New to forum, help with my decision

[SilverSage]

Their nippiness, possibly only bonding to one person, they have the ability to be loud

EVERY PARROT, from a budgie to a hyacinth macaw, has these behaviors as possibilities. They are behaviors, not character traits, and they can be trained out. Some birds, regardless of species, will be more prone to biting or screaming, and some will not. I have a budgie who likes to bite, I have a green cheek who has never bitten ANYONE EVER, even when we dremmeled her nails. I have a cockatiel who is a screamer right now, she is new, and she is learning. I had a pionus, the famous apartment parrot, who used to scream her head off, now she doesn't. You are right Whalen you say it is all about understanding their behavior. There are tried and true methods of training things,Mobutu there is a lot to be said for simply getting to know your bird, learning about their body language, figuring out why they are doing what they are doing, and removing the reward they feel they are getting from the behavior. A bird who is neglected will scream and bite, and neglect to a bird doesn't just mean they don't have food, water, or a clean place to live. Birds are more social that dogs and cats. If you are prepared to stick it out with your bird, do the research, take the time, etched, you are set up for success with whichever you choose, a cockatiel or a GCC. Right now I live with (among other pets) 9 GCCs and 6 cockatiels. Only the new one screams, and it is lessening every day as she learns it won't get her anything.

 

[lyricrex]

What brands of pellet or seed mix are good for green cheeked? I've read zupreem and garrisons mentioned.

 

[SilverSage]

Personally I feed a sprout and veggie based diet, and I have noticed a huge improvement in health and attitude (yes, I am serious) when switched from pellets. Pellets are better than seeds, but an all seed diet is basically the worst thing you can feed a bird so I don't think being better than the worst thing means they are true best thing. I feed a base diet of sprouted Volkmans seed labeled for whatever species I am feeding. Most days my flock gets around 60% sprouts and 40% veggies, sometimes all one or the other. Fruit, nuts, pasta, whole grain bread, etc are fed as treats. Some species need different ratios, such as macaws need more nuts and grass parakeets such as cockatiels and budgies need some dry seed, so my budgies and tiels get a little bit mixed in each day, or the occasional all dry seed meal but not often.

Beware of the people who tell you that feeding a parrot right is easy and all you need to do is i to the store and buy it. Parrots need fresh and live food, and even if they "survive" and "look fine" on an all dry diet, they don't feel the way they should. I once heard someone say (I'm not saying you think this at all, it is just an example) about their African Grey that they'd are feeding an all seed diet, that they know it will cut his life in half, but they are getting up their in years so if he dies early they will die about the same time. Aside from the cruelty of not caring if the bird dies. This person seems to think that they are simply cutting a happy life in half. On the contrary, a poor diet does not simply one day suddenly kill a bird, it sickens them and slowly kills them from the inside. What in fact this woman is doing is dooming her parrot to a life of sickness.

So that is my answer; feed live and fresh food. If you must feed pellets (not as the whole diet!) I suggest Harrison's. Feed pellets that are one size smaller than the recommended for your bird and you will drastically cut down on waste.

 

[SilverSage]

Oh, I meant to mention earlier about one person birds. I have several one person birds, all of whom allow others to handle them! You train them that they must be polite to all people. It may not stop them from trying to get to their "one person" when they see them, but it does stop the biting. My GCCs all prefer my husband except for one, but they will all interact with me happily as well. Birds are allowed to have a favorite, but in my house they are not allowed to just bite the people who are not their favorite

 

[Birdman666]

Oh, I meant to mention earlier about one person birds. I have several one person birds, all of whom allow others to handle them! You train them that they must be polite to all people. It may not stop them from trying to get to their "one person" when they see them, but it does stop the biting. My GCCs all prefer my husband except for one, but they will all interact with me happily as well. Birds are allowed to have a favorite, but in my house they are not allowed to just bite the people who are not their favorite

Exactly.

In the wild you would never be allowed to get close enough to a bird to pick it up, much less touch it... We are basically overriding their most basic survival instincts by doing this. A bird has to be taught to trust people. They don't come that way... and if they don't know you, and you haven't been properly introduced, even the sweet ones can, and will, bite...

And if only one person ever handles them, then that is often the only person the bird will ever allow to handle them.

It's up to us to socialize them. It's also up to us to see to it that people who interact with our birds do so in a manner that doesn't stress them, or trigger defensive or biting behaviors. It's as much a train the humans thing, as it is a train the birds thing.

 

[lyricrex]

Even though I've been reading information I find on Google. I'm learning a lot from everyone on these forums. Thanks a lot.
I definitely want to give my future companion the best diet. I might even change my eating habits, so that I'm shopping not only for my bird but myself as well.

 

[thekarens]

Even though I've been reading information I find on Google. I'm learning a lot from everyone on these forums. Thanks a lot.
I definitely want to give my future companion the best diet. I might even change my eating habits, so that I'm shopping not only for my bird but myself as well.

You'll find that's actually the easiest route. That way you're not preparing two separate meals, one for you and one for the bird. You eat a healthy, varied meal and then you can just share with the birds.