Merkuri
Explorer
I have a Senegal parrot, and while she's fun sometimes she can be a lot of work, and the type of affection she shows isn't the same as a dog. I'm in a similar boat as you. My parents had a wonderful dog that died when I was in college, and I missed him terribly when I got an apartment of my own. Wanting to get a pet to replace him, I got Soki, but it's just not the same.
Do NOT get a cockatoo or an african grey unless you plan to spend all day with the bird. I'm not kidding. You must be unemployed or have a stay-at-home job in order to keep one of these birds happy. They require constant attention, the cockatoo because they're extremely social and the african grey because they're super-smart and get bored and neurotic easily.
When you find yourself leaning towards one pet or another, do plenty of research before you actually take the leap and get the pet. Take things like lifespan into account. If you're like me and see yourself living in an apartment for only a few more years, maybe it's better to wait and get the pet you really want (a dog) when you move out. If you get a parrot that can live 50 or 80 years then you're stuck with that parrot even when your apartment turns into a house, and you now have to take that existing pet into account if you want to get a dog. How will the dog react to it, and it to the dog? Will you have time for both pets?
As far as Senegal parrots, are concerned, here are my experiences with Soki (YMMV with other parrot species and even other Senegals):
PROS:
* Lots of interesting sounds and talking. Soki's not even two, and she can say "hi", "whee", blow raspberries, make kissing sounds, and laugh.
* A lot of personality. She seems to know when things are funny and laughs at the right moments. It's very amusing to watch her play with her toys.
* Her sounds are not as loud as other parrots. Whenever I go into the bird store where I got her I'm grateful that she doesn't get as loud as some of the other birds there.
* She's not as messy as some birds.
* Doesn't require much space. The cage I have for her is about 4'x2' and 4' tall (more like 6' when it's on the stand). I also have a playstand of similar size in the living room so she can be in there when we are.
* Shows affection when she wants. She's certainly attached to me.
CONS:
* She can get territorial around her cage if I don't change it around regularly. She'll bite if strangers (and even me, if I leave the cage for a very long time) get too close to her stuff.
* She always wants attention, and will sometimes scream for hours if left alone. We're slowly getting her out of this habit with training, though (we think). She can be heard outside the apartment when she screams, but having had her there for over a year I've yet to hear any complaints from neighbors, so either they don't hear or it's not very annoying to them.
* If her claws aren't clipped regularly it becomes uncomfortable to have her on your hand and you end up looking like you have a kitten. Clipping is stressful for her if I get a professional to do it, and stressful for me because there's a vein in the nail and I know if I cut it she can bleed to death very quickly.
* She makes a mess when she eats and gets food on the floor all around her cage, which we then track all over the house.
* She loves to chew on electrical wires, clothing, earrings, and other undesirables
* She's friendly with only me. She tolerates my live-in boyfriend and is only sometimes friendly with him. Everyone else she switches between polite, angry, and frightened. One day she'll let my dad scratch her, the next day she'll bite him if he puts his finger in range.
* It's harder to read her body language than a dog. You have to learn how she acts when she's frightened, angry, happy, etc.
* She has to have new toys and things to destroy put in her cage regularly or she gets bored and tends to scream for attention more often.
* Birds hide their illnesses very well. You could have one die on you before you realize it's sick, so you have to watch them very carefully. Oh, and if you want to be a responsible pet owner you should get rid of all of your teflon pans. Accidentally burning some of the teflon because of high heat or leaving things on the stove too long can kill a bird in minutes.
Do NOT get a cockatoo or an african grey unless you plan to spend all day with the bird. I'm not kidding. You must be unemployed or have a stay-at-home job in order to keep one of these birds happy. They require constant attention, the cockatoo because they're extremely social and the african grey because they're super-smart and get bored and neurotic easily.
When you find yourself leaning towards one pet or another, do plenty of research before you actually take the leap and get the pet. Take things like lifespan into account. If you're like me and see yourself living in an apartment for only a few more years, maybe it's better to wait and get the pet you really want (a dog) when you move out. If you get a parrot that can live 50 or 80 years then you're stuck with that parrot even when your apartment turns into a house, and you now have to take that existing pet into account if you want to get a dog. How will the dog react to it, and it to the dog? Will you have time for both pets?
As far as Senegal parrots, are concerned, here are my experiences with Soki (YMMV with other parrot species and even other Senegals):
PROS:
* Lots of interesting sounds and talking. Soki's not even two, and she can say "hi", "whee", blow raspberries, make kissing sounds, and laugh.
* A lot of personality. She seems to know when things are funny and laughs at the right moments. It's very amusing to watch her play with her toys.
* Her sounds are not as loud as other parrots. Whenever I go into the bird store where I got her I'm grateful that she doesn't get as loud as some of the other birds there.
* She's not as messy as some birds.
* Doesn't require much space. The cage I have for her is about 4'x2' and 4' tall (more like 6' when it's on the stand). I also have a playstand of similar size in the living room so she can be in there when we are.
* Shows affection when she wants. She's certainly attached to me.
CONS:
* She can get territorial around her cage if I don't change it around regularly. She'll bite if strangers (and even me, if I leave the cage for a very long time) get too close to her stuff.
* She always wants attention, and will sometimes scream for hours if left alone. We're slowly getting her out of this habit with training, though (we think). She can be heard outside the apartment when she screams, but having had her there for over a year I've yet to hear any complaints from neighbors, so either they don't hear or it's not very annoying to them.
* If her claws aren't clipped regularly it becomes uncomfortable to have her on your hand and you end up looking like you have a kitten. Clipping is stressful for her if I get a professional to do it, and stressful for me because there's a vein in the nail and I know if I cut it she can bleed to death very quickly.
* She makes a mess when she eats and gets food on the floor all around her cage, which we then track all over the house.
* She loves to chew on electrical wires, clothing, earrings, and other undesirables
* She's friendly with only me. She tolerates my live-in boyfriend and is only sometimes friendly with him. Everyone else she switches between polite, angry, and frightened. One day she'll let my dad scratch her, the next day she'll bite him if he puts his finger in range.
* It's harder to read her body language than a dog. You have to learn how she acts when she's frightened, angry, happy, etc.
* She has to have new toys and things to destroy put in her cage regularly or she gets bored and tends to scream for attention more often.
* Birds hide their illnesses very well. You could have one die on you before you realize it's sick, so you have to watch them very carefully. Oh, and if you want to be a responsible pet owner you should get rid of all of your teflon pans. Accidentally burning some of the teflon because of high heat or leaving things on the stove too long can kill a bird in minutes.
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