Meyer's or Senegal around kids?

[JustMyForte]

Hello everyone!

I am in the process of researching potential birds that may be suitable for my family. I have been interested in either a Meyer's or a Senegal, but unsure how there temperament is and whether they would be a good family bird and good around small kids.

Could someone give me some insight on either of these birds and fill me in on what to expect.

Thank you!
Holly

 

[Laylatoo]

I have a Meyers/Senegal hybrid. She’s adorable but definitely a one person bird. She doesn’t like my husband or any of my four kids. I adore her sassy, affectionate lively personality. She thinks she’s some kind of bulldog and will try and bully the larger birds so she gets watched closely and sometimes the “naughty green pickle” ends up in a time out because she’s a stubborn little thing. Lol

 

[SilverSage]

I wouldn’t really recommend either for a house with kids, but that doesn’t mean it couldn’t work out just fine. For a house with kids my go-to recommendations are budgies (tame ones), Cockatiels, and Indian Ringnecks, with Cockatiels being the best


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[JamesC]

Can't say too much about Meyer's other than I've heard they tend to have a milder temperament than a Senegal.

My Sennie is very much a one person bird. And kind of independent from contact even with me most of the time. He is a rescue who lost one of his previous two or three homes after just a couple of months because he attached himself to one member of the family and bit the heck out of the others. Senegal bites hurt and do damage. You will bleed. I would never let any children handle Sidney.

BUT, I will wholeheartedly say that Kelly, my first Senegal, was the sweetest and most gentle bird I have ever met. She would go to anyone who offered a step up and would usually be accepting scritches within a minute or two.

Bird personalities differ just as much as people so there are sweet and gentle Sennies out there. Though overall, after reading many stories of bad experiences with Senegals in a family environment, I would have to agree with SilverSage and recommend another species. They are cute, intelligent, relatively quiet but in many ways they can be little firecrackers waiting to go off.

 

[wrench13]

Seek ye out yellow wing parrots , read shadypines.Com site a breeDer of these delightful, small, smart parrots. Great family birds, who seek out human contact. Much better choice for a house with small kids. Our Max was a real hoot (RIP).

 

[JustMyForte]

Thank you everyone! Good insight as I go over my list of potential birds that may or may not be for me.

 

[Sandy19]

Besides for me, my 6 year old daughter is the only one that can handle my senegal. She won't let my husband or older kids pick her up. We raised her from a baby and I made sure my daughter interacted with her a lot so that surely helped.

They are known to be one person birds and can have a powerful bite. So If I were going to get one I would get a younger one that was recently weaned so the bird and your children can get use to each other. My Senegal has never bit anyone, but she's shy around everyone except me and my daughter who raised her. So I guess she's a two person bird.

 

[LaurieC]

I don't have any experience with Senegals, but I do have a Meyers. He is equally social with both my husband and I (the only people in our household). He's quit smart and has an extensive vocabulary. He has no fear of strangers and will go to anyone who comes into the house, and ham it up for attention. He is, however, an incedible bully to other birds or animals in the house.