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Post by aaron on Feb 14, 2016 20:48:45 GMT -5
You're definitely doing the right thing here. Good for you. Parrots are an incredible amount of work, and they basically change your lifestyle forever. We all love our birds, but nobody here would deny the fact that they take over your life, possibly more so than any other type of companion animal... and they can be very disruptive and challenging at times. They are loud, messy, and pick favorites, and all of this can be a challenge with families. So there is definitely a lot to consider for someone at your age (or anyone, for that matter). You want to make sure you've thought through how you will handle the future, as your life changes, which of course tends to happen quite a bit for young people  Is your family on board? Will they be able to help out? What will you do when you/your family goes on vacation? Will you bring this bird with you if you go to college? Will it get the kind of attention it needs in that sort of situation? Do you have access to the necessary funds for food, toys, to take this bird to the vet (have you looked into avian vets nearby?) for necessary checkups and testing, or if there is an illness (you really can't hesitate when it comes to bird illness...) Given that you already take care of so many little creatures, I have a feeling you're probably on top of things and don't need me to say this stuff, but I just thought I'd give you a few things to think about. I'm certainly not trying to discourage you, but it's definitely a major decision! The answer to many of your questions is honestly unknown right now, which is one of the reasons why I'm waiting at least a year before adopting my companion. At 16, I don't know what my future holds. I want to make sure that I will be able to accommodate my parrots needs in a year but also in 10 years. I also want to give myself time because as you said, parrots are a huge commitment. Right now I love everything about owning a bird, but this could change in a year and I don't want to regret such a huge commitment. I want to learn everything I can about these fascinating birds so I can plan a future for both me and a Quaker. Sounds like you are thinking about all of the right things and have a good head on your shoulders. I'd wager you have what it takes to be a good bird owner on a personal level-- just make sure you have the circumstantial and situational details worked out too. Good luck and let us know if you have any questions we can answer!! |
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Is your family on board? Will they be able to help out? What will you do when you/your family goes on vacation? Will you bring this bird with you if you go to college? Will it get the kind of attention it needs in that sort of situation? Do you have access to the necessary funds for food, toys, to take this bird to the vet (have you looked into avian vets nearby?) for necessary checkups and testing, or if there is an illness (you really can't hesitate when it comes to bird illness...) Given that you already take care of so many little creatures, I have a feeling you're probably on top of things and don't need me to say this stuff, but I just thought I'd give you a few things to think about. I'm certainly not trying to discourage you, but it's definitely a major decision!