Advice on choosing a caique

[Overthecoocoosnest]

Hi, this forum has been a wealth of knowledge. I've been reading the threads and recommended websites about caiques. I'm leaning toward a caique for our family. I am somewhat experienced. Hand raised an African Grey growing up (who bonded with my dad and is still his best friend to this day). And had a conure and cockatiel growing up.

I am now married and have three kids 8, 6, and 2 yrs old. The bird is really going to be my responsibility, but will be introduced as the family pet. There are two we have narrowed down as good fits. A 1 yr old black head who has been hand raised and still at the parrot store. He is caged with another 1 yr old. He has a great little personality, likes all of us. He would be the perfect little pet if he acts this way after we take him home. We're worried that he may scream or bite if we separate him from his cage mate and possibly see us as the people who caused the painful separation from his friend.

The other is an apricot head 4 months old still being hand fed not ready to go home yet. He is a sweety but still very young and beaky. The advantages I see with him is that he will be raised with our family as a baby and I'm confident I can stick train him. Disadvantages is that it's hard to tell his personality now because he's so young he acts the same with everyone and that he may learn the "no biting"at the expense of my younger children.

The parrot store people are saying that a baby brown head would be a better fit, but the bhs seem so boring.

I greatly appreciate any thoughts or advice you all can offer.

 

[SoCalWendy]

Hi, this forum has been a wealth of knowledge. I've been reading the threads and recommended websites about caiques. I'm leaning toward a caique for our family. I am somewhat experienced. Hand raised an African Grey growing up (who bonded with my dad and is still his best friend to this day). And had a conure and cockatiel growing up.

I am now married and have three kids 8, 6, and 2 yrs old. The bird is really going to be my responsibility, but will be introduced as the family pet. There are two we have narrowed down as good fits. A 1 yr old black head who has been hand raised and still at the parrot store. He is caged with another 1 yr old. He has a great little personality, likes all of us. He would be the perfect little pet if he acts this way after we take him home. We're worried that he may scream or bite if we separate him from his cage mate and possibly see us as the people who caused the painful separation from his friend.

The other is an apricot head 4 months old still being hand fed not ready to go home yet. He is a sweety but still very young and beaky. The advantages I see with him is that he will be raised with our family as a baby and I'm confident I can stick train him. Disadvantages is that it's hard to tell his personality now because he's so young he acts the same with everyone and that he may learn the "no biting"at the expense of my younger children.

The parrot store people are saying that a baby brown head would be a better fit, but the bhs seem so boring.

I greatly appreciate any thoughts or advice you all can offer.

Does the bird store allow you to handle the 1 yo away from its cage and cate buddy? If so how does the bird react? I would go and spend as much time with him while at the store, away from his cage and the sight of the other bird. It's a hard decision and you bring up some great points in both scenarios. Nothing is 100% in either case though, and with each bird you will experience a trying period. I hope the caique people chime in soon.

 

[Overthecoocoosnest]

Thanks Wendy. I took your advice and went to the store today and took the bird away from the other one. He was fine. The surprising thing was that he went after one of the workers. She said the bird hates her but that she's the only one he hates. I totally observed the "stalking" behavior I've read about with these little guys. He climbed off of me and hopped onto the rails of a play Pen and started after her as fast as he could all puffed up and making these r2d2 squeaks. It was funny but scary. She said that she never did anything to him just decided he didn't like her. But he's sweet to everyone else. When I mentioned the brown head she said absolutely if you can find one you should get that parrot they're way better. So I'm going back to that other store just to get to know the Bh a little better. My house can get rowdy so I just hope it's not too much for the Bh. I know caiques do well in that atmosphere. So in still torn on which one.

 

[SoCalWendy]

You really need to weigh the pros vs cons with each species and compare them with your family situation. I know that with your kids, supervision will be implemented regardless which bird you get. Have you looked up all the bird stores in your area, or talk to any breeders yet. Just don't settle, you will find what your looking for, and the more you educate yourself, when the hurdles happen you will be more prepared to deal with them.

The thing about older birds, once they reach maturity, what you see is what you get and you have to work at it. With babies you do get to mold the bird a little but you don't know until it reaches maturity to see the results. Either way is kinda scared especially if you have little kids.

I have a little 2 y/o parrotlet. I got her when she was 8 weeks. Her cousins are the amazons, and she is a feisty little bird. Sometimes I think she thinks she is an Amazon. Haha!

I heard a lot of negative things about parrotlets. Aggressive, nasty birds. And it's all true, but they can be so much more! The more I work with her the more social she is. Even with her aggressive nature, she is pretty sweet with everyone and will go to anyone. I was told that if I didn't handle her everyday she could revert back to being wild again. I refuse to let that happe. But I guess that's probably true for most parrots. I love parrotlets, even when they are grumpy and stomp around like lil dinosaurs shaking their heads. Haha it's true they really do!

Below is a link to,some information on brown heads, also look up some YouTube videos. And just keep asking questions. Maybe neither species is right for you and yet another one is. This is a great place to start.

Brown Headed Parrots from Avalon Aviary

edited: Keep in mind most Poi's tend to be one person birds, and will not be very friendly towards other family members, so if you go that route, make sure you socialize the bird with everyone who come into your home. Maybe you can find a breeder, and get a young bird.

 

[LeaKP]

Caiques are the extrovert of the smaller parrot world, I love them! Pois, as stated above, tend to be bonded with one person. Let us know what happens! Excited for you!

 

[Irishj9]

Hi there,
I'm sorry to be the one to rain on your parade, but IMHO all the kids are too young to be handling a caique, or a parrot, any parrot.

I have 11 caiques, they are super tame, hop on cue, etc, but I wouldn't let a child near them. ( perhaps the 8 year old, if supervised).

Children are undeveloped emotionally and physically. Their excitement and exaggerated movements will terrify a bird, with unpredictable reactions.

So my answer would be yes, but not now. you need to wait till the children are older

JP

 

[thebirdnerd]

Congrats on adding a bird to your family! In my honest opinion, I think a conure would be a better choice because they have more solid personalities. Sometime caiques can get aggressive if over stimulated, which can happen VERY quickly in these birds. I'm being very honest because my worst bite came from a mature black headed caique who tried to attack my face. I don't want to generalize the species because I'm sure there are plenty that wouldn't hurt a soul, but I have come across many that had aggressive tendencies once they hit maturity. I really hope you do find the right bird for your family. If you have any other questions feel free to ask. Good luck!

 

[RavensGryf]

I don't think any Poicephalus (Brown Headed) is a good "family" pet. Although they're not boring as you say the one seemed to you . Even when socialized to many people when young, there is no guarantee they won't still become a one person bird. I've seen it happen. I would also never subject a child to the bite of a Poi or Caique. All parrots can bite, and mature ones bite hard.

As suggested above, how about a Green Cheek conure? A well socialized GCC can have a stable temperament and might be a bit more predictable when mature than a Poi or Caique, and a good choice for a family. Definitely not a boring bird! They come in so many beautiful color mutations too.

 

[Overthecoocoosnest]

Thanks everyone! I appreciate the advice.

 

[itchyfeet]

Hi there,
I'm sorry to be the one to rain on your parade, but IMHO all the kids are too young to be handling a caique, or a parrot, any parrot.

I have 11 caiques, they are super tame, hop on cue, etc, but I wouldn't let a child near them. ( perhaps the 8 year old, if supervised).

Children are undeveloped emotionally and physically. Their excitement and exaggerated movements will terrify a bird, with unpredictable reactions.

So my answer would be yes, but not now. you need to wait till the children are older

JP

I'm hesitant and counteracting this post, and certainly respect your opinion! However my children are four and six - and both handle our 'tiel and ringneck no worries. I don't know Caiques so maybe a different bird could be more appropriate, but it really does depend on the child. My two have grown up around birds - they're grandmothers both have 'too's so they're well aware of what a beak can do. They'll jump and scream at a spider no worries, but I've seen them both stand still with all their might once a bird is on their arm. They know that if they got a fright, it'd give the bird one 10000x worse The little 'uns have got to learn somehow......in saying that, I have very gentle children.

 

[Birdman666]

My daughter was handling large macaws, amazons, conures, and large toos at age FIVE... (Closely supervised of course, and with birds that were tame.)

Somewhere I've got a picture of her at that age with a HY on her lap, and the dang bird is bigger than she is - reaching down to preen her hair...

So, I'm not sure I buy this argument, depending on the child involved. IN FACT, I'M PRETTY SURE I DON'T BUY IT.







And that's how you raise a child who grows up to become this:





There are certainly SOME children that should probably never handle any bird...

Parental supervision is certainly required. BUT...

I don't see this as a never, under any circumstances, you're out of your mind kind of thing.

Certainly the two year old is too young to handle the bird, but that doesn't mean you can't teach the kid not to stick fingers in the cage, or bother the bird.

And he can sit and talk to the bird, and interact that way. Do that, and you're probably fine.

Any bird you get, OF ANY SPECIES, is generally going to have to be socialized to the NTH degree to put up with the kids... and that's your job.

So, as long as you know that going in and do the work...

Choose the bird with the most outgoing personality, that loves to play. Then socialize him properly. Chances are he'll grow to love everyone.

Conures are another good choice.

 

[Birdman666]

Children are undeveloped emotionally and physically. Their excitement and exaggerated movements will terrify a bird, with unpredictable reactions.

Left to their own devices, unsocialized, maybe...

You socialize the bird around children. Take them to the local playground. Have them spend all day with a ton of strange children running around, running up to them, etc.

And after about the second or third trip to the park, NOTHING PHASES THEM ANYMORE. That's just basic socialization and startle conditioning. I actually do that one as a matter of course, WHETHER OR NOT, there are children in the house, because I don't want them freaking out around kids who do stupid things around my birds...

I took as many as 11 birds with me to the park, when I took my daughter when she was little. The birds played in the tree, and on my lap, while my daughter played with her little friends...
and we all had fun! Picnics in the park with the birds, were just part of our everyday way of life.










THAT'S HOW...

Obviously, I believe in a lot more training than most people usually do with their birds, and I believe in getting them out of cages, and outside, and interacted with.

Training doesn't stop with training the bird. You also have to train the kids. And you have to reach a point where you trust both kids and birds to follow their training...

There are obvious risks inherent in that as well... especially if you don't know what you are doing.

 

[RavensGryf]

I hear you Mark . We still can't deny the fact that despite socialization, certain species as a group do have more of a 'tendency' towards a quicker reflex to bite than say conures.

I know YOU know this Mark, but just putting it out there for newer bird people to remember there are species traits nonetheless .

 

[Birdman666]

With a poi, I tend to agree... not a good choice for young children.

But I'm not sure I agree with Caiques... I've known to many of them that would play with anyone, all the time, including kids.

They are feisty... and will always be feisty. Doesn't mean they can't control their bite pressure. They are exceptionally trainable.

 

[RavensGryf]

With a poi, I tend to agree... not a good choice for young children.

But I'm not sure I agree with Caiques... I've known to many of them that would play with anyone, all the time, including kids.

They are feisty... and will always be feisty. Doesn't mean they can't control their bite pressure.

You know I Loooove the Pois , but I agree not for children. Griffin is learning about bite pressure, but it is slow going, as it goes against his natural reflexes. He knows better, so sometimes he'll bite harder than necessary as his first 'knee jerk response' followed immediately with a nibble, as if to say 'oh, sorry I couldn't help myself, I'm a Poi you know' LOL. Robin once, to my horror, bit very deep into my ex's daughter, but she was a pretty mature and tough 15 year old at the time at least. Robin and Griffin aren't Senegals, but even these cousins have the Sennie-Tude!!

 

[Birdman666]

That's why the advice of don't get a Caique, get a Poi just, frankly, doesn't make sense to me.

A Caique is the more suitable of the two, AND it's the bird he really wants.
So get one, and UBER socialize it...

 

[Overthecoocoosnest]

Thanks everyone for your opinions and advice it was a great help. we've decided not to get a caique. It is just too demanding and we would like a parrot that is more easy going and able to be content by itself sometimes. I work from home a lot and would like to have the option of either leaving the bird on the play top or on the perch next to me when I'm working. I don't think a caique would do that. A brown headed seems perfectly content by himself on the perch with a toy and some food. I think we're going to get a brown headed parrot. I'm still not sure though.

 

[SoCalWendy]

Thanks everyone for your opinions and advice it was a great help. we've decided not to get a caique. It is just too demanding and we would like a parrot that is more easy going and able to be content by itself sometimes. I work from home a lot and would like to have the option of either leaving the bird on the play top or on the perch next to me when I'm working. I don't think a caique would do that. A brown headed seems perfectly content by himself on the perch with a toy and some food. I think we're going to get a brown headed parrot. I'm still not sure though.

Please don't settle, if it's not what you really want. You will suffer and frankly so will the parrot. Have you looked into other species, like mini macaws, conures, or even parrotlets. Each have their pros and cons. I too love caiques, but have a parrotlet. Had a Senegal, but I rehomed her (long story).

So now it's just us and kiwi - the parrotlet. She is a wonderful lil bird. Well socialized, and very lovable. There are times when she wants to be all apart of all the goings on, then there are times she is simply content being by herself playing. They are small, but don't let the smallness fool you. They are 100% parrot, like their Amazon cousins. They have a lot of spunk. I've had mine for two years, she is a wonderful lil bird.

 

[itchyfeet]

Thanks everyone for your opinions and advice it was a great help. we've decided not to get a caique. It is just too demanding and we would like a parrot that is more easy going and able to be content by itself sometimes. I work from home a lot and would like to have the option of either leaving the bird on the play top or on the perch next to me when I'm working. I don't think a caique would do that. A brown headed seems perfectly content by himself on the perch with a toy and some food. I think we're going to get a brown headed parrot. I'm still not sure though.

Please don't settle, if it's not what you really want. You will suffer and frankly so will the parrot. Have you looked into other species, like mini macaws, conures, or even parrotlets. Each have their pros and cons. I too love caiques, but have a parrotlet. Had a Senegal, but I rehomed her (long story).

So now it's just us and kiwi - the parrotlet. She is a wonderful lil bird. Well socialized, and very lovable. There are times when she wants to be all apart of all the goings on, then there are times she is simply content being by herself playing. They are small, but don't let the smallness fool you. They are 100% parrot, like their Amazon cousins. They have a lot of spunk. I've had mine for two years, she is a wonderful lil bird.

Agree on the not settle. I desperately wanted a Grey, whole heart and soul. Still do, tbh, but for a variety of reasons now is just not right, yet there were a variety of reasons that now was the right time for 'a' parrot. I second bested myself on a Goffins cokatoo, or a King parrot. Whilst we were trying to find one, I kept researching, and researching some more. It's a long and painful process for someone as impatient as me!

Then I found the ringnecks. I youtubed and googled and forum stalked and read and fell in love. They are bright, exceptional wee birds who are just so much fun to have around. 3 weeks later, Henry was listed.

It's a massive process, but don't settle. Fall in love. You can love more than one

 

[RavensGryf]

How about considering an Indian Ringneck? They're beautiful birds that come in a variety of nice color mutations. They can be independent, and don't have a tendency to bond to one person if well socialized.

Or, a female Pionus... I say female because a majority of the males might be at times harder to handle upon maturity, while females are a little more easy going in general and can be socialized to the family. They can be every bit as independent as the Poicephalus parrots like the Brown Headed, but they are roughly twice the size of the Brown Headed Poi.

Honestly, a Cockatiel would be a perfect family pet. They have the disposition you're looking for, and can be sweet and personable to the family. They're parrots too, and can live to near 30 years old.

In my experience and personal opinion, the Poicephalus parrots are not the best choice for a family bird, especially with small children. They have a naturally more nervous disposition, the Pois can be quick to bite hard regardless of socialization, and are for the most part, hard wired toward being one person birds. They are cute, and wonderful about being independent yes, but so are many other species! There are really so many parrot species available, maybe take a little more time to discover some others?