Just heard about these little guys!

[Mizzely]

LOL, so they are OCD like me? How about moving toys around? For most birds shouldn`t you swap toys out often? Also, since it sounds like they do not do well with other birds or that it is kind of hit and miss, what would happen when I am gone for my long days at work three days a week, which have me out of the house for close to 12 hours?

It depends on the bird. Some birds are just fine with changes, others need an adjustment period I change out toys every couple of weeks.

Again, different specific birds react better or worse to isolation for 12 hours, but it's pretty lonely regardless for an animal that has evolved to only live in a flock

 

[Newt]

Oh. My. GOD they are adorable!

 

[Newt]

Yeah and that is part of why I wanted a pair, so when I am not home they have each other.

 

[Newt]

Another great bird to check out would be the black headed Caique!

I did do some reading on them because they are super adorable, my main concern there is the price :-/ They look to be outside my price range. At least the ones I saw, which were $1000+

 

[RawPasta]

I did do some reading on them because they are super adorable, my main concern there is the price :-/ They look to be outside my price range. At least the ones I saw, which were $1000+

My white capped pi was $1000+, so that's something else to keep in mind. Around here, nearly every bird, except most conures, cockatiels, budgies, parrotlets, and lovebirds, is $1000+.

 

[Newt]

Yeah, even more so if I want a pair. I DID think briefly about a sun conure because my sister had one and he was so sweet and loving. The problem is the noise. My mom had cockatiels that lived in the same apartment and even at their loudest they didn`t even touch the sound from the sun conure. I am kind of leaning more towards cockatiels. Mainly for pricing, personality, and care needs. Also because I know more about their care than any other bird because I grew up with them. AND, it looks like I have very little selection close to me, which sucks :-/

 

[BirdManDan]

I did do some reading on them because they are super adorable, my main concern there is the price :-/ They look to be outside my price range. At least the ones I saw, which were $1000+

The cost of the bird is probably the cheapest part of bird ownership as it's a one-time purchase! The ongoing costs of care including vets, food, toys ect. is where it adds up!

 

[finchly]

The cost of the bird is probably the cheapest part of bird ownership as it's a one-time purchase! The ongoing costs of care including vets, food, toys ect. is where it adds up!

As with any pet.

I don't recommend caiques if this is your first bird. I have caiques, tiels, a pionus, parrotlets.... who is missing here. Somebody's missing! And finches and canaries.

Who is missing....

 

[Begone]

I don't recommend caiques if this is your first bird.

Agree!
They are adorable but not an easy parrot.

Yeah and that is part of why I wanted a pair, so when I am not home they have each other.

I can say that it is really great for your conscience.
The feeling of knowing that you can leave them and none of them is going to be alone always warms my heart.

 

[Newt]

Vet care and such will be no problem for me. I work in a veterinary hospital that sees birds and so as an employee I get billed. That is how my diabetic cat and dog stay in tip top shape Toys, food, and such will also not be an issue. Getting $1000 together though is really hard for me. So that is kind of the main thing.

 

[finchly]

Sending you a pm, Newt.

 

[Roxhum]

I hesitate to comment because I am totally new and learning. But I will give my 2 cents because I too have four 11 hour days with 3 days off.
I had two cockatiels for four years. They are very easy and quite but I always wanted a more active and complicated bird. I got a blue crown conure less then a month and I rehomed the cockatiels into a really good home. I worried about those long days. I am keeping a very regular schedule. He doesn’t get out of his cage in the morning because he is nippy in the morning and I don’t have time to deal with it. I do visit with him as I ready for work. I leave him with many food options including attaching a leafy vegetable to the side of the cage and I turn a child’s channel on the tv. When I get home Pampa gets at least 1 and 1/2 hours outside of his cage. He is very good at intertaining himself and he can see me in the kitchen and the living room while on his play area. I let him do pretty much want he wants and he is on my shoulder as I prepare dinner for my dogs. I spend at least 1/2hour one on one time with him every evening. Then he gets dinner and we sit together for an hour, me watching TV or reading and Pampa eating and preening inside his cage. I cover his cage at 8 p.m. and uncover at 6 a.m. I have read they should have 12 hours sleep but if I did that I wouldn’t be able to give him any attention on work days. He seems to be handling it fine. I do have two dogs that I hope are company during the day. If it becomes a problem I thought I might get a little budgie or green cheek to keep him company. I also purposely did not get a baby bird.

 

[Newt]

This does make me feel a lot better since that is my main worry. Like yesterday, I left the house at 7:10am to go get the bus to go to work. I didn`t get home until close to 7:30pm. I am scheduled off on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 6pm and usually can get a ride home, but if an emergency comes into the animal hospital where I work then that means I am there later. And there are days when I need to shower before I even greet my animals because I have been exposed to something (we have had two cases of distemper so far this year, and parvo is super common). Fortunately those are things birds don`t get, and both my dog and cat are vaccinated against everything possible to make sure they don`t get sick from my work. And my thinking was that while I am doing stuff in the morning like feeding the other animals, checking e-mails, and so forth the birds could have some time out of the cage, then when I get home. I also have two short days when I get home around 3, so those days will be a lot easier.

 

[Dartman]

They will learn your schedule and adjust their day to it. Nerd knew when I normally got home, and what my car sounded like. He would start getting excited when I was about a block away. We had a game when I walked in where I'd scream touching bird and try to touch him while scampering down the back side of his cage. He'd look at me like you missed me again and be all proud of himself. If I skipped it he'd be very put out. He'd also get worried if I was super late getting home. One night I hadn't showed up in hours and he walked to my room and sat on the computer desks open drawer that was his special place to hang out beside me while I checked mail and surfed. Sister went in to see if he was OK and he refused a ride home or treat and put his foot away to sleep and wait for me to get home.

 

[Wannabird2003]

I have an only BH Pi who is now 15 yrs. She was fine being home alone when I worked. Now that I am retired, she seems to prefer that I go out and shop or something every day so she can have some alone time to take her nap.

 

[Newt]

I have an only BH Pi who is now 15 yrs. She was fine being home alone when I worked. Now that I am retired, she seems to prefer that I go out and shop or something every day so she can have some alone time to take her nap.

LOL! That is the way my dog gets on my days off. I want to snuggle and love her and she is like "um....mom......personal space!"

 

[LSA]

Conures are tricky and can be hard to read in the beginning. I don't recommend conures to first timers! They can be loud (as you know) and VERY clingy. They want to be to be in the middle of anything you do and have 100% of your attention always!

My EXTREMELY limited White-capped Pionus experience is that Sherman is very quiet and very schedule-driven. In only a month, she has the food/treat, sleep/wake and cage cleaning routine memorized! Heaven forbid I change it! When she disapproves of something, she lets me know with a scream and lunge, but she also warns me first. She's an easy read but quite easily stressed also. She seems almost autistic!

It certainly didn't take her long to take hold of my heart!

 

[Newt]

I actually went to a bird store today and was able to talk to the person there. She answered a lot of questions and gave me some pointers. She also recommended a Meyer`s parrot, which I am researching now too. The one she had was a seven day old baby who looked like a cotton ball with legs! So! CUTE! She also has a pair of pionus that she hopes will breed. So it was a good day

 

[LSA]

Now that I am retired, she seems to prefer that I go out and shop or something every day so she can have some alone time to take her nap.

It's been raining this week and the birds want me gone more! They're used to alone time, too! I only farm part-time now. Since this will be my last year farming completely, any suggestions? Sherman will hate it, I'm sure!

LOL! That is the way my dog gets on my days off. I want to snuggle and love her and she is like "um....mom......personal space!"

@Newt, how do you handle days off?

 

[Newt]

@LSA Well.....I don`t go out much. I work in the medical field and so sometimes on my days off I am too pooped to do much. But some days I run errands, and I have a friend who helps me get out of the house. Usually with Pip, my dog, I just kind of let her cuddle when she wants to. Like right now she is burrowed on my lap under my laptop (she is a chihuahua mix.....just don`t tell her that......she thinks she is a great dane).