When we bring a parrot into our home, we like to think it’s forever. But what does “forever” mean when the animal sharing your life may live 80 years?
Parrots are extraordinary companions. They’re intelligent, funny, demanding, messy, loud, affectionate, destructive, complicated and, very often, nothing like the pet someone imagined when they first brought home that beautiful bird.
And life happens.
People get sick. Families change. Finances change. Owners age. Sometimes an owner dies. Sometimes a bird develops behaviors the family simply isn’t equipped to handle. And sometimes a person realizes, painfully, that the home they can provide is no longer the home their bird needs.
That’s where rescues and sanctuaries come in. But there is a problem; there are far more parrots needing places to go than there are good places for them to go. The Oasis Sanctuary here in Arizona receives more than 1,500 inquiries every year from people seeking immediate placement for birds. Oasis itself is already home to nearly 800 parrots. And it is only one sanctuary.
Think about that for a moment.
This isn’t an argument against sharing our lives with parrots. Those of us who love them know just how extraordinary that relationship can be. Nor is it an invitation to judge someone who has surrendered a bird. We rarely know the whole story, and surrender can sometimes be the most responsible, most loving and most heartbreaking choice an owner can make.
Maybe it is an invitation to think differently about “forever”. If you share your life with a parrot, what happens if someday you can’t?
Does someone in your family, or a close friend, know your bird? Does the bird know and like them? Are they willing (and realistically able) to take over the bird’s care, possibly for decades? Have you talked with them about it? Do they know your bird’s veterinarian, routines, diet, quirks, fears and favorite things? Are they aware of the potential financial costs involved with proper diet, veterinary care, etc.?
And if you’re thinking about bringing a parrot into your life, perhaps the question isn’t only, “Do I want this bird?” Maybe it’s also, “Can I make a plan for this bird, even if someday that plan no longer includes me?”
We’d love to hear what you think. What does “forever” mean when it comes to a companion parrot? Please share your thoughts at flock@sockatoo.shop.