Deciding what animal to love is a very difficult process. It takes a lot of research and dedication to insert another being into your life. If you're truly ready to make that commit, then you're in luck. Hercules the sun conure and his antics can convince even the most stubborn dog/cat lover to go for the birds. Below are five reasons why birds (specifically sun conures) are the best pets to love.
1. They get ‘poofy’ when they’re happy.
Like any animal, birds love to be pet but they don't purr or wag their tails to show how happy they are. Instead, they puff out their feathers to make it much easier for you to scratch their sweet spot. Their feathers are actually really soft!
2. They put your selfie game to shame.
Aguilar
For some odd reason, it looks like he knows where the camera is. Truth is he’s most likely conflicted between looking at his owner or the food on the kitchen table. Either way, a bird like Hercules ignites a new respect to the animal selfie game.
3. You can leave them for a second and they’re likely to surprise you with something.
Aguilar
We had music blasting for a bit in the kitchen and my brother left the water running after he cleaned his dish. Unfortunately, our sun conjure beat him to the water.
Birds have a special way of cleaning themselves. For one, they can do it on their own and it doesn't require any licking. It’s messy and really amusing to watch. It's really the person's job to make sure the water is fine and the lovely bird does the rest.
4. Birds play like feathered puppies.
Hercules loves to play. He uses his beak and claws to bite and nibble at our fingers, and there’s usually no damage when it comes to that.
I have to admit though: despite him looking so fluffy and harmless, a bird’s beak is something to be careful of. Teaching a bird not to chomp down on your fingers takes practice and it’s more of a two-way street. It’s the same behavior as a cat. Sometimes they want attention and then there are times when they want to claw your face off.
5. They show you love comes in different sizes.
People are sometimes really hesitant to buy pets like hamsters and geckos because they think the love they provide for these smaller animals can't be acknowledged and therefore leaving actions unappreciated. People hope their actions can be acknowledged the same way a dog would get really excited when you take them on a walk and lick you.
I never expected a small creature to have such a huge personality. I always thought that was something really rare and only came true in fairytales. Hercules has shown my family and I that he loves and appreciate us in his own feathered ways.
Having a pet birds means having a unique unbothered and unfiltered companion. It's an experience that's rarely seen in the pet owner community and there's a reason for that. I'm not saying it's easier to take care of any animal other than a bird; every animal has a different set of needs. Some sets are more familiar to us than others. My advice is to do the research to be completely aware of the commitment you're about to make. Don’t purchase a bird simply because it’s ‘cute’. Hercules is amazing but not all birds are like him. It takes time for their personalities to show in new environments.
