scorpiosue
New member
- Aug 8, 2018
- 7
- 0
Hello all! Thank you in advance for any advice you can give me
I am new to the forum, but have had birds for many years, including being a vet tech and working with birds. I would love to have a small to medium/large sized bird that loves to snuggle and play with me. I currently have an African grey, whom I love, but like many greys, he does not like to be touched much - just head scritches. I respect that, but I see people with their birds that climb in their pockets and roll on their backs to play and cuddle with them, and I would really like that. 
I am home all day now, so getting attention is not a problem, and have no preference as to talking or looks, just personality - hoping to avoid a bird that bites a lot. I have a fair tolerance for noise, as long as it is not constant screeching just for fun. Contact calls are OK because I will usually be in sight or with the bird when home and we live in a rural area.
My husband is allergic to cockatoo and cockatiel dust and I really feel green cheek conures are too nippy for me (so many GCC's I know are so bitey - and not just using their beak to play!), so I'm afraid those are out. No one has hand raised budgies here, so no luck there either.
What are your recommendations for a cuddly non-nipper that will likely stay that way as an adult (since pretty much all babies are cuddly)? Unfortunately, there are no rescue groups within several hours of my house, so that eliminates adults with established personalities. I hope you don't think I am being unreasonable about the biting. I know birds bite. I have been bitten and it's not the end of the world. I know you have to read your bird's body language and don't invade their cage space, etc. I am talking about the unexpected, frequent chomps or not wanting to be touched.
I was thinking maybe a male lovebird (if I can get someone to DNA test)? What about less nippy conures? Thank you so very much for any opinions you can share. I hope I did not ramble on too long - just wanted to give you as much background info as possible.


I am home all day now, so getting attention is not a problem, and have no preference as to talking or looks, just personality - hoping to avoid a bird that bites a lot. I have a fair tolerance for noise, as long as it is not constant screeching just for fun. Contact calls are OK because I will usually be in sight or with the bird when home and we live in a rural area.
My husband is allergic to cockatoo and cockatiel dust and I really feel green cheek conures are too nippy for me (so many GCC's I know are so bitey - and not just using their beak to play!), so I'm afraid those are out. No one has hand raised budgies here, so no luck there either.
What are your recommendations for a cuddly non-nipper that will likely stay that way as an adult (since pretty much all babies are cuddly)? Unfortunately, there are no rescue groups within several hours of my house, so that eliminates adults with established personalities. I hope you don't think I am being unreasonable about the biting. I know birds bite. I have been bitten and it's not the end of the world. I know you have to read your bird's body language and don't invade their cage space, etc. I am talking about the unexpected, frequent chomps or not wanting to be touched.
I was thinking maybe a male lovebird (if I can get someone to DNA test)? What about less nippy conures? Thank you so very much for any opinions you can share. I hope I did not ramble on too long - just wanted to give you as much background info as possible.

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