Disadvantages Of Having Parrots For A Pet
Parrots can be pretty hard to take care of. Unlike other pets that can be left alone in their cages, parrots are restless creatures who you have to check up on a couple of times every day. Here are just some things that parrots can do to your home.
Parrots can be pretty messy
If you are the type that would like the house to be spotless, try to reconsider getting a parrot or any pet for that matter. Parrots can be really messy, even a small parakeet.
Their food can be flung everywhere even when they are inside the cage. Your floor can be filled up by pellets, seed, and nutshells. Sticky foods may also be plastered on the walls, on the bars of the cage and even at the ceilings. Foods will literally be everywhere.
Another problem that you may have are their poop, which you really have to clean everyday. And they are not that disciplined to only poop in one place. They actually poop everywhere, in bars, in their food dish and even with the toys that you give them. They may even poop in between bars, which may end up on the floor and sometimes even on you.
If you have a cockatiel variety or the grey breed, you will also have to contend with the powder that they have on their feathers. The feathers will stick everywhere. So, you really have to dust everyday.
Because of this, you have to scrub the cage, their dish and the whole of the area at least once a day to prevent bacteria from settling in and of course the bad smell.
2. Parrots chew on everything
Parrots love chewing wood. In fact, owners of parrots often give them wooden toys to play and chew with inside their cages. Parrots however are not satisfied with just these toys. When they get the opportunity, they will chew on everything that they get their hands on. They will puncture your clothes, your furniture, even your books.
This can be really frustrating especially if you are the type of person who wants a clean house. Parrots are not recommended in homes that have dainty and fragile furniture. They should also not be placed in areas where they can break things and chew on antiques.
Be careful with wearing jewelry because they will sure to grab it or chew it. Parrots love shiny things. They can claw the stone right out of your favorite jewelry.
- Low Jeremy
Parrot Types
You walk by a bird shop, or visit the aviary at the zoo, and there may be several types of parrots. You study them, and begin to wonder, “What types of parrots are there anyway? How many types of parrots are there?”
Actually, there are more than 350 parrot types when you consider every species and sub-species in the group. Many of the most common parrot types are from Australasia and the tropics.
Parrot Families
All parrots, of whatever parrot types or breeds they are, belong to the scientific order Psittaciformes. That scientific order is further broken down into two different parrot families: Cacatuidae and Psittacidae.
The Cacatuidae family includes only the Cockatoo, a bird that is native to Australia and islands near that continent.
The second parrot family, the Psittacidae, includes all of the true parrot types.
Cockatoos
To most people, the cockatoo is a large white parrot with a feathered head crest that it can lift high in regal splendor. That is, however, only one of the parrot types in this family. There are 21 different cockatoos, and not every one is white.
1. The palm cockatoo is mostly dark gray, with red cheek patches below the eyes - cheek patches that change to a deeper red when the bird becomes excited or alarmed.
2. The male gang-gang cockatoo is dark gray with a cherry red head and red crest. This parrot type is often called the red-headed cockatoo.
3. The Major Mitchell’s cockatoo is often called a pink cockatoo due to its soft pastel pink shade.
4. The cockatiel’s plumage is mid-grey on top, lighter grey underneath. It has an orange cheek patch, and a prominent white blaze on its wings. It has a much longer tail than the other cockatoos have.
So Cockatoos are not always a white parrot type, and not all cockatoos are the same in build.
True Parrots
This family includes all of the other commonly-known parrot types. The list that follows is not intended to be exhaustive, but in this family, you will find parrot types such as these:
1. African Greys: This is said to be the most intelligent of all the parrot types. A large gray parrot with a red tail, some of these bird have vocabularies approaching 1,000 words or more.
2. Amazons: This popular parrot type includes about 27 sub-types. Most are large, affectionate, and predominantly green.
3. Budgies: Officially known as a parakeet or budgerigar, this parrot type is small and colorful. It is one of the most popular parrot pets.
4. Conures: This parrot type seems to be a group of large parakeets. With long tails and strong beaks, these “clowns” come in a variety of colors.
5. Eclectus: Eclectus Parrots are unusual in their coloring. On the one hand, males are bright green, with beaks like bright candy corn, tails and wings of blue or red. Females, on the other hand, have red heads, blue breasts, and the same red or blue wings and tails. In place of the candy corn look, they have black beaks.
6. Lovebirds: Lovebirds are a small, stocky parrot type - among the smallest in the world. Many are green, sometimes with red faces or eye rings.
7. Macaws: Native to South America, this is the largest parrot type in wingspan and length. The blue and gold macaw is especially beautiful.
8. Parrotlets: These may look like parakeets at first glance, but this small parrot type has a broader body and tail than the parakeet.
9. Pionus: There are many parrot types under the name Pionus parrot, and this larger, quieter parrot comes in many varieties of color.
10. Quakers: This parrot type is often called a Monk Parrot or Grey-breasted Parakeet. It is a name that comes from facial feathering that resembles an old-fashioned Quaker costume.
There are many more parrot types than this article can list or discuss, even in a surface manner. You will find muc more information in your library or bookstore.
Best Parrot Types for Children’s Pets
A final question is this: “What types of parrots are there that would make good children’s pets?”
Many children are drawn to large parrots because of their colors or their reputation for talking well, but the large parrot types are not good pets for children. They require firm handling and training, and do well as pets only when the owner has had experience first with smaller parrots.
The best parrot type for a child’s pet is the Budgerigar, aka budgie or parakeet. The small Budgerigar requires the least amount of care, and is easily trained to talk and do tricks. Budgies that are young, or those that have no cage mate, will learn most readily.
- Anna Hart
Will my parakeets breed while my cockatiels are in the cage?
I have two parakeets and a cockatiel in the cage, all of whom get along great. The parakeets act like they are ready to mate so I gave them a nest box…. will they be okay since the cockatiel is in the cage along with them? They have never fought, any of them.
- birdiegirlie87
can a cockateil baby once weened be put in the same cage as an adult parakeet?
i know some one had a simalar question, to mine but if the cockatiel is introduced as a baby to adult parakeets would they get along? i am hand feeding a cockateil baby and it will be a matter of weeks before it is weened. i have layed it in the bottom of the parakeets cage and they just look at it but dont do any thing to it.
- writer_wanna_be04
Can you add another parakeet to a cage if the original bird has been there for about two years?
I have a male parakeet in a cage (originally built for a cockatiel), and he’s been in there for about two years. Would it be ok for both him and the new bird to add another? If so, what should I do to get them to accept eachother? Thanks!
The cage is about 14×18x23 in.
- eric
Can you put a parakeet and a baby cockatiel in the same cage? Gary Dominicus?
Just got a baby cokatiel. Can I put it in the smae cage as my parakeet? Gary Dominicus
- Gary D
Can you keep a cockatiel and a parakeet together in the same cage?
I have a hand tamed cockatiel but I worry that she’s lonely by herself. Could I get a tame parakeet and keep them together in the same cage?
- *Cara*
can you keep a cockatiel and parakeet in the same cage?
i like cockatiels my sister likes parakeets should we share a cage or buy a seperat cage for each?
- Marie L
can a cockatiel and parakeet be in the same cage?
i have a cockatiel and let her out of her cage a least hour a day. but i work 8 hours aday and i also have to give my dog allot of attention or he gets jelous. so i thought about buying a parakeet to go with her. now i have seen and heard people say that they have put in the same cage. but does matter what the gender of the parakeet or anything else that would be worried about?
- Ryan C
Can you put two different types of birds in the same cage? parakeet & cockatiels?
I have two parakeets & will be getting one cockatiel,
- im2merr