Is it acceptable to get an African Grey as first parrot?

[LiaraTivona]

I do agree that there is "scale" in the sense of toys, expense, volume, and size to an extent.

Certainly it helps to have smaller bird first to understand these "costs." Feeding a budgie and providing toys is relatively cheap, but still work. I couldn't imagine having to provide toys for a bird who can instantly break a stick in half (my bird takes about 3 days to break a 3/4 cm natural perch). I also have felt her "meanest" bites before I learned how to provide correct stimulation from Lisa Shea. She grabs your skin and tears, like a dog! I've bled. I don't want to lose a digit to an African Grey.

Bigger and more complicated doesn't mean better unless you're specifically looking for a challenge. That's like saying horses (or worse, dolphins) are better than pet dogs, and once you master one, you should move up to the other if you're serious about animals.

Someone who can't devote time to a budgie, sure as heck can't to a grey.

After reading this topic, I wonder if part of my "lack of time" for my budgie has to do with boredom? I never really thought of Tika as "boring" but I do often complain that when we spend time together, all she wants to do is sit and talk bird talk, which I can only stand so much of, being college edumucated and all.

I am sure it would not be as bad if I worked more at training her. Still, I always wonder what it would be like to have a parrot more inclined to do silly things, let you rub and hold it, and maybe talk and whistle. Then again, if after training I am still bothered by the boundary between bird and human (especially in cuddling) maybe I should consider having a dog in addition to a bird, rather than finding a bird that I expect to exhibit dog-like behavior.

Even a small bird can live 15-20-25 years... if someone is really captivated with an and after really giving it fair and honest thought really wants one, is it fair to the to insist they start out with a budgie they don't really find compelling and which will likely become second class bird after the desired arrives?

That's actually a worry of mine. I shamefully confess that I have to persuade myself not to think of other birds as "better" than , in spite of my earlier posts. I definitely would not recommend getting an "easier" bird just to prep for a larger bird. If someone like me who LOVES budgies can be tempted to think this way, I can't imagine the neglect a budgie would face with someone who didn't want one to begin with.

Also, budgies may not be squawky, but in the morning I have to take Tika in my room so she doesn't wake my roommate. When she is on my shoulder calling for my roommate, I think I lose some hearing. This is neither for nor against starting with louder/quieter birds, but merely a statement that birds can be deafening, something you might not realize buying them when they are all despondent ( ) or chirping happily with their flock ( ) in a pet shop cage.

[Michael]

After reading this topic, I wonder if part of my "lack of time" for my budgie has to do with boredom? I never really thought of Tika as "boring" but I do often complain that when we spend time together, all she wants to do is sit and talk bird talk, which I can only stand so much of, being college edumucated and all.

I am sure it would not be as bad if I worked more at training her. Still, I always wonder what it would be like to have a parrot more inclined to do silly things, let you rub and hold it, and maybe talk and whistle. Then again, if after training I am still bothered by the boundary between bird and human (especially in cuddling) maybe I should consider having a dog in addition to a bird, rather than finding a bird that I expect to exhibit dog-like behavior.

Who'd want a dog? Parrots are so much cooler and smarter anyway. I can picture my parrot telling a dog "I can do anything you can do. I can do anything better than you."

Fetch


Play Dead


Petting


I'm sure even barking, parrots could do as well if not better. No, I cannot imagine getting bored of a parrot. If someone is bored of their parrot it's because they don't put anything into it or challenge their parrot enough.

[lzver]

Who'd want a dog? Parrots are so much cooler and smarter anyway. I can picture my parrot telling a dog "I can do anything you can do. I can do anything better than you."

I'm sure even barking, parrots could do as well if not better. No, I cannot imagine getting bored of a parrot. If someone is bored of their parrot it's because they don't put anything into it or challenge their parrot enough.

I grew up dogs my whole life and while I am still a dog lover, I don't think I'll own one again. I'm a parrot lover for life now

[MandyG]

I'm sure even barking, parrots could do as well if not better.

My parrot does bark louder than my dogs... And my parrot can tell my dogs to be quiet better than I can!

Parrots are great, I don't think I'll ever live without one now, but I love dogs just as much.

[LiaraTivona]

Haha, I see where you are coming from, but there is the "hug" factor, and a standard poodle obviously provides a more mammalian hug than even the largest and cuddliest parrot.

Also, I think it can be nice to have an animal around who is not as smart or smarter than you. =P

Unlike Tika, who tries to undermine me and succeeds!

We're working on it.

[skeetersunconure]

http://parrotnation.com/2010/06/04/i-dont-believe-in-starter-birds/#comments


edit:
To expand on my point, with my own experiences, it drives me insane when people ask for good "starter fish". Usually they don't mean what fish will be easy to understand and is a healthy choice, they mean, what fish will be able to surive terrible conditions, dirty water, and missed feedings. Just because an animal is strong enough that it CAN handle not being respected, doesn't mean it should have to.

sorry not trying to be rude or anyting i just wanted to tell you that starter fish for most novist aquarists is this: when you first set up an aquarium it is just water and chemicals you need to start the nitrogen cycle and this takes a few weeks and it is easier if you have a fish to speed it up. I looked for a fish that is hardy that could break the tank in to make it a safer environment in the long run for him and other fish and also to be able to handle begginers mistakes so i bought a tetra and he did a very good job. its not that you look for a starter fish to be able to neglegt it its to be able to learn from your mistakes as a begginer when first learning about water quality like pH and nitrates and nitrites and stuff like that with a fish that is more forgiving than say an angel fish. Now for the bird question: i would say this i dont agree in getting a bird that is meant to be a starter just to be able to get bigger ones i think it is wise to start with a smaller parrot like a conure to get experience when you want to get a larger bird if the two birds are equal so the term starter bird for me is just a harmless term being that its a smaller bird to learn with and love so that you can be able to learn how to equally love a macaw safely and appropriatley so this is my opinion that if all birds are equal i have no problem in saying that skeeter is my starter bird because he is he is my First bird which is what i think starter bird should mean.