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Some questions about princess parrots ^-^

Coki

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Hello everyone!

I have been researching about some species i'd like to adquire. I actually would like to have someday a middle-big sized parrot. I've been researching on macaws, but they live too long and i'd probably die before the bird and i wouldn't like not being able to take care of it and not knowing what would happen with the bird after i pass.

I also did research on kramer parrots (psittacula krameri) but even though they are beautiful they dont seem to fill what i expect of a feathered companion.

Rosellas are stunning and colorful, though they don't seem to be my type of parrot.

Lastly, i found princess parrots and i liked what i found. I will be getting my rosy this year and i was thinking getting a middle sized bird to keep him company.

Of what i've read i find princess parrots kinda alike and i have read they are gentle with grasskeets, though i would like to ask some questions to princesses owners ^-^.

I don't seem to find info about their destruction level. Do they tend to be too destructive? Do they like to play with toys?

I've heard they can be noisy, noise its not a problem for me nor my neighbours, i also read they are not the "cuddly" type of birds but i don't really mind that, though i'd like a calm bird like would like to hang out with me when i work at home or when i read or watch a movie ^-^

Also, i would like to keep him and my bourke inside and let them hang out with budgies in the aviary during the day, are they peaceful? Do you believe it's sage for them or my budgies to share some time together during the day? My aviary is a closed room of 10 square meters. This summer i will be building the outside part! Not quite sure about its measures yet.

I want to harness train both my bourke and my princess, though i am not sure if princess tend to be trainable. I am planning to send an harness to my breeder and ask him to suit him before handfeeding, this way he should get used to it!

Oh, and i also read they are prone to worms and that is necessary to deworm them every three months. Is this true?

I'll appreciate anything you can point out about these beautiful parrots ^-^

Thank you!
 

Coki

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Thank you for tagging someone! I'll patiently wait until someome replies.
 

Hofstadter

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Yo. I have two princess parrots of my own.

1. These are NOT cuddly birds, they hate being touched, they wont bite, they will be a bit dramatic about it. I doubt there will be harness training. They arent even big fans of other birds touching them.

2. The noise level of my two are strange, sonya almost never makes noise, but mishka chatters and makes a variety of odd noises and squawks all day. You can go through my post history to see the noise level of princess parrots.

3. They are not aggressive birds in any way, they will almost never seek a fight. The most violent they get is angry warbles and warning nips at other birds. They do great with smaller birds, mishka is on quite good terms with my lovebird

4. They arent that destructive, they are t the brightest of birds, a bit stupid, they hardest material you can give them that they will chew on is soft cardboard or very thin palm leaf.

They make lovely pets, but are much more suited to an aviary environment. They arent big fans of just sitting on your shoulder unless theres something to do on there. They tend to get into everything
 

Coki

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Thank you for your reply! Where your princesses hand fed or parent raised?

Bourkes are also tagged as aviary birds but as far as i've been researching they make wonderful pets aswell. I was thinking on keeping just one, and i've been talking to my breeder friend and if i purchase one he would of handfeed the baby and make it used to the harness. I don't know if that will help it getting used to the harness and if it will accept it once it mattures.

I love the specie though! They are beautiful!
 

Coki

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Thank you for your reply! Where your princesses hand fed or parent raised?

Bourkes are also tagged as aviary birds but as far as i've been researching they make wonderful pets aswell. I was thinking on keeping just one, and i've been talking to my breeder friend and if i purchase one he would of handfeed the baby and make it used to the harness. I don't know if that will help it getting used to the harness and if it will accept it once it mattures.

I love the specie though! They are beautiful!
 

Hofstadter

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Thank you for your reply! Where your princesses hand fed or parent raised?

Bourkes are also tagged as aviary birds but as far as i've been researching they make wonderful pets aswell. I was thinking on keeping just one, and i've been talking to my breeder friend and if i purchase one he would of handfeed the baby and make it used to the harness. I don't know if that will help it getting used to the harness and if it will accept it once it mattures.

I love the specie though! They are beautiful!
I think they were handraised, but I dont think they were handraised well though
 

CheekyBeaks

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I have always wanted a Princess but it just hasn't happened yet. I met one that was my friends dads bird when I was in highschool and she was a great bird, not cuddly but loved people and was quite outgoing and I can't remember her being destructive. As far as Aussie Native parrots go they do make one of the better pets out of the grass parrots and long and broad tailed parrot groups, and while I've heard Bourkes can make nice pets from what I've heard the Princesses make nicer pets and are seen far more often here in Australia as pets, I rarely see Bourkes handraised and sold as companion pets.
They have really lovely vocalisations, I used to visit one at an Aviary centre and he was such a character and sang away for ages, it's a call I could listen to all day long :) They are considered as a peaceful species and can often be seen in peaceful mixed native species aviaries, but how it is raised will come into play.
 

Aequa

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My boy was handraised quite well and spent a good part of his life in a family home so he loves people!

They make incredible pets, I never hesitate in suggesting them. I tend to connect best with conures but I'll always have a princess, I love the species. A non-handraised one we had (couldn't even look at her initially) was also very entertaining and sweet, she has now been tamed down by her new owner and loves people - it wasn't long ago she nearly killed herself freaking out and flying into the roof repeatedly.
Princesses are massive clowns, and being intelligent, they love to make up games with you. For instance, Smokie will leap forth and grab my finger while going 'rah rah rah rah' and then run before I catch him. He runs away with my stuff in his sillly 'sneaky run'. He sits on my keyboard and bashes my keys and chats up any object he likes!!! They are fantastic talkers and mimics. Naturally, they don't tend to be loud at all but Smokie has learnt to yell and they definitely have it in them to be loud. But in my opinion, nothing like a Quaker or Lorikeet (those are the loudest birds I have to compare!!), though he does get louder than the greenies. He isn't loud all day though, probably three times a day and it's only cause he learnt to yell!
He can also be a very calm bird. After play time he will fall asleep on me and happily settle while I go about my business. Like all birds, he does want to be involved though. He can easily live with any bird, he avoids conflict. Princesses are very peaceful, gentle birds. They will be fine with bourkes but budgies may need to be supervised incase they pick on the princess. That said, I know a princess who lives with 2 budgies and is bonded to 1! Mine also comes out with our greenies and loves my friend's Quaker! He is just a generally easy bird to have.
I've never had an issue with worms but my birds are inside birds, I've heard birds in aviaries will get worms more often. And due to them being in aviaries often, I suppose it may look like they are prone to worms.

However, they don't like being touched. Now and then I can stroke his wings or cheek and I can always scratch, pet, rub and kiss his beak. He loves to cuddle into me and is extremely affectionate, he adores human company and being on you and as close to you as possible. Even after all that though, he does not like being touched.
I believe harness training may be possible but don't count on it. They do like to please you but they are very, very smart. Smokie seems to have a sense of humour and certainly has his own personality regardless of us.
They can also be very dramatic. Smokie isn't much of a biter (though he won't hesitate) but he will get in a huff and flap his wings, open his beak, yell at me and run in circles if he isn't happy. He lets me know if he isn't happy. He also lets me know when he is feeling lovey - he strokes me and kisses me and just shows his affection. He sings gleefully when he is happy and dances about. They honestly are their own bird! It's a relationship, not a pet. Though he does sometimes act childish!
Smokie is not destructive at all really. He will shred the shredder toys but I rarely need to replace the other toys. He loves to pick things up and run around with them, our other princess was the same, she would even put them in the water too. But he isn't destructive.

After reading other peoples' experiences, a properly handfed princess generally does make and incredible pet. They are just great little birds, definitely individuals though!!!! I'll always have one. Smokie can be the most annoying and also the most charming of all my birds but I don't regret getting him one bit. We will always have a princess, I just love 'em and so does my partner. They are great, all-around birds. We keep considering another!!!! Definitely go for handraised though. They will tame down but it does take some effort. The princess I spoke of who had been tamed down recently, was already interested in humans because I would spend hours and hours every day trying to calm her down and stop her hurting herself. Handraised are easier, become tamer and just enjoy human company. Remember to meet before you buy :) But I wouldn't hesitate in recommending them, I love the species to bits. They are getting much, much more popular these days.

Bourke's are apparently like quieter, gentler budgies. I've seen a few handraised but not many, I'd love one too but I've only ever seen 2 handraised clutches for sale in SE Queensland (near a capital city). Princess parrots are much more common. Beware though, princesses have loooong tails haha, I've had it in my mouth several times :facepalm:
 

Hofstadter

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Also, I took a look this morning, Mishka definitely has faint violet markings on his back. I guess its an adulthood thing
 

CheekyBeaks

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Bourke's are apparently like quieter, gentler budgies. I've seen a few handraised but not many, I'd love one too but I've only ever seen 2 handraised clutches for sale in SE Queensland (near a capital city). Princess parrots are much more common. Beware though, princesses have loooong tails haha, I've had it in my mouth several times :facepalm:
One of those clutches was probably a breeder I know, we both see the same vet and the vet was so happy someone was handraising Bourkes :)
 

Coki

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Holy cow! Guys, THANK YOU a lot for the reply!

I actually am falling in love with this specie already ^-^ I've been watching videos on youtube and they seem to be really cool pets.

A friend has a pair and he will let me hand feed mine. My idea is to get it used to wear a harness when he still is being hand fed and show him the outside from early ages so luckily he will like the experience and wont mind about being touched when i suit uo the harness.

I will visit some princess next month! And i will figure out if they are my kind of bird (which already are, i mean i've been researching of many species! Alexandrines, macaws, conures, and of all these species the one i like most is the princess parrot ^-^).

I want a bird that can be independant but also that would like to hang out, and specially i dont want an agressive bird, since the idea is to keep my bourke and another bird at home.

So, again, thank you a lot guys for the replies and the support. Hopefuly in a year i will post some pics and share about my princess. I will also post pics when i visit my friend and his birds.

:hug8: :facepalm:
 

Steve Weir

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Hi Coki

I bred Princess Parrots for many years and found them a very peaceful docile bird. I'm not too sure about hand tame or cuddly bird as mine were aviary birds just admired and bred. Although my male Alex was his name....I know the the most imaginative name. He started mimicking our dog. She would bark at dinner time every night and Alex took it upon himself to imitate her. So he might have been an exception to the rule but he was a good mimicker.
I had my Princess Parrots in a mixed aviary with birds as small as Zebra Finches I also bred Bourkes and Turquois Parrots in the same aviary and the Princess never hassled any other birds. In fact it was the Bourkes hassling the Princess. As for destruction...all parrots no matter the size can be destructive although to different degrees. As long as they have something to chew on like Eucalypt branches that they can strip the bark from they are not destructive.

Hope I have answered some of your questions mate.
 

Coki

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thank you Steve! Do you happen to breed any other member of politelys family? I found the regent and superb parrots wonderful as well I have read really good things about these guys as well but all the descriptions I've read are ore likely he sane for these three members of the polytelis family

thank you!
 

Steve Weir

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g'day Coki
I haven't bred any other from that sub species. Although I am in the process of building quite a large aviary. This time I am going to breed Regent Parrots, Scarlet Breasted, Cockatiels & Bush Budgies. I'm not too sure about other countries but here in Australia Regent Parrots are the most expensive out of that family. You do know that the three members of this family will creoss breed. So it is advisable to either keep one species in an aviary or have them in separated flights.

I can't wait to go and buy my birds I am so excited about it. I am driving my wife and kids mad at the moment because that's all I am talking about lol. But in reality it wont be until this time next year that I get the birds. I am taking my time building my aviary I want it to be just right.
 

Coki

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lol. I feel you! I act that way when i'm waiting for a bird.

Yeah I heard they can get fertile hybrids, my idea is to keep one at home as pet, so I'm not too worried about it. I find the three species beautiful, so I am having q bad time trying to choose, lol. The best video I have seen was about a recent parrot that was really tame, probably handfed, and wasn't afraid of its human at all. I assume princess and superbs are the same, they. Seem to have the same behaviors, though I haven't talk to anyone who has them aspets.

I assume regents are expensive because they are endangered. Am I right? I''e read their population decreased a lot it's. A shame. I hope you breeders can help out. Here they cost around 5000 Argentinian pesos, around 500 USD.
 
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