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The poop on parakeets (pun intended)

Discussion in 'Anything goes' started by BB Bobcat, Jul 26, 2010.

  1. BB Bobcat

    BB Bobcat Active Member

    My 11-year-old daughter is a major animal lover, but we can't get any traditional pet because our 7-year-old son is allergic to the hair. (Don't tell me about hypoallergenic pets. Our allergist says there is no such thing. Not for our son anyway.)

    So the latest thing for our daughter is she is trying to convince us to get a parakeet.

    Were afraid it'll still be more work than she thinks, and it will poop all over the place when she let's it out to fly around.

    So, if you know anything about parakeets, let's hear it. Good and bad.
     
  2. Football_Bat

    Football_Bat Well-Known Member

    Should be safe as long as you don't play Kings of Leon in the background. (crossthread)
     
  3. BB Bobcat

    BB Bobcat Active Member

    C'mon, no one here has had a parakeet?
     
  4. mustangj17

    mustangj17 Active Member

    My aunt had a canary, and I own a St. Louis Cardinals hat.

    That's about the best I can do.
     
  5. T2

    T2 Member

    I had a parakeet long ago when I was a little boy. It wasn't much work, at least for me; my mother did the cage-cleaning and seed-and-water replenishing chores. And I don't recall the bird leaving poop around the house because we rarely let him fly around. Perhaps from lack of practice, he wasn't a skilled aviator. He'd chase a shiny soap bubble and make a water landing in the sink, or he'd collide with a wall and descend fluttering to the floor. As he got older, he couldn't wait to get back home to the safety of his cage.
     
  6. Ace

    Ace Well-Known Member

    Seems to me that bird feathers and such would still be a problem. You could get a nice lizard.
     
  7. Roscablo

    Roscablo Well-Known Member

    I had a parakeet when I was a kid and I loved it. Wouldn't mind getting one again except I think one might clash with our cat.

    They aren't a ton of work once you get all set up and trained. They can be messy but it will be more bird seed getting all over the place than poop. I think my parents are still vacuuming up bird seed sometimes and it's been more than 15 years since the bird's moved on. Most of the poop will be limited to the bottom of the cage because likely that's home. And even if it poops from time to time while out and about it's pretty small and easy to pick up. You'll probably get pooped on once or twice if you hold the bird on your hand or let it climb on your shoulders or sit on your head. Again, small but still poop.

    They can also be noisy if you don't get that under control and they require interaction. But, again, they can be a lot of fun and have a lot of personality. I think they are good, inexpensive pets. Like any pet read up on the care and how to train them to be sure it's a fit for your family.
     
  8. Unibomber

    Unibomber Member

    Only get one, but get one. Yes, they poop like all animals, but it is very tiny and no biggie. Have your pet store rep clip the wings before you take it home, this will keep it from flying too far (it will still flutter and be able to keep itself airborne long enough not to get hurnt) but will allow the kid to handle it easier, which is key to training them. I had one that I loved. It spoke about 25-30 words, whistled the Andy Griffith song and was a great companion. As long as you clean the cage weekly (changing paper), it will not be too messy. But only get one as the bird will bond to the members of family.
     
  9. TigerVols

    TigerVols Well-Known Member

    We have one lovebird. He's 18 years old, going strong. I think if we had to do it all over again, we would have gotten a pair -- but too late now. He's fun to watch, and he has a personality. But we don't let him out to fly around anymore after a cat came into our house chasing him.
     
  10. Inky_Wretch

    Inky_Wretch Well-Known Member

    Teach it to poop on Kings of Leon.
     
  11. forever_town

    forever_town Well-Known Member

    We had three at varying times. They are much more work than she'd realize.

    You've got to clean the bird dander and the shit, and they shit like they were living, breathing poop factories.

    And the noise ... good God the noise!

    The day we gave up those birds for good was one of the happiest days of my life.
     
  12. BB Bobcat

    BB Bobcat Active Member

    OK, that's what I wanted to hear! I really don't want to get one.
     
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