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Parrotlet as a first bird

Ali

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Hello all.

I have a pair of Celestial parrots and have found them quite easy to look after. They were not my first bird, so I already had experience. I am asking for a friend, who has never had a bird before. When kept in a pair, I find they are easier to care for as they don't need as much time with the owner, so ideal for people that work for more than half the day. Any thoughts?

Ali
 

Icey

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They would be good company for each other since nobody would be home for a good part of the day.
 

finchly

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I think they do make good company even if they have to be in separate cages.

Parrotlets won’t necessarily get along, you have to introduce them slowly. And even a bonded mate will sometimes turn and kill the other. I had a bonded female pair that were introduced late in life and caged together did great. I have a M-F pair now that are great, she’s 4or 5 and he’s one year old. Then I have 2 that are not going to get along with anyone. Each has their own cage! But I notice they sure pay attention to what the other is doing.
 

Mantis64

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I dont believe in starter birds or first birds as any bird is a big commitment. I understand that some are easier to take care of and require less time and money but I think that any bird is a huge commitment because they have such long lifespans. Saying this I would say some are easier to take care of then others for example you wouldn't get a child a macaw or cockatoo because of the huge responsibility and attention they require. But I guess yes parrolets could make a good pet for someone who is just starting to get into birds.
 

finchly

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I think so, except.... the biting. Some people have a strong reaction to the p'let habit of biting. I just ignore them, silly things, when they threaten to bite. And MIss Sunshine, bless her heart, nobody ever taught her that PEOPLE ARE WIMPs so she bites really hard - even when just testing your finger before stepping up! Not to draw blood, but enough to leave a mark.

But they are good pets. In fact - great pets. :) Not too loud, easily fed, inexpensive to maintain (relatively speaking)... their toy stash isn't even too awful. And all of mine can entertain themselves pretty well when let out of the cage.

because they have such long lifespans.
This is a great point. A ten year commitment or so.
 

ZekeZack

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Actually, they can live 25 - 30 years. Keep in mind the number one cause of death is getting stepped on and sat on so they rarely live that long in captivity. They are notoriously territorial and they like the ground which constantly puts them in the danger zone. They go for the feet and they do bite. A lot.

They are seemingly cuddly birds (love getting head scratches all day long) but you should not "cuddle" them because they are extremely sexual birds... even if it utterly impossible not to (they are so darn cute). It can easily turn into you being their mate which makes every other person a threat to that relationship.

When you have one they need sooo much attention. They are very time intensive birds and because of their strong moods it may not be safe to house them together with another parrotlet. They needs hours and hours of interaction every day imo.

For these reasons I really, REALLY do not think they are good birds for people with no bird owning experience. They seem easier to care for because they are small like finches or parakeets which is misleading... they are from an entirely different stock. I think the aggression sets them apart.

That said, a parrotlet was my first bird and Kricket showed me that I absolutely love birds. I think I would have found this out no matter what species my first bird was. I think if you are a bird person that it doesn't matter what breed you get you will love the experience. However we all have our favorites and some species we just 'mesh' with better than others.
 

sunnysmom

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I think that people should always start with the type of bird they want provided they do their research, etc. and understand what they're getting into. I fostered a parrotlet for awhile. i found him delightful. He was pretty cage territorial but not to the point that he would attack your hands but more give warning nips. Outside of the cage, he was completely fine. We didn't get to the point of scratches but he would let me hand feed him seeds without any trouble and sit on my lap. And he loved to fly and play. He shared a room with my foster canary-winged. He was fine with the other bird. The other bird was not fine with him. The one thing that always amazed me was how little and fast he was. I actually wouldn't let my fiance let him out on his own because I was afraid he would lose him in the house or have some type of mishap with him. I always felt I had to be extra cautious with him because of his size and speed.
 

JLcribber

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A solitary bird is a lonely bird. It's always better to have another of one's own kind. No matter the relationship.
 

TheBirds

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Our parrotlet actually gets too much attention :roflmao: He often opts not to come out of his cage because he's had his fill of us already for the day! He enjoys playing with his toys in his cage so is very entertaining in that respect. He's been very easy so far, sweet little "peeps" and chattering and a flock call that isn't too obnoxious. He does like to call out when his "flock" are leaving or arriving home!

But gosh is he ever mouthy! We brought home our new lovebird today (separate cages) and as I was beginning to handle him, I was amazed he wasn't meeting me with his open beak each time we interacted. But to get back to your original question, if your friend is gone all day, then yes it would be kinder to get two parrotlets to keep one another company :)
 
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