I need help choosing the right species for me!

[Anastasiah]

Hi there,

I'm new to the forums and you can call me Ana I know this is a common topic, but I really do need help! And I'm sorry if this is not in the right place, but it had the most people viewing. I have grown up with lovebirds, taken care of a Galah (Rose-breasted Cockatoo) for a friend for a couple of months, and am constantly around my boyfriends female Congo African Grey. I have a German Shepherd and I love her to death and am capable of taking care of difficult, demanding pets. I love birds and would like a new friend

I have slept in my whole life and think its time for a change and I would like a natural alarm clock ;P , so the waking up early will not bother me. I am thinking to either go small and simple or go all out and get an amazing medium-large size bird.

-I am particular to a cuddly bird, but not an absolute must (if I find I like a Grey or something..)
-noise is not exactly an issue, but I don't think I can tolerate a bird known for screaming
-should be able to tolerate the female grey, don't want any huge feuds. they don't need to be on same perch or anything. is it that two females cant get along or female/male grey...?
-would be wonderful if he/she could learn to talk, but is also not a must
-I would love a funny parrot, a "ham"
-jealousy wouldn't be good, I am in a committed relationship and Max and his parrot aren't going anywhere

Thoughts so far:

Small-
Cockatiel, GCC
Medium-
Poicephalus Parrots, Pionus
Med/Large-
Blue-fronted Amazon, Timneh AG over congo (personally I like the look better)

Suggestions are what I'm looking for if I missed something and please enlighten me!

 

[jaimmorr]

Hi! Welcome to the forums

Don't worry. Yes, that question is asked a lot, but I completely understand where you're coming from! It's tough picking a species! (Oh gosh, I can't even count how many of these I've written... I couldn't pick a species for the life of me! LOL)

Anyway, to me, it sounds like a Conure would be perfect for you. If you want a smaller bird, go for a Green Cheek Conure or one of the other Pyhurra Conures. They're pretty quiet (Conure wise), definitely fun and total hams, and pretty cuddly too! If you want a bigger bird, but not too big, I would suggest a Blue Crowned Conure or maybe a Dusky Conure. You could even look into Patagonian Conures. They are the biggest Conures. I think Conures are great birds. Funny, playful, cuddly, etc. Sun Conures I would stay away from if you're concerned about noise... They're the loudest!

Pionus I don't think is what you're looking for, but I could be wrong. They're way more laid back and kind of "perch potatoes" I have heard/read. They are, however, pretty quiet.

Poicephalus I have heard being described as "more like cats" and Conures as "more like dogs" if that gives you an idea. Poicephalus, to me, seem... How do I put this... "Stuck up." LOL. They just seem like they don't much care about their owners. Obviously this is probably not true, but I just decided Poicephalus wasn't what I was looking for in a bird. If you DO decide you like Poicephalus, everything I have read has said that Meyer's are the "best" kind of Poi to get.

Amazon - If you want an amazon, I personally would not go for one of the "hot three." These include the Yellow Nape, the Blue-Front, and the Double Yellow Headed. They are said to be the most aggressive around hormonal periods. Some more docile Amazons include the Mealy, Red-Lored, Orange-Wing, Yellow-Shouldered, etc. Amazons are very funny and some can be cuddly, it all depends on the bird. Some are very loud and some are pretty quiet. They are very, very smart and are good talkers. IME, they are the most hormonal of birds and you must be able to read their body language and respect their space if they want it. Otherwise... Get the bandaids ready

Greys - Oh, the greys... Well, you obviously have some experience with them, so you know what they're like. They're VERY intelligent, most of them are very good talkers, and they do seem to really love their "person." But they're not cuddly for the most part, and they don't seem to be "funny." They are more like reserved people... I think if the Greys were people, they would all be members of royalty! LOL That's how they act.



It really all just depends on you. The best advice I can give you is to spend time with each species you're interested in and see what you like best. The very BEST thing you could do is to volunteer at a rescue and a bird might just pick you!

I wish you all the best luck in your search! And, just so you know, this forum is WONDERFUL. I have found it to be the most helpful and supportive

 

[FutureDVM]

I would probably look into the Pyrrhura conures (green cheeks, crimson bellies, black caps, etc.). In general, they aren't too loud, although they do have their moments of screeching (not nearly as loud as Aratinga conures). Plus, many of them are very cuddly and love to be with their owners. They tend not to be "one person birds" as long as they are well socialized. Any type of conure is definitely going to be a funny little ball of energy.

A pionus would also be a good option. The only concern would be the fact that they have very sensitive respiratory systems and are more prone to respiratory issues than some other birds. This could potentially be an issue since you have an African grey in the household (greys are very dusty birds). However, I think if you took the proper precautions, you would still be okay.

 

[wenz2712]

Welcome to the forum

Have you looked into a Male Ekkie or an Alexandrine?

 

[4theBirds]

Hi! Welcome to the forums

Greys - Oh, the greys... Well, you obviously have some experience with them, so you know what they're like. They're VERY intelligent, most of them are very good talkers, and they do seem to really love their "person." But they're not cuddly for the most part, and they don't seem to be "funny." They are more like reserved people... I think if the Greys were people, they would all be members of royalty! LOL That's how they act.

Definitely do your research.

Each bird is an individual. Paddywack, our first Congo, was quite a clown and very funny. He kept us very entertained, playing in his cage, "attacking" his toys, and begging for hand outs. They are definitely not cuddly. He'd tolerate me but loved my wife. They are definitely the "Aristrocrats" of the parrot family.

IMHO, the cockatoos are the cuddliest, but demand much from their people. My sister-in-law's Greater Sulfur Crested, loves to be with her, but is very opinionated when it comes to outsiders.

 

[thebirdnerd]

I might be biased since I have one, but I would definitely consider a grey,especially since you have experience with one..Greys CAN be cuddly,as long as they are bonded to you...This can be true with any larger bird though..If its not obvious by now I'm a huge fan of greys...Honestly though, keep doing your research..One bird might be good for someone else but not necessarily good for you. I would definitely find a store or breeder that will let you interact with different species...Hope this helps and good luck!

 

[Casey]

We have a green cheek conure and a Congo grey
its like the GCC is the class clown and the CAG is the teacher lol

 

[Lokums]

My in-laws have a Timneh. If you want to be woken up early, that is the bird for you. Of course every bird is different, YMMV, etc etc. Up comes the sun, and so does his blah blahing.

My senegal will blather on in the morning once she is disturbed (could be by birds outside her window, neighbors, our cat/dog... not just us), and my B&G is quiet as a mouse until we talk to him.

A timneh meets your criteria except for the cuddly part. Pois tend to be one animal birds. Our senegal has never shown any love to our other animals.