Help Deciding What Kind Of Parrot Is Right For Me.

[Spydr]

so i work at petsmart in petcare, been there for 3 years, one year in dog hotel, two years in petcare (birds, rodents, reptiles, and fish). we've had conures before: sun. but our last one really got me thinking about one as a pet, it was a green cheek conure. i'll list off my situation and what i'd like in a bird.

i live in a small apartment with 2 roomates. i'm the only one not home all the time because of work (i work about 20-30 hours a week), one has no job, and the other only works occasionally. i have NO cats or dogs, but do have snakes, fish, and rats. roomates would be able to play and care for parrot while i was at work.

things i like in a bird are:
fun, affectionate, playful, "clown".
i'd really love to be able to teach it words and songs but personality comes 1st.
little to no screeching. whistles, and talking fine.

this would be my 1st bird, so nothing super advanced, but i do work with the conures at work and get them tame.

(i took a 'what parrot is right for me' quiz online and got 'macaws', i really don't think i'm ready for a macaw, they are really advanced right?)

 

[Spydr]

i think i'm leaning more towards a caique or a green cheek conure. any thought? where do i even get a caique?

 

[Pinkbirdy]

I love my caiques !!! Greta was my first bird [but they are loud] But what bird isn't [I have a greencheek too.] Sounds like you have experience and would be ready for one .Just please take no chances with the roomates ,other animals with your new bird. Check out this site Caique Breeder - White bellied & Black headed Caiques - Brotogeris Parakeets - Shady Pines Aviary

 

[kendrafitz]

When I was reading your post I immediately thought caique. In my opinion you picked the right parrot for you. They are so cute and full of personality. I know Bird Paradise in NJ usually has them, but I don't know much else.

 

[henpecked]

In your first post you listed,," little or no screeching.." IMO Suns are one of the nosiest birds. I'm not sure a sun would be a good fit for you. Maybe a Tiel.

 

[Spydr]

i read amazons are good talkers. i like the idea of talking. is an amazon comparable to a caique but with added talking? or do caiques just meet more of my requirements?

 

[Spydr]

i'm not supporting anyone. one of my roomates gets money from the government and supports the other. they are a couple. and the rats aren't mine, those are my roomates, they take care of those. i just feed 4 baby pythons and one fish tank of baby african cichlids. also i am going to slowly buy everything 1st before getting the bird, but i wanted some input on the bird i should get so i know what kind of stuff to accumulate.

 

[SandyBee]

Amazons are not good apartment birds and can be quite loud if they want to be.

 

[getwozzy]

I agree with Sandy, amazons would NOT be good in an apartment. Jackie is LOOOUUUDDD -as in I can hear him down the driveway with windows and doors closed. Your neighbors would not be very happy with an amazon sounding off at least twice a day. Lol

 

[ann]

Caiques are great but they can be very headstrong and difficult to work with. However they are also very funny, silly, playful, and cuddly. They can also be very loud when they screech and sometimes throw temper tantrums. IMO that's part of the charm, I like birds with a little attitude. I think a young WEANED caique could be e great bird, but you would need to invest a lot of time training into him or her. Sometimes birds pick favorites and exclude everyone else. Your bird could choose your roomate instead of you, so its important to socialize your bird while young so he or she gets along with most people. I think you should go with a caique, pyrrhura conure, or parrotlet. Parrot lets are sassy, playful, intelligent, clownish little parrots.They have a larger than life personalities, but are small. Some are cuddly, and they can learn to talk and mimic. Input equals output, research research research, and get hands on experience. Good luck and welcome to the world of birds

 

[Spydr]

thanks for that, that's exactly what i needed to know. so it looks like i'll be doing green cheeked conure cause caiques are like 700 bucks!

 

[Spydr]

what bar spacing should a green cheek conure have?

 

[Pugtato]

thanks for that, that's exactly what i needed to know. so it looks like i'll be doing green cheeked conure cause caiques are like 700 bucks!

You should not buy a bird or not buy a bird because of its price tag. If you really want a Caique and were going to take your time buying everything anyway, why not just save up for a few months? You and your parrot will be together for a potential 35+ years, why rush into it? And heck we are more alike than you know! I am in your situation, I am an independent college student, and I thought that I was in a great financial situation...until my dog broke her leg. Vet bills stack up fast, and before I knew it I was in debt to my mother (who was amazing enough to help me cover the $$$$ bill). I will be paying her off over the course of about 8-10 months, and I thought I was stable and had an emergency fund. Stuff happens fast, and when it rains it can pour, have you thought about setting up a vet fund for your bird? Let me tell you avian care can be much more expensive than canine, feline, or even equine. Kippy's (my parrot's) first vet wellness exam when I bought her was over $150 (not even with a true avian vet, but the best option within 75 miles), and I opted to not have blood work run. With blood work it was going to be in the range of $300.

There are little things with owning birds that can get expensive, and I know the cost of everything to set up seems like the biggest hurdle, but it is truly not. Annual wellness exams, vet funds, and even the basics like toys and food can get pricey. Well, I just flew off on a tangent, but you get my idea. If you want the Caique save up and spoil the little devil rotten, but don't forget to factor in some cash for a rainy day.



*cough* This is my favorite web Caique, Stinky, you can see he is a total character!
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mdyZJZJKXe4"]Stinky[/ame]