Which bird should I get? Cockatiel, Green Cheek Conure, Budgie, or male lovebird?

[Featheredfuffs]

I'm looking, for a sweet, cuddly, affectionate bird that will keep me company. Chirping, whistling and some squawking is okay, but just not crazy loud.

What are the pros and cons of these small/medium size birds? What should I know about their personalitys in general? If someone could compare/contrast them, that would be great. Thanks!

 

[Wasabisaurus]

Cockatiels are known to be sweet birds, but none of my have been cuddly whatsoever. Mine can be very loud at times. I don't know if the bird you describe exists. I have only had cockatiels and one obnoxious Amazon. Every bird has its own personality. They can't all be lumped in one group. My tiels will tolerate some physical contact, but not much.

 

[NK_717]

Pikachu and Pepper, both I bonded with when they were very young absolutely adore cuddling. Pikachu will snuggle up for atleast 15 minutes of cuddles and preening!
Pikachu, being the little singer he is can get a bit loud.. both are 'tiels.

 

[Animallover03]

To be honest, what you are looking for is a kitten. Even if you find a species that generally has those characteristics, every bird is very much an individual.
Green Cheeks are generally quiet cuddly birds, but at times they can be very nippy and bite and loud.

 

[Gddmsam]

It really depends on the birds upbringing and personality. The best thing to do is meet a bunch of birds and let one pick you.

 

[MiniMacaw]

It definitely depends on the bird. For example I have three budgies, one is a sweet cuddler and the other two just enjoy flying around me lol. I would recommend meeting some birds before deciding and let them kind of pick you.

 

[AvianCrew]

Maybe try a dog or cat.

 

[Tyrion]

Why do some say get a dog or a cat they have their own personalities as well ...the OP is looking for a bird telling them to get a dog or a cat isnt very helpful ...all birds are going to be different what you want to do is go to a rescue and feel out the birds there go several times for weeks or even months and see what you like best ...there might be bird that you never even thought of that you fall in love with and falls back in love with you ...figuring out what best suits you takes time and like some have said maybe a bird will pick you while your trying to pick a bird

 

[javi]

Tiels are great birds but varying personalities. My oldest loves to be on me and sits next to my feet singing and cooing. He does not want to be petted. The two females that are about 2 years old want to be petted when you open the cage but when they are out do not come and sit on me. There is another that doesn't like any interaction and another male (rescue) that will sit near you and not be petted.
I know a lot of people like green cheeks but they can be noisy. They are usually very cuddly and interactive nut their energy level is too much for me. As I am used to calm tiels and pionus. They also want to get into everything. I was constantly chasing the one I had years ago away from things he shouldn't be messing with.
My first birds as an adult were a pair of untame lovebirds. While they were not tame they did enjoy walking on the sofa next to me. I have actually taken in 3 lovebirds that I caught outside (loose pets) at different points through the years. When I would see them my first thought was "I hope I don't get bit" as lovebird bites are the only ones to phase me. All 3 were actually very sweet and tame. I only fostered them til I could find great homes. The people they went to are still in love with them.
I think budgies are great but are not as forgiving if you don't handle enough. Love their noises though
Have you considered parrotlets. They are smart, sweet, active, and not loud. They can squawk but it is nothing compared to lovies and conures. They are cuddly, love to play, want to be in your pockets. Literally in your pockets. When the ones I have in my aviary breed I coparent and will take the babies out and put in my pocket and walk around handling them all. They were the "it" bird for a few years and they have gone down a little in popularity but I think that is more because the market was saturated with them. Now they are going down in price. They are great birds. Really act like huge birds

 

[Lady Jane]

Asking this question is really only giving you suggestions but the ultimate choice is totally up to you. We do not know you, what your home is like, age and past experience with birds. You can find good information in our species threads to help you in researching the bird you want. Also there are many internet sites with species specific information for you to read. Just important to remember small size bird does not mean small personality and temperament.

 

[karen256]

Are those the only species you are considering?
All are good choices, but there are some other small birds that are also good choices.

Cockatiel - usually calm, gentle, sweet birds - not really cuddly though most like to have their heads/necks scritched and tolerate being petted a little. Very social and interactive (like most birds) - but they can be a problem for people with allergies.

Greencheek conure - smart, feisty, playful, usually cuddly. Lots of personality and attitude! Often bitey or nippy. Males can be a little more playful and active and nippier, females a little sweeter and calmer. I have a female GCC and love her, she's a great companion and very cuddly. She doesn't care to be petted or scritched, but loves to be hugged/squished/snuggled. She can bite some people she doesn't know if they bother her.

Budgie - In my experience with budgies, they are wonderful birds, but can be somewhat sensitive and high-strung, and slower to develop a real bond, even if they are handfed (and they usually aren't). It can also be a challenge to find a good breeder, as they are so expensive and readily available in pet stores (but a breeder will be a much better choice than a pet store or rescue if you want a tame bird). They are also by nature, not very cuddly, though some may like scritches - they are not likely to enjoy being touched or petted at all. This sounds all negative, but budgies are such wonderful, adorable, cheerful little birds, they really make amazing companions. Males are much sweeter than females and usually better talkers as well, but some people do like the females better (females are more likely to be a little cuddly anyway). They are just joyful and happy, and adorably hyperactive. All of mine tamed quickly but took quite awhile to really, truly blossom as companions (like 6 months to a year). Going with their hyperactive nature, they have short attention spans, as well. Mine will usually fly over when called, and happily spend a minute or two with me, then they are off to go play with a toy or something.

 

[fluffypoptarts]

You know what my vote will be! Male lovebirds tend to be cuddly and playful without being very dependent or aggressive. I feel they're really the happy medium. (Out of the 7 male lovies I've lived with, only 1 is on the less cuddly side. He's very loving, but he prefers clinging to the side of my head in between making laps around the room, lol. He is way too hyper to tuck under my chin for naps or snuggles like the others!)

Oh, lovies do squeak and call, but I don't consider them to be loud birds. Their pitch can drive some people crazy, though. (Each bird's voice is different within that range. Beni had a very piercing, high-pitched squeak, as does Turnip. My others have lower-pitched voices.)

Other than their vocalizations/pitch possibly bothering you, I suppose the cons of (male) lovies would be that they may decide they only want to love one person (and everyone else needs to back up*), plus they are often aggressive towards other birds and even animals larger than they are. They're very inquisitive and can get into trouble quickly. They are sassy, brassy, and opinionated (I consider these good qualities, but some people don't like that).

*Only a possibility. Only one of my boys is like that, and his level of defense varies between people. He's okay with my mom, my best friend, and my ex, but he'll fight and be defiant towards most anyone else!

My experiences with the others:


Cockatiels: More dependent than the other birds on your list, can be very squeaky and more needy than the others on your list. They're very skittish and you have to worry about night frights and startled bursts of flight that can leave them hurt or worse. They're usually very mushy and loving, however, and don't tend to be bitey.

GCCs: Playful and independent but not strong cuddlers and tend to be bitey. Not usually really loud, but they can have yelling/calling fits with some volume.

Budgies: Chattery and fun as well as playful, but not as likely to cuddle or bond with people.

 

[Tiel Feathers]

I of course would say cockatiel! They usually like more than one person, they tend not to be nippy, many enjoy scratches, (but many don't), they are usually fairly mellow, they are relatively quiet (with exceptions of course), they are very sweet, and they can play independently also if trained to do so. Night frights can be curbed. I have only had 2 night frights in the last three years between all four birds. They are dusty and they can be flighty, however.

 

[Featheredfuffs]

Okay, thanks so much

You know what my vote will be! Male lovebirds tend to be cuddly and playful without being very dependent or aggressive. I feel they're really the happy medium. (Out of the 7 male lovies I've lived with, only 1 is on the less cuddly side. He's very loving, but he prefers clinging to the side of my head in between making laps around the room, lol. He is way too hyper to tuck under my chin for naps or snuggles like the others!)

.

I think that I'm gonna go to a rescue and see if there are any birds that really choose me, but I'm kinda leaning towards a male lovebird. I listened to YouTube videos of the lovebirds chirping, and I find it really sweet. It reminds me of my late pet zebra finch, Beep . My whole family loved and enjoyed Beeps little beeps, so I don't think they'll mind a lovebirds (I'll have them listen to a video clip of a lovebird just in case).


Thanks everyone!!!
All of these birds, including parrotlets, sound like great choices for me and will fit my lifestyle, now all I have to do is find an individual birdie that does the same

 

[AvianCrew]

Okay, thanks so much



I think that I'm gonna go to a rescue and see if there are any birds that really choose me, but I'm kinda leaning towards a male lovebird. I listened to YouTube videos of the lovebirds chirping, and I find it really sweet. It reminds me of my late pet zebra finch, Beep . My whole family loved and enjoyed Beeps little beeps, so I don't think they'll mind a lovebirds (I'll have them listen to a video clip of a lovebird just in case).


Thanks everyone!!!
All of these birds, including parrotlets, sound like great choices for me and will fit my lifestyle, now all I have to do is find an individual birdie that does the same

Great job for letting a bird choose you.

 

[Reggie]

I'm looking, for a sweet, cuddly, affectionate bird that will keep me company. Chirping, whistling and some squawking is okay, but just not crazy loud.
What are the pros and cons of these small/medium size birds? What should I know about their personalitys in general? If someone could compare/contrast them, that would be great. Thanks!

I'm sorry to be this person, but maybe you should consider another animal. "Sweet," "cuddly," and "affectionate" are terms I've only seen used to describe birds who have lived with their owners for many years. Sure you can get your bird from a breeder, but then the bird is going to relapse and you'll have to spend time training it. It's fairly common with birds that you can get a really sweet baby who loves to cuddle and hang out, but once that bird hits puberty you're in for a mess if you don't like loud noises. They'll scream and they'll bite and they won't want to come out of the cage and they'll scream even more, and if you're not willing to put up with noise look elsewhere. Even when adopting an already socialized, trained, and sweet parrot can you find relapses in pubescent behavior and obstacles you didn't anticipate because they were sweet or affectionate to their original owner.

Each bird is an individual, and their personalities vary greatly. Sure there are some things that might stereotype one bird from another (i.e. African Gray's are "better" at talking, and GCCs are the "Quietest"), but there are no birds who possess your specific list of traits right off the bat. I have an eight year old GCC and I've had him for almost six months and only yesterday did he let me give him "scritches" on his head. He was cuddly, affectionate, and sweet to his last owner, but I'm not her. Birds recognize the difference in people and getting a bird to trust you enough for them to be sweet around you takes months and if not years of hard work and training and bonding to achieve.

To be honest, what you are looking for is a kitten. Even if you find a species that generally has those characteristics, every bird is very much an individual.

I completely agree with this statement. If you're looking for a bird that isn't going to be "too loud" you shouldn't be looking for a bird at all. Even birds who are known for being on the quiet end of the noise spectrum - parrotlets, Green Cheeks (the Apartment Bird), cockatiels, and budgies - are loud as heck sometimes. I had three budgies once and I could be sitting in my basement and hear them while they were in their cage on the second floor of the house when they were their chattiest. You should spend some time maybe bird sitting for someone before you look for a bird, so you don't get an animal and decide that it's "too loud." Even Cooper - the Apartment Bird/GCC - can scream so loud that our neighbors can hear him. It all depends on the bird, and every bird screams even rarely.

It really depends on the birds upbringing and personality. The best thing to do is meet a bunch of birds and let one pick you.

This is important to know too. No one species of bird are all of the same. A lot of the birds on this forum have been with their owners for years, and their owners have grown and trained with their birds to make them cuddly and sweet, or they were hand-raised by a fantastic breeder in the beginning. I'll tell you one thing - if you're looking for a bird who is going to want to cuddle, and talk (not too loudly though) all of the time you're sorely mistaken.

Why do some say get a dog or a cat they have their own personalities as well ...the OP is looking for a bird telling them to get a dog or a cat isnt very helpful ...all birds are going to be different what you want to do is go to a rescue and feel out the birds there go several times for weeks or even months and see what you like best ...there might be bird that you never even thought of that you fall in love with and falls back in love with you ...figuring out what best suits you takes time and like some have said maybe a bird will pick you while your trying to pick a bird

I think that if OP is looking for a species of bird that "isn't too loud" then suggesting an animal whose natural instinct for communication isn't squawking, screaming, chirping, or whistling is a completely fine thing to do. Birds aren't quiet - even if people say that they're "quieter." OP should spend their time on an animal that isn't going to be "too loud," because that's the kind of thing that tells me (personally) that this person isn't prepared for all of the difficulties of owning a parrot.
Especially if the other criteria of the bird has to be "cuddly" "affectionate" and/or "sweet." Sure there are birds like that, but without work, training, and growing with the parrot those things aren't achievable. And to get to that point there is a whole lot of screaming and biting and "bad" behaviors along the way. If OP isn't looking for a loud, demanding, expensive house-mate they're never going to be happy with a bird.

Birds aren't domesticated like dogs or cats and have no innate need to please us humans. I've never met a dependent bird, and those traits (cuddly, sweet, and affectionate) go hand in hand with a long-term relationship with a bird. A rehomed bird - no matter where from (a breeder, a pet store, or a person on Craigslist - is going to have to get used to OP and OP's personality all over again (like they've had to do in every environment they've been in). It takes bonding and training to get a bird that is enjoyable to be around in the context that you mean OP.

You can do all of the research you want, ask parrot owners, and interact with many birds, but it comes down to the question of are you willing to grow and work with a bird that will have to re-adjust to you? Are you going to rehome the bird as soon as it screams or bites or would rather be in its cage than on your shoulder, or if the bird's personality consistently disagrees with your original post? Are you looking for a loud, demanding, expensive house-mate or are you looking for something that's always cuddly, affectionate, and sweet? You need to ask yourself that before you bring one home.

(I also don't mean to come off as rude or abrasive this is just a touchy subject with me, so I apologize if my straightforward tone came off as offensive. I do hope you find the right bird, but I believe you're asking the wrong questions.)

 

[Featheredfuffs]

I'm sorry to be this person, but maybe you should consider another animal. "Sweet," "cuddly," and "affectionate" are terms I've only seen used to describe birds who have lived with their owners for many years.

Yes and I know a bond with a bird will take a ton of work (I hand-tame my society finches, and believe me, those little guys are super skittish). Some birds, however, just won't be cuddly or affectionate no matter how much time and work you spend with them. My society finches, I handle them from 10 days onward, but once they get older they barely tolerate me (allow me to ask them to step up) and much prefer the company of their own kind. It's good for bird shows, vetrinary appointments, but that's about it.


Some birds are just not known for, or are suitable for someone who wants an affectionate pet. I was asking from a standpoint of "which ones, out of these types of birds, if they bond to me, have a higher chance of being cuddly." Because, let's be honest, a cockatoo is much more affectionate than a button quail.

I have had/have cats and dogs, and that's not what I want as a pet right now. I want an intelligent companion who has not been genetically programmed by humans to enjoy and be dependent on people's company. I want to be able to work hard and be worthy of an animal that has its own agenda.

I have the time to work with and train a parrot, I can work with behavior problems, and I'm willing to stick with my parrot, good times and bad.

Im not an impulse buyer, believe me. I am a beginning wildlife rehabilitator, I see a lot of ugly messes that people leave for me. A lot of dead baby squirrels from being fed the wrong food. An even higher amount of animals that need to be euthanized because of a persons ignorant/impulsive mistake, or even cruelty. I imagine it is similar in parrot rescue, with all the poor birds that have been left to readjust into a new environment, new people. There is no way I will ever participate in that. A companion parrot who lives with me will be a companion for life.

 

[AvianCrew]

Yes and I know a bond with a bird will take a ton of work (I hand-tame my society finches, and believe me, those little guys are super skittish). Some birds, however, just won't be cuddly or affectionate no matter how much time and work you spend with them. My society finches, I handle them from 10 days onward, but once they get older they barely tolerate me (allow me to ask them to step up) and much prefer the company of their own kind. It's good for bird shows, vetrinary appointments, but that's about it.


Some birds are just not known for, or are suitable for someone who wants an affectionate pet. I was asking from a standpoint of "which ones, out of these types of birds, if they bond to me, have a higher chance of being cuddly." Because, let's be honest, a cockatoo is much more affectionate than a button quail.

I have had/have cats and dogs, and that's not what I want as a pet right now. I want an intelligent companion who has not been genetically programmed by humans to enjoy and be dependent on people's company. I want to be able to work hard and be worthy of an animal that has its own agenda.

I have the time to work with and train a parrot, I can work with behavior problems, and I'm willing to stick with my parrot, good times and bad.

Im not an impulse buyer, believe me. I am a beginning wildlife rehabilitator, I see a lot of ugly messes that people leave for me. A lot of dead baby squirrels from being fed the wrong food. An even higher amount of animals that need to be euthanized because of a persons ignorant/impulsive mistake, or even cruelty. I imagine it is similar in parrot rescue, with all the poor birds that have been left to readjust into a new environment, new people. There is no way I will ever participate in that. A companion parrot who lives with me will be a companion for life.

Conures are cuddly.

 

[Featheredfuffs]

W

...all birds are going to be different what you want to do is go to a rescue and feel out the birds there go several times for weeks or even months and see what you like best ...there might be bird that you never even thought of that you fall in love with and falls back in love with you ...figuring out what best suits you takes time and like some have said maybe a bird will pick you while your trying to pick a bird

Just thought you guys would like to know...I went to the parrot rescue today and they had a lovely cinnamon green cheek conure named Taja. She was quiet, sweet, and loved baths! Although she was pretty skittish (she was in a large cage with very little toys in her old home, and that made her nervous), she was content to walk up my arm and snuggle under my hair a little. I'm willing to work with her on her shyness, and I'm going next week for a follow up visit!!!

If I do adopt her (which, honestly, I think is quite likely, she seems like a good match for my household), she could live with me for 20 more years (she's around 8).


Thanks everyone for giving me the advice! Honestly I hadn't even really thought of a rescue until you guys suggested it, and now I'm so glad I went.

 

[greys4u]

Sounds like you found your heart bird!