Parrots as Pets

Parrots as Pets:

Parrots are not pets, they are companion animals. It has been said that parrots have the intelligence of a three year old child, and the emotional maturity of a two year old. Believe me when I tell you this can be a lethal combination. Mira Tweti says in her book "Of Parrots and People" that unruly might as well be the dictionary definition of parrot. These statments are nothing less than the truth about parrots.

Parrots are not domesticated animals, they are wild animals; usually only a generation or so removed from living free in their wild native environment. Even a hand-fed, hand-reared parrot is still a wild animal being held in captivity.

A parrots natural instincts, inclinations and behaviors will be heavily present throughout its lifetime, and you will NEVER be able to completely train these behaviors out of them.

Parrots are naturally wired to be dominant. They will never stop testing the waters to see if they can dominate you, or anyone else in their envirnment. "The parrots is a naturally assertive, domineering, and demanding creature, that upon maturity will have hormonally induced "temper-tantrums" (Guide to a Well Behaved Parrot).

The AWC (Avian Rescue Coalition) has several wonderfull articles about what to expect from your parrot pet:

Behavioral Problems in Pet Parrots

Exotic Pet Birds Are Not Pets; Really

Parrots and People: A relationship of Conflict

The True Nature of Parrots

Treating Parrots as Birds; Not Mammals

Feathered Friends Rescue

“One does not meet oneself until one catches the reflection from an eye other than human.”