Trying to find the right bird for me

[Storm1001]

Hi! I'm currently trying to find what bird would be best for me. I've been researching Meyers Parrots, Quaker Parrots, Eclectus Parrots, Senegal Parrots.
I'm stuck and can't seem to figure out how to weigh the pros and cons
I don't live in an apartment so if a bird is louder it's okay but I'm not looking for something ear splitting.
I'm willing to spend alot of time with this bird whenever I'm not at school. Overall the goal is to have this bird with me out of its cage whenever I'm home. I go to school from 7:40 to 2:20 Monday to Friday but I plan for this bird to be with me getting ready every morning and with me from the time I get home until we go to sleep.
Cage size is not an issue I have a huge amount of space that I'm willing to fill with a cage of any size.

Overall I'm just looking for some advice of which bird would be a right fit for me. I'm also willing to change my schedule to surround this bird.

 

[munami]

Welcome to the forum Storm1001!
I'd also recommend doing some general research on birds because there are a lot of environmental factors at play such as

• No aerosols, perfumes, sprays, candles, smoking any where near the bird.
• If smoking, wash your hands after smoking before touching the bird with soap.
• PTFE PTFOA or Teflon is a common killer for birds. When overheated, it can release a noxious gas that doesn't affect humans in the short term, but can be fatal to birds. It is very easy to overheat. Most common things that contain PTFE PTFOA are pots, pans, heaters, hair dryers, things with a non stick element to it.
• Air purifiers are almost necessary depending on the type of bird you get. If you get any bird in the cockatoo family, they produce a fine dust which can cause allergies but also affect them if there's too much dust. Ionizers can be dangerous to birds as they produce ozone.
• House hazards such as hot ovens, boiling water, toilet bowls, ceiling fans, or electrical wires.

There's definitely more but these are the ones I think of constantly.

As for what kind of bird you should get, how much bird experience do you have?

Also keep in mind, while there is a general consensus on bird species behavior, each one will be an individual. You might hear some stereotypes and completely not understand them when you get a bird because your bird is different.

If you have no bird experience, I'd recommend a smaller bird to start out. The only reason is because the beak size. The bigger the bird, the more damage they can do. With more experience, it's easier to navigate situations so you don't get bit.

I am biased but I think cockatiels are great. They generally have very sweet dispositions. They don't hold grudges as long. Their beaks are very small so bites don't hurt nearly as much (but they still hurt if they're trying.) They don't have as big mood swings and their puberty time isn't as severe. It's easier to socialize them to make sure they're not one person birds.

Mine just wants to hang out with me all day, but she does only have me. She's a hand raised baby and she doesn't have much interest in other birds.

If you have some bird experience, I've heard good things about IRNs. I can't tell you that much about them since I don't have one. I can only repeat what I've heard. From general species consensus they seem to love to just hang out but aren't very cuddly. Their puberty can be rougher since they go through a bluffing phase.


Alternatively please consider this. If you don't have your heart set on any particular species, you could go to a parrot/bird rescue and see if any of the birds choose you. That way you know that the bird wants to be with you and hang out with you.
Some birds just weirdly have preferences for one reason or another. Some prefer different genders, appearances, or maybe they've just decided they like you.

 

[munami]

Also I'd like to add on, some things to consider is how long the species will live. I'm unsure what kind of school you're enrolled to, but if you potentially go to college, have roommates in the future, or start a job, this bird will have a much harder time to adapt to these changes. Of course, again each bird is different but it's something to consider since some of these species live up to 70 yrs old or more.

7 hrs away every day is a very long time and depending on some birds, they might not be able to handle it. Make sure they have lots of toys to destroy, shred, play with, and consider leaving the radio or some cartoons on while you're away.

 

[Laurasea]

What excellent advice you have received from Munami!
It also sounds like you are prepared to treat your future bird as part of the family and consideration in all aspects of life. That's fantastic! Sadly future significant others might actively dislike your bird kid, or not be as willing to make sacrifices and accommodation like you are.
That aside I really enjoy my Quakers, they look more bird like than many of the other parrots, but they are a unique branch of parrots. They are very smart, often compared to African Grey smart, and I concure , though still hedge the Grey's are smarter. They tend to enjoy as a group, cuddles and head scritchs as in the wild they live in large flocks in unique community nesting structures. They are vocal and many members of this species become talkers. They like to chew and play with toys, and enteract with you. They have a known tendency to become agressive defenders of their cage, and it's best except this. Away from their cage they are great.
Now because they are smart active and social, they are very probe to self destruction if their needs aren't met. They will scream tear out their feathers , mutilate themselves, chew off toes on their feet, loose their minds. I have one that is loud all the time for fun, not so loud in Volume that people next door hear, but loud enough I can't think or easily watch TV.... I also have a few birds a d I'm home, I don't know if that plays into my and their happiness.
These Quakers are often given up by newbe parrot owners who didn't know what they where getting into, or given up after they have plucked themselves into perceived uglyness.. so I very much encourage bringing in a rehomed or rescue parrot. I believe in that for any species of parrot, many are wonderful birds just given up because of inconvenience....
Good luck , I hope you find a special friend of any species of parrot. If you meet enough parrots one will pick you!

 

[Ellie777Australia]

Hi! I'm currently trying to find what bird would be best for me. I've been researching Meyers Parrots, Quaker Parrots, Eclectus Parrots, Senegal Parrots.
I'm stuck and can't seem to figure out how to weigh the pros and cons
I don't live in an apartment so if a bird is louder it's okay but I'm not looking for something ear splitting.
I'm willing to spend alot of time with this bird whenever I'm not at school. Overall the goal is to have this bird with me out of its cage whenever I'm home. I go to school from 7:40 to 2:20 Monday to Friday but I plan for this bird to be with me getting ready every morning and with me from the time I get home until we go to sleep.
Cage size is not an issue I have a huge amount of space that I'm willing to fill with a cage of any size.

Overall I'm just looking for some advice of which bird would be a right fit for me. I'm also willing to change my schedule to surround this bird.

Welcome to the forum. Please read the following links as they may assist in your decision making:
What Students Should Ask Before Getting a Bird.
Which Parrot Is For Me???
So, you want to get a parrot for the first time?

 

[clark_conure]

I recommend conures, no one has ever been disappointed by a hand reared conure.

 

[Alehner529]

I have a sun conure (my first bird) and she has been a joy. I would agree with conures being a great first bird to get. I would avoid craigslist and big box stores for any bird purchase. Get yours from a reputable breeder, or even better, from a rescue.

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[20brio19]

I have a sun conure (my first bird) and she has been a joy. I would agree with conures being a great first bird to get. I would avoid craigslist and big box stores for any bird purchase. Get yours from a reputable breeder, or even better, from a rescue.

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If I may ask, why would a rescue be better than a bird from a breeder? Thanks.

 

[munami]

@20brio19
A lot of rescues are brimming full of birds looking for their forever home. Some birds may have special needs as they've had a traumatic past but a fair few of them have just been surrendered by their owners.
With adult birds, you already know their personality. For birds who have already experienced puberty, you wouldn't have to deal with that. At a rescue, you can visit the bird multiple times and interact with them before you start the process of adopting. You can ask people at the rescue what toys or food that bird likes. Depending on the rescue, it may be cheaper to adopt a bird than buying. Plus, you'll be helping that bird out and helping that rescue help more birds.

Also, you can see if a bird chooses to be with you.

With a baby bird, it's often unpredictable what they'll be like when they're older. Often times, people buy a bird for themselves but find they vastly prefer their significant other as they get older. Plus, depending on the species, some can have very nasty puberty stages. There is also the fact though that with a younger bird they are less resistant to change and you can influence how they grow. Not to say adults can't be like this of course, but some birds can't adapt to certain situations.

Of course, I'm not going to say that one way is better than another. Ultimately, you should weigh the pros and cons and see what fits in your life.

 

[fiddlejen]

I suggest meeting as many birds as you can first.

After I got my two tiny little petstore budgies, I started looking for a somewhat larger bird. (I did not know the budgies were just tiny babies.) I was fortunate to learn of a good petstore several towns away with a variety of birds, and I was able to interact with them. Also I had met some friends' birds, visited another bird store, and visited the local SPCA. (They only had one, un-friendly bird at the time.)

Most of the birds I met were quite likeable. However I had actually decided to NOT get another bird at all, just stick with the budgies, when I happened to see a particular Sun Conure at Petco, and fell in love.

(Just to be clear. I didn't fall in love with sun conures In General. It was my one particular bird. I've since met a couple other beautiful Sun's, and like them very much, but they were Not the One I fell in love with.)

So now I have my own Sunny. But I did not set out to get a Sun Conure; in fact I was not considering one like her at all.

So anyway, just to say --do all your research, but try to Meet some birds too, if you can, before you decide. For all you can find out about each species, they really do each have their own personalities too.

 

[Alehner529]

A rescue isnt necessarily better than a breeder, especially if you firmly decide on what species of parrot you want, but if you are still trying to decide visiting a rescue would be a great way to interact with lots of types of birds. You could get a better idea of what type of personality they will have before you bring a bird home. And unfortunately there are lots of birds in rescues that need good forever homes. I have heard of people visiting rescues and a bird there picks them out, instead of the person picking a bird.

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