how hard really is it to tame a rosella

[rosella]

hi everyone,
i have recently been looking into getting a companion parrot and i wanted something that would be attractive and make a good pet. i really like the look of rosella's particularily the rubino's and eastern varieties. im planning on getting a handfed baby male and after reading up on them i keep getting the idea that they are REALLY hard to tame down and never tame down and make horrible pets, is this all really true? does anyone on here have a rosella that is tamed well? i have trained budgies and cockatiels in the past but i know this is a whole other challenge....just thought i would mention it so everyone would know im not a new comer to parrots
thanks

 

[stephend]

I hope you get a positive anwser. Those are beautiful birds, and based off their size they might make a good choice of a second bird for me.

 

[rosella]

thanks, i hope someone actually answers......they are stunning but everywhere i read everyone states that these birds are insanely difficult to tame and that they will never ever become tame but i find that hard to believe because every bird has its individual personality.....some budgies and cockatiels are really mean and difficult to tame but everyone says they are the easiest of birds to tame so there has to be some different cases

 

[FutureDVM]

I don't have any personal experience with them, but I also think they are stunningly beautiful! I'm a member of another bird forum which has a few members who own rosellas. Everything I have read so far says that yes, it is usually difficult to tame them, but it definitely CAN be done.

I would imagine that just like any other bird, you would definitely have an easier time starting with a hand fed baby. I wish I knew more, but I hope this helps a little bit.

 

[stephend]

If there is a location near you where you can meet several rosellas that are available it might be worth while to check it out. When I got Bob she was one of about 10 tiels and I met them all. Unfortunately the prettiest one was unfriendly, but Bob was by far the friendliest and boldest so I got her. I have no regrets in my choice as she is a very sweet bird.

 

[Pedro]

We breed a lot of Rosella's here in Australia & yes i am afraid they do live up to their reputation. Even a hand reared chick will more than likely turn feral by the time it's 12 months old. That said there is always the exception. Finding that exception would be the hardest part.

Rosella's are usually bred for aviary birds rather than the pet trade.

 

[BillsBirds]

A friend of mine had a rosella, and it was relatively tame, and trained to step up and give kisses. Though it was not a friendly bird, and only liked its' owner. I, too, have heard of their difficult nature. This was the only one I knew that was not an aviary bird. They are beautiful. So, it can be done. But, seems uncommon.

 

[rosella]

I don't have any personal experience with them, but I also think they are stunningly beautiful! I'm a member of another bird forum which has a few members who own rosellas. Everything I have read so far says that yes, it is usually difficult to tame them, but it definitely CAN be done.

I would imagine that just like any other bird, you would definitely have an easier time starting with a hand fed baby. I wish I knew more, but I hope this helps a little bit.

thanks guys, i wish i could find a group but in all honesty finding a single bird is hard enough let alone a group. can you please push me in the direction of that other forum too, i would like to see what the members there have to say about their pet rosellas. its really difficult for me because here i see this insanely attractive bird thats stunning and quite possibly the most beautiful bird in the world yet it is notorious for being a terrible pet. this is the stereotypical scenario where you meet this beautiful girl but her personality sucks so shes just there but not really lol. i could probably go with many other species that would make amazing pets but my only issue here is that (no offence to anyone's birds) i cant think of anything that wont scream, is not huge, has a good attitude, REALLY colorful and wont cost an arm or a leg. any suggestions

 

[IcyWolf]

Have you ever considered a lory or a lorikeet? They are nectar eaters so their diet is a little(well, a lot) different and their poos are pretty nasty from what I hear, but they are stunning birds and can make really great pets.

 

[rosella]

Have you ever considered a lory or a lorikeet? They are nectar eaters so their diet is a little(well, a lot) different and their poos are pretty nasty from what I hear, but they are stunning birds and can make really great pets.

thank you, i actually did consider them but i dont like their face.....haha let me explain. their disposition does not look friendly even if they might be and they are prone to scream and have bouts of aggression so i stay clear and i cant handle smelly poop lol

 

[MikeyTN]

The Lory and Lorikeets I've encountered were extremely friendly. And I own a Lory myself, wonderful bird, kinda crazy and comical, but extremely messy poop!!! It's more messy then smelly. Plus they don't play well with others....

Have you looked into Kakariki? VERY quiet birds that don't make a lot of noise in my opinion....Or even Princess of Wales....Tons of varieties out there to choose from. But seriously, beauty ISN'T everything!!!! My U2 is stunningly beautiful but very sneaky and you have to be watchful with him.

 

[Remy]

Most/all species of parrots can be prone to screaming and biting! There are none that I am aware of that are excluded from it, although some tend to be better or worse than others. It really depends on the individual bird, and on how the owner treats the bird.

I don't suggest picking a bird based very strongly on its looks. Good looks are a nice feature, but not vital in making a bird a good companion. Be careful that you don't end up with a beautiful little monster! lol.

That being said, I think rosellas are beautiful, and I totally want one. It be friendly if it were an only bird, and if you make sure to socialize it a lot.

I take Puck with me when I leave the house, if it's practical. He gets to meet a lot of new people, and loves it. Not all parrots have his disposition, but taking it out to meet lots of people, even if they don't get to hold it, will help to socialize it.

 

[rosella]

The Lory and Lorikeets I've encountered were extremely friendly. And I own a Lory myself, wonderful bird, kinda crazy and comical, but extremely messy poop!!! It's more messy then smelly. Plus they don't play well with others....

Have you looked into Kakariki? VERY quiet birds that don't make a lot of noise in my opinion....Or even Princess of Wales....Tons of varieties out there to choose from. But seriously, beauty ISN'T everything!!!! My U2 is stunningly beautiful but very sneaky and you have to be watchful with him.

im sorry i didnt mean to put lories down im sure they could make amazing pets, but i can't deal with messy poop lol......i actually have looked into kakarikis and i would really be intrested in one, my issue is that i dont know how well they do at being good companion pets, i heard they are super hyper and way too inquisitive to stay in one spot and even though i like that, i want a pet who will be calm sometimes and may cuddle. i also LOVE princess of wales parakeets because they are so darn sweet but they are extremely rare here and quite expensive. what is a U2 lol? and i agree that beauty is not everything but it is still important to me. i want a bird that is attractive and is a good pet, not one or the other.....i know thats possible you know what i mean.

 

[rosella]

Most/all species of parrots can be prone to screaming and biting! There are none that I am aware of that are excluded from it, although some tend to be better or worse than others. It really depends on the individual bird, and on how the owner treats the bird.

I don't suggest picking a bird based very strongly on its looks. Good looks are a nice feature, but not vital in making a bird a good companion. Be careful that you don't end up with a beautiful little monster! lol.

That being said, I think rosellas are beautiful, and I totally want one. It be friendly if it were an only bird, and if you make sure to socialize it a lot.

I take Puck with me when I leave the house, if it's practical. He gets to meet a lot of new people, and loves it. Not all parrots have his disposition, but taking it out to meet lots of people, even if they don't get to hold it, will help to socialize it.

i like what your saying, it really does make sense to me. my concern is that i will be getting a handfed baby rosella from a breeder who does not live here so i can't meet the bird prior to adoption so i can't tell if it is particularily friendly from the get go.....for all i know it will be a little monster but im glad that you think it is possible to tame and i really hope your right. if i do end up adopting one i will get its wings clipped and begin taking him with me everywhere i go....like for walks and stuff. i know your right that beauty should not be at the forefront of my decision to get a bird but i just want it to be something that is considered. i tend to have a knack for bonding with my animals very well.....sometimes i feel like i can understand animals better then people so maybe im just the right type of person to take on the difficult task of bonding with a rosella.

 

[Remy]

Most/all species of parrots can be prone to screaming and biting! There are none that I am aware of that are excluded from it, although some tend to be better or worse than others. It really depends on the individual bird, and on how the owner treats the bird.

I don't suggest picking a bird based very strongly on its looks. Good looks are a nice feature, but not vital in making a bird a good companion. Be careful that you don't end up with a beautiful little monster! lol.

That being said, I think rosellas are beautiful, and I totally want one. It be friendly if it were an only bird, and if you make sure to socialize it a lot.

I take Puck with me when I leave the house, if it's practical. He gets to meet a lot of new people, and loves it. Not all parrots have his disposition, but taking it out to meet lots of people, even if they don't get to hold it, will help to socialize it.

i like what your saying, it really does make sense to me. my concern is that i will be getting a handfed baby rosella from a breeder who does not live here so i can't meet the bird prior to adoption so i can't tell if it is particularily friendly from the get go.....for all i know it will be a little monster but im glad that you think it is possible to tame and i really hope your right. if i do end up adopting one i will get its wings clipped and begin taking him with me everywhere i go....like for walks and stuff. i know your right that beauty should not be at the forefront of my decision to get a bird but i just want it to be something that is considered. i tend to have a knack for bonding with my animals very well.....sometimes i feel like i can understand animals better then people so maybe im just the right type of person to take on the difficult task of bonding with a rosella.

Just FYI, I don't really know a lot about rosellas. In my experience though, the owner plays a huge role in how the bird turns out, just like with a child. It sounds like you've thought this through. If you know a species has a tendency towards being anti-social with humans, it's possible that extra effort could be needed.

At the bird store I saw a bird, either a rosella or a lorikeet (I didn't look closely, but it was rainbowy), laying on it's back and being totally silly playing with a toy. I wanted to take it home right there! It was soooo cute!

I love taking my bird (almost) everywhere with me. I can't take him to work, but I've taken him pretty much everywhere else. If it's someplace that doesn't allow pets, I can hide him under a sweater or jacket, and he's usually pretty good about staying put. When he has crawled out in non-pet places, nobody has gotten upset.

 

[rosella]

Just FYI, I don't really know a lot about rosellas. In my experience though, the owner plays a huge role in how the bird turns out, just like with a child. It sounds like you've thought this through. If you know a species has a tendency towards being anti-social with humans, it's possible that extra effort could be needed.

At the bird store I saw a bird, either a rosella or a lorikeet (I didn't look closely, but it was rainbowy), laying on it's back and being totally silly playing with a toy. I wanted to take it home right there! It was soooo cute!

I love taking my bird (almost) everywhere with me. I can't take him to work, but I've taken him pretty much everywhere else. If it's someplace that doesn't allow pets, I can hide him under a sweater or jacket, and he's usually pretty good about staying put. When he has crawled out in non-pet places, nobody has gotten upset.

yeah i totally agree that an owner has a MASSIVE impact on what their bird turns out to be, you can only get out of a bird what you put into it and i can't imagine any animal would be anti-social with humans if their owners put good effort into training them well and have shown the love and given them the attention they deserve. i have really thought this through, actually i have been thinking it through for a few years and now i feel that it may be the right time for me to embark on this journey.im getting a baby so i have a fresh start and sure rosellas are not known for being good pets but not many of them are given the benefit of the doubt they deserve, many owners either get them already wild at years old or many give up on them because their bad reputation leads people to not put as much effort as they would with a wild conure because people think that they will never have a good finished product so why put all that effort in. i really like your story, i would fall to peices if i seen that just way too cute and lool thats so funny although i would imagine it would be quite difficult to hide a rosella lol. im planning to order my rosella in april so i have a couple months to think my desicion through and if i change my mind and go with a kakariki and/or a cockatiel its still a win/win situation right

 

[mygirl]

a friend of mine has one it is a great bird, he spends a lot of time with her and he can do anything with her, i think its like any bird it depends on there personality and how much time you spend training them

 

[rosella]

a friend of mine has one it is a great bird, he spends a lot of time with her and he can do anything with her, i think its like any bird it depends on there personality and how much time you spend training them

thank you very much for these words of encouragement, i really needed it....now i am really leaning towards getting a rosella after all. FINALLY A GOOD REVIEW i feel liberated lol. it was so stressful to think that i could not get the bird i love because it makes a bad pet but now my mind is totally changed. every bird is different and every owner can impact their bird differently and i know if given the oppertunity of a fresh start i can do something different with my rosella.

 

[Anna]

My mum has a rosie and I currently have two young ones that I am taming. They can become fantastic pets if you have an abundance of one thing........Time! They need lots of time and they get cross if they bond with you and you dont give them the time.

I have my work cut out with my two rosies as they are siblings. My boyfriend is helping me with the taming but Dara (the female) can't be trained to step up in the normal way due to a very mangled leg. She doesnt feel steady sitting on me. And Bullrush (her sibling who I think is male) has a bad case of small man syndrome being half her size and the runt of the clutch. They were parent raised birds till the parents escaped the aviary when they were about 3 weeks old then the breeder raised them till I took them at 6 weeks cause she had no time with a young baby to look after. To top this all off I am getting another of thier clutch mates that the breeder gave to her parents who now do not have the time for it. Lol. All that being said, I reckon that if I spend enough time with them daily I can turn them into pets. It's a matter of perseverance and how much you want it.

Just be sure to get the bond, trust and basic taming out of the way before you start taking it everywhere. They have the ability to be kinda nervous so that trust is important.

 

[rosella]

My mum has a rosie and I currently have two young ones that I am taming. They can become fantastic pets if you have an abundance of one thing........Time! They need lots of time and they get cross if they bond with you and you dont give them the time.

I have my work cut out with my two rosies as they are siblings. My boyfriend is helping me with the taming but Dara (the female) can't be trained to step up in the normal way due to a very mangled leg. She doesnt feel steady sitting on me. And Bullrush (her sibling who I think is male) has a bad case of small man syndrome being half her size and the runt of the clutch. They were parent raised birds till the parents escaped the aviary when they were about 3 weeks old then the breeder raised them till I took them at 6 weeks cause she had no time with a young baby to look after. To top this all off I am getting another of thier clutch mates that the breeder gave to her parents who now do not have the time for it. Lol. All that being said, I reckon that if I spend enough time with them daily I can turn them into pets. It's a matter of perseverance and how much you want it.

Just be sure to get the bond, trust and basic taming out of the way before you start taking it everywhere. They have the ability to be kinda nervous so that trust is important.

thats good to hear, and hahah i hear are they are cheeky little buggers lol. i think the main issue here is that they make amazing pets but people are not going that extra mile. i guess you could say that they are macaws in a much smaller package. im glad to hear that you are noticing good results from training them and that you have experience with them becoming amazing pets. i think by nature rosellas are much more cautious then other parrots so they take longer to bond and trust their owners but the pay off can be great. i made up my mind that i am going to go with a rosella. ill be sure its a baby handfed male and start from there so i will be giving him the best possible start.....but im getting nervous because i will be going to university next year {i will still be living at home though and i know that for sure} and i dont know if i can handle him. im worried that i will spend the next few months getting him to trust me only to ruin it by not spending the same amount of time with him. like now i only go to school for an hour each day so ill have plenty of time to spend with him but later on i wont have those 5-6 hours a day to give him attention but maybe closer to 2-3 hours of attention....although i can still let him out of his cage while i study and stuff so he can come up to me and sit with me. ill be the primary caregiver but i might be able to get my parents on board too.