Alexanderines for free flight?

[Kaya]

I'm looking for a good bird to buy for freeflight training. I cant have anything too loud since I live in an apartment.
I was thinking of getting an alexanderine or an eclectus? any ideas if these make good freeflight birds?

Also, is buying the bird when its 12 months old too old?

Its very hard to find handraised bird breeders in Australia, so my choices are pretty limited.

 

[Molcan2]

I don't consider 12mo to be too old at all! Rome was 16yrs when I got her and Rocco was 4yrs old. As far as which would be better free flighted, pick the bird that you enjoy the most. Did you see the postings of oscar? The little conure, if the conure can free fly I don't see why an alexanderine couldn't. It will just take time and a lot of patience. As far as the Ekkie goes, I have been trying to work on Rocco but he still hasn't grown his flight feathers in from his previous home's horrible clip.

 

[IcyWolf]

I wouldn't get an alex if you need a quiet bird, mine just spent the past hour and a half doing her flock call and I'm sure if we lived in an apartment we'd be getting kicked out by now

 

[Birdlover47]

I'm looking for a good bird to buy for freeflight training. I cant have anything too loud since I live in an apartment.
I was thinking of getting an alexanderine or an eclectus? any ideas if these make good freeflight birds?

Also, is buying the bird when its 12 months old too old?

Its very hard to find handraised bird breeders in Australia, so my choices are pretty limited.

If you plan on an eclectus, good breeders are savadaparrots and Creature comforts parrot haven. Google them, Ton of Information and hand raise their babies. Savadaparrots Facebook page is filled with people sending her photos of the new healthy parrots that they bought from her good luck!

 

[DannyA93]

I wouldnt get an alexandrine for freeflight i heard they're a more independent species i would get like a greencheek if you need something quiet. ive read that if your gonna free fly a parrot get the most brightly colored LOUD one you can so if he gets lost you can spot him easily and hear him easily. Whereas a green quiet bird could just sit there before your very eyes and blend in

 

[gemini84]

i had a free flying alex i couldn't give you advice on how to train them tho as mine trained herself (in saying that she found a mate with my neighbours free flights and moved out to his aviary and started nesting). my dad has free flight ekkies and so did my neighbour. so they can be trained and are both beautiful and intelligent birds, my personal faves. unfortunstely you say you need a quiet bird and neither of these species are.
where abouts in australia are you? i believe my dad is actually hand rearing a male ekkie atm and the breeders in which i got my new 13 week old baby alex from may still have some left. my sisters partner also used to breed birds and may be able to advise on people you could contact if you wanted a baby

 

[khaiqha]

My Alex is pretty quiet. As far as free flight training goes, he's a pretty independent bird. I don't think he's the best candidate. Then again, a forum member bought a ringneck and naively free flew theirs on the first day and has been doing it without any issues. So it could just matter more on the individual bird.

 

[Mare Miller]

Free flying your bird should not be taken lightly. Not all birds are up for this adventure. I, personally, have an umbrella cockatoo, that flys freely and I would never try to put my Goffin's up for the same task. Birds have different abilities to handle different situations. A free flying bird needs, IMO, a strong sense of who he/she is, cannot be afraid of much and comes to you when you ask.
A strong bond between you and your bird is of utmost importance. As far as what breed of bird would be best, I can't help you there.

 

[DannyA93]

I see a lot of people freefly sun conures and macaws, although there probably exact opposite of what your looking for but those are most common I think.

 

[lene1949]

I wouldn't dare free flight, but if I was going to I would use a conure... They are such great fliers and so fearless, plus they love you so much and will always be looking for you...

Alexandrines are very independent, and might stay in a tree for a very long time... lol