# is it just me being a bit tight or..



## joemeatsix (Aug 4, 2012)

is it just me or is £900-£4,500 for a cockatoo or macaw a bit expensive?

looking to get a cockatoo in the next few months and i've been looking at them for quite a long time and the cheapest i've seen it £600, are they worth that amount of money?

(this isn't my very first bird btw)


----------



## Zoo-Man (Apr 12, 2008)

joemeatsix said:


> is it just me or is £900-£4,500 for a cockatoo or macaw a bit expensive?
> 
> looking to get a cockatoo in the next few months and i've been looking at them for quite a long time and the cheapest i've seen it £600, are they worth that amount of money?
> 
> (this isn't my very first bird btw)


What other parrots have you had before? How old are you?


----------



## ljb107 (Nov 16, 2008)

Is this a joke?


----------



## Zoo-Man (Apr 12, 2008)

ljb107 said:


> Is this a joke?


Which bit?


----------



## Tomcat (Jul 29, 2007)

joemeatsix said:


> is it just me or is £900-£4,500 for a cockatoo or macaw a bit expensive?
> 
> looking to get a cockatoo in the next few months and i've been looking at them for quite a long time and the cheapest i've seen it £600, are they worth that amount of money?
> 
> (this isn't my very first bird btw)


If you don't think they are worth the money, maybe you shouldn't own one? Considering thy are a life long pet, which take a considerable amount of time and care to look after, bond with and keep happy and healthy I believe they are worth every penny. Dogs cost £600+ for a pedigree, live 10-15yrs and are common pets, so in my mind, £600+ for a pet tht usually lasts a life time is a bargain!


----------



## Stickytoes (Aug 9, 2010)

Tomcat said:


> If you don't think they are worth the money, maybe you shouldn't own one? Considering thy are a life long pet, which take a considerable amount of time and care to look after, bond with and keep happy and healthy I believe they are worth every penny. Dogs cost £600+ for a pedigree, live 10-15yrs and are common pets, so in my mind, £600+ for a pet tht usually lasts a life time is a bargain!


I totally agree... 

It's not necessarily wether they are 'worth' the money, it's about wether you're serious about owning an animal thats as clever as a 4 year old child for the rest of your life.


----------



## samurai (Sep 9, 2009)

If they are not worth that price to you then don't get one, you need to have a high level of desire to own one and understand the commitment of a bird like that so if you are in doubt I'd say it's best not to. Are you still going to keep one in your bedroom? I'm not trying to be rude or make assumptions but have you really thought through your plans to get a large needy Parrot that could be around for 60+ years?

My next door neighbours have a Green winged Macaw and there's no way in hell I would want that noise in my bedroom!

You mentioned in another post your Mum wanted you to get a Cockatoo, why does she want you to get one? Surely if the bird is for you, you should be choosing a bird that suits what you would like to keep?


----------



## AraCyanea (May 30, 2011)

It's a big initial cost, yes. Though if you consider the facts mentioned above like you can pay around £500 for a dog that will last for 10 - 15 years, if it's pedigree maybe not even that long.

So double that and you can a magnificent looking bird that is much more of a challenge, will be your best friend and you can never stop training. They'll live 50+ years depending on what bird you'll get. That's a lifetime companion assuming you treat it with love, care and give it what it requires.

I have wanted one for a good few years and only recently taken a 10 year old in as he was an amazing price, but there are many drawbacks to getting a older bird, but I don't regret my choice for a second. After training, planning and attention, he's improved significantly in the last 4 weeks I have had him and I know he's going to be a bigger part in my life than any other animal I will own.

Parrots have a cognitive ability of a 5 year old it's said, so imagine having a companion that playful for it's entire life pretty much. They're so worth it at the end, whether you get an older one and take much longer to train or you get a baby and it's well trained when you get it.

I haven't owned parrots to give me enough experience, but I have done my research into them for many years.

EDIT: Bare in mind, Cockatoo's are known for their noise and hardly ever shut up. Personally, I would get a Macaw because I think they look so beautiful and they're much quieter than Cockatoo's are.

But to your main question if they're worth it, yes they damn well are.


----------



## DAZWIDD (Feb 9, 2009)

I think price suits breeder more than buyer, some birds have come down hugely in price as they are being over bred, I don't believe birds should be given away, but I do agree some are way over priced.


----------

