First bird questions.

[sdsnakes]

I am thinking about getting a parrot sometime
in the future. Not for awhile yet, but was curious
as to what species would be good for beginners.
I dont want anything too expensive or large.
Keep in mind that i live in ontario canada and i
am not sure as to whats available here. Could
you guys help me get pointed in the right direction?

[Jenny]

You've come to the right place! Cockatiels make very good first-time bird pets, and are a perfect size as well as inexpensive, and you'd no doubt have little trouble finding a breeder where you live. They are very sweet birds, and love people. Budgies (parakeets) also make great first birds, and can be very personable, playful, funny, and energetic! Not to mention, they're just about the cheapest bird you can get. If you're thinking of something slightly larger, then many of the conures would be good choices although there's also small conures too. I have a green-cheeked conure, and they are approx. 10 inches long. I'd think they'd make a great first bird, and I can't say enough good things about mine! Any of the Pyhurra conures are great first birds- they're quiet, small, clownish, sweet, and more. The other main group of pet conures is Aratinga, which includes a whole bunch including blue-crowned conures, which are very common birds and terrific, smart, intelligent, etc. Blue-crowned conures in the US run about $300-350, and green-cheeks about $150-200. Some conures such as the sun conures can start bad screaming habits with inexperienced owners, so I wouldn't really suggest them. Have you subscribed to BirdTalk? It's a great magazine and has really great info especially for people new to birds. There's also a list in the back of breeders in Canada, so maybe you could contact some of them for suggestions. I hope this is of some help and there's many, many other kinds that I'm sure would make great firsts, but this should get you started. If you have any more questions, be sure to ask! :)

[Mrs.Birdy]

Don't know how readily available they are in Canada, but try looking into Pionus Parrots. I have a Maximillian Pionus. He is sweet, calm, quiet, and a great little talker, too. Most Pionus' are fairly low priced... between $200-$500. There are several varieties, and are generally easy to handle and great for first timers. As far as their size, they are considered medium sized, a little smaller than Amazons, ranging between 10 inches and 12 inches long, and they are stocky.

Take a look online.....they are sweeties.:)

[JSimko]

If you look into conures, try to stay away from green cheek conures. I have one that has quite a temper. He is really sweet at times, however if we do something that he does not like he bites very hard and actually goes for the throat. An example of what will set him off is, if we eat something that is not good for birds and we do not share with him he goes crazy. I would recommend a parakeet or an english budgie. English budgies are twice the size of a parakeet but look the same. An english budgie looks like a fat parakeet. Both are capable of talking and can be very sweet birds. If you talk to someone who has either never had birds or did not take proper care of their parakeet, they will probably say that parakeets live only about 5 years. If a parakeet is taken care of properly and given a diverse diet including seed, nuts, fruits, vegetables, and some meat. They are capable of living 20 years or even more. Last night I read on the internet that someones parakeet made it to 30 years old. The shocking part of it is that it did not die of old age. Their cat got it.

[Jenny]

I guess all green-cheeks are different because mine isn't like that much. I've read many places that green-cheeks make great pets for younger kids (supervised, of course) because they are so sweet and gentle- Kirby is more like that. He can bite, but that's only if the other birds are around and he's jealous because I'm paying attention to them and not to him. However, as an only bird, you wouldn't have a problem with that. I was just looking up breeders in Canada in my BirdTalk magazine, which reminded me of parrotlets and lineolated parakeets. Both are small and can make great pets, and so do quaker parakeeets. Like Mrs. Birdy mentioned, Pionus are also great, it just depends on size, availibility, and the price you want to pay, I guess.

[sdsnakes]

i was thinking more towards the parrot
aspect of it. I've owned budgies before,
would still have them but my dog ate them:mad:
There are a few i've been looking at,
like greys, amazons and a few others.
Can someone give me some info links?

[Jenny]

Well, greys and amazons for the most part are large (for parrots) and expensive. Most greys in the US cost at least $800 for congos and $600 for timnehs, and amazons cost around $500 up to quite a bit more. I think that the pionus parrots would be better for beginners, though it depends on what kind of amazon you were thinking about as well as how much you've read (or are planning to) and researched about them. That's the most important part, that you know alot about whatever species you'd like and that you realize what a huge responsibility a parrot is- it's a huge decision to add one to your life! If you want a good book to read on greys, I'd suggest Maggie Wright's book, "African Greys".

[Mrs.Birdy]

sdsnakes:

I like this site about Pionus Parrots. It is very informative. They are breeders from California, and do not ship birds. But the site has a lot of info on the species.

Go to:

http://www.pionusparrot.com/

I love my Maximillian Pionus.....he's very easy going and lovable, smart, too.

[birdygirl]

Pionus parrots are excellent.. They are not to expensive. They are quiet intelligent pets. My pionus can say 30 words and phrases approprietly. also they are large enough to not be fragile but small enogh to not be intimidating.

[Jenny]

What a coincidence-I had found that site a few weeks ago, and just the other day I was trying to find it again, but couldn't think of the address and had no luck. I agree, it is a wonderful website!

[birdygirl]

I love that site as well.

[teri]

sdsnakes

why are you contemplating getting a parrot if your dogs ate your budgies, not to sound mean, but how do you plan on protecting your new parrot from your dogs? very concerned for parrot's welfare.

[sdsnakes]

the dog has died since... it was 14 years
old at the time.

[birdgirl]

my dog use to kill my ducks so we had to stop getting them.

[Mrs.Birdy]

Just also wanted to mention that Parrots make wonderful "lifelong" companions. Many live 20-40 years (medium sized parrots) and then the large species can live 50-80+.

So it is important to understand that these highly intelligent birds should not be considered pets. They are long term companions and a prospective owner should become informed and prepared to take care of it for many, many years.

This is one of the facts I appreciate about Parrots. When you consider the lifespan of dogs, cats, etc., it's great to know that if your companion is well cared for, there are so many happy years you can spend together.

Good luck in your decision. You seem to want to become well informed in this matter before making a decision. Bravo.



:)

[birdygirl]

Check out some of the links. and look up parrots on the internet. Get Birdtalk. Also buy some bird books. I would reccomend Birds off the Perch.

[Redstorm1721]

Whats wrong with a parakeet? They learn to talk sing,and dance. They are very small,and very smart. They live to be 15 or even 20. they are not expensive, nor do they take up all your time. They have a great amount of different kinds to choose from. From english, to blue. Some are bigger then others, and have great personailtys. They are no different in my oppion, to most other birds. You see I love all birds. They will eat foods you cook, and be trained to come to you like any other bird will. They are loving and beautiful.Mine says hello,Pretty Girl,hi,thank you,and sings the tune to wizard of oz. I have had her for 5 years. They are very lovely and love attention. Also they can play very well on their own. So if you work durning the day,they can tend to them selves for a few hours. Sorry I took up the whole page.

[birdygirl]

Parakeets are excellen companions. However if you insist upon something bigger do remember that they need lots of time, space, food and cost lots of money. Cages are not cheap. My budgie amuses herself during the day when I am not home. She comes out for awhile to play and then wants to go back to the cage.

[Jenny]

Yes- even a cheaper bird will end up costing you a bunch in the long run since they need a continuous supply of food and toys, a nice quality cage, vet check-ups, a play stand, plus a lot of other things. They also take up lots of your time, and make travelling harder too. Definitely keep in mind that most parrots can live to be at least 30 yrs. old, and many can live up to 60 or even more. There's no doubt about it that having a parrot as a friend is absolutely wonderful, but you need to be aware of what comes with them.

[birdygirl]

I couldn't agree more with you Jenny. They are demanding. Budgies have great personalities along with being small and generally cheaper.

[Amanda]

Hi. I also live in Ontario, Canada and may have some idea regarding prices for birds. Depending on where exactly you live, there are a few bird breeders around. When I was looking for another bird (last March), I found several medium-sized parrot (CAG, Amazon, & Pionus) breeders around Ontario. Depending on how far you want to travel, I'm sure you'll be able to locate one from any of the bird magazines that's been mentioned in previous posts.

I decided on the Pionus breed because when I did a search for "quiet parrot" (because I live in a condominium and do not have very understanding neighbors), the one mostly recommeded is the Pionus. Noise-level is a big factor in my situation because our neighbors could hear, and complained about our cockatiel that turned to screaming when he lost his mate. This went on for about 3 months (all day & most of the night) until our neighbors said they just can't take it anymore.

Anyway, if you want to know about prices here in Ontario and would like to know more about the breeders (or where I got Rio from), send me an email and I'll give you more details.

Good luck in your search ... just take your time, research the breed a lot ... and I'm sure your heart will know which bird will be the right one for you.

[birdygirl]

So What breed of pionus do you have? I have a white cap.

[Amanda]

Hi birdygirl, Rio (my avatar) is a blue-headed Pionus. He is only 14 weeks old.

[pionuspasion]

How adorable! My Blue-head is sitting watching T.V. with my family right now. She's five years old, but as sweet as ever. Pionus make wonderful pets, but you can not expect too much from them. Some do talk, but some don't. Also, often they are not very cuddly, but enjoy head scratches very much. They are very quiet, mine only tweets occasionally, and they can be perch potatoes, so be careful to watch the diet for fatty foods.

[birdygirl]

Sophie hardly ever makes any noise...except for human speech. She is an exception to the pionus talking rule as she says 30 words and phrases cognatively.

[Amanda]

Hi birdygirl ... you are so lucky that Sophie talks. I know that Pionus parrots are not known for their talking abilities but I've heard a lot of people (in another board) say that their pinouses talk. I think there was a poll done and most of the people that said their Pionus talks, owns a WC. I think I also read somewhere (can't remember exactly where now) that of all the Pionus species, the WC's are the ones known for talking (and the Maxi's as well). Some of the BH's also talk (from what I've heard) but if Rio never talks, that's fine with me. I love him just the way he is.

[Amanda]

Pionuspassion, you mentioned about the Pionus diet. What do you feed your Pi? Right now, Rio weighs only 234g and according to the vet it's a good weight for a baby. I think the maximum weight they should reach is around 250-260g.

[Mrs.Birdy]

Amanda:

Keep working with Rio while she's young and she may be a good talker. Although my Marcel (Maxi) came to me at 3-1/2 yrs. old, he was saying "What you Want", "Hello", and a few words we think are in French because his original owners were French speaking, I started teaching him some new words/phrases and it worked after approx. 1 month of constant repetition. Now he says, in addition, "Hello...how are you" "I love You" and "Nite Nite". We do alot of "practicing" with him. When I offer him a treat, I ask him to say a phrase....it seems to be working.

However, he only talks when he wants to.......never on demand....and if he never utters a word again, I will love him just the same.

Birdygirl's Sophie the White Cap has an amazing vocabulary for a Pionus.

Good luck with your precious Pionus.

Roseanne:)

[Redstorm1721]

Hello,How about a Sengal? They are great for people that live in appartments. Relativley quiet,and great for playing alone. They are really snuggley and love to kiss and also "show off" Mine loves for me to watch her lay on the bottom of the cage while she kicks her bell! So funny.They eat what ever you eat,no Junk, I also give her seed of all kinds. Lots of water she loves to play in it. Taking baths and splashing around in it.they are not too messy and they are known to talk. Well some will never talk and thats just fine with me. But they have so much affection for their owner. They need to be around other family members if you want them to love all. They tend to love one person, and that can be hard to take care of them if you needed to be somewhere else for a time. My Sunni loves me but will tolerate others. Although I have to leave the room, or she will just fly to me.She loves my mom,I think she knows we are of the same. Also my husband she will be good with. I am glad about this,incase I have to be somewhere important. I don't usually go to far or too long. I will get home sick for my dogs and birds! I just love all my animals they are my children. Thanks for listening! Gail

[Redstorm1721]

Sengal,Parrots go anywhere from 300 to 500. That is alot 500 but when you purchase you have a cage to get,which must be quite large. Mine is floor style. Also play stand or tee stand. Mine has a large play area my husband made. with lots of different toys. They need lots and lots of toys. Then come the food, all kinds to choose from. So I guess I could go on and on. But read up on them if you are intrested. Plenty of info on line. And the birds like some have mentioned here. Bird talk,Bird U.S.A. all of them are great.

[pionuspasion]

Amanda:

My Pionus, Fiona, was on KT Fiesta Seed/Beak Appetit but I'm converting her to pellets/Beak Appetit. She's not chunky, yet, but she's been lazy recently and I don't want her to pack on extra grams. It's hard for me to say how much they should weigh, although my Pi weighs 235 grams. It sounds like shes skinny for an adult but her keel bone is well rounded, and my vet said she's in great shape. It's funny how I weigh my parrots more than myself. :) Also, I won't let them eat anything potentially harmful/fattening but I don't think anything of it when I have an extra dish of ice cream. Mothers love, huh?

[Amanda]

It's so funny you mentioned that, Pionuspassion. Come to think of it, I spend more time worrying about what to feed my FIDS than I worry about what I'm going to eat (whether it's healthy or not). I also spend more time looking for "organic" foods for them than I do for myself. Yep, I agree with you .... it's gotta be mother's love! :)

Thanks for letting me know the weight of you Pi. It's reassuring to know that Rio is not getting too skinny.

[birdygirl]

So how much should a pi weigh? Sophie the white cap weighs 202 grams. Is that a good normal weight for them?

[Mrs.Birdy]

Pionus Passion and Amanda:

lol. I am the exact same way with my birds. I buy the best, most nutritious food and snacks for all of them, but I, myself, indulge in a little too much junk.

Birdygirl:

My Pi weighs 242 grams which equates to 8.5 ozs. My vet said he's fine there.

Then again, the Maxi is the largest Pionus and I believe the White Cap is the smallest so Sophie may be right on target at 202 grams.

[birdygirl]

Thanks. I am the same way with my flock. They get the best food I can afford when I could care less about what I eat.

[dlaura]

How true - I am the same way. Always looking for something healthy and nutritious for them - while I don't worry about I will eat.

I think it is a "Mom" thing.

Hope everyone is having a good Monday!

[Jenny]

I used to not be too worried about what I ate for the most part, but after having parrots and reading all these things about nutrition for them, I've started worrying more about what I eat myself! I guess it's for the better... :)

[Mrs.Birdy]

I agree Jenny.....and if we take better care of ourselves, the better care we can give our Parrots.

Right?

:)

[Jenny]

Right! :D

[Redstorm1721]

I guess I should correct myself here! My birds eat pellets, and nutri berry and people food like vegys and fruits,meats sweet potatoes,also I feed them baby food if they are not eating their vegys. They love the tecture, and make a big mess while eating it. LOL. Anyway they are not left out on anything that is good for them. I also worry about my birds just like i worry about my kids!

[pionuspasion]

Whenever I eat dessert, I bring my Amazon with me. That way, I'm constantly reminded not to indluge. Because if my health fails, who will take care of my Loki like I can? :)

[Mrs.Birdy]

Great idea! Next time I am tempted to look in our refrigerator, I'll wear Marcel on my shoulder! lol.

:D

[Redstorm1721]

LOL!

[Jenny]

Good ideas! Kirby is like velcro on me and is almost always with me and insists on eating whatever I do...which helps alot in keeping me away from junk! If I'm eating chips or something and won't let him have one, then suddenly I remind myself that if they're not healthy for him, they're probably not so great for me either.

[Amanda]

Rio won't eat anything other than pellets, seeds, and nuts. She was weaned to all kinds of fresh foods (fresh fruits & veggies and cooked food like pasta, potatoes, etc.) but I haven't yet seen her eat any of the fresh foods I offer her. Maybe I'll start eating all kinds of "healthy foods" in front of her in hopes that she'll start to eat them.

Do you guys find that baby birds are not as adventurous when it comes to trying out new foods?

[Mrs.Birdy]

Amanda:

When I was trying to get Marcel to eat more fresh foods under the advice of my avian vet, I was told to offer these different foods first thing in the a.m. when he is most hungry, and take out any nutriberries, seeds, pellets, etc. overnight.

Well, it worked. Now, when I uncover his cage he screams for breakfast. I found that Beak Appetit is very healthy, nutritious, and easy to cook. He loves the warm meal. He also likes to eat eggs and cheese, but coming around to eating veggies (he seems to like baby spinach) but I am not giving up.

After breakfast, during the afternoon, I give him Pretty Bird Jungle Munchies (thanks Bonnie) as a snack. Then in the evening, I give him mainly Laeferbers nutriberries and table food from our dinner like chicken wings and veggies, etc.

This I believe is a very well rounded variety for the day.

Look up Beak Appetit online, and it is sold in many large pet stores.

;)

[Jenny]

I'd just keep offering her the fresh foods, and I'm sure one day she'll decide to try it. If you just give her a fruit once and she shows interest in it, don't give up and never offer it to her again. Also, it sometimes depends on how you offer it to her. All of my birds like to eat the same food different ways, so you just have to experiment to find what works. With certain veggies or fruits that my birds are reluctant to eat, I buy the human baby food variety and mix that in with their pellets or just plain, and they love it. Good luck! :)

[Amanda]

Thanks for the great suggestions, Mrs.Birdy & Jenny. I'll try what you both suggested and hopefully Rio will start eating the fresh stuff.