First time parrot suggestions

Adrian670050

New member
Oct 20, 2021
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Hi everyone,
I really like to get my first parrot. I used to have lovebirds and finches when I was a teenager.
Honestly I searched online a bit and have been confused.
I'm a full time employee but mainly work from home. My ideal parrot would be medium size and a bit independent (I wont be able to spend TOO much time with him/her). I always loved to have a parrot with sharp colours (green, red, blue, etc).
I was thinking maybe Alexandrine or Indian Ringneck can be good choices, but it seems they may not be suitable for beginners. Also a bit concerned about their large size.
I also considered Lorikeets, bit I was told that they are messy and noisy.
I'm confused and appreciate your comments/suggestions.
Thank you!
 

Littleredbeak

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May 27, 2020
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IRN are known to be nippy(the bites hurt) but independent. What about a conure? They are social and semi independent. My aunt had they very best Conure I still miss that bird. They're are so many types of Conures to choose from too!
 
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Adrian670050

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Oct 20, 2021
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IRN are known to be nippy(the bites hurt) but independent. What about a conure? They are social and semi independent. My aunt had they very best Conure I still miss that bird. They're are so many types of Conures to choose from too!
Thanks heaps for the advice. I'm looking at them now and reading about them. They look very beautiful and seem a good choice for a beginner. Do you know by any chance if they are quiet or noisy, messy or tidy?
 

Littleredbeak

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May 27, 2020
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No problem. Personally love conures!
LNoisy and messy have been my limited experience. I personally don't believe in beginner birds. Whatever type of bird you choose make sure it the right one for you for years to come. Birds have a very long lifespan and no bird deserves to be on someone's learning curve so try to mitigate this by tons of research! Which it seems like you are doing :)
 
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Adrian670050

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Oct 20, 2021
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No problem. Personally love conures!
LNoisy and messy have been my limited experience. I personally don't believe in beginner birds. Whatever type of bird you choose make sure it the right one for you for years to come. Birds have a very long lifespan and no bird deserves to be on someone's learning curve so try to mitigate this by tons of research! Which it seems like you are doing :)
Absolutely agreed. That's why I'm trying to research and consult with experienced pet owners.
Do you have second or third choices after conures? (somehow suitable for a person with my lifestyle - living alone and a bit busy). Do you think IRN can be a right choice? Are they smaller than Alexandrine?
 

LaManuka

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Welcome Adrian, good to know that you are seeking info before taking the plunge! Although no amount of research can prepare you for the lived experience!

I have limited experience with IRNs and conures, but I would have to say that a lorikeet would not be suitable for anyone unable to devote a lot of time to one. Even my tiny purple crowned terrorist requires my attention pretty much all day. They are not overly noisy, and the liquid poops are just part of the deal and to be expected when owning a lorikeet. They are, however, hugely high octane, energetic and very emotionally demanding and require constant companionship and attention and don't tend to do terribly well if left alone in a cage. They are not the sort of bird who will be just happy to sit with you and chill, like say a cockatiel likely would. Lorikeets are all sweet and funny and goofy when they're babies but they can turn very aggressive when they reach sexual maturity, so I would not in good conscience recommend them to a novice bird owner.

Thank you for joining, Adrian, and I wish you the very best of luck in your search!
 

kme3388

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Sep 17, 2021
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Another option would be to volunteer at a parrot shelter. They are always looking for help. It will get you experience, and you'll also learn so much about parrots. That's how I ended up with my eclectus parrot. I fell in love with him, and couldn't be without him.
 
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Adrian670050

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Oct 20, 2021
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Welcome Adrian, good to know that you are seeking info before taking the plunge! Although no amount of research can prepare you for the lived experience!

I have limited experience with IRNs and conures, but I would have to say that a lorikeet would not be suitable for anyone unable to devote a lot of time to one. Even my tiny purple crowned terrorist requires my attention pretty much all day. They are not overly noisy, and the liquid poops are just part of the deal and to be expected when owning a lorikeet. They are, however, hugely high octane, energetic and very emotionally demanding and require constant companionship and attention and don't tend to do terribly well if left alone in a cage. They are not the sort of bird who will be just happy to sit with you and chill, like say a cockatiel likely would. Lorikeets are all sweet and funny and goofy when they're babies but they can turn very aggressive when they reach sexual maturity, so I would not in good conscience recommend them to a novice bird owner.

Thank you for joining, Adrian, and I wish you the very best of luck in your search!
Thank you very much for the detailed comment. Appreciate it. I agree. Lorikeets are vey beautiful and attractive, however may not be the best choice for a person in my situation.
 
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Adrian670050

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Another option would be to volunteer at a parrot shelter. They are always looking for help. It will get you experience, and you'll also learn so much about parrots. That's how I ended up with my eclectus parrot. I fell in love with him, and couldn't be without him.
This is a brilliant idea. I live in Melbourne, Australia and unfortunately it seems that there are no rescue parrots available at the moment:
 

Littleredbeak

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With the right breeder and IRN could be a great choice. They do go through a nippy stage. I have one right now she's pretty much hands off (she came from a terrible situation and needed therapy and medications so didn't really build a bond between us in the beginning. She loves my other bird and enjoys flying around) so she's a rescue ( who I bought- wouldn't be able to sleep at night if I left her). IRNs do bite hard! She bites harder than my OWA (my OWA will nip to correct you- IRN will bite to make you bleed). If j was in you shoes I'd do a ton of research and if you getting one from a breeder visit them and see if you make a connection with one. There is a forum just for IRNs it's not active (I'm still waiting to be accept- it's been two years and I don't believe there are any new posts) butb it has alot of great old posts. IRN are beautiful and some are really well rounded and friendly.
 

kme3388

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Eclectus Parrot: Nico (male)
Jenday Conure: Kiwi (female)
I will say if you decide to go towards a conure. I do have a jenday. They are very similar to a sun. Yes, they are very snuggly. My conure loves burrowing into my neck, hoodie, under my shirt, or in my pockets. They are tree dwellers which is why they do that. I just learned I had a female conure after 10 years because she backs her tail into everything, and then clucks/flutters her wings. My conure is very moody (not sure if males are the same). She will bite, and this is for a variety of reasons mainly it’s to warn me of something scary, or because she doesn’t want to go back into her cage. The bites don’t feel good, but she doesn’t draw blood (I’m used to this by now I’ve had her for 10+ years). I have conure designated shirts as she chews holes in clothes. Conures can be loud (their screams are as loud as the larger parrots), and they contact call more then most other bird species. Conures are very social birds as well. They like to be with their human friends a lot. I just wanted to give you a basic description of my conure encase you do lean towards getting a conure.
 

Skarila

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Hi everyone,
I really like to get my first parrot. I used to have lovebirds and finches when I was a teenager.
Honestly I searched online a bit and have been confused.
I'm a full time employee but mainly work from home. My ideal parrot would be medium size and a bit independent (I wont be able to spend TOO much time with him/her). I always loved to have a parrot with sharp colours (green, red, blue, etc).
I was thinking maybe Alexandrine or Indian Ringneck can be good choices, but it seems they may not be suitable for beginners. Also a bit concerned about their large size.
I also considered Lorikeets, bit I was told that they are messy and noisy.
I'm confused and appreciate your comments/suggestions.
Thank you!
Not Ringnecks. If you work from home, nonono. They have extremely loud contact calls, and it's earpiercing. From what you're saying, senegal looks like a great choice.

They are 140 gram of chonks, little tanks with strong beak. Fairly independent but will love hanging around with you. On a more silent side bird, ideal for apartments. If you can adopt an adult sennie, go for it. They can be such sweet birds! Downside is that they can chomp hard, especially in the terrible twos, so that's why I suggested adopting an adult.
There are the smaller cousins the Red bellies and the Meyers. Both gorgeous and bit calmer compared to a senegal. And they works very well as solitary pets, they're not demanding in getting a "friend" for them unlike conures, for example.
 

araz

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Oct 9, 2021
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Green cheek normal turquoise
I think because of your situation, 2 things are important: 1-The bird's behaviour personality 2-The way you behave
Consider that you buy an Alexandrian who was free for 4 5 hours at ex-home, now if you don't have that time, he will be depressed. So first of all if you are going to buy an adult bird, know his history and his ex-owner's treat. And if you want to buy a young one, treat him in the way that you are comfortable. Last but not least, if you don't have time to spend with him I think it is not better to have one now.
 

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