The Perfect Parrot

Hello everyone! My name is Phil and I'm new to this forum and the parrot world! I have been researching these beautiful creatures for the past 3 months now and have finally decided to get one in the next three months. I have read the sticky to posting a thread and I apologize in advance if this topic has been posted before. I am on my phone I have no computer and it took about 2 hours on this blackberry to make a name and this post so I have no time to search. For the past 3 months I have been researching these animals and have decided I want one of these life long companion. I have a lot of time on my hands to handle the bird. I work first shift 4 days a week. When I am not home my girlfriend is because she works second shift. We do live in an apartment so I am looking for a quiet talking parrot. I know this is never a guarantee with a parrot. I am looking for a one person bonded parrot. I know this is also not a guarantee. I just don't want to invest 1000 dollars into something that will disown me and love my girlfriend. Especially because she is usually gone working 2 jobs I'm usually home alone or have a friend or two over. Size isn't an issue. Cage size isn't an issue I had larger than 22'" x 32'' cage for my cockatiels and quaker. We have plenty of fruits and veggies here. I have been looking at weaned babies from breeders online because no adoption agency seems to want to respond to my emails. I have all day and all my life to spend with one of these creatures and I am looking for a life long companion. If I cannot respond it is due to issues with my phone sorry in advanced.

Xpj, welcome to the site! You will find a ridiculous wealth of information and helpful folks here.

You are definitely doing the right thing by a long period of research. A parrot can live a very long time, so there is no big hurry. They are worth every minute of the wait.

As far as recommendations for a quiet, talking bird. A budgie probably fits that description best of all (they talk a LOT...you just have to be quiet and listen!), though I am guessing that is not what you really meant. I get the feeling you are wanting something a bit larger.

I am of course a bit biased, but I would recommend an african grey parrot. They are without a doubt one of the best, if not the best, talkers out there, and tend to be a bit more reserved than other large parrots, such as Amazons, Macaws, and Cockatoos. Whereas some boisterous daily squawking is almost to be expected with those birds, Greys screaming is probably more the exception than the rule. They can of course scream if taught to, but are usually quite well-mannered if given good attention, care, and love.

Another bird I might recommend if noise is a major concern, is a Caique. Though like Greys, they can be noisy if not taken care of, their normal behavior is pretty quiet. However, they are not known as exceptional talkers. They have tons of personality though; they are one of the most playful, rough and tumble parrots around, always chewing on toys, rolling around on their backs holding toys, and childish mischief in general.

I'm sure you're going to get a lot of responses, all good. Again, welcome to the site.

Thank you for the reply and the welcome. I was looking into african greys for a while. But most people say that african greys prefer one person or sex. I just don't want to pay for such an expensive bird if its going to prefer her. The problem is I don't want something to happen to my relationship where the bird will be attached to her but I wouldn't be able to let it go. Is this typical of greys?

Welcome to our forum. I too love the AG. If they are socialized they are not one person birds. I live with my bird and cat. Rosie has really blossomed recently. She welcomes guest and will get on their hand. She is weary but not afriad of strange things or places. This is all a result of training. A senegal is also one of the quieter birds.

OK, here we go, I'm gonna beat Phoenix Rising to it again:

have you explored the Alexandrine Parakeet as an option? Alexandrines are not generally screamers, are excellent and very pretty whistlers, and can be very good talkers. They also self-entrtain very well, but are flexible, adventerous, and very interactive if appropiately socialized. Alexandrines can become very attatched to a single person, but are also, due to their natural habbits (they often -though not always- change mates every year) willing to re-bond with new people fairly easily.

Alexandrines may not have the amazing talking ability of a Grey, but they are smart, active and curious and possibly braver than they ought to be. Alexandrines are very even tempered and are excellent about communicating their moods. Even when angry or scared they rarely bite hard.

here's some youtube video to tempt you:

Not my bird....
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6VbpwRCLD60&feature=youtube_gdata_player]YouTube - More of Alex[/ame]

My Bird:

being loud...
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MI4IDRzRqmg&feature=youtube_gdata_player]YouTube - Buddy (Aka Baby, Aka Ms. Prissy Beak) The Alexandrine Talks[/ame]

more typical noise level....
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u-qMgtiK1No&feature=youtube_gdata_player]YouTube - Alexandrine Parakeet purring[/ame]

I'm not quite sure what you're asking. You want a parrot that will bond to you alone, won't give its love/allegiance/regurgitations to anyone else, is quiet yet a decent talker, and is cheap. All I'm hearing is me-my needs-mine: you said several times in your post you "know" there's no guarentees, yet it doesn't seem you really understand that. Birds are wild animals: they're not like dogs, who lavish attention on their owner/caregiver/feeder. They require you to build a relationship with them which takes a lot of TIME, and often even then they won't like you. It's common for any bird to prefer certain people more than others, even if they only see these people occasionally. If you can't handle the jealousy (yours, not the bird's) this will probably engender, then perhaps a bird isn't for you.

Why exactly do you want a bird? Do you want it to talk to you? Be colorful and pretty? Be something you can take out on occasion for friends and get to perform tricks, then put up and forget the rest of the time? Do you want a pet that won't die on you in 7-10 years? And, if you do get one of these animals, are you willing to put forth the effort for the next 20-80 years it'll take to allow this animal to live happily, stay bonded with you (or whoever it grows to love best, birds are as capricious as humans in this regard), and keep healthy?

I'm sorry if I come along as harsh, but all I've been hearing about is what "you" want out of a bird. So far, only some of the smaller ones (like NFE mentioned, budgies come to mind) really sound like something that would fit your criteria, and I get the impression that isn't what you want to hear.

Hi exjmxx928 and welcome
I honestly to not think that there is a perfect parrot.

I have always been a guardian to AG's, 3 all in all. The first one Congo, we got him when he was 6 years old. It took about a year for him to trust me, then eventually my two guys. He did speak another language, but soon started speaking English. He would go to anyone, very friendly little guy. I had an accident with my hand, my ex-husband then took him. A few years later I got Gigi, (when she was 6 months old) she was the most cuddly bird anyone could ever want. Gigi had a great personality, loved lots of attention. We used to argue, who was going to hold her. She would go under our t-shirts, snuggle up near the armpit and fall asleep. She was talking beautifully, and loved to play all the time. Unfortunately she she had a stroke and died at 13 months old.
Three years ago I got Mishka my current bird and love of my life (6 weeks old) and hand reared her. Mishka is such a friendly bird, will go to anyone, who want to hold her. Both my guys (20 & 18 yrs old) handle her without a problem. Mishka has an incredible ability to talk, she loves talking, she talks non stop 24/7.
All my birds we shared amongst us equally, I guess that's why there was never a problem that the bird would only bond with one person.
I do know many guardian's who's AG's, have only bonded with only one person.

In your first post you mentioned
I am looking for a one person bonded parrot.

In our second post you mentioned
I just don't want to pay for such an expensive bird if its going to prefer her. The problem is I don't want something to happen to my relationship where the bird will be attached to her but I wouldn't be able to let it go.

I am confused, please explain .........................
You stated you looking for a one person bonded parrot, then mentioned you don't want the bird to prefer your girlfriend

I have to say I agree with Sarah 110%, I wrote, deleted and re-wrote only to delete again pretty much most of what she said, you have to understand that most parrot species are flock animals by nature and therfore very social, to stifile that behavior because your afraid the bird may or may not be attracted or bond to someone else other than you could be very harmful to the bird phycologically, to keep a bird happy and healthy they must be kept entertained, not kept as to entertain us......something to give thought

How about a perfect person?

Spiritbird said:

How about a perfect person?

Click to expand...

There are a few of us left SB, but we're quickly becoming a vanishing species

I'm going to give you 2 positives here as we are good members here and not the evil ones it makes us seem to be in this post

I guess love for our fids can make us a little crazy. And if we do seem nasty we all by no means intend to be we all here just want what is best for the birds

Quakers ! Can be noisey as hell but are excellent talkers , outrageous personalities , very comical and generaly bond with one person
( although this is not something I recomend !!! Do you really want a 1person bird a bird who screams , lunges and bites you or your gf everytime you go near 1 another ??? Yes that is what happens !!! You become the birds mate and it does what it can you protect you from threats to that bond (eg your girlfriend )

Whichever species you pick if your wanting it to bond better with you a female bird is probably best
not always true as I'm sure many members can contest to but birds generaly attract better to a person of the opposite sex

Any and all birds are different and each bird within a particular species is different just cause the species says a,b and c about them you may end up with an x, y, z bird
Having a bird bonded to just one person is not something that can be gaurenteed and something I don't think any member here would agree is in the birds best interest

Birds are flock creatures they need many people to be that flock and they need to interact with ALL members of that flock to be happy healthy birds

I hope if you do decide to get a bird you think long and hard about the true reasons behind wanting one and I hope you make choices that are right for the bird

Members here will be with you every step of the way for help and guidance

By me saying the perfect parrot, I meant the perfect parrot for me. If I didn't describe what I was looking for in a bird wouldn't have someone asked anyways?? And I don't have jealousy issues relationships end and I don't want it to affect the bird. And I don't recall ever saying I needed a cheap parrot.

Thank you pheonix I understand. Sometimes when I say one thing I mean another so I apologize for the confusion.

Its fine if my parrot likes everyone iive heard stories of where someone will buy a parrot and they bond with a totally different person and completely ignore the other. Which by me saying buying a 1000 dollar parrot and it ends up hating you.

I do understand what you mean it's not always easy to convey into words when you've got alot to say

I myself have an alexandrine parrot ( although only 8 weeks old ) hand raising him myself
but he is a total joy
just like jawx said these birds are gentle , quite , social , talkative , and occasionally cuddly ( jawx and mine are anyways )
they love to play and explore and really are great little birds

They are stable natured and very rarely bite
I hardly ever hear a sound out of pheonix ( certainly not any loud ones anyways )
he is a total snuggle bug with me as I'm his primary carer yet he is still happy to so******e with my kids and partner
I paid $450 for him here in nz but I believe they are of a similar price over there also

Whichever you choose just please be sure it's for the right reasons

As everyone has mentioned there is no such thing as the perfect parrot. If you want the next closest thing I would say first find the perfect owner. I believe it is all about how the bird is raised from a baby and how well it is taken care of.

I have a Hahns macaw and they are great. I did a lot of research before deciding on what type of bird I wanted. After evaluating my options, I decided the Hahns fit my criteria for a bird.

Check them out! I am sure you will be pleased.

Cheers,

I'm not quite sure why this thread has gone a little "awry" but Congrats on deciding to give a bird a home! There are many great birds. Choosing is often difficult because each species has it's pros and cons. If this is your first, consider a Greencheeked Conure or maybe a Pionus. A Lineolated Parrakeet can be a GREAT little bird...very parrotlike, but smaller and more maneageable. Budgies are also very intelligent, and make great pets. It depends what you want as well as what you can offer the bird in your home. Considering you live in an apartment, and noise will be an issue, I'd go with something smaller...maybe the Linnie, or the GreenCheek Conure. All birds make noise, but these two are relatively quiet..

He has said that he has cockatiels and quakers already/before. That's the reason I assumed he was looking for something a bit larger.

Yes, you may be right...For some reason, I was thinking this ws the OP's first bird!