What species do you think are the cuddliest?

[Novembergypsy]

I lost my lovebird George last summer. It took me a while to get to a place where I felt right about getting another parrot, but I'm now on a journey to find my next baby. I know that there is a lot to picking a parrot companion,but I was curious, what species do you find the most cuddly? Affection is probably the most important quality for me. Which are the most affectionate? Which are not? Im looking forward to hearing your thoughts!

 

[white_rose]

I am so sorry to hear about George.
I have a maroon bellied conure and she is super cute and cuddly and I have heard that green cheek conures are similar it that respect. But it really depends on the birds individual personally because every bird is different.

 

[Novembergypsy]

But it really depends on the birds individual personally because every bird is different.

You are right. And I'm keeping that firmly in mind. I just want a general idea of which species to be looking at.

Thank you about George. I'd had him 15 years. It was hard.

 

[LaSelva]

I hate to be the one to rain on your parade but affection should not be the most important quality. It seems counter to the keeping of any pet (I know) but you've got to understand that in the wild even bonded pairs of parrots reserve certain types of affection towards each other for times when environmental conditions are right for breeding. Aside from that they keep an observed distance. Unfortunately, when in our homes, breeding triggers for parrots are everpresent. Some of them are consistent food supply, a cage (which can be perceived as a nest), a mate (could be you, a toy, or a chair in your living room....doesn't matter). Even the human feeding them warm food (as a mate would do when regurgitating for them). In nature it's the variabliity of these things, specifically, their absence that keeps parrots from being hormonally driven to reproduce (to ovulate for example). In our homes, again, there's nothing to turn off these drives - mimicing the conditions that accomplish this for them in their natural habitat (such as drought, scarce nesting sites, variability in food sources, low social standing) and they therefore become chronic (chronic egg-laying for example). Be careful because these lead to physiological issues (like self-mutilation or screaming). In part stemming from the above - their perception of you as a mate (too much touching for example) and the optimal breeding conditions present in the average home.

A better alternative as an interaction with your bird would be something like clicker training, where you replace affection with learning, communication, exercise and an interest in novelty. This is how shared time with your parrot should be. You can read up on some of the issues parrots develop in the human home due to their frustrations with the mating drive.

 

[Novembergypsy]

Please don't misunderstand me. I do not in anyway think it's that simple with parrots. I was worried when I posted my thread that someone would see it that way, and I should have taken a few moments to clarify. I appreciate what you are saying, and, if it helps, I've been looking at different training methods. George was trained to some degree, but he was also affectionate in his way ( his way was frequently to peep very stridently back and forth with me and hang out near by or on my arm or lap, with occasional pets. He wasn't hugely cuddly). I like the idea of communication and shared activities--I hope this makes my goal with this thread more clear. Do you have books or articles to suggest?

 

[Novembergypsy]

Although, I do think that, just as some parrots are more likely to be talkers or more likely to play on their backs or more likely to be cage aggressive, there are parrots who are more likely to be affectionate. They are a social creature, like us, and are built that way in many cases as far as I understand. I don't mean that I have no interest in stimulating the bird's intellectual needs or in communicating with him or training so that we have an established understanding where our boundaries are. I'm just after knowledge about which species are less standoffish. I don't think I would pair well with a parrot who couldn't handle interaction, and I think it's important that I know that about myself.

 

[Jaguar]

Cockatoos probably take the cake for most cuddly, but they also take the cake for the most emotionally sensitive and prone to self destructive behaviors.

I would look into conures - I feel they are a good blend of personality in a size that's more easily manageable. They can be nippy and headstrong like a lot of smaller species though.

 

[Princessbella]

I'm sorry about George but for me, a cockatiel is the most cuddly (as I sit here with Bella under my chin). I agree with the others that it depends on the bird's personality. Maybe because I got Bella at 7 weeks old and we bonded during hand-feeding but she loves to cuddle.

 

[LaSelva]

Melinda Johnson's book on clicker training is a favorite of mine. It's got all the principles of training in a book that's easy to read and implement as well as being geared towards the nature of our companion birds.

Although, I do think that, just as some parrots are more likely to be talkers or more likely to play on their backs or more likely to be cage aggressive, there are parrots who are more likely to be affectionate.

In light of that observation I think you might find this interesting, from an article titled "Problem Sexual Behaviors of Companion Parrots " by Fern Van Sant:

"Physical contact seems most powerful in Cockatoos, Cockatiels, and Budgies......Many birds train their owners early on in the best techniques to cuddle and adore them......It is not surprising to find that species that crave physical attention as companion birds are the same ones that incorporate more physical contact into their courtship rituals."

 

[karen256]

Well it depends on how cuddly you expect a bird to be. I have a GCC who is very cuddly, in her own way. She likes to just snuggle up next to my hand, although she is also happy to just sit on my lap or on her perch near me. She just wants to be close and doesn't demand constant cuddles. And she does not particularly care to be petted or preened, she just likes to feel close. And I think that is probably more appropriate as well. She is very interactive and easy to train, but the downside is she can be territorial and aggressive to strangers who may invade her territory (room), although she will typically just try to look intimidating.

 

[faeryphoebe1]

Princess Trixie (GCC) demands scritches and cuddles. If I ignore her or pay attention to something else, such as my smartphone or husband, she will give a hard bite.

In fact, she will not allow my husband to get close to, or even talk to me. If he does, Trixie clamps onto my skin, pinches and twists and has to have her beak pried off.

Anyone can call this situation, "a bird in need of training". Though that's very well true, I just can't say "no" to such a cute, little face. I just can't (unless it's something unsafe).

It's taken several years to form this close bond.

Trixie will cry (squeak repeatedly) when the vet holds her. This is a new behavior this year.
My son and I practically cry too because it breaks our hearts.
As soon as he releases her, she flies to my shoulder.

Sunny is very cuddly also, but he doesn't like hands. If he feels like it, he will sit on my shoulder and snuggle up against my cheek.

GCC and Sunnies are awesome.
Of course the ear piercing call of a sunny must be taken into consideration as well.

Conures are spunky and cuddly to varying degrees, depending on their individual personalities.

They do great if you spend out of cage time with them every day.

 

[faeryphoebe1]

This is the little princess falling asleep on my shoulder. You can see the holes in the shirt that Sunny redecorated for me.

Sunny's pic came out a bit blurry.

 

[fluffypoptarts]

Sorry to hear about George. I think male lovebirds are the most cuddly and affectionate (with variance between individuals - sounds like George was on the low end of the mush scale). I vote you get another male lovebird when you're ready.

 

[SunUp]

My male lovie and female tiel are both gentle and cuddly birds. My lovebird is very "mushy" in that I can hold him cupped in my hands, turn him on his back, tuck him into my shirt collar, etc. My tiel is more of a shoulder bird who loves head rubs, although I can stroke her whole body (I don't do much of this though as it can lead to hormonal behavior).
When I got my lovie, he was one of a bunch of handfed babies from which I was to choose. After a few minutes of hanging with the babies, one of them waddled over and hopped up on my arm and stayed there...he picked me I feel, and maybe that is why he is so trusting. We just had a connection right from the start.

 

[Ark]

I'm sorry to hear about your lovebird, but am glad you were able to have 15 years with him. I'll put another vote in for conures. My Jenday is the epitome of a cuddly bird. He loves having his head/neck scratched and likes to take naps in my palm, shirt, lap, and basically anywhere he can be touching me. His cuddly nature does mean that I have to be very careful about not giving the wrong message with how I touch him. No stroking down his back, under his wings, etc., because that can immediately invite hormonal behavior, especially during this time of year. Even though I don't "pet" him in the traditional sense, he's extremely affectionate and gentle enough that I allow him to preen my eyelashes, and he lets me preen his pin feathers in return. He also loves trick training and is friendly with anyone, even as an adult bird. My Nanday conure is just starting to warm up to cuddling, and he came from a sketchy background and was terrified of hands. He already likes hanging out on my shoulder and getting head massages. I agree with the others though that it highly depends on the individual, so if you can find a mature bird that clicks with you, go for it, regardless of species!

 

[mythic55]

I guess it depends on how they are raised. But cockatoos in general I think.... so cuddly if you dont cuddle they mutilate themselves or pop your ear drums.
But cockatoos are a very different ball of wax from a lovie. IMO there has to be more in your fact finding mission (Size, Noise, Cost to maintain, lifespan, dietary requirments, etc)- or just get a dog. They will take endless nubs.

 

[mythic55]

Do you have books or articles to suggest?

Try going through each section of this site on the bird specific forum areas. That should give you an idea.

 

[wyrinth]

I give one vote for Linnies. It depends on what you mean by cuddly, but my Linnies love to hang out with me and most of the time on me, snuggled against my neck. Having each other, they are also not a needy, cuddly bird. However, they are hand shy.

 

[Novembergypsy]

there has to be more in your fact finding mission (Size, Noise, Cost to maintain, lifespan, dietary requirments, etc)- or just get a dog. They will take endless nubs.

Yes, absolutely. I have already determined many of those characteristics-- I really regret the way I worded my initial post. I get how you could feel that I'm not ready for parrot guardianship. I have done a lit of general research and will do even more. George landed in my lap when I was fifteen. It worked out because I had a natural desire to know as much as I could about him and he decided he liked me. This time, I'm starting with much more knowledge and forethought.

I own many parrot books, admittedly, none on clicker training. I know I need a bird who is small to medium size. I need a bird who can handle the presence of a small girl with special needs (my six year old has Asbergers). I volunteered for a time a rescue which had exclusively large parrots, and while I love them, I think I need to wait until my personal skills are higher before attempting to give them a home. I know what can afford monthly and yearly to care for a bird. I know the neighborhood avian vet. I am hard of hearing so noise doesn't bother me, and I know what my daughter can and cannot tolerate noisewise. (A Patagonian Conure would be too loud, she was fine with George, and with our friends African gray who was not a screamer and another friends Quaker). I'm looking for a bird with a lifespan that can fit with mine. I'm a healthy nonsmoking person with a good diet and regular exercise. I expect to live another fifty years or more, as much as anyone can. So I will take a bird that has a lifespan between 15 to 40 years. I don't think I'd take a bird who was planning to live another 80 years unless I eventually realize my dream of having a small bird sanctuary of my own where I can make arrangements for such a lifespan. For food, fresh varitey is best with pellets that are not dyed and high quality and occasionally nuts and seeds, depending on the bird. I have no significant other, and no plans of getting one, so I don't need another adult imput. I really like dogs. But I love and have loved and been fascinated by birds for as long as I can remember. My circumstances have limited exposure to some degree. But now I'm in a place where I can do this.

 

[Bokkapooh]

Sorry to hear about George. I think male lovebirds are the most cuddly and affectionate (with variance between individuals - sounds like George was on the low end of the mush scale). I vote you get another male lovebird when you're ready.

I have cockatoos and happen to agree with you. MALE lovebirds are probably the best companion parrots in captivity. I hate to slight cockatoos in any way, as theyre also very cuddly but they are extremely intelligent and jealous emotional wrecks. Lovebird males tend to be affectionate with everyone, love cuddles and arent known to be biters. My moms male lovebird Petrie (rip) was super affectionate, cuddly, not bitey at all and was an amasing little bird.