Shann is giving you some wonderful advice, and I'm really glad you're taking it all in and researching first!

I'm a senior in college right now, I live at home but I commute to my school an hour away. I've been doing this for four years because of my water dragon (who died this past November), but it was worth it to me to stay with him every day. I don't know how many opportunities I had to sacrifice because I couldn't wait until I was older to get a high-maintenance reptile.

I left him in my family's hands a few times for things like senior trip in high school, and they did an awful job taking care of him Not their fault really, it's just that people like us may spend months on end researching these animals and maybe it's unreasonable to expect others to take care of them the same way we would. Personally, I wouldn't want to leave my reptiles in the hands of family members for too long. Plus, why get a pet if you're only going to see it once a week? Or if you have to leave the state/country for your education or a job?

I don't have much useful to add, just that a lot of things change through your 20's and when you have a long-lived exotic pet, your choices will have to revolve around what to do with that pet. Of course, you'll see that anyway with your parrot Best of luck to you!