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How to have a quiet(er) bird

trypcruz

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The people who respond with things like "all birds can be ___" or "no bird is really ___" .... are unfortunately totally right

lafeber.com says:
"The Senegal parrot is part of a family of birds well known for their outstanding pet quality, quietness and remarkably calm temperament."

Haha. My wonderful sennie is LOUD, re-active, and MEAN :laugh:.

I totally get what you mean about noise vs loud though.
My budgies are not usually loud, but they are constantly making noise. Chattering and chirping and bickering. They do kind of get loud sometimes though. They have the ability to make a high, slightly sharp call that does carry through the house when they get worked up about something. It has gotten on my nerves once or twice.
Also some budgies really like loud toys - bells, things that clatter and bang against the bars. I lucked out that mine hate bells and never bang things.

To be fair, the sennie is generally much less noisy than them .. he talks a little but doesn't make much other noise, until he gets a bug up his bum and starts shrieking. This is generally veyr short lived, but it's definitely even louder and sharper than the budgies.
Right now our quietest is the amazon, who is neither noisy nor loud - he is silent most of the day and just makes a cute beeping noise when he is begging for food or time out of the cage. But we really lucked out there too. He definitely has the potential to be loud, he is a closet talking and when we're playing loud movies we can hear him start laughing loudly in the other part of the room.

I started my research thinking that I was going to get a senegal. But yeah... The more I research them, the more I see stories of them ending up phobic, screaming, and mean. I do understand how no bird is truly quiet. To me, budgies are quiet birds, as are most cockatiels. I have yet to hear a green cheek scream in person, but I've been watching you tube videos trying to see one screaming, and I'm not sure that "quiet" is necessarily a good word for them.
 

trypcruz

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I honestly don't think I've ever seen anyone on here complain about a cockatiel yelling or screaming? I've definitely seen some conure concerns posted.
Tiels are good whistlers though, that might be considered high pitched.

I've been around tiels a fair amount, and the ones I've held and interacted with more never screamed. Now, every time I walk into a store with a cockatiel, it ends up screeching super at very high volume. The one that really sticks to me is a tiel in a local PetSmart when I was with my dog. The bird saw by dog, hopped down onto the floor of it's cage, and screamed louder than I thought possible at my dog. (My dog didn't react). It kept screaming the entire time we were there, and I could hear it over everything else at the opposite corner of the store.
 

Elysian

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Yikes! My budgies call out loudly when water is running. I was just in the shower and I could hear them from inside the bathroom- but it's not a scream. Just a call that carries a bit.

Never interacted with a parrotlet myself, but never heard the budgies at any of our petstores yell either.
You're probably on the right track - budgie, bourke, or parrotlet.

Edit: Have you considered a linnie?! :D
 
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sunnysmom

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I've been around tiels a fair amount, and the ones I've held and interacted with more never screamed. Now, every time I walk into a store with a cockatiel, it ends up screeching super at very high volume. The one that really sticks to me is a tiel in a local PetSmart when I was with my dog. The bird saw by dog, hopped down onto the floor of it's cage, and screamed louder than I thought possible at my dog. (My dog didn't react). It kept screaming the entire time we were there, and I could hear it over everything else at the opposite corner of the store.
I think that proves the saying that all birds are individuals. ;) They don't always get the you're a "insert type of bird" and you're supposed to act a certain way. LOL. I think generally females tiels are quieter than males. And generally cockatiels are quieter than a lot of other species. But that doesn't mean every cockatiel will be like that. I've had three tiels, 2 currently. Two have fallen into the quiet category. Whistling, some flock calling, but not really noisy. My little old man Rosie, did not get the tiels are quiet memo. LOL. He's very vocal. I am upstairs right now and I can hear him. However, he's still not "loud". At least not loud compared to my cockatoo. So, a lot really does depend on the bird.
 

Wardy

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My conure can be so loud at times one of my neighbours who lives 3 houses away from me commented he could hear her sometimes :nocomment:

In general though she just chirups away she does flock call if i leave the room but this has lessened over time.
 

Dona

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Have you considered a linnie?! :D
Linnies can be extremely quiet. I heard in the 80's that they were thought to be extinct in the wild, because of their camophage coloring of course, but also their quiet vocalizations. So it's a generalization, but has a lot of evidence. I choose a Linnie because I live in a condo and didn't want to bother my neighbors. Gigi is quiet, busy and happy.
 

trypcruz

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Linnies can be extremely quiet. I heard in the 80's that they were thought to be extinct in the wild, because of their camophage coloring of course, but also their quiet vocalizations. So it's a generalization, but has a lot of evidence. I choose a Linnie because I live in a condo and didn't want to bother my neighbors. Gigi is quiet, busy and happy.
How are Linnies as pets? I was reading the "Good/Bad/Ugly" threads about all the birds I've been looking at all the Linnie posts talked about poops and losing tameness over time.
 

Dona

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For sure the poops can be unusually large and wet. But I use lots of protective layers on me and surrounding stuff and we manage. Gigi has a big first poop of the day and I can often successfully ask her to poop before leaving the cage or ask her to go on a specific towel that I put on the sofa back.

As far as losing tameness, I’d rephrase that. Linnies often become hand shy. My Gigi would prefer I not touch her with my hands but she is still extremely friendly. Right now she’s on my shoulder, fiddling with my hair. And now tucked under my chin, watching me type on my phone.

I think it’s a fabulous species choice.
 

Shannan

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We can share ideas all day long about the virtues of each species but as we all know it’s the individual bird. I would think that going through a reputable rescue will help because they will be able to help you find the individual bird that works best for you! As they know which ones meet your needs. It’s lovely to dream about specific breeds but the bird that picks you is likely the bird you need, not just the bird you want. Until you find your bird carry on with dreaming about all the wonderful characteristics of the different birds. I learn a lot about different species by listening to the owners who love them most. My TAG is not the talker, “one person “ bird that I read about in the description ( after he was given to me). That said he was adventurous enough to take all the transitions from high schooler to retiree even if the only word he speaks is a very mashed together I wuvyou.
 

trypcruz

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We can share ideas all day long about the virtues of each species but as we all know it’s the individual bird. I would think that going through a reputable rescue will help because they will be able to help you find the individual bird that works best for you! As they know which ones meet your needs. It’s lovely to dream about specific breeds but the bird that picks you is likely the bird you need, not just the bird you want. Until you find your bird carry on with dreaming about all the wonderful characteristics of the different birds. I learn a lot about different species by listening to the owners who love them most. My TAG is not the talker, “one person “ bird that I read about in the description ( after he was given to me). That said he was adventurous enough to take all the transitions from high schooler to retiree even if the only word he speaks is a very mashed together I wuvyou.

I kind of did this on accident, and the rescue suggested an amazon (I didn't catch the species) that they have who is very shy, but calm. I don't mind the shy part. I'm just not sure I am ready for something as powerful as an amazon. Honestly, I'm a little scared of amazons.

(On accident because the rescue looks like a store from the outside, but the birds were obviously well taken care of with almost all of their cages open, and a bunch were sitting on various stands around the place with lots of room to flap their wings and play with toys.)
 

Shannan

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Maybe you can spend some time with this bird and see how you feel about that bird. Also if you can work with or pair up with someone else who has birds it might alleviate your worries. (Maybe you could volunteer at the rescue center and learn along the way) I pretty much broke all the rules with most of the birds I have had. With my Gray, my Dad bought him for me. I had never met him before he was mine. The Nanday conure I owned was a case where a relative rescued him from freezing conditions so I didn’t meet him until he was mine. Boy did I get lucky
 

Vmax

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I can hear my BCC through the double paned windows of my home when he sees me in the front or back yard. My GCC, on the other hand, chitters and "visits", but doesn't tend to have the scream freaks that the BCC does. It's very bird personality related. I think the comments about a bird being "quiet" might have a jack hammer as a base line... :rolleyes:
Sorry I cannot be more helpful. I love them, so I accept that their noise is part of my life with them...as is the mess. I guess you can say I have drunk the "Kool-aid":alien2:
 

trypcruz

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Aww, I wish we had a rescue like that.
I need to move to a different city.
I hope I'm allowed to name drop rescues. It's called Parrotzville and it's in the northern Detroit suburbs. When you walk in it's kinda chaotic and loud, but then you see that caged birds are in appropriate sized cages, most of the cage doors are open, and half the cages are empty because the birds are off visiting and exercising. They seem awesome and I would love for more people in NW Ohio/Detroit area to adopt. They're an hour and a half away, and they are 100% "the bird chooses the owner" for placement. I guess I should head back there this weekend...
 

.........

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I think it depends a lot on the individual bird,cage size and activities (eg toys and foraging). My budgie makes me wish I was deaf at times, two of my lovebirds are 'quiet' and don't vocalize much, the other lovebirds? yeah they are LOUD and I can hear them two houses away. Whichever bird you get, known to be quiet or not, could be completely different. You could have a quiet parrolet or a noisy cockatiel. If I had to say which bird species I own is the quietest it would be the Diamond doves by a long shot. Individuals may vocalize more or less, but when mine are vocalizing at full volume it is still relatively quiet. They aren't a parrot, but they can still be affectionate and hand tamed.
 

trypcruz

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Ok, so I went back to the rescue today, and got a little worried because I didn't see the Amazon that I saw early in July. I asked someone working there, and she said that he was moved to a different part of the room.

Everyone, meet Jasper, the (I think) White-fronted Amazon (Amazona altifrons).

Screenshot_20210731-213928_Gallery.jpg

The rescue said he's a Red-spectacled Amazon, but when I looked at pictures online, he looked a lot more like a WFA than a RSA.

Jasper is ~20 years old. He came to the rescue when his owner passed away. When he came in his feathers were covered in something (nicotine or grease were the rescues guesses) and he plucked most of those and seems to be in the process of growing new feathers in.

They opened the cage and told me that he is mostly bark and rarely bites anyone. She then reached in and showed me where he LOVES to get scritches. He let me pet him several times, but once after I walked away and came back, he fanned his tail, raised his head feathers, and pinned his eyes in and out, so I took my hands out of the cage. As I was leaving, they were putting a cover over his cage. He growled at the worker, but let her pet him immediately after. She told me that he was just a grumpy old man.

Soooo... I really, really like him. Another woman is looking at him and another bird, and she may have a hold on him. They took my info and said that they would call her tomorrow and see, and that if she doesn't have a hold on him, I can place a hold. The expectation is that I come in at least once a week to work with him until he and I are comfortable. They are ~1hr 45min drive from me and are only open 10-4. So I likely won't be able to make it much more than once a week. I'm a little torn about all the driving and the cuteness of some baby Green Cheeks I saw at a different store. I taught one of them how to step up in about an hour of holding her and working with her. However, I just can't get Jasper out of my mind.
 

GoDucks

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Ok, so I went back to the rescue today, and got a little worried because I didn't see the Amazon that I saw early in July. I asked someone working there, and she said that he was moved to a different part of the room.

Everyone, meet Jasper, the (I think) White-fronted Amazon (Amazona altifrons).

View attachment 390169

The rescue said he's a Red-spectacled Amazon, but when I looked at pictures online, he looked a lot more like a WFA than a RSA.

Jasper is ~20 years old. He came to the rescue when his owner passed away. When he came in his feathers were covered in something (nicotine or grease were the rescues guesses) and he plucked most of those and seems to be in the process of growing new feathers in.

They opened the cage and told me that he is mostly bark and rarely bites anyone. She then reached in and showed me where he LOVES to get scritches. He let me pet him several times, but once after I walked away and came back, he fanned his tail, raised his head feathers, and pinned his eyes in and out, so I took my hands out of the cage. As I was leaving, they were putting a cover over his cage. He growled at the worker, but let her pet him immediately after. She told me that he was just a grumpy old man.

Then it sounds like Jasper is the one for you. :)
 

.........

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What an adorable little man, if you like him that much then I'd say get him. Little baby birds at the pet store are cute (I've fallen prey to this once.. :shy:) but the rescue birds need more adopters
 
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