2nd thoughts?

[Prissy]

In the past I have had finches, budgies, cockatiels and even in our old rescue handfeed and released bluejays and a great heron along with nursed a redhawk back to health. I have bird experience but have not had one in my home for a few years. We are military and I wanted to be settled in a place for a while before getting another. Well that time is here and I wanted a much larger parrot this time. One that would possibly even out live me I always wanted a macaw as a child and have spent the last year researching and joining a macaw forum. I wanted to be best prepaired. I have bought the cage (7ft by 4ft by 3ft) and all my perches and toys for a macaw. Everything is set up and I have visited dozens of breeders and found one whom I really like him and his birds. He has a pair who should be breeding soo so I've been in the hurry up and wait process. However recently on my macaw forum I read a story of a broken hand and torn tendon with a few stitches thanks to a bite. I've known to expect the occasional bite and that it could be pretty nasty. But I had a flash of that happening to one of my small children and am now a bit worried. SO.. Am I getting the right parrot for my family? That's the question... We want a larger to med size parrot (bare in mind we already have a huge cage and toys made for large beaks) that's highly intelligent. We want vocabulary but cuddly nature is important too. We have two young children 5 and 2 who loovvvve birds. Each time we went visiting breeders they gravitated to umbrella cockatoos, each and every time! But I worry about my allergies with them. I want a bird we can all interact with. I anyone every day and have nothing but time for a new family member. Am I letting this one situation with someone else ruin my plans? Or is there another species that would be better suited for our family?

[Prissy]

am home* not anyone

[felix11]

I wouldn't go for a cockatoo! Dust everywhere, potential for serious personality problems, screaming, plucking, etc. Remember that a super sweet, cuddly baby cockatoo is not that same as an adult cockatoo. Just like macaws, cockatoos have the potential to cause serious physical damage. Make sure you have looked thoroughly at this website before making any decisions about cockatoos:

http://www.mytoos.com/

Going off what you have said, I would personally gravitate towards a blue and gold macaw. They are cuddly and generally calmer/ more easy going than other macaws. Also, I'm sure quite a few people on this board might suggest a Cape Parrot. Super sweet personalities, talkative and very gentle. All parrots species will usually prefer one person to all others, but as long as your parrot (of any species) is handled by every family member regularly it should be fine interacting everyone. Hope this helps!

[pennyandrocky]

just curious why not adopt? a rescue will find you a bird who likes children, i would be very nervous bringing home a large living nutcracker into a house with a 2yr old, i have a small cockatoo and got a nice peak at finger bone protecting my face when i got a little too comfortable and did somthing dumb. i have a 6yr old who has also been raised around birds his whole life and have to constantly remind him to respect the birds space he is used to my blue front who we lost last year he used to play army man with him and talk to him while he took his bath. these birds can be cute and cuddly then they reach maturity and those teenage hormones kick in and they can be dangerous.

[Prissy]

I have nothing against adoption. I have looked into here. My only thing with adoption is that the very few rescues we have on the island mostly receive cockatiels and conures as they are the most popular here. Which both birds are great but I washopig for a bigger bird. Plus we don't have many rescues and the rescues rarely receive birds anyway. I knew about the neurotic behavior of toos but figured with me being home so muc it would not be a problem. However the dust and my allergies are concerning. The breeder has a pair of blue and golds and a pair that is a scarlet and blue and gold so either way I have the chance of BG personality.

[cml]

If you are worried about the possibility that a big parrot will bite your children, why not get a smaller one, ie a medium-sized parrot? They are just as much a great companion and individuals as macaws?

I would definatly not opt for a cockatoo, they are notoriously hard birds to keep and can develop many psycological problems. Why not look into the Pionus-breed, they are gentle birds from what I've heard, or one of the many Poi's? Poi's are one of the most favored birds here on these forums and there is an abundance of people who can tell you about their experiences with them. Or why not get a Hahn's macaw? They are smaller macaws with big macaw personalities =)!

Personally, in your situation, with children and low tolerance for dust rule out:

Cockatiels (dust)
Cockatoos (too hard a bird to keep, dusty and psyche)
Macaws (Great birds, huge personalities but when they bite they bite down hard)

A big cage is GREAT, a mid sized parrot will love the space and will have a much better life for it =)!

[Prissy]

I will look into and research pois! The are not a bird I know much about and have not heard a whole lot about here. I will let you all know what I find out and decide. More feedback is always welcome but I'm going to read up a bit on some med sized fellas

[dohcsvt]

Because of the size cage you have gotten and the fact that you would like a gentle bird, with a good vocabulary and easy going personality have you thought about a Hyacinth macaw. Yes, they are HUGE, but are one of the most gentle and loving parrots, as well as well known talkers. Not too mention they are gorgeous..atleast in my opinion. I am unsure of prices, but I think they might be a bit expensive. Just my thoughts.

[Prissy]

I have looked into hyacinths! I love love love them!! I have a good friend that is a hyacinth lol but they are about 5-10 times the cost of a blue and gold or Catalina/Harrlquin ect!! If I won the lottery that's my perfect bird!!!! Such gentle giants!!!

[cml]

I have looked into hyacinths! I love love love them!! I have a good friend that is a hyacinth lol but they are about 5-10 times the cost of a blue and gold or Catalina/Harrlquin ect!! If I won the lottery that's my perfect bird!!!! Such gentle giants!!!

I too love hyacinths,who doesnt ^^?

Did you look at hahn's macaw or noble macaws?