Species Advice

[stephend]

I am considering another bird (not for at least a month, and probably more like six) and was wondering if there were any species suggestions.

Requirements:
I love Bob and any new bird must be able to spend time with him; not
necessarily in the same cage, but I would like to eventually be able to put one on each shoulder.
Not too expensive, something under $400 would be prefrable.


Preferances:
A bird who will talk
A large bird
A bird who can go outside in winter (0 F with a -30 F windchill here)
A bird who can happily share a cage with Bob

Unrealistic wishes:
A Hyacinth Macaw
A Corvid
A Red Tailed Cockatoo
And the cage sharing thing should probably go here too...

 

[rlchic93]

I would look for something similar in size if you want to have them out together. I have heard too many horror stories of birds getting attacked. So I would look at like a conure, indian ringneck, quaker(depending on where you live) or a pionus. I know these aren't large birds but if you want to work with both birds and have them get along then you may want to go with a smaller species.

 

[stephend]

Thanks. I will keep that in mind when I look for a friend for Bob.

 

[MikeyTN]

I would look for something similar in size if you want to have them out together. I have heard too many horror stories of birds getting attacked. So I would look at like a conure, indian ringneck, quaker(depending on where you live) or a pionus. I know these aren't large birds but if you want to work with both birds and have them get along then you may want to go with a smaller species.

I wouldn't advice ANY of the species listed to go with a Cockatiel!!!! I am unsure of Pionus, one of the types I never really truly handled, been around them and all have been very quiet and not talkative.

A Cockatiel is pretty laid back bird that will be attacked by any of those birds if your not careful. You shouldn't put a new bird with your existing bird anyway without quarantine the bird first so you will have to have another cage anyway.

The birds that can go with a Cockatiel would be another Cockatiel, smaller sized Grass Parakeets, and Budgies. Lovebirds is another one that you can not put with a Cockatiel unless they were raised together!!! But that's with any birds, IF they were raised together as babies, that's a different story. At one point I had a hatchling of a Cockatiel and a Lovebird that were raised together, they get along great, but that Lovebird WILL attack any other Cockatiels.

 

[rlchic93]

I would look for something similar in size if you want to have them out together. I have heard too many horror stories of birds getting attacked. So I would look at like a conure, indian ringneck, quaker(depending on where you live) or a pionus. I know these aren't large birds but if you want to work with both birds and have them get along then you may want to go with a smaller species.

I wouldn't advice ANY of the species listed to go with a Cockatiel!!!! I am unsure of Pionus, one of the types I never really truly handled, been around them and all have been very quiet and not talkative.

A Cockatiel is pretty laid back bird that will be attacked by any of those birds if your not careful. You shouldn't put a new bird with your existing bird anyway without quarantine the bird first so you will have to have another cage anyway.

The birds that can go with a Cockatiel would be another Cockatiel, smaller sized Grass Parakeets, and Budgies. Lovebirds is another one that you can not put with a Cockatiel unless they were raised together!!! But that's with any birds, IF they were raised together as babies, that's a different story. At one point I had a hatchling of a Cockatiel and a Lovebird that were raised together, they get along great, but that Lovebird WILL attack any other Cockatiels.

I did NOT mean for him to put any of those species in the cage with his cockatiel. I meant it more for somebody he could possibly put next to him for example we have a pionus, a cockatiel, and a parakeet next to each other and it encourages more talking and songs. Also if we have 2- all of them out at the same time and we still watch them but they get along much better. And just so this is clear NOBODY SHARES A CAGE AND I NEVER MEANT FOR HIM TO PUT AND OF THE SPECIES I SAID IN WITH HIS COCKATIEL.

 

[stephend]

I would look for something similar in size if you want to have them out together. I have heard too many horror stories of birds getting attacked. So I would look at like a conure, indian ringneck, quaker(depending on where you live) or a pionus. I know these aren't large birds but if you want to work with both birds and have them get along then you may want to go with a smaller species.

I wouldn't advice ANY of the species listed to go with a Cockatiel!!!! I am unsure of Pionus, one of the types I never really truly handled, been around them and all have been very quiet and not talkative.

A Cockatiel is pretty laid back bird that will be attacked by any of those birds if your not careful. You shouldn't put a new bird with your existing bird anyway without quarantine the bird first so you will have to have another cage anyway.

The birds that can go with a Cockatiel would be another Cockatiel, smaller sized Grass Parakeets, and Budgies. Lovebirds is another one that you can not put with a Cockatiel unless they were raised together!!! But that's with any birds, IF they were raised together as babies, that's a different story. At one point I had a hatchling of a Cockatiel and a Lovebird that were raised together, they get along great, but that Lovebird WILL attack any other Cockatiels.

I did NOT mean for him to put any of those species in the cage with his cockatiel. I meant it more for somebody he could possibly put next to him for example we have a pionus, a cockatiel, and a parakeet next to each other and it encourages more talking and songs. Also if we have 2- all of them out at the same time and we still watch them but they get along much better. And just so this is clear NOBODY SHARES A CAGE AND I NEVER MEANT FOR HIM TO PUT AND OF THE SPECIES I SAID IN WITH HIS COCKATIEL.

I understood that you meant that they should not share a cage. While I would like Bob to have a friend in his cage (though unless it's a butterfly it will have to be a new cage), but chances are that whatever companion I get for him will require its own cage. I do want Bob's companion to be able to be out with him though which you seemed to understand.

 

[nofearengineer]

A bird who can go outside in winter (0 F with a -30 F windchill here)

What are you thinking?

 

[mrob]

I have a cockateil and a male aleandrine and they were great friends, i got the alex second and they shared a cage and even groomed eachother which was very cute. They were both young birds...since then my beloved alex is no longer with me and now i have a male eclectus who i absolutely adore but hes not quite so good with the cocky. In saying that, they do share a cage and they coexist happily, and she is flighted and much faster than him!. she actually winds him up and runs around the top of the cage with him lumbering around after her chasing her...and just as hes about to get her she takes off. Its very entertaining for both them and me..........in saying that they are quite happy to just tolerate eachother as long as they get the same attention from me. I find feeding them separatly helps too...

oh....i just saw the weather comment,,,thats way too cold, please dont put them out in that......poor little buggers!

 

[stephend]

oh....i just saw the weather comment,,,thats way too cold, please dont put them out in that......poor little buggers!

I have no intention of taking Bob out in the winter, unless we have a repeat of last winter. I was hoping that I could get a companion who would enjoy it though.

 

[BanalityBob]

I doubt any bird would enjoy that weather. Very few humans enjoy that weather, and we aren't tropical animals. Please make any exposure of your birds to that weather extremely short and only if absolutely necessary!

That being said, the rest of your requirements point towards a Quaker. They can't share a cage, but, if properly acclimated, should tolarate a Tiel, are relatively cheap, and are pretty good talkers. However, not all birds will talk. Penelope is 12 and only occasionally says something that sounds like a garbled "hello." She mimicks crow noises and Taun Taun noises (from Star Wars), but that's about it other than normal Quaker noises. By the way, there are many normal Quaker noises...They're not super quiet.

 

[MikeyTN]

Any birds can be out together, but not without supervision and you standing close by. My Parakeets visits the Cockatoo often, she learned to tolerate them over time. IF the Cockatoo gets too close to the Parakeet's liking and wanting to attack, they fly away rather quickly, but they have gotten along fine now. It varies from bird to bird, you can't go by a specific specie since it depends on the bird itself.

I had a Quaker that I do not trust with other birds cause he tries to attack them. I raised him as a baby and he's been around all different type of birds all his life but he just don't want to be anywhere near them. Especially near his cage, which is his castle.

 

[stephend]

I doubt any bird would enjoy that weather. Very few humans enjoy that weather, and we aren't tropical animals. Please make any exposure of your birds to that weather extremely short and only if absolutely necessary!

That being said, the rest of your requirements point towards a Quaker. They can't share a cage, but, if properly acclimated, should tolarate a Tiel, are relatively cheap, and are pretty good talkers. However, not all birds will talk. Penelope is 12 and only occasionally says something that sounds like a garbled "hello." She mimicks crow noises and Taun Taun noises (from Star Wars), but that's about it other than normal Quaker noises. By the way, there are many normal Quaker noises...They're not super quiet.

Like you the majority of pet birds I know of are tropical and subtropical (at least temperature wise), and those I know of that might not be I am unsure of their prefrences and see no reason to find out as they are well out of my price range.

I do know that I see birds here on the coldest winter days and was hoping someone knew of a captive bred species that could do the same. I am sure that a talking bird and a cold weather bird are mutually exclusive desires, and give that the majority of captive bred birds, and all the ones that I know of in my price range are parrots it will likely be a talker and not a cold weather bird.

And a bird that is exclusively cold weather like a penguin is out of the question as I do not want to keep the poor thing too warm and do not want to freeze myself or Bob.

But thank you for the suggestion of a quaker I will keep that in mind once Bob and I are more settled together.

 

[darkling]

I don't think there is such a thing as a cold weather parrot. Common sense has to kick in at some point.

 

[ann]

how about a galah or cape parrot. or check out: TheRaven's Aviary - Raising a Corvid mabey your dream of owning a corvid is more possible than you think .
also mouse birds make awsome pets!
pet mousebird - Bing Images
good luck!!!

 

[xreinx]

Id advise againt that, if you already have a pet, these birds can seriously harm another bird.

Second, you need permits to own wild animals in the USA. they are Classified as Wild animals. Ive worked with people to get my falconry permit and that was vary hard to do. Ive never seen ANYone get a permit to own anything other then a hawk or falcon, unless ISSUED by the fish and game themselfs, and Ive only seen 2 people here in this state who were legally able to resuscitate and keep a crow or magpie. Fish and game picked these people, not the otherway around.

 

[stephend]

how about a galah or cape parrot. or check out: TheRaven's Aviary - Raising a Corvid mabey your dream of owning a corvid is more possible than you think .
also mouse birds make awsome pets!
pet mousebird - Bing Images
good luck!!!

I looked at corvids before I got Bob, but they were well out of my price range.

 

[Abzeez]

I don't think there is such a thing as a cold weather parrot. Common sense has to kick in at some point.

I have seen pictures of quakers in NYC at a park, in winter, eating with the local pigeons. So some can adapt.

 

[Abzeez]

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8V27M_Mv3LA]YouTube - ‪Quaker Parrots in the Snow‬‏[/ame]

It kinda makes you think. I used to be so worried about temps with my guys, but to know there are parrots adapting. Crazy to think about.

 

[andrea.faerie]

that's crazy! I'd never put any of my critters in show except my dog... just because he likes playing in it, and my ferrets loved eating it and burrowing in it, but they have fur. I wonder if they enjoy the warm sun and the sparkly snow?? I wouldn't leave a bird in say an outdoor aviary in snowy weather or cold weather... unless it was properly heated... rather safe than sorry, ya know? I do like that video with the quakers though! haha they're cute

 

[MikeyTN]

I don't think there is such a thing as a cold weather parrot. Common sense has to kick in at some point.

I have seen pictures of quakers in NYC at a park, in winter, eating with the local pigeons. So some can adapt.

Quakers are one of the very few specie that can adapt to cold weather yes. I did not want to mention it cause I don't want the poster to assume that parrots can adapt to cold weather. Because of Quakers' ability to adapt to different conditions, that's the reason why they were outlawed. Plus they make giant nests. It is adapt over time, you can't just stick a indoor quaker outside and expect them to be ok with it.