Lovebird or GCC?

[psychocircus91]

These are two of the birds I'm considering getting. I've also been looking into a cockatiel or budgie, but Lovebirds and Green cheeks are more appealing at the moment.

I have about five years prior experience owning a variety of birds (a cockatoo being the most high maintenance) but I was much younger.

Please share your experience with green cheeks or lovebirds. I am looking for a single bird as a companion. I like playfulness to an extent and a bird that is content sitting on your shoulder.

The bird will be handled for at least two hours a day, and out of his/her cage for at least four.

I am also open to other suggestions. Thanks in advance.

 

[DallyTsuka]

lovebirds are notoriously cage aggressive to some extent. males are generally less temperamental than females, but you do get calmer and gentler individuals.

lovebirds are insanely playful and hilarious. soooo much energy all bundled into a tiny little feathered ball.

they pack a bite for their size though!

my male acts tough when i reach in his cage to feed him or if i go near a favourite toy or what not, but he's kinda wimpy and it's a bluff. the female however is in a separate cage, you dont invade her cage. she means business and she latches on and wont let go! lol but she's a bird, and shes gonna bite. i just dont mess with her cage unless to feed and water her or if i have to take her out, or if she wants me to pet her. i respect her space and her biting isnt much of a problem. its easy to tell when she wants to bite.

but they are very social and like to interact with those they bond to. my male is more hands off (he was parent raised, took 2 years to tame him enough where he comes to us when he wants to, but he just isnt a people bird) but our female is tame and is bonded equally to both me and my husband. she's people oriented and she has recently started asking me to pet her. she was handraised from day one, but poorly socialized so we had to earn her trust over the last 2 years.


they can also be highly hormonal. every winter our female lays eggs. and every winter the hormone reduction techniques do not work on her. she sits on the eggs and she gives up on them and shes back to normal for the rest of the year. the male feeds his toys a LOT during hormone times. lovebirds are very hormonal little birds, and they're also very determined little birds. so that can be a frustrating mix. not all of them will lay, not all of them will be so determined to lay, but potential owners should be aware of the fact that they can be very determined to be hormonal little boogers haha. they can turn the weirdest places into a nest, and being so small its not hard for them to find random nooks and crannies to turn into nests, and watch out for any important paper documents! they will get turned into nest material so fast you wont have time to blink lol


it would be easier to start with a hand tame baby than an unsocialized one, but it can be done if you are patient enough to work with an untame lovebird

lovebirds are great birds, but have big attitude lol if you can handle all that personality in a tiny bundle, they can be excellent pets--both males and females!

i own lovebirds so i can give you their side, but ive never owned green cheeks so i'll let you hear other's experience on them



you can see how much energy they can have

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YiTKEm-qRyo]Munch Goddess of Wrath - YouTube[/ame]


they're curious

and they can be cuddly

 

[OOwl]

I'd pick a male hand-tame lovebird over a GCC any day, but that's just my personal experience. I happened to get one of the mellow ones, and he really doesn't bite, even if I stick my hand in his cage (he hops onto my hand). I also have an 11-year-old female that is vicious about defending her cage, but once away from there (easily accomplished by training to come out on a hand-held perch), she's as sweet as the male. She's never once in 11 years bitten me away from the cage.

Nothing against GCCs, who I'm sure have their fans and following. I just find them very nippy, especially when hormonal.

Good luck on your choice!

 

[legal_eagle]

I can speak to the GCC side, having been living with one for about a decade and a half now. My bird is a great companion pet. She would spend all her time out of her cage and with me if she could. She doesn't bite and rarely screeches, loves to sit on my shoulder gently preening my ear, and can say a few words. She will also happily sit on a chair back and watch me go about my business, following me from room to room. I'm not really the sentimental type, but somehow this little bird has worked her way into my heart more than any other pet I have owned (including a dog).

 

[critterman]

I would say that is depends on the bird. Both lovebirds and GCC can be wonderful birds. It depends on if it was hand-fed and hand tamed. Both species have wonderful personalities and traits. I say you should try to expose yourself to both lovebirds and GCC and see for yourself which one your prefer. It's like comparing apples to oranges........lol. Good luck and keep a open mind and keep us informed. Good luck!

 

[mistywaterwoman]

That's what I did, like Critterman suggested, when I couldn't decide between lovebirds and cockatiels. Went to a place that had both for me to see, touch, compare, etc. I felt more comfortable with the lovies and that is what I ended up with.

 

[psychocircus91]

Thanks for all the tips guys. I've actually owned lovebirds and another species of conure before. the biting isn't really a concern. This was a long time ago and they were store bought and never really tamed to the extent I want now. Is DNA testing the only way to identify the sex of a baby lovebird?

I like the appearance of lovebirds a little better, but that's not really one of my main factors.

 

[DallyTsuka]

DNA is the most accurate way, everything else is not very accurate.

 

[psychocircus91]

Yeah, I figured. I hear they're usually pretty good with guessing on budgies though. If I were to get a lovebird should I worry about the sex?

 

[DallyTsuka]

personally, i think both sexes are great, they come with their own challenges as individuals, but females have that potential for egg laying and the nesty aggression that comes with it.

but males can get hormonal too and may not be shy about objects they give affection to....


but really, i dont think sex fully matters if you are prepared. full spectrum lighting is ideal for all birds, but i highly suggest it for hens.

 

[dakotab619]

i would pick a lovebird over anyother bird i have two lovebirds and i love both of them to death being with them really does make my day i hang out with them a few hours a day and when im not at home with them i miss them i have never had a Green cheeks but i would still pick a lovebird over them anyday lol

 

[psychocircus91]

Thanks for the input; I had lovebirds in the past, but they were companions to each other. We never really tried to train them.
I actually decided to go a whole different route.

 

[mistywaterwoman]

Well, don't keep us in suspense, then! What did you decide??

 

[psychocircus91]

Big difference, but you can find my new little buddy here:

http://www.parrotforums.com/macaws/30311-getting-my-first-macaw.html

 

[Abigal7]

I have experience with green cheek conures but never owned a lovebird. I know lovebirds can have a reputation of being aggressive and territorial. The green cheek conure I had as a child had a big bird personality and was fearless but did not bite me. My current female green cheek conure is mellow, is not that noisey and is handable). Other people can handle her too. Both my current conure and the conure I had as a child would cuddle, layed on thier back in my hand, and loved head scratches. I think either one could be great if tamed. To be honest lovebirds to me seem fiesty and active like a green cheek conure. But I am only concluding this due to me watching them interact with each other in the pet store and to be honest I am sure personality wise lovebirds are not exactly like conures.