Species as a pet question.

[deedee]

I currently have an african grey that I inherited last fall. I don't think the bird was ever handled. I can hand feed her and she will come out and hang out on top of her cage. She will sometimes even walk over to the couch and watch us. However, she would sooner give me stitches than step up or even let me attempt to touch her. I can live with this and I think she has made great progress since coming to live with us. She cracks me up on a daily basis with the things she says. Long story short...I would like to adopt another bird. I have a very active household. Would like a bird that is more "family" friendly other than one person friendly. I also like the fact the the grey does not scream. Suggestions of a family friendly bird. I know it all depends on its situation that it comes from but are some more family friendly than others? Thanks!

 

[mandolynn]

That kinda depends on your expectations, and what your family is like. Do you have children? All parrots can be loud, some more than others. And each bird is different so you may want to get to know them before you make a decision. That being said, parrotlets are very quiet and can even mimic, green cheek conures are quiet and can be very sweet, and tiels are a good option as well. There are other species if you could outlay exactly what you are looking for and your family lifestyle.
Also, give your grey time. She just might surprise you. Sometimes it takes years of patient training to bond with rehomed birds. My parents and i spent 6 months working with their severe macaw before she would step up on a perch, but now she snuggles all of us.

 

[deedee]

I enjoy the talking. I don't mind a bit of chatter. My youngest child is 12 so we are not talking about little kids running around. We would just really like something with personality and join in with us on the couch or in the kitchen. I would prefer mid to smaller size. Hope that narrows it down some. lol

 

[Spiritbird]

I have a GCC. He totally is a bully (no fear of anything) towards my TAG. So much so he has chased her and she needs to defend herself even though I try never to let them get together. Now that my conure has had two serious head injuries from that he is no longer safe in my home. I will be sending him to one of my friends soon.
This is why I say conures with conures and greys with greys.

 

[roxynoodle]

A lot of conures seem to think they are huge and are fearless, and will go after a larger bird. I'm kind of worried about mine as well, particularly with my amazon. He won't start an altercation, but he will defend himself if she decides to bully him.

A cockatiel might be ok though. I don't think they are as domineering as conures. You might also find a nice Grey that would be a good second bird. Mine is quite the little cuddle bug. She just wants to sit in my lap, cuddled against my shirt and be petted forever.

 

[mandolynn]

My IRN has the little bird complex too. She used to wander to my parents' severe macaw cage and attack her, and will do the same to any bird given a chance. You always have to be careful with multiple pets. INMHO a cockatiel would probably be the best fit. They have rounded temperaments, aren't as noisy as many other birds and some whistle or talk. They are the perfect family bird, we had one growing up. There are also alot of them that need homes. Check petfinder.com.

 

[roxynoodle]

My IRN has the little bird complex too. She used to wander to my parents' severe macaw cage and attack her, and will do the same to any bird given a chance. You always have to be careful with multiple pets. INMHO a cockatiel would probably be the best fit. They have rounded temperaments, aren't as noisy as many other birds and some whistle or talk. They are the perfect family bird, we had one growing up. There are also alot of them that need homes. Check petfinder.com.

That's what I was thinking. I know they are great family birds, and I figured they wouldn't start an altercation with the Grey and end up injured like some small parrots would.

 

[Remy]

I was going to say cockatiel too. They are more domesticated than other birds, and they make awesome pets. I had a few growing up, and never had any sort of behavioural problem with any of them. Puck, on the other hand, is crazy.

 

[deedee]

I'm sorry. I didn't give a complete list of my feathered friends. I do have a cockatiel that we do enjoy. I have hand tamed her and she does hang out with us. I also have a parakeet that I spent a long........time hand taming but she has now regressed to biting the you know what out of me again. I guess I was just looking at getting something different. But not larger than the grey. But if I am better off getting another grey then that is what I will do. After a quarantine time, suggestions on introductions?

 

[mandolynn]

Have you thought about a Pionus? They may not be as readily available for adoption as larger parrots, but they sound like what you are looking for. The most common is the blue headed, but they all have quiet, cuddly personalities. They rarely talk, but their sweetness and adorable antics make up for this. If you are looking for something different that's a good family pet, Id condsider a Pionus. You can find almost any bird on petfinder.com.
If you have your heart set on a grey, Id recommend the Timneh.