Thinking of a bird

[Puck]

Hi MinkFeathers, please don't think anyone here thinks you don't take good care of your animals! When someone who is looking for a first bird comes on and lists birds like budgies or tiels as a possibility, we almost always suggest those because you get the heart of a parrot in an easier to take care of body. They make fantastic feathered friends and are so underrated that we are always trying to sing their praises so that people don't miss out on the bundle of awesome in those little bodies! A sun conure really isn't a great choice for an apartment, sadly, because they are MUCH louder than an average parrot (which would just be described as "loud" lol). But if you are more interested in birds that are a bit more challenging and are a more medium size than a budgie, we have plenty suggestions for those, too! I love my Quaker and always suggest them to people who want a small bird that talks super well. I know you don't care about that, though, and Quakers tend to have a feisty personality! I love it, but being a bird's loyal slave isn't for everyone, lol! Other birds I looked at and handled were green cheeked conures and Alexandrines before I got my Quaker and both seemed like fantastic species. One thing that would help is your actual price range for bird, cage, and toys all separately as well as how many hours a day you will be able to spend with your fid per day rather than how many hours you are out of the house. I also work full time and am gone almost ten hours a day, but I spend at minimum three-four hours a day directly interacting with my parrot--he is always with me. Getting more specifics might help people give you better recommendations. I am sure whatever you end up choosing will have an AMAZING home!

Edit: and don't forget to subtract the time you will spend with your other animals from the time you are directly interacting with your bird. You can't play with the dog or handle the snake and interact with your bird at the same time. Not very safely anyway.

Edit 2: I wouldn't advise you choose an Amazon for a first bird. On top of being larger they are also HIGHLY interactive. Think like having a toddler that never grows up. You gotta know you LOVE BIRDS in full caps before you walk into that lifetime commitment!

 

[Flboy]

An Amazon is way up on my 'just maybe' list! But when it goes real bad, look out!

http://www.parrotforums.com/amazons/52871-7-hours-emergency-not-fun-day.html

But hey, Bongo the Barbarian, wife's conure, has inflicted pain and mayhem!
In fact, am bird sitting him at the moment and just made another breakthrough, he let me put my hand on HIS kitchen counter---- and asked me to pick him up! No blood!
http://www.parrotforums.com/behavioral/53660-update-bongo-barbairian.html

 

[MinkFeathers]

Thanks for your comment!

I am not apposed to keets or tiels, they just aren't high on my radar. As for the sunny I'd love to have, no long an option, and I'm ok with that.

Time spent with the bird would easily be 3-6 hours every day. Since I am a home body, if I'm not at work, I'm home.

Not sure about actual handling time as you mentioned specidi6attention for the bird. My cat is not one to be interested in playing and is the type that hides most of the time, then turns into a lap at for movies. Dog is a little rambunctious sometimes, but not a fully needy, in your face type, and knows when I need my space. Reptiles aren't handled much. Each snake gets about 15-30 minutes every few days just to keep them managable and socialized. Geckos are handled pretty much the same way, and I have several I don't handle at all. So, in my 'fantasy', the bird can hang out on my shoulder for a majority of the time, and would be trained to interact civilly with the dog and cat, and most likely never exposed to the reptiles.

Budget....I would like to try and keep the cost of the bird under 300. For the perfect much however,I might go as high as 500. Caging I will probably get 2nd hand. Around here they have some NICE large cages for between 100-200$. Toys and food I'm not 100% on yet, but I figure I will probably buy all the stuff before I find the bird anyway, so will pick stuff up a little at a time.

Over all I'm looking at between 500-700$ for the bird plus set up. Unless I do decide on something cheaper/smaller lol.

 

[Doublete]

Don't quote me but I do believe that when you handle the reptiles you should wash your hands before you handle birds. Definitely don't handle both at the same time.
Also... My cats know if something spooks the bird and they end up on the floor they are off limits. But I would never let the birds out in the same room as the cats without me there within a foot. As for the dogs I NEVER allow them out at the same time. If the birds are out the dogs are crated. I've witnessed too many freak accidents not even involving birds.

So
Definitely plan to have separate times. My cats and dogs interact with each other. But birds are separate.

 

[MinkFeathers]

That's something I'll have to think about. My dog is never crated, and I trust her with everything. She's never gone after anything and knows her 'leave it' comand amazingly. One time I let her out back at night, not realizing there was a skunk in the yard...she darted out the door to potty, did her thing, then saw the skunk at the same time I did. She started for it, I yelled "Leave it!!!" And she stood completely still as the little thing ran away.same with squirrels, ducks, geese, chickens, reptiles, and everything.

Also, I would most likely never leave the bird 'unattended' in any room for any reason for the safety of the bird...and let's face it...my stuff. No wire chewing or any of that mess thank you! (Not that it might not try, but I'll be there to intervine)

 

[Rockford]

I'm now thinking that a cockatiel would be your best bet as a first bird. IME, among the birds that seem to fit your criteria, as a species, 'tiels are the bird that are the most interested in what you are doing.

 

[MinkFeathers]

Thanks for suggestion! I'm a little worried about their dust however..granted, I have a long hair dog who leaves fur clumps on my carpet...but the idea of bird dust getting onto EVERYTHING is not so appealing... Does anyone else have experience with the dust issue?

 

[MinkFeathers]

Looking more into conures, amazons, and parrolets. Other than the sun conure being loud, the descriptions of 'conures' in general seems pretty awesome. What other conures are there?

Amazons are classified as hard,so I'm not confident those would be right for me at this time.

The IRN are also nice and something I might be more interested in.

Same goes for parrolets I'm partial to the blues and turquoise colors.

Also, please keep in mind that while I'd love a nice bond with my feathered one, I want to stay away from it becoming a 'one person ' bird. What are ways to prevent this from happening?

 

[RavensGryf]

I MUST say something here ... Absolutely nothing wrong with Budgies! Not only as first birds, but just another wonderful little parrot species regardless...

Listen, I have had birds over 20 years, and parrots for 20... and I am just recently (last couple years, and more so recently) REALLY getting into budgies!! . Even my 'wild' pet store boy Twigs knows his name and verbal commands and will either follow them, or pretend to, then defy me at last minute! He is manipulative like any parrot, and I believe it is because he is about as intelligent as a small parrot! Adorable, funny, and entertaining... and come in so many amazing color mutations, even beyond the more common colors seen.

Last month I got my hand fed English Budgie, Mink. Look up English Budgies.. they are a larger variety known to be a bit less hyper than the 'regular' type. Also, they are more of a specialty breed... they are the same 'species' as any budgie, but they are selectively bred for 'type'. You see this variety as show birds and for serious budgie fanciers. You normally don't find them at pet stores, but there are many private breeders. Depending on the mutation, you can expect to pay $100 and up for a tame hand fed.

That is my suggestion anyway... I am maxed out with birds, but my dream would be to have more English budgies.

 

[MinkFeathers]

Wow, English budgies ARE bigger! They also look much fluffier! I may look into them a bit more. Thanks for the info!

 

[gracebowen]

Mink I have a tiel. I also have allergies. Well three to four weeks ago he was on my shoulder and I got a facefull of dust. I had a bad reaction. Two days later I had a respiratory infection and got a ten day round of antibiotics. I really think I inhaled a feather shaft along with the dander.

I got an air purifier and so far so good. Also during a heavy molt I'll wear a dust mask from now on.

I have no plans to rehome him. I just hope things dont get worse. I didnt really listen to the warnings about powder down.

I enjoy my tiel very much but maybe I should not have gotten a powder down bird.

A parrottlet is on my wish list for after my kids are grown.

 

[MinkFeathers]

Oh wow, that's insane! I don't suffer from alergies, but my friend and my mom do. While I will be living alone, I expect my mom to be a regular visiter.

How loud is an air purifier?

 

[Frumpydumple]

If you want a Sun Conure but noise is an issue a Green Cheek or other Pyrrhura Conure would be a good option.

GCs are less loud than a Sun, pretty good talkers, affectionate, but they can be nippy and are quite clingy.

My experience with Ringnecks is they aren't very fond of being touched, but they aren't nippy or likely to bite a lot.
They enjoy being around you and they do tolerate some touching but not a lot.
Quite independent.
Very good talkers.
Aren't very loud.
If you get a baby though they can go through a somewhat tough bluffing stage.

 

[Doublete]

Like i said in an earlier post... I love my green cheek conure. But he's a tough little bugger. I'm not into trick training, not even with my horses. Just general manners and normal "training". So Loki has a harness and he comes with me outside and to places with me. Tomorrow he will go to the feed store with me. Today he went outside to feed a few outside horses. I enjoy that. As I think he does too. He rides my shoulder.
Chiqui, my amazon, is still getting used to life with me and I haven't successfully gotten her used to the harness. She seems to want to ride my shoulder but honestly I don't know or trust her enough. So she sits on my forearm. If she doesn't want to be petted she threatens a bite or grabs my hand with her foot. Almost like a "mom not now". The best part of a larger bird is the clear communication. For me at least. I'm 32, single, and live alone. I like someone that at least talks a few words to me.

 

[MinkFeathers]

Green cheeks look interesting. And I know for a fact they have them at the local store I mentioned.

What kind of 'Bluffing' are you talking about with IRNs? Just curious.

Cuddly is kind of what I'm going for, which is part of why I was so in love with the idea of a sunny. But, too clingy could cause stress while I'm away at work.

 

[RavensGryf]

Thanks for suggestion! I'm a little worried about their dust however..granted, I have a long hair dog who leaves fur clumps on my carpet...but the idea of bird dust getting onto EVERYTHING is not so appealing... Does anyone else have experience with the dust issue?

I had a talk with my avian vet yesterday (regarding other things), but he needed to mention to me the subject of dust produced by certain species, and how it can affect the respiratory tract of the less dust tolerant South American birds as well as humans.

During the conversation, he made it clear that it is not only the "powder down" birds (cockatiels, cockatoos, Greys) that are dusty. They are the species who are the worst with dust, but that almost ALL the Old World parrot species are very dusty (Eclectus and maybe Lories would be an exception). Significantly more dusty than the birds from areas of the world known as the "New World" such as the Americas (north, central, and south). All my birds except Raven are Old World species, and I can confirm the fact that they are very dusty. I've had a cockatiel and cockatoo before, and it's not the same texture of powder that the other Old World birds have, and again, although they're not quite as bad as Toos ans tiels, it's still bad enough to be noticeable and even affect Raven.

I run a Honeywell HEPA air purifier (recent model) which is more than big enough for the room (18x11 feet), and you won't believe how fast it gets clogged and covered with bird dust and needs to be cleaned outside. I may be getting an additional one too! As far as your question about the noise, well, it's not what you'd call loud, but it does take some getting used to. It sucks air in and blows it out, so there is no way it could possibly be silent. Let me know if you find a silent one! Of course in a larger space such as a living room it might sound less noisy than in a bedroom or birdroom.

A single small bird shouldn't make as big of an impact though... Unless you never ever clean or dust lol.

 

[MinkFeathers]

Awww....your Gcc sounds adorable! That's kind of what I'm looking for. Granted, it sounds like he is bonded to you strongly, and that is a hurdle I'll need to cross with any bird I bring home. I know it doesn't happen instantly, but I'll be a nervous wreck for a while lol.

 

[Frumpydumple]

Ringnecks just after weaning go through a stage where they will lunge a a lot and some will bite a lot too (some do some don't). Females go through it worse than males. It doesn't last long though. I have had two baby Ringnecks (both males) and neither of them bit while they were bluffing though.

 

[MinkFeathers]

I feel I can handle a bluffer, and even a few bites so long as it's just a pgase. But, if they are generally more 'no touchie', might not be the bird for me. Last time I checked, they had a yellow pair at the local store. I will probably be looking into going there next week to get more bird exposyre. I read on here someone also suggesting volunteering at a bird rescue for some Experience As well. I think I might look into that. I know they also have a bird expo several times a year in my area, so yet another way I can get some exposure. Since I'm a bit of a hermit, exposure is probably good for me lol. I did all of those things when I was a teenager and getting into horses after all. I even did several rescues on my own (with the intent of rehoming). I now have just the one horse and she's boarded until I get my house with land.

Anyway...babbling over XD

 

[Puck]

I had a talk with my avian vet yesterday (regarding other things), but he needed to mention to me the subject of dust produced by certain species, and how it can affect the respiratory tract of the less dust tolerant South American birds as well as humans.

During the conversation, he made it clear that it is not only the "powder down" birds (cockatiels, cockatoos, Greys) that are dusty. They are the species who are the worst with dust, but that almost ALL the Old World parrot species are very dusty (Eclectus and maybe Lories would be an exception). Significantly more dusty than the birds from areas of the world known as the "New World" such as the Americas (north, central, and south). All my birds except Raven are Old World species, and I can confirm the fact that they are very dusty. I've had a cockatiel and cockatoo before, and it's not the same texture of powder that the other Old World birds have, and again, although they're not quite as bad as Toos ans tiels, it's still bad enough to be noticeable and even affect Raven. l.

That is reeeeally interesting, Julie! Thank you for that info!