New to Parrots/buying advice

[jstefanop]

Hello, I am John and live an hour north of NYC.

Im interested in picking up a parrot for a pet, and would like to pick out the right one from the beginning and would like some advice regarding the type of parrot and where I should buy it from.

I defiantly do not want a larger bird, the smaller the better. I also plan on training the parrot as much as I can, so I would prefer a species that is "smarter" if thats the right word.

I also dont live alone, so would prefer a bird that will like being around multiple people, even though Ill be the main person handling it.

When I do find the right bird for me, where should I look for one? Ive seen parrots at petco etc, but I have a feeling they are over priced and not the right place to pick one up.

Any advice is greatly appreciated.

[Rue]

It's so good you're doing research!

First of all I want to mention there is no guarantee that any bird you get will be universally friendly and like people. I don't let mine out when we have company over. It's just easier that way, less stressful for the bird and people are less likely to be bitten, or flown at, etc.

But you might luck out. Some indivduals are friendlier than others.

You have many options. I'd suggest you look at the green-cheek conures to begin with. Parrotlets are another small option, but may not be as easily trained, I'm not certain about that.

Once you pick a breed, then you can look up breeders...or look for rehomes.

[Kim S]

Couple of questions you need to ask yourself:

What do you want in a bird?
Does it have to be cuddly, does it have to talk, does it have to do tricks.
What is the noise level you are comfortable with.
How many hours a day are you willing to spend on it.
How much is your budget.
How big of a cage are you willing to buy (money and spacewise).

Try to answer all these questions and then look for a bird that will fit most of the criteria. That will prevent a lot of problems after you made your decision.

If you check out some of the video's Michael has put online you can see Duke the budgie doing all sorts of tricks as well. So its not so much the intelligence of the species but the willingness of the owner to put in the effort that determines wether or not the bird will learn tricks.

If you are looking for a big bird persona in a small package, I would go looking for a Senegal. But I guess I am a bit biased

[Michael]

Hello, I am John and live an hour north of NYC.

Welcome. I live in NYC.

Im interested in picking up a parrot for a pet, and would like to pick out the right one from the beginning and would like some advice regarding the type of parrot and where I should buy it from.

You've come to the right place

I defiantly do not want a larger bird, the smaller the better.

Budgerigar

I also plan on training the parrot as much as I can, so I would prefer a species that is "smarter" if thats the right word.

Budgerigar

I also dont live alone, so would prefer a bird that will like being around multiple people, even though Ill be the main person handling it.

Yup, still Budgerigar.

[Red Moppet]

Hi John!

I trained my budgie (he's 2 days away from being 3 months old) to target, turn around and fetch in the span of 4-6 weeks. He's definitely a smart little thing and sweetly and willingly steps onto my friends' fingers and never bites. He often sings/chirps during the day but he's hardly loud (I can still watch tv and hear the tv and not just the bird!) His poops are small and so easy to clean up and his food and toys are comparatively a lot cheaper than store-bought toys and pellets for larger parrots.

I had originally wanted a "smarter" and "more interactive" parrot but now that I know what a budgie is like I absolutely adore him and wouldn't change him for another bird for the world.

Others will try to convince you of other parrots I'm sure, just because we all have different experiences and different requirements for what we are looking for. My suggestion is to take it slow, do your research, play with as many bird species as you can, and when you think you know for sure what you want, wait a while and keep researching!! When I was doing my research there were times when I was absolutely positive that a conure was the bird for me, and then a quaker, and then a love bird, and then a parrotlet... you see where I'm going!

Good luck and enjoy the process!

[jstefanop]

Aren't Budgerigars just parakeets that you find in your local pet shop?

I can definitely say that is what I dont want.

[Rue]

Well, yes and no. Budgies are the parakeets most often found in petstores...but don't just eliminate them on the basis of that...if you put in the time with a well-bred young bird (preferably a hand-raised one from a good breeder) you'll likely end up with an awesome pet...

Secondly, 'parakeet' is a general term that refers to a large number of long-tailed, smaller parrots (and to confuse matters, a couple of short-tailed ones as well).

I'll stick with my recommendation to research the green-cheeked conure. I'm guessing if budgies hold no appeal, neither will the lineolated parakeets.

Keep in mind that birds are not easy pets to own. And that they are very long-lived and intelligent...much more so than dogs or cats. They should never be purchased on a whim.

[Kim S]

Why is that what you dont want? If their character or noise is the proble, a lot of other parrots will be no good for you either.

Its a bit of a moot point to state which birds are 'any good' without more info on what you are looking for or not looking for.

[Azure Hanyo]

...I am wondering why people always seem to completely knock budgies. They're great little parrots!

[Red Moppet]

...I am wondering why people always seem to completely knock budgies. They're great little parrots!

I was wondering the same thing!