brokenriverside:

rattlejawbone:

Do Not Get A Pet Because You “Want One”

Let me explain:

A lot of people get pets because they see them or see other people with them and decide that they want one. Usually, unless they do a LOT of research into it, they end up completely mistreating the animal. Animals are not cheap, animals are not because “they look cool”, animals are not because your friend had one so you wanted one, too.

Pets are hundreds of dollars of commitment. Even fish. The basic proper setup for a betta is around 5 gallons or more, with a filter, a heater, proper substrate, proper cleaner, water testers, food, a net, and enrichment. Even at its cheapest, this can total to over $100.

Reptiles are becoming more popular these days, and there are a lot of people that don’t realize bearded dragons can get two feet long, ball pythons and corn snakes can get four or five feet long, and that tiny cute little boa can get up to 12 feet long. Snakes, lizards, and frogs can easily reach into the thousands when it comes to proper care for them, not to mention that you need to have a vet that can work with reptiles.

What many people also don’t understand is lifespan. Especially when you have reptiles, they can last anywhere from ten to thirty years. I got my bearded dragon at six months old. He’s now ten and he’s still going strong.

Don’t get a reptile if you can’t handle the commitment and responsibility of caring for an animal that long.

Don’t get a fish because they’re “easy” and “replacable”. Fish are actually some of the most difficult animals to take care of. What most people mean by “easy” is sticking a betta in a vase with a plant. That isn’t easy, that’s animal abuse.

Don’t get a pet without looking into everything it needs, how long it will live, what it eats, the temperature and humidity it needs, and how much it will cost you. I’m fully aware that when I get a boa, it will grow to be large and need to eat mice and rats, which can get around $10 each for large rat. I acknowledge that since it will be so big, I might have to buy or make a custom vivarium just to house it. Do your research from people who are professionals or experienced with handling and caring for said animals.

This is a great post and I just want to add to on the subject of parrot impulse-buying it even if no one will see this (this got really long, holy shit, strap in).

I’ve seen many people getting parrots (ESPECIALLY conures) on a whim because they think that they’re so cool because they can fly and talk and they can become super cuddly. What people don’t realize is that all parrots are incredibly needy, demanding, and hard to work with. They are NOT like dogs, they won’t love you immediately or if you give improper care, they are expensive as all hell, and need so much of your time. A lot of parrot owners describe them as perpetual children or toddlers which can be cute but also involves all the time and all the tantrums. This is going to cover a lot of things really quickly (in like 10 paragraphs, get ready to read a lot more if you want to get a bird) so don’t expect it to be perfect, I just want to give a taste of what parrot ownership can be.

First off is a huge myth about parrot food. Many people think that all birds eat is seed and water. THIS IS NOT FUCKING TRUE. There are SO MANY parrots, specifically budgies, that die hardly a few years into their life because ignorant owners who bought them on impulse feed them only sunflower seed and they get overweight and die of fatty liver disease. Some birds do need seed as a large part of their diet but there are no birds that eat only seed, even finches need occasional greens. The diets vary from species but there are none that should be fed only seed.

And this is really fucking stupid but bird grit is ONLY FOR DOVES AND PIGEONS. I’m unsure if it is used for any other species but I do know that NO PSITTACINES NEED BIRD GRIT. Bird grit is intended for dove-like birds that do not crush or hull their food before swallowing, bird grit is meant to work like the gravel that a wild dove would ingest after eating a meal to help crush the food in their stomachs. IT IS UNSAFE FOR PARROTS. They DO NOT need it because they can easily hull and crush their food. So bird grit only blocks their systems and can get caught in their crops, killing them. I don’t know whose fucking smart idea it was to start selling it advertised for use in parrots but I just want to try to quell that bullshit myth and maybe save a bird’s life.

I also don’t know why so many people think that parrots don’t need time to gain trust, maybe some people think they’re like dogs or others think they aren’t capable of having feelings, but birds can become severely ill and depressed when not interacted with. They need constant attention and enrichment but they can be assholes and not want to be around you 24/7. But just because a bird is nippy doesn’t mean you leave it in a cage all day, that just means that you have to work with them to gain their trust. If your bird feels uncomfortable around you then you need to begin gaining their trust and working with them. Both your lives aren’t going to get any better if you do not work with them or you just simply ignore them. If you get a parrot you’re basically signing a 20-90 year contract of all sorts of emotions and interactions, both good and bad. It is kinda like having a kid because your life now works around the birds, not the other way around. You don’t put up your kid for adoption because it bites you, you work with it and train it out of that and it gets better (that was a weird analogy whoops).

Many people also falsely believe that parrots can just live in these tiny-ass cages that can hardly fit them with their wings spread, much less able to move. I’ve seen so many people keep birds as decoration and not as the amazingly wonderful companions they can be. It’s not super common anymore but just do your research when figuring out the right size cage and the right bar spacing for the specific bird you’re wanting to get. TOYS ARE NEEDED. Birds aren’t just going to sit their looking pretty, leaving them in a lone cage with no toys makes them absolutely miserable and this can lead to many behavior problems including screaming and plucking. You wouldn’t want to live in one room with nothing to do your whole life, don’t condemn your bird to that hell.

BEHAVIORAL PROBLEMS ARE NOT UNCOMMON. There are many behavior issues that affect parrots, the larger the species the worse they usually get. They can range from plucking due to stress and mental issues, toe tapping in eclectus due to overdoses in nutrients, screaming because of an irregular schedule or stressful activities, and lunging and biting because of many combinations of issues. Behavioral issues can be hard to solve or find the source of and even more difficult to get rid of in parrots. Many people find plucking to be one of the very worst and most complex issues to solve because the reason could be nearly anything. If you get a bird you HAVE to be prepared to face any potential problems and learn how to treat them and prevention really does go the extra million miles in keeping parrots healthy and happy.

Parrots get sick, it can happen. Sickness is very well hidden in all birds, they do not risk showing illness in the wild in fear of being preyed on because of it. So they have evolved to skillfully hide many signs of illness up until it’s nearly too late. There are many warning signs that you must learn about and I’m not going to even list them here because I want people to actually go and research for themselves. Also, a bird that is mentally unwell, fed and unhealthy diet, and not given enrichment to keep them active are at MUCH HIGHER RISK of contracting illness that birds that are happy and getting all their proper nutrients and exercise.

NOISE NOISE NOISE. Parrots make a hell of a lot of noise. They’re made for it, they evolved so they could scream across long distances to talk to the rest of their flock. They are constantly chattering and letting the rest of the flock know what they’re doing. They were born to mimic the sounds of the rest of the flock which is one reason why humans are so infatuated with them but also a reason why humans cannot handle them most of the time. The usual rule of thumb is that the larger the bird, the larger the noise. This is a pretty good rule most of the time but there are some exceptions. Conures are relatively small but the genus aratinga (literally meaning small macaw) have a SUPER penetrating scream, pionus parrots, though they are medium size, are typically quieter but can have occasional loud screeches, and cockatiels can be louder than you would expect, emitting occasional loud screeches if upset, and several other birds like parrotlets and lovebirds can be very screechy despite their tiny size. Needless to say, parrot calls are not only usually loud, practically every parrot scream can be EXTREMELY irritating to the human ear, some high-pitch and like nails on a chalkboard and others that are just plain ear-splitting loud. If you plan on getting a bird please look up videos of their screams, read about how loud they can be, and understand if you are in a situation that is okay with that.

There are many birds out there, unwanted in rescues and thousands across the US alone that have been through several homes in search of the perfect one with someone who cares. If you are able please adopt instead of shopping. Their are so many birds that are just as sweet and lovely in rescues that are looking for good homes if you can provide one. Don’t go in over your head and get a plucking macaw with biting issues as your first bird but do try to adopt even a few budgies from a rescue if you decide you’d like to give a bird a better life and you’ve done your research.

Not all birds are cuddly, not all birds are sweet, NO BIRD IS PERFECT. When getting a bird all your expectations of having this sweet feather ball that will love you infinitely need to get thrown out the fucking window because they are not going to be like that often if ever. Parrots are NOT PETS. They are companions and you ABSOLUTELY CANNOT expect them to love you if you do not love and care for them. You’re a part of their flock and they simply can’t understand why you don’t care for them because humans and birds come from very different walks of life. Do not get a bird unless you are completely prepared for all the costs, financially and mentally, the time, the frustration, and the never-ending battle of wits against a five-year-old that can scream louder than you (louder always wins). But also know that, if cared for correctly, parrots can be the most strongly-bonded of any animal you’ve ever known and can become friends literally for life. They are very amazing and interesting animals but you must know what you’re getting into before you adopt one.

ADOPT DON’T SHOP, if you’re able, and always remember that you wouldn’t impulse buy a child so don’t buy a parrot as soon as you see all the pretty feathers and inhuman voice saying “hello.”