The journey continues!

[Atomiklan]

So still no official decisions yet, but I am making a lot of progress. I have been spending some time with a Sun named Brett at the local pet store near my office. I do feel a little bad going over so much. He's very cute. Here are some pictures:



I also spent a little bit of time with some new friends and their Cockatoo. Very cool bird, but not for me. It was great to have lunch with them and "Furgie" to at least get some exposure to larger birds. Forgot to get pictures that day. Turned into more of a question answer session.

Lastly, yesterday I had an exceptional visit. Furgie's owners got me in touch with a really sweet lady named Jennifer in Raleigh (well Apex) that rescues. I spent the morning yesterday at her house talking and visiting with all her rescues. Got to meet several new breeds. She currently has a Cockatoo and a smaller version of the same bird (forget the name). Also met a African Grey for the first time (from a distance haha), a female Eclectus (which I fell in love with), and a blue throated Macaw (Very cool!). Here are a few pics:



Still struggling the most with the "one vs two" decision. After the visit with Jennifer though, I think I at least know I do NOT want a M|F pair if I get two. I was really leaning that way originally. I just liked the idea of having the M|F pair, especially in the future if I ever did decide to let them breed. I think Jennifer convinced me though that even though they are Caiques and still generally bond to their parent, having a mated pair introduces the possibility of added aggression, especially during breeding season. Since I am a new owner, it seems best to take everyone's experienced advice. Anyways, the "one vs two" battle still rages on. Here is the current updated version of the PRO v CON table. Thank you all for the additions.

http://host.atomiklan.com/caique/index.html

 

[sunnysmom]

Good luck with finding your bird. Or letting the bird pick you- always a good way to go. My suggestion would be to start with one bird and then go from there. You can always add a second bird at any time.

 

[WendyN]

With 2 caiques, you won't have to entertain them. They will entertain each other.

 

[Hankmacaw]

The macaw seems to fit you perfectly.

 

[Atomiklan]

The macaw seems to fit you perfectly.

Ha... Awesome bird, but yeah, in no way ready for that.

 

[Hankmacaw]

Why not - I started out with a full grown, wild caught, male GW. In fact, many of our members started out with a macaw.

 

[saroj12]

If it helps I got 3 mo old JoJo in August and four month old Chickie in October (both in 2005). Unrelated.

 

[jmfleish]

Love the BTM! You didn't want to try the grey on for size?

 

[Atomiklan]

Why not

Really? That seems to go against all the advice I have been given? Seems like quite an advanced breed for a first timer. I think I'll stick with the Caiques. They are going to be enough trouble as it is

 

[Atomiklan]

Thanks saroj12. Forgot awhile ago to subscribe to you on YouTube. Glad to finally see a channel with two Caiques that are still posting videos years later hahaha. Most channels would post updates of their two Caiques the first couple of years and then go silent. I kept telling myself, "Well maybe they just got tired of posting to YouTube...", but of course in the back of my head I am thinking "I hope they still have their Caiques... This is a bad omen...".

 

[Atomiklan]

You didn't want to try the grey on for size?

The African Grey was VERY cool. Would need to get used to the dusty variety of feathers, but yeah maybe. This particular Grey had certain people he liked only so I admired from a distance as a first time visitor.

 

[saroj12]

Thanks saroj12. Forgot awhile ago to subscribe to you on YouTube. Glad to finally see a channel with two Caiques that are still posting videos years later hahaha. Most channels would post updates of their two Caiques the first couple of years and then go silent. I kept telling myself, "Well maybe they just got tired of posting to YouTube...", but of course in the back of my head I am thinking "I hope they still have their Caiques... This is a bad omen...".

There is an email list dedicated to caiques (I'm unsubscribed now) and only a few people have been there for years. Quite a few posts from people wanting to rehome their caiques. And like you, the people who disappear, I wonder if they still have their caiques.

 

[jmfleish]

Really? That seems to go against all the advice I have been given? Seems like quite an advanced breed for a first timer. I think I'll stick with the Caiques. They are going to be enough trouble as it is

Honestly, I would suggest that BTM over a Caique as a first bird any day of the week. It's not the size that matters!

 

[jmfleish]

The African Grey was VERY cool. Would need to get used to the dusty variety of feathers, but yeah maybe. This particular Grey had certain people he liked only so I admired from a distance as a first time visitor.

Greys are amazing birds but can change their loyalties. We have four of them. A Timneh who is loyal to me who I got from the breeder at four months of age and met at four weeks of age. I raised him myself until my significant other came into the picture when he was nine and he doesn't care much for Jon. Then there is Clancy CAG who was rehomed to me at 16 and has trust issues. He was about 19 when Jon came into my life and is wary of me but would probably bite Jon if Jon tried to handle of him. He's not fond of hands period and I have to be careful when I offer my hand to him but it's mostly about reading his body language and respecting his boundaries. Out of all the birds in our house, he's probably our best talker and has us in stitches because he yells at all the other animals. We brought the other two CAGs, Aspen and Smokey, into our house together as adults. Aspen joined us at 16 and is now 20, another prolific talker who lived with a bachelor the first 16 years of his life. He swears like a sailor and is the sweetest soul I know and loves to be pet but won't trust anyone unless his life depends on it. I think he'd be a total cuddle bug if he'd just trust me! He used to get out of his cage and stalk Jon but now he pretty much stays near home because he doesn't even trust the other birds. Clancy has been trying to make friends with him but there's no way...he totally and literally throws a fit if Clancy comes anywhere near him. The Amazons didn't used to bother him but even they can't get to close to him anymore. He will let you pet as long as you do not ask him to come out of his house! Last, but not least is Smokey who is 20 and does not like women. He loves Jon to bits but I have to be careful with him when I'm around his cage. Get him away from his cage then it's not such an issue.

If you live alone, your chances with a baby are pretty good for that baby to grow up loving you unconditionally. Otherwise, getting an older grey who you know likes you from the start is the way to go. I personally think they're awesome but I'm a bit biased!

 

[jmfleish]

Oh, and yes, I would suggest a grey over a Caique as a first bird again! I volunteered at a rescue for two years and we used to board a pair of male Caiques once a month for a doctor who just needed a break from them and they were just mean and cunning! I'll never forget the one time our VP was trying to feed them and they ganged up on her so they could get her to forget she had two feeder doors open and they went out that feeder door and attacked her viciously! She had bite marks on her neck and all over her arms and getting them back into that cage was nothing short of a miracle.

Another time, the president took them home for a weekend and somehow they got out in the middle of the night and stalked her B&G and she swears had she not woken up, they would have killed her bird. They really put an impression on me. They're very high energy and the one thing I've learned is you need to give them the attention they seek or they can go destructive on you and quickly. I think Saroj and a few others on this board do a really good job with them and make it look easy and even fun but I know I am not one of those people who can do a Caique justice and I have six Cockatoos at home!

 

[saroj12]

JoJo and Chickie never changed their personalities as they grew up. You can't take away JoJo's food, he growls, but lately he's been resigned to having the seed bowl whisked away without a murmur. He's on a diet as they are both overweight. They fly but not enough, Chickie would rather be taxied around unless she's alarmed. Caiques aren't really built for long flights, in the wild they hop around in the canopy from tree to tree. They sound like a chopper when they fly.

 

[Birdbabe]

Whatever bird chooses you will have a wonderful home!

 

[javi]

Caiques have the reputation as fun comical birds. I have known several that turned nasty when they got older. That being said I know some real sweethearts. Their energy level is too much for me in either case.

 

[Atomiklan]

Thanks everyone for the responses. Will be hitting up the bird fair Memorial day weekend at the NC State fairgrounds next.

 

[TWR]

So still no official decisions yet, but I am making a lot of progress. I have been spending some time with a Sun named Brett at the local pet store near my office. I do feel a little bad going over so much. He's very cute. Here are some pictures:

View attachment 249964 View attachment 249965

I have a Sun Conure - my favourite species.