Lovebird vs Budgie

[tab_xo]

Hi all!

Another long time away from the forums, whoops

I am well, so is Fargo, has not changed at all (check his Facebook for recent updates).


BUT!

My older brother has called me many times today, trying to get my bird knowledge on a good parrot to have for him and his family.


He has narrowed it down to a lovebird or a budgie, although he did also like some conures and a quaker.




I would love it if anyone could give a comparison between the two, although I know every bird is incredible different and individual characters.

He would like just one, and it would be interacted with every day (his wife lives at home).

They have two boys, 2 and 4. Both love animals and incredibly gentle, they are in love with Fargo. But my brother is very responsible and would not let the boys play with the bird on their own, limited interactions so the bird is not afraid or played with roughly.



In the long run of having a single budgie or lovebird, is one prone to being aggressive more, being more territorial, having issues with younger kids?

They have found reputable breeders of both that hand raise their babies and give them a lot of interaction and cuddling so they are incredibly friendly..

But I do not have any knowledge of these little guys so I thought I would ask you knowledgable people of your advice and expertise :09:



Thank you!


Tab & Fargo.

 

[JerseyWendy]

Hiya Young Lady! GREAT to 'see' you!

Looks like the bird bug was slightly contagious, yes?

I have zero experience with lovebirds, but grew up with a budgie. He was phenomenal! Center of attention, lovable, VERY talkative, and super sweet. :heart:

 

[SilverSage]

I have budgies and I frequently interact with a babysit lovebirds.

With kids that age, I have to say a budgie! Why? The biting issue. I have lived with budgies for 15 years. I have NEVER received a territorial bite, even when reaching into an occupied nest box! It may happen, but not nearly as likely as with a lovebird. Lovebirds are FAMOUS for biting and they have SHARP beaks! Now I love the little guys and I'm actually planning to get one someday, but in a house with small children I 100% suggest a budgie over a lovebird. How trusting are children that young likely to be after a night that sends them bleeding and running to mommy for no reason that they can tell? Budgies rarely bite out of anything other than utter fear.

Aside from biting, budgie flocks are incredibly easy to add to. If they should ever decide to expand, adding a second budgie is likely to go very smoothly with little to no impact on the relationship between the humans and the birds, which is NOT likely to be true of a lovebird. Also, it's pretty easy to keep budgies from breeding, but a determined pair of lovebirds is a nightmare!

On a health note, lovebirds are extremely susceptible to PBFD, budgies slightly less so.

Budgies are less expensive, come in more color variations, more readily available, and honestly I find their noise to be way less annoying lol.

I adore lovebirds but I would never consider getting one for a child. They are a huge parrot in a tiny body. Budgies are much more child friendly assuming the children don't hurt the bird of course.

 

[SilverSage]

Oh I should add that many loves are super sweet as babies, but watch out for sexual maturity! Yikes! Great pets for adults and experienced bird loves, not good pets for kids imo

 

[cpsseals]

They are a huge parrot in a tiny body.

I can't agree with this more! A lovebird is a misnomer of biblical proportions if not socialized well. Don't know a lovebird that would back down from any Macaw or cat for that matter. Little feather dusters with teeth! But a (singular) well socialised lovebird is a wonderful companion. I've found them hardy, and about as dependable as a brick.

Budgies are a much safer, quieter choice for a family with little fingers and probably the most underrated bird of all time.

I think either can be a fantastic choice.

Just my humble opinion... Good luck.

 

[FaeryBee]

I have three budgies and three lovebirds.

For a household with small children, I believe a budgie would be the best choice.
Lovebirds have a tendency to bond very closely to one person (if they do not have a same species friend/mate). This lends itself to the bird becoming possessive and jealous when that individual spends time with other people or animals. Definitely not something you want to deal with when there are small children involved.

I agree with the others that lovebirds can become quite amorous in their intentions once they hit puberty which also leads to aggression.

A budgie that is parent-raised and human socialized as a baby would be the best choice in my opinion. Allowing the budgie to be parent-raised ensures it receives the attention and socialization it needs at a young age from its own species. Human handling on a daily basis from the time the bird is about 10 days old will ensure the bird is not overly afraid when it goes to its adoptive family.

My choice for your older brother's family would be a Co-Parented Male budgie purchased from an ethical and reputable breeder - not from a big-box pet store.

 

[savannah78754]

Lovebirds are the macaws of the smaller birds and would not do well with kinds ( in general!! ) They have a big attitude and will show it with their sharp beaks! They are feisty little things and think they're the biggest and baddest LOL

Lovies are very territorial as well, and are known to kill other lovebirds that they do not know. They can be one person birds as well.. Every lovebird is different for sure, but in general I would choose a budgie over a lovie for this type of situation.

Budgies have amazing personalities and are very playful! They are definately more of a children's bird ( In general ) and will usually be fine with having multiple owners at the same time.

I wouldn't trade my lovie for the world but training is a lot harder with something that thinks it needs to be training YOU! haha. He is hand tame, but sometimes he will go in for a big bite of my finger if I've 'crossed the line'. I, personally, would not trust Nash with children or any stranger not willing to get bit.. He is very unpredictable and chooses his people carefully. He hates my dad for no reason, but will love on my step dad all day.. neither has done any harm, and my dad actually has birds of his own that hecares for and that trust him so it's weird for Nash to do so, but he just does and there's nothing we can really do LOL

 

[Piasa]

You've received some great advice.

I've had both as a little girl. My first bird at 6 yrs old was a female budgie (pet store), and at 9 yrs I got a male lovebird (local breeder). Both were excellent with me and my parents and got lots of attention from the whole family. Both seemed to get that I was just a little kid and treated me with lots of tolerance and love. Rarely bitten by either. I was a gentle kid though too.

My lovebird was more hands-on than my budgie and less independent. If my dad was reading the newspaper, he'd fly over to chew the edges, but any other time, he'd ride around on my shoulder and just hang out.

My mom grew up with budgies and has a soft spot in her heart for them especially, but I know Buddy our lovebird was her favorite of all. It's been about 10 years since we lost him, and she still tells me what a good bird he was frequently.

 

[Allee]

Tab, it's so nice to have a chance to say hello. I hope everything is going well with you and yours.

I can't add a thing to the great advice you've been given on budgies and lovebirds. Of the two, considering the kids in your brother's home, I would probably also go with a budgie, incredible little parrots.

If your brother's family is still considering the larger conure or quaker, I would suggest he spend time with both species before choosing. Like the lovebirds, baby quakers are very sweet babies, but watch out when they reach sexual maturity, they can deliver a nasty bite. They have some excellent qualities, speaking ability, playful nature, friendliness to a degree. They tend to be rather independent as adults. That said, baby quakers are inquisitive, hardy and highly adaptable, adopted as a chick and trained by gentle hands, I think a quaker could become a great family member. Overall, a pretty challenging species in relation to their size.

I can't help with conures but we have so many who can.