I want a Linnie!

[*Star*14]

Hello all! I was thinking about getting my first parrot/exotic bird. I bird sit a green-cheeked conure and used to watch an Amazon. So I know the responsibility for owning a bird, which is very important to understand. I recently went into this amazing bird store (the lady has over 30 years of experience), and met Moe a 2+ year old lineolated parakeet. I fell in love and can't stop thinking of him!!! I've done my research, but there is always more, am I right?? So... I was wondering if you guys could share your pros and cons, personal stories, tips, and/or anything else you think I should know about owning a Linnie! I would greatly appreciate it and thank you in advanced!!!

 

[Ocean]

I'e got a sweet 2 year old female cobalt blue linnie, and I love her to pieces, her nam is Tiki!

Linnies are just adorable

Is the bird you are interested in hand tame?

The good: Linnes are sweet little birds, mine loves attention, she loves to be talked to, she's got a sweet personality, she loves to play with her toys and isnt very loud, and for the most part she doesnt make as much noise as some birds do.
She loves to take baths and enjoys her fruits and veggies. They are silly and will learn to mimik noise and words, they are devoted little birds, with the cutest little faces. They do love to learn, ive played songs on youtube and she has quickly learned to whistle those songs. You need to be soft and patient when teaching them things, but even though they can be shy, Im convinced that any linnie can learn to trust and learn new things

The not so great: If you want a hands on bird, one that will perch on your hand or finger or shoulder, you might be disappointed, linnies for whatever reason tend to be very hand shy, and don't want to be handled. You can of course work with them and try by earning their trust and through months of hard work, (this is what im dong with my handshy linnie) and even then you may never get to handle them. Even getting a handfed baby doesnt mean the baby will want to be handled.

If you have any more questions feel free to ask!

And welcome to the site!

 

[*Star*14]

When I was researching and looking at threads about Linnies I was really surprised that everyone said that they were typically hands off birds. Moe (the bird that I was looking at) LOVES being "handled", cuddled and to sit on your shoulder, that is what I love about him! He is defiantly a "different" and sweet linnie!!!

 

[Ocean]

A friend of mine had a linnie that loved being handled, and then all of a sudden... he didn't and nothing negative happened to him so things can change, in some cases they don't, but sometimes they do. In your case, I hope he stays sweet

Moe sounds sweet though, what mutation is he?

 

[*Star*14]

I hope so too!!! He is a very handsome D turquoise, Parblue Cobalt! Same as yours?.....

 

[Ocean]

He sounds adorable

I think so, she seems like a cobalt to me and the vet xD
here is a better picture and shes my display picture

Was Moe DNA sexed as male?

 

[*Star*14]

Oh my goodness she is so pretty!! Moe is mixed with a dark blue along with Tiki's gorgeous blue. Umm... I think so? We will just go with it

 

[Ocean]

XD she looks very blue in direct sunlight sometimes she appears a little darker though.

Does Moe have a leg band?

Linnies love to be talked to, Tiki will stand there forever if I talk to her, im currently working on hand taming her and getting her to step up.

has Moe just been fed seeds? Or is he on pellets too?

 

[*Star*14]

That sounds pretty! I hope taming goes well! I'm not sure if he has a leg band. Why? (I know why they use them)

 

[Ocean]

Thank you, I hope it goes well xD ive had her for 2 years, her hatch day is in May. I have only been working with her recently though, but she knows me and im hoping
that things will go in a good direction

and if he has a leg band, it could identify what year he was born in, if you are unsure of his age.

 

[*Star*14]

Aww!!

Oh, I knew it was like an ID tag, but didn't know that! That is cool, thanks!

 

[*Star*14]

What type(s) of food do you feed Tiki, besides the types of fruits and veggies?

 

[Ocean]

No problem!

Are you considering bringing him home soon? Or are there more factors that will determine if you get him or not

 

[Ocean]

Right now she is being fed a cockatiel seed mix with fruits and she also eats pellets. Shes currently eating hari tropican pellets, but I might change it to harrisons pellets


EDIT: She eats roughly a table spoon of pellets and two-three tsps of seeds a day. Some days its a little more, some days she doesnt eat as much. depends on the day I guess

 

[*Star*14]

Just getting some ideas on feed I know that I will get Harrison's for pellets then I will look at seed mixes next time I go to a more local pet store. I read on Lineolated Parakeet Society – LPS that you should just let them free feed. What would be your initial response? I thought that might make them a little chunky

Well... I have other pets: dog, cats, fish (ya, because they will attack my bird...). They won't be a problem, I'm just trying to convince other people it will be ok... I did think about this, will he be ok not being around other birds? All the birds are allowed all around the store.

 

[Ocean]

Harrisons is supposedly a good pellet, my local pet store hasto order it for me though, as they don't carry it. Sometimes it can be a little challenging to get birds to eat pellets, but there are many tricks to get your linnie use to them.

Tiki doesnt really eat all that much, ive tried giving her more, but I just end up throwing it out as I change her food everyday, so ive narrowed it down to how much she will eat in a day through trial and error.

I've got a dog too, fortunately my dog doesnt seem very interested at all with Tiki, you'll just have to take extra caution, and make there will be no way for your other pets to potentially harm little Moe

Linnies typically do well in pairs, as they like to be around a flock mate, I however only have one Linnie right now, and while my company may not be as good as another bird, she seems content. I currently live at home and everyone thinks having on bird is enough xD

 

[sunnysmom]

@Lady Jane

 

[Percy&Ivan]

[QUOTE="Ocean, post: 2478803, member: 13403]

I've got a dog too, fortunately my dog doesnt seem very interested at all with Tiki, you'll just have to take extra caution, and make there will be no way for your other pets to potentially harm little Moe
xD[/QUOTE]
That quote didn't work! Anyway, that's funny because Ivan is scared of Percy if he sees him his ears go down and he runs upstairs!

 

[*Star*14]

@Ocean
Good to know, I'll try different measurements with the food if I get him. Moe is already 4ish and he was never bonded to any birds, and the lady said that he would rather be with her then playing with the other birds.

 

[*Star*14]

@sunnysmom
Thanks!