I have a parrot: Ask me anything!
Some of you know him! He is a white-bellied caique named Flip! Seeing as how birds don't get as much exposure as other animals, I thought it'd be fun to create a space for questions about what life with him is like and hopefully teach you something new about the difficult but fulfilling world of parrot ownership!
@Heather225
Your parrot is absolutely beautiful, and I bet a lot of mischievous fun. I have a Goffin's Cockatoo, Umbrella Cockatoo, and a Greenwing/Mix Macaw. I'm still not a "bird" person, but they have all grown on me, and I spoil them. After having cats 20 years, moving to birds after they passed away was a natural progression. I'm sure I bore some people with my parrot stories, but some of the things they do/say are certainly worth mentioning.
@Sventek
Oh you've got the big birds!! I also moved on to birds after a lifetime of cat ownership. Just can't stand the heartache of losing them.
Please share some stories! I love hearing about bird shenanigans. What do yours say?
@Heather225
iBon, the Macaw, has a wider vocabulary. She can ask for things she needs, generally, and tends to lean more towards me and calls me, "Bubba", something she must have picked up from her previous owners. We've had her the longest, a rescue from her previous family. She doesn't seem to care for my daughter or wife, but does talk to them. She only likes when they are animated around her, anything where she can join in the fun.
During COVID, my daughter was still doing Karate, but remote - because that was how it was, and set up a laptop on the couch so she could show the Sensei her moves - and iBon saw this happening, waddled over, climbed the couch, and placed herself in front of the laptop and camera - was also very difficult to move from there because she wanted to be the star of the show. Sensei said that apparently my daughter has become a parrot.
Paco, the Umbrella, has a medium vocabulary, knows his name and can use "I'm Paco" or just "Paco". He's a construction worker bird, and get absolutely excited when he sees an Amazon box, because he can carve out windows, doors (that specifically fit him including his tail feather --- and we add "box complexity") this keeps him engaged, less likely to get bored. He prefers my daughter first, me second, does not seem comfortable around my wife. We've had him a year now as of March. He's 30 years old, according to his foot tag.
Then there is Snowy, who is a Goffin's Cockatoo. He's smaller than the other two, but not in personality. He steps up easily, loves "stealing" things, and absolutely loves my wife. My daughter is second, myself last. He talks, says Hello, and can sing.
@Heather225
Love! This picture! Can see the personality this little buddy has. So sweet. 🦜
He’s so adorable how did you come up with his name?
@Countrygirl095
This breed hops, tap dances, and rolls over, so "Flip" came naturally as a result of all his flipping haha
@Heather225 I was wondering, if your bird is really expensive to feed, my friend H. Does, your bird eat, worms at all?
@calmMango9611
parrots aren't worm eaters. it's the pointed beak shape birds that are worm eaters. Flip's diety can be pricey because he needs a varied diet of pellets, fuits/veggies, and sprouted seed blends that i have to make myself bc it's healthier than getting dry seed. a good diet is pretty critical for a domesticated parrot and he's worth the cost and all the inconvenience at times lol
@Heather225 Thanks for sharing this, with me.
@Heather225
You have such a beautiful bird! I have always wanted a bird, but don't know if that is the right type of animal for me. What is the hardest part about having a pet bird?
@smilingbao
thank you!
the hardest part is committing the time to them. birds aren't quite like cats or dogs; they need a ton of attention and to be able to stretch their wings which means time out of their cage. if you don't have a lot of time to give, getting two birds to keep one another company is a good option. otherwise a bird will get depressed if it's on its own too much. the other hard part is being able to have the finances enough to ensure they get a cage suited to their size (which can be big depending on the breed) and an ongoing supply of toys & variety of food in their diet. for me, my bird is like a little child, emotionally and in needs. but if you can put down the time and energy they can be a lifelong companion 🥰
