conure help

[Tayla13]

this is my first time getting a bird, but my sister has had birds before and she is willing to help (she doesnt live with me) I am almost 14 and my parents are getting me a bird for my birthday, I am really excited! Like i said my sister is willing to help, but i still have questions.

I don't have the bird yet and even though i think i know that i want a green cheeked conure, i still don't know what bird is best for me. My chocies are a Blue Quaker, and Green cheeked conure and a sun conure. I did reserch and im thinking I want a green cheek . your opinion would be very helpful! I want a bird that is friendly and cuddly. I understand that some birds get attached to 1 person, but i want one that likes more than one person because i have alot of necies and nephews and some are older, but some are younger and I want the bird to like them.. do you know what I mean? plus even though it would be funny for it to hate my brother and bite him, but i want it to like him so he can keep him company when i have alot of homework. My mom works alot and needs her sleep so it can't be to terribly loud, but i don't mind loud im up for it.

My house has alot of plants and i was told that some plants might be bad for the bird, I was wondering which ones. My mom told me she will move the plants away from where the cage is going to be just in case.

I don't have many questions because my sister loves birds, but she never had any of the birds im thinking of getting so i cant get everything from her. Thanks alot

 

[FutureDVM]

If noise is an issue, I would definitely stay away from sun conures and quakers. Suns are known for having a particularly ear piercing scream. I have also heard that quakers can be quite loud, although I don't think they tend to scream as often as suns.

Please keep in mind that green cheek conures have BIG personalities packed into a tiny body. They can be quite a handful, especially when they are young and going through their nippy stage. I'm not saying they aren't great companion birds, but there are some things you should be prepared for if you plan on getting one. They can definitely be very cuddly and they don't usually bond to only one person, but they can also be quite bossy and "spunky".

Have you considered getting a budgie or cockatiel? They can be great pets when socialized properly. I would also recommend looking into lineolated parakeets, although you might have a hard time finding them because there aren't too many breeders.

 

[Tayla13]

I am prepared for crazyness. I know people are not like animals but one of my sisters has 8 crazy kids that i always watch.. My other sister has birds and alot of other animals and i take care of those.

I have considered getting a cockatiel.. i actually went to the store to pick one out. I liked it but my sister's husband had one and he said that they made alot of noise. I also wanted a parakeet but my friends have them and they don't like to stay in my hand.. they always fly away. I haven't looked into a budgie, but now i am going to thanks!!

 

[jaynava]

I am prepared for crazyness. I know people are not like animals but one of my sisters has 8 crazy kids that i always watch.. My other sister has birds and alot of other animals and i take care of those.

I have considered getting a cockatiel.. i actually went to the store to pick one out. I liked it but my sister's husband had one and he said that they made alot of noise. I also wanted a parakeet but my friends have them and they don't like to stay in my hand.. they always fly away. I haven't looked into a budgie, but now i am going to thanks!!

Go with a green cheek

 

[Mozzie]

Yes I have a Sun Conure and she can be very loud at times. They do have an ear piercing scream. Mine is very cuddly and very sweet. But not a good choice for you if noise is a problem. I would look into an English budgie that has been hand fed. I think it would be a great choice for a first bird. Just my opinion. Good luck.

 

[HalfInsane]

I am prepared for crazyness. I know people are not like animals but one of my sisters has 8 crazy kids that i always watch.. My other sister has birds and alot of other animals and i take care of those.

I have considered getting a cockatiel.. i actually went to the store to pick one out. I liked it but my sister's husband had one and he said that they made alot of noise. I also wanted a parakeet but my friends have them and they don't like to stay in my hand.. they always fly away. I haven't looked into a budgie, but now i am going to thanks!!

Budgies are sweet little birds, they don't make too much noise, mostly just chattering. They're not prone to screaming like quakers and most conures. Males can learn to talk quite well. They're also usually very gentle and even tempered.

Though if you do decide on a budgie or cockatiel, I would strongly recommend against getting your bird from a pet store. The way most stores keep them, in small enclosures with many, many other birds and people poking and prodding them all day does not make for a happy, healthy, friendly bird. Especially considering they may have never had any human interaction beyond the harassment they receive from many people in the store. A budgie or tiel from a breeder does cost more, but the difference in temperament will more than make up for the extra expense.

 

[roxynoodle]

I'm not sure why someone told you cockatiels make a lot of noise. The males can learn to whistle, so I suppose if people in your family hate whistling, don't teach the bird to whistle. They have quiet talking voices, and they don't scream like conures or Quakers do.

I adore budgies. They are sweet, even tempered and like anyone who is kind to them. If you get a parent raised one though, you will have to spend time and patience taming it. It's not really hard though. Cockatiels are pretty much the same,temperament wise. My parents had one, and she only saw me a couple of times per year and always let me get her out and hold her.

Green cheeks are a big personality in a small body, and can be very challenging. It will like some people and not like others, and you can't predict who it will like or not like. Birds are funny that way; they just pretty much make instant decisions.

 

[lexx510]

What's your schedule like? Green cheeks are like 2 year olds and need a lot of attention. My green cheek starts calling for me the second I walk out of her sight even if we've just spent the past 2 hours snuggling.

Will you be able to spend at least a few hours of quality time per day?

 

[lexx510]

If noise is an issue, I would definitely stay away from sun conures and quakers. Suns are known for having a particularly ear piercing scream. I have also heard that quakers can be quite loud, although I don't think they tend to scream as often as suns.

Please keep in mind that green cheek conures have BIG personalities packed into a tiny body. They can be quite a handful, especially when they are young and going through their nippy stage. I'm not saying they aren't great companion birds, but there are some things you should be prepared for if you plan on getting one. They can definitely be very cuddly and they don't usually bond to only one person, but they can also be quite bossy and "spunky".

Have you considered getting a budgie or cockatiel? They can be great pets when socialized properly. I would also recommend looking into lineolated parakeets, although you might have a hard time finding them because there aren't too many breeders.

Green cheeks are very bossy and are quite nippy. You definitely have to learn to respect their free will to avoid getting bit. FutureDVM is exactly on point. They can certainly be a major challenge. Don't let the cuteness fool you, lol.

 

[Tayla13]

What's your schedule like? Green cheeks are like 2 year olds and need a lot of attention. My green cheek starts calling for me the second I walk out of her sight even if we've just spent the past 2 hours snuggling.

Will you be able to spend at least a few hours of quality time per day?

my school goes from 8:15-3:15 but i go on the bus at 7:30 and get home around 3:40. I get up at 6 though and usally have an hour before i get to the bus. I don't have after school activites or any sports, just orchestra but I would still be able to give it 2 hours. If i couldn't though would by brother be able to? or does it have to be from me?

 

[cdog]

If you only have two hours of attention to give then you definitely shouldn't get a conjure they need lots of attention. You probably can only get a budgie or cockatiel because they are more forgiving if you don't have a lot of time for them.

 

[Tayla13]

I'm not sure why someone told you cockatiels make a lot of noise. The males can learn to whistle, so I suppose if people in your family hate whistling, don't teach the bird to whistle. They have quiet talking voices, and they don't scream like conures or Quakers do.

I adore budgies. They are sweet, even tempered and like anyone who is kind to them. If you get a parent raised one though, you will have to spend time and patience taming it. It's not really hard though. Cockatiels are pretty much the same,temperament wise. My parents had one, and she only saw me a couple of times per year and always let me get her out and hold her.

Green cheeks are a big personality in a small body, and can be very challenging. It will like some people and not like others, and you can't predict who it will like or not like. Birds are funny that way; they just pretty much make instant decisions.

My crazy brother in law told me that cockatiels were loud, but he is crazy so maybe i shouldn't have listened.. haha. No one in my family has a problem with whistling we whistle all the time.

I looked into bugies after someone told me about them and now im thinking about getting one, but i go to this one birdstore that my sister goes to to buy her birds and to get them cheaked on. There are no cages there, well unless they are already bought and are in the cage waiting for the owner to come get it. For baby birds there is this big fish tank like thing that doesn't have a lid and for adult birds there is a room that they fly around in. Idk if that makes it any better then cages, but my sister trusts them and I do too.

 

[Tayla13]

If you only have two hours of attention to give then you definitely shouldn't get a conjure they need lots of attention. You probably can only get a budgie or cockatiel because they are more forgiving if you don't have a lot of time for them.

I have about 4 hours that I can spent with it, and my dad doesn't work so if needed he can spend time with it when im at school. would i need more time to spend with it?

 

[lexx510]

What's your schedule like? Green cheeks are like 2 year olds and need a lot of attention. My green cheek starts calling for me the second I walk out of her sight even if we've just spent the past 2 hours snuggling.

Will you be able to spend at least a few hours of quality time per day?

my school goes from 8:15-3:15 but i go on the bus at 7:30 and get home around 3:40. I get up at 6 though and usally have an hour before i get to the bus. I don't have after school activites or any sports, just orchestra but I would still be able to give it 2 hours. If i couldn't though would by brother be able to? or does it have to be from me?

Two hours is quite minimal, and I wouldn't recommend getting a green cheek conure if that is all you're able to give. Your brother can definitely help out as long as he's willing and able to. However, if you're able to spend at least 3-4 hours, then additional time with your brother would definitely be beneficial.

 

[roxynoodle]

Given your age and time constraints I would definitely get a budgie or cockatiel. In a couple of years you will get your driver's license, and go out with friends a lot, or maybe have a bf or gf. And it won't be long before you may decide to go away for college. You won't be able to have a bird in a dorm room, or most apartments and it will have to stay with your parents or sister while you are gone. Large parrots won't do well with any of that.

 

[cdog]

4 hours is fine for a budgie or cockatiel but gcc need a lot of time to play with you and snuggle. I think because you go to school, have homework, and will probably go to college a budgie or cockatiel would be the only parrot you should get right now.

 

[Tayla13]

I am prepared for crazyness. I know people are not like animals but one of my sisters has 8 crazy kids that i always watch.. My other sister has birds and alot of other animals and i take care of those.

I have considered getting a cockatiel.. i actually went to the store to pick one out. I liked it but my sister's husband had one and he said that they made alot of noise. I also wanted a parakeet but my friends have them and they don't like to stay in my hand.. they always fly away. I haven't looked into a budgie, but now i am going to thanks!!

Budgies are sweet little birds, they don't make too much noise, mostly just chattering. They're not prone to screaming like quakers and most conures. Males can learn to talk quite well. They're also usually very gentle and even tempered.

Though if you do decide on a budgie or cockatiel, I would strongly recommend against getting your bird from a pet store. The way most stores keep them, in small enclosures with many, many other birds and people poking and prodding them all day does not make for a happy, healthy, friendly bird. Especially considering they may have never had any human interaction beyond the harassment they receive from many people in the store. A budgie or tiel from a breeder does cost more, but the difference in temperament will more than make up for the extra expense.

My sister goes to this bird store that only sells birds. They don't enclose the cages, there arn't cages at all. Only babies and birds that are bought and are waiting for their owner to get them are in cages. The baby's cage is like a big fish tank that doesn't have a lid. The adult birds are in this big room just flying around. They have breaders in the back of the store, not with the birs for sale. When I'm there the only people there are people that have had many birds, I know because they always tell me stories. There might be alot of people that harass the birds, but if there are they arn't there when i am and I go there alot. I don't know if this is what you mean by a pet store, but my sister gets her bird from here and they don't have a problem with their birds being unhappy.

 

[KatherineI]

I'm going to chime in and concur with what most people have said here; I do not recommend a GCC for you. A Budgie or a Cockatiel are much heartier, forgiving breeds than a Conure ever will be. GCC's need attention and sometimes, they don't necessarily want the attention from the person that they are supposed to "belong" to.

I don't work, I stay home and take care of the house and my 7 year old daughter. I'm able to give Loki (my GCC) spurts of attention which he is happy with, but it still accumulates to several hours a day of just me. Then when my husband comes home, he demands at least 2 hours every night of his attention as well. But he is also way less attention demanding than the majority of GCC's and he still requires several hours of attention. Because my little guy was a pet store bird (bad!) he has taken a lot of work and we're not done yet.

Conures (and most large parrots) require a routine. Much like having a routine with a toddler (meals at roughly the same time every day, nap times at roughly the same time every day) or they're likely to have what could be the bird equivalent to a toddler meltdown.

You're 14 and while you may not be a typical teenager, it still stands to reason that what you think is a cool pet now, won't be so cool in 2-4 years. Like it's already been stated, you're in high school now, but soon you'll be driving, probably having an after-school and weekend job. Then when you graduate, you're going to (hopefully) go off to college. You most likely can't have a pet of any kind in the dorm, much less a bird that can screech (Loki just reminded me that he's here with a quick screech, as I'm typing this), that most people find annoying. Is it fair to your parents to leave the bird with them while you're away at college for 4 years? And during college, you're not going to have a lot of spare time. I just don't think it's fair to a bird that lives an average of 30 years.

 

[roxynoodle]

I have to say my last 2-3 years of high school were pretty crazy. I had school, a nearly full time job, a bf and friends I wanted to hang out with. My animals didn't get as much attention from me during that time. My budgie was left with my parents during my 4 years of college. Oh, I also played fast pitch during the spring.

 

[jewels04]

I would not suggest any type of conure for you at your age, or a Quaker. A budgie or cockatiel would be the best choice. Conures require A LOT of attention and you are at school all day and what happens in high school when you get a job and involved in activities. The bird will be the responsibility of someone else and probably bond with someone else. Also when your in college and getting married what will happen to your green cheek?

I have a sun conure she requires more attention than I ever thought possible. I knew from when I was 19 i wanted a sun conure but I was busy getting married and having babies I knew I'd have no time for a sun. Now both my kids are in school and I don't work so I thought i'd have enough time for her. While I am giving her sufficient time but it still overwhelmed me at how much time she needed.

I think you should start off with a parakeet or cockatiel. I started off with cockatiels and loved them!