4 ms·

I worked in the Pepperberg lab as an undergrad. They are amazing animals, and working there was a wonderful experience, but I'd never have one as a pet. They're

I worked in the Pepperberg lab as an undergrad. They are amazing animals, and working there was a wonderful experience, but I'd never have one as a pet. They're basically like 2 year olds in their behavior - selfish, demanding, destructive. Imagine having a toddler in your house every day for 60 years. It'd be brutal.

paulcole 8y ago
I used to take pet sit for two parrots. One African Grey and one Jardine. The Jardine was so friendly and chill. Would hang upside down on my finger and loved being rubbed. The African Grey was dedicated to causing as much trouble as he could. His favorite trick was imitating the sound of the cat jumping on the piano so you'd yell at the cat. The old lady who owned them died and they ended up willed to her kids. I can't even imagine inflicting that on anyone.
ocdtrekkie 8y ago
For what it's worth, there's a huge difference in how a parrot acts with its owner than "another human", and I'm very curious how a lab environment would affect that compared to a home. In the case of a parrot of my father's, the bird was incredibly well-behaved for my dad, but absolutely refused to get along with any other humans. After a number of years of invested effort, I got to the point she would tolerate me solely when my dad was out of town... to the point that when taking care of her she'd want to sit on my shoulder for a while. ...But the very moment my dad walked back in the door, I was persona non grata again. From my understanding, the tendency of a parrot to bond to one person is pretty strong.
- drpgq 8y ago
  That sounds like a few of mother’s cats over the years
logfromblammo 8y ago
My mother has a caique. He likes to play "jokes" that are really only funny to him. These include biting the web between your fingers hard enough that it hurts, but not hard enough to make you bleed; and pooping hard at an angle, so that it clears the newspapers and metal barrier and hits the floor. Then he laughs. He basically gets an unending series of toys specifically designed to be destroyed by parrots, and they get swapped out whenever they deteriorate enough to be dangerous. In contrast, I have a terrapin, who still hasn't finished chewing through her first cuttlebone, and who couldn't care less if you left her alone with her ceramic heater for weeks on end. The worst thing she does is to poop in her walk-in water dish. Imagine having a roommate that's perfectly quiet, keeps all their stuff tidy, and is generally almost unnoticeable every day for 80 years, except they sometimes poop in the sink or vanish for weeks on end during the winter because they're sleeping in their own refrigerator. Oh, and they don't pay rent. Now imagine having a roommate that does stuff like grab the sandwich out of your hand as you are eating it, take a big bite as you watch, and throw the rest on the floor. And they don't pay rent. Seems like an easy choice, right? But you're never going to tell any fun stories about the first roommate.
- ams6110 8y ago
  > Imagine having a roommate that's perfectly quiet, keeps all their stuff tidy, and is generally almost unnoticeable every day for 80 years What's the point of a pet like that? I really don't understand keeping fish, reptiles, or rodents. Pets are a major hassle, though for some the companionship is worth it. But fish and lizards don't really provide companionship.
  - logfromblammo 8y ago
    Various combinations of allergies among members of my household preclude dogs, cats, and mammalian exotics. The choice is therefore reptile, bird, or no pets at all. A terrapin isn't any worse than a cat, really. They'll interact with you when they feel like it, and do their own thing when they don't. But they won't go around destroying things when they get bored. It's not a dog, but it won't be killing anyone with dander, either--salmonellosis, maybe, but not allergens. Fish are mostly just decoration. If you're going to have an aquarium anyway, you might as well put an aquatic reptile in it. They'll at least acknowledge your existence as foodgiver.
  - lbotos 8y ago
    Fish tanks can have a calming effect: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/to-your-health/wp/2015/07/30/feeling-stressed-try-an-aquarium/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.65a9f240815f https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/to-your-health/wp/2015/0...
scarecrowbob 8y ago
I agree with you. To add in another reason why I get a little sad every time I visiting my buddy and his parrot: I can't imagine locking a 3 year old in a cage every day and leaving for work for work. That's brutal on both sides.
- krageon 8y ago
  You realise that cages for babies are literally a thing already? The only difference is the top is open because actual children cannot fly.
  - scarecrowbob 8y ago
    Damn, you leave your kid in a crib at home while you go off to work for the day?

paulcole 8y ago

I used to take pet sit for two parrots. One African Grey and one Jardine. The Jardine was so friendly and chill. Would hang upside down on my finger and loved being rubbed. The African Grey was dedicated to causing as much trouble as he could. His favorite trick was imitating the sound of the cat jumping on the piano so you'd yell at the cat. The old lady who owned them died and they ended up willed to her kids. I can't even imagine inflicting that on anyone.

ocdtrekkie 8y ago

For what it's worth, there's a huge difference in how a parrot acts with its owner than "another human", and I'm very curious how a lab environment would affect that compared to a home. In the case of a parrot of my father's, the bird was incredibly well-behaved for my dad, but absolutely refused to get along with any other humans. After a number of years of invested effort, I got to the point she would tolerate me solely when my dad was out of town... to the point that when taking care of her she'd want to sit on my shoulder for a while. ...But the very moment my dad walked back in the door, I was persona non grata again. From my understanding, the tendency of a parrot to bond to one person is pretty strong.

drpgq 8y ago
That sounds like a few of mother’s cats over the years

logfromblammo 8y ago

My mother has a caique. He likes to play "jokes" that are really only funny to him. These include biting the web between your fingers hard enough that it hurts, but not hard enough to make you bleed; and pooping hard at an angle, so that it clears the newspapers and metal barrier and hits the floor. Then he laughs. He basically gets an unending series of toys specifically designed to be destroyed by parrots, and they get swapped out whenever they deteriorate enough to be dangerous. In contrast, I have a terrapin, who still hasn't finished chewing through her first cuttlebone, and who couldn't care less if you left her alone with her ceramic heater for weeks on end. The worst thing she does is to poop in her walk-in water dish. Imagine having a roommate that's perfectly quiet, keeps all their stuff tidy, and is generally almost unnoticeable every day for 80 years, except they sometimes poop in the sink or vanish for weeks on end during the winter because they're sleeping in their own refrigerator. Oh, and they don't pay rent. Now imagine having a roommate that does stuff like grab the sandwich out of your hand as you are eating it, take a big bite as you watch, and throw the rest on the floor. And they don't pay rent. Seems like an easy choice, right? But you're never going to tell any fun stories about the first roommate.

ams6110 8y ago
> Imagine having a roommate that's perfectly quiet, keeps all their stuff tidy, and is generally almost unnoticeable every day for 80 years What's the point of a pet like that? I really don't understand keeping fish, reptiles, or rodents. Pets are a major hassle, though for some the companionship is worth it. But fish and lizards don't really provide companionship.
- logfromblammo 8y ago
  Various combinations of allergies among members of my household preclude dogs, cats, and mammalian exotics. The choice is therefore reptile, bird, or no pets at all. A terrapin isn't any worse than a cat, really. They'll interact with you when they feel like it, and do their own thing when they don't. But they won't go around destroying things when they get bored. It's not a dog, but it won't be killing anyone with dander, either--salmonellosis, maybe, but not allergens. Fish are mostly just decoration. If you're going to have an aquarium anyway, you might as well put an aquatic reptile in it. They'll at least acknowledge your existence as foodgiver.
- lbotos 8y ago
  Fish tanks can have a calming effect: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/to-your-health/wp/2015/07/30/feeling-stressed-try-an-aquarium/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.65a9f240815f https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/to-your-health/wp/2015/0...

scarecrowbob 8y ago

I agree with you. To add in another reason why I get a little sad every time I visiting my buddy and his parrot: I can't imagine locking a 3 year old in a cage every day and leaving for work for work. That's brutal on both sides.

krageon 8y ago
You realise that cages for babies are literally a thing already? The only difference is the top is open because actual children cannot fly.
- scarecrowbob 8y ago
  Damn, you leave your kid in a crib at home while you go off to work for the day?