10 Things you MUST know before getting a Parrot

Thanks for stopping by and we are excited for you to start your journey in parrot ownership. I’ve had a parrot for about 10 years now and in this article, we’ll review ten important factors you should know before getting a parrot.

1. Parrots are long term (even lifelong) partners

Depending on the species, a parrot can live anywhere between 20 and 80 years! In some cases, with our larger birds like hyacinth or macaw, parrots can sometimes even outlive us. It is not unusual for parrot parents to write their birds into their will or arrange care after they have passed on.

So, when deciding if a parrot is right for you be sure to keep in mind that a parrot will be long commitment and will require a significant amount of time and energy not just for a few years but decades.

2. Parrots are like cats 🐈

It’s very important to know that what you may have seen on YouTube is a sliver of the parrot population. There are many parrots out there have a different personalities that may not be internet fame material. If you’ve never interacted with a parrot, keep in mind that parrots are more like cats than like dogs. Let me explain.

With dogs, if there is early socialization and good handling, odds are your dog will be loving, cuddly and seek your attention. In contrast, with cats, you could have a mix of personalities. There are some cats that naturally want to be involved in your everyday or cuddle up. Other times, you might stumble across a cat that is perfectly happy to keep their distance and watch from afar.

Parrots can be anywhere on that spectrum but tend to be more like cats. The key distinction here is that like cats, parrots can be wary and trust in your companion needs to be earned. Even if you earn their trust, it doesn’t mean that they are going to like being cuddled and pet all the time. Your parrot may just enjoy being a participant in the family from afar.

3. Parrots have complex emotional needs

I’m sure that we’ll be talking about this a lot in this blog! Parrots have extremely complex emotional needs compared to many other pets. To be honest, I didn’t even realize how nuanced the care and emotions would be 😅.

Having had Tango for nearly 10 years now, the best mindset I would recommend is to step away from seeing a parrot as a pet and rather imagine that you are taking on a human child. Thinking this way will make sure you’re prepared for anything.

Parrots are social creatures and many species live in really large communities, so instinctually they need lots of interaction and engagement. In the human environment, that means ‘you’ (the caretaker) takes on the responsibility of being their community. What’s critical is that you focus on the quality of time and not just the amount of time you spent. With that in mind, at minimum you would still need to plan for 2-3hrs of interaction.

Just like a human child, it’s important to recognize they have personalities, moods and preferences. You also have to ensure they have the right diet, mental stimulation, activities and more so that they can be healthy. It’s a fine balance that needs to be struck with every parrot, and without it many parrot owners encounter signs of stress in their birds. (Separation anxiety is very real for parrots).

4. Having a Parrot = Getting Nipped

The photo above says it all. You bet I got bit by Tango after that photo 😂

Like I mentioned before, parrots have unique personalities and they also have mood swings. Sometimes you won’t even see it coming, they’ll be happy cuddled up and then suddenly you have a bird chomping on your finger.

Getting bitten is a normal part of the experience and it happens to all of us. After a while, you’ll start to better understand why they are biting or lunging but it will take time.

5. Parrot training is a two-way street

Another example of why parrots are not like dogs, is that training is not very straightforward.

I’m not sure why exactly just yet (I hope that I can dig into it in future posts 🤔), but communication with parrots is just more challenging. Somehow, it is harder for them to understand what we are trying to say, AND vise versa it is hard for us to understand what they are trying to express.

That is why parrot training is a two-way street! As time goes on with parrots, you’ll find that there are some things that can be trained (e.g. tricks, separation, poop habits) and there are things that you will have to train yourself on. I can guarantee that any parrot owner has had to make accomodations and adapt to their companions in some way.

6. Parrots are vocal and will make noise

To be blunt, if you aren’t willing to learn to handle noise don’t get a parrot.

Imagine this, a parrot typically has to call to their flock while they are spread out across the jungle to alert or communicate. If their voice can travel across trees and the jungle environment, you bet they are loud. For instance, Tango (sun conure) can reach noise levels of 100 decibels and that’s on average. That call is the equivalent of a motorcycle running near you.

If you have an apartment, perhaps opt for a ‘quieter’ species that chirps instead of squawks. It’ll save your ears! I had Tango in my Boston apartment of 650 sq.ft. you can imagine how that was for our neighbors 🥲.

7. Travelling with Parrots is tricky

Please, please, please think hard about this. This is one topic I don’t see mentioned enough online about parrot ownership… the reality is having a parrot can tie you down. If you like to travel, make sure you have are prepped on who might watch over while you are away.

If possible, research and get to know a bird sitter in your local area that is experienced or has birds of their own. I’ve had two sitters for Tango over the years and be prepared that it could cost anywhere between $28-38 per day. Another option is to have family members baby sit, but you must work up to this with the family member.

Road trips are doable but require a large car for cages and equipment. Flights are also possible, bear in mind as of 04-20-2025, there is only one airline that accepts parrots – Delta Airlines – and I will tell you from experience that flying with a bird should be rare (it is a wild experience).

8. Parrots make messes

Be prepared that you’ll need to sweep after them every few days at least. Most parrots can make mess in a few ways – their poop, dropped feathers, destroyed toys and the largest offender… food.

Birds don’t just eat out of a bowl and call it a day. They often will grab seeds or pellets and walk to a different part of the cage where they are comfortable or perhaps for a new view. With seeds, they easily remove the shell and will then drop it on the floor.

If you are feeding fruits and vegetables, sometimes they even flick the leftovers elsewhere🤦‍♀️! I don’t know how many dried pieces of fruit I’ve randomly found and scraped off of my floor over the years.

9. Parrots are not cheap

Parrot food: Tango is a small parrot and food costs are manageable, we probably go through one bag of seeds and one bag of pellets every 3 months. So, in a year I’m probably spending around $150 on food which really isn’t bad. Scale this accordingly for other species.

• Seeds ($38) Amazon.com : Higgins 2 Pack of Vita Seed Natural Blend Conure and Lovebird Food, 5 Pounds Each : Pet Supplies
• Pellets ($34) Amazon.com : ZuPreem FruitBlend Flavor Pellets Bird Food for Parrots and Conures, 3.5 lb (Pack of 2)

Often where we see the higher costs is in their toys and veterinary care. Those can add up quick!

Toys: A parrot toy can be easily $10 a piece and can be swiftly destroyed in a day 😭. If you aren’t able to budget about 1 a week, make sure you plan to fill that time in with social interaction.

Vet Bills: Thankfully Tango has never been seriously ill so I can’t speak for emergency care (if you have please let us know!) but I have taken T to his annual checkups. Each visit I’ve made has been at least $150.

Remember, parrots are considered exotic pets so make sure you have a local pet hospital that has an exotic wing and if cost is a big factor be sure to get those estimated costs and save accordingly.

10. Raising a Parrot takes a village

Parrots are truly loving and so worth it 💞

I’ll end this post with this- if you’re willing to make that commitment and effort for a parrot, I can guarantee that it comes with the greatest reward.

You will find that parrots can be loving, affectionate, intelligent and incredibly expressive animals. They change every day, it keeps things interesting and makes them fascinating companions. And the best part? Parrots can truly be a lifelong friend.

For all my parrot owners out there you know the feeling, there is nothing that can compare to that bond. It’s what makes us a little obsessive and silly 😅.

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