Best Videos on Youtube IV: Oppa Gartr Style

**BaneTheBrawler** · 2012-11-03 22:29

Birds are terrible pets. Especially big birds. I know this because I live with an umbrella cockatoo. Messy, loud, obnoxious, and requires ridiculous amounts of attention. Better off having a kid. At least kids get better as they grow up. Birds just stay awful. 10 years and he still hasn't learned what "No!" means.

I suspect owls would be slightly better, though. Probably quieter, possibly less messy. Probably also don't require as much attention. Certainly can't require more.

**kareface** · 2012-11-03 22:59

**Insanecyclone** · 2012-11-04 11:12

**Anoat** · 2012-11-05 00:53

Happy 10 years, GTA: Vice City!

**Lyrai** · 2012-11-05 02:27

Originally Posted by BaneTheBrawler

Birds are terrible pets. Especially big birds. I know this because I live with an umbrella cockatoo. Messy, loud, obnoxious, and requires ridiculous amounts of attention. Better off having a kid. At least kids get better as they grow up. Birds just stay awful. 10 years and he still hasn't learned what "No!" means.

I suspect owls would be slightly better, though. Probably quieter, possibly less messy. Probably also don't require as much attention. Certainly can't require more.

Birds are actually great pets, but parrots like Cockatoos and Macaws are, by nature, very loud, destructive, and physically needy.

I have two parakeets, a green cheek conure, and an amazon. The latter two being rescues. They're all well behaved and quiet, not messy and generally good birds. My conure who I've had since June, is very independant, but has become much more affectionate and is handleable (I can pick her up and she won't move, though if I let go, she will fly because her wings aren't clipped, but she will sit on my shoulder.) She was a craigslist find that turned out to be a neglect situation since they had no idea how to take care of the bird.

My Amazon I've had for about two months, has a laundry list of medical problems, was told he was mean and a lost cause at only 25 years old. He talks, can perch now that has feet are healed, growing new feathers, steps up without an issue, can pet him, and has been very good for me when I need to treat his feet or his tumors and sores. He's a wild caught, so he'll never be as friendly as one bred in the US, but he's come a long way.

Any bird can be rehabed and trained, it's just doing it the right way and learning their signs and body language, just like training any other animal, and I take in any bird that is considered mean or in bad shape.

Owls, and birds of prey don't make good pets. They're much higher in intelligence than parrots, and they're predators. Not to say that they can't make good companions, they're much more independent and will never be "friendly" like a parrot is, it's just not their nature. They don't like being pet or handled in the same ways. It's also very hard to gain their trust, because again, by nature, they're independent, they're not flock animals like parrots and a lot of other birds are. Even when used in falconry, they can become depressed and sick being in captivity. The mentality of being solo makes it harder for them to adapt to a life of constant attention.

Any of the larger birds of prey would require several hours of free flight training a day, which requires a lot of space. Not to mention licensing depending on state to own and practice falconry.

Related.

**Insanecyclone** · 2012-11-05 10:33

**BaneTheBrawler** · 2012-11-05 14:27

Eh, small birds aren't bad, I suppose, but I'm still not a fan. That's more of a personal preference than my opinion on large birds. Large birds are a huge time sink, among other important needs that I think make them bad pets. I don't mean they're mean or untrainable or anything, far from it. It's just that if you don't have the time to give them the attention they need, they let you and your neighborhood know that you're doing it wrong. My mom doesn't always have the time, and I don't like birds in general, so while I feed him, talk to him, and put him in/out of his day cage, I don't hold or snuggle him like he wants. It's not fair to him. He's not really a bad bird, he's actually really nice most of the time. But when he gets mad, he's SO obnoxious it's unbearable.

I guess it's not so much that large birds are bad pets, it's that they're high-needs pets... comparable to a slightly dumb toddler, imo. I guess a lot of my dislike comes from my general distaste for birds. They're vaguely creepy, and I hate cleaning cages and whatnot. I'd take a dog or a cat any day.

**Rabidelly** · 2012-11-05 14:58

Also, birds don't respond well to "No!". You really can't use negative attention, because birds will love any attention. If you yell they just will be more likely to do it again. Best bet is to ignore the unwanted behavior (as hard as that can be at times) and then praise/respond to good behavior. With my parents' cockatiel, they'll put a blanket over his cage if he's being obnoxious and he'll just shush up and take a nap. I very much agree though that they are often much more socially needy than other pets, and it's unfair for people to get a bird if they can't commit to what the animal needs.

And to contribute!

**Ragns** · 2012-11-05 19:24

**Kerberoz** · 2012-11-05 19:43

birds make awesome pets

Spoiler: show

**Insanecyclone** · 2012-11-05 22:30

**Souj** · 2012-11-05 23:53

Looking for a Little Caesar's commercial which actually made me laugh.

two guys pick up their $5 pizzas and note how fast and easy it was - much easier than how it used to be. They then have a flashback. Two kids who are presumably their younger versions get their pizza and mention that it took a really long time. They then go outside and get their pizza stolen by the two guys having the flashback.

**Spoony Bob** · 2012-11-06 10:09

**Omniyoji** · 2012-11-06 11:49

Fun & interesting episode

**Kerberoz** · 2012-11-06 19:54

**Eticket** · 2012-11-06 20:32

Originally Posted by Kerberoz

The judge sentenced Hardin to pay $250 in court costs and suspended her license for 30 days and more.

Hardin must also stand at the intersection of E. 38th Street and Payne Avenue wearing a sign next Tuesday and Wednesday that says "Only an idiot drives on the sidewalk to avoid a school bus." She has been ordered to wear the sign from 7:45 a.m. to 8:45 a.m. both days.

http://www.wptv.com/dpp/news/local_n...and-school-bus