Cage for a Meyer's?

[jaimmorr]

Hopefully getting a Meyer's or a Senegal someday... Lol. I want one, but I refuse to get any animal without doing all of the research first. Anyway, would this cage be good for a Meyer's or Sennie?

http://www.kingscages.com/ProductDetail ... ID=ACA2522



And one question... I plan to have the cage in my bedroom. But, I spend most of my time in the living room. I will NOT have a job at all by this time, but I will be going to school. From my experience at college so far, I am anticipating being away from home for about 3 hours a day, 4 days a week. Anyway, should I get a play top cage so that the bird can go on top of their cage when they want to, or would a dome top be better because of the extra room inside? I plan on getting a nice play stand and putting it beside the couch and when I am home, the bird can spend its time on that. Ideally, it will only be in its cage for around 3-4 hours a day, and then at night.

Thoughts? Thank you!

[Michael]

Hopefully getting a Meyer's or a Senegal someday... Lol. I want one, but I refuse to get any animal without doing all of the research first. Anyway, would this cage be good for a Meyer's or Sennie?

http://www.kingscages.com/ProductDetail ... ID=ACA2522

Yes! Very suitable. It's the cage I'd get Kili if/when I end up replacing her existing powder coated one. I have the bigger version of that for Truman and it's a good cage. You can see my review of the pros/cons and just bear in mind the one you posted is a little smaller. I prefer the dometop.

And one question... I plan to have the cage in my bedroom. But, I spend most of my time in the living room. I will NOT have a job at all by this time, but I will be going to school. From my experience at college so far, I am anticipating being away from home for about 3 hours a day, 4 days a week. Anyway, should I get a play top cage so that the bird can go on top of their cage when they want to, or would a dome top be better because of the extra room inside? I plan on getting a nice play stand and putting it beside the couch and when I am home, the bird can spend its time on that. Ideally, it will only be in its cage for around 3-4 hours a day, and then at night.

The parrot will love the top of his cage regardless if there's a playtop on it or not. Both of my parrots will fly back to the top of their cage and hang out there. Couldn't care less about toys at that point. You can have a tree in another part of your house to spend out of cage time with you. The dometop gives more room inside which is valuable when the parrot is left alone. The dometop is a little cheaper too. Apply that savings toward buying a nice separate tree for out of cage time. Some Parrot Training Perches couldn't hurt either, convenient not only for training but also a portable stand to keep the bird on.

I think diversifying places in the house where the bird can spend time is great. I'd put the cage in a quieter place and take the bird out and bring it to living room (or where ever) for out of cage time. They need some alone down time as well (and it keeps them from becoming too dependent and needy for attention).

[jaimmorr]

Was hoping you'd reply, Michael. Haha. I've been watching your videos on YouTube... Very impressive! I love Kili, she is such a great bird.

I really like that cage. It's the perfect size for my bedroom. I think I may have made my decision on that one!

I have looked at the Parrot training perches, and I do think I want one. I will have to see when it gets closer to the time of me actually getting the bird. Lol.

I see what you mean about being needy... I know that parrots and rats are very, very different, but I had a rat not too long ago (she passed away last November from an inoperable tumor) that was my main companion. She went everywhere with me. She came before I had dogs, so she was a free roaming rat and only in her cage at night. She went to work with me, shopping, on walks, to the park, etc. And the times that she had to go in her cage she HATED. Oh my goodness, she would bite at the bars and just go nuts. She really didn't like being away from me lol.

Anyway, I've been doing all the reading I can on parrots, mainly Senegals and Meyer's. I've just purchased 3 books on them from Amazon and they should be here this week. I also went to the library and got every book on parrots I could find. Haha. Plan on reading those in the mean time. I'm a firm believer in doing as much research as possible before taking on the responsibility and lifelong commitment of a pet. Before I got my Chihuahua, I did 2 years of research on the breed, training, and dog body language. People thought I was nuts, but she's more well behaved than any of their dogs!

Thanks for the tips!

[Michael]

The books are definitely a good starting point and provide good background knowledge. But some of the things they say are obsolete or flat out wrong. So take it with a grain of salt and don't defer to them as the absolute authority just because they are in print. Not saying internet sources are all that reliable either. Point is you gotta look at different perspectives, evaluate, try them, evaluate results, and put them to use.

I'm guessing as a first time owner you're looking for a parrot from a breeder and not a rescue (although no reason you can't if you are really patient and want to work with it). But if you're getting a Poi from a breeder, I strongly urge you to:

A) Not clip its wings
B) Find a breeder that will formally agree not to clip its wings
C) Provide a safe/suitable household for a flighted parrot

If you cannot do these 3 things, as you are in just the research stage and not yet committed, I would suggest that a parrot isn't right for you and should make the right decision now. Don't take this decision lightly. Sometimes it sux to have them flying and being a pain in the butt. Sometimes they get hurt. But ultimately it's the way they are and it's something we as owners have to accept and embrace, not vilify and destroy. Finding a breeder that will definitely agree not to clip is not only hard but also very important. Many crappy breeders are too dumb/selfish to raise their birds the right way. You don't want to start out with a bird that was raised by someone with such a complacent attitude. There are some breeders that will say they can do anything you want and then clip the bird anyway and pretend like they didn't know or say they think that's the right way. You need to triple check that the breeder is capable and willing to raise a flighted parrot (the way they naturally are). If you need recommendations for breeders I know that can raise flighted parrots PM me and I can mention them to you.

[jaimmorr]

I agree with you. That's why I am trying to gather as many sources as I can and just soak all this information up!

I haven't even begun thinking about where I'm getting the bird from. As an individual that is very avid in dog rescue (I adopt, transport, foster, etc) I am kind of leaning towards rescue, however; I feel that as a first bird, I would be better off getting one from a breeder or reputable pet store.

Right now, I am in the very beginning stages of research. I am really only just delving into the details of bird ownership. I haven't really thought about if I want a flighted bird or not, but from what I have heard/read, I do think having a flighted bird is the best option. I agree that birds are flying creatures and we shouldn't take that away from them. I also have dogs, so I think that with dogs it is better to have a flighted bird so that they can escape if necessary. I know that even a clipped bird can fly away and get lost, and I have read that it is pretty much pointless to clip their wings. I will continue to research on that subject, obviously. For now, though, I'm leaning more towards not clipping.

Thank you for your replies! I will definitely PM you as it gets closer to the time that I am getting my bird, unless I find a breeder/reputable pet store/rescue that suits my wants, needs, and standards.

[ginger]

I've just gotta jump in here with my two cents.

First let me say that I think you are very wise to do all the research up front. Michael has some great advice and he is a wealth of information.

Please reconsider getting a parrot if you have dogs in your home. I know that many people will say that you can mix the two, but from personal experience I am here to say that you can NEVER trust a dog, or cat, with a bird. Whether the bird is flighted or not it is no match for a dog.

Good luck with your research. I know it is a tough decision but please consider all aspects of responsible parrot ownership.

[jaimmorr]

Thanks for your reply, Ginger! I understand the concern that comes with having multiple species of pets. However; Dogs can be trained not to go near certain things or certain animals. For instance, when I had my rat, they knew they were NOT to come near her because I trained them that way. And not one time did they dare go near her. I definitely understand that accidents can happen. That is why I believe that after I get the bird, I will see how it goes and if I feel that the dogs can't handle it, I will always keep them seperated. I will spend my time with my bird in one room and my time with my dogs in another. Safety first!

[Michael]

Thanks for your reply, Ginger! I understand the concern that comes with having multiple species of pets. However; Dogs can be trained not to go near certain things or certain animals. For instance, when I had my rat, they knew they were NOT to come near her because I trained them that way.

Ok, now this is the dangerous kind of attitude that has gotten many birds killed like Ginger mentioned. No one will deny that a dog can't be trained to avoid the bird. The problem isn't what the dog does out of training but out of instinct/reflex. There are certain visual patterns that can trigger an attack or retrieval reflex that will get the bird killed. For example the bird flying right by the dog (dog jumps to catch like a ball not thinking what's going on) or bird falls on the floor and dog goes for it.

Same thing on the bird's side. You can train it not to fly off or go near the dogs and this will work to a certain extent. But it only takes one circumstance that reflexively sends the bird flying (or to the floor) and in an instant the dog catches it. Neither one thought of what they were doing and the coincidence of their positioning at that time makes for a tragic accident. Just because training will work even 99% of the time, isn't enough for safety in the long term.

Unless there is strong physical separation between the animals, it is not safe. Clipping the birds wings not only isn't safe but also isn't fair because it's not the birds fault you have dogs. Even with a closed door I've heard of accidents where it was loose just enough that the dog pushed through, ran in, and grabbed the bird. You must either have a huge house (like locking dogs in basement or special room) or kennel the dogs whenever bird is out, cage bird when dogs are out to even fathom making this work. This requires a huge amount of work and diligence on your part that may make it unworthwhile.

[jaimmorr]

I am fully aware that dogs have instincts that will make things difficult. For one thing, my Chihuahua is probably smaller than my parrot will be and won't even try. My Min Pin is scared of everything, and he listens well. My bigger mixed breed dog is extremely timid and barely comes around anyway, she would rather lie in another room. Anyway, the point is that the general idea of dogs and actually owning a dog is very different. No one knows your dog or how they react to certain things better than yourself.

Don't get me wrong, if within the first couple of days my dogs show too much interest, I will only ever have either one out if there is a door closed between them.

[Michael]

You're still missing the point. The point isn't about interest, what can be curbed with training, etc. Obviously owners will see and avoid these kinds of interactions. It's about what happens when instinct takes over the birds and/or dog. That's when the bird can be dead in a flash. This has nothing to do about knowing what your dog would rationally do 99.9% of the time.

This issue cannot be stressed enough because you're dealing with not one but two sets of instincts at work! When we talk about using harnesses on parrots outdoors whether clipped or flighted, it's not because we don't expect them to stay with us but because sometimes circumstances may cause them to take flight in a panic and fly out of sight. I would not trust my birds not to fly into a dogs mouth as much as I wouldn't trust a dog not to go after the bird (once again not under normal circumstances). The danger is several times greater than just what a bird might do to itself. The variables become impossible to predict or control. Your complacent attitude is worrisome. People use a similar mentality to justify using teflon or taking clipped parrots outside. Having been around enough discussions, I know that these things get parrots killed. It is irresponsible to purposefully put parrots in known danger that they cannot avert. And for what? Convenience? Personal enjoyment of having more pets?

Many people have posted stories (here and other places) confirming that their bird was injured or killed by a cat/dog. I'm not making this up. These people thought as much if not more than you that their animal wouldn't do that, yet it happened (often times right in front of their eyes). I don't have the links on hand this moment but over years of talking to people online I've been coming across all of this (perhaps Ginger has some immediately on hand). Explain to me exactly how this is fair or justified to the bird?