[Outdated, please look at pinned post] Casual Conversation

Just a nitpick, that bird is not a parakeet. It's a female eclectus parrot.

There are a number of parakeet species so referring to a bird as a parakeet isn't specific. The most common parrot kept as pets are budgerigars, or budgies. Which is the one I think you were referring to.

Parrots being a special interest of mine I had to drop this on impulse.

when you say cuttlebone, is it the same as from a cuttlefish? if so, is it like a chewtoy for the bird?

The birb is an Eclectus parrot. I've got a totally different perspective and opinion than some of the other comments you received. And that opinion is: They make terrible pets and are not really suited for the general public.

The basics of their care (food, water, shelter, medical treatment, cleaning, maintenance) are all pretty reasonable to accommodate.

Their psychological needs are a whole order of magnitude harder to provide, and can almost rival the time, attention, and energy needed for a young child. Depending on the age of the bird you adopt, you could be signing up for 20 - 30+ years of commitment to an animal that may ultimately not form a bond with you, is much more intelligent than a cat or dog in a lot of ways, and can pretty easily make your life nearly as miserable as its own. If they aren't happy, they will make sure that you aren't happy either, but keeping them happy can be a job in and of itself.

Now if you have experience with keeping similar birds in captivity, are well-educated on how much goes into their care, have lots of disposable income, and are fully prepared for the good and the bad, then you might do alright with one. But, if you're looking at them to be a "pet", then this is not a good option for you.

There will never be enough meat on that baby to make a decent meal.

I look after two of these adorable birs when I was a teenager. They are usually alright. I don't remember anything bad about them or high maintenance care. You just need to be careful about handling them and their environment not to stress them to much. Only bad thing is their bite. They can rip your fingers off if you make them angry. I remember mines were breaking up the cage's metal bars just because they were bored. Other than that they are very clever and fun pets to have.

Gotta be prepared and committed, many parrot species have lifespans as long as humans. This isn’t a 10 year pet like a dog or cat

My wife and I have a Moluccan cockatoo and an Indian ringneck.

Think of parrots as very demanding, often destructive, toddlers that never grow up and have no “inside voice.” They will make you thank whatever god you follow that you can get subtitles on your television.

I have one. He's a major pain in the booty. Part of the pain is because of his intelligence.

Hope you have a big yard.

Dwarf pigs exist, like kunekune of League of Pigs fame.

Ferrets are not completely domesticated, and are indeed classified as exotic. It's extremely difficult to insure them (in many plaves impossible), it's primarily exotic specialized vets that can help with them, and though they are extremely friendly and fun, they are at best "half" domesticated. They are also banned in many countries and states.

Source: I have four ferrets and love them, but I also know exactly how putting your hand near a young ferret plays out every single time, and it takes months of training to get them to stop wanting to draw blood <3

I actually really wanted a ferret but I was advised that you should get more than one so that they have each other for company.

Amen, brother. I LOVE parrots. I WANT to have them as screaming, demanding, insanely destructive friends, but it feels cruel to force them to live with humans. They care about their mates and their flock and humans are bad, inattentive partners for parrots.

If a human insists on avian friends, I'd suggest a small set of chickens outside in the yard. They are very domesticated, not endangered, and can rely on one another for most their socializing needs. You can even put them in diapers for visits in the house. Before considering, beware that all kinds of predators want to eat your pet chickens.

I'm curious. What happened?

That piglet looks pretty domesticated.

For what it's worth, ferrets are domesticated (from the European polecat) and generally speaking just die if they end up in the wild.

Beardie is for sure best choice for the easiest pet. Parrots can outlive you and some need a lot of attention or bond with one person and hate everyone else…can be difficult behavior wise. Ferret is probably the 2nd easiest after beardie, I would think. I really want a pig but they don’t stay small, housing can be complicated…