It's a hyperactive 4-5 year old, with scissors for a face, that never matures. I love having parrots, but they're not at all for everyone, and in many ways make terrible pets.

A friend of mine's mother used to keep parrots, and I remember the biggest and oldest one well (an African grey). I still remember the playful "clip!" sound it would make as I walked past the cage, and it would lean towards me, trying to take a chunk out of me.

Yep. The bigger parrots (macaws & large cockatoos) are more like bolt cutters for a face. I used to volunteer at a parrot rescue when I lived near one, we'd feed the hyacinth macaws unopened macadamia nuts. They'd crack the shells seemingly without effort.

They're very cute but they're awful pets. Please everyone, don't get one because you thought the video was cute. They need a massive amount of your time otherwise they become horny monsters that shred your life.

Generally true, although some species need way more attention than others. And 'way more' can often mean full time attention whenever they aren't sleeping.

I had an Amazon parrot that needed less attention than an African Gray or a Cockatoo.

I'd still not recommend as a pet given that their lifespans are so long. It's a decades long commitment and they may even outlast you, in which case you need to figure out what's going to happen to them.

as a parrot owner (blue fronted amazon), that's true, it's like having a child, like, really, it's not hyperbolic unlike dog/cat owners.

Are you talking about the parrots?

> Imagine having to deal with them making a mess every 30 minutes for 70 years. How many poops even is that? Yikes.

If my math is right, over 70 years a parrot would give 1,227,240 shits about you.

The bigger problem is that parrots are very social and need a lot of interaction with you throughout their lives not just until they are teens.

> making a mess every 30 minutes for 70 years

Oh that's adorable. I have a parrot and poops aren't even the biggest mess he makes.

They love to fling food. And shredding. And throwing everything you hold dear. And even a tiny 120g parrot like mine is strong enough to open cupboards and drawers.

What is the upside?

They’re pretty fun and super affectionate! It’s like having a little curious buddy who wants to do everything with you, learns your routine, communicates what’s on their mind, always warns you of scary things and sounds, viciously attacks anything or anyone they think might be a danger to you, and absolutely holds a grudge if you do something upsetting.

And they’re smart enough to remember people for many years and learn how to behave differently around different people based on past interactions.

Oh and you can throw them like a boomerang.

Sounds like you have a sun conure