Money and Parrots

[Michael]

Do you find it offensive when people ask how much your parrot cost? And I'm not talking as a parrot owner to parrot owner comparison. I'm saying showing your parrot to non-parrot people and the first question they ask is "how much?"

Personally I've been finding it kind of offensive. It would be rude to ask how much did your child cost to a family with an adopted child or even how much did your insurance pay for delivery of your baby (once again unless you are very close or have a reason to discuss that). Usually when people ask what Kili costs and I say "priceless."

I just feel awkward about having a "pricetag" on a living thing. At first when I was shopping around for a parrot, I kind of found it annoying and inconvenient that no prices were listed and you had to ask for everything. Later on though, having been a parrot owner for longer, when I came across a parrot store with each cage having a label and price on the birds, I thought it was inappropriate. What will be next? Sticking little barcode price tags on their bands? I understand that in our world everything has to have a price and obviously there is a cost to acquiring (I don't like to talk about "buying" a parrot, I try to say acquire) a parrot. However, I like to disconnect the money aspect from the live aspect of the parrot.

I'm wondering if other people get this question a lot, how they feel about it, and what they say. How do you feel about money and parrots?

[Natacha]

I don't find it necessarily offensive, although I rarely give an exact figure, I say what the birds normally go for. People find it expensive and look at me as if I was crazy but that is there problem; most of the time I retaliate that pure-bread dogs and cats are as expensive if not more and don't nearly have the same life expectancy.

However, I do like your "priceless" answer and might just go with that from now on, just to see the face people will make...and will happily keep spending a whole lot of money on my birds

[Michael]

Yeah, don't get me started on depreciation! On the occasion I did give the exact figure, I had to give my little depreciation speech about how when you divide the price by the typical lifespan, etc, that it comes out to $20 per year or 5 cents a day. However, little do they know how much we spend on toys and supplies! LOL! That is where the real cost is. The parrot could easily value at $20 per year but you could be spending $500-$1000 on parrot stuff (around the cost of the parrot) every year for the rest of its life!!! I always say to expect to pay the cost of the parrot over again every year in supplies/expenses.

[Suzzique]

I've never had anyone ask me how much I paid for Alex. Maybe because of his color people don't notice him as much. The few that have talked to me were more interested in does he talk? At the time I had to say no not yet. But I always make sure people know all the work and the down side of owning a bird. Plus the fact that just because he is a grey doesn't mean he would ever talk. Some never do. I try to make people really think before going and getting a bird just because they saw mine. It would not bother me to dicuss price. I mean really make them think about it. You figure for something like a grey your up frunt cost will be anywhere from $2000 - $2500 minimum. That is for bird, cage, better perches, toys, food ect. Then like Michael said food and toy cost every year is going to range in the $1000+ price range. And with the average life span of about 50 years... For some people that is the best way to get threw to them that a bird might not be the best match.

[MandyG]

Most people that I talk to that have never had any experience with parrots will almost immediately ask how much he was. I don't take offense to it. I just think that most people have this idea that parrots are extremely expensive and when they have the opportunity to find out approximately how much they actually are it brings out their curiosity.

[oknuma]

no offense here i think its all a very important part about education for those interested in adding a parrot to their family.

[lzver]

I don't really take offense to it, but I usually don't disclose how much I paid. That said, I did tell a friend of mine once, who owns 3 pure-bred Golden Retrievers, and she thought I was crazy to spend as much on a bird as she spent on a dog. I guess she has her own opinion, but I told her that my birds mean just as much to me as her dogs do. I've owned dogs in the past and I actually find the bond I have with my birds stronger. I can't put it into words, but there is something more gratifying about having a bird, to me anyways.

To this date, the cost of toys still catches me off guard sometimes. I spent about $75 on new toys last weekend, and they both had them destroyed in less than a week. But its amazing to watch our red-bellied undo knots and destroy a piece of wood.

Laura

[Michael]

I've been taking Kili outside (mostly to a nearby playground/park) on her harness a lot last week (videos to come, been backed up on editing them). Every so often people will make comments or ask questions and I'm getting irritated that it's always the same question. In order of how often it's asked, here are the 3 most common questions:

1) How much did it cost?
2) What kind of bird is it?
3) Does it talk?

I mean, really. Isn't it kind of ridiculous to ask a complete stranger in the street such a question? Normally people don't walk up to you and ask how much your watch cost or how much you paid for your haircut. Even people with dogs don't seem to have to field that question all the time. Look, if I am having a conversation with someone who is interested in the parrot and eventually wants to know what they cost is one thing, but I pretty much have to deal with that as an up front question all the time and it's kind of bothering me that people see it so much more as an object than a pet. I mean, the price was a concern to me when I was "shopping" for a bird but from the moment I got her I completely forgot about it and didn't think about it. I just kept the receipt with her price on it as a joke but otherwise the price is the last thing I think about. It just bothers me that of all the things these onlookers could ask, this is what they always want to know.

It feels awkward for a few reasons besides those I've mentioned. First off I don't know if the actual price comes off sounding really expensive or really cheap. I don't know if people think, "wow what an idiot to waste so much money on just a bird" or "that sounds really cheap, maybe I should get one for the hell of it" or "sounds like he has a lot of money, let's rob him." I couldn't possibly expect someone to understand how money has really little to do with the whole relationship and that earning a parrot's trust/companionship is something money could never buy. I feel like money is just the means to acquire the parrot but beyond that it's all about time, commitment, responsibility, etc and money doesn't have anything to do with it (except the upkeep). So with the constant questions related to the monetary price of the parrot, I always feel like the life and will of the parrot are under appreciated.

The tough thing is when people ask a very specific answer like "how much did you pay for the bird?" There's really no way to give a wishy washy answer like saying priceless in response to "what is the bird worth?" or "how much is that bird?" I could spend hours talking about operant conditioning, parrot training, parrot nutrition, parrot flight, etc and of all the things they can ask me, they just want to know how much I paid for her. It's depressing. I don't mind answering questions and sparking interest in parrots but this one really takes the conversation nowhere.

Another thing I don't like is undisciplined kids with no manners. They run over and start poking shouting "parrot! parrot! look a parrot!" I like the kids that calmly walk over, ask questions, ask if it's ok to pet her, etc. Then the bird can get used to them and I can control the situation to make it fun/safe for the bird and the kids. But other people's kids, jeeze, I just want to slap them. And it has nothing to do with their ages, I think everything has to do with how their parents bring them up. I've had kids aged 3-15 come over and watch from a distance and perhaps ask to come closer or hold her and it worked great. That works out great. The kids learn a little about parrots, Kili gets socialized and everyone is happy. These other kids just feel like they can touch/grab anything they see. At one point I was wondering why Kili is on a leash and not the kids!

But even the kids ask how much the parrot costs and I'm sure to kids $600 sounds like a lot of money. I don't think the kids need to be so concerned with those kinds of things.

Now I'm planning on getting a $2,000 UnCape Parrot. Then what am I going to say when I get bugged with the same question!?

[MandyG]

Michael, if I were in your situation I would be equally annoyed. Living in such a populated city that is so impersonal I would not appreciate complete strangers asking questions when they truly have no interest in actually learning anything about parrots. Thankfully I live in a very small community and the people that stop and talk to me are genuinely interested in learning about my parrot and ask more than just the "how much" and "does it talk" questions. Yes, those are two of the first questions that are asked, but prior to owning a parrot I would have asked the same so I understand and it doesn't bother me.

I guess it all comes down the situation, the person's reason for asking the question, and the person's general attitude rather than the question itself that is the problem.

[Suzzique]

I also live in a large high popluation city. But unlike Michael it is very spred out. Though I don't live in the city of San Diego I do live in the greater San Diego area. So we are talking you can be 40+ miles away and still be in the greater San Diego area. Maybe because of the mild weather here you are always seeing people out with thier birds. That might be part of the reason that I don't get asked the way Michael does. I do still have people point and say look at the parrot. I don't mind if they come and talk to me. I have had a few people that didn't ask and just started to reach for Alex. I promply tell them that he could bite and that isn't a good idea. Most of the time people are very polite and ask.

No people don't ask how much you paid for your dog, because tons of people have dogs and they just don't care. A bird is very different and so people wonder. It's just how we all are. If we don't know something and are wondering we will ask. Just some people are more polite about it than others.