Green cheek conure vs love bird? Gender difference?

[CYNToronto]

I'm interested in the personalities of green cheek conure and love birds.

I've owned hand-fed cockatiels, and I find them too stubborn and easily scared. Plus some of them seem to prefer being alone for the comfort of safety.

From what I've read, green cheek conure and love bird are the bolder species. They will interact with you with no more fear than how dogs interact with humans. They are also attention seekers.

Can you clarify for me any distinct personalities that you've noticed about either of these species, and which gender of these species have what type of personalities?? Of course I'd prefer it if it was based on your own personal experience.

 

[thekarens]

I think you've met the wrong tiels. That's not been my experience at all with tiels.

 

[Kiwibird]

Socialization and training are more important than species when it comes to a friendly bird. I've known a few people with cockatiels and budgies that were very friendly, pet-quality birds. I knew people with an unfriendly conure too, but it was purely based on the way they had interacted with the bird. This forum has a lot of great advice on making any bird a loving, friendly companion, whatever species you may decide on I will note the conures I've heard are loud and have a very 'shrilly' voice. I personally prefer the more 'chirpy' noises tiles make

 

[MikeyTN]

I couldn't agree more with thekarens! Cockatiels do have the tendency to freak easily yes but a lot of birds are the same way. Every time when we feed or clean, the cockatiels wants out, especially one of my girls that I raised myself, she would hop out and fly right to me. IF she could, she would be with me all day long. She's VERY nosey as she wants to get into everything.....

I've never had a Green Cheeked Conure but all the ones I've seen were very curious sweet little birds.

Lovebirds on the other end can be little terrorist....I used to raise them I know....The one I raised from a baby would fly to me on command but he likes to terrorize other birds by biting their toes, fly attack them, etc. But over all he was a good baby to me. Even the one we have now, he's a sweet baby. As long as he's not out with other birds.

 

[LeaKP]

My gcc is great, but needs time as all birds do. Tiels can be more skittish than other birds but can be very cuddly as well. It mostly has to do with how much time you can devote to your bird. They need lifelong time and training.

 

[kalypso123]

I agree with Kiwibird. My tiel is very demanding. If she knows I'm near she will squawk until I come. She is skittish around new objects but not new people. If you plan on having other birds I would go with a GCC. If you want just the one then I would go with a lovebird.

 

[mh434]

We have both a GCC, and 6 Lovebirds. The GCC is, almost always, a gentle loving bird. He has never been aggressive. The Lovebirds, on the other hand, can be gentle as well, but when the mood takes them, they can also be flying, feathered devils!

Lovies do not seem to be afraid of ANYTHING! Ours, when they feel like it, will attack any larger bird, and seem to be totally fearless.

One of our Lovies has a bruised face & beak at the moment, because she went after a visiting Umbrella Cockatoo (who has his own bucketful of attitude, but at the time was quietly sitting on the far side of the room, minding his own business). She bored in on him several times (while two people tried to catch her), fiercely pecking at his head, and after several strafing runs, he finally pecked back.

Even then, she wouldn't back off, and her capture is the only thing that saved her from serious injury!

With a whole flock of Lovies, it's like a swarm of wasps!

 

[veimar]

I have both (as well as a tiel) , and they are all adorable. gcc-s are little more cuddly and funny than lovies, but my lovie is very smart and entertaining as well. Lovebirds are extremely curious and would get into all unimaginable places if unsupervised. Mine opens tight kitchen cabinets and tries to arrange a nest inside. On the other side, gcc usually keep to their familiar area. I have a 100% cage free gcc, and never had any trouble with him.

 

[Abigal7]

I will admit the cockatiel I had as a child was skittish and would fly to the highest cabinet if a sound or movement scared her. But she was a sweet bird. I never owned a love bird so I can not say of any experience I had with the species. I have experience with green cheek conures and they are cuddly. To be honest I may have to just stubbornly side with conures and even say I would probably pick a conure (even a Jenday conure) over a love bird. But this would be due to my experience with green cheek conures and due to Captain Jack (my hahns macaw). The conure I had stayed around her cage when I left it open. Captain Jack stays near his cage too. I mention my hahns macaw since he probably has more in common personality wise to a conure then a lovebird.

 

[Kyoto]

I wanted to ask here about keeping lovebirds and conures together (separate cages and supervised time out), since it kind of goes along with the conversation here.

Do they tend to get along or is it a disaster waiting to happen? I had lovebirds before and I could not let them out with the other birds (cockatiels and budgies), but I do miss having them because of their hilarious personalities. I sometimes think I want a second bird to keep Kyo company, but I'm not sure if I want another "mini macaw" because of how much attention she needs when I'm around. I thought maybe down the road a lovebird might be a good choice, but I'm not sure!

Anyone have experience keeping both together? I'm far from ready to dive in and get another bird, but definitely keeping it in the back of my head.