re: anyone have a pet bird?

We've got an a-hole cockatiel. He just wants to sit in his cage, even if you leave the door open.

I feed and water him, so I'm the only person he will let touch him unless you've got balls of brass. If you don't pull back when he hisses, chirps or snaps at you, he'll let you pet him a little. It helps to be about half drunk to calm your nerves if it's your first "Peanut experience".

I use to but he flew away.

We had a cockatiel for about 5 years. It loved one person and tolerated me. I clipped its wings so it couldn't fly. Shite everywhere but she had a cute personality. Would get down from her cage and walk thru the entire house and find you and climb up chair just to sit on your shoulder. Loved stealing cereal out of your bowl.
We got a new pup and "somebody" didn't lock her up when they left one day. Dog tore her up.

fricking funny shite in this thread!

I have a Chestnut Fronted Macaw aka a Severe Macaw. He's 8 years old. He says about 30 words and a few sentences. He is a one person bird like what has been mentioned here. He can and will do serious damge to hands and fingers with that powerful beak. He's fully flighted at the moment but i'll clip him soon so I can take him outside. He grows new feathers three times a year so clipping is an ongoing thing.


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I'd suggest you do a ton of research and, if you can, go hang out with some parrot keepers before making that leap. I'm an animal person but I have zero desire to babysit a neurotic parrot for the rest of my life.

I've looked into pied crows before. I'd be more apt to consider a crow, but I don't know enough about them to know if they're as bad a parrots.

I have an African Grey, a rescue that I've had for more than 8 years. He's Not loud like conjures or macaws, is highly intelligent and had a interesting relationship with my border collie. They are not cuddly birds unless socialized at a very young age. Parrots are not really pets but companions. They require interaction and in the African Grey's case, are not people pleasers. I love ours but my wife does not and the kids are afraid of it. Messy, but it's manageable.