Large bird for beginner?

[zakocsm]

Hello, I am very new to this forum, so if you have never seen me here before, that is why. I am new to the bird-keeping hobby. I have been in the fish-keeping hobby for a couple years now, and I am looking for another animal keeping hobby, but this time I want it to be more interactive. I have kept anything from a tiny aquarium to a 55 gallon. I love fish, but again, I would love to try birds because of how beautiful they are and because of how good of a friend they can be if you train them right.
Soon, I will be ordering the Bird Tricks training course. If there is a better parrot training course out there, than definitely recommend that as well.
So, I have been looking into the species of bird I would like to keep. First, let me say I am NOT the kind of person that makes up their mind easily. I really would like a bigger sized bird, over 16-18 inches kind of large. I don't want to get something huge like a macaw, even though at one point I thought of it. Macaws are too big of a responsibility, and once I go to college and graduate, and I am still into bird-keeping, than I will consider one. I am currently looking at Aratinga conures, but I have heard they are loud and I need a bird that I can put the cage next to my bed since I can only put the cage in my bedroom, but I might be able to convince my parents to let me put it outside in the hallway, but I doubt that will happen.
I would love some recommendations on some "beginner" birds that are larger than 16 inches and are not super loud. They can be a little loud, say only for a part of the day, but definitely not while I am sleeping
Any recommendations are welcome. I don't care if the bird can or cannot talk, but I would like it to possibly be a little bit of a snuggler.
Thanks,
Mitch
P.S. I can handle a little bit of a challenge. If it bites, bring it on. I have been bit by Emerald Tree Boas, and those hurt a little bit, but I doubt nearly as much as a Macaw. If you reccomend a bird, tell me a little bit of information (I will research the bird anyways, but it saves me a little bit of hassle) and just some pros and cons of keeping it.
Thanks!

 

[GracelynNBirds]

If you are starting off you really don't need a big bird. Even though big birds are cool and all they can be a challenge! They need a lot of attention and a lot of clean up involved. I would HIGHLY recommend starting small like a cockatiel or maybe a conure. Just because they are small does NOT mean they don't have a personality trust me they have big ones! If you really want to get a good bird don't get anything like a budgie/parakeet. Budgies are very popular in the parrot world but they can be very hard to handle. No offense to the budgie owners out there! Green cheeked conures and cockatiels are very affectionate and very smart birds. They are great for clicker training! And btw most birds don't make noise in the middle of the night. For my cockatiel when lights are out it's bed time for her and she is very quiet. And all/most birds will make noise. Green cheeks can be noisy but compared to the size of bird you're wanting there is a huge gap. You need to do your own research and get lot's of books about parrots. Parrots are WAY different then fish and reptiles. Please don't try to get a large bird as your first bird it's not what you think. Again do A LOT of research before buying a bird and make sure before you go and buy a bird check a shelter there are a lot of sweet birds wanting a good home there! I really hope this helps!

 

[zakocsm]

Perfect. My first pick was actually a green cheek conure, and I actually considered a cockatiel. I like them both. And that was something I forgot to mention, I wanted a bird that could be clicker trained well. Yea, I can handle noise as long as it isn't in the middle of the night or for more than a couple hours a day. There are a lot of shelters near me, and I definitely want to check some out, and I will. I live in North Carolina, but something I found out is that a shelter I was considering and the one I liked the most actually only adopted to people 18 and above :/ I am not 18 yet unfortunately. I have found another in Ashville that I like and will look into, but I would like to look for something a lot more close to Charlotte. Thanks for the response!

 

[Midnight]

Hello I am pretty new to birds too but I think if you want a bigger bird, aratinga conures are a great choice. I have a gold capped conure (an aratinga conure) and she is loud but mostly when she just wakes up. She's a little smaller than your desired 16 inches but not by much. Keeping an aratinga conure in your room might not be the best idea if you need to do work or study. Nighttime should be no problem though since my bird never made noise once I closed the lights and covered her up. She also barley screams unless she hears a lot of movement in the house. Each bird is different though so if you decide on one, choose one that seems more quiet. It's hard to describe how loud they are unless you hear it for yourself but they can be ear piercing. I live in a three story house and she's I'm the basement but when she screams you can hear it from the top floor. Then again all birds are different. When I'm with her, she usually is pretty quiet but they can be distracting. Ex. Eating food, chewing toys, flapping wings.
Hope that helped a little

 

[Flboy]

Please rethink this whole thing through!
"And once I go to college and graduate, and I am still into bird-keeping, than I will consider one. I am currently looking at Aratinga conures, but I have heard they are loud"
These guys have life spans that last much longer than a whim, and very very real emotional needs!

 

[zakocsm]

Can Aratingas be clicker trained? That is a big thing for me. I love aratingas aswell, they are very pretty and get to be a decent size. I seem to really like conures. The noise isn't an issue for me anymore after what Galah said, I was just thinking whether or not they would make noise while I was sleeping. I dont spend much time up in my bedroom unless I am about to go to sleep. I have an office space in my house and I use that to study, I don't even have a desk anymore in my room because I had to use it for something else
Thanks for the reccomendation. I will definitely look into it, I really do like aratinga conures. Any advice on sun conures would be great. I am also looking into Jenday conures, but right now I mostly like the Green Cheek (Pyrrhua) and Sun Conures (Aratinga). Any other reccomendations are also welcome.

 

[Midnight]

Yes they can be clicker trained. Conures are very intelligent species

 

[zakocsm]

Please rethink this whole thing through!
"And once I go to college and graduate, and I am still into bird-keeping, than I will consider one. I am currently looking at Aratinga conures, but I have heard they are loud"
These guys have life spans that last much longer than a whim, and very very real emotional needs!

Yes, I get that. I am looking into an apartment while I go to college since I believe I will be able to afford one, and now that I say this, I realize that a large bird is not for me. I would like to look into smaller birds like conures. If I cannot take a bird with me, my parents would be fine looking after it while I am at college, since I don't think I will be going out of state and I could visit the bird every couple of days.
Thanks for looking after me though
Believe me, I have thought this through when I got into aquariums aswell, since they can last for a LONG time, and I mean 20 years+. I know birds aren't the same as aquariums and can live a LOT longer, like 50+ years, but I am just making a little metaphor. Don't take it like I am saying they are identical.
Thanks,
Mitch

 

[GracelynNBirds]

Perfect. My first pick was actually a green cheek conure, and I actually considered a cockatiel. I like them both. And that was something I forgot to mention, I wanted a bird that could be clicker trained well. Yea, I can handle noise as long as it isn't in the middle of the night or for more than a couple hours a day. There are a lot of shelters near me, and I definitely want to check some out, and I will. I live in North Carolina, but something I found out is that a shelter I was considering and the one I liked the most actually only adopted to people 18 and above :/ I am not 18 yet unfortunately. I have found another in Ashville that I like and will look into, but I would like to look for something a lot more close to Charlotte. Thanks for the response!

Also most birds can be clicker trained. Parrots are very smart which makes them good for clicker training. But still do your research. xD i love the little bird emoji smiley thing xD

 

[zakocsm]

Perfect. My first pick was actually a green cheek conure, and I actually considered a cockatiel. I like them both. And that was something I forgot to mention, I wanted a bird that could be clicker trained well. Yea, I can handle noise as long as it isn't in the middle of the night or for more than a couple hours a day. There are a lot of shelters near me, and I definitely want to check some out, and I will. I live in North Carolina, but something I found out is that a shelter I was considering and the one I liked the most actually only adopted to people 18 and above :/ I am not 18 yet unfortunately. I have found another in Ashville that I like and will look into, but I would like to look for something a lot more close to Charlotte. Thanks for the response!

Also most birds can be clicker trained. Parrots are very smart which makes them good for clicker training. But still do your research. xD i love the little bird emoji smiley thing xD

I like the emojis too

 

[itchyfeet]

Please rethink this whole thing through!
"And once I go to college and graduate, and I am still into bird-keeping, than I will consider one. I am currently looking at Aratinga conures, but I have heard they are loud"
These guys have life spans that last much longer than a whim, and very very real emotional needs!

Yes, I get that. I am looking into an apartment while I go to college since I believe I will be able to afford one, and now that I say this, I realize that a large bird is not for me. I would like to look into smaller birds like conures. If I cannot take a bird with me, my parents would be fine looking after it while I am at college, since I don't think I will be going out of state and I could visit the bird every couple of days.
Thanks for looking after me though

Mitch

Not looking after you I suspect, more looking after the parrot ~ although I know rehomes can be hard for everybody involved.

It's good you've got back up plans with Mum and Dad. I've got back up plans for my birds, and I am the back up plan for a couple, including a galah who'll be moving in in a few weeks time.

What you need to realise though, is that birds bond. Really bond. Some species may have stronger emotional control/less neurotic tendencies, but when you go to college, your bird will grieve. Are you certain you'll get into the one of your choice? What if you don't? How about if your career takes you away from home long term? When I had my first bird, I had answers to all of these. But life intervened. You need plans B, C and D. And if you can come up with those in a way that reflects the health, happiness and safety of both you and your fid, then a smaller conure sounds like just what you are after

The other thing to remember is that specie stereotypes are only a guide. There's another member on here, Dinosrawr, who's ringneck Shiko couldn't be any more different from my Henry. Both ringneck's, both awesome to have around, but very different in nature.

Good luck!

 

[itchyfeet]

Another thing - don't set your heart on one. Find two or three that sound as though they'd work for your situation. Ideally two or three that Mum and Dad are keen on too. Then visit craigslist adverts, breeders, rescues....and get a feel for the individual bird. Be sure you are all comfortable handling him.

Henry came to me when I was looking for an African Grey. I'm so glad he did!

 

[Birdman666]

I, personally, HATE the "starter bird" concept. The poor bird you start with becomes unwanted when the new bird comes along, and if it's a bigger bird, he gets bullied besides...

IF YOU WANT A BIGGER BIRD, THEN GET THE ONE YOU WANT...

BUT FIRST DO YOUR RESEARCH, AND FOR GOD'S SAKE LEARN HOW TO TRAIN ONE BEFORE YOU GET ONE... HANDLE THEM FIRST, BEFORE YOU GET ONE, GET IT HOME, AND THEN REALIZE THAT YOU CAN'T...

 

[Mallory]

I kept fish for awhile too. I'm going to grossly simplify things and am aware of these simplifications. You start with a 10-20 gallon and some tropical community fish to learn the ropes. You go bigger and maybe into aggressive (cichlids and freshwater sharks) or specimen tanks, maybe you try planted tanks. People tell you it will be years of research and tons of money to set up a saltwater tank and you can easily fail, but if you're dedicated they're arguably the most stunning. That's a typical progression of fishkeeping.

When you want to keep hot snakes, it could work corn snake -> black rat snake -> asian colubrid -> training with mentor -> rear fangs -> coral snake -> small exotic elapids -> cobras & mambas. Horses... you start off with a "bombproof" old lesson horse and maybe eventually you'll be starting colts. I've personally gone through all three of these progressions (not necessarily exactly as my examples) in my lifetime and I'm only 23. I've always been one to throw myself into any aspect of animal care I can access. Please don't think parrot keeping is anything like these above progressions. It doesn't go parakeet -> Pyrrhura conure -> ringneck -> senegal -> eclectus -> African grey -> scarlet macaw. That's just rubbish. You're not just gaining experience when you get a smaller bird, you are dedicating your life to keeping that bird happy and healthy and safe. Birds should not in any way be thought of as a means to an end.

I have a lot to say and I hope you read it all. You are a young, bright person and excited about parrot keeping. I think that's fantastic! Hang around here and get involved. Meet our birds! Watch youtube videos, read blogs and books, find a local rescue/shelter/store you can volunteer at even if it's mostly scrubbing poop. There are so many parrot species out there and all of them are amazing with their own challenges and rewards. The best way to learn what bird is for you is to expose yourself to all the different species and familiarize yourself with them.

You are about to become a college student. When I started college, my life was a mess! There was so much stress and excitement and change and while that's great for an 18 year old, it's not a good environment for a parrot. Maybe your parents can watch your bird - usually universities require 1-2 years living in their dorms so that's a lot to ask - but why when you can wait until you are stable? Consider all the choices and changes college will bring. You might work through college (not much free time), you will be doing a lot of studying, socializing and making connections that will help you obtain a career in your field. You will be living at least 2 different places on average (dorm, apartment). Will you have trouble finding a parrot-friendly apartment? Will you date? Will you have a roommate? Will this person want to sacrifice febreeze, candles, pesticides, heavy perfume and teflon pans? When you graduate, will you move to a new place? A new state? Do you plan to marry, have kids, travel? All of these things are exciting and you should be excited because this is arguably the most fun time in your life. Things settle down after college.

These things are also sources of stress and complication when you own a parrot. Think of it - would you want to drag a child along with you through all of this? I just said things settle down after college...and you want to be settled when you own a parrot. They thrive on routine and time with their people. I highly recommend you wait until you have graduated and gotten a steady job before bringing a bird into your life. Use the extra time to research and plan!

Here are a few other things I want to say based on your other comments and questions... First I'll say this because I've handled emerald tree boas and green tree pythons and shown their teeth off to the public in educational talks (and worked with adult burmese pythons and hots...you get my drift) - parrot bites are nothing like snake bites. Not only do they hurt MUCH worse, they signify a failure on your part to understand and respect your companion, whereas with a snake it's much simpler. "Oh, you look like food!". "Get out of my space!". Snakes are simple, parrots are emotional and complex.

What species is right for you? Any parrot can be clicker trained. Some parrots are louder, some parrots bite harder, different species have different behaviors and dietary requirements. Some are known to be cuddly, talkative, independent...you need to decide what traits you want and it's so much more than size. A large Ara macaw isn't the end goal of a parrot owner, it's one genus of bird that lives around the amazon and happens to be larger than others in the order Psittaciformes. Yes, it's easier to work with a smaller species before getting involved with macaws, but a parakeet deserves as much attention and care as a macaw. If people understood that, we wouldn't have the notion of "starter" parrots as less valuable and even "disposable". If you want a macaw, go to a rescue and work with macaws, don't buy a parakeet! Be set on your species because you live and breathe (insert species here), not because it's training wheels for the parrot you really long for. But also be honest with yourself. If you're working 9-5, maybe a cockatoo that wants to ride your shoulder all day long isn't the best idea.

I have said all I can think of. You have asked the right questions and raised some great points. I hope you will take what everyone has said to heart. I am someone who tends to get involved with animals to the point it takes over my life and even compromises my relationships with people and as a young adult, I have made some mistakes I would like to help others avoid. You have your whole life to own parrots, get started now but don't jump into the deep end.