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I will soon relocate to a country home in Mia,with enough place for a little parrot house...
I am fascinated by the intelligence & the longevity of talking parrots...
Do they really live 50 years,in a protected environment ?
I welcome comments from anyone who likes & owns parrots...
I am fascinated by the intelligence & the longevity of talking parrots...
Do they really live 50 years,in a protected environment ?
As for 50 years... that's entirely dependent on the species. Generally speaking the larger the parrot, the longer they live - i.e. macaws have been known to reach their 70's. Having said all that, most don't make it quite that far. I think the rule of thumb for medium sized parrots - i.e. Grays, Amazons, etc. - would be +/- 25 years or so. But since they do have the capacity to probably outlive their owners... provisions should be made regardless. Yup, put them in your will.
Their intelligence is ... well, at times it will just leave you there with your jaw dropped. BUT the flip side of the coin is that it also equals hard work and, not to put too fine a point on it, money. I cannot over-emphasise that to properly care for a parrot is a lot of hard work - rewarding work, but time-consuming.
If you're planning on building some sort of aviary outside (as you can do in south FL weatherwise) there are two things I'd call your attention to: a) neighbours (not everyone appreciates the dawn and dusk "chorus" and believe me, it carries) and b) the pragmatics of the actual design (proofing for rodents, avoiding ant/insect infestations, best use of space, materials to be used/avoided, etc.).
Also - and it's a biggie - with an outdoor aviary you need to be willing and able to set aside time each and every day to go sit/play/interact with the bird(s). Parrots are sociable creatures and do not appreciate being left alone. They're not too subtle about showing displeasure either.
A late friend of mine used to have 2 macaws and a cockatiel in her house. The 2 macaws were allowed out in the day when she was at home and until she went to bed. They walked on the tables and furniture, drank from a glass, and kept her company. She had to keep rotating their toys in and out of the cages so they wouldn't get too bored with any particular toy. They are incredibly intelligent and need mental stimulation or they will start tearing out their feathers in a self-mutilating behavior.
Better a birdhouse,say 6X6 feet,in the backyard...
A size suitable for a pair of wee lovebirds (which are actually parrots), budgies up to maybe a conure - but certainly not suitable for any medium or larger of the parrot species.
I can't help but think that getting a parrot because you want a pet that is going to outlive you is about the worst reason in the world to get a parrot. ANY animal has the potential to drop dead in an instant - and while none of us expects any of our pets to live foreshortened lives, it happens. Parrots - who require specialist veterinary care even just for routine matters ("exotics" are not covered in any detail in veterinary school. Any vet that does exotics specialised.) are prone to all sorts of weird and wonderful ailments. An example: death from heated non-stick cookware... (it gives off a gas that kills them). You can't use any ordinary household cleaners around parrots either. No more perfume, no more aftershave - no more aerosols. To get a parrot is a commitment that will affect your life on many levels. You need to really fully look into what owning a parrot entails because most people aren't willing to really go the distance. That's why the rescues are full to bursting.
Not all parrots learn to speak and not all parrots are going to outlive their owners. However ALL parrots do require work, commitment and dedication as well as a slightly unbalanced owner...
Hurting themselves,so as to attract attention,like the...humans do...
As for free roaming in a house,I think it is a no-no ,because they...poop every where...
Better a birdhouse,say 6X6 feet,in the backyard...
Parrots do not pluck their feathers to attract attention. They pluck when they become bored and can also pluck when they are ill. Some even pluck because they're a bit neurotic.
They do not/should not roam freely, unsupervised, in a house. Most are quite content to be on various perches with food/water/toys or on a playstand. Many come with wheels or are made of light weight PVC, so they can be moved from room to room and be with you.
BTW, many (not all) parrots can be potty trained, so they do not "poop everywhere".
Parrots can live many many years, but like anything else, they can die young. Parrots are very messy. They poop everywhere, they throw their food, being as they need to be fed fruits and veggies besides their seeds, that can be a real mess. I had an African Grey that loved corn on the cob (uncooked). He would eat and have corn crud all over his beak, then shake his head and that would fly everywhere. They need a larger sized cage, and a lot of mental stimulation. The larger parents need physical interaction with their owners, they need toys and things to play with, they need different stimuli so they do not get bored. If your parrot is left alone all the time, not offered attention and toys and love, he may begin to feather pluck. Birds that pluck their own feathers often never stop doing it once it starts and it can make for a very unattractive bird, and a bird with no feathers for warmth. I would suggest you read a lot about parrots, go see some at pet stores etc., and maybe visit with a few people that own one or more.
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