Deciding species for first bird – advice or feedback appreciated!

[lexx510]

Green cheek conures are fairly quite and SUPER cuddly and fun. My GCC will literally force herself into my palm (see avatar picture), because she likes being held tight. She will snuggle up next to your neck and fall asleep while you watch a movie, etc. She also loves to ask for kisses ("Gimme kiss!") and will jump on you and smother you with kisses when excited. They do not like being alone and require a lot of attention. Our GCC can't stand being even 2 feet away and sticks to both me and my girlfriend like glue, lol. They can also be quite nippy when cranky, so you must learn their behavior/body language to avoid getting bit. Overall, she is an absolute love bug and a joy!

 

[newmoon]

Well, I'm still considering everything. I decided against a pionus because I think they are too reserved for me, but I haven't made any other decisions.

I've been reading everything I can find about birds in general to learn more about their natural behavior and instincts and body language, and how to raise a well adjusted bird. If anyone has a favorite website that they like to recommend that teaches people about bird behavior, enrichment, training, or anything else at all, I'd love to hear about it.

 

[Remy]

I have a black-headed caique. He is awesome, but can be very moody. I didn't know about this until after I got him. Most of his moodiness is when something is bothering him, like if he didn't sleep enough the night before, or if I am holding something he REALLY wants like toast with jelly or a pen, and not giving it to him. When he's not moody he is generally either playful or angelic. He can be sooooo silly when he's in the mood! I love him . He's also very social. I take him out with me a lot, and he loves to meet new people, and visit my friends and family. Loves my boyfriend too. Tolerates dogs. He's not really what people call a "one person bird" like a lot of them out there.

I do have him in an apartment. He does make some noise, but after having him a few months he's not too loud most of the time. He can be loud, but definitely doesn't have the ear-splitting call of the sun conure I almost got. He doesn't really say human words (I think he just doesn't care) but he is very good at communicating! I just have to make sure to listen to him.

I would not get a macaw as a first bird. They are among the most rehomed large parrots for a reason. Also, if you make any mistakes with your bird and get bitten (and there is a good chance of that lol), a macaw bite can be much worse than a smaller bird's bite. I got bit a LOT when I first got Puck because I didn't know how to read his body language.

Have you gone to a parrot rescue or a parrot store to spend time with different parrots? I went to 5 different places, and ended up finding Puck on Craigslist. I hadn't really spent time with a caique until I got him though, and no amount of reading I did really prepared me for it. His owner couldn't take care of him anymore due to health reasons, and when we met he jumped onto me and started wolf whistling and making kissy sounds! I also felt good because I gave a home to one that needed it.

 

[noblemacaw]

I have a 16 year old Noble macaw male. In this instance I did meet the parents and both were very friendly and stepped up for me while they were on top of their cage. I was so amazed by this I immediately choose to take home a baby when it was ready.

Mihijo was my first medium parrot and he received a lot of attention especially when I was unemployed. I took this bird with me everywhere and Mihijo really likes people and will go to anyone. He also does not nip. I have read that Hahn's/Nobles can get a bit nippy but Mihijo has never been nippy. Just last week when at the vet's I use my fingers to open up his beak so the vet can look inside. He is so calm that he fell sleep during his ultrasound. His x-rays are very clear because he does not squirm.

However Mihijo being a male has hormone issues. First came the plucking because they would not drop so he could moult. Now I am dealing with cholesterol issues which in turn has caused more issues with enlarged heart and liver. The vet has given him a lupron shot to lower his hormones so that the cholesterol can drop to normal levels. Mihijo has never been agressive because of hormones so now that it is an issue I am learning all sorts of new ways to feed him. Hormones are such a big deal now that the parrot owner needs to deal with them always.

I would suggest a red shoulder macaw (either hahns or noble). My Noble talks really well and is very social to people. I have never regretted bringing him home. I love this bird and hope to have 20 more years with him.

Noblemacaw

PS as for loudness Mihijo can be loud but it sounds more like opera singing when he does his thing. His calls are not that bad. I live in a town home and no one has ever complained about him.

 

[kitt]

Wow, some great advice you guys....
I own a hahns and a caique....
I assure you that a caique's moodiness is more often the rule then the exception and so is the "change on a dime" behavior...with that being said, I wouldn't trade my caique for anything....he is so many things wrapped up in one and that is what I like about him.
In doing a caique survey, I found that over half caique owners would not reccommend them for a first time bird....but rather then tell you a bunch of things about them, may I instead direct you toward a site geared for caique owners...I have been a member there for nearly five years and you can learn so much...I think it is awesome that you are doing your homework first...I wish more people would....I would also suggest that you compile a list of questions about caiques and post them at that site and see what the members have to say... what better way to learn about caiques then from a site full of caique owners...the site is Caique Forum

I just love my hahns...his talking ability is really something and he is also a clown....he can get very loud at times but I live in a household with two dogs and two other birds.. enviroment has a lot to do with it.
He is the only bird I've had that did not like to be touched when I first got him....but he has come a long way....he is also my velcro bird...he loves to be with me.

Lastly, I own a tiny little lovebird and she is the bomb...she owns our house and she doesn't make the payments. LOL

Good luck to you and let us know what you decide and when you will be getting this new addition to your household....

Again, my hats off to you for doing your homework.

 

[lene1949]

Here are my main considerations:

1. Emotionally easy-going temperament (stable, not prone to moodiness). I don’t mean easy-going in general, I just mean in an emotional sense. Ideally a species that isn’t known for aggression. A “one-person bird” is okay.

2. Relatively quiet. Some noise is okay, just not frequent screaming. I live in a small apartment building where there are barking dogs, music, and occasional parties, so as long as it’s not SUPER loud or constant, it’s okay.

3. Medium or medium-small sized.

4. Okay for a working person. I know that birds need a lot of daily attention, but I do work. There will probably be days when I can’t spend a lot of one-on-one time playing, though the bird will get out of her/his cage every day. I just imagine that on those busy days I’ll have to multitask, with the bird on a playstand next to me while I work.

5. I would like a bird that is pretty cuddly and likes being touched.

Beyond that, I’m really not sure what kind of temperament I’m looking for, since I’ve never had a bird. I’ve read everything I could find online, and here is the list of species that I’ve compiled:

Caique: Black Headed Caique
Pionus: Blue-Headed Pionus
Macaw: Hahn’s/Red-Shouldered Macaw (50% of people say they’re quiet, 50% say loud – not sure what to think)
Conures: Green Cheek Conure, Crimson Bellied Conure
Poicephalus: Red-Bellied parrot, Senegal parrot, Jardine’s/Red-Fronted parrot

I’d love anyone’s feedback. If you think a particular species isn’t right for me, please tell me about it. Right now I'm leaning toward a Caique, but I'm worried they might be too high maintenance. On the other hand, the Pionus sounds like the opposite, too sedentary. It's a tough decision...

I would go for a cockateil... They are the smallest of the cockatoo family... Very affectionate.. They might not talk much, but they will whistle a whole tune...