I totally agree that 'tiels are NOT starter birds. I think many see that they are relatively inexpensive and think "easy" or low maintenance. I'll admit, I was one of them. I wasn't careful with the shop I got him from or choosy with which bird I picked (the pretty one that didn't run away) and I got more than I bargained for. My parents called him the demon. Lightning was extremely cage territorial (still is) which I later learned that certain birds are, especially those that came from the environment he did. He wants attention all the time and gets mopey when I'm away for extended periods of time. I love, love, LOVE him, so don't get me wrong, but I know I wasn't ready for him. I had to do a lot of research to figure out how to stop the biting, how to introduce new things: bath time, toys, human attention, anything besides the overcrowded glass box that had a couple perches and food dishes. I was not prepared for the dust mess or the chewing. I turned in a few handouts at school that were partially chewed up and explained my bird ate my homework.
He learned to imitate my alarm clock and he'd go off every morning, even on weekends.
I've had him for 6 years and while he's still territorial about his cage-the vet said that will probably never go away, he will step up on a perch and come out. From there, he's a sweet, loving feathered toddler. I managed to loosely potty train him, so he will either go back to his cage or find a newspaper/paper towel that I have laying out to go potty. Like any toddler, he still has accidents (or he's too busy having fun to go to his potty spots) but I've managed to reduce that mess significantly. He still scared of new things, mainly food, but also random toys/house decor. He only eats veggies in baby food form. Some say it's ridiculous, but I don't think so. He's my baby and at least he eats some veggies. If he needs a shower afterward, then that's fine too. He also gets scared with random noises on tv/outside/downstairs and at times he's broken blood feathers in his panic. Since I live alone and have no one to help pull out the remaining shaft, even if I could work up the nerve to do it, those times always result in a trip to the vet. But his loving and sweet personality make up for any inconvenience or expense. With a lot of patience and the help of several calmer kids, he now loves them, even the smaller, wilder ones. It is easier to relax and focus more on Lightning's well being during these interactions when I know that while it will be painful, it won't seriously injure a kid if he bites, and since he knows I'm relaxed and not tense, he's always relaxed and has yet to bite any of them.
So for me, the good:
Sweet: he loves to cuddle with his head under my chin and nibble on my fingers until he gets scritches.
Small: I watch young kids at my house and a larger bird would definitely be a safety hazard.
Has a reasonable noise level: while at times he can be loud, a former roommate's sun conure made Lightning seem as quiet as a finch.
Sweet: He's awesome and loving everywhere we go, getting pets and scritches from young to old.
Intelligent: I heard it said that birds are like toddlers and I agree. He will repeat noises after only a few times hearing it, picks up tricks, and finds new games
SWEET: He knows when I've had a bad day and will cuddle with me watching a movie just as content as if we were to go somewhere fun and exciting.
The bad:
Dusty: 2nd only to 'Toos in the dust department, above even larger African grays. Regular showers help, but not completely.
Easily scared: Even with the vet's recommendations, we still struggle with night frights and easy startling.
Can be noisy: While not as noisy as some, he still can get very loud at inconvenient times, like while I'm on the phone.
Can be too demanding: He can be demanding at times when I'm busy and can't play/cuddle. Then he screeches until I become unbusy.
Intelligent: While it's nice most of the time, just like toddlers, that intelligence can lead to getting into trouble and also learning to manipulate the big people
The ugly:
Me on Saturday mornings when the alarm goes off, I hit snooze, and it doesn't stop. Then I realize it's Lightning and there is no snooze button.
Him with mirrors. He's a pretty bird, don't get me wrong. But when the equally pretty bird in the mirror refuses to talk back, that's when things get ugly.
I will say that despite loving my Lightning and him being such a blessing, I did tell one girl she did NOT really want one. She was a 9/10 yr old in the neighborhood that saw me with him on his harness. She immediately came over and after noticing how nice he was started talking about getting her parents to let her have one. I had an idea of what she was thinking. She wanted a bird that would be well behaved when she wanted to spend time with it, but content to stay in a cage all day until then. I don't think that bird exists and I could see one being neglected after it bit her a few times. So I told her more about the negatives of owning a companion bird than I did the positives. Then my landlady let me know that critters go to their house to die, so I'm REALLY glad I did that. She changed her mind after seeing a scar my friend's bird gave me. I might have neglected to mention it wasn't Lightning.