this post was submitted on 22 Jan 2024
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[Outdated, please look at pinned post] Casual Conversation

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[–] Xtallll@lemmy.world 7 points 9 months ago (5 children)

Birb, now someone tell me why I'm a monster for choosing.

[–] numberfour002@lemmy.world 6 points 9 months ago

The birb is an Eclectus parrot. I've got a totally different perspective and opinion than some of the other comments you received. And that opinion is: They make terrible pets and are not really suited for the general public.

The basics of their care (food, water, shelter, medical treatment, cleaning, maintenance) are all pretty reasonable to accommodate.

Their psychological needs are a whole order of magnitude harder to provide, and can almost rival the time, attention, and energy needed for a young child. Depending on the age of the bird you adopt, you could be signing up for 20 - 30+ years of commitment to an animal that may ultimately not form a bond with you, is much more intelligent than a cat or dog in a lot of ways, and can pretty easily make your life nearly as miserable as its own. If they aren't happy, they will make sure that you aren't happy either, but keeping them happy can be a job in and of itself.

Now if you have experience with keeping similar birds in captivity, are well-educated on how much goes into their care, have lots of disposable income, and are fully prepared for the good and the bad, then you might do alright with one. But, if you're looking at them to be a "pet", then this is not a good option for you.

[–] Nemo@midwest.social 6 points 9 months ago

There will never be enough meat on that baby to make a decent meal.

[–] BurnedDonut@ani.social 5 points 9 months ago

I look after two of these adorable birs when I was a teenager. They are usually alright. I don't remember anything bad about them or high maintenance care. You just need to be careful about handling them and their environment not to stress them to much. Only bad thing is their bite. They can rip your fingers off if you make them angry. I remember mines were breaking up the cage's metal bars just because they were bored. Other than that they are very clever and fun pets to have.

[–] JJROKCZ@lemmy.world 4 points 9 months ago

Gotta be prepared and committed, many parrot species have lifespans as long as humans. This isn’t a 10 year pet like a dog or cat

[–] devilkitty@lemmy.world 3 points 9 months ago

My wife and I have a Moluccan cockatoo and an Indian ringneck.

Think of parrots as very demanding, often destructive, toddlers that never grow up and have no “inside voice.” They will make you thank whatever god you follow that you can get subtitles on your television.