Maximilian experiences?

[baserock love]

Heya. I'm in the process of trying to find the right bird for me and I'm about to apply for adoption at a rescue that I just noticed has a supposedly very sweet not very loud 6 year old maxi. They don't seem to be the most common companion birds out there and species profiles are wildly contradictory. One site says they're not as affectionate as other species and downright standoffish others say they're super affectionate and hyper devoted to their owners. One site says they live as long as amazons others say they have fairly short lives compared to parrots of their size like greys and amazons. I'm just wondering how YOUR maxi is and what your experience is as a maxi owner.

I'm looking for whatever info you care to share. General experience on the basics would be helpful.

How old is your maxi? Is your maxi a good companion bird? Affectionate? Does it like to be handled or more prefer to do entertain itself. Is your maxi moody and aggressive or a general sweetheart? Is your maxi a noise machine or not a terribly loud bird.

In order to figure out what species would be a good fit for me I'm just trying to talk to as many owners as I can and have met a ton of amazon and grey and macaw and cockatoo and conure owners all over the place who would let me pick their brains but not a single pionus owner!

 

[Dartman]

I have had 4 Maxi's. Nerd and Ferd were my first. Ferd died a few years in and was Nerds brother, Nerd was with me 31 years and we were best buds. Got him in 78 with ferd has wild caught birds I'm sure. He spoke wild Pionus and I spoke it back. He loved to hang out with me, get treats and scritches. He was MOSTL quite but had a jungle flock call that could wake the dead. He left me just before Xmas 09.
Lurch I got Xmas eve 09 as I and my family missed Nerdle so they helped me get Lurch. He turned out to be very scared and mad at the world. he took about 5 years to decide I was his chosen one but he also bit at the drop of a hat when he first got here. He got better as he realized he was safe and decided I was trustworthy but would still correct me for any mistake or perceived slight. He also loved to hang out and get scritches and food, and loved to ride on my shoulder if I left the room. Unfortunately due to a dumb mistake he escape last April and Momazon was chatting with me on PM when her life changed and she could no longer keep Dobby so knowing what I went through and had happened with Lurch she offered me Dobbers and I accepted. He is the most outgoing and gentle Maxi I have ever known and the worst I've gotten from him is ferocious beakings and a very hard pinch once.
Every one was his own individual and very different with similarities. Nerd never talked but made all manor of wild Pionus noises and whistles, Lurch talked a lot, Dobby loves to make noises and whistle and will say his name and say other things from time to time. Dobby has decided my sister is his chosen one but pretty much likes almost everyone he meets and charms them. They are great family members and you might get a Shy but loving Nerd bird, a pissy but eventually mostly loving Lurch after some amount of time, or a Dobby who immediately decides your OK but will choose who he likes best after some time getting to know the family. Their are quite a few flock mates here who can give you their stories too but if your up for the commitment they are great friends.

 

[metalstitcher]

Thank you for the info @Dartman my vet even recommend them to me but we are not going to adding any more to our flock till later. Gracie would have a fit and hubby is just having a fit at the mention of another bird. I thought about just bringing one home and making him just deal with it lol.

 

[baserock love]

Thanks for taking the time to help me Dartman. So sorry to hear about Lurch. Was he a rescue or did you get him as a youngster?

 

[Dartman]

He had lived with a very old man who finally had to go into a home and his wife and family just put him in a room and ignored him. He had no clue why his friend left him and was aggressive with the leftover family and I think they hit at him when he acted out. I bought him from the lady who got him from the family. She had 23 other birds and didn't have time to work with a pissy Pionus and I wanted a new friend like Nerd. He was about 5 when I got him.
He certainly wasn't anything like Nerd but he needed a new family and I needed a bird to love again. It was a lot of work but I think it was good for both of us and I know he was happy as you can see his happy eyes in the later pictures of him. I hope somebody found him and he's still happy, and maybe they see my add and realize he has a family that misses him rather than the alternative.

 

[baserock love]

Really good of you to take in a bird with some behavioral issues and be willing to work with him on them. I'm prepared to do hte same to a certain extent. I'm more than happy to work with a bird but this will be my first larger parrot so I want to make sure I can get one that's not too much for me to handle.

I have no reason to believe this rescue will actually let me adopt a bird (The procedure to adopt a bird from a legit rescue seems pretty simple. Apply > Get denied. lol) But this is the maxi they got. It's definitely a really cute species. I love the white around the eyes like some of the conures and amazons and these guys have.

 

[Dartman]

He looks like a healthy sweet heart so if you think you're up for it in case he decides to channel Lurch apply to adopt him. They USUALLY are pretty mellow and gentle but Lurch never got the memo.

 

[baserock love]

He looks like a healthy sweet heart so if you think you're up for it in case he decides to channel Lurch apply to adopt him. They USUALLY are pretty mellow and gentle but Lurch never got the memo.

They say he's very sweet and generally quiet for the most part. I'm honestly pretty set on a 24 year old blue front amazon they have who they say is also fairly docile and friendly. For what I'm looking for in a companion bird amazons seem to tick the most boxes so far based on my own and the owners who were willing to talk to me's experiences and i have a lot of time for training and to work with whatever bird I get on some behavioral stuff.

My main concern at this point about getting a maxi is this general species profile i keep seeing where they say they're generally not big fans of being handled or physical affection and generally just prefer to hang out and not be bothered by their human much. While if htat's true it might make them easy to own, i love how affectionate some species can be. My friends amazons for the most part love physical play and crave direct interaction with their owner. Some can't even put them to bed without a nice cuddle session.

The novelty factor of talking is there too but that's not something I require. Wally there doesn't talk at all apparently. Not sure if that means he never will or that nobody's worked with him on it yet.

 

[Dartman]

Nerd loved to have finger wrestling play fights with me. I'd try to tap a wing and he'd scream and try to catch my fingers sounding like he was going to kill me and bury me in the back yard. If I went ouch he'd look mortified and stop. Lurch would occasionally try to finger fight but he tended to want to win and get aggressive, Dobby will be getting scritches from sister and suddenly whip his head around to fight her fingers. They love getting head scritches and will bow their heads and fluff if your the chosen one and head scratcher. They also are like feathered cats, totally happy to just hang out with or close to you and be part of the action.
Dobby loves to fly after sister and plop on her shoulder to observe and supervise her activities, Lurch did that with me. So yes if you want a love sponge maybe not the bird for you but they are great at entertaining themselves and being ok hanging out alone for a while as long as they have things to play with or chew up.

 

[baserock love]

nerd sounded like a real sweetheart! That mirrors how a lot of the people i've met play with their amazons. I love hands on birds.

If they think i'm adoption worthy I'll have to drive out like a 7 hour round trip multiple times to be seen interacting and working with the birds, probably multiple times. There's the amazon that really interests me but also a shy untrusting grey and that max up there i'll take a look at. I'll be able to get a good feel for their personalities then by seeing how they interact with the staff there who they already trust i'm sure. I do kindof like love sponges and amazons seem to be a great mix of fairly emotionally autonomous but also very affectionate. I work at home so i have LOTS of out of cage time and training time to give a parrot, as much as htey could want as well as a lot of one on one time but I'd like to be able to do what some of the self employed parrot owners i've met do which is they give their bird plenty of interaction time but just wheel up their play gym by their workspace. The amazons and greys do really good with this and amuse themselves and nap during work sessions while happily accepting attention on breaks and and downtime.

I want an amazon but if me and the max fall in love with each other I won't fight it haha.

 

[ode.to.parrots]

It seems like you have done a lot of research! I'don't say the best thing you can do at this point is put yourself out there and let one of the birds pick you. Keep us posted, and let us know how it goes!

 

[Aubrey]

I have an approximately 10 yr old maxi named Leto that I got from a rescue. He's a gem

I'd not call him cuddly but he likes to be in the middle of things and he loves to sit on my shoulder. The only time he makes a lot of noise is if i leave the room. He will flock call and call and call until I come back. So, i tend to bring him with me when i do laundry or make the bed or go to the bathroom I'm not saying this is the right thing to do. He is spoiled. Other than that he makes just a little bird noises and chirps. I love that Leto is content to entertain himself with bells, soft wood and cardboard or hang out with me. He's not needy. He's my perfect bird

 

[Aubrey]

Ooh. I meant to add pictures and tell you to read some of our threads on the pionus sub forum too.

He loves nana

Big stretch!

Such a good preener

 

[javi]

I have 3 pionus and know I will be getting more in the future. They are not too clingy but will sit on me and preen or get kisses. One is territorial, the other two are not. I love the way they smell and will often bury my nose in their feathers. They can be noisy, esp if they cant see me or right when I get home. However they are quiet 98% of the time.

 

[baserock love]

It seems like you have done a lot of research! I'don't say the best thing you can do at this point is put yourself out there and let one of the birds pick you. Keep us posted, and let us know how it goes!

The sheer amount of reading and research i've done in the last 6 weeks in preparation for this is seriously staggering. Parrot ownership can be a challenge. I wanted to make sure this is something I really want and am prepared for!

So far how it's gone is I've met up with 4 birds and that were completely neglected and unhandleable, possibly used up breeder birds being sold by bird flipping scumbags on craigslist who were trying to sell them to me like they're used cars, lying through their teeth about everything from their age to their personal history with them. I've been on calls with a dozen more people like this, and dealt with at least a dozen outright cameroon parrot scammers. Have dealt with two fake rescues that were clearly just bird flipping operations run by total scumbags. I don't want any part of this business with people conning actual bird lovers who have to rehome their pet into surrendering them to a fake rescue just so they can house them in deplorable conditions while they flip the bird and teh cage to the first stranger for a huge profit. It's just gross and I dont' want any part of it if i can help it so I decided to just buy my own giant cage (most craigslist bird flips come with a cage at least) and apply at an ACTUAL legitimate 501c3 rescue. It's really far away but whatever. I'd like my rehome fee to go to actually helping birds, not buying the next one you'll pawn off on the first person who will give up the cash, who from what i've seen will probably turn around and try to flip the bird again on craigslist. Hell I had 2 people IN THE SAME DAY try to sell me the same bird, one operating a "rescue" who bought it off the first one for 500 6 hours earlier who tried to sell it to me for 800. This has been a real frustrating process.

And thanks for the pics and feedback again everybody! maxi's are undeniably a cute species. The more I read in this thread the more I'm open to possibly being a home for one. Only other question is they're a bit smaller than an amazon. Everything I have from cage to perches to toys is set up for an amazon. 1.5" roughly perches, larger toys, 1" bar spacing huge cage etc. Is this about what's recommended for Maxis? I again see some disagreement among sites on this.

 

[javi]

I have natural perches from less than 1/2 inch to some that are 2. They use them all. Pionus are also not very active birds so they are not usually flipping all over like conures. They love things they can chew up and destroy. For me, they are the perfect bird
I do want to add in my experience that some Amazons can be very pushy especially when they are hormonal. I have also known some absolute lovers.

 

[baserock love]

I have natural perches from less than 1/2 inch to some that are 2. They use them all. Pionus are also not very active birds so they are not usually flipping all over like conures. They love things they can chew up and destroy. For me, they are the perfect bird
I do want to add in my experience that some Amazons can be very pushy especially when they are hormonal. I have also known some absolute lovers.

Like with most intelligent animals a lot of what makes who they are is how their owners treat them and what experiences they open up to them. The lack of affection and activity i will admit is not exactly what i'm looking for in a companion bird. A LOT of amazon owners i've talked to took in birds from people who said they were mean, not affectionate, not playful etc only to find once they gave it more time and a better environement and a bit more freedom it was like a totally different bird. But we shall see!

 

[Begone]

Just be careful so you don't get a hormonal boy. Their are several Pi owners that compare them to Amazons, and they are very difficult to handle.
I never recommend a Maxi or a Amazon boy to a new parrot owner.

And all my Maxis have been very active and playful. I think they become like you are if you raise them from babies. If you are very active so will also they be.
I trick and fly train mine, and we play our beak wrestle game several times/day. And we also play hide and seek. (Simon says) I run as fast as I can and they fly after me. Chasing me from room to room. We have a lot of fun.
They are not perch potatoes, they are active and playful parrots if you just give them a chance to play and interact in a active way.
And none of my Maxis is a silent bird.

 

[Begone]

The only time he makes a lot of noise is if i leave the room. He will flock call and call and call until I come back. So, i tend to bring him with me when i do laundry or make the bed or go to the bathroom I'm not saying this is the right thing to do. He is spoiled.

And so are mine.
For me it's easy. Take them/allowed them to be with you and have a silent parrot, close the door and get some privacy and have screaming parrot. No thanks!
And I don't think this is wrong. Flockmates is always together and never leave each other. Ok, perhaps you can teach them to be alone and stop flockcalling, but it will never be your parrots first choice. To be alone is not natural for them.

 

[baserock love]

Just be careful so you don't get a hormonal boy. Their are several Pi owners that compare them to Amazons, and they are very difficult to handle.
I never recommend a Maxi or a Amazon boy to a new parrot owner.

And all my Maxis have been very active and playful. I think they become like you are if you raise them from babies. If you are very active so will also they be.
I trick and fly train mine, and we play our beak wrestle game several times/day. And we also play hide and seek. (Simon says) I run as fast as I can and they fly after me. Chasing me from room to room. We have a lot of fun.
They are not perch potatoes, they are active and playful parrots if you just give them a chance to play and interact in a active way.
And none of my Maxis is a silent bird.

I'm going to be doing all the stuff behaviorists say does a good job of basically preventing hormonal seasons like 12/12 light and dark sleep schedule regulation and all that so hopefully no matter what i end up with hormonal stuff isn't a big issue. I will have lots of time for and plan to do daily training, eventually working up to trick training and flight recall training.

What you got in your maxis sounds great! I don't want a pretty decoration, i want an animal buddy. that's how I've always approached pets. If i do end up with a perch potato i'm going to try to encourage otherwise as best i can with fun training and activity and tempting things to climb around on.

Now when you say they're not "silent" what do you mean? I kindof assumed the only "silent" parrot is a dead one lol. Maxi's seem to have a reputation for being less loud than other species of their size. Are yours chatter boxes? real screamers? I ask because I live in a nearly sound proof apartment with very few neighbors, but an apartment nonetheless. Amazons can definitely be loud but most of the amazon owners who've let me pick their brains live in apartments and their amazons do just fine noise levels wise. A cockatoo or macaw, yeah that's not going to work lol. I will definitely be taking into account whether there are bad screaming habits already well reinforced with whatever bird I end up with and do what i'm supposed to do to not inadvertently reinforce attention screaming.