New... in all manners of the word!

[Barney]

I've long admired birds and wanted to keep one as a pet. Moved around quite alot so never seemed like the right time but will be buying a place soon so plan on that being my last move, for a year at least (joke!) :)

Ive just signed up here to gain further knowledge, find out which bird is right for me (and if im right for the bird more importantly!) and basically get some of my newbie questions answered haha.
Speaking of, is there a 'newbie' section for such questions or do I go directly to the general discussion?

Thanks for having me. :)

[PlaxMacaws]

Welcome to Precisely Parrots, Barney! Thanks so much for joining us :).

You can certainly post any questions in the General Bird Discussion section. You can also post under the species-specific categories if you like. The advanced search option is as well available. Just enter your search terms there.

Parrots can be wonderful companions and family members. But they're also a huge and permanent responsibility. It's a great thing and very wise that you're doing your research beforehand :D

Please pose any questions you may have and please keep us updated as to your decisions.

[Barney]

Welcome to Precisely Parrots, Barney! Thanks so much for joining us :).

You can certainly post any questions in the General Bird Discussion section. You can also post under the species-specific categories if you like. The advanced search option is as well available. Just enter your search terms there.

Parrots can be wonderful companions and family members. But they're also a huge and permanent responsibility. It's a great thing and very wise that you're doing your research beforehand :D

Please pose any questions you may have and please keep us updated as to your decisions.

Thanks Plax, ill make use of the search facilities. I did see that there were sub forums for specific birds but not quite sure which 'type' im after yet so wondered the best way to go about it. Dont think im quite ready to care for a macaw yet but really like the one in your signature and profile pic!

At the moment im looking at Quakers and Conures, but as I look at them other species pop up and I then go into a world of looking at 20 more birds haha.

Apart from my 9-5 job, I spend plenty of time in the evenings and weekends at home. I currently have a cat, dog and bearded dragon...the latter of which is more of a hobby than a pet given the amount of research and detail required to give them a good life, so I feel in a good position to care for a bird too.

[PlaxMacaws]

Thanks Plax, ill make use of the search facilities. I did see that there were sub forums for specific birds but not quite sure which 'type' im after yet so wondered the best way to go about it. Dont think im quite ready to care for a macaw yet but really like the one in your signature and profile pic!

At the moment im looking at Quakers and Conures, but as I look at them other species pop up and I then go into a world of looking at 20 more birds haha.

Apart from my 9-5 job, I spend plenty of time in the evenings and weekends at home. I currently have a cat, dog and bearded dragon...the latter of which is more of a hobby than a pet given the amount of research and detail required to give them a good life, so I feel in a good position to care for a bird too.Sounds great, Barney. I'd say research/compare/learn... then research/compare/learn some more... in addition to visiting some actual birds that you can spend some time getting to know. Following a plan like that should be a good approach for you :)

[Barney]

Sounds great, Barney. I'd say research/compare/learn... then research/compare/learn some more... in addition to visiting some actual birds that you can spend some time getting to know. Following a plan like that should be a good approach for you [Users must be registered and logged in to view attached photos or hyperlinks]

Thanks again, I live in a fairly remote area of the world (Highlands of Scotland) so not exactly an abundance of places I can go to interact with birds. The only petshop (which is also a gardening shop lol) near me has 1 bird. I have never seen it...but have heard it haha.

Is there any type of bird that you suggest would be a good starting point? As an adult rather than a child (not really interested in budgies and the smaller type, if that matters!).

Ill may be just riff off a few 'preferences' if thats ok so that I can possibly narrow down my options, rather than dive straight in with making numerous threads in the general section.

Bird(s) : The reason for the (s) is that I would like the bird to have a companion if it will help them thrive. Owning a bearded dragon I know that some animals in the world are best on their own, I just added the plural as an option if it was to the benefit of the bird rather than me.

Cage size : I can accommodate a cage size of anything from 1ft long x 1ft deep by 2ft high, all the way up to 4ft long by 2.5ft deep by 5ft high.

Time : As I said previously, I have a 9-5 job so the bird(s) would have to have the ability to entertain themselves for a good chunk of the day. If lights are out at 9pm for them usually, I would most likely be able to interact with them for about 4 hours a day, including cleaning cage time, feedings, etc.
On weekends, I will be able to interact with them for as long as they need for the most part I am home quite alot.

Interacting with others : I will be the only one around the bird 99% of the time, but would like for friends and family to be able to hold/interact also. This is desirable, not essential.

Budget : Id say not more than £800 for the bird, cage, toys and food. Of course I know that more toys, more food, supplements and vets bills are inevitable, Im just putting the £800 as initial setup although there is scope to expand this should I become obsessed with a particular bird. :)

Noise/Talking : Medium to low level noise. Talking would be nice but again its a desirable and not essential.

Bird Size : Doesnt really matter, the only reason I added this is the size of the bird would have to fit into the cage size I can provide in order to be happy with its surroundings. Id prefer something a bit more substantial than a budgie though.

I have probably missed some things out but I am aware that they are living things and nothing is guaranteed with regards to noise, aggression and whatnot as no two birds are the same. This is just my little wishlist to get me started so if you have any suggestions on what I focus my research on i'd really appreciate it.

[spiritbird]

Welcome Barney. Are you familiar with the TV and book series Outlander? Takes place in Scotland. Have you read any of the 8 books? May I suggest you research the bird Cockatiel. They are easily trained, not very noisy and love to cuddle. The females seem to be high on the egg laying scale so a male may be preferred. Also check to see if you have any avian vets or vets that will treat birds close to you. This is important. [Users must be registered and logged in to view attached photos or hyperlinks]

I would also like to mention it is important to have a safe environment for a bird. With other pets in the home some precautions should be taken. [Users must be registered and logged in to view attached photos or hyperlinks]
The second article in the link may help you.

There is another not so well know bird that is truly lovely. It is called a Meyers Parrot. [Users must be registered and logged in to view attached photos or hyperlinks]

[Barney]

Welcome Barney. Are you familiar with the TV and book series Outlander? Takes place in Scotland. Have you read any of the 8 books? May I suggest you research the bird Cockatiel. They are easily trained, not very noisy and love to cuddle. The females seem to be high on the egg laying scale so a male may be preferred. Also check to see if you have any avian vets or vets that will treat birds close to you. This is important. [Users must be registered and logged in to view attached photos or hyperlinks]

I would also like to mention it is important to have a safe environment for a bird. With other pets in the home some precautions should be taken. [Users must be registered and logged in to view attached photos or hyperlinks]
The second article in the link may help you.

There is another not so well know bird that is truly lovely. It is called a Meyers Parrot. [Users must be registered and logged in to view attached photos or hyperlinks]

Thanks for the reply, and links, spiritbird. I have not seen that show but will keep my eye out for it.
I have of course heard of a cockatiel and I will take them into consideration in getting a bird. The Meyers parrot is not something I have ever come acress, does look very appealing on looks and traits from the link you provided, thanks!

[Barney]

Oh and I forgot to mention.
The bird will be in my room, which also has the bearded dragon on it. The wont be facing eachother as each enclosure will be against the same wall. The dog doesn't really care about new animals in the house. Cat is inquisitive but after a while isnt bothered about new animals either, and he's never in my room anyway, so wont be in there unsupervised at any point.

[PlaxMacaws]

Barney: Concerning your multiple pet situation... a significant risk exists even when a predatory pet has shown little to no interest in an avian housemate for a long period of time - years in some cases. That's because birds tend to startle on occasion and thus may leap into the air instinctively. All it may take to incite a fatal response is for a pet bird to launch in this manner out of fright and thus abruptly end up in a pet cat or dog's physical space. In such a situation a cat will typically lash out with claws and teeth, and a dog may well snap at the small animal suddenly appearing before it. This type of event can easily end a bird's life. While it's possible to mitigate the likelihood associated with a pet bird's inclination to engage in panic flights, we can never eliminate the reality that every bird will occasionally become startled and launch into aimless flight. And importantly, even when a pet owner is sitting or standing right beside their cat or their dog while a pet bird is near, an unexpected and sudden act of aggression on the part of said cat or dog will usually occur so quickly that there's no time for intervention to save the bird. It's definitely a matter worthy of concern.

Moving on... Personally, I have always liked Meyers Parrots quite well. They are often reported to have wonderful personalities. Additionally, if you acquire more than one parrot, and especially if they are housed together, they may become bonded to one another and therefore less affectionate toward you. If that's preferred, then maybe multiple birds is an answer for you. It's vary hard on a single bird to remain home alone during work hours each day. It can be done, but it's not ideal. And lastly, once you decide upon a species it will be time to determine what the minimum dimensions of your cage should be.

[Barney]

I will take the cat/dog situation into consideration when deciding on what, where, and even IF a bird will be suitable in my current environment. I certainly hope I can.

In your experience, would you advise 'introducing' the bird to the cat and dog, or give them as much distance as possible? That's probably a difficult question to answer as all animals react differently, just looking for a general consensus on the correct thing to do.

Meyers look great, as do cockatiels...and quakers, and conures... its getting to the point where im going to have to pick a name out of a hat to decide! haha :)

[PlaxMacaws]

I always recommend to err on the side of safety. That would be to not permit your dog or cat any access at all to your bird(s). There will be no 'attack' accidents in that case. I realize that keeping multiple species isolated from one another in a household can be very difficult and may seem impractical. But it's truly the only safe answer.

Your avian candidates so far sound to be a good selection :)

[Robyn]

I will take the cat/dog situation into consideration when deciding on what, where, and even IF a bird will be suitable in my current environment. I certainly hope I can.

In your experience, would you advise 'introducing' the bird to the cat and dog, or give them as much distance as possible? That's probably a difficult question to answer as all animals react differently, just looking for a general consensus on the correct thing to do.

Meyers look great, as do cockatiels...and quakers, and conures... its getting to the point where im going to have to pick a name out of a hat to decide! haha :)

I NEVER have my dog and bird out and the same time. Either the bird is out and the dog is crated and covered or the dog is out while the bird is caged with padlocks on every door (both on the cage and crate). It is never a good idea to allow dogs/cats to interact with the bird keep them as seperate as possible.

I have only had cockatiels in the past and currently have a tiel I absolutely just love them. Especially my current tiel Riley, though they don't use their feet to pick up things like most birds do. My favorite conure is the Jenday which I am considering my first non tiel.

[Barney]

Thanks. :)
With my plan to keep the bird in my bedroom, it shouldn't be a problem to keep out of harms way, certainly safer than keeping him/her/them in the living room! General area where the cat and dog are.

[Lady]

Hi Barney,

:pp_welcome:I think it is awesome that you have joined us in your quest to become more knowledgeable in picking out which species of bird that would be right for you and the bird!

This will be no easy task. I do believe you are on the right path by making a list of things you can provide as well as some of the traits you would like to have within the bird. Still there is more to consider as the other members have pointed out. I hope you take some time and read as much as you can on the forum, as there are many great ideas and experiences from folks who have already been in your shoes.

I do wonder however, where or how you will acquire your new life long companion once you do make that decision. A breeder perhaps, since the local pet shop only has one bird. What about a bird rescue facility. Where will you take your baby for their yearly check up, heaven forbid what if she/he becomes ill or hurt. Just pointing out these things to add to your list of thoughts and considerations.

Looking forward to helping in any way to make your decision a great one for both you and your forever friend.

[Barney]

Hi Barney,

:pp_welcome:I think it is awesome that you have joined us in your quest to become more knowledgeable in picking out which species of bird that would be right for you and the bird!

This will be no easy task. I do believe you are on the right path by making a list of things you can provide as well as some of the traits you would like to have within the bird. Still there is more to consider as the other members have pointed out. I hope you take some time and read as much as you can on the forum, as there are many great ideas and experiences from folks who have already been in your shoes.

I do wonder however, where or how you will acquire your new life long companion once you do make that decision. A breeder perhaps, since the local pet shop only has one bird. What about a bird rescue facility. Where will you take your baby for their yearly check up, heaven forbid what if she/he becomes ill or hurt. Just pointing out these things to add to your list of thoughts and considerations.

Looking forward to helping in any way to make your decision a great one for both you and your forever friend.

Thanks for the welcome Lady.
I'm sure my local pet shop will be able to get the bird of my choice here safe and sound, I know they've done it at least a few times with success so im not worried about that. I have been considering a rescue as well though and will look more into that.

With regards to the vet, I was in the same predicament when I got my bearded dragon, as there are no reptile vets near me either. The vet here is the same vet that has been here for 25 years, and he gets all sorts of locums in throughout the year. Whenever I get any animal, I take it to the vets straight away in order for him to check the animal over for a clean bill of health, this way when I take the animal in next time, he'll have an idea of whats wrong. He is by no means a reptile vet but has many contacts throughout the UK which he has built up over the years and is able to give me advice as and when I need it.
I havent had to *touch wood* take my bearded dragon to the vets for anything other than check ups, but I am sure if he does ever get poorly I will be able to take him with confidence in the vet, and the same with any bird I get.

All of my pets health is the most important thing to me, so if I have to travel, or not get that pet as I cant care for it properly, then thats what ill do.

[kendrafitz]

Hi Barney and welcome to the forum!

It sounds like you are on the right track. Research as much as you can and forums are a great place to learn.

I wont be much help in your decision as I only have experience with one bird - our Green Winged Macaw. I don't know much about the smaller guys. I just wanted to say hi and welcome. :-)

[2birds]

Hi Barney, Welcome to the forum. It sounds like you've received a lot of great advice already. As far as what kind of bird would be best for you, I think only you can decide.
As a general rule, the smaller ones have shorter life spans and the larger ones live longer. That would be one thing to consider. Keep in mind, the larger ones don't necessarily bite harder than the little guys. The worst bites I've received were from my alexandrine parrakeet (he's cage aggressive).
The alexandrine loves to copy sounds and talks a lot. I also have a goffins cockatoo and a african grey. Some goffins talk their heads off like my friends bird does and some don't. Mine has said only two words since I've had her and she only said them once LOL. She's a very sweet bird though. I really can't say much about my african grey because I haven't had her for very long and she's still a baby so I know she will change. I can say that I love her to pieces. Right now I can do anything with her and that may or may not change.
Out of the three the grey is the quietest but they all get into their jags of noise.
I saw the sweetest green cheek conures at this bird store that I like to haunt. They are hand raised and love people. In my opinion, pretty cool little birds.
When I was a kid my mother had a couple of birds and she was not an experienced bird person when we got the first one which was a double yellow headed amazon. We never had any problems with her and she was a really neat bird. A lot of people will say that amazons are for experienced people and they can be aggressive but I didn't experience that with ours.

Again, welcome to the forum and good luck with your search for your perfect feathered friend

[spiritbird]

I cannot see how an introduction of cat to bird would facilitate any positive reactions. One thing I am concerned about is the fact that your bird will be in a room that is away from the hub of activity. If you keep a lone bird in a closed off room you may eventually have behavioral issues pop up. Remember, birds are flock animals and love to be in the company of other birds or of their flock members (you and family). I am not trying to discourage you at all, just pointing out potentials.

[Barney]

Hi Barney and welcome to the forum!

It sounds like you are on the right track. Research as much as you can and forums are a great place to learn.

I wont be much help in your decision as I only have experience with one bird - our Green Winged Macaw. I don't know much about the smaller guys. I just wanted to say hi and welcome. :-)

Thanks for the welcome, thats a fantastic looking bird you have, I hope to 'build up' to a big bird like that after i've gained experience and knowledge with the smaller species. :)


Hi Barney, Welcome to the forum. It sounds like you've received a lot of great advice already. As far as what kind of bird would be best for you, I think only you can decide.
As a general rule, the smaller ones have shorter life spans and the larger ones live longer. That would be one thing to consider. Keep in mind, the larger ones don't necessarily bite harder than the little guys. The worst bites I've received were from my alexandrine parrakeet (he's cage aggressive).
The alexandrine loves to copy sounds and talks a lot. I also have a goffins cockatoo and a african grey. Some goffins talk their heads off like my friends bird does and some don't. Mine has said only two words since I've had her and she only said them once LOL. She's a very sweet bird though. I really can't say much about my african grey because I haven't had her for very long and she's still a baby so I know she will change. I can say that I love her to pieces. Right now I can do anything with her and that may or may not change.
Out of the three the grey is the quietest but they all get into their jags of noise.
I saw the sweetest green cheek conures at this bird store that I like to haunt. They are hand raised and love people. In my opinion, pretty cool little birds.
When I was a kid my mother had a couple of birds and she was not an experienced bird person when we got the first one which was a double yellow headed amazon. We never had any problems with her and she was a really neat bird. A lot of people will say that amazons are for experienced people and they can be aggressive but I didn't experience that with ours.

Again, welcome to the forum and good luck with your search for your perfect feathered friend

Thanks for all that info, its interesting that the Amazon was such a well behaved bird for a beginner, I can only hope im that lucky with the bird I end up giving a home to!


I cannot see how an introduction of cat to bird would facilitate any positive reactions. One thing I am concerned about is the fact that your bird will be in a room that is away from the hub of activity. If you keep a lone bird in a closed off room you may eventually have behavioral issues pop up. Remember, birds are flock animals and love to be in the company of other birds or of their flock members (you and family). I am not trying to discourage you at all, just pointing out potentials.

The room I have chosen for the bird would actually be the one where it would get the most attention.
I dont live with/have a family of my own, so when I am home I will interact with the bird the most in that room, and will either wheel him/her into a separate room at lights out or have a separate, smaller cage in another room in order for him/her to get the required sleep.
I have also chosen my room as the dog/cat don't spend any time in there, well the dog does but she doesnt really care about new animals in the house and is not jumpy or anything. When I have family or friends around I will either take them through to interact with the bird, or take the bird to the living room whilst the cat is out of the way.

Dont worry I wasnt taking your comment as discouragement haha, I want the best for all my pets, both present and future! :)

[2birds]

Thanks for all that info, its interesting that the Amazon was such a well behaved bird for a beginner, I can only hope im that lucky with the bird I end up giving a home to!Honestly, I think that people have given the amazons a bigger reputation than their actual bite. The only one that bird didn't like was my sister but she teased her all of the time.

[minniesmommy]

I had a cocktail, but my favorite is cockatoo!

[Animalman2046]

Welcome to the forum Barney. Its a great place with lots of great people and advice here. Good luck on your decision to get a bird, but I would suggest NEVER let your other animals near the bird for any length of time. Accidents do happen as Plax has said........better safe than sorry. My suggestion is to put the other animals in a room together for awhile and close the door while the bird is out. Maybe it would be better to put the bird in a separate room this is a place that you are in often to bond with it. Never keep a bird in room by its self with no interaction or very little.......this will destroy the birds personality and break its spirit. Birds left alone for long periods can develop bad emotional traits and problems. Good luck. I have a crimson bellied conure and he is a delight....my heart.