I've sorted times out and now I want opinions.
What's a good bird... meaning:
not too sensitive - doesn't get moody or nippy
Likes too sit on your shoulder and play but isn't TOO wild and always running around your head jumping around... can be playful and calm.
Also, what birds can you put in pairs, but will still bond with you?
I've been looking at Quakers. Give me any opinions you have!
What's a good bird... meaning:
not too sensitive - doesn't get moody or nippy
Likes too sit on your shoulder and play but isn't TOO wild and always running around your head jumping around... can be playful and calm.
Also, what birds can you put in pairs, but will still bond with you?
I've been looking at Quakers. Give me any opinions you have!
To answer out of order, putting any kind of bird in a pair makes them less likely to bond with you. You're better off having each bond with you separately before you put them together.
"Doesn't get moody or nippy" could rule out all parrots. You could consider a dove, which is far less demanding but still fairly affectionate. see http://www.diamonddove.info/bird04_Livin... Any parrot can be moody or nippy on occasion - or constantly if you handle them wrong - but it's usually something you can train them out of.
Birds of the same species can vary wildly in personality, so everything that follows is a generality (and may explain why people have such different opinions).
"Isn't TOO wild" might rule out caiques, lories, and small cockatoos, all of which are often described as hyperactive.
Quakers are good. They talk well, they're playful, and they're not too sensitive. The big problem is that they're illegal in some places. see http://www.geocities.com/rainforest/vine...
You might also consider:
lineolated parakeets - small, quiet, easygoing, cuddly:
http://www.parrotchronicles.com/mayjune2...
Pyrrhura conures (e.g., green-cheeked and maroon-bellied) - the quiet conures, playful and cuddly:
http://zoologica.wordpress.com/2008/09/1...
The larger Aratinga conures (e.g., Sun) also make fine pets, but are noted for their shrill scream.
cockatiels - the classic beginner's bird:
http://www.birdsnways.com/wisdom/ww21eii...
lovebirds - playful and cuddly, but you know about them:
http://www.avianweb.com/lovebirdpets.htm...
poicephalus (e.g., Senegal or Meyers) - also playful, cuddly, and may talk well:
http://proaviculture.com/poicephalus.htm
pionus: Gentle, quiet, may talk well. Less playful or cuddly:
http://www.avianweb.com/pionus.htm
Amazons: I mostly don't recommend them unless you're ready for an intense parrot experience (same for large macaws or cockatoos). As a general rule, the better talking amazons are higher maintenance and more difficult to handle. I've got two. One is incredibly sweet but also incredibly demanding. The other one is basically just mean. She's generally well behaved but only under protest because we're bigger than she is and won't put up with her behaving the way she'd prefer, which would involve a lot of serious biting and intimidating. If the two of them were to breed (which he'd like, but she thinks she's a person and he's a pervert for wanting to breed with her because he's a bird) I can imagine him trying to feed the young, and her trying to steal the food from them for herself.
Add:
It's not so much that amazons can be a struggle for some, as that some amazons can be a struggle. As with the big cockatoos or macaws, you can manage them if you know what you're doing. If you don't, the consequences can be painful. As I said, our mean amazon is generally well behaved. She just resents having to be (and takes it out on our other amazon if we're not watching. We'd just separate them, but he gets too upset when we do).
Quakers may be legal where you are now. What if you move somewhere they aren't? (currently Connecticut, Georgia, Hawaii, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee and Wyoming)
I quite like Senegals. I've never owned one, but I'm a "godparent" to several that I take care of when their owner is out of town. They've all been sweet and affectionate and talked a fair bit. I also like conures. The main reason not to get a Sun is the noise. If it doesn't bother you (and you don't live in an apartment with poor soundproofing), it's not a problem. The Pyrrhura conures have similar personalities, but aren't as loud. Conures do tend to be nippy, but again, that's trainable.
Any of these should have no problem coping with you being gone much of each day (they may not like it, but they'll cope), as long as they get enough attention while you're there.
"Doesn't get moody or nippy" could rule out all parrots. You could consider a dove, which is far less demanding but still fairly affectionate. see http://www.diamonddove.info/bird04_Livin... Any parrot can be moody or nippy on occasion - or constantly if you handle them wrong - but it's usually something you can train them out of.
Birds of the same species can vary wildly in personality, so everything that follows is a generality (and may explain why people have such different opinions).
"Isn't TOO wild" might rule out caiques, lories, and small cockatoos, all of which are often described as hyperactive.
Quakers are good. They talk well, they're playful, and they're not too sensitive. The big problem is that they're illegal in some places. see http://www.geocities.com/rainforest/vine...
You might also consider:
lineolated parakeets - small, quiet, easygoing, cuddly:
http://www.parrotchronicles.com/mayjune2...
Pyrrhura conures (e.g., green-cheeked and maroon-bellied) - the quiet conures, playful and cuddly:
http://zoologica.wordpress.com/2008/09/1...
The larger Aratinga conures (e.g., Sun) also make fine pets, but are noted for their shrill scream.
cockatiels - the classic beginner's bird:
http://www.birdsnways.com/wisdom/ww21eii...
lovebirds - playful and cuddly, but you know about them:
http://www.avianweb.com/lovebirdpets.htm...
poicephalus (e.g., Senegal or Meyers) - also playful, cuddly, and may talk well:
http://proaviculture.com/poicephalus.htm
pionus: Gentle, quiet, may talk well. Less playful or cuddly:
http://www.avianweb.com/pionus.htm
Amazons: I mostly don't recommend them unless you're ready for an intense parrot experience (same for large macaws or cockatoos). As a general rule, the better talking amazons are higher maintenance and more difficult to handle. I've got two. One is incredibly sweet but also incredibly demanding. The other one is basically just mean. She's generally well behaved but only under protest because we're bigger than she is and won't put up with her behaving the way she'd prefer, which would involve a lot of serious biting and intimidating. If the two of them were to breed (which he'd like, but she thinks she's a person and he's a pervert for wanting to breed with her because he's a bird) I can imagine him trying to feed the young, and her trying to steal the food from them for herself.
Add:
It's not so much that amazons can be a struggle for some, as that some amazons can be a struggle. As with the big cockatoos or macaws, you can manage them if you know what you're doing. If you don't, the consequences can be painful. As I said, our mean amazon is generally well behaved. She just resents having to be (and takes it out on our other amazon if we're not watching. We'd just separate them, but he gets too upset when we do).
Quakers may be legal where you are now. What if you move somewhere they aren't? (currently Connecticut, Georgia, Hawaii, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee and Wyoming)
I quite like Senegals. I've never owned one, but I'm a "godparent" to several that I take care of when their owner is out of town. They've all been sweet and affectionate and talked a fair bit. I also like conures. The main reason not to get a Sun is the noise. If it doesn't bother you (and you don't live in an apartment with poor soundproofing), it's not a problem. The Pyrrhura conures have similar personalities, but aren't as loud. Conures do tend to be nippy, but again, that's trainable.
Any of these should have no problem coping with you being gone much of each day (they may not like it, but they'll cope), as long as they get enough attention while you're there.
Quakers can be a bit feisty as far as being nippy, though this is not the case with all of them. Cockatiels can be tamed relatively easily, and are more likely to run away if they are scared than bite you...plus they are pretty quiet in comparison with many birds.
Lovebirds have a lot of personality but can get a bit nippy when they are hormonal...
Putting birds in pairs generally ends up with the birds bonding to each other instead of you, though I have heard of a few cases where the birds remained bonded primarily to their person.
There are many different types of birds out there...I would suggest researching a bit more about them and maybe visiting some reputable breeders or a bird rescue organization to get a better idea of what you want. Certain species are known to have characteristics in common, but in my experience, all birds are pretty individual in their personalities, so it's best to interact with the bird a bit first to see how it takes to you.
I have one lovebird that is nippy, bossy, and noisy, while the other (of the same exact species and a nest-mate!) is very sweet and wouldn't really think of biting anyone.
Lovebirds have a lot of personality but can get a bit nippy when they are hormonal...
Putting birds in pairs generally ends up with the birds bonding to each other instead of you, though I have heard of a few cases where the birds remained bonded primarily to their person.
There are many different types of birds out there...I would suggest researching a bit more about them and maybe visiting some reputable breeders or a bird rescue organization to get a better idea of what you want. Certain species are known to have characteristics in common, but in my experience, all birds are pretty individual in their personalities, so it's best to interact with the bird a bit first to see how it takes to you.
I have one lovebird that is nippy, bossy, and noisy, while the other (of the same exact species and a nest-mate!) is very sweet and wouldn't really think of biting anyone.
Love birds and cockTIELS OR COCKitoos.idk but i have 2 lovebirds
Caique QUAKERS ARE MEAN I HAVE HAD 2