Hi there

I am considering getting a bird. I already own 2 cats, a dog, and three rats. I would like a bird that is quite affectionate (but not a one-person bird). The other primary concern is noise at night. I do own my own home, but it is quite near other houses and I myself am in vet school and need quiet at night so that I can sleep and prepare for early classes the next day. My question is this: are parakeets RELIABLY quiet at night, or would this be considered an aberration? Thanks a lot!

personally i dont think a bird would fit your present menagerie.

I would think being in vet school is a fulltime job and the animals you now have unless you have delegated the job or raising and caring to someone else is enough of a handful. The expense and time needed of still yet another is to me unfair because something will lack.

Also, if you have indeed delegated the care of these other animals to someone else then you really dont need another animal nor should you want to burden someone with still another.

Sounds like to me your bored with the animals you now have and are looking for a little something extra to spice your life up with...

We are suppose to be responsible "Caretakers" and should be mature enough to know when we have enough on our plates before something really begins to suffer which the animals wouldnt understand nor would it be fair to them...

Im being very practical here and using some good logic and common sense and hope you dont take offense

To say nothing to the fact that dogs ...cats...rats and birds simply are not condusive to each other and IMO would end in disaster.

I have to say I agree with illusive. Sounds like you have enough on your plate already at this time.
For a bird to be "quite affectionate" it takes a LOT of time, patience, and consistency. To be quite honest, giving proper care to birds is MUCH more involved and time consuming than dogs or cats...IDK about rats as I've never owned one.
It's great that you are looking in to bird ownership and asking questions before jumping in to it tho. Good for you!!
I think at this time you should focus your time and energy on vet school..and of course the animals you already have need your time too.

Kksuns and Illusive are so right! Parakeets take a lot of time and comittment, as does any other pet that you decide to adopt! It does sound like you have a lot on your plate. Maybe you should take into consideration that you may be too busy for a parakeet right now. At my local animal rescue league, they generally have reasons why the animal was surrendered. I see this reason a lot of parakeets and other birds: NOT ENOUGH TIME.

Trust me, I don't think you want to be one of those people.

Good luck! : )

Keets are flock creatures. For obvious reasons they will not be able to commune with your other critters, therefore you are the flock. While I know you can successfully have an only keet, I can tell you from experience it requires LOTS of time to commit to that bird to make it happy.

Your bird would require out of cage time when your other animals couldn't be present. The saliva from dogs is toxic to birds. Will you be able to keep the cage away from the cats? And secure from all. Training is another issue and takes considerable time and patience.

There is another thread on this forum right now about a keet that chirps and screams all night long.

Obviously this is your decision but do think long and hard about what is best for a potential feathered pet and what kind of home you can provide for it now.

Kudos to you for asking before you buy. We are happy to answer any and all questions here but a good bit of thought is needed here.

All the best,

Kathy

Kathy

Im surprised that you are in vet school and still have all of those animals to care for. But i do get what you are saying. You want change and something new. I would try rearanging a room or something.

I have a white parakeet and her belly and head are turning pink does anyone know why this is happening?

Is there a toy or food that this could be rubbing off from? Right now Heneri's face and head is green from gorging on spinach.

Kathy

giggle at peepers thoughts to ...try rearranging a room...

Ok are you seeing skin or are feathers themselves pink...if its the feathers what sort of food are you feeding...if not and its skin you have a serious feather picking disorder...and need to see your avian vet as the bird is extremely stressed for some reason or its on a very poor diet which in turn will also cause stress.