BetsyDaisy- I know its just so frustrating, I love my baby so much, I can't stand seeing birds being mistreated, or any animal for that matter. Ya know, its like having children and hearing someone talk about how they abuse their children, and how they want advice.

Sometimes reality is a hard task master and the truth can hurt. People don't set out to be mean but at 16 a person is considered a young adult and should be responsible enough to consider all possiblities that may arise.

Unfortunately and all too often I see cases where a young person, much younger than this, has purchased a pet without giving due consideration to the 'big picture'. The end result is often very painful and hard to take.

my thoughts exactly, I bought Kila after spending several weeks considering why I wanted her, and what it would take and whether or not I would be up to the task of possible caring for a bird for 15 years of more.

A very wise decision Kila's Mum. Many young people tend to forget it's not just a short term commitment.

I've seen many cases where the child has a bird, that child grows, finds other 'distractions in life' and eventually leaves home, the bird of course has lost its novelty to a degree by then and is left with parents etc. who often feel obligated to take it even though they don't necessarily want it.

This of course not only applies to birds but other pets as well.

omg i cannot beleave you people reading this post almost made me sick to my stomach, the boy is 16 years old for gods sake!!!! and correction to aerial 16 is not a young adult that is a child! maybe 18 or 19 young adult but not 16!!!!!! i agree he needs to work it out to be able to spend more time with the bird. but everyone has to admit when we all first got these birds we were not all educated. this child looked as this bird as a pet not thinking! like most CHILDREN do im sure he did not buy the bird thinking im going to torture this bird with lonelyness and mistreat him!! instead of being mean to him and talking to him like he is a 30 year old why dont we try to educate him.. it really made me upset to see how everyone was being sooo cruel to this CHILD! i mean really is a BIRD feelings more important than a real life HUMAN BEING?????????? i mean i thought people were harsh b4 this post? but my god this really put the topping on the cake. u people are sick and prolly kids yourself!

kila's mum: while i agree with some of your points, i don't think it's right to degrade the values of other animals. they're living creatures too, just like birds. i hope you don't think that puppies/mice/hamsters are animals that require lesser amounts of care/attention/respect.

*M,T,L,J'S* Mom: i agree with you too, except I think that in most cases, being 16 definitely qualifies you for being a 'young adult.' in most cases, i don't think we are really children at that age. of course, i may have a somewhat biased view being that i'm only 17 years old, but still, i think my judgement is valid.

this is going a bit off topic, but who else thinks that 16ish=young adult?

trey: any updates? how are you and your bird doing? i really don't think that buying a bird to want to teach it tricks is that big of an issue, AS LONG AS you take good care of it.

guys, he said he has read most of the pages on this website! just because he's not there all the time doesn't mean that the bird won't get proper care. he can teach is mother how to take care of it, right?

gl trey, and let us know how you're doing!

and in answering his original question and in response to some of the feedback he has gotten thus far:
As long as the home the bird is in is willing to care for it while you are gone (IE change water/food daily, talk to it, give it fly time if at all possible etc etc). there is no real issue. Yes it's a bummer that the bird can not spend 24/7 with Trey but the point should be Stick getting proper care. As far as training a Parakeet to do magic tricks, I've seen it done but it needs 24/7 time and a VERY close bond to the owner/trainer. Sadly with the bird only in your care part time i don't think this will happen. You may be able to get Stick to the point of finger trained and trusting of humans if you work with him as much as you can when you can.
I hope we haven't scared you away Trey, some of these responces have gotten ugly.

lol sueeee i remember that age 17 and of course like all normal teens they all think there as smart as adults and i will admit i was the same but i soon came to realize i didnt know as much as i thought i did, being that iam now a mother of 2 children i now understand just how much i didnt know at 17. im not trying to offend you or put you down i totally understand where your comeing from, but these people were treating him as if he was a full grown ADULT! thinking that he thinks like we do, and that just simply is not right.when facts come to facts young adult or not he is still NOT A ADULT, and did not deserve to be treated that way he came here looking for help and advice not to be yelled at put down and scolded! and he prolly came back and read all those mean post and decided never to return i mean hell ide do the same thing if someone talked to me that way. i mean really is this how we want this forum to be? rejecting people b/c they didnt do the right thing right away?but i really do agree with you hamsters dogs cats etc etc require the same love and attention as these birds, just because they dont show there emotions the same as birds dont mean they feel any different and dont mean they need less care and maintence. anyway im going to shut my mouth now i think i got my point across and i really think that if any of you who posted those mean post have any kinda of heart and are so careing for those birds as you say you are i think you should care enough about this boys feelings and apologize.

^ haha, *nod nod* you're definitely not the first to tell me so. i'll have to see for myself when i grow older

all I have to say is God bless america,it a country where everyone is entitled to his or her own opinion and sweetheart if this makes one sick to the stomach what does the things that are going on out in the world do so much is taking place those things make me sick period.the killings in schools, the rapes.no one here is truly trying to hurt anyone.we're not like that for someone to even make that statement they haven't even began to know us.we stand for what is in the best interest of the birds;not people pride!first first last and always that what this forum is about.sometimes we might could be a little gentler but when any make staement like they have a bird for show or to profit from only we become upset.we have spent a lot of time and money to ensure our birds get the best of care.and in most states 15 is considerred a adult when a crime has been committed,when we don't think an bird is being treated or isn't going to be treated well so of us get very upset.