Thinking of getting bird

[marcopolo]

Please don't tell me off for wanting a bird that can talk.

I am thinking of buying a parrot or a related bird and I would like to know what exotic birds are (in general) the smarted, best talkers and friendliest. Please tell me about reletive sizes as well. I have heard that Greys make excellent pets but they sound too large for my house. Please tell me if the birds would mind north Atlantic (Nova Scotian) winters.

[Jenny]

Hi, and welcome to this site! No, I won't "tell you off" for wanting a talking bird (though it's tempting) ;), but I can tell you that no parrot is GUARANTEED to talk even if their species is known for talking. I also can't tell you what bird is the smartest and friendliest- it completely depends on their personality, how they were raised, how YOU raise it, and more. It sounds like you haven't yet done much research on parrots, so that's your first step. First, BirdTalk is a great magazine to subscribe to especially for new bird owners. Secondly, here are some essential (in my opinion) books you shoudl read!: Guide to a Well-Behaved Parrot by Athan
My Parrot, My Friend by Doane
The Companion Parrot Handbook by Blanchard
Parrot Training: A Guide to Taming and Gentling Your Avian Companion by Doane
Guide to Companion Parrot Behavior by Athan
You can get all these books on Amazon.com. So, try to read these books, and also check out as many as you can at a bookstore or wherever on the individual species. About african greys, they are terrific birds- but, I wouldn't recommend them for first-time bird owners to most people for many various reasons. All pet birds are a huge responsibility and like having a three or four year old kid- are you ready for that? They are extremely sensitive too. Don't take this defensively please, but say for example you got a bird that never said a word- would you still like it?? If the answer is "no", then just don't get a bird. Now as far as which birds are "smartest", the answer is, they all are. How friendly they are depends on the individual species as well as how much they've been socialized and each bird's own attitude. Have you thought about a cockatiel? Don't ignore them just because they're small (about ten inches long)- they are very smart, extremely friendly, and many of the males learn to talk (IF you talk to them alot). They are great first-time birds and terrific pets! The same with budgies (known by most people simply as "parakeets") though males are usually more likely to talk than females as well. For the cold winters, if your house stays warm it should be fine. Well, if you have any more questions or want to know something, feel free to ask! I hope this helps, and I'm sure other people here have more they'd like to add. :)

[birdygirl]

The tiels or the budgies are excellent choices. Also Pionus (all though not known to be great talkers(even though my Sophie would prove them wrong)) Can be excellent companions. They are intelligent (Sophie figures out a new puzzle toy within seconds of it being put in her cage.) They are beautiful(pics don't do the justice ) In the sunlight you can see their jewel tone colors. They are slightly smaller than a grey and slightly larger than a tiel.

[dlaura]

Hi Jenny,

I am going to see if I can find the books you recommended.

I am learning more and more just by reading the ?s & answers of others. Went to the library last night - but it seemed to have very old books on the subject.

Thanks,
Diane (dsimko)

[JSimko]

All parrots are capable of being very friendly, however you need to buy one as a baby. You also need to see the bird at least once a day everyday. You should have someone at the store teach you how to hand feed your bird. Keep in mind the more time you spend with it, the more it will learn from you. Also find a bird that you will not be scared of holding. I have four birds, a parakeet
(says one phrase), a green cheek conure (very demanding, also talks), a goffin cockatoo (has not learned to talk yet), and a blue and gold maccaw (talks alot). My blue and gold talks very well, because when he was a baby, I drove 45 minutes each way to the pet store to visit and bond with him. I also hand fed him every time I visited. The cockatoo is my mothers bird, my mother rarely visited her in the pet store, so when she was old enough to come home the change was difficult. When my b/g came home with me, he was more than ready. Most birds require days of being in their new cage before they will let you hold them after switching homes, however my b/g (Taz) wanted to be out and with me right away. Tweety, my parakeet bonded with me while still in the pet store so bringing her was easy. Also in high school I wrote an essay on birds and discovered in my research that some people in colder climates keep crows and other birds in the same group, because they also can talk. Parrots should be alright if you keep the temperature at about 60 degrees or higher and are not constantly losing electricity. I hope you do pleanty of research before you make a decision.

[sleeepy2]

Ty this site:
http://parrothouse.com/articles.html
tons of really useful info.