What kind...

[Valorr]

Hi, Im getting a bird soon and I don't know what kind to get! I love cockatiels but both me and my brother have cat and horse allergies(him worse than me) and I worry that we would be allergic to the dust they produce. I'm not a huge fan of budgies and don't really want one. Lovebirds I havent really looked in to but there not my favorite. I have been thinking about parrotlets but I know there not generally recomended for first time owners. Another one I just recently discovered was the lineolated parakeet, are they a good pet? So, any ideas or recomendations?

[Wolf]

Well to begin with I never ever recommend any specific species of bird to anyone, This is no exception to this either, but I think that I still may be able to make a suggestion or two that may help you in your quest.
Make a couple of lists, the first list should be why you don't want the birds that you say you don't like, you know thinks like noisey, too small ,too big or what ever the trait is that you don't like. Make the second list about what you think are important traits for your ideal bird, this would be a listing of what you are looking for in a bird.
This would be my starting point for research into the various species of parrots and there are more than 350 species of them. Then put the birds in a list of yes, I like and no, I don't like as you research them. I would also find a bird rescue that I could visit and volunteer at for the exposure to the birds and for the experience of learning how to take care of them.

[Polarn]

I can say this tho, you might be right about the dust, depending on how sensitive you are to it. my brother is allergic to a shitload of things and well.. (he likes birds just as me) but e gets really bad whenever he has cuddled a cockatoo, and well a cockatiel pretty much produces the same dust although in much smaller quantities and most people that are sensitive can get past that by being really really thourough and frequent in their cleaning of the home.

All birds produce dust though, but.. some more than others, som (lika cockatoos) uses a chalky dust to take care of their feathers, others like amazons use a fatty gland for the same purpouse. Since I am not allergic I havn't spent a great deal into looking at wich birds uses what type of "substance" to take care of their feathers, and I am especially not that well read up on the smaller birds I'm afraid.

Now I am actually a big fan of agapornis (lovebirds) couse I just think their so darn cute and they kind of have a big birds face all shrinked down and cartoonized (not even a word I think). And while I am not a big fan of the whole idea of breeding for colors I can not deny that some of the colors these come in is absolutely supercool, such as these:
http://agaporniden-baetz.de/s/cc_images ... 1419975887

Although I might be a fan of lovebirds that doesn't mean it is the right bird for you. I mean I have certain species that I wouldn't feel much desire of having as companion birds, some of them are among the most popular ones. And some are on the list of what others would drem of... I had a friends toucan living here with me for a while (about 6 months) while my friend was sick... I harness trained him and took him around like any other of mines and while he draw a lot of attention I figured, I would not want to get a toucan of my own. sure he was all sweet and cuddly but not for me (and yes I know toucans arn't really parrots, their in the same family as wood peckers). As mentioned earlier try visit rescues, if you happen to live in a place such as me where there are NO rescues. try finding communities in real life of people owning birds, and try meet different birds that way. Just make sure that whatever you end up with (if you end up with anything, providing people do enough research a lot of people back out, especially people who had had children that now has grown up and they figure, that they do not want to take on a toddler again for the next decades, and that what having a bird is and the attention they need if kept as single companions, now you can keep flocks in large flight aviaries and such and get past the toddler caring.. but I get the idea that that isn't what your after) anyways, make sure that whatever you end up with, your prepared and know that it will limit your ability to go off for vaccation or even spend weekends somewhere else. It will impact your relationships (sometimes with your bird sometimes with romantic/friendship/family-relationships). Good luck in your research

[Valorr]

Thank you both for your reply! I dont have any bird rescues near me sadly but im going to a shelter near me as they have two love birds so im going to visit them and see what I think

[Wolf]

Let us know what happens, please.