Please no jokes about pirates! My 15 year old son has always wanted a parrot, and we are close to bitting the bullet. What a surprise to find out we can't leave it alone for the weekend and need to bring it with us on the boat. They also need to be out of the cage during the day. Can you picture me pulling into the dock at Block Island with a green/red parrot purched on my shoulder? Anyone have any experience with a bird on board? RREgge (Grey Beard the Pirate) S/V Allie Kat
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RREgge
I have a good friend (w/ a 42' Vagabon Westwind)who has cruised for years w/ a yellow naped amazon... Norman talks alot and is a big hit at anchorages and marinas. He has no problem staying in his "traveling" cage...
I have a good friend (w/ a 42' Vagabon Westwind)who has cruised for years w/ a yellow naped amazon... Norman talks alot and is a big hit at anchorages and marinas. He has no problem staying in his "traveling" cage...
Parrot tastes like chicken
From what I'v heard, parrot tastes a lot like chicken....So a parrot would be welcome aboard..
From what I'v heard, parrot tastes a lot like chicken....So a parrot would be welcome aboard..
Parrots on board
Perhaps you know parrots are more than a lifetime commitment since the critters can live to 80 years of age!! They can also be quite tempermental from time to time and the experts say they have as wide a range of emotions as humans including joy, happiness, love, depression and temper tantrums!! But, they seem to adjust well and require a little maintenance since they are notoriously messy critters. But, geez, a parrot on board! What could be more Buffett-esque!? Y'know, reminds me of that story I once heard about pirates...
Perhaps you know parrots are more than a lifetime commitment since the critters can live to 80 years of age!! They can also be quite tempermental from time to time and the experts say they have as wide a range of emotions as humans including joy, happiness, love, depression and temper tantrums!! But, they seem to adjust well and require a little maintenance since they are notoriously messy critters. But, geez, a parrot on board! What could be more Buffett-esque!? Y'know, reminds me of that story I once heard about pirates...
Potential Risk to Bird
I have parrots but wouldn’t take them near a boat. There are two ways to keep parrots. You can clip their flight feathers so they can't fly. They can then be taken outside without a cage. You can also leave their flight feathers intact, but you will have to keep them caged while outside or they will fly back to S. America. Danger. An uncaged parrot with clipped wings can easily fall overboard and end up in the sea. Their clawed feet are absolutely useless on fiberglass decks. Parrots are not sea gulls, they don't float. If they fall their wings go under water. Their natural instinct is lift their wings and try to fly out, but this only drives them under. They will drown in seconds before you can do any thing to rescue them. Don't allow a parrot with clipped wings to roam free on your boat. Keep them caged while on board. If you do take a caged parrot on board make sure that the cage is tied down so they don't get injured if the cage falls and hits the sole. Yes, you should not leave parrots alone. Owning a parrot requires a major commitment that should not be taken lightly. They are not like cats that are perfectly happy to be left alone over a weekend. Like primates they are very intelligent social animals. They must have interaction with others; If not they will go crazy and become unmanageable. I solve the interaction problem while I am away by having two parrots caged together in a very large cage that has an enriched environment with lots of "toys". While I am away, they keep each other company. They have developed a great friendship with each other over the 13 years that they have been together. BTW: I don't clip my parrot’s wings. When I am home they come out of their cage so they can fly and behave like the free air born creatures they are. They take great joy in their ability to fly. A parrot with clipped wings is like dock bound sailor never allowed to go to sea. Bill Ebling Yesterday's Dream 1985 H31 Hull #31395 Crab Alley Bay, Kent Island, MD
I have parrots but wouldn’t take them near a boat. There are two ways to keep parrots. You can clip their flight feathers so they can't fly. They can then be taken outside without a cage. You can also leave their flight feathers intact, but you will have to keep them caged while outside or they will fly back to S. America. Danger. An uncaged parrot with clipped wings can easily fall overboard and end up in the sea. Their clawed feet are absolutely useless on fiberglass decks. Parrots are not sea gulls, they don't float. If they fall their wings go under water. Their natural instinct is lift their wings and try to fly out, but this only drives them under. They will drown in seconds before you can do any thing to rescue them. Don't allow a parrot with clipped wings to roam free on your boat. Keep them caged while on board. If you do take a caged parrot on board make sure that the cage is tied down so they don't get injured if the cage falls and hits the sole. Yes, you should not leave parrots alone. Owning a parrot requires a major commitment that should not be taken lightly. They are not like cats that are perfectly happy to be left alone over a weekend. Like primates they are very intelligent social animals. They must have interaction with others; If not they will go crazy and become unmanageable. I solve the interaction problem while I am away by having two parrots caged together in a very large cage that has an enriched environment with lots of "toys". While I am away, they keep each other company. They have developed a great friendship with each other over the 13 years that they have been together. BTW: I don't clip my parrot’s wings. When I am home they come out of their cage so they can fly and behave like the free air born creatures they are. They take great joy in their ability to fly. A parrot with clipped wings is like dock bound sailor never allowed to go to sea. Bill Ebling Yesterday's Dream 1985 H31 Hull #31395 Crab Alley Bay, Kent Island, MD
Parrot on board.
Although I haven't sailed with a parrot before, I couldn't imagine not taking Argo with us (African Grey). My S/O always had him onboard (caged) in his last sailboat, and his music, conversation, and passion for whistling jazz licks would make us both too homesick to not have him with us. Yes, they do need to be confined at all times, and yes, they can be somewhat messy, though if a seed-eater and not accustomed to large amounts of messier fruits, they are not as messy. Our commitment to Argo is no different than that of boaters who have dogs or cats. If you give your parrot's needs and safety as much consideration and planning as one would give to having a toddler on board, there is no reason to not take your bird. Good luck and enjoy happy sailing! jeribelle and trimhorn
Although I haven't sailed with a parrot before, I couldn't imagine not taking Argo with us (African Grey). My S/O always had him onboard (caged) in his last sailboat, and his music, conversation, and passion for whistling jazz licks would make us both too homesick to not have him with us. Yes, they do need to be confined at all times, and yes, they can be somewhat messy, though if a seed-eater and not accustomed to large amounts of messier fruits, they are not as messy. Our commitment to Argo is no different than that of boaters who have dogs or cats. If you give your parrot's needs and safety as much consideration and planning as one would give to having a toddler on board, there is no reason to not take your bird. Good luck and enjoy happy sailing! jeribelle and trimhorn
parrot on board
i have a blue and gold macaw who is the first mate. he loves the boat and sailing... we hung a perch inside the salon for him to excercise on.just be careful he can't fly or jump overboard...its a hassle getting to them when they do that
i have a blue and gold macaw who is the first mate. he loves the boat and sailing... we hung a perch inside the salon for him to excercise on.just be careful he can't fly or jump overboard...its a hassle getting to them when they do that
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