Parrots as Pets

[CaptainsWench]

We will be a liveaboard the end of April, and have a double yellow headed Parrot. He has been with us for 20 years. Thoughts and advice on bringing him aboard. Does anyone else have a Parrot and is a liveaboard?

[atoll]

Originally Posted by CaptainsWench

We will be a liveaboard the end of April, and have a double yellow headed Parrot. He has been with us for 20 years. Thoughts and advice on bringing him aboard. Does anyone else have a Parrot and is a liveaboard?

sailed with a madagascan parrot once,that had clipped wings and couldn't fly.
every time it was out side and got blown overboard someone had to go and rescue the thing,lucky it could swim though!

i reccomend flying lessons 1st and swimming lessons 2nd

[nwdiver]

Small boat messy bird, had an African grey for 6 months aboard, he moved ashore. Also if you want to travel outside of your home country, parrots are a problem with immigration and customs on so many levels.

[bobconnie]

Had a big gray for over 30 yrs, it was my fathers before me ! don't know how old it was when it passed, but OLD he loved boats was rasied on one almost ! sailed with me everywhere ! never had a problem with customs ! he talked so well and nasty in 2 or 3 languages !! he was alway popular and in my younger days hes was a Great girl getter !!LOL just talkin trash! but they are a little messy and you need fruit for them to be really healthy. But they are good pets and very loving if they like ya ! and hatefull if they don't LOL

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by atoll

sailed with a madagascan parrot once,that had clipped wings and couldn't fly.
every time it was out side and got blown overboard someone had to go and rescue the thing,lucky it could swim though!

i reccomend flying lessons 1st and swimming lessons 2nd

Careful with the swimming lessons, most parrots can't swim and don't have the right type of feathers/oils to repel water for very long -- they tend to get water logged and sink. If you don't pluck them out the drink quick -- they're done -- tragic way to lose a bird.

We lived aboard with an African Grey for a few years. While just living aboard, she spent most of her time in the fully enclosed cockpit -- so no worries about her flying off into the water. We had a perch and lots of toys installed on the bulkhead in the cockpit. Had a small acrylic travel cage built which was mounted snugly into the corner of a cabin -- this is where she was kept underway and at night.

Parrots are messy of course -- that's why she spent most of her time in the cockpit -- just spray it out at the end of day.

Parrots are more complicated to travel with than other typical domestic pets, but if you've got your paperwork in order it is usually not too bad.

On the upside, they can also be quite amusing to have around -- lots of funny stories.

[CaptainsWench]

Thanks to all. I didn't want to take "FRED" but since he has been with my hubby for 20 years I wanted to find the PRO's and CON'S. Yes, he is so funny to listen to and watch, but he is also mean and nasty to me, but loves my hubby. I think leaving him with my best friend it the way to go. I appreciate the comments.

[atoll]

good point there belizesailor,might be an idea to have a light collar on its ankle with a very light line.

we did this in east africa when we kept a chicken on the boat,made fishing it out the water untill xmas a lot easyier.

[Rakuflames]

Originally Posted by CaptainsWench

Thanks to all. I didn't want to take "FRED" but since he has been with my hubby for 20 years I wanted to find the PRO's and CON'S. Yes, he is so funny to listen to and watch, but he is also mean and nasty to me, but loves my hubby. I think leaving him with my best friend it the way to go. I appreciate the comments.

Parrots bond with their owners quite intensely. Having such a bird is a lifelong commitment. Do keep his wings clipped. I know someone who lost his bird by not being diligent on keeping its wings clipped.

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by CaptainsWench

...I think leaving him with my best friend it the way to go. I appreciate the comments.

Another factor to take into account: Parrots are very emotionally aware animals and they tend to only bond to one human (like your husband). So, loving your husband and being nasty to you is not unusual. Separating hubby and bird at this point will certainly be emotionally traumatic for the bird. The bird won't be any more interested in your best friend than it is in you -- it want's it's human "mate".

I've seen this done to a few parrots -- it can be tragically sad -- like an abandoned child. And, can manifest itself in the parrot's physical and emotional health. Please don't dump the bird with your best friend just because it is more "convenient" for you.

[CaptainsWench]

I wouldn't make him give away Fred. It's up to him entirely. I want what is best for all of us.

[bobconnie]

Ive been told by a breeder of exotic parrots and other rare birds that parrots can pine away and die when sepperated from there long time owners ! He Knows what hes doing he has over 40 different exotic breeds and makes Big money doing it ! so Im assumeing he knows what hes doing ! just a thought

[Samantha ann]

Buy an eye patch and learn aaaaargh. Or if Buffett fans teach him how to pull the cork out of a bottle of wine! ;-)

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by CaptainsWench

I wouldn't make him give away Fred. It's up to him entirely. I want what is best for all of us.

Good, glad to hear it.

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by Samantha ann

Buy an eye patch and learn aaaaargh. Or if Buffett fans teach him how to pull the cork out of a bottle of wine! ;-)

Taught our big Green Wing McCaw to say "WHAAATTT UUPP!" like the old commercial.

[Blue Stocking]

Originally Posted by bobconnie

Ive been told by a breeder of exotic parrots and other rare birds that parrots can pine away and die when sepperated from there long time owners ! He Knows what hes doing he has over 40 different exotic breeds and makes Big money doing it ! so Im assumeing he knows what hes doing ! just a thought

So true.

We had an Orange wing Amazon that took a liking to me that would scream bloody murder if I had a phone conversation, while not standing at the cage, looking at it.
It totally disregarded my wife, but would invert and display its full tail feathers at a simple fan type hand signal from me.
We eventually had to part with it to a friends aviary.
First sign of stress is when they start to pull their neck feathers out.