Never had a parrot before, which type should I get?

[ravvlet]

Woah, are cages that much more expensive in Canada? That’s a high price for a relatively flimsy Prevue cage. I’ve had a similar one for our tiel and paid a fraction of that - but mine had a flat roof and was a little smaller.

This is the one I had: https://www.chewy.com/prevue-pet-products-wrought-iron/dp/133568

From experience I can say they’re safe cages but the thin bars make it a pain to attach toys sometimes, and the tops aren’t sturdy enough to support too elaborate of a play top set up. The double doors versus a single door make it harder to clean and I found I had to zip tie the second door shut because my tiel knew how to open them, LOL.

 

[Terry57]

After reading through this thread, it's obvious that you care about whether a bird is the right fit for you. I'm so glad that you joined to ask questions before getting one, choosing the right species can mean the difference between creating a wonderful bond with them, or feeling resentment because they don't live up to unfair expectations.

I see that you feel like you've decided on a conure, conures are one of my favourite species! I have five of them, and they are all so different. My Green Cheek is a cuddler, but he also can't keep himself from nipping every few minutes, I think he just likes to see us jump.

My pair of blue-throated like to hang out with my Sun and aren't super interested in me or my husband.

My Sun and Jenday are both former breeders, so my experience with them is different than a relationship with one who was always a pet.

I saw that earlier you had mentioned possibly getting a dove. Diamond doves are beautiful little birds who like to stay on the bottom of the cage. Their coo is really sweet, and I don't find it loud but I also have a cockatoo so I may just be going deaf

Finches and canaries are also great little guys, I adore them! Zebra finches are my favourites, though. I highly suggest getting 2 males or 2 females as they are prolific breeders. They are so much fun to watch, I can sit and watch mine for hours.

Have you thought of a Bourke's parakeet? I think that every mutation is stunning, and they have the sweetest voices.
None of mine have ever been tame, but the joy of watching and listening to them was still a wonderful experience.

If you get a conure, I'd suggest getting a cage with 1/2 inch bar spacing. That that would make it easier for him/her to maneuver around the cage. Have you looked on Kijiji for a cage? That's where almost all of my cages came from.

I'm also in Canada (Alberta) and I know what you mean about the difficulty of finding an avian vet.
Here is a list of vets we could find who see birds in Canada. Hopefully one is close to you.

Avian Vet Resources - Canada

I wish you the best of luck, and can't wait to hear what you decide

 

[Cindylynn]

Maybe a macaw?

"Our stunning baby macaw is ready for its new loving and caring new home, this baby has been hand reared around children and other pets and therefore he is silly tame extra cuddly and loves to be handled by everyone. He never ever bites loves to play around a play box and loves to interact with everybody in the house. Taking deposits now"

If you want a bird that is introverted and not all over you, a macaw is NOT the answer. My Mac is an outgoing velcro bird... and I believe from reading that his personality fits a typical macaw personality.

 

[Truepacifist]

Bird cages seem really expensive here... even a tiny travel cage is over 300 CAD!

If you want a bird that is introverted and not all over you, a macaw is NOT the answer. My Mac is an outgoing velcro bird... and I believe from reading that his personality fits a typical macaw personality.

After visiting real birds I realised I'm terrified of bigger parrots. I found the grey fine but the macaws were just... terrifying. I think its the beak size coupled with their intimidating eyes. They seemed to say "you're bird food human." When one stretched their massive wings I nearly peed a little

 

[Truepacifist]

After reading through this thread, it's obvious that you care about whether a bird is the right fit for you. I'm so glad that you joined to ask questions before getting one, choosing the right species can mean the difference between creating a wonderful bond with them, or feeling resentment because they don't live up to unfair expectations.

I see that you feel like you've decided on a conure, conures are one of my favourite species! I have five of them, and they are all so different. My Green Cheek is a cuddler, but he also can't keep himself from nipping every few minutes, I think he just likes to see us jump.

My pair of blue-throated like to hang out with my Sun and aren't super interested in me or my husband.

My Sun and Jenday are both former breeders, so my experience with them is different than a relationship with one who was always a pet.

I saw that earlier you had mentioned possibly getting a dove. Diamond doves are beautiful little birds who like to stay on the bottom of the cage. Their coo is really sweet, and I don't find it loud but I also have a cockatoo so I may just be going deaf

Finches and canaries are also great little guys, I adore them! Zebra finches are my favourites, though. I highly suggest getting 2 males or 2 females as they are prolific breeders. They are so much fun to watch, I can sit and watch mine for hours.

Have you thought of a Bourke's parakeet? I think that every mutation is stunning, and they have the sweetest voices.
None of mine have ever been tame, but the joy of watching and listening to them was still a wonderful experience.

If you get a conure, I'd suggest getting a cage with 1/2 inch bar spacing. That that would make it easier for him/her to maneuver around the cage. Have you looked on Kijiji for a cage? That's where almost all of my cages came from.

I'm also in Canada (Alberta) and I know what you mean about the difficulty of finding an avian vet.
Here is a list of vets we could find who see birds in Canada. Hopefully one is close to you.

Avian Vet Resources - Canada

I wish you the best of luck, and can't wait to hear what you decide

Currently I feel totally unprepared for bird ownership. I want everything to be ready... perfect cage, food already bought and nutrition understood, toys already here. I understand each parrot is different and an individual though and may not have my weird human taste in toys... maybe I will buy toy parts to make my own

I don't want to just buy a conure, do something dumb immediately and spend months fixing the mistake instead of bonding. These resources are fantastic though. Finches seem lovely but can they be trained to step up etc?

 

[Terry57]

Currently I feel totally unprepared for bird ownership. I want everything to be ready... perfect cage, food already bought and nutrition understood, toys already here. I understand each parrot is different and an individual though and may not have my weird human taste in toys... maybe I will buy toy parts to make my own

I don't want to just buy a conure, do something dumb immediately and spend months fixing the mistake instead of bonding. These resources are fantastic though. Finches seem lovely but can they be trained to step up etc?

Excellent reasons on why to wait.

The only finches I've seen step up were handfed because the parents rejected them. They quickly went wild again when placed into the flock. Finches are more for looking at rather than handling.

 

[Truepacifist]

Went to visit the birds again at the pet shop today

The same conure who liked me last time hung out with me but only wanted to perch on my shoulder. I let them sit there and also played with them while they sat at the top of the cage. But whenever I picked them up, they ran up my shoulder. Their wings are clipped but they kept flapping them a lot like they were trying to fly. Apparently this bird is 1yo but usually bites customers so no one wants to buy them. So they are mostly with much younger birds.

 

[ravvlet]

Went to visit the birds again at the pet shop today

The same conure who liked me last time hung out with me but only wanted to perch on my shoulder. I let them sit there and also played with them while they sat at the top of the cage. But whenever I picked them up, they ran up my shoulder. Their wings are clipped but they kept flapping them a lot like they were trying to fly. Apparently this bird is 1yo but usually bites customers so no one wants to buy them. So they are mostly with much younger birds.

Awww, they sound so cute and excitable.

Yeah; both our birds like to march up our arm to our shoulders if we let them. You kind of get the hang of how to hold your arm so that it’s more difficult for them to do that after a while. My guys only get shoulder privileges when they’re being calm (and…Sammy pretty much never gets it LOL) because they’re bigger and if they bite my face it’ll be a bad time!

 

[Truepacifist]

Awww, they sound so cute and excitable.

Yeah; both our birds like to march up our arm to our shoulders if we let them. You kind of get the hang of how to hold your arm so that it’s more difficult for them to do that after a while. My guys only get shoulder privileges when they’re being calm (and…Sammy pretty much never gets it LOL) because they’re bigger and if they bite my face it’ll be a bad time!

Is it true or a myth that shoulder time can cause dominance issues and the bird thinking they own your shoulder? Tbh I feel like this bird is asking me to adopt them personally haha

 

[ravvlet]

Is it true or a myth that shoulder time can cause dominance issues and the bird thinking they own your shoulder? Tbh I feel like this bird is asking me to adopt them personally haha

I mean, if they bite everyone else and are nice to you, it’s definitely possible they picked you! I hope if that’s the case you’re able to take them home; we’d love to see photos of them!

I am not sure about the dominance thing; I don’t know enough about parrot flock dynamics in the wild. I don’t think parrot flocks have a designated leader though so I think it’s more about if you trust them near your face yet or not. Once you have an established relationship with your bird and know when they’re getting too worked up and when they’re calm, it’s ok to let them sit there. My OWA sits on my shoulder and my knee (when I’ve got my leg up on my chair) sometimes. We don’t let our Yellow Nape onto our shoulder though, although she tries VERY HARD to get there, because she hasn’t broken her habit of “bite first ask questions later” and she bites very hard.

 

[Cottonoid]

That's what I've always been told too, that it's not a dominance thing as much as a trust thing.

I have two visiting birds right now that are a total dream as shoulder birds - they're both 30-40 years old and have been in the same family, so they know really well how to be gentle.

My not-yet-puberty Quaker, however, is still learning that ears aren't meant for biting, and that biting in general doesn't get him what he wants - so his shoulder time is more deliberate - and shorter haha

 

[onamom]

Is it true or a myth that shoulder time can cause dominance issues and the bird thinking they own your shoulder? Tbh I feel like this bird is asking me to adopt them personally haha

Imo it's a myth. I think the dominance issues are much more to do with hormones and how socialized the bird is. If you make a point to let your bird meet new people and manage hormones so they don't see you as their mate this shouldn't be a problem.

It sounds like that little bird really likes you!

 

[Truepacifist]

Found this video interesting. 10 people who should never get a parrot

 

[Birds lover from Hawaii]

Is it true or a myth that shoulder time can cause dominance issues and the bird thinking they own your shoulder? Tbh I feel like this bird is asking me to adopt them personally haha

My guess is it's a natural instinct to get to the highest point that will make them feel safer from predators and they can fly/escape easily.

 

[Birds lover from Hawaii]

Bird cages seem really expensive here... even a tiny travel cage is over 300 CAD!

After visiting real birds I realised I'm terrified of bigger parrots. I found the grey fine but the macaws were just... terrifying. I think its the beak size coupled with their intimidating eyes. They seemed to say "you're bird food human." When one stretched their massive wings I nearly peed a little

My first bird was an African Grey almost 40 years ago and I did not have much knowledge at the time. I do not advise you to get one as a beginner unless you have learnt lots about them as I found they are super intelligent birds which can easily affect by boredom and poor diet resulting in feather plucking. They need stimulation and companionship at all times. They are not the kind of birds that you can just leave them alone with lots of toys or even with other birds around. They are just as smart as humans and they know exactly what would make them happy and the answer is you.

 

[junior98]

How much time do parrots need a day. I would be able to let them out their cage for at least 6 hours a day once I'm home from work but I'd be busy and having to do other stuff like laundry or working on my hobbies so are they OK to be out on a stand somewhere with a toy or do I need to be actively playing with them the whole time. Also I'm okay with noise but I'm a light sleeper so do parrots scream at night

Mine is attached to me like a millstone. So, if I am home he is on me at all times but other folks have different experiences with their birds.

 

[Birds lover from Hawaii]

Mine is attached to me like a millstone. So, if I am home he is on me at all times but other folks have different experiences with their birds.

Me too!

This post is actually meant for the OP:

Bear in mind parrots are very different to dogs and cats who may be able to leave them alone for hours. Hand raised parrots are particularly in need of frequent interaction with their owners as they have never met their own parents. The minute they hatched they were fed by humans so they thought they are humans too. When you are human, you will long for friendship, love and companionship through interaction with others.

I honestly feel if you have a busy schedule ie working full time and hobbies and will not be able to spend time with your bird then having one may not be a very good idea. You may face issues like separation anxiety on some species ie cockatiels whenever you leave home for work, they will scream for prolonged periods which may disturb your neighbors. Some species will even pluck their feathers out of boredom and no interaction with their owners. The smarter they are, the more mental stimulations needed.

Maybe you can start with a pair of budgies that you can spend slightly less time compared to others. They can keep each other company while you appreciate their beautiful colors and funny behaviors. Be very careful when you let them out, as accidents may happen when you are not watching.

 

[Truepacifist]

Me too! Bear in mind parrots are very different to dogs and cats who may be able to leave them alone for hours. Hand raised parrots are particularly in need of frequent interaction with their owners as they have never met their own parents. The minute they hatched they were fed by humans so they thought they are humans too. When you are human, you will long for friendship, love and companionship through interaction with others.

I honestly feel if you have a busy schedule ie working full time and hobbies and will not be able to spend time with your bird then having one may not be a very good idea. You may face issues like separation anxiety on some species ie cockatiels whenever you leave home for work, they will scream for prolonged periods which may disturb your neighbors. Some species will even pluck their feathers out of boredom and no interaction with their owners. The smarter they are, the more mental stimulations needed.

Maybe you can start with a pair of budgies that you can spend slightly less time compared to others. They can keep each other company while you appreciate their beautiful colors and funny behaviors. Be very careful when you let them out, as accidents may happen when you are not watching.

I'm going to get a conure who chose me at the pet shop, I have everything ready for her (big cage, toys, good food, stands for her to perch on while she's out of her cage). Tbh I've done a lot of research and I think I can deal with it? I AM home most of the time (WFH 3 days a week, 2 days a week I'm out on commission for 4-5 hours) and my hobbies are very home-based, for example I do gardening and sewing, so I'm hoping I can simply involve her in those. Like give her pieces of fabric or Seagrass to play with while I sew, or have her on my shoulder or in a carrier while I'm outside gardening. I'm thinking of growing some bird safe herbs as I already grow things for my rabbits so it could be a fun way to bond in that regard too - picking the birdie food and having her involved in the process of washing it and preparing it to eat. My only worry IS those 4-5 hours I'm gone, is there a way to make them less anxiety producing for her?

 

[Birds lover from Hawaii]

I'm going to get a conure who chose me at the pet shop, I have everything ready for her (big cage, toys, good food, stands for her to perch on while she's out of her cage). Tbh I've done a lot of research and I think I can deal with it? I AM home most of the time (WFH 3 days a week, 2 days a week I'm out on commission for 4-5 hours) and my hobbies are very home-based, for example I do gardening and sewing, so I'm hoping I can simply involve her in those. Like give her pieces of fabric or Seagrass to play with while I sew, or have her on my shoulder or in a carrier while I'm outside gardening. I'm thinking of growing some bird safe herbs as I already grow things for my rabbits so it could be a fun way to bond in that regard too - picking the birdie food and having her involved in the process of washing it and preparing it to eat. My only worry IS those 4-5 hours I'm gone, is there a way to make them less anxiety producing for her?

Sounds great!! Looks like you are on the right track by doing all the right things for your birdie. Good job in taking the time to do all the research!

 

[onamom]

I'm going to get a conure who chose me at the pet shop, I have everything ready for her (big cage, toys, good food, stands for her to perch on while she's out of her cage). Tbh I've done a lot of research and I think I can deal with it? I AM home most of the time (WFH 3 days a week, 2 days a week I'm out on commission for 4-5 hours) and my hobbies are very home-based, for example I do gardening and sewing, so I'm hoping I can simply involve her in those. Like give her pieces of fabric or Seagrass to play with while I sew, or have her on my shoulder or in a carrier while I'm outside gardening. I'm thinking of growing some bird safe herbs as I already grow things for my rabbits so it could be a fun way to bond in that regard too - picking the birdie food and having her involved in the process of washing it and preparing it to eat. My only worry IS those 4-5 hours I'm gone, is there a way to make them less anxiety producing for her?

Congrats! I’m so excited for you! A great way to keep them entertained when you know you’ll be gone a while is setting up lots of foraging opportunities. Look into some foraging toys and stuff them with millet. If she ends up liking vegetables you can put some on a skewer that hangs in the cage. Playing music while you are away also can help.