Newbie thinking about getting a parrot/macaw

[Birdman666]

Well, there are a couple of cautions with Macaws...

First of all, if a macaw figures out that you cannot physically control him, you will have a tough time, behavior wise, with him or her. Macaw cages are 7 ft. tall. That makes being in a wheelchair problematic for macaw ownership...

Secondly, Scarlett's are the "beakiest" of all the macaws. They are one of the more difficult species to work with. Greenwings would be easier to handle if you had your heart set on a big red one.

Plus, do you realize how much cleaning, i.e. sweeping, vacuuming, cage cleaning, etc. needs to be done with a large bird? I can't imagine that being easy to do if your are confined to a wheelchair, not to mention having to manipulate and wash large cages and grates.

Probably not a good idea.

 

[Maria_Metropolis]

Cockatiels and Cockatoos are parrots. Not all parrots are large. Even small Budgies are still part of the parrot family.

Parrot | Define Parrot at Dictionary.com

True, and I knew someone would nail me on that as soon as I posted it . What I meant was something I think 99% of none aviculture people could look at and know it was part of the parrot family. That includes me before I did research. I might have heard that the cockatoo was, but I had no idea that the cockatiel and budgie were. I actually vaguely remember hearing once that 'tiels and 'toos were completely different, unrelated birds.

Tiels are actually closely related to galah's (rose breasted cockatoos), but they're distinct enough to have their own sub grouping. I read this is a book published by Bird Talk magazine. I wish I could link to it.

 

[Dtlwheels]

I am still thinking of something a little bigger than a budgie, but if I do dicide to get one and have a big enough cage, can two males or two females be in one cage?

 

[Maria_Metropolis]

I am still thinking of something a little bigger than a budgie, but if I do dicide to get one and have a big enough cage, can two males or two females be in one cage?

As a newbie, I would start out with one bird, and it will bond better to you as a single pet.

 

[Freespin]

If you are wanting something a bit bigger maybe look at getting something a little older that has had some good training so that you can help each other out as you bond and get into a routine. Maybe do some research and see if you can find a breeder nearby that will let you visit and help out so you can learn how to care for abd interact with a large bird with someone there to answer any questions and guide you if needed?

 

[Dtlwheels]

Thanks. I was told that a budgie would be able to sit on my shoulder and talk, sing and whistle. In another thread I read that for macaws and other types of parrots, you should never let them sit on your shoulder without a strong trust bond because you can't see the signs it's about to bite. Is this the case with budgies, also. I'd be concerned about getting nailed in the ear or back of the neck.

 

[GaryBV]

Dtl - you needn't worry to much about a parakeet or budgie biting you in a way that could cause damage, they are quite small, and really it would be a pinch. They can be surprisingly sweet and affectionate and they come in some amazing colors and patterns, they are not just green and yellow (like the wild ones in Australia) any more. Then there are Parrotlets, which are also quite small, but have bigger heads, and bigger bills, and can bite a bit harder. You can get them handtamed (mine are not) and they come in various colors as well, but their native color is green and they are lovely. They look like tiny Amazon parrots (which in fact I think they are). Lovebrids could be another good choice, a bit larger than both parrotlets and parakeets, but they have a reputation (I think well earned) of getting aggressive about their cage, but I love mine and they certainly are beautiful. Then we have cockatiels, and personally, I think this is your best bet for a bird that is larger than a parakeet, they are very pretty, they do bond very well and most people who have them go on and on about how sweet and affectionate they are, they can learn to talk and whistle, etc., and are, I believe, fairly easy to care for, are intelligent and fairly easily trainable. You don't need an expensive heavy duty metal cage for them and they do come in some color variations. Take a look at Maria's picture above us, that's a cockatiel - notice the pretty crest

 

[thekarens]

You could also check out lineolated parakeets. They are known for being quiet and sweet, though a fair bit more expensive than an American budgie.

 

[Maria_Metropolis]

Thanks. I was told that a budgie would be able to sit on my shoulder and talk, sing and whistle. In another thread I read that for macaws and other types of parrots, you should never let them sit on your shoulder without a strong trust bond because you can't see the signs it's about to bite. Is this the case with budgies, also. I'd be concerned about getting nailed in the ear or back of the neck.

Yes, if a budgie or a cockatiel bites you, it's not a big deal at all. If a large macaw bites you, it can mean a trip to the ER room. I still have a scar on my hand from a large macaw I once handled. That was from 18 years ago.

I love large macaws, but I think you really need to be a parrot aficionado to own one IMO. They are not "beginner birds." Whatever bird you get as well is a long commitment. Large macaws can live 80 years or more, so that's something else to consider.

 

[YellowCitabria]

Budgies (parakeets) could be tamed to listen to some commands. My husband managed to train his to come to his forearm with a simple tap tap with a 'Come here' command. It did take a couple months of constant training though. We bought him from Petco long time ago when we didnt know any better and those Budgies are usually very afraid of human presence. But it could be done.

Have you considered a Meyers parrot by any chance? I just rescued one about a week ago and have been working diligently to train her and she steps up willingly now. Very very quiet compared to my cousin's Senegal. Mine is super cuddly esp how cold it is now. No powdered down. Little bird, big personality. Runs about $400 from local breeders, $600 average from pet stores. But mine was sold for $150 by an abusive man who wanted to shamefully make a quick buck out of these sweet living lovable creatures...

 

[Dtlwheels]

Does anybody know of any breeders or bird rescue center within a few hours of Reno, NV? The only place I can find locally is a parrot shop and boarder that does some breeding. I plan on checking them out on Thursday.

 

[GaryBV]

I can't help you locate a local breeder or bird rescue (I'm in Pennsylvania) BUT there are a LOT of breeders that will happily have a bird flown to you on commerical airlines - small birds cost about $100 I think for the flight - so if you have some cash you are not constrained by locality.

 

[Maria_Metropolis]

Just don't leave a deposit until you make sure the breeder has a good reputation and reviews.

 

[Dtlwheels]

Has anybody ever gotten a bird through birdbreeders.com?

 

[Maria_Metropolis]

Has anybody ever gotten a bird through birdbreeders.com?

I found a reputable breeder on there with good reviews, that had great reviews on this site, as well as others. Just cross check reviews. There are some good breeders on there, and some not so good. I know one lady who had deposits taken for birds, and she never got one. They wouldn't refund her either.

I don't know if there is a breeder recommendation list on this site, or if we can recommend breeders, but if so, that would be nice.

With breeders, it's important to ask lots of questions, and the right questions.

 

[Dtlwheels]

Just so I'm not trying to figure it out at the last minute, if I get a powder down bird, what's the best way to give them a bath to keep it to a minimum?

 

[YellowCitabria]

I second Maria about buying from birdbreeders.com. Definitely definitely ask for pictures too. I was so close to putting down a deposit for a WB caique up until I asked the breeder to send me a picture. That cage that the caique was kept in was just dark and dirty. Also the birds tail feathers were really scruffy caused by the small cage he was kept in. And the breeder had 4.5 out of 5 stars (pretty decent) based on 11 or so reviews. So do be careful.

 

[Dtlwheels]

How quiet does it have to be for a bird to sleep? I do tend to sleep with a tv or radio on.

 

[imbadatmakingusernames]

How quiet does it have to be for a bird to sleep? I do tend to sleep with a tv or radio on.

IMO, id rather have a radio turned down to the lowest (really low). Same with the tv. ***Cover the cage to block out any movement. You can buy cage covers online and some cages come with covers.

Pretty much all birds require 8-10 hours of sleep, like humans. The best thing i would really recommend, if you have the space, is to keep your bird in another room, preferably their own room, during the night and the day time. Just be cautious that they cant break anything or stick their beaks into something they're not supposed to like electrical outlets.

 

[Dtlwheels]

Can a green cheek conure have salted sunflower seeds? That's what I'm leaning toward getting.