Future owner researching and looking for input!

[Birdlover11]

I don't think he'll mind if you take a 1 or 2 hour break, even though they are affectionate they really love they're toys ! You could also get them a play gym for you to put them on top .

 

[Drezzan]

So they can be alone for some time? I will be going to classes and taking him out as much as possible in between and after of course. I just want it to have the best home possible.

 

[Drezzan]

I just want to thank you all for the input and advice.

 

[MikeyTN]

Just provide with stuffs for him to do and he'll be fine when you take off to do something. Like I've said before Green cheeks are a wonderful choice on conures. I've been around many of them before and could of taken one home. But my heart went to the Cockatiels, they have lots of personalities so the one you had maybe wasn't playful what so ever? I even taught the only baby Cockatiel I've kept out of many, I taught her to fly to me on command. We love her VERY much as she's always entertaining us.

 

[MeganMango]

When I was meeting birds I found the conures of all varieties very loud and saucy. They are also surprisingly larger than they look in their photos. We went with a Poi because they are smaller and easier for first time owners. I dont know what other peoples experiences have been, but our research revealed they tend to be quieter birds, and Mango my African Red Belly is pretty much silent unless he is learning words. We actually had to teach him to whistle. He is super social with everyone and his training has been pretty easy. Although he is all attitude he is pretty manageable so far. I would suggest one for any first time owners, and I would take another in a heart beat. Ive never had any other birds though, and Dave has had only budgies and tiels. We have talked about getting a Macaw at some point, but we want to wait a few years. The people who have conures love them however, and I think all birds have their own personalities, likes and dislikes regardless of species. Any bird if neglected or mistreated will scream. Mango screams at his green veggies on occasion and we have even found that to be quiet and adorable. To someone else it might be offensive, but he isnt loud. I babysat some GC conures and I couldnt handle the noise. Their screams were ear splitting, but they were annoyed about having their owner away on vacation.

 

[MeganMango]

Also, we leave Mango while we are at school 5-10 hours depending on our schedules and he is perfectly fine. I am embarrassed to admit my first couple of days leaving him home alone I put a webcam on his cage so I could keep an eye on him in my office. He was pretty happy playing with his toys and sleeping. He has adjusted his schedule to ours and plays all evening with us. Most people have to leave the house to work, it doesnt prevent them from having birds. As a fellow student I would only advise you to save your cash. Its taken me to my PhD to finally feel comfortable owning a parrot. I never made enough money before to be able to do it. I always worried something would happen and I wouldnt be able to pay the vet bills etc. I also have a horse though, and horse ownership is feels akin to flushing your money down the toilet. Worth every penny, but not nearly as bad as a bird. Birds are expensive though, and not just the set up. Put some money aside before you do it, and make sure you have a way to get him/her to the vet and have access to appropriate pet stores for food and toys. Mango chews his way through 3-5 toys every week or two. Im constantly replacing them.

 

[Drezzan]

Well the noise is a big factor, I could deal with most of it when I'm home but I don't know about my neighbors. I'll look into pois, I had dismissed them only because they were categorized as shy and nervous. I will be going to an aviary eventually to get acquainted with all the breeds. Like I said I am excited about the prospect now but plan to wait until I am confident I can care for it properly. As far as money I have a deal with my parents that if I maintain above B average in my schooling then they will pay for half living expenses and rent. My mother is a vet (not avian) so she would never let an animal not get treated. Even with these safety nets I won't make the leap untill I have the money, I don't want to lean on my parents.

Are the red bellies as affectionate as GC conures? I really don't care what bird species I get and I only want a parrot because they seem the cutest to me. My main concern is my relationship with the bird, I want a friend and companion. Birds have always made me smile and now that I am older I am prepared to begin the process of examining my life and situation to be positive it is the right time.

TLDR; I will be waiting at least a year, I should have the money but will look closely at this aspect. What are your experiences with the pois?

 

[MeganMango]

My parents paid for my horse until recently, but I had to maintain an A average. I also had to allow my sister to ride her.
As for being shy, I know that all the Pois are a little different but I would never describe Mango as shy! He is an absolute show off when we have company, he talks up a storm and performs the most adorable acrobatics. He loves to interact with new people. We really wanted a bird that would bond with both my partner and I. I think Mango prefers Dave if given a choice to be honest, but he loves us both and is a big cuddler. Dave lets him play a little rougher than I do, and has a beard which is a perfect head scratcher, but I supply the raspberries and do most of the trick training so he really bonded to both of us. As great as it would be to be loved exclusively by a bird, I really like that Mango interacts with people. He is DEFINITELY not shy, he is a total clown.

 

[Drezzan]

Well I took a look at some literature and these guys seem to be a safer bet than the GC conure. I still plan to look around and meet some different types but you have me pretty sold!

 

[MeganMango]

I think most people here will tell you that the bird chooses you! Different species have different traits, but definitely meet loads of birds. I had my heart set on an African Grey, but we met a few and found they tend to be one-person birds. I still love them, but it wasnt the right fit for us at this time. We then thought that a love bird would be best for us, but none of the ones we met clicked with us. When Mango came along we both knew right away he was "the one". We had planned to choose a species and take a few months to set up and bird proof the house before buying a baby from a breeder, but we bought Mango out-right when we met him. You will know when its the right bird for you. Im glad I convinced you to consider a red belly, Mango has been a real joy. He is everything I wanted and a whole lot more!

 

[Drezzan]

I have a lot of work to do with my lifestyle before buying, I am a huge nerd so I need to fing a way to hide my cables from easy beak access. I am curious though if red bellies like to be around you a lot? I mean I envision having a the bird with me most of the day when I am home and I imagine this will vary with the individual, I am really looking for a happy medium. I want it to like being around me and on my shoulder but I dont want it too lonely and upset when I go to class or out somewhere.