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Green Cheek Conure or a Quaker parrot?

ZY28

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Hey,

I am doing my research for my first birds. I ended up narrowing it down to tow species, the GCC and the Quaker parrot. I really love Quakers! I love how they look, their personality and the fact that they may talk adds a good bonus. Since I do share walls with neighbors, I am scared that they may be too loud. I have also heard that they are difficult birds and I am a beginner. I would be happy with a GCC too. I can be with them from 3pm to bedtime. Do you guys think that I should go with a GCC or a Quaker taking in account the circumstances?

Thanks!!!
 

ZY28

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Don’t take it to serious, but have you tried this: MyRightBird | Find Your Right Bird

My advice would be, go to a rescue shelter and meet some birds. Get to know them. And maybe you can ask someone you know who has birds to birdsit their birds?
I have tried the quiz! It is a really great one. Both birds came out at 85% match! I am definetely going to go to rescues once covid is over! thx!
 

Sparkles99

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ZY28

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If you share walls with neighbours, you should look into the average decibel level of any species you're considering. Also consider what your walls are made of as some dampen sound more than others. There's a person on AA right now rehoming a bird in part due to an upset landlord.

https://www.reddit.com/r/parrots/comments/63a7ad
Thank you! definetly checking that out! wow a quaker parrot is as loud as a leaf blower! So according to the post i could go deaf if i own a quacker or a GCC!??
 
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Sparkles99

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Hearing damage is slow but sure. Most people don't realize they're hurting themselves 'till it's too late. Decibels don't lie, so, yes, technically you could cause irreversible hearing damage due to exposure to some bird calls.

But you'd have to investigate how often & for how long each species tends to call. The higher the decibel level of the noise, the less continuous time it takes to damage your hearing.
 

Chomskypom

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The thing that dissuaded me from Quakers finally was that they’re banned in some places, including some where I might want to live one day. They live a pretty long time and I can’t promise career or family won’t summon me to a state where my bird will be in constant danger of confiscation.
 

ZY28

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Hearing damage is slow but sure. Most people don't realize they're hurting themselves 'till it's too late. Decibels don't lie, so, yes, technically you could cause irreversible hearing damage due to exposure to some bird calls.

But you'd have to investigate how often & for how long each species tends to call. The higher the decibel level of the noise, the less continuous time it takes to damage your hearing.
Yes, but I am pretty sure that the decibels are records, otherwise no one will own a parrot.
 

ZY28

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The thing that dissuaded me from Quakers finally was that they’re banned in some places, including some where I might want to live one day. They live a pretty long time and I can’t promise career or family won’t summon me to a state where my bird will be in constant danger of confiscation.
This is something I've heard. Definitely should take this into consideration!
 

camelotshadow

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I'll 2nd the state ban. CA bans quakers & so do some other states. So if you have a quaker & you need to move to one of those states in the future you would have a problem.
They don't do border patrol but getting vet care etc could be a problem. If the bird is found out & reported they could ask you to remove it or fine you or I suppose confiscate it & destroy it. So its a consideration.

The bigger the bird usually the louder the decibel can get. Repeated long term exposure to loud decibels can damage hearing & in an apartment make lots of enemies & get you evicted or asked to give up the bird.

Budgies are chatter boxes but its not loud. Even a tiel can be heard outside the house & they are not generally thought as being loud.

GCC can scream up a good volume but it all depends on how long & how often they do it. The less the better chance in keeping the bird but then you are generally in the stressful position of being aware of every sound & wondering how much is too much & trying to keep it to a minimum which is almost impossible.

Never heard a quaker but imagine its louder than a GCC who can get loud but hopefully if its not all of the time workable. Not all birds are the same. You could just get one that likes to yell alot. No way of knowing.

Good Luck on your decision
 

ZY28

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I'll 2nd the state ban. CA bans quakers & so do some other states. So if you have a quaker & you need to move to one of those states in the future you would have a problem.
They don't do border patrol but getting vet care etc could be a problem. If the bird is found out & reported they could ask you to remove it or fine you or I suppose confiscate it & destroy it. So its a consideration.

The bigger the bird usually the louder the decibel can get. Repeated long term exposure to loud decibels can damage hearing & in an apartment make lots of enemies & get you evicted or asked to give up the bird.

Budgies are chatter boxes but its not loud. Even a tiel can be heard outside the house & they are not generally thought as being loud.

GCC can scream up a good volume but it all depends on how long & how often they do it. The less the better chance in keeping the bird but then you are generally in the stressful position of being aware of every sound & wondering how much is too much & trying to keep it to a minimum which is almost impossible.

Never heard a quaker but imagine its louder than a GCC who can get loud but hopefully if its not all of the time workable. Not all birds are the same. You could just get one that likes to yell alot. No way of knowing.

Good Luck on your decision
Thank you so much for the information!!!
 

AussieBird

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Call me AB


Also gonna tag @Mizzely
 

Mizzely

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My quakers screamed like 8 hours a day :lol:

If I could go back again, I would never have gotten a quaker. I know so many people have good luck but I did not. I started with a baby at 3 months old, Jingo, and then went through 6 years of hell with him. My other quaker, Bobber, I got as an untame adult adoption from a rescue and he screamed a lot but was a nicer bird even though I couldn't pet him.

My green cheek was much better experience; I got her as a 10 month old from Petco. She went through the typical teenage bratty conure phase, but otherwise, was one of the friendliest birds I have ever had. I trusted her with EVERYONE. However she did have a very shrill scream and I did get a noise complaint from her in one of my apartments.

If my choice was a quaker or a green cheek, I would go with the green cheek every day of the week.

Especially an adult female.

I don't adopt babies anymore. Too much work and heartache, and as a new bird owner I was totally unprepared for a baby.
 

ParrotNuts

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I am on team GCC but remember that they have very loud screams :scrstf: . Gladly mine is generally quiet and our apartment neighbors are very friendly :whw: . And they can have sharp beaks too. :)
 

Pat H

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The thing that dissuaded me from Quakers finally was that they’re banned in some places, including some where I might want to live one day. They live a pretty long time and I can’t promise career or family won’t summon me to a state where my bird will be in constant danger of confiscation.
I believe they are banned from many states because of damage to agricultural properties if they get loose.
 

Pat H

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Hearing damage is slow but sure. Most people don't realize they're hurting themselves 'till it's too late. Decibels don't lie, so, yes, technically you could cause irreversible hearing damage due to exposure to some bird calls.

But you'd have to investigate how often & for how long each species tends to call. The higher the decibel level of the noise, the less continuous time it takes to damage your hearing.
And I would remind people of the devastating damage that Tinnitis does to ears and hearing... happens when ears are subjected to same noise for periods [flattens the sound sensing hairs in your ear]...
 

ZY28

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My quakers screamed like 8 hours a day :lol:

If I could go back again, I would never have gotten a quaker. I know so many people have good luck but I did not. I started with a baby at 3 months old, Jingo, and then went through 6 years of hell with him. My other quaker, Bobber, I got as an untame adult adoption from a rescue and he screamed a lot but was a nicer bird even though I couldn't pet him.

My green cheek was much better experience; I got her as a 10 month old from Petco. She went through the typical teenage bratty conure phase, but otherwise, was one of the friendliest birds I have ever had. I trusted her with EVERYONE. However she did have a very shrill scream and I did get a noise complaint from her in one of my apartments.

If my choice was a quaker or a green cheek, I would go with the green cheek every day of the week.

Especially an adult female.

I don't adopt babies anymore. Too much work and heartache, and as a new bird owner I was totally unprepared for a baby.
Thank you so much for the information!!! I have to say my neighbor does have a parrot I believe! I can hear the bird when I am in the hallway but not in my home! So maybe sound proof is pretty good in our condo . Definitely going more team GGC.
 

ZY28

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I am on team GCC but remember that they have very loud screams :scrstf: . Gladly mine is generally quiet and our apartment neighbors are very friendly :whw: . And they can have sharp beaks too. :)
Lucky you! But if they scream now and then it is not that bad for me! Thanks for your suggestions!
 

Sparkles99

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Finding out what species of bird your neighbour has could help you to gauge the sound proofing of your place. I would ask. :) You might even get a bird person friend!

If you know the construction material, this is measured & can be referenced with a little research. For example, I live in an older building. The walls are plaster & wood lathe. This is apparently better for dampening sound than drywall would be.
 
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