You’re a summer scrooge? Get yourself a parrot!
26.6.2025
Translation: Elicia Payne
Pictures: Anika Schulz
Why I don’t like summer – but my little cockatoos do.
«It’s getting hot in here» plays on repeat while my brain melts. I can’t emphasise enough how much I curse the warm season.
And while I’m sweating away here, I feel a wave of gratitude for my life with my three cockatiels. I know, I know, I do go on about it. But when the weather’s like this, I don’t feel like doing much more.
So here are five reasons why small cockatoos are ideal for summer scrooges. And please forgive me if you’re puzzled by this. It’s (too) warm. And my love of parakeets is still strong.
They replace the fan
As soon as the temperature in my living room climbs to 25 degrees plus, I urgently need something to cool me down. How convenient, then, that Rio, Cookie and Pebbles are free to fly around all day and whizz past my ears – the perfect replacement for a fan. And the small, natural air swirlers are also energy-saving.
Source: Pixabay
What do you mean, you don’t have any birdies? Well, you’ll have to buy a real fan then. Maybe one of these takes your fancy:
No need for walkies
OMG, just the idea of having to walk a dog at 30 degrees in the shade makes my forehead sweat. And imagine having a horse – that’d be even worse. Because then I’d have to muck out the stable every day and ride it. RIDE it! Imagine this: you (37 degrees at your core) sitting on a horse (38 degrees at their core) and both of you moving around, making you EVEN hotter.
I’ll pass, thanks. I’d rather stay on the sofa and let the cockatiels fan me.
The windows stay shut
We’re all familiar with the classic summer rule of closing the windows to keep the heat out. Well this is perfect for the cockatiels. I have to keep the windows closed anyway so that the birds don’t escape. I only let air in when they’re in the cage in the evening. And by that time it’s usually a little cooler outside.
A win-win situation for everyone involved: heat outside, parakeets inside, Anika happy.
Take it easy!
Cockatiels are flight animals. This means that they’re afraid of being eaten or attacked. If they see a rapid movement, they react with panic. Lady cockatiel Pebbles, for example, likes to escape to the curtain rail when I approach her personal space at a somewhat brisker pace.
That’s why its important to stay calm. That way the cockatiels remain relaxed – and I keep cool. You’re not supposed to exercise and exert yourself that much in summer anyway. It’s bad for your circulation.
The kitchen is permanently cool
Another thing I hate doing in summer is cooking. Standing in front of a steaming pot of soup or a roasting oven for hours on end in hot weather isn’t my definition of fun. So I tend to eat a lot of salad, bruschetta or muesli. The main thing is that the stove’s off and stays that way.
Wondering what the connection is to Rio, Cookie and Pebbles? Well, the three of them love greens and like to nibble away the leftovers. The inside of a bell pepper is destroyed in the same way as a few leftover lettuce leaves. Without dressing, of course.
So you see, there really are no better pets than cockatiels. And especially not in summer. (Ok, ok. I’m off for a cold shower...)
How do you get through the summer with your pets? Let me know in the comments.
Header image: Unsplash/ivan-tang
Anika Schulz
Teamleader Editorial
Anika.Schulz@galaxus.deAs a child, I was socialised with Mario Kart on SNES before ending up in journalism after graduating from high school. As a team leader at Galaxus, I'm responsible for news. I'm also a trekkie and an engineer.
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