Читать книгу Parakeets For Dummies - Nikki Moustaki - Страница 21

If you’re an adult and you want a parakeet for yourself, you’re off to a good start. Parakeets are not just for children, and they’re not starter birds. Parakeets and adults can have a wonderful relationship, as can parakeets and children.

Here are some good reasons to buy a parakeet:

 You’ve always wanted a parakeet.

 You’ve had your eye on a particular parakeet in the pet shop and you’ve fallen in love with him.

 Your child wants a parakeet very badly and you (the parent) are willing to assume full responsibility of the bird.

 You had parakeets as a child, you loved them, and you want to have one again.

Some not-so-good reasons to buy a parakeet include the following:

 You need something to match the drapes.

 You want a bird and a parakeet is all you can afford.

 You want a pet that’s not going to live very long for your child.

 Your cat ate the last one you had.

 Your other parakeet died of a disease (you didn’t take it to the veterinarian) and you need a replacement bird.

If you’re buying a parakeet for a child, realize that you will likely be the one who ends up taking care of the bird, even if the child promises to feed the bird and water it and clean the cage and play with it and love it every day. Though your child may have the best of intentions, more often than not, the parent assumes responsibility for the animal. (See Figure 2-1.)

Parakeets can provide a child with a sense of responsibility, compassion, and companionship. The qualities that a child learns from caring for a bird are qualities that he or she will use for a lifetime. Children who have parakeets learn to love, care for, respect, and maintain another being — and that valuable hands-on lesson lasts well into adulthood. Having a parakeet will also teach the important lesson everyone has to learn eventually — that nothing lives forever.

FIGURE 2-1: Children and parakeets can be good friends, but they must be supervised.

Even if the parakeet is the child’s bird, place the cage in a room where the bird will get attention from the whole family. Explain to the child that the bird will be lonely in the child’s bedroom because she is away most of the day. If the child is old enough, gentle, and handles the bird respectfully, you can allow her to play with the bird in her room. Problem solved. (See Chapter 6 for more information on helping your children to handle a parakeet safely.)