How many of you have birds??

[StaceyinLA]

And what kind(s)? I am really missing having a bird. We had a quaker years ago. I'd really like another quaker, or maybe something similar but not quite as loud. I know the really large, dusty birds are out (I'm MAJOR allergic - had an African Grey I had to sell after a week because I couldn't even touch her), but smaller, less dusty birds are fine.

 

Any suggestions?

[Denisemomof4]

I have doves. I love the noises they make, and i have two that are absolute loves. They prefer humans to the other doves.

 

I also have cockatiels. One sings beautifully, the other is half bald and has lived way beyond her life expectancy. :001_smile:

 

I'd love an umbrella cockatoo but we're at our limit with ALL animals. ;)

[Dooley]

We just had parakeets for years - always considered them "starter birds". We moved and later acquired a Caique, which is a type of parrot. Though some of us love him, he was very loud and unhappy, no matter how much attention he got, he bit, he hated kids - he even bit me the last time I cuddled him. I think he needs a girlfriend. He also beeped, like the telephone beeps when there is a message. Over and over and over. When we put the sheet over his cage because he was too loud, he would instantly go into his pretty girl whistle, to try to get back into our good graces. We no longer have him.

 

I would go back to parakeets, loved the singing.

 

If I had about $1400 to blow, an rose breasted or umbrella cockatoo for me though.

[StaceyinLA]

They just look like so much fun. Did you acquire him once he had already developed some poor habits?

 

Our quaker was LOUD when he wanted to be, but he talked and was really funny. The only thing is, he was really bonded to me, and would attack my husband like a dog when he'd come near me. I thought it was funny. DH did not (although he didn't really care).

 

I just LOVE birds though!!

[chickenpatty]

I had a white dove as a child & she was so wonderful. She would sit in my hand and let me pet her. If I ever got another bird (not counting chickens), it would be a dove.

[gaillardia]

We started with parakeets long ago. Now we have a 9 yo male cockatiel and a 7 yo female lovebird. Henry the cockatiel is taking bad lessons from Sunny the lovebird. He used to be nice, then Sunny and her sibs came along.

Sunny and Violet ignored Oliver too much. Oliver was very nice and lovey, Sunny and Violet fought and played house, like boy and girl. Violet would lay eggs, beat on Sunny. Then it got to where I guess Sunny wanted to lay eggs (and we didn't have them sexed so we thought Sunny was a boy) and they fought, Violet ended up ... well, she is now the late Violet.

We had separated Oliver from them and fortunately he is still alive. I understand he's with another male and they don't fight.

Sunny is a biter, not at all lovey like other lovebirds I've seen.:confused:

Henry is influenced by Sunny. If we had just one bird I think it would be more trainable and social to us, like it was back in the days of one parakeet.

Henry has some pretty songs and funny routines he does when singing.

Sunny lays eggs and performs some strange acrobatics. I understand they will live a long time.

[StaceyinLA]

It was mean as he**. I wouldn't go there again.

[AngelaNYC]

We have a black-capped conure parrot. Conures have such great personalities and love to cuddle. Her name is Lucy and she's so fun. Here's what she looks like. It's not Lucy, but all black-caps look the same, lol. Certain conures can be loud but these smaller breeds are pretty quiet.

 

 

[StaceyinLA]

I know the sun conures are horribly loud because my nephews had one. My friend has a green-cheek though and he is quiet.

 

That is a really pretty bird too. Might have to add that to my list...

[AngelaNYC]

I know the sun conures are horribly loud because my nephews had one. My friend has a green-cheek though and he is quiet.

 

That is a really pretty bird too. Might have to add that to my list...

 

Yes. Sun conures are loud. They're in the aratinga conure category (genus) that are larger and louder. The parrot in the movie "Paulie" is a blue crown conure, also in the aratinga family. Black-caps (and green cheeks, duskies, etc) are pyrrhuras.

 

Pyrrhura

 

A family of Green-cheeked Conures

 

 

Pyrrhura is the other large genus of conures. These generally greenish conures include the very common Green-cheeked Conure, as well as the maroon-bellied conure, pearly conure, black-capped conure, painted conure, crimson-bellied conure, and a number of other species. They are usually smaller, duller-colored, and much quieter than the Aratinga conures. Pyrrhura species are growing in popularity as pet birds, primarily due to their quiet nature, their friendly, affectionate, and intelligent personalities, and the increasing number of color mutations being developed in several of these species. Lifespan is 20–25 years.

[Denisemomof4]

I had a white dove as a child & she was so wonderful. She would sit in my hand and let me pet her. If I ever got another bird (not counting chickens), it would be a dove.

 

they are the most gentle birds EVER. I rescued four of them and they had NEVER been handled by humans. Although they were nervous, I could hold them and kiss the top of their heads. They make the soothing cooing noises, but they are also called the laughing bird for a reason. They make a sound that is like a laugh!

[Denisemomof4]

what about a ring necked parakeet? I don't know why they're called that. They are actually a parrot. My sister had one and not only was it gorgeous (bright green with a bright red beak!) but it was SOOOOOOOOOOOOO sweet. Unfortunately, my sister didn't take care of it well and it became LOUD and obnoxious.

 

I also love the red and purple Lories. They're SO PRETTY!

[ereks mom]

We've had 2 cockatiels and, I think, 4 parakeets in our 30 years of marriage. The cockatiels were messy & NOISY. I prefer parakeets. :)

[Dooley]

Stacey - I took my friends caique because she could not handle him. He was great for about a year, but the beeping and the biting was not tolerated well my some "nameless" members of my family. They are fun, silly birds...just not our bird. There is one in every crowd. He had everything he could want, and it was not enough. I only bit me twice - I always tried to show him who was boss. But, he was even the boss of our weimaraner - a hunting dog! My dog tried tried, ever so slowly, to put his whole mouth over him. But the bird bit him and that was that.

[katemary63]

 

but smaller, less dusty birds are fine.

 

Any suggestions?

 

If you are alergic to bird dust, I would think you would be alergic to any bird dust. I grew up with birds all my childhood and had them during the first few years of our marriage. We had everything from finches to lovebird, cockatiels and parots. Eventually, I becames alergic to the dust. The last birds we had were zebra finches (just a couple in a cage, no other birds in the house). We had to sell them because their dust gave me asthma. Just be aware.

[fairfarmhand]

do chickens count?

 

:)

[zaichiki]

And what kind(s)? I am really missing having a bird. We had a quaker years ago. I'd really like another quaker, or maybe something similar but not quite as loud. I know the really large, dusty birds are out (I'm MAJOR allergic - had an African Grey I had to sell after a week because I couldn't even touch her), but smaller, less dusty birds are fine.

 

Any suggestions?

 

In addition to the outside birds (chickens etc.) we have had or currently have parakeets, a maroon-bellied conure (such a sweetie!), and a cockatiel. I like birds when I don't have kids. When I have kids I just don't have enough time to give the birds the attention they need.

[StaceyinLA]

That really had not crossed my mind, but I remember now how much I liked her green cheek.

 

As far as the dust, there is no doubt that I would be allergic to it all, but the difference for me seems to be in the volume produced by the large, really dusty birds versus the ones that don't produce as much. A cockatoo is very dusty, as is an African Grey and others I'm sure. Our Quaker had very little dust at all.

[kwickimom]

I have a Senegal parrot named Sunni. He is 13 and he is wonderful. I raised him from an egg :001_smile: I worked at a pet store and we hatched him and hand fed them. He is like another person here. He is medium sized, talks pretty well and isnt super loud. He does screech when he wants attention but if I cover up his cage he quiets down right away. Perfect little birdie

[StaceyinLA]

Great size and fairly quiet. What about talking??