Trying to find my Best Bird..

[Elysianblight]

I do get where you are all coming from.
The same thing plays out for almost all animals, and sadly human children. I get frustrated in the same way when I have a broken hearted foster kid who just got kicked out of yet another home because the people who thought he was so sweet and intelligent 6 months ago can't hold out when he acts up. It's annoying to tell people what reality is and have them ignore you, and end in disaster. And it happens ALL the time.. with dogs..pigs.. birds.. all animals I've been involved with, and it's completely awful.

I'm sorry I felt hurt there. I make a significant effort in my life not to be one of those oblivious or selfish people, but no one here could know that about me as much as I tried to communicate it.

Anyway.. I haven't had the budgies that long but I've wanted a parrot for probably 20 years. The only reason I never had one before is because we had dogs all the time, until my best boy passed last year and I decided not to do it again.
I got the budgies because I knew I needed more hands on bird experience in order to do things right, but I love them to bits and I'm not going to toss them aside.
The fun I have with them just made me want to add another parrot even more, one that could help them learn too.

I dont believe I have a problem with the truth, I guess I just don't understand what made me seem like such a bad home. I don't know everything by a long shot, but I do know the psychology of learning/teaching/training.. that's always been my passionate subject and I think I'm good at it.
I wont get another bird if it's not right, but I wanted one because I want to *work* with it and want the challenge of earning its respect.

 

[Talven]

I apologise if you felt that anything I put was rude. I might be a little abrupt with how I write but it's certainly not my intention to be rude. If I had intended to be rude or attack you, you would know it. A spade is a spade and I'm not one to sugar coat things. I won't say any more as others have responded and managed to stay polite. I wouldn't.

 

[noodles123]

I do get where you are all coming from.
The same thing plays out for almost all animals, and sadly human children. I get frustrated in the same way when I have a broken hearted foster kid who just got kicked out of yet another home because the people who thought he was so sweet and intelligent 6 months ago can't hold out when he acts up. It's annoying to tell people what reality is and have them ignore you, and end in disaster. And it happens ALL the time.. with dogs..pigs.. birds.. all animals I've been involved with, and it's completely awful.

I'm sorry I felt hurt there. I make a significant effort in my life not to be one of those oblivious or selfish people, but no one here could know that about me as much as I tried to communicate it.

Anyway.. I haven't had the budgies that long but I've wanted a parrot for probably 20 years. The only reason I never had one before is because we had dogs all the time, until my best boy passed last year and I decided not to do it again.
I got the budgies because I knew I needed more hands on bird experience in order to do things right, but I love them to bits and I'm not going to toss them aside.
The fun I have with them just made me want to add another parrot even more, one that could help them learn too.

I dont believe I have a problem with the truth, I guess I just don't understand what made me seem like such a bad home. I don't know everything by a long shot, but I do know the psychology of learning/teaching/training.. that's always been my passionate subject and I think I'm good at it.
I wont get another bird if it's not right, but I wanted one because I want to *work* with it and want the challenge of earning its respect.

You didn't seem like a "bad home", you seem like an inexperienced home who already has 2 birds who haven't hit puberty ..So really, this has almost everything to do with the birds and their ages...and little to do with you, other than experience (which is why some of us said to wait a bit). The other thing that was concerning was the wide variety in your list of birds(again, before knowing that you planned to volunteer). But never thought you were bad or that you couldn't have a large bird eventually....
Volunteer etc and you will learn a ton. The early replies among the group didn't know that you intended to volunteer (which is awesome and important)

No one thought you were bad---it's just big parrots are their own ball of wax. You have done a great job with your budgies...

I am rambling now...but I want you to understand that it wasn't YOU- it was a combination of where your birds are in their lives, coupled with the challenge of a large parrot, let alone a large one with 2 budgies that haven't reached puberty...

When I replied, I didn't know you weren't wanting to do this right away, or that you planned to volunteer for a period of time before diving in.
The very fact that you asks shows that you are conscientious!

 

[Elysianblight]

Heh, the wide variety of bird species on my list is why I came here!
There are so many of them it is a bit overwhelming to try narrow down, and I was hoping for suggestions on that narrowing.

Letting a bird from the shelter pick me (when me and the budgies are ready) would be cool, but then I'm afraid I'm going to end up with a plucked bare cockatoo. Because they definitely have a bunch of those, I'm going to be tempted to do anything in my power to help them, and I don't otherwise know what species would be best to specifically wait for.

I actually don't want to go into the volunteer position without something in mind for that very reason.

Also I'm sorry you felt attacked as well, noodles, when I said some responses were rude. It was mostly feeling unread.. only being told I'm not ready when I thought I started off saying I know I'm not ready - just researching and not doing anything until the budgies are fully mature (ie, past puberty).

 

[fiddlejen]

Regarding bird species. Here are some more thoughts:

Caiques are fun friendly small birds. I don't know how much they talk.

I feel like Macaws are the Dobermans / Great Danes of the bird world. Big --(well there are some smaller ones, but mostly big)-- intimidating, but not-unusual for them to actually be big ole mush-balls.

With any larger birds, or smaller-ish birds with large beaks, you must be quite strict about shoulder privileges!

I think Amazons are like the Pit Bulls of the bird world. Incredibly intelligent, amazing birds - but you definitely need to be able to work with them well. **And I may have people jumping in here to correct me. As I don't have any of these birds, these are only my impressions.**

I also may have mis-read your first post. Do you have children of your own, or, only children who may be Visiting on rare occasions? Because my impression of you is that you really might do well with an Amazon. But, I'm not so certain if they are great birds with children. However if your children visit only occasionally, it will not matter so much the species, as the temperament of the bird itself toward occasional visitors

(And of course, multi-species budgie interactions will always need to be managed/monitored carefully. Again no guarantees of who will or won't get along.)

My knowledge of non-budgies and non-Sunnies is mostly only what I have read about. Some minimal interactions with some friends' individual birds. I've met a mini-toucan, an Aracari, who is a delightful bird that dances for blueberries. But I Think I've read that touc's are a lot of work. And I don't know if they talk at all?

Regarding those 'Toos, and temptation. Please take some time - lots of time - to peruse the pages of this website: https://cockatoosanctuary.net/ There are blocks of text on the pages as you scroll down thru the pics, please read them. They are both delightful and joyously sad. This sanctuary allows for meeting the needs of these birds in a way that most people cannot. Well there's one page about wild-caught, save that for a day when you are feeling not-easily-upset, or else avoid that page altogether. Anyway 'toos are possibly the most difficult / needy of all the birds, which you will want to remember IF you find yourself tempted. Clearly you would be able to handle one if you wish BUT you will be giving your life to what is basically a 10X special-needs behavioral-issues child. You work with special needs population so is that what you want to come home to? Whereas volunteering with them - if you can Resist the temptation - is a very good way to help with them yet can allow you to have rest-instead-of-stress in your homelife.

Anyway. Back to the Sun Conures. They have a reputation as loving, cuddlesome sweet, non-aggresive birds, and mine definitely is. (But she's still quite young. I'm praying she stays this way, but I know it can change.) Often good family birds. Mine loves attention and is open to meeting people. But they can be LOUD. Piercingly so. Mine has responded quite well to my version of Quietness Game aka Stop-and-Go. I do NOT want her to try to be quiet all-the-time. And she did try when I first came home to work and started with Quietness Game. Oh she was like bursting as she tried to hold back her shrieks!! So cute - but not healthy. Took another week or two of re-adjusting but now she understands there are plenty of times when she IS free to yell -- and she does.

When she is Not yelling (*i'm referring to OUT of quietness-time), she makes the most delightful soft sounds. Mine does not talk, but, I dont know if any bird would be a talker for me, as Im fairly quiet myself. My understanding is that for all Conures, boys are somewhat more likely to talk than girls.

Sun Conures are easy to spoil. In the coming years I MIGHT have to become more strict -- we shall see -- but for now when my Sunny wants to claim my shoulder she can. Her sweet cuteness is currently her most dangerous weapon.

Also for Most of the bird species, i think there is greater likelihood of aggressiveness with males than females. (Again all generalizations may be Untrue for any Individual bird.)

Having said all that. IF you don't have children in your home all-that-often, I suspect that you will be Happier with a somewhat-more challenging bird than a Conure.

I think that when you are ready you should get a Rescue. Because you will be able to handle and help a special-needs bird really well. (But not a 'too. Save your 'too goodness for birds IN the shelter.) And there are so many birds that need that. With that in mind, keep reading all the stickies on the sub-forums about all the different kinds of birds. So when you find the non-'too rescue that pulls your heartstrings, you will be ready to bring it home.

 

[noodles123]

Heh, the wide variety of bird species on my list is why I came here!
There are so many of them it is a bit overwhelming to try narrow down, and I was hoping for suggestions on that narrowing.

Letting a bird from the shelter pick me (when me and the budgies are ready) would be cool, but then I'm afraid I'm going to end up with a plucked bare cockatoo. Because they definitely have a bunch of those, I'm going to be tempted to do anything in my power to help them, and I don't otherwise know what species would be best to specifically wait for.

I actually don't want to go into the volunteer position without something in mind for that very reason.

Also I'm sorry you felt attacked as well, noodles, when I said some responses were rude. It was mostly feeling unread.. only being told I'm not ready when I thought I started off saying I know I'm not ready - just researching and not doing anything until the budgies are fully mature (ie, past puberty).

It's all good. Thank you! Glad you stuck around and sorry if it sounded like we were being down on you.

So now...I know cockatoos are tempting, but they are major allergy producers (the dust is insane from and Umbrella), and they are absolutely not the right bird for the majority of people (even long-time parrot people)..Also, a cockatoo who is not yet 6-8 years old will not have hit puberty, which changes things a lot (lots of people see major behavior changes years after adopting as a result of hormones).

If you spend many years volunteering and working closely with cockatoos and other large birds, then down the road, maybe you will decide you are comfortable with their unique body language, extreme dust, noise, possibility for aggression, neediness etc etc...I am very pro adoption and I love them dearly, but their charm is what gets them adopted and bounced around, because they will melt your heart...Just remember...They are known for that ability lol! Total hams...totally needy...totally loud...totally a full-time job and MOODY like a 3-year-old....who is also an attention vampire with a very powerful bite. God knows there are many in need of homes, but there is a reason for this...So I would advise not taking that plunge without a lot more experience with them and without having spent so much time with them that your novelty wears off. Any large bird is going to be a big transition but a cockatoo is it's own thing altogether..

Whenever I say anything negative about cockatoos, people feel the need to defend them (and therefore gush over their positive qualities)...BUT I just want to emphasize that I am not negating their good qualities.. I am saying that they are not for most people and that they are a challenge even for those who have spent a lot of time with other large parrots. I am not saying they are bad or evil, but they get re-homed more than any other bird for a reason. I just want you to remember all of this when you go in and a U2 melts your heart...Not saying you can never get one, but given your current situation, I would advise against it.There are many good things about them, but everyone knows about those already...so...this is some stuff to think about in terms of the challenges.

It is extremely hard to meet their needs in captivity-- that is why so many pluck and that is why they get re-homed constantly. They can also be very dangerous in certain scenarios (again-- not always, put the potential is there). I am not saying that no one should ever get them, but a big parrot is a huge change in a lot of ways.. A large cockatoo ( ESPECIALLY umbrellas and mollucans) is like the deepest end of the pool...or Niagra Falls.

They are also total attention *you know whats* in many cases and will turn on the charm to get attention..For this reason, it would be very had to tell if a cockatoo had "picked" you, unless you had an obvious sign, like being the only person in the rescue who could get near the bird without being attacked, or if you were the only one out of many who could pick the bird up (but being "the one" comes with its own complications for your family etc--it can be rough for those around you who are not lol).. They can be socialized, but sometimes that means training them to tolerate certain people..That doesn't always come naturally. They can are SUPER social and will often let other people pet them etc-- but it depends on a lot of factors and it isn't always consistent, even in a well-socilaized bird (I guess you could say that about any bird, but the intensity may be part of what makes the difference).

They tend to be a bit flirtatious and a bit fickle at times . I am not saying they don't pick people, but they are good at making people feel special in order to get something they want ha! They are charming clowns when they want to be. If mine sees a new person she wants to meet and they ignore her, she will start sucking up and saying things like, "I love you, come here"..BUT this doesn't mean she actually likes them that much...Sure, she may let them touch her- but they still have to be careful because it's not necessarily a reflection of anything super special.

In terms of "picking" people, mine loves me, she always wants to be with me, she trusts me, she is pretty obsessive etc etc...I am like her favorite person in most situations, UNLESS my dad is around, and then I drop to #2. The first time she met my dad (about 6 months after I adopted her) , she bit him hard on the thumb (no indication that she even liked him). He said "she bit me!" handed her back to me, cussed, shook his head and walked away.

From that moment onward, Noodles decided that he was her obsessive love interest. Years later, she is still IN LOVE with him. When we visit, I am the only person who can take her off of him (if he wants to hand her off) because she will run from or bite anyone else who tries..She also cannot stand for him to be in the same room without acknowledging her...He has to go pet her if he walks in, or she does crazy things (including sometimes flying erratically) in an effort to get to him..and if other people are holding her and he talks or enters the room, she will sometimes bite them because she wants him (and he has never broken any of the rules as far as petting her sexually or anything).

Again, I know it sounds like I am down on them all the time, but their needs are SO hard to meet in captivity- part of me wishes people would stop breeding them altogether because they are so many in rescues. I am my bird's 4th home and she is 13-- She was in her 3rd by the age of 3 or 4 (which is crazy because she hadn't even gone through puberty yet and that is when their behavior gets more difficult). They can be SUPER loud (like..beyond belief), they have unique body language that is very hard to read when compared to other parrots, they are super hormonal (and they want to cuddle, but you shouldn't cuddle them), they have a 3 point bite that could break a child's finger...and they are ultra sensitive and emotional (and no matter how ridiculous their reason for being upset, good luck reasoning with one).

The fact that they are such social love-sponges can be great at times, except there is no cap on this desire for attention, and it can be really hard to set boundaries while still meeting their needs (and even if you are being reasonable, if they don't agree, they may pluck etc). They are one of the only species in the wild that picks a mate but then stays with the flock and socializes, so you basically have to fill the role of 100 different birds all the time...Even with the best boundaries, you are always fighting their instinct to graft themselves to you.

 

[Elysianblight]

Thanks guys.

Poor cockatoos I will definitely fight any urges to bring one home and knit it a sweater.
If it was just me involved I'd probably be up for it someday, but yeah.. not a good pick.

My bf wanted an Amazon and I already talked him out of that, as cool as they are. We do not have our owns kids (just occasional visits) but as I understand it they are extra skittish and don't always give you good body language before a bite either.

To be honest in a perfect world I am pretty sure I'd want a hyacinth macaw. Been in love with them since I was a kid. But I always feel like it's kind of horrible to make companions out of parrots that are going to outlive you.. your pet shouldn't have to mourn you and go on for a decade or more alone.
I doubt a hyacinth is going to turn up in rescue.
Also I know they would need an ENORMOUS amount of space.

I keep circling around in my head with Quakers and Eclectus but I'm going to give Conures another good look, and I hadn't really read much about Caiques at all.

 

[saxguy64]

I'm right there with you on the Hyacinth. My childhood dream bird. Way above my abilities to do one justice though, and like you said, they don't generally show up at rescues. Sadly, if one comes up that needs rehoming, they often wind up with flippers to make a pile of cash, without concern for their well being. Also, since they're valuable, the internet is littered with scammers claiming to have them for sale. Ugh!

Curious what you read about Amazons and body language. In almost every case, they are the truest, most honest Parrots I know. They never bluff, and their body language is very obvious once you learn it. If you get bit, it's out of frustration because you didn't pay attention to, or understand what they were telling you. Check out the stickies at the top of the Amazon sub forum. Huge amount of information on the subject there.

This isn't intended to sway you towards or away from them, just information to consider. I dearly love both my birds, a male Ekkie, and female YNA, but they are COMPLETELY different in almost every aspect.

I do hope when you're ready, you find just the right one for you! And by all means, ask questions. We're here to help in any way we can.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

 

[Elysianblight]

Wow I'm sorry sax, I don't even know why I wrote Amazon.
Don't forum from your phone.

I totally meant African Gray on that one!!

Amazons are completely different and I hadn't ruled them out at all, actually I think I need to give them another hard look. I tend to forget about them for some reason!

Also Fiddle - Toucans are so cool but they freak me out
Ever since I saw one that had a disease where the beak fell off... er, and the hunting/killing of little parrots

 

[noodles123]

Just keep researching and make sure you don't look too much at the mainstream pet websites because a lot of times, they give you these crazy reader's digest summaries that aren't even accurate. I can't mention any by name, but I have been shocked by their descriptions on more than one occasion (in part, due to inaccuracy and in part, due to phrases like, "cuddly", "great talkers", "great family pets" etc etc)--things that no one should ever say about any parrot--just because those are the things that can vary, even within the same species..

For example, if you Google, "Do Amazons make good pets?" you will find that almost any website with the word pet OR pets BEFORE the .com is not worth a ton of time because they are very general and incorrect frequently...
If the title of the article itself is about comparing multiple birds etc, top 10 birds, best pets etc---again, probably not worth your time.
You can look at them, but you will want to focus on sites that are not devoted to general pet descriptions and look for articles specifically about a particular species from more focused sources (preferably not sources that sell birds lol-for obvious reasons)

I would look at the threads on here for the species you are interested in, and then also Google what vets and rescues say etc. Each bird is going to be an individual to some extent, but certainly there are shared traits among certain types of birds.

 

[noodles123]

Wow I'm sorry sax, I don't even know why I wrote Amazon.
Don't forum from your phone.

I totally meant African Gray on that one!!

Amazons are completely different and I hadn't ruled them out at all, actually I think I need to give them another hard look. I tend to forget about them for some reason!

Also Fiddle - Toucans are so cool but they freak me out
Ever since I saw one that had a disease where the beak fell off... er, and the hunting/killing of little parrots

I was wondering about the word "timid" and an Amazon lol--all birds can be timid, but I was thinking hmm...interesting lol (never heard them described that way in terms of a species tendency).

I am not sure I would say that Greys are super easy to read. Amazons are-- but Greys aren't as clear in comparison.

They are also a powder-down bird, so if allergies are a concern, that is something to consider as well.

 

[Ira7]

We tend to be a little too judgmental and self-righteous here at times.

If you think this, I invite you to better get to know the long-time participants on this forum you only recently joined. Anyone who knows ANY of the forums participants wouldn't use these terms to describe a single soul here.

I tend to disagree.

 

[Ira7]

With my Yellow Naped, it’s all in the eyes. You can read him like a book through those eyes. Granted, this is MY particular case; he’s still very young, non-aggressive, and hasn’t had to resort to body postures and feather ruffling to warn me when he’s getting negatively excited.

That being said, individuals from some Amazon species can be INCREDIBLY mellow, and quiet! Orange Winged and Mealy come to mind, so don’t count these species out if you come across any. They are often TOTALLY different and more relaxed than the other species, albeit at the expense of talking potential.

 

[Inger]

Thanks guys.

Poor cockatoos I will definitely fight any urges to bring one home and knit it a sweater.
If it was just me involved I'd probably be up for it someday, but yeah.. not a good pick.

My bf wanted an Amazon and I already talked him out of that, as cool as they are. We do not have our owns kids (just occasional visits) but as I understand it they are extra skittish and don't always give you good body language before a bite either.

To be honest in a perfect world I am pretty sure I'd want a hyacinth macaw. Been in love with them since I was a kid. But I always feel like it's kind of horrible to make companions out of parrots that are going to outlive you.. your pet shouldn't have to mourn you and go on for a decade or more alone.
I doubt a hyacinth is going to turn up in rescue.
Also I know they would need an ENORMOUS amount of space.

I keep circling around in my head with Quakers and Eclectus but I'm going to give Conures another good look, and I hadn't really read much about Caiques at all.

Read the I Love Amazons sticky over in the amazon forum. It actually details their body language pretty thoroughly! I wouldn’t give them a pass quite yet.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Talven]

Have you considered a Senegal? At the smaller end but might be a good fit with budgies.

 

[Elysianblight]

Have you considered a Senegal? At the smaller end but might be a good fit with budgies.

That is one I haven't actually looked into at all, thanks for the lead! I do think there is a senegal that has been at the rescue for a long time too, so I could get some first hand knowledge.

And reading about Senegals led me to Meyers which I had never even heard of yet! So. Many. Parrots.

Reading the birds mood more in their eyes is something I'm kind of impatient to get to with the budgies. Keep checking their eyes every day to see if there is any iris there yet!

 

[fiddlejen]

Reading the birds mood more in their eyes is something I'm kind of impatient to get to with the budgies. Keep checking their eyes every day to see if there is any iris there yet!

Oh no, don't rush this phase. They'll be big before you know it!

My Jefferson-budgie speaks fluent Body-Language, and has been doing it since the day I brought him home. His eyes are really secondary. (Highly amusing - but secondary.) Maybe this is unusual for budgies... or maybe not. From the very beginning, and he still does it somewhat, he would just Stand there, with his little non-existent hands on his imaginary hips, and stare me down, knowing that once I noticed him he will have communicated exactly what he wants to tell me.

(Sunny on the other hand - rather than Body Language, which with Jefferson is actually easier to figure out - she uses Full Body Sign Language. The only problem is, she hasn't invented all that many signs so it's often a game of charades to figure out what she wants.)

Enjoy your budgies being small and round while it lasts. Pretty soon they'll be sleek and grown.

Oh, tell me - you got yours from a breeder, there's tame enough that you can work with them -- your budgies, are they more like Kids, or more like Little Tiny Adults? My Sunny is just like a kid, and I think that's true of many larger parrots as well. But my budgies, from the first moment I got them, they are more like Little Adults. Well, little Bratty adults sometimes! But, unlike many other parrots that can rightly be described as like having a child or toddler, etc., -- my budgies were tiny, probably recently-weaned babies when I got them, but they just acted like little tiny adult people from the very beginning. Are yours like that? I wonder if it's a function of Tame-ness (vs lack thereof), or if maybe smaller birds are born more "adult" -like, as the best way to squeeze huge personalities into their little pea-sized brains.

 

[SailBoat]

Thanks guys.

Poor cockatoos I will definitely fight any urges to bring one home and knit it a sweater.
If it was just me involved I'd probably be up for it someday, but yeah.. not a good pick.

My bf wanted an Amazon and I already talked him out of that, as cool as they are. We do not have our owns kids (just occasional visits) but as I understand it they are extra skittish and don't always give you good body language before a bite either.

To be honest in a perfect world I am pretty sure I'd want a hyacinth macaw. Been in love with them since I was a kid. But I always feel like it's kind of horrible to make companions out of parrots that are going to outlive you.. your pet shouldn't have to mourn you and go on for a decade or more alone.
I doubt a hyacinth is going to turn up in rescue.
Also I know they would need an ENORMOUS amount of space.

I keep circling around in my head with Quakers and Eclectus but I'm going to give Conures another good look, and I hadn't really read much about Caiques at all.

Read the I Love Amazons sticky over in the amazon forum. It actually details their body language pretty thoroughly! I wouldn’t give them a pass quite yet.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thank-you for the comment regarding the "I Love Amazons" Thread. That said, the Understanding Amazon Body Language better defines their communication. The "I Love Amazons" better defines Loving and Living with mid to Large Parrots.

 

[Elysianblight]

Reading the birds mood more in their eyes is something I'm kind of impatient to get to with the budgies. Keep checking their eyes every day to see if there is any iris there yet!

Oh no, don't rush this phase. They'll be big before you know it!

My Jefferson-budgie speaks fluent Body-Language, and has been doing it since the day I brought him home. His eyes are really secondary. (Highly amusing - but secondary.) Maybe this is unusual for budgies... or maybe not. From the very beginning, and he still does it somewhat, he would just Stand there, with his little non-existent hands on his imaginary hips, and stare me down, knowing that once I noticed him he will have communicated exactly what he wants to tell me.

(Sunny on the other hand - rather than Body Language, which with Jefferson is actually easier to figure out - she uses Full Body Sign Language. The only problem is, she hasn't invented all that many signs so it's often a game of charades to figure out what she wants.)

Enjoy your budgies being small and round while it lasts. Pretty soon they'll be sleek and grown.

Oh, tell me - you got yours from a breeder, there's tame enough that you can work with them -- your budgies, are they more like Kids, or more like Little Tiny Adults? My Sunny is just like a kid, and I think that's true of many larger parrots as well. But my budgies, from the first moment I got them, they are more like Little Adults. Well, little Bratty adults sometimes! But, unlike many other parrots that can rightly be described as like having a child or toddler, etc., -- my budgies were tiny, probably recently-weaned babies when I got them, but they just acted like little tiny adult people from the very beginning. Are yours like that? I wonder if it's a function of Tame-ness (vs lack thereof), or if maybe smaller birds are born more "adult" -like, as the best way to squeeze huge personalities into their little pea-sized brains.

That's an interesting question! Hmmm.
I don't know if they started off as adults, because there are definitely a few "I'm a big boy" things they do now that they used to rely on me for in the first couple of months. But I also don't feel like they ever really behaved as babies.. more like teenagers from the start :25:

From the very beginning they acted pretty self sufficient in their cage, and they have never acted like they wanted attention for attention's sake. Citrine really could care less about whether we spend any time together.
Cypress knows when I am supposed to be on lunch or off work, and will ask to come out of the cage, but there is no pleading or asking mommy sense to it - it's definitely a "Hey lady, get a move on! It's time for you to get me out of here!" command

I think you're right, I have always felt more like I'm trying to earn their tolerance/friendship than like I'm taking care of a toddler.

The one thing they did - and I kind of miss, is that when they were way more uncertain with flying they would always ask for help. If they landed in the wrong place or somehow fell behind the couch - they would stop and cry for me. As soon as they saw my hand they would scramble to it for safety.

Now they don't cry out at all. They just figure it out. Cypress somehow ended up behind a bookcase yesterday and I was calling for him to tell me which side he was closer to so I could reach back there .. but I could just hear him walking around in the dark trying to find the edge on his own. Eventually he walked out, shook himself off, and flew away. If he ends up on the floor by my computer he will just climb the rungs of my desk to get back to the playstand, and even shrugs me off if I try to help!
(Yeah, he is sometimes kind of a klutz. Citrine never falls off stuff)

 

[Elysianblight]

Oh man.. I think I just fell in love with a blue headed pionus.
I've looked into them before but didn't think I would ever find one in our area.

I'm not going to buy him, but its haaard. I was getting budgie toys at the exotics store and this is the first time I've ever looked at the big birds and seriously felt like one wanted to come home with me.
He lifted his little foot directly to me and said hi, heh.

I felt bad because I hated the pet store. I haven't been to this one before. All the cages were small. It smelled funny. He had no toys
They had a TON of birds too.. illigers, conures, ring necks.

Ugh I feel so sad.


I am not going to get this baby, I know I cant.
But does anyone have reasons I should avoid pionus as a species altogether?