I fell in love with an eclectus parrot at a bird sanctuary recently and I had no idea these guys existed. They are so chill and I just want one now lol. I was talking to him and all he said to me after I asked him something was “huh?” and it was such a vibe.
I’m a 30 year old man with not much going on in life, recently divorced with major trust issues now and I have never even thought of the possibility of owning a parrot one day but maybe it is actually a good idea? It lives for like 30 years which is probably about how much longer I will live. All I eat is fruit and veggies so I think taking care of it would actually be pretty easy.
From my research it seems like they generally don’t like to be handled much and are just content to chill in the corner of the room while you do your thing. My condo has a room with 18ft ceilings and eclectus are usually super quiet and aren’t very destructive supposedly.
I was thinking about getting a cat but honestly a parrot is just way more affectionate, intelligent, and interesting.
Anyone weigh in on this topic?
Also is it possible to teach a parrot to speak like RFK Jr?
Think about how crazy attached that lady seemed for screaming for her bird from dawn to dusk. Now imagine that she is a parrot attached to you and multiply the crazy by 10. Now you want to travel and leave this emotional wreck with strangers in a strange place for a bit.
From what you’ve said in the rest of this thread, most parrots would not be a good fit for your lifestyle or level of experience. I guarantee that it will be traumatic for you and the bird. If you’re still serious about pursuing this, then it is absolutely critical that your first step be to volunteer at a rescue or care facility of some kind for birds specifically. Get dirty, get bitten, get some training, get some experience, and get some contacts for help when things inevitably go sideways. You’ll hear first hand all the stories about: someone’s loved pet that turned into depressed wreck on their owner’s death; or the parrot that was caged alone and never received any attention and went mad; or the malnourished parrot that was fed only seed; or the parrot that was bought as a gift and abandoned; or the family pet that permanently maimed and disfigured a child because of improper training and supervision.
I’ve known a few bird people and their unifying characteristic is a very high tolerance for noise, mess, chaos, bird shit, and emotional codependence. It takes a very special kind of person with a lot of extra time and space to care for parrots full time in a healthy way for either party.
Parrots do not make good pets. They can be kept in captivity, but they require specialized care by experienced and trained caregivers. They are a LIFETIME commitment that may very well outlive you, so don’t forget to include them in your will.