i cant believe i'm asking this!

[ann]

hi all! ok so i never thought i would ever get the chance to ask this, i cant believe it ......but what parrot should i get! my parents said i can get a new bird. i have to respect their wants so nothing too loud. my budget is 500. im looking for a medium sized (at least bigger than a budgie) parrot, who is gentle, playful/entertaining, and cuddly. i absolutely LOVE caiques, especially how they hop and are so funny and entertaining, but their mood swings, possible aggression, and noise level is just too much for me. so something like a caique, but more laid back? some of you might know i was planning on a GCC, but i thought since i have the freedom too i should look around, i just want to get it right. sorry for all the questions ive been asking recently . thank you all so much for any and all advice!!!

 

[CYCK22]

I can't say that I have experience with a wide range of birds, but.. I think the gcc is a great idea! I've had Monty for only a month now but he's been a pleasure to be with. Ture he is a little nippy with my wife but hes getting better and in only a month his trust in me has grown by leaps. He can be funny, bossy, rowdy, calm - his colorful personality has many shades, but above all else he is always in tune with what's going on around him. He looks, listens, follows, dances, he's interactive. I hate cleaning fish tanks because the fish could care less that I exist. Monty connects with the world and people around him and it really takes the chore out of things like cage cleaning. I consider myself lucky for the oppertunity to care for this little featherball! =)

 

[vicky2200]

How about a cockatiel? They are relatively quite and nice birds.

 

[cdog]

How about a Senegal, they are medium sized and quiet. Gcc are great but they are nippy. If you want a more fun and goofy parrot I would say get a gcc but if you want a more layed back parrot I would say get a Senegal. But make sure you do your research. Just find some parrots that appeal to you then research them and see if they are right for you. If you find that there are two or more species that would fit you then get in contact with breeders and see what they are like in person. If you still like more than one species in person just find one that you really connect with.
Good luck!

 

[ann]

Thank you for the responses! I did some research and am loving the brotogeris and Quaker parrots. I love sennies but I also heard they can be a little nippy. I'm visiting the pet store tomorrow so I'll ask around there, pluss there is a great pet store called bird paradise which has every bird imaginable, so I can play with them and see which one I get along with best thank you so much!

 

[cdog]

Quakers are illegal in several states so make sure you are allowed to own one first.

 

[lene1949]

The Alexandrine is considered 'medium sized', but much bigger than a quaker or conure...

It is also considered to have the best temperament... Not as big in the talking department as the CAG, but some say close to...

 

[mtdoramike]

I'm happy for you that your parents are allowing you to get a larger bird. BUT, the stipulations that have been put on this is not going to make your decision very easy. First off, if there is a rescue center or sanctuary near you, I would go there and spend some time with the birds in order to judge for yourself how they are.

All the birds that have been listed except for Cockatiels are LOUD birds. Senegal's are sweet and touted to be not as loud or apartment birds, but if that is the case, I would have been kicked out of an apartment a year ago because my Senegal can get loud quite often. She is also quite nippy and moody when she wants to be as is most smaller birds.

Quaker birds are VERY LOUD for their size as is Alexadrines and Indian Ring neck"s. But which ever bird you get, I would get a hand raised bird from a breeder to allow it to grow with your family.

 

[roxynoodle]

Ask Suebee just how bossy and nippy a Senegal can be

The quiet stipulation makes it hard. Budgies and cockatiels probably fit that better than anything else. Pionus are known for being quiet but I don't think $500 will cover the bird and cage unless you find one needing rehomed. I do not know just how quiet GCCs really are. As I said before Blue Crowns can be loud, but mine wasn't anywhere near as vocal in the bird sound department as Rowdy is. Mostly she talked all day. Once a day though she would screech out in this very high pitched voice that hurt my ears, from happiness. My cat hated it, and would go marching up to her and glare at her like, "If you don't shut up, I'm going to eat you!" And the bird usually stopped. So I guess I see BCCs as pretty quiet, but they can be loud and piercing, that's for sure. And she was a loud talker so yes, if you got one like that, maybe your parents wouldn't want to hear it talking all day either.

Try to find videos of the birds that interest you, turn the volume all the way up and see what your parents think of their voices.

I can tune out a jackhammer, but some people go wild over any noise.

 

[Mayden]

Well, I love my sennie and he is "quiet" compared to a lot of birds his size. But that doesn't mean he is actually quiet. Quite a few times he's gone off on one and I'm sat there thinking "oh my god my neighbors must hate me." They can be nippy, I know I've been really upset through his molting period as he's been really horrible to me for the most part and that is so stressful.

I would suggest a Meyers to be honest. If you're looking for quiet, clownish and less nippy, Meyers seems to tick all boxes. They're quiet in comparison to others, but by no means quiet, all birds have their time of day and I'm sure you know that, but Meyers are supposed to be more laid back then Sennies, so I think you'd have to battle less with the biting.

Yeah, Meyers is my vote.

 

[roxynoodle]

The only Meyers I have experience with was the one that belonged to my sister. He was pretty quiet though I guess. He only knew 3 words the first time he came to stay with me, which he repeated over and over, and unfortunately one was a cuss word. I don't remember him making much in the way of other sounds though, but it's been a long time.

He was however, something of a holy terror, and he tried to kill me every time I fed him. He was also attacking her now husband and then he started attacking her as well. I don't know if this is a tendency for them or it was lack of training on my sister's part. She previously had a CAG with her first husband who was exactly the same way so I suspect my sister has something to do with this happening to her birds.

There is an African Red Belly parrot at my vet's and she is very quiet. She doesn't like women though. She asked me one day for a scritch, so I did it, and then 30 seconds later she bit me, but not hard at all. They have told me though more than once that she is quite a sweetie with men, but hates women.

 

[Mayden]

The only Meyers I have experience with was the one that belonged to my sister. He was pretty quiet though I guess. He only knew 3 words the first time he came to stay with me, which he repeated over and over, and unfortunately one was a cuss word. I don't remember him making much in the way of other sounds though, but it's been a long time.

He was however, something of a holy terror, and he tried to kill me every time I fed him. He was also attacking her now husband and then he started attacking her as well. I don't know if this is a tendency for them or it was lack of training on my sister's part. She previously had a CAG with her first husband who was exactly the same way so I suspect my sister has something to do with this happening to her birds.

There is an African Red Belly parrot at my vet's and she is very quiet. She doesn't like women though. She asked me one day for a scritch, so I did it, and then 30 seconds later she bit me, but not hard at all. They have told me though more than once that she is quite a sweetie with men, but hates women.

Meyers are very friendly birds, they're "family" rather than "one person" like the senegal. I was originally tied between a senegal/meyers, with the main difference being family/one person and the nippyness. I decided on a senegal, purely because I didn't mind the differences and sennies are more available.

But if I could ever get another parrot that had to be quite small (say, so Merlin wouldn't be eaten) then I'd definitely hunt hunt hunt to get a Meyers

 

[RebeccaE]

HI, I have to chime in....

First, I have a Quaker and a Goffin Cockatoo. I actually purchased my G2 from Parrot Paradise...awesome place....found them to be extremely helpful.

Quakers are illegal to own/sell in Pennsylvania and several others stars across the USA. I doubt they will have any Quakers. Anyway, love my Quaker...she is a talking playing fiend however she is VERY VERY loud.....not in anger, just because she is happy and life is good. She is a delightful size, however I will say you want a bigger cage than for a cockatiel but not too big some can get her head through the bars. M

I have always wanted a Senegal.

Congrats on the green parrot light...keep us posted....I am so excited for you.


BTW, growing up I had a cockatiel....delightful bird!!!!! Especially if hand fed.

Rebecca

 

[Joeyx]

definately a meyer.. if i were you. ;p
good luck deciding!

 

[roxynoodle]

The only Meyers I have experience with was the one that belonged to my sister. He was pretty quiet though I guess. He only knew 3 words the first time he came to stay with me, which he repeated over and over, and unfortunately one was a cuss word. I don't remember him making much in the way of other sounds though, but it's been a long time.

He was however, something of a holy terror, and he tried to kill me every time I fed him. He was also attacking her now husband and then he started attacking her as well. I don't know if this is a tendency for them or it was lack of training on my sister's part. She previously had a CAG with her first husband who was exactly the same way so I suspect my sister has something to do with this happening to her birds.

There is an African Red Belly parrot at my vet's and she is very quiet. She doesn't like women though. She asked me one day for a scritch, so I did it, and then 30 seconds later she bit me, but not hard at all. They have told me though more than once that she is quite a sweetie with men, but hates women.

Meyers are very friendly birds, they're "family" rather than "one person" like the senegal. I was originally tied between a senegal/meyers, with the main difference being family/one person and the nippyness. I decided on a senegal, purely because I didn't mind the differences and sennies are more available.

But if I could ever get another parrot that had to be quite small (say, so Merlin wouldn't be eaten) then I'd definitely hunt hunt hunt to get a Meyers

I do suspect it has to do with my sister. She has tried 2 larger parrots now and both turned into biting, attacking monsters. She flipped when I told her about Merlin saying, "How could you get one of those?! Don't you remember what Buckley did to me?!" I said Merlin is very sweet and cuddly.

She tried very hard to get me to take the Meyer's. I said no, I was just too busy at the time to work with him, and I couldn't even clean his cage without getting attacked. He did learn to talk easily though because he went home with new words in his vocabulary every time he stayed with me and my birds.

 

[ann]

thank you so much for all the replies, the thing is, noise couldn't bother me any less, im one of those weird people who actually enjoys the sound of macaws screaming lol! but my parents can tolerate morning and dusk screams, but not earsplitting. i think they would be ok with a quaker, and i love the meyers too. what are the pros and cons of each, thank you very much

 

[sssaucey]

It really is exciting getting your first bird, I chose a lovebird because I liked there size and also they have a little bit of an attitude so I could learn how to handle it without the chance of losing a finger. Although her bites do hurt when she tries. I'm very happy with the way she has turned out, anyway I just though I would throw my vote in for a lovebird lol

Good luck in whatever species you choose

 

[ann]

thank you sssaucey, i did consider love birds, but after a little more research, i think i have my heart set on a quaker, although lovebirds are wonderful, my brothers friend has one whos adorable! btw i kept meaning to say this but never got around to it, but jewels looks sooooo cute in your profile picture, i just want to squeeze her little cheeks!

 

[sssaucey]

haha thanks, she was 8 weeks old in that picture all grown up now

I was thinking about a quaker before I got Jewels but after I held her I was sold.

 

[ann]

lol shes so cute i probably would be too! after watching some videos on youtube of quakers, i just cant say no! thanks for all the replies~