Bird Species Advice for a College Student

Hello!
I have been interested in acquiring a pet bird for years now, but I have only recently found myself in a situation where it might be possible. I am by no means going to buy a bird right now. I would like to see how the semester plays out now that I no longer have to share a room with someone else, but it is definitely something I plan to do as soon as I'm sure that I can give a bird what it needs.

I was hoping some of you could give me advice on which type of parrot I should look into. Here's generally what I'm looking for:
-On the small side, can hopefully fit in a not-too-big cage (but I plan to have it out and about in my room for at least a couple hours every day).
-Very affectionate, will enjoy sitting on my shoulder (I know, so cliche), being petted, and generally being held and around people. I don't expect to bring it around huge groups of people, but I don't want it to bite my friends fingers.
-Trainable, not necessarily a huge talker, but maybe a few words and some tricks.
-Quiet- I will have neighbors living right next to me, so a bird that shrieks is definitely a no-go. I understand that all birds chatter, but some birds are louder than others.
-Not super messy- This one may be obvious, but I don't have a super large space and it would be much easier if a bird mostly contained its mess to its cage.
-Not super expensive- I am a student, and I understand that with annual check ups, food, and toys, birds can be expensive pets. I would prefer to not spend too much on the initial purchase so that I can save for the continued care of my bird.

I am concerned about the dust issue with cockatiels because it will be living relatively close to where I sleep and I don't have a ton of space for a huge mess. I will most likely get an air purifier for that reason regardless of the bird because I know they have sensitive respiratory systems.

The birds I have been considering include cockatiels, GCCs, senegals, meyers, pionus, and parrotlets. I have been leaning towards a parrotlet, but please let me know what you think or if you would suggest anything else!

Thank you so much!

Sounds like a cockatiel would be best for you just get the air purifier the other bird people would tell you is probably a green cheek conure but I spend about 10 hours a day with mine and he is still very nippy and kinda needy (but is the funniest bird you will ever meet) so it's probably not the best idea. But I might go with 2 cockatiels if I was you if you want a bird and can't spend a ton of time with them. Just my opinion other people might think of a better solution.
Also what is a couple hours to you I am also in school and incorporate goose in everything i do when I am not in school like breakfast dinner homework and pretty much everything else. So in all its about 10 hours I spend with him and he seems very satisfied

The first response that came into my head after reading what you're looking for, is a Green Cheek Conure. They come in a variety of beautiful colors too.

I think out of your list, GCC's might be the easiest temperament to handle (generally speaking) and if trained from the get-go. The Pionus will need a larger cage as some go up near 300 grams, and they can be temperamental.

An air purifier is definitely a great idea if the bird is being kept in a room. Not so much for the bird since I know you'll use common sense keeping the air clean, but it's good for your respiratory health. Mine gets clogged with powder dust very quickly with 3 parrots sharing a room.

Edit: forgot to add, ANY bird can have a noise that can be heard by your neighbor's at times. Even budgies .

Because I am very familiar with conures, I wouldn't recommend one. They are my personal favorite bird, so it's really out of love for the conure that I say that.

You mentioned a GCC, and although they are a more 'quiet' breed , all conures have the ability to be LOUD.

I feel like CDavis is on the right track of the suggestion of two cockatiels, rather than a solo bird.

Hopefully someone with parrotlets will offer advice also, I have no experience with them. They are downright adorable though.


CherylCali

Hello and welcome to the forum!
I was also thinking along the cockatiel line, and an air purifier is a great idea.
They are such sweet birds, not as loud as a GCC and may fit right in with what you need.

Thank you for your input! I'm concerned though that even with an air purifier the dust from the cockatiel could be too much, especially because I have some allergies and don't know how I would react to it.
The noise issue is my exact concern with a conure. I've always wanted one, but I feel like I should perhaps invest in a bird that is at least less likely to be loud. I will definitely okay it with my neighbors before I get one though, no matter the type.

Have you considered a Bourke's Parakeet? They are quiet and gorgeous. Mine isn't nearly as dusty as my tiels, either.

I'm also concerned that two birds would become too bonded to each other and will be less likely to want to spend time out of the cage with me, which is why I never planned to get two. I know that parrotlets do well on their own, but I'm not as sure about other species.

Terry57 said:

Have you considered a Bourke's Parakeet? They are quiet and gorgeous. Mine isn't nearly as dusty as my tiels, either.

Click to expand...

I haven't looked into them much, but I will! Thank you.

How many hours a day do you have to spend with whichever bird you choose this is a very important factor in the type of bird you choose.

CDavis said:

How many hours a day do you have to spend with whichever bird you choose this is a very important factor in the type of bird you choose.

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Right now I plan on spending 30 minutes with the bird out as I get ready in the morning as well as anywhere between 30 minutes and 4 hours with it in the evenings while I do my work and studying. Every other day I will also be able to spend some time during the afternoon with it. I know this is such a rough estimation, which is why I am waiting until the semester is in full swing to decide about getting a bird. I had a terrible roommate situation last year, so I was almost never at home. This year I plan to spend much more time at home, hopefully doing at least 1-2 hours of work in my room every evening, but I want to see how that actually plays out before bringing an animal into the mix.

From what I can tell, the sterotypical 'apartment' birds are out like Conures and Lovebirds solely due to the dorm walls and shrieking.

Bourkes Parakeet, regular ol' parakeet, Cockateil, or a parrotlet seem to be your best bet.


Out of the three, for what you're asking, I'd suggest the parrotlet. They have a BIG heart and personality for the smallest body of the parrot world. Not very loud, but they can be quite chatty and sassy. They try to talk, but not very well. HOWEVER this comes at the price of them being a bit nippier than the other two. 'Teils from my POV tend to be better whistlers and singers that are super sweet and sensitive, and bourkes are just generally quiet all together, but not as handsy.

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JNSaDo2qGWg"]Koolaid and HIS ADORABLE LITTLE FEET I CANT HANDLE THIS[/ame]
I find this "Chatter" to be pretty adorable, but it's subjective.

Parrotlets would be engaging and need a smaller space. They're literally a tiny handful of feathers. There's a pretty popular one on youtube called "Koolaid" (see above) that loves cat toys and tissues. I don't think they are a powder bird either.... which is a preferred choice.

I'd normally suggest conures, but they can be VERY loud, even a green cheek, if they get too bored.

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ST6cp4t872k"]Unhappy Green Cheek SCREAMING for attention[/ame]

Just keep in mind your budget (food, toys, cage, fruits/veggies, fridge for those, ect ect), time completely free to dedicate the bird, and tolerance for messes.

Teknogeddon how do you deal with a nippy parrotlet? And honestly, how much does it hurt?

Not a parrotlet specifically, but I will say I'd rather get bit by my macaw than by my cockatiel or Senegal. The bites of little birds sting a lot more than the crushing type bit of the bigger birds. Though the bigger birds do more damage.

I'd say a parrotlet might be a good choice, or how about a parakeet? Parakeets are so undervalued but are great birds, many can talk, there are so many beautiful colors, and you can adopt them easily from animal shelters.
(Should you decide to get a 'tiel, they are also frequently found in regular animal shelters)
I have multiple birds, some of the big, flashy ones, but I will always always also have a couple 'keets too! It is actually a plan of mine in the not too distant future to have a larger aviary-type set up for multiple 'keets (that I will adopt from shelters where they are routinely dumped). There is a small local zoo near here that has such a parakeet set up and it is amazing fun to watch, and so beautiful to enjoy the antics and beauty of the birds.

It is great that you are being careful to consider your currently lifestyle and time in picking a bird. Please also consider those factors for the next phases of your life, too, because birds are long lived so will be with you when you are done with school, working, moving, renting, dating, having kids - whatever direction your life takes you, adopting a bird now commits you to having a partner in crime to consider with whatever comes next. Your current neighbors may think the sweet morning chirps of a little birdie are cute - your next neighbors may think that the same sweet morning chirps are a constant annoyance.

Oh, and all birds are messy! If your bird is out and about in your room, the mess will be out and about, too. A bird on your shoulder means poop on your shoulder.

I have considered parakeets, but I've heard over and over again that they're not as affectionate as many other birds. Is this your experience?

You're right about my future, and I have been thinking about that a lot. That's one of the main reasons that I'm looking for a smaller, quieter bird. It will suit me well in the near future as well as the more distant future. I won't be getting a bird until I decide if I will be studying abroad, in which case I will likely wait until after that to get a bird.
And thank you for the comment about mess. I definitely have to commit to cleaning up a lot of mess when I get a bird, but I have heard that some birds are messier than others (have dust, molt more often, etc), so I'm hoping to get one that's on the less messy side.

Are GCCs always loud? They're just so darn cute, I keep coming back to them. What about Caikes?
I've heard from some people that parrotlets are just so tiny that they feel fragile.

I think a Caique would have far too much excitable energy for you to be able to manage at this point. Just from what I've experienced and seen, they're certainly energetic clowns that are go-go-go, and because of that I would say they need a lot of one-on-one interaction and play to be mentally stimulated. Not saying you couldn't manage it, but I would say they do best in high energy, high engagement environments.

GCC's are not always loud, but it is a relative concept. My GCC is the perfect apartment bird, or dorm bird, if you will. Lazy little potato bird who loves to just be out with you, happily whistling and chirping away, occasionally walking back and forth on the back of the couch. That being said, I believe this is primarily because she was clipped as a fledgling and never learned the excitement of flying mischief. Conures with flying confidence can be little trouble makers, but personally I think it adds to their charm.

However... if I leave, if something scares her, if she decides she doesn't like the music I'm playing or the TV channel I've chosen, you'll know. They're not constantly "loud", but all parrots have contact calls that were meant to be loud considering their natural habitat. When you have to communicate over large distances or through thick vegetation, your scream is best suited to be LOUD.

All that being said, the best thing to do is go interact with birds. If there's a rescue nearby, go visit! If there's pet stores, go play. Look to see if there's a local parrot club you can attend the meetings of to talk to local bird owners and meet their birds. Your bird will be such an individual, so it's best to just go handle a ton of different birds. You might find that your birdy soul mate is actually that vibrant little parakeet chattering away to you, or that dorky little pionus walking upside down along the roof of his cage, or the GCC trying to unlock her enclosure to terrorize the little parakeet next door (that's what sold me!)

I'm also going to add that a bird's behavior while you are home is not necessarily what they are like when you are not home. My neighbors report that my birds are 100 times louder when we are away from the house (they say they know we aren't home when the birdie chorus ramps up to non stop ear splitting volumes). Thankfully my neighbors are all bird people too and they are amused and not annoyed. Also, we alongside legs houses on large suburban lots, to give you an idea of how loud they really are. Our quietest bird, for the record, is the Amazon, followed by the cockatiel, then the macaw, with the loudest being the Senegal.

GCC aren't always loud, just the possibility is there. And true about them being different when we aren't home, which is the real question.
My GCC is eerily quiet. I talk to her in soft chirps clicks and whistles, so she tends to stay quiet as well. Every once in a while she really belts out some shrieks though.
Also, she's a baby so I know she could still turn into a really loud bird.

CherylCali