Current Events > So, people with a history of pet birds. Any suggestions?

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Bad_Mojo 03/20/21 4:21:01 PM #1:	Like, what are some of the best tips for taking care of a bird. I'm pretty sure I want to get a Cockatiel, maybe 2 [if this is good for them] and just chill. I can let them out of their cage to play around my room, right? What about a cage? Food? Is it horrible to clip their wings like it is to de-claw cats? I don't mind if it's able to fly at all, but what if it comes that way? Just some basic stuff, I guess. --- https://i.imgtc.com/hQ5SuG6.gif https://i.imgtc.com/QrhAq36.gif https://i.imgtc.com/Yjov9DU.gif <cite>Bad_Mojo posted [p:951925045] in So, people... [t:79359351]...</cite> <quote>Like, what are some of the best tips for taking care of a bird. I'm pretty sure I want to get a Cockatiel, maybe 2 [if this is good for them] and just chill. I can let them out of their cage to play around my room, right? What about a cage? Food? Is it horrible to clip their wings like it is to de-claw cats? I don't mind if it's able to fly at all, but what if it comes that way? Just some basic stuff, I guess. </quote> ... Copied to Clipboard!
EricDraven59 03/20/21 5:02:17 PM #2:	Ummm i can't offer too much advice. I had a parakeet like 15 years ago. It lived for like 3 years and then died somehow. I let it out of the cage sometimes and it flew around the apartment. I mean i don't know whats in your home like if you have a bunch of fragile things a pet bird could fly into. I suggest going to youtube and searching for taking care of a pet bird. There is many videos by people giving a lot of information <cite>EricDraven59 posted [p:951926285] in So, people... [t:79359351]...</cite> <quote>Ummm i can't offer too much advice. I had a parakeet like 15 years ago. It lived for like 3 years and then died somehow. I let it out of the cage sometimes and it flew around the apartment. I mean i don't know whats in your home like if you have a bunch of fragile things a pet bird could fly into. I suggest going to youtube and searching for taking care of a pet bird. There is many videos by people giving a lot of information </quote> ... Copied to Clipboard!
Phynaster 03/20/21 5:09:03 PM #3:	Dont get a fucking pet bird unless its a rescue. --- Rebel <cite>Phynaster posted [p:951926459] in So, people... [t:79359351]...</cite> <quote>Dont get a fucking pet bird unless its a rescue. </quote> ... Copied to Clipboard!
BFrench2 03/20/21 5:13:31 PM #4:	You may have to get it devocalized like I did if it wakes you up daily at 5am like my old parakeet did. I wish you best of luck with it, birds are great pets. --- God dangit, Jackson! <cite>BFrench2 posted [p:951926575] in So, people... [t:79359351]...</cite> <quote>You may have to get it devocalized like I did if it wakes you up daily at 5am like my old parakeet did. I wish you best of luck with it, birds are great pets. </quote> ... Copied to Clipboard!
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SaltyWet 03/20/21 5:15:39 PM #6:	Designate a caretaker in your will because they will outlive you. --- FlowerBridge <cite>SaltyWet posted [p:951926632] in So, people... [t:79359351]...</cite> <quote>Designate a caretaker in your will because they will outlive you. </quote> ... Copied to Clipboard!
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Bad_Mojo 03/20/21 5:23:04 PM #8:	Phynaster posted... Dont get a fucking pet bird unless its a rescue. [LFAQs-redacted-quote] It's for my nephew, really. It will just stay with me, and then when he comes over he can listen to the bird make songs and stuff. I'll see if it bites or not before I let him try to feed it slices of apple or something. If that's good, I'll look up a diet for birds if I decide to get one BFrench2 posted... You may have to get it devocalized like I did if it wakes you up daily at 5am like my old parakeet did. I wish you best of luck with it, birds are great pets. Nah, that stuff doesn't bother me. I live like 3 blocks away from an active train that blows it's horn a lot, and I don't even notice it at all. [LFAQs-redacted-quote] That's good to know. Like I said, I don't mind if it can fly, but I think a lot of pet birds are clipped now. I could be wrong --- https://i.imgtc.com/hQ5SuG6.gif https://i.imgtc.com/QrhAq36.gif https://i.imgtc.com/Yjov9DU.gif <cite>Bad_Mojo posted [p:951926845] in So, people... [t:79359351]...</cite> <quote>Phynaster posted... </cite> <quote>Dont get a fucking pet bird unless its a rescue.</quote> <cite>[LFAQs-redacted-quote]</cite> It's for my nephew, really. It will just stay with me, and then when he comes over he can listen to the bird make songs and stuff. I'll see if it bites or not before I let him try to feed it slices of apple or something. If that's good, I'll look up a diet for birds if I decide to get one BFrench2 posted... </cite> <quote>You may have to get it devocalized like I did if it wakes you up daily at 5am like my old parakeet did. I wish you best of luck with it, birds are great pets.</quote> Nah, that stuff doesn't bother me. I live like 3 blocks away from an active train that blows it's horn a lot, and I don't even notice it at all. <cite>[LFAQs-redacted-quote]</cite> That's good to know. Like I said, I don't mind if it can fly, but I think a lot of pet birds are clipped now. I could be wrong </quote> ... Copied to Clipboard!
Trumble 03/20/21 5:29:08 PM #9:	Bad_Mojo posted... I'm pretty sure I want to get a Cockatiel, maybe 2 [if this is good for them] and just chill. I can let them out of their cage to play around my room, right? What about a cage? Food? Is it horrible to clip their wings like it is to de-claw cats? I don't mind if it's able to fly at all, but what if it comes that way? Highly recommend cockatiels. They're great. Whether you need two depends on if it's tame, and how much time you can spend interacting with it. If it's not tame, you need two. If you can only spend a little bit of time with it each day, you need two. If you work from home and can have it out of the cage all day and play with it now and then, or a normal work schedule but it can be out of the cage almost all the time when you're home, one will be fine. If you want one who'll be quite vocal - they don't talk very well, but can whistle and mimic tunes - try to get a male. For some colorations the only way to tell is a DNA test (or carefully observing behavior), but for most you can tell visually - the females tend to have more grey on their face, sometimes even completely grey faces aside from the red spots. (EDIT: If you're getting two, it is fine to have two males or two females.) For a cage - avoid round cages. Two reasons here - their toes can easily get stuck where the bars converge, and they like having corners to be able to "hide" in. You'll want a decent size cage - at least their wingspan in one direction, and double that in the other, is the general rule of thumb. That's width / depth btw - height is actually not all that important; you'll want the top of the cage to be well off the ground, but the birds aren't going to care that much whether this is because it's a tall cage or just because it's a cage that's on a high table / stand. For food - plain seed is better than nothing, but it's not a particularly great diet either. It'd be like a human living on junk food - it's not poison but it's not very good, at the same time, it's fine to have some. Sprouted seed is a good alternative, and fresh fruit / vegetables chopped up (or in some cases, eg. broccoli, let the birds "chop" it up themself) is great too - though be aware that some fruit / veg is unhealthy for birds. Avocado is basically toxic; onions and garlic aren't great either (though not an emergency if they do sneak a small bite). You can easily find a list of parrot-safe fruit and veg with Google. Clipping wings is nothing like de-clawing cats, though my personal recommendation is still not to do it unless it's a safety thing (eg. the bird is repeatedly flying into walls / windows). Instead you should rely on closing the doors / windows to stop your bird escaping when they're out of the cage, and don't take them outside unless it's in the cage / in a harness (and good luck getting a tiel to accept harnesses, it's not impossible but I've had no luck even when raising them from babies). With a strong enough wind or if something scares them enough, they'll still manage to fly a bit - but when they come "back to normal", they're no longer able to fly back, and because their flight is not as great, they're much more vulnerable to predators. If they come clipped, so be it, but don't re-clip them - again, unless there's a specific reason in your case to do so. With that being said, claims like "clipping can kill your bird" are utter bullshit, as are any comparisons to declawing - it's like cutting hair, not like ripping out claws. You can - and should - let them out of the cage to play. If you're willing to make a bit of effort to bird-proof your home (or at least one room) you can even leave them out of the cage most of the day and just put them away to sleep at night. The other thing that so many people aren't aware of is the risk that fumes - especially those from nonstick cookware - can pose to birbs. You'll want to make sure you're not using pretty much anything that gives off fumes or strong scents around the birds - candles, essential oils, bug sprays, certain cleaning products (dishwash liquids or vinegar are generally safe). But the big one is PTFE / PFOA nonstick - most commonly on frying pans and other similar cookware, though hairstyling products can be a source too. The nonstick one is not something to take your chances on - PTFE doesn't pose a risk unless it's overheated (PFOA does at any temperature), but it's the kind of thing that a single small exposure is well-established to be potentially fatal to birds. And consider the risk of emergency / accident scenarios, not just normal everyday use. Cast iron or ceramic for pans, and stainless steel for pots, are good safe alternatives. Alternatively, just keep the bird as far away from the kitchen as you can, and ventilate the kitchen well. (Side note - if a piece of cookware says "PFOA free" but says nothing about PTFE, it contains PTFE. Guaranteed. The other way around is not always the case though - "no PFOA" is almost a given these days, it's banned in most places.) Good luck. Birds can be a lot of effort, but they're well worth it - and cockatiels especially. EDIT: Also getting them devocalised is fucking cruel. Don't do that. You can try and train them to make quieter noises instead of their usual ones though - it's another one of those "low success rate but not impossible" things. --- "fart" ~ Machete <cite>Trumble posted [p:951927021] in So, people... [t:79359351]...</cite> <quote>Bad_Mojo posted... </cite> <quote>I'm pretty sure I want to get a Cockatiel, maybe 2 [if this is good for them] and just chill. I can let them out of their cage to play around my room, right? What about a cage? Food? Is it horrible to clip their wings like it is to de-claw cats? I don't mind if it's able to fly at all, but what if it comes that way?</quote> Highly recommend cockatiels. They're great. Whether you need two depends on if it's tame, and how much time you can spend interacting with it. If it's not tame, you need two. If you can only spend a little bit of time with it each day, you need two. If you work from home and can have it out of the cage all day and play with it now and then, or a normal work schedule but it can be out of the cage almost all the time when you're home, one will be fine. If you want one who'll be quite vocal - they don't talk very well, but can whistle and mimic tunes - try to get a male. For some colorations the only way to tell is a DNA test (or carefully observing behavior), but for most you can tell visually - the females tend to have more grey on their face, sometimes even completely grey faces aside from the red spots. (EDIT: If you're getting two, it is fine to have two males or two females.) For a cage - avoid round cages. Two reasons here - their toes can easily get stuck where the bars converge, and they like having corners to be able to "hide" in. You'll want a decent size cage - at least their wingspan in one direction, and double that in the other, is the general rule of thumb. That's width / depth btw - height is actually not all that important; you'll want the top of the cage to be well off the ground, but the birds aren't going to care that much whether this is because it's a tall cage or just because it's a cage that's on a high table / stand. For food - plain seed is better than nothing, but it's not a particularly great diet either. It'd be like a human living on junk food - it's not poison but it's not very good, at the same time, it's fine to have some. Sprouted seed is a good alternative, and fresh fruit / vegetables chopped up (or in some cases, eg. broccoli, let the birds "chop" it up themself) is great too - though be aware that some fruit / veg is unhealthy for birds. Avocado is basically toxic; onions and garlic aren't great either (though not an emergency if they do sneak a small bite). You can easily find a list of parrot-safe fruit and veg with Google. Clipping wings is nothing like de-clawing cats, though my personal recommendation is still not to do it unless it's a safety thing (eg. the bird is repeatedly flying into walls / windows). Instead you should rely on closing the doors / windows to stop your bird escaping when they're out of the cage, and don't take them outside unless it's in the cage / in a harness (and good luck getting a tiel to accept harnesses, it's not impossible but I've had no luck even when raising them from babies). With a strong enough wind or if something scares them enough, they'll still manage to fly a bit - but when they come "back to normal", they're no longer able to fly back, and because their flight is not as great, they're much more vulnerable to predators. If they come clipped, so be it, but don't re-clip them - again, unless there's a specific reason in your case to do so. With that being said, claims like "clipping can kill your bird" are utter bullshit, as are any comparisons to declawing - it's like cutting hair, not like ripping out claws. You can - and should - let them out of the cage to play. If you're willing to make a bit of effort to bird-proof your home (or at least one room) you can even leave them out of the cage most of the day and just put them away to sleep at night. The other thing that so many people aren't aware of is the risk that fumes - especially those from nonstick cookware - can pose to birbs. You'll want to make sure you're not using pretty much anything that gives off fumes or strong scents around the birds - candles, essential oils, bug sprays, certain cleaning products (dishwash liquids or vinegar are generally safe). But the big one is PTFE / PFOA nonstick - most commonly on frying pans and other similar cookware, though hairstyling products can be a source too. The nonstick one is not something to take your chances on - PTFE doesn't pose a risk unless it's overheated (PFOA does at any temperature), but it's the kind of thing that a single small exposure is well-established to be potentially fatal to birds. And consider the risk of emergency / accident scenarios, not just normal everyday use. Cast iron or ceramic for pans, and stainless steel for pots, are good safe alternatives. Alternatively, just keep the bird as far away from the kitchen as you can, and ventilate the kitchen well. (Side note - if a piece of cookware says "PFOA free" but says nothing about PTFE, it contains PTFE. Guaranteed. The other way around is not always the case though - "no PFOA" is almost a given these days, it's banned in most places.) Good luck. Birds can be a lot of effort, but they're well worth it - and cockatiels especially. EDIT: Also getting them devocalised is fucking cruel. Don't do that. You can try and train them to make quieter noises instead of their usual ones though - it's another one of those "low success rate but not impossible" things. </quote> ... Copied to Clipboard!
TeaMilk 03/20/21 5:29:54 PM #10:	@CalypsoDoom is good at birds --- http://large.horse/ Show icons on posts: https://openuserjs.org/scripts/melon/GameFAQs_Show_Icon <cite>TeaMilk posted [p:951927040] in So, people... [t:79359351]...</cite> <quote>@CalypsoDoom is good at birds </quote> ... Copied to Clipboard!
Bad_Mojo 03/20/21 5:32:37 PM #11:	@Trumble Youre amazing! Thank you! Ill read that and ask you some more questions Right off the bat, though. I only work 4 hours a day, and the rest of the time Im home. --- https://i.imgtc.com/hQ5SuG6.gif https://i.imgtc.com/QrhAq36.gif https://i.imgtc.com/Yjov9DU.gif <cite>Bad_Mojo posted [p:951927101] in So, people... [t:79359351]...</cite> <quote>@Trumble Youre amazing! Thank you! Ill read that and ask you some more questions Right off the bat, though. I only work 4 hours a day, and the rest of the time Im home. </quote> ... Copied to Clipboard!
Machete 03/20/21 5:49:32 PM #12:	Get a rescue cockatoo who says fuck like every other word and has meltdowns. I've watched a bunch of youtube videos from some middle aged Canadian dude and his cockatoo who is like that. Highly amusing (he doesn't induce the meltdowns though if anyone is wondering. They just happen and he films them. The bird seems to be in good spirits, but is just very vocal and has the mouth of a sailor). --- I do not receive notifications, so using the @ feature will not do anything. I might see your post and respond though if I have already been in the topic. <cite>Machete posted [p:951927589] in So, people... [t:79359351]...</cite> <quote>Get a rescue cockatoo who says fuck like every other word and has meltdowns. I've watched a bunch of youtube videos from some middle aged Canadian dude and his cockatoo who is like that. Highly amusing (he doesn't induce the meltdowns though if anyone is wondering. They just happen and he films them. The bird seems to be in good spirits, but is just very vocal and has the mouth of a sailor).</quote> ... Copied to Clipboard!
PoundGarden 03/20/21 5:51:07 PM #13:	Don't. Seriously, its a 20+ year commitment. I've known several people with exotic birds and it gets real old, real quick. --- "You go. I'm just going to stare at the lake and think about how I almost just killed a baby." <cite>PoundGarden posted [p:951927626] in So, people... [t:79359351]...</cite> <quote>Don't. Seriously, its a 20+ year commitment. I've known several people with exotic birds and it gets real old, real quick. </quote> ... Copied to Clipboard!
Bad_Mojo 03/20/21 5:58:04 PM #14:	Machete posted... Get a rescue cockatoo who says fuck like every other word and has meltdowns. Bad_Mojo posted... it's for my nephew He's 2, lol PoundGarden posted... Don't. Seriously, its a 20+ year commitment. I've known several people with exotic birds and it gets real old, real quick. Hmm. I don't really mind, tbh --- https://i.imgtc.com/hQ5SuG6.gif https://i.imgtc.com/QrhAq36.gif https://i.imgtc.com/Yjov9DU.gif <cite>Bad_Mojo posted [p:951927820] in So, people... [t:79359351]...</cite> <quote>Machete posted... </cite> <quote>Get a rescue cockatoo who says fuck like every other word and has meltdowns.</quote> Bad_Mojo posted... </cite> <quote>it's for my nephew</quote> He's 2, lol PoundGarden posted... </cite> <quote>Don't. Seriously, its a 20+ year commitment. I've known several people with exotic birds and it gets real old, real quick.</quote> Hmm. I don't really mind, tbh </quote> ... Copied to Clipboard!
IfGodCouldDie 03/20/21 5:59:31 PM #15:	Bad_Mojo posted... He's 2, lol Hmm. I don't really mind, tbh No better way to learn how to cuss than from Uncle Mojo's pet bird. --- Mind post. XBL:Cyanide Sucker PSN:IfGodCouldDie IGN:SuperPattyCakes FC: SW-1615-6159-5504 Boop Trooper reporting for duty. <cite>IfGodCouldDie posted [p:951927859] in So, people... [t:79359351]...</cite> <quote>Bad_Mojo posted... </cite> <quote>He's 2, lol Hmm. I don't really mind, tbh</quote>No better way to learn how to cuss than from Uncle Mojo's pet bird. </quote> ... Copied to Clipboard!
Trumble 03/20/21 7:02:56 PM #16:	PoundGarden posted... Don't. Seriously, its a 20+ year commitment. I've known several people with exotic birds and it gets real old, real quick. For reference: Average for cockatiels is 15 to 20 years, though a bit beyond that is not unheard of, and the oldest confirmed cockatiel lived to 36 (with a few unconfirmed claims of slightly older, though not by much). --- "fart" ~ Machete <cite>Trumble posted [p:951929618] in So, people... [t:79359351]...</cite> <quote>PoundGarden posted... </cite> <quote>Don't. Seriously, its a 20+ year commitment. I've known several people with exotic birds and it gets real old, real quick.</quote> For reference: Average for cockatiels is 15 to 20 years, though a bit beyond that is not unheard of, and the oldest confirmed cockatiel lived to 36 (with a few unconfirmed claims of slightly older, though not by much). </quote> ... Copied to Clipboard!
nemu 03/20/21 7:08:18 PM #17:	Don't get a bird if you don't want to constantly deal with them. They're not decorations and they're extremely needy. Having two who actually like each other probably mitigates loneliness issues, but they're otherwise a pretty constant commitment. <cite>nemu posted [p:951929767] in So, people... [t:79359351]...</cite> <quote>Don't get a bird if you don't want to constantly deal with them. They're not decorations and they're extremely needy. Having two who actually like each other probably mitigates loneliness issues, but they're otherwise a pretty constant commitment. </quote> ... Copied to Clipboard!
Bad_Mojo 03/21/21 4:26:18 PM #18:	See, this is what I'm talking about @pikachupwnage I've been thinking about getting a bird for a long time and think it would be good for me, but with everyone telling me it's a bad idea, I'm doubting everything and now I'm sure I won't get one. Low self esteem is so crippling --- https://i.imgtc.com/hQ5SuG6.gif https://i.imgtc.com/QrhAq36.gif https://i.imgtc.com/Yjov9DU.gif <cite>Bad_Mojo posted [p:951957216] in So, people... [t:79359351]...</cite> <quote>See, this is what I'm talking about @pikachupwnage I've been thinking about getting a bird for a long time and think it would be good for me, but with everyone telling me it's a bad idea, I'm doubting everything and now I'm sure I won't get one. Low self esteem is so crippling </quote> ... Copied to Clipboard!
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Trumble 03/21/21 9:23:37 PM #20:	Bad_Mojo posted... I've been thinking about getting a bird for a long time and think it would be good for me, but with everyone telling me it's a bad idea, I'm doubting everything and now I'm sure I won't get one. It's not a bad idea. It's just an idea you have to realise is a huge, long-term commitment. --- "fart" ~ Machete <cite>Trumble posted [p:951966674] in So, people... [t:79359351]...</cite> <quote>Bad_Mojo posted... </cite> <quote>I've been thinking about getting a bird for a long time and think it would be good for me, but with everyone telling me it's a bad idea, I'm doubting everything and now I'm sure I won't get one.</quote> It's not a bad idea. It's just an idea you have to realise is a huge, long-term commitment. </quote> ... Copied to Clipboard!
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Current Events > So, people with a history of pet birds. Any suggestions? (+) Yeah! (+)

Current Events > So, people with a history of pet birds. Any suggestions?