Forever Feathered Friends: The Lifelong Commitment of Parrot Ownership
- kentparrotlady
- Jan 27
- 2 min read
Parrots are a life long commitment
They, and indeed any animal, should not be bought as a present for Christmas, Birthdays or on a whim.
At the end of the day, they are a living creature who deserve time, care and proper research. Especially when it comes to parrots, they are a life long commitment. Some species can live 50-80 years.
The reality is, they may outlive you.
Therefore, it is the owner's responsibility when they welcome a parrot into their home to have a continency plan in place as to what happens should they outlive them.
Myself and my partner, for example, have agreed that we could not take in or buy a chick from a species such as a Macaw or another African Grey because they would outlive us and that is not fair on the bird as we would not have any children to look after them.
Most parrots are in rescues or sanctuaries either because the owner has not researched the species before buying them, so they end up with behavioural or health issues, or their owners have passed away and there is no family member that is able to look after them, or they simply have no other family members.
Please think responsibility before buying a parrot, or indeed any animal; aside from the practical sides of husbandry (e.g. proper diet, cage, safe environment and insurance for the vet), the emotional impact on your feathered friend should so be taken into consideration. Vocalisation, feather plucking or biting can also stem from emotional trauma or loss of a former owner.
With that said, if you are able to give them the care and affection they need and are ready for a life long commitment, parrots make a wonderful addition to an appropriate family. There are a variety of options available out there for adopting an older bird and giving them their forever home, while this may require love and patience it is very rewarding to have one of these amazing creatures open up to you.
If you are considering adoption and are based in the UK- please click the images below to find out more
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