Popcornbird - I didn't mean to suggest that birds aren't likable, it's just that they're not pets *I* would get. I've taken care of plenty of different breeds for different amounts of time and I just don't get into them.

For me, there isn't that same connection. When I look at my cat and my dog back home I see another soul that's capable of understanding me at some sort of emotional level. I don't get that from birds, fish, reptiles and rodents. But that's just ME.