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Parrots are amazing creatures. They’re beautiful, majestic and intelligent. They can also be quite a handful, especially if you are new to owning a bird as a pet. Before you decide to take the plunge into parrot ownership, consider the follow “cons” that come with sharing your life with a parrot.

Parrots Are Loud!

Oh, what’s that you say? You enjoy spending quiet evenings at home listening to soft music or catching up on your favorite TV shows? You are a big fan of taking relaxing baths or meditating in the sereneness of the early morning?

Yeah, that’s not happening with a parrot – sorry. Birds are loud. They love to squawk, talk and scream, and they’re happy to do it any time of day or night.

If you’re the kind of person who doesn’t like the idea of being woken up at dawn (and then getting startled again at dusk) by the musical stylings of a bird, you may want to reconsider bird ownership.

On the other hand, if you don’t mind coming home to and living in a lively environment where you’ll always have someone to chat with, a bird might be right up your alley.

Parrots Aren’t Cheap – to Buy or Take Care Of

Some people think that the biggest expense when it comes to owning a parrot is the cost of the bird itself. While they can certainly be pricey depending on the species and where you get them, the cost of purchasing the bird is but one expense on a never-ending list.

After you’ve purchased a parrot, you will have to immediately invest in a cage, food, and toys. The larger your bird, the larger all of these things will have to be, and the more it will cost.

Once you’ve got the necessities in order, you’ll have to maintain the bird with a constant supply of both food and toys. Many bird owners buy new toys or cage accessories every other week.

Parrots Are Firm Opponents of Privacy

When you adopt a parrot as a lifelong friend, you are essentially saying goodbye to any semblance of privacy that you might have had. No longer will you have the option of sitting in the living room by yourself; gone will be the days where you could move from one room to another without someone flapping (or click-click-clicking) at your side.

If you’re the kind of person who needs to have “your space”, a cat might be your ideal pet. On the other hand, if you love the thought of constant companionship and always having someone nearby that you can coo at, a parrot sounds like the perfect match.

A word of warning here: there are certain areas of your house where parrots should never be allowed to go. These areas include bathrooms, the kitchen, the garage and anywhere near a door that leads to the outside world.

Bathrooms, for example, are hazardous to birds because they present drowning and choking risks. The kitchen is unsafe because of cooking fumes, which can harm a parrot’s respiratory system.

If you think that you can escape your bird (at least for a little while) by high-tailing it to one of these areas, you’d be right, but keep in mind that the longer you are gone, the louder and more obnoxious your feathered friend will be in its calling and screaming for you.

Parrots Poop Non-Stop (Just About)

There is simply no two ways about it: birds poop all the time. From the moment they wake to the moment they go to sleep, these winged wonders need to do their business every 10 to 30 minutes.

The reason birds use the restroom so often is two-fold: flight and a fast metabolism. In the wild, birds spend a lot of time flying around, and they need to be as light as possible for the best results – hence the “unloading” of extra baggage, if you will.

This fact, combined with their extremely fast metabolism and constant desire to eat, means that droppings and the sound of droppings are things you’ll have to quickly get used to when you bring home a bird.

Thankfully, parrots are extremely intelligent creatures, and they can be taught to designate an area as their main potty space. While this won’t mitigate your need to clean regularly, it will make it easier. However, be forewarned: parrots, like all pets, are prone to accidents, especially when they are startled or scared.

They Are Also Messy in General

As if the joy of constant pooping wasn’t fun enough, parrots are notorious for being messy in other aspects of their lives as well, such as eating, playing and grooming.

When birds eat, they engage in a behavior known as flinging. Every time they take a bite, you can count on another being flung out of their bowls. Out in the wild, this is actually quite beneficial because it helps with the spread of seeds that turn into plants. In your home, however, it does nothing but create a huge mess – every single day.

In addition to their unique eating habits, parrots also love taking their toys and spreading them out are far as they can manage. And when they groom, they release dust and loose feathers. Also, don’t forget about their once-a-year molting!

Parrots Can Destroy Everything in Sight

If there’s one thing that every bird owner will warn you about, it’s a parrot’s ability to destroy just about anything it can get to. Picture frame corners, wires, books and even televisions are all fair game to a parrot, so if you treasure your personal belongings, it’s imperative that you parrot-proof any area of the house where your pet will be allowed to go.

Parrots are amazing creatures, but they can also be pains in the neck. But, when you really think about, the same thing can be said about just any pet. What you have to decide is how much effort you’re willing to put in. If you can deal with the quirks and habits of a parrot and you’re willing to put in the hard work that’s required for their care, you’ll enjoy a pet and joy that’s unlike any other.

Read More:

How To Stop Parrot Biting

Everything You Need to Know About Parrots Screaming

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