help me decide on a bird!

[jules]

Hello everyone! I just posted on the conure board and then I saw this and figured it was a more appropriate place for this question.... so I hope I'm not causing a problem by posting here too! I want to get another bird (have a budgie) and I need some insight and advice from all you more experienced bird lovers! I want a family bird. I have children and they would like to be able to handle/play with the bird as well as myself and my husband. I am interested in green cheek conures, caiques, pionus, poicephalus, quakers, and maybe lories. I would be very grateful for any insight on any of these birds and how they might be in a family situation. I want a bird that is affectionate, playful, and likes to be handled...as well as one that is gentle/not nippy. Thanks guys! Jules

[Kalvin]

Green cheek conures, lories or caiques would be my choice if they were to be a family pet, as they're all smaller birds (depending on the lory). Quakers can be hit or miss, sometimes being one person birds, although if socialised properly they can be great family pets I'm sure. Most types of poicephalus are one person birds, getting aggressive as they grow older and bonding to one person.

Green cheeks, lories and caiques are all very sociable birds, they all clowns and the gentlest of birds.

I want a bird that is affectionate, playful, and likes to be handled...as well as one that is gentle/not nippy.

Each bird is different so there's no guarantee that every bird will enjoy being handled. Being gentle/not nippy depends on you and the training you put into it. A babied bird that is allowed to get away with things will get nippy so it'll need to be stopped young.

You don't say whether you're going for hand reared or parent raised. I would recommend hand reared for a family pet as you'll be able to play/handle it straight away. Find a decent breeder of the type you choose and wait for them to get a clutch they are going to hand rear, visit regularly as the birds develop and grow and set down a deposit so you can get the bird of your choice. Make sure it's fully weaned before you bring it home (check online for weaning ages if you aren't sure).

[Karensbirds]

I had my heart set on a quaker,although I still would get one,They are very nippy,especially if they are not handled enough to keep them tame.Im getting an indian ringneck,which can be the same as a quaker(nippy)....I think a tiel would also be a GREAT!!! family pet.Ratty definently knows what he`s talking about ,I was told that conures are very messy birds,they may good pets but messy.Depending on what you want to spend ,starting off I would start off with a tiel.But all birds are different of course.You`ll figure it out!!!My Harley was a very sweet gentle tiel,my new tiel Sidney is only 7 weeks now but will bite,but only thinking my hand is food.Harley never did that!!They are all different.I would research all the birds then go from there!!!Let us know what you get.





I love you my sweet angel Harley!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[tielguy]

I suggest you read up on the pionus. I have a white capped pionus, and I love him to death. They're quiet, not overly destructive, loving but not needy. While it's said that they're not great talkers, my pionus who can't be more than 9 months old is already trying to talk. He's trying to say 'pretty bird', 'hello', and 'nice guy'. He's trying to say a few other things but they're not quite clear enough so it's hard to tell what they are. They aren't demanding like a grey or a cockatoo. I work alot, but Buddy always is alright so long as he get's his 1.5-2 hours of together time. He isn't picky about it either, as long as he gets to hang with me sometime during the day.

www.pionusenvy.com/

That's a good pionus site. Here's a pic of my pionus Buddy playing:

[Karensbirds]

He`s so cute tiel guy!!

[tielguy]

Thanks Karen.

[birdygirl]

i have to second the reccomendation for a pionus. They are amazing.

[tielguy]

Heheheh, Birdygirl and I make up the 'Official Pionus Fanclub' here at tailfeathers.

[Ninacomehere]

I would also recommend Pionus. A friend of ours asked us to bird-sit their Maximillian Pionus, Kai. He was such an easy going bird. He was friendly with children as well. My friends have an 8 year old and a 3 year old, and the bird seems pretty friendly with the kids, especially with the eight year old.

Here is a breeder of some exotics. I find the sight helpful, although they don't have lories or quakers. The site has helpful information in choosing a bird.

Aves International

Good luck!

[NeapolitanSixth]

Don't forget me too, tielguy!

-Nikki

[tielguy]

Slowly but surely, the pionus lovers are taking over aviculture as we know it.

[Karensbirds]

They have a bronzewing at Northside,I think it`s 595.00,its cool .....it says what ya doing.

[tielguy]

I think that the talking ability of the pionus is also under-rated. According to nearly every website I've seen they say that the pionus isn't a great talker. But nearly everyone I've talked to says that their pionus talks pretty good. Birdygirl has stated that Sophie talks quite a bit. Buddy isn't even a year old yet and he's saying 'pretty bird', 'hello', 'buddy', and a few other things that I can't understand. His talking is very guttural and difficult to understand now, but it's getting clearer and clearer. I went to see a breeder this monday and she also stated that she knew someone who had a pionus and it talked really well and fairly clearly.

[NeapolitanSixth]

Yes, Winston supposedly talks somewhat too, he at least wolf whistles...his keepers at the petstore said he said a few words and phrases that I have yet to hear. I THINK that he may have said "hello", because it kind of sounded like "ello" but really low and gutteral, and actually kind of creepy sounding, heh. I'm on a poinus mailing list as well, and it seems like most everyone's pionus says a few words.

P.S. Tielguy, am I officially a part of the Pionus Fan Club? 2

-Nikki

[tielguy]

I'd have to say so.

[Philpottd]

Quakers are so funny i would definatley choose a quaker!:haha