How much is a good buying price for a sennie?

[DonnaBudgie]

I suggest you also read the recent thread on these forums, "Senegal with a Taste for Blood".

It's actually not too recent but very relevant.

 

[ravvlet]

I suggest you also read the recent thread on these forums, "Senegal with a Taste for Blood".

Oh my goodness, that’s ominous!

 

[ravvlet]

Senegal with a taste for blood

Hi All, I desperately need help, my Senegal has had a complete personality switch in the pace of 2 days, I have lost chunks of me. From being a generally friendly and occasionally moody bird to a violently aggressive one that is possessive and unpredictable. She used to give warning bites, and...

www.parrotforums.com

For the OP, here is the thread.

 

[DonnaBudgie]

Oh my goodness, that’s ominous!

I almost view getting a bird that lives for 30 plus years like making a decision to get married. At sixteen it's difficult to make a decision that will affect the next 30 years of your life because you have only been out of your childhood for about four years. If you think about how much you've changed in the past two or three years, multiply that a lot and that's how much you will change over the next 15 years. You may be just as committed to a parrot when you're 30 but it's equally likely that you will have other interests and commitments by then.

 

[RedPanda560]

If your family has never had parrots either, what are you going to do if and when you go away for school? Even for a year? A year is a long time for a bird. Very few student housing options will allow a parrot, on campus or off. Many apartments don't allow parrots at all because anything bigger than a cockatiel can make a lot of noise. Whatever you do, don't make a decision not to attend college because you have a pet bird! You can always get the cool parrot you want after you graduate. If you leave a parrot behind while you attend school the bird may not handle it well. At the very least he will be upset and lonely. At worst he will become traumatized and harm himself.
I absolutely loved being sixteen. Everything (mostly) was new, exciting, and fun. But a lot happens between 16 and 21, much of it unexpected. And to some extent you will change, too, in ways you never thought you would. And trying to predict how much interest you will still have in a parrot 15 from now is very difficult, and you may wind up saddled with very loud 15 year old two year old with a sharp beak and privately wish you weren't. That's one of the reasons so many birds are getting rehomed as we speak and so many others should but their owners feel too guilty and ashamed.

You make a fair point, i wouldnt want to get a bird and not be able to care for it. However, i would never adopt or buy a bird just to rehome it when its going through hormones, thats just sick. I dont care about any of the cliches like it being able to talk, ive spent a lot of time deciding and it wasnt on a whim. I'll certainly consider your advice

 

[RedPanda560]

I have three dogs and a parrot. The parrot is *significantly* more effort than the dogs, and I say that as someone who lives in a townhouse in a big city without a fenced yard, so my dogs need walks every few hours.

My parrot is a rescue and is older, and he did have some behavioral and significant health issues at first, but I wouldn’t trade him for anything. He is intelligent and curious and definitely a bit of a brat! He can be a real handful. He may not require outdoor walks, but he needs regular mental stimulation or he will sleep the day away, which is terrible for his heart and muscles. Birds can and will experience muscle loss from sitting in their cages all day - they are animals that are meant to fly several miles a day!

I see you’ve outlined that you have $300 for toys etc? Unfortunately, $300 will not even cover your first vet appointment with your parrot. It is recommended that your bird see a CAV (certified avian vet) yearly for a blood draw and fecal screening. Parrots are prey animals and hide illness well, so if you wait until your parrot acts sick, it’s likely that their condition is critical.

Senegals can be fantastic birds but they often bond strongly to one family member. If you have to leave your bird with your parents for college etc, and it bonds to you , essentially it will be losing a flock member. Even if you come visit on the weekends, that’s a huge change for them and very distressing.

As for cost of the bird itself - a Senegal in my area will run you $2500. This includes disease testing on the parents and care and boarding until the bird is fully weaned, as well as required in store visits to bond with them.

While there is no such thing as a beginner bird, I agree with others here that you would be better served looking into a more gregarious, family oriented species like a cockatiel. Ours loved our kids and everyone in the family and was brave, outgoing and clever. Budgies are another great option, but make sure to get a pair or trio so that they aren’t lonely when you are not around due to work or school. Both of these species seem to settle well into a family dynamic where the primary caregiver may change over time.

Yeah i understand, i wanted to get a bird that didnt need other birds with it because my parents refuse to allow any more than one (i tried to convince her to let me have a trio of lovebirds lol, she didnt like the idea as much as i did). The pricing is what i was most worried about, and i know vet bills run nasty prices, i just meant 300 for start. My only problem is that i want a bird that doesnt require other birds, isnt too expensive. Ive seen things about green cheek conures not being a bad option either or am i wrong?

 

[RedPanda560]

Also, rabbits are quite intelligent and social creatures. I’m a bit concerned that you’re writing off other animals as “less intelligent” and therefore somehow less worthy of consideration. A parrot may be smart, but it has the emotional intelligence of a toddler - it’s going to ignore you, bite you, throw tantrums, throw it’s food and poop everywhere, etc. “More intelligent” does not mean easier to train or handle.

I Never meant to downplay their intelligence, i owned a rabbit at one point so i know they arent stupid, i dont think any animal is. And yea i know parrots are practically toddlers lol, and i am not bothered by putting in the work to make sure theyre happy and living their best life

 

[ravvlet]

What happened to your rabbit, if you don’t mind me asking?

A cockatiel would be fine on it’s own, and would get along with everyone. Green cheeks are a decent option also, although they can be nippy and mischevious.

 

[RedPanda560]

What happened to your rabbit, if you don’t mind me asking?

A cockatiel would be fine on it’s own, and would get along with everyone. Green cheeks are a decent option also, although they can be nippy and mischevious.

We had it for around 4 years, her name was whiskers and she was the biggest sweetheart, but eventually she became the most dramatic thing in existence. We gave her away since we were moving across the US. Are cockatiels noisy? Because that is a HUGE determining factor on what bird i get, second to expenses

 

[ravvlet]

We had it for around 4 years, her name was whiskers and she was the biggest sweetheart, but eventually she became the most dramatic thing in existence. We gave her away since we were moving across the US. Are cockatiels noisy? Because that is a HUGE determining factor on what bird i get, second to expenses

All birds are noisy. Like @Cottonoid said, Sennies will be quiet until they aren’t, and when they aren’t, the aren’t. And unlike a dog or cat (or bunny), you can hear them down the street. if noise is an issue birds are NOT a good pet option, regardless of species. It’s kind of like asking for a quiet chicken - they don’t exist!

Was your bunny spayed? That can make a big difference. If you have already had to give away an animal due to a move, and you are at an age where you are about to enter secondary education and possibly move out of your house, do you really think now is a good time to get a long lived and emotionally dependent pet? If you think a bunny is dramatic, I promise you a parrot is going to knock your socks off. I have had both, and the parrots I have had or encountered took the cake every time.

I know it’s frustrating to get so many posts that are discouraging you, but many of us here have parrots or have worked with parrots who were chronic rehomes, and there are already so many birds looking for homes.

 

[DonnaBudgie]

What happened to your rabbit, if you don’t mind me asking?

A cockatiel would be fine on it’s own, and would get along with everyone. Green cheeks are a decent option also, although they can be nippy and mischevious.

We had it for around 4 years, her name was whiskers and she was the biggest sweetheart, but eventually she became the most dramatic thing in existence. We gave her away since we were moving across the US. Are cockatiels noisy? Because that is a HUGE determining factor on what bird i get, second to expenses

ALL birds are noisy. Cockatiels are less noisy but they can be loud.

 

[ravvlet]

Cockatiels voices are quiet as they mostly whistle, but they make more constant noise than some other birds of similar size. Males really love to sing and will learn to whistle tunes. Ours knew several little songs we’d whistle to him. Females will also vocalize, but not quite as frequently.

 

[DonnaBudgie]

All birds are noisy. Like @Cottonoid said, Sennies will be quiet until they aren’t, and when they aren’t, the aren’t. And unlike a dog or cat (or bunny), you can hear them down the street. if noise is an issue birds are NOT a good pet option, regardless of species. It’s kind of like asking for a quiet chicken - they don’t exist!

Was your bunny spayed? That can make a big difference. If you have already had to give away an animal due to a move, and you are at an age where you are about to enter secondary education and possibly move out of your house, do you really think now is a good time to get a long lived and emotionally dependent pet? If you think a bunny is dramatic, I promise you a parrot is going to knock your socks off. I have had both, and the parrots I have had or encountered took the cake every time.

I know it’s frustrating to get so many posts that are discouraging you, but many of us here have parrots or have worked with parrots who were chronic rehomes, and there are already so many birds looking for homes.

A dramatic bunny? What can a bunny do that even approaches the drama of a bird?

 

[ravvlet]

A dramatic bunny? What can a bunny do that even approaches the drama of a bird?

Hehehe, you’d be surprised. They can be so fiesty, especially if they’re not fixed. I had a male mini rex back in the early 00’s/late 90s, before rabbit care had come as far as it has (before House Rabbit Society was more widely known). That little dude was a firecracker. He hissed, bit, defended his territory, kicked, the whole nine yards. And he was an indoors bunny! I was just a kid so I didn’t know what to do with the little terror. He was cute as a button though.

 

[DonnaBudgie]

Hehehe, you’d be surprised. They can be so fiesty, especially if they’re not fixed. I had a male mini rex back in the early 00’s/late 90s, before rabbit care had come as far as it has (before House Rabbit Society was more widely known). That little dude was a firecracker. He hissed, bit, defended his territory, kicked, the whole nine yards. And he was an indoors bunny! I was just a kid so I didn’t know what to do with the little terror. He was cute as a button though.

You said you were a teenager. You were even born until 200x! How could you remember a bunny from the year 2000 or even 2010?

{mod edit to remove age - Denise}

 

[ravvlet]

You said you were a teenager. You were even born until 200x! How could you remember a bunny from the year 2000 or even 2010?

I am not the OP? I am 37 this year, haha. The OP said they were younger, I have just been commenting on their thread.

{mod edit to remove age - Denise}

 

[RedPanda560]

All birds are noisy. Like @Cottonoid said, Sennies will be quiet until they aren’t, and when they aren’t, the aren’t. And unlike a dog or cat (or bunny), you can hear them down the street. if noise is an issue birds are NOT a good pet option, regardless of species. It’s kind of like asking for a quiet chicken - they don’t exist!

Was your bunny spayed? That can make a big difference. If you have already had to give away an animal due to a move, and you are at an age where you are about to enter secondary education and possibly move out of your house, do you really think now is a good time to get a long lived and emotionally dependent pet? If you think a bunny is dramatic, I promise you a parrot is going to knock your socks off. I have had both, and the parrots I have had or encountered took the cake every time.

I know it’s frustrating to get so many posts that are discouraging you, but many of us here have parrots or have worked with parrots who were chronic rehomes, and there are already so many birds looking for homes.

Im not saying it has to be completely mute, i just want a bird that isnt sqwuaking at every moment of the day, chirping is fine, and a smidgen of louder noise doesnt bother me. Id be living at home anyway until i gradutate since ill be going to a university 20 minutes away from me. The noise matters because my parents dont want anything too loud that itll get us kicked out of our apartment. (During the day is fine, it just cant be too loud at night). Im not concerned about the bird being a lot of work, im not dissuaded by putting in effort into a living creature, ive grown up with animals of all sorts

 

[DonnaBudgie]

I am not the OP? I am 37 this year, haha. The OP said they were a teenager, I have just been commenting on their thread.

Sorry! I was like WTF?

{mod edit to remove age - Denise}

 

[DonnaBudgie]

Im not saying it has to be completely mute, i just want a bird that isnt sqwuaking at every moment of the day, chirping is fine, and a smidgen of louder noise doesnt bother me. Id be living at home anyway until i gradutate since ill be going to a university 20 minutes away from me. The noise matters because my parents dont want anything too loud that itll get us kicked out of our apartment. (During the day is fine, it just cant be too loud at night). Im not concerned about the bird being a lot of work, im not dissuaded by putting in effort into a living creature, ive grown up with animals of all sorts

Birds are quiet after dark, than God!

 

[ravvlet]

Im not saying it has to be completely mute, i just want a bird that isnt sqwuaking at every moment of the day, chirping is fine, and a smidgen of louder noise doesnt bother me. Id be living at home anyway until i gradutate since ill be going to a university 20 minutes away from me. The noise matters because my parents dont want anything too loud that itll get us kicked out of our apartment. (During the day is fine, it just cant be too loud at night). Im not concerned about the bird being a lot of work, im not dissuaded by putting in effort into a living creature, ive grown up with animals of all sorts

Ok, I still think cockatiels would be a safe bet, or a green cheek. Green cheek conures are part of the pyrrhura family (unlike their louder cousins, sun and jenday conures) and therefore are a bit quieter. They still have all the personality of a more “expensive” bird like a senegal, but are generally less moody, more receptive to multiple handlers, and come in many color mutations.

I worry for you in an apartment if you get a sennie who decides to contact call whenever you aren’t around - it’s going to be loud and piercing and it will absolutely carry through walls. We had our tiel in a condo and the neighbors couldn’t hear him - but they could definitely hear our amazon.

Humorously, they mistook the amazon for a person because he likes to yell “HELLO!”.