Children owning Parrots

[pukeko]

And yes, while the best solution is probably not having birds in these families, there are so many families who are willing to get their kids a bird that it might be better to push family involvement than the almost incomprehensible or too readily ignored "just don't get one!". This is a good ground to at least talk about and have visible for forum savvy kids to find and share, instead of the rather polarised options of solo care or no bird.

Parental engagement and emotional bonding with the bird also makes it more likely, if it is at all possible for the family, that the bird will get full vet care or prompt vet care. Again, it is the difference between "my child's bird (which is not my responsibility)" and "my bird! (who loves my child best and will go with them when they leave home... but will visit often)". 'Wait and see' is harder with your own pets. Again, something unfortunately seen on this forum...

[ParrotsForLife]

I own all my birds except Tiko but I will take Tiko when my mam cant care for her anymore and I am responsible for my birds.

[pukeko]

: ) Whereas I didn't own Suk, but grew up to be her keeper after she decided on me. I don't really think any seven year old should own a bird, but grow up with one? That worked for me, and I hope it worked for Suki before her cancer took her. I am certainly very grateful to her for sharing her life with us, which never would have happened if even eleven year old me, as a nationally competitive athlete and the newly chosen favorite, had been told that I had to be her only caretaker or she would have to find a new home. Instead, she lived with all of us, getting flock company and cuddles with all, and eventually when we moved out I was very well prepared to care for her and had a deep relationship with her based on years of trust and knowledge.

It is almost odd bonding with my second bird, because we just don't have that trust and knowledge and probably won't for a few years yet. Seven months is nothing compared with nearly sixteen years.

[Wolf]

Well I have seen several posting since I joined the forum of instances where a child had a bird and did not have adequate support for the bird from the parents, but I have seen this on other forums as well and I have also seen the other way as well.

Although as far as the daily caring for the bird goes, I did say that I thought that if the bird belongs to the child that the child should care for the bird and learning to accept that as their responsibility is important for the child. I don't recall exactly how I put it, although I am sure that anyone could look back and see for themselves. There is more to it that that, however. First if the parents allowed the child to get the bird, they should be ready to pitch in so that the bird does not suffer as it is likely that the child is going to be a child and forget about the bird sometimes. I also have to say that some children will not forget to take care of their bird(s). Also the parents should be ready to supply for the needs of the bird for food, toys, cage, medical of whatever it requires, Yes, they should have gone over this with the child and they should encourage the child to cover these expenses for their bird, while at the same time providing a means for the child to be able to do so. And so it goes, they do need to let the child make decisions, even when they are not sure that the child is ready to make the decision, They must also be ready to pick up the birds needs if the child decides that it made a mistake in getting the bird. There are a host of things involved and probably a book could be written without covering every aspect of it, but it is up to the parent to teach, and allow the child the freedom to use what is taught As well as to encourage the child to find it own way. In any case the parent should be involved to at least the degree that they are just as responsible for the bird as the child should be, even if the child is not. One last thought about it is that, in my home both myself and my lady are responsible for the welfare of all of the animals regardless of who brought it home or when and how it arrived and regardless of what its needs are or whose it is. All members of a family should be involved and agree on their mutual caring of and about any animals that is to be a member of that family.

[ParrotsForLife]

I don't agree with that last sentence I don't think all members have to be involved with our birds because not everyone likes birds and its not really their responsibility but if they wanna be involved then of course they can but they don't have to.

[mrbowlerhat]

ParrotsForLife, I agree with both you AND Wolf...

I don't make anyone I live with clean my pets' cages or litter boxes, or feed them regularly or anything, because they're my pets and my responsibility... BUT! If I go away over a night or a weekend , or even if I'm gone a bit longer than usual in the afternoon, of course I ask them to take care of my pets temporarily, and of course they're ready to do so.
Same thing with their dogs - I cuddle and play with them but I don't walk them or feed them except when I'm asked to do so.

So I don't think it's necessary for a family or a couple of room/flat/house mates etc to be EQUALLY involved and responsible when it comes to one person's pets, but I definitely agree that you should have some sort of agreement about it with everyone who lives with you. If you get a bird when you're already living with people, they should be fine with it and know that they might have to take responsibility for the bird when you can't. If you and your bird move in with someone new, you should make sure they know this too and are ok with it.
Anything might happen to your bird when you're away and if someone's there and able to provide some sort of help, of any kind, they should know and agree in advance that they're supposed/expected to. ..But you can't make them clean the cage for you if you're at home and able to do it yourself, because it IS your bird.
You know what I mean?

[Wolf]

Well as far as the daily duties of caring for your bird or any other animal, I was not thinking of anything other than an occasional, please feed and water my bird for me because I can't make it any time soon, the food is here... But I was thinking of the general well being of the birds so that the bird can be out of its cage and associate with those living in the home, as birds are naturally social. So that no one is upset if your bird steals a piece of fruit and that the others don't feed the bird Dorito's, little things like that. It is rarely the big things that result in relationships getting rocky, it is usually a build of all of the little things.

My Lady loves cats, I hate cats, although I am responsible for two of them being in our home as I saved their lives. I still scratch the cats and gently shoo them from places we don't want them, I even clean up their hairballs. I treat them as part of the family and don't get upset when they do cat things, I take them to the vet and generally what ever I do for my animals I do for her cats, it is their home as much as mine. I would not expect anyone to do this same type of thing with other peoples animals, but the presence of the animal, and the animal acting like what it is, should never become a bone of contention between those sharing a home together, that type of agreement and cooperation. Any animal in a home affects to some degree any other human living in the home and that is why everyone needs to be in agreement about getting the animal.

[ParrotsForLife]

Thats normal though nobody is gonna walk past rubbish on the floor or a hairball of course your gonna clean it up whether its your pet or not.But still your family members don't have to be involved with bringing your pet to the vet and other stuff but just it is a nice thing to do for someone else's pet.

[Wolf]

No they don't have to and should not need to do most of the things mentioned ,but that is not exactly the point of what I am saying. Let's try to say it another way. Parrots tend to be destructive creatures by nature, they tend to talk and scream at inopportune times and have been known to bite. They have also been known to attack feet and toes or land on peoples head, which is a big no-no when your Lady has just spent a lot of time and money having her hair done, Or she lays out her favorite sweater on the bed along with the rest of the outfit she is intending to wear. She goes and gets a shower and returns to find your bird proudly and very industriously tearing the sweater up for fun or for nesting material. Or even that she returns to find that your bird has dismantled her favorite bracelet or necklace. How about the bird tearing up your brothers brand new shoes that he has been saving up to buy?

These are all everyday type of occurrences that can cause a lot of stress and displeasure towards you and your bird. Even smaller stuff as your mother fixing herself a salad and reaching into the refridgerator for something to drink and when she turns around she finds your bird walking through her salad and nibbleing on a piece of it.

These are valid reasons that everyone in the household needs to be aware of as possibilities and why they should all be in agreement before you run out and get your bird. This is what I am saying.

[Pajarita]

When we are talking about a child having a bird as a pet, there is more than the parents needing to 'help' out with the care, there is the money issue. When a parrot need medical care, the bills are very high and, although a child might make enough money to buy it toys and treats, it will never have enough to pay for them. How many times have we had children here asking what to do with a sick bird because the parents would not pay for an avian vet or even buy a larger cage? There is also the matter of knowledge and time. It's hard keeping a parrot, you need to know a lot, research constantly and your life has to revolve around them - kids would not even take the dog out for a walk or keep the water dish filled up much less keep track of a solar schedule, cook for the bird, make sure it gets a balanced diet, supplements, etc.

Then there is the bonding nature of a parrot. Children, been children, will want 'their' pet to love them the most but you can't expect that from a parrot. It will love whoever it wants to love. And that can be real hard for the child to 'swallow' - I know that any of my children would have stopped taking care of the animal if said animal bites them and kisses somebody else! Sheesh, even my husband is childish that way! Not that he would not take care of all of them but he would definitely be nicer to the ones that are nice to him and not so much to the ones that are not.

Then we have the parrots biting issue... You can guarantee that a well-treated and properly trained dog will not bite a child that doesn't mistreat it but you can't with parrots. They get hormonal, they get startled, they get annoyed and BAM! And parrots can do A LOT of damage to a child! One of the cockatoos I had and the sweetest, sweetest thing on this earth which never even offered to bite... but he had taken a chunk off the owner's daughter's lip. Children don't listen so well when you talk to them in their own language and always end up doing something they KNOW they are not supposed to do so what are the chances of them consistently and always reading a parrot's body language before they go for it? I can tell you what they are: ZERO!

And, last but not least, longevity. Children and even teenagers have a very short attention span when it comes to what interests them. Granted, there are a few that keep at it and end everything they start but, let me tell you, they are very few and far in between. They want to play guitar so you buy them one, they go to two months worth of lessons and that's it. They want to do gymnastics, you sign them up at an academy, they go an entire summer and that's it. They want to learn karate, you look around, sign them up, buy the stupid white outfit and, two weeks later, they don't want to go anymore. They want to dance ballet, you sign them on, spend hundreds of dollars in the outfits and, after the first class, they don't want to go anymore. And I can go on and on and on.... Novelties wear off real fast for kids. And, even for the ones that don't, things change a lot as they grow up. The BFF bird they had in middle school gets relegated to fifth place when they go to high school and start going out with girls or boys - and ceases to exist when they go to college. How many parents have gotten rid of the bird everybody loved to pieces after their kid went to college?

And who suffers through all of these? The bird, that's who!

I will admit that there are kids that can make it work out but, generally speaking, it doesn't. Not in the long term and parrots are ALL long term.