Parrots: Where, What and How best to buy for a pet?

Question

I am looking to buy a parrot. I want to know what preparations i will need to do first in order to ensure a healthy and well kept bird. I want a macaw or african grey - any suggestions welcome. Also what costs may be involved.

Thanks in advance

Answer 1

Have you ever owned a bird?  If you haven't then you probably want to start off with a smaller bird.  Macaws and African Greys live so many years.  Macaws live 30-50 years and African Greys live 50-over 70 years.  These birds could possibly live longer than you.  Make sure you are ready to make such a huge commitment.   They need daily attention.  They can be extremely loud and aggressive if not trained properly.  

If you want to have a larger bird, but one that is a bit easier I would recommend getting either an Indian Ringneck(16" long) or an Alexandrine(23" long)  They are sweet birds that are also intelligent(not as intelligent as Macaws of African Greys)  Another easier bird is a conure (the Pyrrhura variety is relatively quite). Conures live around 15 years and come in a variety of colors.  They can be a bit aggressive so it would help you build up your bird knowledge (without any broken fingers)  They are a bit smaller depending on which one (around 8-18")

The birds you want can be wonderful pets.  Just do a lot of research before you do purchase one.  It wouldn't hurt to attend a training class also. You can check out the humane societies for one.  You should be able to find a Macaw of Grey that is already trained and in need of a home.  Since they do live so long many people are not able to keep them the whole life of the bird considering changes in family situations and things.

Answer 2

Hi,

If you are a complete novice to parrot keeping i would recommend you getting an african grey, as they are easier to keep than a macaw and well macaws need a lot larger cage as they are larger birds, and well if you have a macaw there is a chance that they could bite and break your finger where as greys do not bite as bad, but it still hurts.

If you get a grey then i would recommend trying to find a local breeder rather than buying a bird from a pet shop this way breeders usually give you better advice, and in my experience pet shop ones aren't that tame because they are just kept in a cage and not handled.

Answer 3

id advice you to firstly buy some books on the type of parrot you want. if you are looking to buy african grey the best ones are with private breeders . make sure its young you can tell this by its eyes they re normally blue under a year old . there is a very good magazine you con buy monthly called parrots which is excallent as it covers all parrots and has breeders in there adverts . rember they like a lot of attention and are very noisy at times

Answer 4

i've got an african grey, two pairs of macaws and a pair of amazons. i would definitely say have a grey as your first. mine cost £650 years ago, he does have a large vocabulary,songbook and does great impressions of people, machinery and our dogs,comes in the shower,drinks my cup of tea, knows when i have a bar of fruit and nut(i have the chocolate he gets the nut), he has a large cage (bigger than reccomendations), this was around £350.

two of the macaws have a few words to say, and one is daddy's little girl, she comes out and sits on his shoulder and preens his hair

insurance and vet bills can be costly unless you know where to go.

places like 'the parrot society' will give you a mind of information and breeders to buy from as apposed to pet shops who charge the earth and dont always give good advice

the only suggestion i have is if you arent sure on the time, money etc needed to care for one try a smaller bird first like a cockatiel, that way if it all goes wrong or you find you need to sell it, its a lot less money to lose than a grey or macaw.

it can be hard work but the rewards are worth it.

look around and good luck

Answer 5

I believe the least you can get a macaw for these days is $3,000 and that does not include cost of food and other needs the bird may have.  Here in Cali we have a great pet shop that grooms pets and answers questions about them when asked.  do you have a place like that where you live?

Answer 6

leave them in their natural environment

Answer 7

I would look for a breeder in your area. Breeders usually sell the healthiest pets, and most pet stores don't carry large parrots like macaws or african greys. You can search on google for breeders in your area. I've seen some for around $1,500 recently, but I'm not too sure what condition these would be in. Most of them are sold for about $2,000-$3,500. I would recommend a macaw since they are a bit hardier than the african greys-these get disturbed quite easily and rip out their feathers. As for preparations, you'll need a large cage, especially if your bird will not get more than 1 free time a week. Toys and chewy perches are also a must so your bird doesn't get bored and start ripping it's feathers out. Fresh fruits and veggies should be given, as well as spray millet, treats, and a well balanced seed mix. You should probably buy a book about whichever bird you decide to get. I would also recommend yearly vet visits to make sure the bird is in good health. Good luck!