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What is the greatest challenge of parrot ownership?

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What is the greatest challenge of parrot ownership?

Postby Michael » Mon May 10, 2010 5:17 pm

What do you find to be the greatest challenge of parrot ownership?
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Re: What is the greatest challenge of parrot ownership?

Postby notscaredtodance » Mon May 10, 2010 5:43 pm

Having to leave them to do productive things like work/school.

But seriously though, the money is killer. I do my best to make my own safe toys for cheaper, but even that, and buying materials that are bird safe, is still really expensive! Food for birds is expensive, the cage is expensive, the vet is expensive... they are REALLY really money drainers.
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Re: What is the greatest challenge of parrot ownership?

Postby entrancedbymyGCC » Mon May 10, 2010 6:55 pm

Well, Scooter can't hold a candle to my horse in the expense department! The hardest thing for me is consistently making time for him and not being impatient when I'm tired. That and worrying all the time... but that's beginning to wear off.
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Re: What is the greatest challenge of parrot ownership?

Postby RudysMom » Tue May 11, 2010 12:32 am

cleaning cleaning and more cleaning is the worste
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Re: What is the greatest challenge of parrot ownership?

Postby pchela » Tue May 11, 2010 12:46 am

Yeah, I'm going with the cleaning. That, and the terrible twos. Oh, and the worry I have about leaving them. I worry much more than I would leaving a dog or cat. They're almost like children. Also, the noise can be a bit much at times. And the constant need for attention. And the money it costs to keep them. And the food preparation. Worrying about their health. Struggling with Pippin to get his nails trimmed so he doesn't tear up my hands and arms with his needle like talons. Hmmm... why do I have parrots again? :P
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Re: What is the greatest challenge of parrot ownership?

Postby RudysMom » Tue May 11, 2010 10:54 pm

and why do you have parrots? because you love them :) :senegal:
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Re: What is the greatest challenge of parrot ownership?

Postby lzver » Wed May 12, 2010 7:45 am

Time and money are definitely a challenge at times. Between work and school sometimes I feel guilty, but I arrange when/where I do things so I can be closer to the birds. When I'm in the room they are hanging out on our around me.

The fact that they have minds of their own is challenging at times. As I'm sure we all know, you can't force a bird to do something it doesn't want to and of course they give you a hard time when you're in a hurry.

Cleaning is challenging as well. You could litterly vacuum hourly. In fact Jessie went through a stage that whenever I finished vacuuming/cleaning, he'd go to his food bowl, start throwing his food around and laugh. Fortunately, he hasn't done that in a while. But there was no way you could get angry at him because he was being so damn cute and I'd wind up laughing with him.

I'd say that noise is more of an annoyance than a challange. Their regular chirps, calls, talking, etc are just background noise to us. But when we have people over, they notice it and ask us how we live with the noise. I don't think its any more annoying that a dog that barks alot. Sometimes they get carried away and we just find ways to distract them.

But there are sacrifices to make no matter what kind of pet you have. It truly is a joy having Lucy and Jessie, so most of the time I don't mind doing/spending what is necessary.
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Re: What is the greatest challenge of parrot ownership?

Postby Natacha » Wed May 12, 2010 9:00 am

Well cleaning is up there only because I hate cleaning (in general) but I do it for them (and my boyfriend helps a lot in that department).

But..for me the greatest challenge is getting over the worry. I worry about them when I step out of my apartment. It does diminish as the day goes by, but when I step out of that door I always thing "what if something goes wrong and something happens and I'm not there to save them." My biggest fear is there being a fire when I'm not around...and I haven't quite gotten over that.
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Re: What is the greatest challenge of parrot ownership?

Postby entrancedbymyGCC » Wed May 12, 2010 1:58 pm

Do you have a sign for the firemen? That reminds me, we never put ours up, but they make little signs you can put near the doors that say how many pets are inside for just this purpose. No guarantee, but it does hedge the bets a bit.
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Re: What is the greatest challenge of parrot ownership?

Postby notscaredtodance » Wed May 12, 2010 2:08 pm

Not to be a debbie downer but I imagine that the smoke would kill the bird before the firemen even got there. Their respiratory systems are just so so sensitive.
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