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Senegal, caique or conure

Dachshund King

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Hello again. I've received a lot of input and have now narrowed my interest to 3 main birds. I can't choose between a caique, a Senegal parrot and a green cheek conure. I have been recommended against a Senegal parrot by bird breeders however I still like them. Any experience with any of these birds will be helpful. I already have a large cage and should have plenty of time to spend with the bird. I plan on getting a hand reared bird. Any advice will be appreciated. Thanks.
 

ThatsFowlPlay

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Please look in these forums:
Caiques: The good, the bad, and the ugly about caiques | Avian Avenue Parrot Forum
Green Cheek Conure: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly about Green Cheeked Conures | Avian Avenue Parrot Forum
Sun Conure: The good, the bad, and the ugly on sun conures | Avian Avenue Parrot Forum
Nanday Conure : The Good, the Bad and the Ugly About Nanday Conures | Avian Avenue Parrot Forum
Senegal: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly about Senegals | Avian Avenue Parrot Forum

Caiques are very playful birds and need alot of room and interaction. They are know to be the clowns of the parrot world. But caiques do have their flaws. They can be LOUD. Also Caiques are like kids with ADHD in a form of a bird. But they are a blast.

Conures are very sweet lovable birds. They tend to be goofy, comical, and generally enjoy being silly and playful. Green Cheeks are consider a good apartment bird because compared to larger species, they tend to be quieter, both in frequency of screaming. GCC also can be a intermediate bird if you once owned small birds like budgies. Sun Conures on the other hand are LOUD, like REALLY LOUD. Sun conures are a one person bird. They tend to be more lovable towards one person than to others and can be jealous birds. Nanday conures are cuddly birds. But they too can be loud and can be a one person bird.

Senegals are playful birds. Although intimidating, they are very sweet. They are sweet and loyal. They are also one person birds. And man they can pack a bite.

These birds all need a flight cage (32x21) as they have lots of energy. LOTS of toys are needed too. All birds has their good and their bad sides, and every single bird is different. No matter what species a bird is, they all tend to bite. But pay attention to why they bite, they could bitten you because they are moody or they just hate the shirt you are wearing. Just make sure you always give your fid TLC.
 

karen256

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I would say GCC's are the most forgiving of these birds if you are new to birds. Senegals, while still great birds, can be a little more sensitive or nervous, less so if they are properly fledged and socialized of course. And they are more likely to be aggressive to new birds, if you think you might get more later on. Caiques can be so high energy that they have their own challenges. Caiques also generally need larger cages than other birds their size, because they are so energetic and prone to getting into trouble.
All of course can be cuddly, playful, social, and will enjoy all the attention they can get.

My GCC is not a perfect bird - she can bite if someone she doesn't like tries to pet her or pick her up sometimes - but her bite strength is much less than a Senegal or caique's. She is gentle with other birds, not a troublemaker, she loves to snuggle and cuddle, is very trainable and responsive, she is very quiet except when someone is vacuuming or washing dishes - she is basically just a wonderful loyal little companion. Basically you get the cuddliness and personal hygiene of a cat with the trainability of a dog; the downside of course being that she can bite some people, and likes to also chew on fingers (this is done very lovingly, in an attempt to preen, but is still rather annoying), and can make a big mess. She is very good about not pooping on people, and will fly to her perch to poop if it's convenient for her; however she has no qualms about pooping on the floor, or throwing food around.
 

cassiesdad

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Three very interesting species. I've never owned any of them, so I have no experience with them. I don't understand why a breeder would recommend against Senegals...maybe they have a rooting interest in selling you a different species?
 

sunnysmom

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Have you had the chance to spend time with any of them? If not, meeting some is really the best way to see which type you connect with. And try to meet adult birds, not just babies. All babies are cute and sweet. :) You need to see what the grown ups are like. :)
 

Pipsqueak

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I would attempt the caique if I would just want to own one bird.
 

Tim

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Having had a caique as a solitary bird, and now having a (different) pair, I can honestly say that I would never recommend a caique to someone who wanted only one bird. They are SO high energy, and demanding of your time and attention. With two they can work that energy out with each other. They still love their human companions, but they LOVE each other!
I have also had a Senegal. What a sweet bird! I don't know why anyone would talk you out of a Sennie. Our daughter took her when we moved out of state, and 15 years later she is still a sweet bird.
I have not had a GCC, but I have handled one once. They are very nice, inquisitive birds. A little flighty for me personally, although it may have just been the individual that I saw. I prefer the size of the caique or Senegal, but I am also in love with Black-capped and Crimson-bellied conures!
What it came down to for me is that I love the energy and playfulness of the Caique. They can be a handful, and their bite is...special. Fortunately neither of mine have really taken a hard bite. Yet.
 

Laurie

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Why in particular was a breeder not recommending a Senegal? Was it that they thought it was not a good fit for you or they don't like Senegals? Interesting.
 

Dachshund King

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Thank you all for the response. It was very useful. The breeder recommended against the Senegals because they thought that they were boring and would have a grumpy/mean phase as they grew into adults. I haven't had the chance to hold or interact with any of the birds but I have been to see some conures and caiques. Many thanks.
 
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