Alexandrine

Hi all new to the forum looking into getting a new bird
here are a few things I'm looking for in a bird
wanting to know if an Alex is the right fit and what the pros and cons are ?

I have had exprriance with birds so am not a 1st timer
I have 2 children (7yrs and 15 months )
2 outside dogs and a cat who does hunt outside birds but has been ok with my other inside birds in past
I'm an at home mum at current but hope to return to work in next few years ( I know you have to start out how you mean to continue so won't overload attention onto it but will still give it plenty )

I'm wanting a bird that is known to be fairly stable in their nature and not nippy
I will get my children semi involved with the bird training etc but I want something that's not going to be clingy to me and diminent to my children
a nice social family oriantated type bird
I want a bird who is playful and likes to be involved with the family but is just as happy playing by themselves
an intellegent bird who enjoys training and has the ability to talk
something that's known to be not overly noisey ( with two kids and a playstation addict partner the least I need is a bird competing for loudest in the house )

Sorry this Is so long but the more you know the more you can help me choose the right bird

My other choice is a Quaker but i belive they CSM be nippy, protective and noisey

Hi DJ and welcome to the forum, well with your do's and dont's list of qualities that you want in a bird you've pretty much eliminated about 99% of the parrot world, including Alexandrines and Quakers, the one bird that comes to mind that fills many of the wants on your list is the Lineolated Parakeet, their not noisy, nor nippy, come in a variety of color mutations, are not demanding of attention, even tempered and very social, a good family bird, though with a 15 month old may be asking a bit much, and while they have the ability to talk their not known for having large vocabularies, there is quite a bit of info out there on the net about them, might be worth taking a look at, they are quickly becoming a very popular companion bird , hope that helps some, enjoy your stay, many really nice and informative folks here always willing to help.

One thing I did neglect to mention, they are a fairly small bird, maybe about the size of a love bird or a little larger 6 to 7 inches or so

Ok maybe you took my words a little more serious than they were meant I know all birds can be nippy and noisey etc etc i just want one that is within reasonable limits
we are very restricted in nz what we can buy
Quakers are rare and fetch $450-650 each for a handraised
alexandrines $350-600
and the prices go up from there
we get very few types on conures or sengals and such breeds like that so my options are limited
any options are appreciated though thankyou

I can tell you about my experience with Max, my Alex. Max is a wonderful little bird, but a little grouchy. He's very independent and doesn't like to be touched. However, he wants to be part of the family and "in on the action". He loves to sit on my son's shoulder and watch him play vidoe games or watch a ballgame with my husband and I. There are days that he stays in his cage all day - even if we leave the door open. But if he comes out, he wants to be able to see someone. So when we sit down to dinner, his perch gets moved to the dining room.

He's not noisy at all, but he's just 18 months old, so that may change. He's been "practicing" his noises lately and very vocal so I suspect he's going to start talking soon. But about 1x week he will screech. Odd but none of our birds do dawn/dusk flock calls.

He is Destructo Bird and can reduce a large macaw sized wooden toy to spinters in about 24-36 hrs.

He's a very good eater and would probably wash my car if I paid him in Cream of Wheat and walnuts.

We got him to be my bird and he and I bonded pretty well. But he's in the process of "divorcing" me and rebonding with my 17 yo son. He's perfect for my son who has a mild form of autism but wants a companion to sit with him. In fact, lately he won't come to me but stays with my son.

They are smaller birds - about 200 to 250 gr, Max is 215 gr - so they don't need a ginourmous cage.

All that said, each bird is an individual with a very distinct personality. I know there are other Alex families here who have vastly different experiences with their birds. Honestly, my experience with Max would lead me to think that an Alex may be a good bird for your family.

Dj tweet said:

Ok maybe you took my words a little more serious than they were meant I know all birds can be nippy and noisey etc etc i just want one that is within reasonable limits
we are very restricted in nz what we can buy
Quakers are rare and fetch $450-650 each for a handraised
alexandrines $350-600
and the prices go up from there
we get very few types on conures or sengals and such breeds like that so my options are limited
any options are appreciated though thankyou

Click to expand...

Sorry, didn't realize you were in NZ, didn't see it mentioned in your first post, anyway was just trying to give my best honest answer as to what you were looking for in a bird with the narrow scope you set forth, when I suggested a Linnie it was the only bird that came to mind that fit in that slot....I only wish that Quakers were that rare here, average price here is about $40-$60US for the greens, unfortunatly though not native to Florida they are about as common in the wild here as finches, starlings or sparrows are in other parts of the country, sorry to say that after many people get tired of the noise of a quaker they just set them free

Thanks for the replies all your opinions mean a lot
hrh di can you add me as friend or such so I can get in contact with you in future if an Alex is the way I decide to go
cheers