# Parrots - Where to buy & How to train ?



## sketchin (May 21, 2013)

*So i'm thinking about getting a Senegal parrot i'm more of a reptile guy but i do like small birds, birds in general aren't my favorite i think they smell and make to much noise but... I would love to give training on a go and i know they can be quite affectionate and i'm looking for something less _'reptilian'_ which i can interact with a little better. 

So before i go out and get one i'v figured i'd find a good breeder and get one young and from a good breeder and i want to train so i'm looking for some good literature on keeping and training birds. 

*So in short - could someone point me in the right direction to a good Senegal breeder(i'm in Norfolk) and some sites/books on training birds. Thanks!


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## Arcadiajohn (Jan 30, 2011)

in short, don't do it!

Parrots always have a smell and they are ALL noisy. if you don't like smell and noise then parrots are not for you. Even a budgie can be infuriating if you don't like constant noise.

there are plenty of breeders and hand rearers, plenty of training schools and hundreds of books.

Expect to pay £300-500 for a good young Senegal plus the cage and lighting and other bits.

Birds are a very rewarding hobby IF you have the time and patience to work with them all year long even in the hormonal times where they bite for no good reason.

john


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## Kiwibird (Mar 27, 2014)

I'm sorry, but I have to interject here that healthy, well cared for parrots DO NOT SMELL. Their droppings do NOT smell (unless they are SERIOUSLY ill). What *can* smell is rotted food, as their diet relies heavily on fresh fruits, veggies and whole, cooked grains supplemented with seed and/or pellets. If you allow for fruit/veg to ROT because you do not clean their cage, of course it will smell! DUH! What they are is messy, and their entire area must be cleaned & vacuumed, cage wiped down and paper changed pretty much every day. It's not the bird's fault, that's just part of ownership, just like walking a dog or cleaning a litter box. I spend around 20 minutes a day cleaning my amazon's area. If you miss a day, it will look like you haven't cleaned in a month, no joke. Never left it long enough to start smelling though. I'm sure that would take several days of not cleaning. They are also NOT A 'HOBBY"!!!!! They are SIGNIFICANT commitment of your time for the rest of their natural lifespan and with TIME and EFFORT, certain behaviors can be modified to be more 'tolerable' in a domestic setting (such as vocalizations, bite pressure, potty training ext...).

Things to consider with parrots: LOUD (even small ones, they tend to have a very high pitched 'smoke alarm' type screech), DESTRUCTIVE (if you don't train them not to or don't supervise, they will chew up furniture, panelling, rip wallpaper off the walls, even pull up carpet), BITE (Every.single.parrot can and will bite you at some point. Sometimes out of seemingly nowhere too. They are NOT feathered dogs, they are still very much WILD animals), EXPENSIVE (after the initial cost of the bird comes a high quality cage, initial vet wellness check and any subsequent illness or injury with a specialist avian vet, a constant supply of fresh fruit and vegetables, toys, which the can go through 2-3 a WEEK and cost $10+ EACH, not to mention incidentals such as perches, emergency carrier, nail and wing grooming ext...) ATTENTION NEEDY (a MINIMUM of 6 hours a day OUTSIDE the cage, and at least several of those should be with you or your family. They are highly social animals).

Parrots are one of those animals that just aren't for everyone. They have a lot of 'negatives' most people just can't handle and contrary to popular belief, do not just sit in a cage and sing all day. That said, IF you can handle all their natural tendencies that prove irritating to many people, they are highly rewarding pets. Intelligent, funny, long lifespan and can become incredibly bonded. My BEST advice for learning about them is to go to an avian shelter and interact with real, live parrots. See if you can handle the noise, the mess, the bites ext... You can read all you'd like about them and how to train one, but nothing beats hands on experience. I grew up with amazons and a cockatoo (all in my family for over 40 years) and own a blue front amazon (rescue bird I've had 6 years who's about 16 y/o). Haven't been around many sennies, but if you have any *general* parrot questions, I probably know the answer. I'm in the US, so I don't know any UK breeders, though I typically suggest looking at rescues anyways. Feel free to PM me with any questions, and I can try to answer. I have a lifetime of experience with these amazing animals, and know the good along with the bad and am not afraid to be honest with a prospective owner. Best of luck.


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## sketchin (May 21, 2013)

Cheers for the posts i forgot i about this thread.


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