What bird is suitable for me?

[Monica]

I brought up pet stores as it can be a great way to see a variety of birds and get an idea for size. A good pet store may also be able to give ideas on care and upkeep. Parrots of the World, owned by Marc Morrone is also kind of famous... considering Martha Stewart gave Marc his own little pet shop show on TV.


Sorry, I did not mean to imply that a person should buy from a pet store.

 

[Jenphilly]

So sorry for the late response guys. I appreciate all your advice. Unfortunately living in NYC means there is a severe lack of breeders and so. I've done some research on the species you guys have provided and would a sun conure, pionus, green cheek conure, or Hahn's macaw suit me? Though from what I've read Hahn's are nippy. I've also done research and maybe would a blue and gold macaw be possible?
It would be with me out of its cage whenever I'm home to make up for the lost time at school and so but this is just a thought. I don't want to be an adamant ignoramus who knows nothing about macaws and gets one still so please provide some advice.
Thanks.

If you are in NYC, you are in pretty close drive to quite a few shelters, including A Helping Wing. We have placed many, many birds in NY City and area. Not asking you to share exactly where you are, but to give you an idea about distance, the shelter is an hour to Newark Airport. There is another shelter maybe 25 minutes from Newark, so you have options for obtaining excellent hands on experience and knowledge. I know Guardiavoir will probably kill to have the resources you do so close

Go onto petfinder, do a quick search and see what shelters are an hour or so from you, reach out to whatever shelter you think you might want to spend some time with and commit to a few weekends of volunteer time to get a dose of reality. Its not only a great means of learning about diet, cages, handling, but also the reality of what happens when a bird is not happy

You mention school, are you in high school or college? If high school, please keep in mind your life is going to be a buttload of changes over the next 10 years - I'm the mom of a college student who is finishing her MBA program right now and working, so tho you are considering the time you have today, that will change quite a few times over the coming years. If you go to college, there are very few schools that will allow pets, and I'd make it a safe bet that none will allow a large macaw.

I have a blue and gold myself, and he truly is like having an exceptionally intelligent 2 or 3 year old child. A child with an attention or hyperactivity issue... Max is out of cage almost everyday from 8 a.m. til 8 or 10 at night - no kidding about 12 hours everyday, and he needs constant supervision as well as things to keep that beak and brain busy. the big difference between him and when my daughter was 2 or 3 - he seldom takes a nap!!! And this is a 26 year old macaw... on the days when I'm not home, like today, I had a doctor appointment, he had to come out in the morning, then he is back while I was out and I need to go get him out now. He'll be out the rest of the day and tho he goes off and plays on his own, you have to keep an eye (and ear) on him all the time... While most people see cockatoos as the most 'needy' of birds, macaws rank right up there, just a different kind of need, tho my Max is very physically affectionate too.

Again you're in a great location to have quite a few excellent shelter / rescue opportunities within a short drive. And I don't want this to come out mean or sounding too nasty, but I hear all the time people say, I don't have the time to commit to volunteering several weekends a month... In blunt honesty - if you cannot commit to a few weekends of driving an hour or so to get that priceless volunteer time and experience, you definitely will not be able to commit time everyday of every week of every month for the next 60, 70 or more years....

I hope you pick a rescue and get some awesome experience and maybe even find when you go that the right bird for you will let you know who they are

 

[Guardiavoir]

If you are in NYC, you are in pretty close drive to quite a few shelters, including A Helping Wing. We have placed many, many birds in NY City and area. Not asking you to share exactly where you are, but to give you an idea about distance, the shelter is an hour to Newark Airport. There is another shelter maybe 25 minutes from Newark, so you have options for obtaining excellent hands on experience and knowledge. I know Guardiavoir will probably kill to have the resources you do so close

Now you're just taunting me, man.

 

[Jenphilly]

Now you're just taunting me, man.

Not taunting at all, did not mean it that way at all just hoping he understands he has a great opportunity for several wonderful shelters so close to home! I know you would love to be so close!!

 

[Mohammed Khan]

I guess based on what you guys have said I will stick to smaller parrots. Macaws will have to wait till I grow up then, but the sake of animal's life is definitely worth more than my greed. I will definitely check out some of those rescues for smaller parrots. Now I just need advice on which smaller parrot would suit me. What do you guys think about caqiues as I've seen someone mention them before. I heard they're playful and clown-like? Would they be a good fit for me?

 

[MaliMoto]

What do you guys think about caqiues as I've seen someone mention them before. I heard they're playful and clown-like? Would they be a good fit for me?

I ADORE caiques!! I was actually looking to adopt one on my recent search, but Elly stole my heart. Caiques are typically really clownish, super silly, not too loud (but can be if they feel like it, just like all birds). They really seem to like playing on their backs and with their feet.

As far as whether they'd be a good fit for you - logistics, sure! But personality, maybe, maybe not.

What is your personality like? What kinds of things do you want to be able to do with your new parrot? How do you see yourself interacting with it?

 

[Guardiavoir]

Green cheek conures, from what I've been hearing, are a great choice. I've also heard of some caiques being lovely the first few years or something and then turning into demons, but I'm not sure if that's common enough to warrant keeping away from them. Anyone know anything about this thing with caiques.

 

[Mohammed Khan]

Thanks for telling me about the caiques becoming demon part Guardiavior, would love more info on that. As for my personality MaliMoto I would be a nerdy (99 avergae type person), slightly athletic kid (I only enjoy basketball and soccer, other sports bore the h*** out of me). My soft spot would be animals, cats, birds, fish, etc. I would touch and pet the life out of an animal.

 

[Guardiavoir]

Thanks for telling me about the caiques becoming demon part Guardiavior, would love more info on that.

Don't take my word for it; I've never actually dealt with caiques. I've only heard a few stories. A lot of people are able to raise caiques into happy and pleasant companions and keep them that way.

 

[Jenphilly]

I guess based on what you guys have said I will stick to smaller parrots. Macaws will have to wait till I grow up then, but the sake of animal's life is definitely worth more than my greed. I will definitely check out some of those rescues for smaller parrots. Now I just need advice on which smaller parrot would suit me. What do you guys think about caqiues as I've seen someone mention them before. I heard they're playful and clown-like? Would they be a good fit for me?

No one can tell you what bird is a good fit for you really... lots of suggestions of birds everyone likes, I could sing the praises of green cheek conures all day, others will tell you they are mean little buggers. Some say caiques are wonderful and awesome companions, my opinion, they are the bi-polar member of the avian family. But no matter what any of us may suggest or think, the only way YOU will know which is the right bird for you is to go meet birds. Again, volunteering at a shelter is just a great experience and you can interact with many different birds and when you meet the right bird for you, you will know it, the bird will know and everyone at the shelter will know it

You could match up to a conure, poi, grey, IRN, even an amazon, any one of these species could be the perfect match for you. I have said so many times, Max is the perfect bird for me. I never thought about or wanted a macaw, and it would not have mattered what species Max was, the match is HIM, not that he is a macaw, he could have been an amazon or too, it is him, his personality. As an Adoption Coordinator for a very active shelter, my best advice is to go meet birds and see who you connect with

Best of luck!!

 

[Mohammed Khan]

Okay thanks. I will talk to my dad if he can take me to one of the shelters you guys listed above this weekend, and I will update this thread and tell which birds seemed to be good for me. Thanks for all the advice.

 

[fluffypoptarts]

I guess based on what you guys have said I will stick to smaller parrots. Macaws will have to wait till I grow up then, but the sake of animal's life is definitely worth more than my greed. I will definitely check out some of those rescues for smaller parrots. Now I just need advice on which smaller parrot would suit me. What do you guys think about caqiues as I've seen someone mention them before. I heard they're playful and clown-like? Would they be a good fit for me?

Since nobody has mentioned this - a male lovebird. I have 4 male lovebirds, and they are terrific companions. They are not very nippy and they are wonderfully loving, playful, and funny, and have a ton of spirit. A whole lot of soul compressed into a small package.

 

[Guardiavoir]

Since nobody has mentioned this - a male lovebird. I have 4 male lovebirds, and they are terrific companions. They are not very nippy and they are wonderfully loving, playful, and funny, and have a ton of spirit. A whole lot of soul compressed into a small package.

I'm disappointed at myself for not seeing this coming.
I'm not a lovie owner myself, but with my knowledge of lovies, I back up this statement.

 

[fluffypoptarts]

I'm disappointed at myself for not seeing this coming.
I'm not a lovie owner myself, but with my knowledge of lovies, I back up this statement.

I know you were totally waiting for it!

 

[MaliMoto]

I had three love birds come through and all three were supremely nippy to me.

Just goes to show - have a few breeds in mind and just look for the individual bird that clicks with you!

 

[Mohammed Khan]

So its been settled guys. I'll be going either to Fauna NYC or BirdCamp this weekend. Thanks to Monica for telling me about those shops.

 

[Menagerie Mama]

Oooooh, can't wait to read your update, Mohammed...have fun!
Btw, I am head over heels in love with my green cheek conure so, anything I say about them would be exceedingly biased

 

[Mohammed Khan]

@Menagerie Mama Thanks.
As bird lovers all of us are bound to have bias so please tell me what you love about your GCC as they're one of the species I am interested in.

 

[Menagerie Mama]

Hmmm, where to begin? As many have noted, GCCs are very comical...BellaBelle does things just to amuse herself but, if it catches my attention and makes me laugh, it becomes a much bigger part of her daily repertoire simply to elicit the laughter again.
-She is an adventurous eater and will sample anything she sees me nibble before offering it to her; though, she has distinct preferences and makes them known. It was effortless to switch her from the cheap seed diet she was on to a good pellet, Avicake and fresh food diet with a few seeds as treats and forage incentive. I have read that GCCs are messy eaters and will fling food...not so with BellaBelle, she is the daintiest of eaters!
-Being rain forest birds, I do not have any dust issues to deal with, which is a plus for me. Also, since GCCs like to bathe, I regularly take her in the shower with me and it's loads of fun. When she wants a shower herself, it is entertaining to watch her maneuvering to get herself soaked to the skin and adorable to see her blissful expression. When she is disinclined to shower herself, she still wants to join me and just perches on my head or the handle of the shower door.
-The expense for toys is practically nonexistent compared to the big beaks...as is the damage they can do to your person
-Affection from my conure is over the top; she makes me feel very loved.
-Many have said GCCs are big parrot personality in a small package...I'll add my vote to that. BellaBelle displays her intelligence and personality in so many ways. And, while I had no desires or expectations in that direction, she is starting to speak (and, in context)!
-Others have said GCCs are prone to nippiness, but that hasn't been my experience. Not sure if this is just BellaBelle's personality or, if it has more to do with my attentive observation...I am accustomed to paying attention to non-verbal cues from my background in pain management and, from my lifelong affinity for animals and noticed a learning curve when we were getting to know one another that saw the tendency to nip dramatically decrease. It really made me think that their reputation stems more from escalating behaviors designed to make themselves understood.

Okay, I'll close for now, but, will probably come back to add more as it occurs to me. Also, ask me any questions you think of...I'll answer what i can and try to direct you to someone more informed where possible. Glad you haven't ruled out the green cheeks!

 

[Mohammed Khan]

Have you ever gone on travel and taken her with you? If so how did she BellaBelle react? I know a parrot's persoanlity will affect hwo it reacts but how was your personal experience? If any one else has taken parrots on a trip as well, how did they react?