I always wanted a pet bird as a child and my parents always understandably said no as we had dogs and other pets. Now that I’m 30 and have been settled into adulthood for a decade, I’ve been more strongly considering a pet bird but only want to do it if I’m confident I can be a good and responsible bird owner.
I’m single and own a condo in a high rise building so noise needs to be minimal. Of course, I know all animals make noise and you can’t control it, and my building is generally pet friendly so moderate noise is fine - just want to skew towards particular birds that are known to be quieter. I work from home most days as well currently so would be present for socialization and what not. I’d prefer a bird that enjoys interacting to some extent with humans but don’t necessarily need a Velcro bird.
My long research has me leaning towards a lineolated parakeet “linnie” as they seem to be a good fit for my setup, though a bit hard to find. I am not firmly decided on that though, so open to other suggestions.
The kicker that is giving me a bit of pause is the fact that I do have to travel for work on occasion. It totals out to probably 8 work weeks per year out of town, usually a Monday morning to Friday afternoon kind of thing, but maybe one or two of those trips are extended to be closer to 10-12 days.
I’d prefer to find a local sitter that is familiar with avian care, I’ve also already found a local store that offers boarding services. But wanted to get the groups opinion on if that is simply too much travel to responsibly have a healthy and happy bird.
Would greatly appreciate any and all thoughts!
Two budgies. Just my two cents worth. 🤷♂️
I was actually thinking about a pair so they can stay socialized when I’m traveling but I’m a bit worried as a first time bird owner about starting with two. Also curious why you suggest a budgie over a linnie?
\+1 great advice- since you in an apartment and noise is an issue.
Linnie is exactly what I was thinking. Make sure you have a solid plan for those longer out of town work weeks and I think you would do well with them.
I think it’s great that you’re doing research before getting a bird. The amount of time that you’ll be gone for work is more than I’d be comfortable with. If you get budgies get 2 or 3. Not one because they do well with others and really need that interaction, especially given how often you’ll be gone. I’m not familiar with the lineolated parakeets, but perhaps the same idea. Before getting birds, I’d recommend that you find an avian vet. And, given you’ll be gone a lot, you should also figure out your care plan to be sure you have one that you’re comfortable with. Good luck!
We travel many weeks out of every year and we own four very happy and healthy birds. We do this by having a sitter who is well trained on caring for our birds and giving them the time and attention they need. We also pay the sitter well because it’s no small job! If you can afford to pay someone for that amount of travel I think you would be fine.
Thanks for the input! Yes I’m fortunate enough that money wouldn’t be a concern - I’m able to prioritize whatever would be best for the birds. How did you find your bird sitter - through an app or something by searching for bird trained people? Or found someone you trusted and then taught them about bird handling?
Be warned. Linnies are still loud(!) when they want to be. Mine screams every morning at 7:30am, for 5+mins straight, because he's excited for breakfast. 😭 It's probably equivalent to a child screaming. They'll also contact/flock call for you if you're out of the house and they love you the most, so...hrm. Maybe get like 2-4 of them so they can entertain each other. For boarding, is there an avian vet near you? They should do a fine job. And linnies have perpetual cute baby faces, funny big clown feet, and slow velociraptor walks so my avian vet is always really excited to have them. They're just hilarious creatures lol
I'm a new parrot owner (also 30) and had also considered a pet bird for awhile during my 20s. Decided to go for it a couple months ago. I dove in head first and got a Timneh African Grey. I did the recommended research first (avian vet, boarding, noise level) and committed. I will say... I have mental health diagnoses that make change difficult for me. I've also never owned a bird before and am used to having dogs. So for the first week or two I was kind of in shock getting used to the noise and behaviors. I felt sick to my stomach and had second thoughts. But I stuck with positive reinforcement and trusted that we would develop a bond. And we are! It's such a rewarding feeling. I still feel the weight of the responsibility given the lifespan for my bird, but I have all the resources I need. Parrot Stars, where I got her, has been an awesome resource. They have a great podcast and have also answered my questions over the phone when I call. Right now, my bird is perched on her play stand in my office and she occasionally flies to me :) Keep us updated on your bird journey!