Eclectus V.S. Caique V.S. Green Cheek Conure?

[Tswift]

What made you chose the pionus over any other bird? Just curious. The ones they had in the store bit hard and often... So I might have a bias. I love their size though and they are beautiful... Are they energic and like to be handled?

And I thought adding a parrot after the first settles in is risky, but if it is possible, that is what id like to do. If the parrot we get likes us both, there is almost no reason to get two. Plus, I am in college, I should probebly limit my spending a tad

 

[Pionus]

I've had the Pionus for almost 9 years now, so my decision to buy him was a while ago. I'm, 22, so I purchased him when I was around 13/14. I bought him on an impulse buy, and have never regretted it. I am also in college at the moment, so i understand trying to save costs and he's not that expensive as far as upkeep goes. They can be active, but are in general less active than the Green cheek and much less active than the caique. Pionus are kinda known as the parrot couch potatoes, but they can be active, it all depends on the energy level you put into them. He's a real sweety. I can handle him however I want, (pull his tail, stretch his wings, hold him on his back) he never bites me, even when i piss him off. He is bonded to me and my fiance and loves us both (maybe me a little bit more, but i've known him longer). They can be a little louder than conures, but without that higher pitched scream (the reason i would never get a conure other than a green cheek). Pionus can be more timid, but that just means you need to work a little harder at socialization. But they can also deal really well with change, I've moved over 6 times in the last 3 years and it hasn't fazed him!

 

[Pionus]

On another note: It really all depends on how you handle the bird and the amount of time and emotion you invest in them (green cheek, caique, or other). My pionus lets me trim his wing weathers without any fuss. He lifts his foot up to let me trim his toe nails. He sits on my shoulder in the shower so he can get a shower too. All in all, he's really easy going, and just loves to be a part of the family (unless he's near my sister but thats a different story)

 

[Tswift]

Oh wow... he sounds fantastic!

So now im stuck between GC conure, senegal, caique, or pionus.....

Oh my!!! So many choices

I do like the larger size of the senegal and pionus... the blue headed pionus are also very beautiful...

I guess it really depends what is available to me in May and which bird my boyfriend and I connect with. I connected with a beautiful green cheek conure when i visited the store once. He kept sayin "whatcha doin?" and was doing flips on my finger and rubbing up against my hand and just kept talking to me. Man did I want to take him home! The second bird I connected with was one of the caiques at the store. If i have that feeling with one of these 4 breeds in May, I think that will be the choice!

Does anyone think any of these breeds would not fit my lifestyle? Are the caiques really that high maintenance?

 

[birdiemomma]

I have a Hahn's macaw and she is such a love! The only times she is noisy is in the am when sun comes up (5 minutes) & when the sun goes down (5 minutes). She is generally not too noisy, very cuddly & is a talker They are also very playful and have the personality of the big macaws while being smaller & more apartment friendly. Feel free to ask me any questions you want

 

[MikeyTN]

A senegal's scream is pretty loud!!!! My best friend owned one.... it all depends on the individual bird, if you get lucky, they can be pretty well behaved!!

 

[Tswift]

Hmm, I will definitely keep the hahns maccaw in mind. I'm sure noise level depends on the personality of the individual bird to some extent.

Good news though! I found a breeder. She said she might have conures for sale for only $100 around May/June. I am going to a local bird convention on the 20th and meeting her there. I think I would rather buy a breeder's conure than a bird store's caique for $900. I can use the money i saved to buy a nicer cage, more toys, etc.

I also found a nice local adoption site that I will keep my eyes on. Their fee is only $65 and if I connect with a bird from there, I would have no problem bringing him/her home.

I wanted a larger bird, but as far as I can tell, the conures have the same attitude as the larger birds and can be just as fun to have around. We will see!

 

[mtdoramike]

Hmm, I will definitely keep the hahns maccaw in mind. I'm sure noise level depends on the personality of the individual bird to some extent.

Good news though! I found a breeder. She said she might have conures for sale for only $100 around May/June. I am going to a local bird convention on the 20th and meeting her there. I think I would rather buy a breeder's conure than a bird store's caique for $900. I can use the money i saved to buy a nicer cage, more toys, etc.

I also found a nice local adoption site that I will keep my eyes on. Their fee is only $65 and if I connect with a bird from there, I would have no problem bringing him/her home.

I wanted a larger bird, but as far as I can tell, the conures have the same attitude as the larger birds and can be just as fun to have around. We will see!

Conures are great birds, I owned one years ago that was wild caught bird. I got him some what tamed before he escaped out the door due to his wings not being clipped. Just think of Conures as dynamite in small packages. That is exactly what my Senegal is and he's around the same size as the Conure. My wife gets a kick out of him running me ragged all day. She says by nightfall, I'm a whipped pup. She also says that bird has me wrapped around his little toe

So sometimes smaller is better. But it all depends on what your looking for. Just remember, these birds require a lifetime commitment. I nearly cry when I go on Craigslist and see all the parrots & birds being re-homed for lack of responsible owners who bought them at the spur of the moment and not taking into consideration that these birds rquire a MINIMUM of 2-3 hours attention every day, vet visits, bird supplies & the biggy, they can out live us. Some can easily live 50-60+ years.

 

[Tswift]

Exactly! I understand that it is a lifetime commitment and that is why I am having such a hard time deciding on what breed to chose! I wanted a larger bird (like the eclectus... i thought for SURE I was going to get one at one point haha), but I am afraid I may not be experienced enough. Thats why I think I should get a conure and maybe later in life, when I am more settled down and have a more stable income, I can add a second, larger bird into the family. Yet, I want to just have one bird I can put all my attention to and is somewhat a challange.

And it just scares me how small the conures are. they seem so delicate! I was so afraid of my parrotlet of getting hurt, not that he was in any danger. I love the size of the pionus and eclectus though! They just seem much hardier.

In fact, can anyone compare a parrotlet and a conure for me? Not that parrotlets are bad birds... in fact they are great... Just very laid back and not what I am looking for in a bird. They are not like conures, are they?

Additionally, I have been looking into free flight more (or at least flight with a harness). I would even be happy if they would like to go to the park and walk around. It seems like conures would not be too excited to do this... Is the pionus, senegal, or any other parrot fit for an apartment able to do this?

 

[Pionus]

While free flighted is a great idea, there are bad points. I take my Pionus out on occasion. This is great for him and fun for other people as well. But there is always a possibility of the parrot accidentally becoming scared and flying off (a leash could slip out of your hand) the safest way is to have the bird's wings clipped as well as wearing a harness. This is what I do with my Pionus. oh, and car rides are fun! Conures can do this too. Keep in mind, personality preferences in species are not always consistent. Oh, most of the conures I've handled have been very outgoing birds. The GCC at the petstore I work with flirts with ALL the female staff. Another thing to keep in mind, a bird can be as sociable as you make them, the more socialization you do and the more different experiences you introduce them to while they are young, etc...

 

[Tswift]

I agree that harness and clipped wings would be the best way to go. The risk isnt worth it! I also agree that every bird is different.

Problem is, what if i do not attach with one of the conures from the breeder and attach to, say, a bird 900 dollars more (like the caique at the bird store). Or what if i like the personality of the conure in the bird store better than the breeder's conure.Think I should pay the price, or try to bond with one of the breeder's conures with socialization? I wish money was not such a huge factor!

I am not having luck finding any other parrot breeders in Missouri... think I should look into breeders that ship? Then I would never know the personality of the bird...

 

[MikeyTN]

Basically when it comes down to it, it is really up to you to see what fits for your bird. Your the soul owner, parent, best friend to the bird. We're all here to help and give you our points of perspectives. Everyone have good points on what's being said. We're all are kinda set in our own ways because we're all individuals. And the things we've said are some stuffs that we've all gone through in the years we've kept birds. As you will learn in the years you'll be keeping your bird. Good Luck making your choice!

 

[MikeyTN]

I agree that harness and clipped wings would be the best way to go. The risk isnt worth it! I also agree that every bird is different.

Problem is, what if i do not attach with one of the conures from the breeder and attach to, say, a bird 900 dollars more (like the caique at the bird store). Or what if i like the personality of the conure in the bird store better than the breeder's conure.Think I should pay the price, or try to bond with one of the breeder's conures with socialization? I wish money was not such a huge factor!

I am not having luck finding any other parrot breeders in Missouri... think I should look into breeders that ship? Then I would never know the personality of the bird...

Again, that is up to you to decide. IF you like the bird at the pet shop and you bond with it well, then get it. IF I find a bird at the shop I like, I bring it home. There was a bird at Petco, a hawk headed Lory named Chicken, I go in to see him on a weekly basis for over a year and he's very sweet with me. One day I asked my partner to go see him with me. We both loved that bird and came home had a discussion and I was gonna go pick him up, went in next day and he was sold and he's been there for over a year. We were quite disappointed....He was way high on price compared to a breeder's price, but we didn't care cause we both liked him very much, plus I've been socializing with him for over a year. Just when you want to bring him home, he might be gone....

 

[Tswift]

Thank you for that story! After thinking for a while, initial price should not matter when you take into consideration that you are taking on a 15+ year commitment. I mean my family dog was $1200 (she is a show dog though... still!) and will probably not live as long!! Like I've said before... I have bonded with a caique and a conure at the bird store. I go every other weekend or so. The caique is still there and is just so much fun to play with! Hes such a daredevil. On the other hand, I only got to handle the conure during one visit because he was gone the next time I went. He wouldnt stop rubbing his head all over my hand and making cute noises and saying "whatcha doin'?" haha. What I'm trying to say is I know the feeling... and I would rather take a bird I bond with home no matter the price.

Thank you for your help Sorry I am being so indecisive!!!

Oh, and ss I go frantic trying to pick a bird breed, find cages, etc. I am looking into the DIY forum. I am definitely thinking about making some toys that would be ok for both small and medium birds since I'm not quite sure which one I will get. Maybe it will make the time go by faster until I get my birdie

 

[ann]

well since you live in an appartment i dont think the eclectus would be a good choice. i have heard an eclectus scream and it ws LOUD! bird usa had a noise chart ,and according to this chart, occasionaly the eclectus can reach noise levels of a 6 out of 7. also most eclectus male or female dont linke to be cuddled but they love to hang round you and i have heard they respond well to kisses on the beak. also they have hard dietary requierments. conures can be a little loud to depending on what kind you get. in my personal opinion get a caique they are soooo much fun! at the pet stores i have been to they are all so willing to step up and play! also one of the employees was cuddling one (they are cabable of loud high pitched noises). keep in mind what kind of responsibility your taking on. when you choose your bird your his family, his best freind, his provider, companion, chef, clean uper, playmate, and mom, you become his life and world and need to make sure you make it a good life and a good world for him/her

 

[Tswift]

Actually, I am glad you brought this up. Last weekend, the bird store finally had a male eclectus. After trouble getting him to step up, he just sat there. He did not want to be pet and he did not want to play or give kisses. He just sat there and stared at me haha. The most entertaining thing he did was nibble on my sleeve. I'm glad I got to handle him because now I see how gentle natured they are and that is not the type of bird I want. But he was extremely bright-colored!

Meanwhile, I got to handle four baby green cheeks during the same visit. They were very cute and playful, but nipped a lot because they were still very young. I definitely would rather have one of these than the eclectus.

I will either get a green cheek conure ($100) or a caique ($800-$900). Not sure why the caique is so much more expensive, but I am still on the search for a caique breeder in Missouri or even one in the U.S.that will ship.

Also, I got all of my supplies for making the bird toys! Need to get some pieces drilled and food-colored before I can start making them... will post pics

 

[jew1187]

OK... Along with some of your research, look on youtube and watch videos of these birds with their owners as well. If you have ruled the Eclectus out solely on that one visit, I think you have judged these birds too quickly. I just got my Eclectus, and even though he is very cautious right now, as would any new bird from a breeder would be, I can tell you he is full of life and very entertaining. He is absolutely beautiful and charming. And I would say I am biased... But I am really not. I love birds and have spent months at the local pet store playing with a GCC and two Sun Conures and they were incredible as well. If it weren't for the fact that I had my heart set on this specific type, I probably would have gone ahead and gotten the GC there. He was awesome. I just don't think you should rule it out from one visit. Also, as far as them being apartment birds... Most people I have talked to, and mostly everything I have read says that they are as loud as their environment. If they are having to scream over everybody to get attention then they will. If they don't, they do prefer to simply talk. And Skyler is proving how quiet they can be. I think he is going to make an awesome apartment bird. And as far as the diet... Cut out seeds and things high in fat... Like grubs.

 

[EvieWg]

Might I suggest a Pionus? Ok, ok, ok, I know I'm biased... BUT! they are quiet (good for apartments), they're not too clingy but they can get affection, they're easy-going, laid back, definitely not a one-person bird. Plus, they are very adaptable to different environments/noises and don't spook easily.

I know the Pionus isn't as flashy in color, but given your situation (college dorm room, apartment, major life changes when you graduate, etc.) I think the Pionus would be a lovely choice. Plus, if you google some Blue-Headed Pi's, they are quite beautiful as they go through their molts.

 

[Tswift]

I have been thinking about ruling out the eclectus for quite a while due to dietary requirements, initial cost, and their sensitivity to changes in their environment. I have been watching youtube videos and there are some amazing eclectus out there! Lots of them have a vocab and I believe they are so intelligent they can speak in context. Nevertheless, I dont think that in this point in my life I am ready to take on the responsibility of an eclectus. He would be eating better than I am as a college student!

I have been thinking about the pionus and the youtube videos of them are just as awesome as the eclectus. There were 4 or so at the bird store, but I dont think they are good examples of what pionus' are like. One would focus on getting into my hair as deep as he could... he was a fearless bird lol...but seemed crazy. The other 3 bit my hand harder than I have ever been bitten by a bird... it definitely drew blood. So my experience isn't good with them, but they are definitely the size I want in a bird. If the bird store has any I like (I dont mind what color they are), I will consider buying it. I cannot find any breeders in my state that sell these birds unfortunately.

I did find a bird expo that is happening this Sunday that will have breeders, cages, toys, etc, so maybe I will be able to make more connections with more breeders so that when it does come time to make a decision, I have a choice to get my bird from a reputable breeder. Plus, I think this will be a great way to interact with quality breeds of parrots and get more of an idea of what they are like. Needless to say, I am quite excited

 

[EvieWg]

Oohh, bird expo, that sounds like fun! You know it's funny, because on paper, it seems so easy to pick out a bird (or decide to not own a parrot at all). I wasn't even in the market for a parrot when I met Bob (my dusky pionus), we just "clicked"... I had to go home, research pionus parrots, and then I visited him everyday at the bird store for weeks before I bought him. It was nice cause it made the transition much easier for him since he already knew who I was.

I'm sure you will find your perfect bird!