Indian Ringneck or Rock Pebbler? First time bird owner

[Kelsih11]

Hi. I have been looking into getting a parrot for a while. I started with picking out a GCC or a Senegal, then decided those might be a little out of my experience level. I have now been looking into rock pebbles, which seem like a perfect fit, but Indian ringneck said have also caught my eye. Any suggestions? I want a family bird, as I live with my parents and will be moving in with my boyfriend eventually. I like the cuddle factor and the quietness, as far as screaming goes, talking I can deal with. Any help will be appreciated!

[Pajarita]

Well, if you want 'cuddly' rock pebblers are definitely out because they are aviary birds. As to an IRN, I've never known one to be really 'cuddly' although they can be affectionate but they are also not recommended as a first time bird because they require experienced and long daily handling or they revert very easily to what people call 'wild manners'

Actually, for cuddly, I would go with a GCC because they love been on people and to cuddle next to your neck. But, mind you, they also require more one-on-one than other species and it has to be every day or they get very nippy.

[Kelsih11]

Well, if you want 'cuddly' rock pebblers are definitely out because they are aviary birds. As to an IRN, I've never known one to be really 'cuddly' although they can be affectionate but they are also not recommended as a first time bird because they require experienced and long daily handling or they revert very easily to what people call 'wild manners'

Actually, for cuddly, I would go with a GCC because they love been on people and to cuddle next to your neck. But, mind you, they also require more one-on-one than other species and it has to be every day or they get very nippy.

I have been doing a lot of research on the rock pebblers and the bird farm I went to had hand fed babies that were sold as pets, rather than aviary.

[Wolf]

Please try to understand that the birds you buy from a breeder are all babies, and that translates into a more docile and dependent bird, Even in the wild these birds are still dependent upon their parents to teach them the skills needed for survival such as how to find food and water as well as flock skills. When they go through puberty their whole personality undergoes a change. This is true of all parrots regardless of species and is the primary reason that so many parrots end up being rehomed or in rescues.
Your very best bet to finding the bird of your dreams is to visit a few rescues with different species of birds. Make a list of what your schedule is as well as what you are looking for in a bird and let them guide you in species choice. Then wait for the right bird to choose you and not the other way around.

[Pajarita]

Wolf is correct. Basically, ALL babies, handfed or not, are cuddly and affectionate and this is most especially true of altricial species -with parrots been super altricial. But, handfed or not, once an aviary bird reaches sexual maturity, his interest in a human will wane significantly and will want to be with other birds of its own species (and this is why they are called 'aviary' and not 'companion' species). This doesn't mean that the bird will start attacking you, it will still hold trust and affection for you but it does mean it will become aloof and will not allow to be touched much (ergo, no cuddliness at all).

When a breeder tells you something, you need to do your own research and see if this is really 100% true because breeders are not bird lovers, they are giving you their pet bird for free, they are merchants and birds are their merchandise and, like any other merchant, they will 'adorn' the truth about how good is their merchandise in order to sell it.

Wolf is also right in that you would do much better with a rescue bird because, when you get a baby and have no experience, you could make a mistake that would mess up the whole relationship forever as well as choose one that will not grow up to be what you want. You are better off getting an adult bird (what you see is what you get because it already went through puberty) that has been evaluated by somebody with more experience and can tell you whether the bird is cuddly and has the capacity to like several people at the same time.

[Flybear]

I have been keeping Rock Pebblers as pets for years - in a large flight cage indoors and they make terrific pets . They are laid back, very social with other Pebblers and do NOT get wild when they mature ( who came up with that idea ? ) I am keeping a small flock of 5 - 2 Males, 3 females -among them one happy bonded pair - and all of them are still very sweet with me and my family ( includes kids). They are among the most easy going birds I have kept and seem to genuinely enjoy human contact as they remain tame even if not played with every day and kept in a community flight. They learn to talk ( yes even in a flock) and love to eat and their favorite thing seems to be water - the bathe like ducks -until they are soaked. Rock Pebblers enjoy toys but are not very destructive. They are not prone to hormonal behaviour. There is no need to keep them as single birds - if properly socialized as babies they are just as tame and talkative when kept with a buddy ...
I am not sure what exactly got them the reputation to be aviary birds ( should not all birds be kept in large flights ??) . They make much better pets than most parrots. None of my Pebblers likes head scratches but they all are very affectionate ( they tend to run their head against be or give kisses ) -they are smart and playful and very very addictive

[Wolf]

And you are actually keeping them in an aviary type of setting, which is the point that Pajarita was trying to make. They do best when kept in this fashion, they feel much more secure this way, a thing that is not easy to obtain when they are kept as single companion birds.

[Pajarita]

It's all a matter of what one person considers a 'good pet', my dear. You are keeping a small flock of them in an aviary. Your set up is PERFECT for them and I am sure they are very happy as well as relatively low maintenance compared to other parrot species - and, because your expectations are fulfilled, you consider them great pets. And I agree 100% with you, I would also think of them as excellent 'pets'! But, a small flock in a large aviary is not the same as a single bird that is supposed to be a lone cuddly companion to a human - and that's where the 'aviary' versus 'companion' comes into the discussion. Aviary birds don't make good single cuddly companions because it's not in their nature to be so, they are too flock oriented and flighty for it and, when they are forced to live by themselves with only humans for company, they are not happy because their emotional needs are not been fulfilled. And, an unhappy and lonely bird is a nippy and aloof bird - hence, their not been good companion birds.

[Flybear]

Heehee -I am keeping them as pets -they all step up, sit on our shoulders, give us kisses, share our breakfast, play wig my kids ( they love legos) , they run after us when we come home and love to be held close. I breed cockatiels which most consider excellent companions and my Pebblers are tamer and more personable than my also very cuddly cockatiels. I might have created a situation that is more ideal than a single bird but I started out with one single Pebbler ... I have kept Parrot species of all sizes over the last 25 years and Rock Pebblers make better pets than most other species. Few handfed them but if you are lucky enough to find a handfed baby you should give them a try. You are bound to fall in love ... Both of my young children LOVE their Pebblers and their knack for toys and sense of humor ...

[Wolf]

No argument from me, sounds wonderful.