sickness and oh yes...vet costs! That normally weeds out the goldfish/hamster type people. If all else fails, talk obsessively about your bird like it's your child one evening. Become the person they don't want to be. Lol

Passive aggressive, yes. But it sometimes works! So far, no pet birds for my friends!

[mrbowlerhat]

This thread almost makes me happy I am the whiniest person ever. I always complain about my birds! Well, I mean, I do it in a kind of sarcastic, "but-y'all-know-i-still-love-my-birdies-even-when-they're-being-assholes" kind of way, but I'm fairly certain my friends would never want to get a parrot of their own

[KimberlyAnn]

Lol! I so understand where you are coming from!

On Saturday...I was so sick with the flu. I was at the point where I could drink water and asked my husband to get me a sugar snap pea so I could try to eat. I know, weird...I just thought it was the one thing that would heal me for some reason.

So here I am sick, high fever, delusional, barely able to move, and taking slow small bites of my sugar snap pea that I think will be the one thing that will save my life. Here comes Emmi, SWOOSH from the top of her cage and grabs the sugar snap pea right out of my hand and runs away with it down the back of the couch.

Birds are a-holes. You are right!

[GreenWing]

It's SO EASY to fall for the 'toos, as they're such cuddlers and are soooooo sweet. Heck, there was a rehomed 'too that EVERYONE fell in love with, because he was so sweet, and never bit, and just wanted to snuggle.

The reality is that 'toos are THE most dusty birds (and MANY people rehome such birds because of thedust and they have no idea as to how to, or CAN manage it, or can manage it -- which is essentially how I acquired Chance), and they can be NOISY. As with parrots in general, having a 'too is like having a child. Tell you friend to read a lot, research, and talk with a lot of experienced people -- with 'toos in particular as Pajarita also says -- so she can get a dose of reality that can lessen the enchantment

[armia741]

Maybe even suggest your friend spends some time at the rescue, so get some sort of understanding.