Anyone here know about birds (as pets)?

[Alessandra]

Dd age 10 has long wanted a pet bird/birds. She is extremely responsible about pets, and I would love to get her a bird/birds.

 

But, truly, I don't know where to begin. Parakeets? Canaries? What is a friendly, easy to care for pet? Is one bird better, or two? Cage size? Male or female? How to choose a bird? Best place to buy a bird?

 

Also, any book recommendations for beginners would be helpful. Amazon has a slew of parakeet care books, for example, and they all look good!

[Hunter's Moon]

Dd age 10 has long wanted a pet bird/birds. She is extremely responsible about pets, and I would love to get her a bird/birds.

 

But, truly, I don't know where to begin. Parakeets? Canaries? What is a friendly, easy to care for pet? Is one bird better, or two? Cage size?

 

Also, any book recommendations for beginners would be helpful. Amazon has a slew of parakeet care books, for example, and they all look good!

 

I'm not an expert but I can relate my experience.

 

I had two parakeets when I was younger, Cloudy and Sunshine.

 

We got Cloudy first and he was alone for about a month. We then went out and got Sunshine because Cloudy would spend all his time looking at himself in the mirror and searching for the "other bird" underneath the newspaper.

 

Sunshine beat Cloudy up ALL.THE.TIME. She was the female, and asserting her dominance. He would try to clean her and she'd peck his eye. She'd kick him off the swing, among other things.

 

She died suddenly one night (had black dots all over her and was puffy) and he was the happiest bird after that. He died a few months later of what we believe to be a heart attack (my cat attacked his cage constantly, knocking it over and all).

 

So, I would probably NOT go with parakeets. I don't know if that is all parakeets, but mine didn't really like socializing once they could fly around a lot.

 

I've read a lot of good things on canaries and mourning doves, though. I would say get two, but depending on the bird, I don't know if you should go male/male, female/female, male/female. I'm sure someone at the pet shop could help you with that once you choose the bird though.

 

Good luck!

[Mothersweets]

Our family has had a few birds - a cockatiel, a budgie (parakeet), lovedbirds, and a blue fronted Amazon parrot.

 

The one that was the most fun was the cockatiel. We bought a young male from a breeder and had a blast with him! It was very easy to teach him to talk and he was friendly and not a problem at all. Unfortunately, we started letting him out of the cage to fly around (NOT a good idea) and he buzzed outside the minute the back door opened. Major bummer.

 

I wouldn't recommend lovedbirds- they are very LOUD.

 

Budgies can be a lot of fun, too. They are inexpensive and can learn to talk. Their beaks aren't huge and scary - unlike the Amazon.

 

My dd had an Amazon and they are a lot of work. It is almost like having a 2yo that never grows up and can hurt you. lol.

 

I would get a budgie or a cockatiel - any of the basic "how to " books that you can get from the library would be a good starting place. Another really great resource is you local bird store. Try to find one that is ONLY birds. They will have tons of great info for you; also, your dd could hold many different birds and get an idea of what she would be comfortable with. Petsmart sometimes has very knowledgeable employees that work with the birds - they would be helpful, too.

[Alessandra]

I had two parakeets when I was younger, Cloudy and Sunshine.

 

Sunshine beat Cloudy up ALL.THE.TIME. She was the female, and asserting her dominance. He would try to clean her and she'd peck his eye. She'd kick him off the swing, among other things.

 

Good luck!

 

I love the names Cloudy & Sunshine. But what a story -- I had no IDEA they could be so emotional I hope I don't hear a lot of stories like this -- far more drama than what we are looking for in a bird.

[DarcyB]

My parents had birds most of my teenage years (and I vowed NEVER to have birds! LOL), and cockatiels were the easiest and friendliest of the ones they had. Easy to teach to talk, relatively easy to take are of, very sociable for a bird, and small enough not to be a problem unlike big birds. We just had one and he was great (for being a bird LOL)

[Mothersweets]

I'm not an expert but I can relate my experience.

 

I had two parakeets when I was younger, Cloudy and Sunshine.

 

We got Cloudy first and he was alone for about a month. We then went out and got Sunshine because Cloudy would spend all his time looking at himself in the mirror and searching for the "other bird" underneath the newspaper.

 

Sunshine beat Cloudy up ALL.THE.TIME. She was the female, and asserting her dominance. He would try to clean her and she'd peck his eye. She'd kick him off the swing, among other things.

 

She died suddenly one night (had black dots all over her and was puffy) and he was the happiest bird after that. He died a few months later of what we believe to be a heart attack (my cat attacked his cage constantly, knocking it over and all).

 

So, I would probably NOT go with parakeets. I don't know if that is all parakeets, but mine didn't really like socializing once they could fly around a lot.

 

I've read a lot of good things on canaries and mourning doves, though. I would say get two, but depending on the bird, I don't know if you should go male/male, female/female, male/female. I'm sure someone at the pet shop could help you with that once you choose the bird though.

 

Good luck!

 

Poor Cloudy! At least he had a little bit of fun before he passed.

 

I think it is so interesting how birds have such strong personalities. I never realized this until we got birds. They really do have their own distinct personalities - even within the same type of bird.

 

My niece has a budgie and he is the friendliest, most outgoing, talkative little birdy. My dd's budgie, on the other hand, would much rather stay in her cage and play with her toys all by herself, thank you very much.

[awtl]

Canaries and finches aren't birds you want to get if you want a pet you can interact with. They are pretty and interesting, but you can't hold them on your finger or anything.

The best pet birds we ever had were two cockatiels we got from a man who hand raised all of his birds. The were a lot of fun, friendly, and sweet tempered birds.

The worst we've had were lovebirds. They were awful. They woke me up every morning squawking and just were very unpleasant birds.

[Spy Car]

If you want a hand friendly pet, it is important to get a hand-fed baby from a breeder. Otherwise, a non-hand-fed bird will never be tame. Two birds will bond with one another and probably won't bond to you.

 

So if you don't just want a bird (or two) in a cage, it is better to get one bird that had been hand fed, and continue to hold it and keep it tame.

 

I have had excellent experiences with Lovebirds. They have big personalities in small bodies.

 

Bill

[gaillardia]

We had one parakeet who lived for 11 years. She was hand-friendly and we taught her to talk. Later we got one, then two parakeets. They didn't care about us, just each other. They died early.

Our 3 lovebirds...two were female littermates, the male was ignored. We separated thefemales from him, they started laying eggs and acting the male/female parts, whoever was playing mother would beat the other. We didn't have them sexed and assumed one was male, one female. Nope. Both could lay eggs.

Then came the fateful day, one died from the abuse. I'm serious and have heard of this being common lovebird behavior. We have the one left, she's serving a life sentence in solitary confinement.:glare:

We also have a cockatiel and he has learned unsociable behavior from Sunny. I am sorry to say we are scared of both of them. Henry the cockatiel would have been a nice bird if the lovies hadn't moved in.

My recommendation: one parakeet or one cockatiel.

[Alessandra]

Our family has had a few birds - a cockatiel, a budgie (parakeet), lovedbirds, and a blue fronted Amazon parrot.

 

The one that was the most fun was the cockatiel. We bought a young male from a breeder and had a blast with him! It was very easy to teach him to talk and he was friendly and not a problem at all.

 

Another really great resource is you local bird store. Try to find one that is ONLY birds. They will have tons of great info for you; also, your dd could hold many different birds and get an idea of what she would be comfortable with. Petsmart sometimes has very knowledgeable employees that work with the birds - they would be helpful, too.

 

Wow, that is a lot of bird experience! I hadn't considered a cockatiel, but the Petco blurb does sound appealing:

 

"Cockatiels are small, crested members of the parrot family and the world’s second most popular pet bird. Originating in Australia, they are known for their mellow nature and easy care."

 

But Petco recommends a"cage approximately 24" W x 14" D x 24" H." Sounds small for an 11-14" bird.

 

I'll try to find a bird store. So far, the pet stores around my area are chains like Petco or smaller stores that sell mainly fish.

[Spy Car]

Wow, that is a lot of bird experience! I hadn't considered a cockatiel, but the Petco blurb does sound appealing:

 

"Cockatiels are small, crested members of the parrot family and the world’s second most popular pet bird. Originating in Australia, they are known for their mellow nature and easy care."

 

But Petco recommends a"cage approximately 24" W x 14" D x 24" H." Sounds small for an 11-14" bird.

 

I'll try to find a bird store. So far, the pet stores around my area are chains like Petco or smaller stores that sell mainly fish.

 

It is unlikely a Petco store will sell hand-fed birds. Ask. If they are are not the birds will never be hand tame, and you will miss out on the nice bond that is possible between person and bird, and you might as well have a fish.

 

Bill

[katemary63]

We had birds of everykind my whole life. We even had an aviary built into our home so my dad could have his bird hobby. I've had hand tame cockatiels, parrots and budgies and all are lovely. I'd be happy to answer any question.

 

One thing to think about. Anyone with alergies may be alergic to birds. Turns out I am. They have a feather dust that coats things near their cage in white and gets in the air. I had to get rid of my last birds due to asthma attacks. This is true for all types, finches to hookbills.

 

Also, birds are messy enough to need daily care for thier cage and surroundings. Only the most expensive cages are "clean" and don't spill something over.

 

Other then that, I loved owning all types of birds. They are a joy! Hand fed hookbills are best as Bill says, but I have sucessfully tamed non-hand fed budgies. It takes patience and you MUST get them very young and only 1. You can not hand tame two budgies. They will only bond with each other. (you can tell the young ones by the stripes on thier heads. Their entire head should be striped. As the bird ages, the black stripes fade down the back of the head and will be gone on an older bird.)

[celticmom]

I would second the reccomendation to be very careful about where your

bird(s) come from When I was in my early teens my stepfather rescued two cockatiels that were being starved. (Evidently their owner felt that cigarettes were a higher budgetary priority than bird food) One escaped fairly soon after they came to our house. The other knew he did not like adult men, adult women, or young children. He eventually decided that I was tolerable. I could take him out of his cage and handle him eventually but he was always somewhat unpredictable. If virually anyone else approached his cage he would attack the side of his cage. If someone else opened his cage to change his food or water he would retreat as far as possible and hiss the entire time his cage was being taken care of.

[Spy Car]

We had birds of everykind my whole life. We even had an aviary built into our home so my dad could have his bird hobby. I've had hand tame cockatiels, parrots and budgies and all are lovely. I'd be happy to answer any question.

 

One thing to think about. Anyone with alergies may be alergic to birds. Turns out I am. They have a feather dust that coats things near their cage in white and gets in the air. I had to get rid of my last birds due to asthma attacks. This is true for all types, finches to hookbills.

 

Also, birds are messy enough to need daily care for thier cage and surroundings. Only the most expensive cages are "clean" and don't spill something over.

 

Other then that, I loved owning all types of birds. They are a joy! Hand fed hookbills are best as Bill says, but I have sucessfully tamed non-hand fed budgies. It takes patience and you MUST get them very young and only 1. You can not hand tame two budgies. They will only bond with each other. (you can tell the young ones by the stripes on thier heads. Their entire head should be striped. As the bird ages, the black stripes fade down the back of the head and will be gone on an older bird.)

 

It is POSSIBLE to tame non-hand fed birds, but one must be AWFULLY DEDICATED. A "bird person" might be able to do it With enough effort (no guarantee) but most novices won't be able to pull it off. And it is so much work that (if one wants a hand friendly bird) it is far better to start with a hand-fed bird.

 

Bill

[justamouse]

We have a yellow naped Amazon who is the love of our lives. He is the *most* fun, and a complete part of the family. He greets us when we come in the house, says goodbye, sings, whistles (my friend calls it perverted opera lol-I whistle all day long. We sing all day long. A carpenter asked me if I realized we sang all day and in all honestly, I didn't--but the bird sings along with us.) He calls my daughter in MY voice-cracks me up. We sing On Top Of Spaghetti together and you should hear him. He gets into it-vibrato and all. Daughter harmonizes with him. He showers with us, we blow him dry with a hair drying and he sings--he's so happy.

 

That all said, he's a total mess and when he gets in a mood you can hear him crowing down the street. :D

 

Budgies are pretty and so happy, but if she wants interaction with the bird, I would start out with a Cockateil.

 

We have this huge bird store in our state that hand feeds--and teaches YOU how to hand feed. I remember taking my 'classes' and walking into a room of hungry scarlet macaws--holy crow! They ALL flew at me, climbing up all on the cart, all over me screaming. I was the life of the party! :-)

 

Find one like that if you can and they will teach you how to make the swill and how to feed them. it would be great for her to learn that.

Edited December 2, 2010 by justamouse

[katemary63]

It is POSSIBLE to tame non-hand fed birds, but one must be AWFULLY DEDICATED. A "bird person" might be able to do it With enough effort (no guarantee) but most novices won't be able to pull it off. And it is so much work that (if one wants a hand friendly bird) it is far better to start with a hand-fed bird.

 

Bill

 

:iagree: Yes, I guess I agree with this. I do have my "methods" learned from years of bird ownership.

[Spy Car]

:iagree: Yes, I guess I agree with this. I do have my "methods" learned from years of bird ownership.

 

And I stress it only because a bird that is not hand tame typically spends its entire life in a cage, or escapes. And it is a sad existence for the bird, and not much fun for the owners either.

 

Bill

[Alessandra]

cockatiels were the easiest and friendliest of the ones they had. Easy to teach to talk, relatively easy to take are of, very sociable for a bird, and small enough not to be a problem unlike big birds. We just had one and he was great (for being a bird LOL)

 

Thank you -- I had always thought of cockatiels as being like the larger parrots. I once worked in a place with two temperamental macaws -- scary. So it is nice to hear about their friendliness (for birds, as you mention).

[Alessandra]

Canaries and finches aren't birds you want to get if you want a pet you can interact with. They are pretty and interesting, but you can't hold them on your finger or anything.

The best pet birds we ever had were two cockatiels we got from a man who hand raised all of his birds. The were a lot of fun, friendly, and sweet tempered birds.

The worst we've had were lovebirds. They were awful. They woke me up every morning squawking and just were very unpleasant birds.

 

Thank you for bringing up hand raised birds -- I googled and found some places with hand raised birds. We definitely want friendly pets!

[Alessandra]

If you want a hand friendly pet, it is important to get a hand-fed baby from a breeder. Otherwise, a non-hand-fed bird will never be tame. Two birds will bond with one another and probably won't bond to you.

 

So if you don't just want a bird (or two) in a cage, it is better to get one bird that had been hand fed, and continue to hold it and keep it tame.

Bill

 

I saw your next post too -- just don't know how to quote from two posts here.

 

This board is great! I have now eliminated Petco as a source of birds. I googled breeders, but the ones I found near here have prices in the high hundreds for parakeets and cockatiels types of birds. Then I did find two large bird speciality stores that have hand-fed baby birds. We'll go look this weekend -- and I've told dcs that it is better to search (and wait, if necessary) for a good bird.

 

Yes, we want a bird that will be part of the family -- your advice is so good!

[Alessandra]

Also, birds are messy enough to need daily care for thier cage and surroundings. Only the most expensive cages are "clean" and don't spill something over.

I have sucessfully tamed non-hand fed budgies. It takes patience and you MUST get them very young and only 1. You can not hand tame two budgies. They will only bond with each other. (you can tell the young ones by the stripes on thier heads. Their entire head should be striped. As the bird ages, the black stripes fade down the back of the head and will be gone on an older bird.)

 

My dd is excellent at being consistent in pet care, so the cage should not be a problem. But I doubt that we have the skill to tame a non hand-fed bird.

 

The consensus seems to be that one bird will bond with us better than two birds would -- thanks for explaining this.

[Alessandra]

I would second the reccomendation to be very careful about where your

bird(s) come from When I was in my early teens my stepfather rescued two cockatiels that were being starved. (Evidently their owner felt that cigarettes were a higher budgetary priority than bird food) One escaped fairly soon after they came to our house. The other knew he did not like adult men, adult women, or young children. He eventually decided that I was tolerable. I could take him out of his cage and handle him eventually but he was always somewhat unpredictable. If virually anyone else approached his cage he would attack the side of his cage. If someone else opened his cage to change his food or water he would retreat as far as possible and hiss the entire time his cage was being taken care of.

 

Bill's post and yours and others really, truly, absolutely convinced me to take the time (and $$) to get a friendly, well-raised bird. THANK YOU!!!

[Lolly]

Going to come in with a different perspective. I do NOT like living with a bird. The mess is horrid. It isn't just a matter of cleaning their cage. That stuff gets everywhere. Poop everywhere. (My roommate liked hers to be free when she was home. It's main place to stay was on her shoulder or head. It was normal for poo to be in her hair, down her shirt, on the sofa, in the floor...) They are loud. Me, I'd just as soon not have an alarm clock that goes off randomly. It didn't matter if its cage was covered or not.:glare: I am very glad I had the opportunity to live with her birds. I know to never, ever own one.:D

[Wheres Toto]

I had a cockatiel for years and he was great. Very friendly, we taught him to wolf whistle and say "nighty night". His name was Sydney (they are Australian birds). You definitely want a hand-raised one. I volunteered at a zoo and we used to get larger parrots all the time from people who couldn't handle them.

 

Some things to be aware of:

 

They are very messy. Cages need to be cleaned daily and you will have a pile of seeds, etc. on the floor around the cage.

 

They can live a very long time. Cockatiels about 20 years. Some of the larger parrots can live 60 years. These aren't like dogs or cats that you can usually find someone to take them if you try hard enough. They are a LONG term commitment.

 

Boy cockatiels tend to be more social and better talkers than females. They are also brighter colored. A social/handleable bird will love having his crest, head and cheek spots rubbed. :001_smile:

 

You can learn how to trim the wings so they can't fly. If done right, they will still be able to control their landing, get a little height but not be able to fly away. I wouldn't recommend this if you have other pets that may go after the bird but it can be a safety issue. I know someone who had a bird that liked to perch on doorframes. The poor thing had his toes closed in doors frequently. I am not talking about pinoning which is a permanent cutting of the wing - I'm talking about trimming just the last set of feathers. This is more like a haircut - not painful and they will grow back and need to be trimmed again.

 

I ended up being allergic to birds. It wasn't as severe as cats/dogs but I really noticed it after Sydney was gone. It's evidently fairly common.

[Alessandra]

Some things to be aware of:

 

They are very messy. Cages need to be cleaned daily and you will have a pile of seeds, etc. on the floor around the cage.

 

They can live a very long time. Cockatiels about 20 years. Some of the larger parrots can live 60 years. These aren't like dogs or cats that you can usually find someone to take them if you try hard enough. They are a LONG term commitment.

 

I ended up being allergic to birds. It wasn't as severe as cats/dogs but I really noticed it after Sydney was gone. It's evidently fairly common.

 

Going to come in with a different perspective. I do NOT like living with a bird. The mess is horrid. It isn't just a matter of cleaning their cage. That stuff gets everywhere. Poop everywhere. (My roommate liked hers to be free when she was home. It's main place to stay was on her shoulder or head. It was normal for poo to be in her hair, down her shirt, on the sofa, in the floor...) They are loud. Me, I'd just as soon not have an alarm clock that goes off randomly. It didn't matter if its cage was covered or not.:glare: I am very glad I had the opportunity to live with her birds. I know to never, ever own one.:D

 

Oh, dear. No one in my family has ever had birds, so I honestly did not that they could be so messy. Or about the allergies. Or what to do if a bird didn't work out. These are some very unpleasant thoughts, but I'm glad you both brought all this horrible stuff up. Now,naturally, I don't know what to do, lol.

[kwickimom]

I have had birds all my life. I currently have a Senegal Parrot who is like another person here. He has a personality and a mouth! :lol:

 

Birds are SO fun. They have their little personalities and can be little sweeties. I think a hand raised cockatiel is a great first time bird. They are actually a little more work than one thinks if you want to keep them really tame.

 

Birds are also delicate and can get sick easily so I would make sure you have an avian vet in mind. They can get colds from drafts super easy. I had one emergeny vet visit when my parrot actually knocked himself out when he flew into our sliding glass door :001_huh: I was clipping his wings and he got away from me and wa freaked out and slammed right in! Poor guy, thought he was dead. He came to on the way over to the vet and was fine!

 

I would personally just start with one bird, I have found sex does not matter.

 

Be aware you willhave to learn to clip nails and cut feathers, or pay to get them done. I would also buy from a breeder if you want a healthy hand-fed bird.

 

They can be messy, but if you put a seed guard on their cage and keep up with the cage it is not that big of a deal IMO.

[vettechmomof2]

There are also other dangers that abound with owning a bird.

Birds cannot tolerate certain fumes( it can kill or make then extremely sick). Some fumes that can cause problems are candles and PTFE coated pans/dishes. Technically the temp needs to get above 400 degrees on the PTFE coated pans but many things are coated with that now adays. Fumes from new furniture/carpets can also cause problems. Certain chemical cleaners are toxic as well. vinegar is one of the safest to use around birds

Vet visits if sick are normally more expensive because the smaller instruments needed are more often more expensive as well and once you notice a bird is ill they are most often rather sick at that point.

Mess is def. a big one. Feathers, dander, food pieces(seeds,pellets or fresh foods) water from bathing/spraying. Poop! lots of poop and depending on the type of bird the poop can be almost impossible to deal with (Lories for example)

You really want to get the largest cage that you can afford to have in your home. You have to make sure the bar spacing is the appropriate size(not too big so they can get their heads out and get stuck) and that the covering of the cage is a safe material.

Having someone ahead of time to either bird sit the bird or a safe place to board the bird is a good idea as well. Trying to find someone on short notice can be next to impossible sometimes as bird fear is actually quite common.

Birds can be a lot of fun but many are rehomed as well because of life span and behavior issues.

None of the birds that I have owned were ever purchased. I have owned parakeets(longest lived to be 22 years old), cockatiels, zebra finches, conures, fischers lovebirds and an umbrella cockatoo. I adore them all!

They all came to me form other owners and 2 were found loose flying around and brought to the vet clinic I was working at then.

My parents successful tamed a older cockatiel that was not hand reared but it is a HUGE amount of work,time and effort.

A hand reared baby and you do not need to do the hand rearing btw is a good choice for a friendly companion.

Conures and lovebirds can be loud to some people. We do not mind it but many others do. Zebra finches beep in their talkings and some people do not even like that sound.

I adore most species of birds for their own specialness but a hand reared parakeet or cockatiel would be a great bird most of the times for a child.

Their are also some zoonotic diseases that birds can have and pass to humans. psittacosis is just one type and your family should read up on some of these to be aware of them.

Have fun and you can even learn how to make your own safe bird toys as well!

[kokotg]

My mother had a cockatiel who just died a few months ago. He was a nice bird--learned to talk quite a bit, friendly, etc. One big thing I'd emphasize, though, is that a bird like a cockatiel is a big, long term commitment. My mom's bird lived well over 20 years. For the first few years, it was great. She got him out a lot, taught him to talk, etc. Then the kids moved out, the house filled up with other pets so he couldn't be out of the cage...he spent the last 15 years of his life sitting in that cage trying to get someone to talk to him. It was really sad. IME, birds are really needy; they're more pathetic than a dog when you neglect them...so make sure someone's going to have the time and inclination to spend a good bit of time with the bird every day for the next 25 years.

[BMW]

Yes... think long term... birds live a very long time if they are well cared for.

 

I am glad that others brought up the mess. Our bird is very social and wants to be out with us and will scream and scream if he doesn't get enough time with us. We love to have him out, but the mess is a reality!!!! We have ceramic tile floors, so it's not too hard to scrub up the bird poop. Our bird loves to sit on the backs of our dining room chairs, but that means we have to scrub poop off the backs of chairs. After a few years of this, our chairs look more than used! You also need to clean up the poop as soon as it happens or it is MUCH harder to clean.

 

I had one love bird, who had an incredible bond with me. It was fabulous. I just loved him so much.

 

Cockatiels are great, but make sure you know all about their handling and taming, as suggested.

 

We have a sun conure parrot right now. Loud when he wants noticed or doesn't get what he wants. He also bonds with one person. Ours changes who that person is from time to time. So he will totally love me for a few weeks, then totally love 11yob a few weeks, etc.

 

When we don't want to mess with him (the poop issue and company due to come over), he gets very cranky and hollers. Our ears will hurt. We have to put him in a bedroom alone. Then there are those morning we want to sleep in... and he starts screaming for us to get up.

 

You should really do your research. Birds can bring a whole lot of joy and entertainment to your life. Just know what to expect and that it's a long term commitment.

 

Oh, and the best advice is to get the largest cage you can afford for your home.

[Spy Car]

For sanitizing, it was discovered that spraying a combination of hydrogen peroxide and white vinegar (kept in separate spray bottles) is not only safe, but one of the most effective disinfectants there is. This cleaning combo can be used anywhere in the home including food prep areas as it is entirely safe and more effective than bleach.

 

Keep the peroxide in a a light-proof container (spray bottles generally fit the typical peroxide bottle one gets from the druggist).

 

Bill

[secular_mom]

We had a wonderful hand fed budgie- then we screwed up and got two more from a pet store- but they were up for adoption and weren't 'store' pets. They bullied our budgie to death and then we just couldn't stand them any more so we adopted them out again.

We got our first from a wonderful breeder and all her birds were well socialized and friendly. If you were going to get more than one I suggest doing it at the beginning and having a really nice cage for them.

And never let him/her out of the cage if the front/back door is expected to open, you are cooking, the bathroom doors are open. Budgies really are wonderful, it just seems that you can't mix ones that haven't already been together.

[Alessandra]

I think a hand raised cockatiel is a great first time bird. They are actually a little more work than one thinks if you want to keep them really tame.

 

Birds are also delicate and can get sick easily so I would make sure you have an avian vet in mind. They can get colds from drafts super easy.

Be aware you willhave to learn to clip nails and cut feathers, or pay to get them done. I would also buy from a breeder if you want a healthy hand-fed bird.

 

They can be messy, but if you put a seed guard on their cage and keep up with the cage it is not that big of a deal IMO.

 

We live in an old, rather drafty house -- so I am trying to figure this out. Hoping seed guards work -- our first choice of place was dd's bedroom. My mental image of bird poop on her sheets & blankets is not a pleasant one. And we have wood floors and rugs.

 

T

Birds cannot tolerate certain fumes.

 

Poop! lots of poop and depending on the type of bird the poop can be almost impossible to deal with (Lories for example)

 

You really want to get the largest cage that you can afford to have in your home. You have to make sure the bar spacing is the appropriate size(not too big so they can get their heads out and get stuck) and that the covering of the cage is a safe material.

 

Having someone ahead of time to either bird sit the bird or a safe place to board the bird is a good idea as well.

 

psittacosis

 

So, if we plan to paint rooms in our house, we would have to board the bird out? (I will ask at bird shop if they board birds.)

 

The poop is beginning to get to me. If we don't put bird in dd's bedroom, it would be in the (rather crowded) kitchen. Now I am picturing poop on all the pots and pans that are hanging on pegboard.

 

Do you know what constitutes a large cage for a cockatiel? for a parakeet? Some of the pet store recommendations I've seen seem rather cramped.

 

My mother had a cockatiel who just died a few months ago. He was a nice bird--learned to talk quite a bit, friendly, etc. One big thing I'd emphasize, though, is that a bird like a cockatiel is a big, long term commitment. My mom's bird lived well over 20 years.

 

I really had not thought this through -- in 20 yrs, dd would be around 30, I'd be... well, never mind.

 

Yes... think long term... birds live a very long time if they are well cared for.

 

I am glad that others brought up the mess. Our bird is very social and wants to be out with us and will scream and scream if he doesn't get enough time with us. We love to have him out, but the mess is a reality!!!! We have ceramic tile floors, so it's not too hard to scrub up the bird poop. Our bird loves to sit on the backs of our dining room chairs, but that means we have to scrub poop off the backs of chairs. After a few years of this, our chairs look more than used! You also need to clean up the poop as soon as it happens or it is MUCH harder to clean.

 

When we don't want to mess with him (the poop issue and company due to come over), he gets very cranky and hollers. Our ears will hurt. We have to put him in a bedroom alone. Then there are those morning we want to sleep in... and he starts screaming for us to get up.

 

You should really do your research. Birds can bring a whole lot of joy and entertainment to your life. Just know what to expect and that it's a long term commitment.

 

Oh, and the best advice is to get the largest cage you can afford for your home.

 

This board is so good for research! Great insights! The mess thing is worrisome, as I do have some furniture that is not exactly washable, plus I am just not that enthusiastic a housekeeper.

 

Any advice about cage sizes for parakeets and cockatiels would be appreciated.

 

For sanitizing, it was discovered that spraying a combination of hydrogen peroxide and white vinegar (kept in separate spray bottles) is not only safe, but one of the most effective disinfectants there is. This cleaning combo can be used anywhere in the home including food prep areas as it is entirely safe and more effective than bleach.

 

Bill

 

Thank you!

 

If you were going to get more than one I suggest doing it at the beginning and having a really nice cage for them.

 

 

Good advice! Just from reading these posts, I have decided that one bird is best.

 

ETA So this weekend we will go look at birds in a bird speciality store. We will look at birds and cages. No buying! Except for a few books. Then I can come home and try to figure out a good place for a decent sized cage. And I will prepare my dc that whether or not we have a bird is still up in the air, so to speak.

Edited December 2, 2010 by Alessandra

[Holly in FL]

We have an English Budgie that we bought from a breeder. We had a few other birds before Dudley...and, I decided I wanted a cage that kept the seed and hulls off my floor! Smiles! I found this one by Hagen...Hagen Vision Bird Cage, Large, Model L01. It's just the right size for our bird. The company makes small, medium, and large cages...tall or long in length...and, has wide or narrow bar spacing. Take a look at pics on-line. I think Petco now carries the cage in stores. At the time, I had to buy on Ebay because I couldn't find it locally.

 

~Holly

[Spy Car]

Also know that generally speaking a bird ought not eat an "all seed" diet. Therenare a few parrots (like Lorikeets) that have particular needs, but in the main birds should have a mix of fresh fruits and vegetables and not live on seeds alone.

 

I'm not sure if it still exist (I'd assume so) but there was a publication called the "Pet Bird Report" that is full of useful information for raising birds in a very humane way. PBR could be a little "fanatical" at times but if you only got half-way there your birds would have a much better live than is typical of caged birds.

 

The little guys do love their heads rubbed!

 

The COMMITTMENT issue really is valid. Budgies are not so long lived, but most parrots are. And they crave attention. Lots of attention. Bird nuts love them because they can be almost like having a child (especially birds like Cockatoos).

 

When wing-clipping, always use sharp scissors! I've seen shops use dull scissors and it almost invariably leads to feather problems (such as plucking). Crudely cut feathers clearly bug birds, which makes sense to me (if not always to commercial shops). Also it is possible to cut the innermost flight feathers, while leaving the one or two outermost feathers intact. This way a bird can still break a fall or get slightly aloft (to avoid a peril) but can't fly away. It also preserves the aesthetics of the wing for the most part (the wing does not look "chopped", as it does if one cuts straight across.

 

The warning about Teflon are valid. An over-heated Teflon pan can emit fumes that are deadly to birds.

 

I'm sure all this talk seems like a lot to process. I think the collective wisdom of those of us that have owned birds makes us aware how important it is for a prospective owner to understand what they are getting into. Birds are a big commitment.

 

Bill

[Alessandra]

We have an English Budgie that we bought from a breeder. We had a few other birds before Dudley...and, I decided I wanted a cage that kept the seed and hulls off my floor! Smiles! I found this one by Hagen...Hagen Vision Bird Cage, Large, Model L01. It's just the right size for our bird. The company makes small, medium, and large cages...tall or long in length...and, has wide or narrow bar spacing. Take a look at pics on-line. I think Petco now carries the cage in stores. At the time, I had to buy on Ebay because I couldn't find it locally.

 

~Holly

 

Holly -- I can't thank you enough for this recommendation! It keeps the seeds off the floor? Wonderful! Petco does indeed have them. The large sizes would fit in our house just fine. And the prices are great -- I'd seen a lot of $500 and up cages in speciality store websites.

[Alessandra]

Also know that generally speaking a bird ought not eat an "all seed" diet.

 

The little guys do love their heads rubbed!

 

The COMMITTMENT issue really is valid. Budgies are not so long lived, but most parrots are. And they crave attention. Lots of attention. Bird nuts love them because they can be almost like having a child (especially birds like Cockatoos).

 

When wing-clipping, always use sharp scissors!

 

The warning about Teflon are valid. An over-heated Teflon pan can emit fumes that are deadly to birds.

 

I'm sure all this talk seems like a lot to process. I think the collective wisdom of those of us that have owned birds makes us aware how important it is for a prospective owner to understand what they are getting into. Birds are a big commitment.

 

Bill

 

This is all such good advice. About the only thing I did know was about fresh food -- looking forward to that. I will have to learn wing clipping.

 

And I only have a few non-stick pans -- no emotional attachment there -- easy to discard. You are saying that a pan used in a kitchen could affect a bird in another room, another floor of the house? Do you happen to know anything about painting a room in a house, if birds are inside?

 

The collective wisdom is much appreciated. Is it correct to say that I would like to treat a bird 'humanely'? That is what we are aiming for.

Edited December 2, 2010 by Alessandra

[justamouse]

ahh yes, no teflon (we just went without instead of worrying about it) lov VOC paints, no aerosols around him, high veggie diet (he has his favorites and he knows when I'm cooking them) we clean out his cage top to bottom every week, and, as they mature, they can get into 'moods'. They may not want you holding them, then. When they get pin feathers in one wrong rub can get you bit.

 

Also, birds live longer in cages. Birds like Amazons only live 10 years in the wild because of stress. On the other hand, I will have to will mine to one of my children.

 

We *never* clip wings. Period. I firmly disagree with wing clipping. It makes larger birds more unstable (they use wings and tail for balance) on your arms and they do not like that.

 

If you choose to clip your birds wings, I would not do it myself as I do not want to be associated with the trauma.

 

Depending on what bird you get, you will need a full spectrum light. It helps them metabolize vitamins they need.

[Holly in FL]

Holly -- I can't thank you enough for this recommendation! It keeps the seeds off the floor? Wonderful! Petco does indeed have them. The large sizes would fit in our house just fine. And the prices are great -- I'd seen a lot of $500 and up cages in speciality store websites.

 

Yes...this works wonderfully! When our Dudley is molting...there will be feathers that we find on the floor...but, that's not a big deal in my book! I can't remember the last time I saw any seed on the floor unless my children spilled some when filling the feeding cups.

 

Just make sure you get the appropriate bar spacing for your bird. The more narrow spacing is for all the smaller birds. That's what we have.

 

This bird is the first one I can successfully trim wings and nails. He is very tolerant. Also, I think I'm not so scared to do it anymore!

 

Also, I bought just about all the toys and perches from Grey Feather Toys, on-line.

 

Millet is a favorite treat...and, you will need cuttlebone.

 

Smiles!

~Holly

[NanceXToo]

If you want a hand friendly pet, it is important to get a hand-fed baby from a breeder. Otherwise, a non-hand-fed bird will never be tame. Two birds will bond with one another and probably won't bond to you.

 

So if you don't just want a bird (or two) in a cage, it is better to get one bird that had been hand fed, and continue to hold it and keep it tame.

 

I agree. I went to a pet store meaning to buy two parakeets- and ended up buying three because that was all they had and I felt bad about leaving one there in the pet store all alone haha- but they were NEVER tame, they were bonded to each other and wanted nothing to do with me other than food. They didn't let me pick them up, touch them, etc, no matter how gently or gradually or often I tried. Maybe one would have been different, but I agree now it would have been much better to get one from a breeder instead that was younger and tame- and to get just ONE if you wanted it to bond to YOU instead of each other.

 

With that said- the three I had NEVER fought with each other or hurt each other or anything like someone else described (and I have no idea whether any of them were male or female).

 

My father-in-law and his wife have two lovebirds and the female is definitely dominant over the male. He can't go near the food unless she lets him, and they've got this hanging sleeping tent thingie and he's not allowed in it, ever...she chases him right out. They even tried putting up two so they'd each have their own- but she chased him right out of BOTH of them lol.

[ereks mom]

We've mostly had parakeets, but also cockatiels.

 

We've had the best success with parakeets, but only when we've had just one. When we've had 2 of them, they would fight. We have just one now, and he is interesting, although less social than some we've had. The males are more social and some people claim they've even taught their male parakeets to talk, but it never worked for us. Most of ours have been tame enough to sit on your finger, and we even had one that like to get into the shower with us or perch on the tap while I washed dishes. Parakeets are easy to care for--clean paper in the bottom of the cage once a week, and clean water & fresh food every day. Molting can be messy--downy feathers everywhere--but our bird usually molts only about twice a year.

 

The cockatiels were noisy and MESSY. They are fun, though. Our cockatiels were hand-tamed when we got them, and loved to be petted and talked to. They were much more interactive than our parakeets. One of our cockatiels LOVED to have her head scratched. We also had one who learned the whistling part of the Andy Griffith Show theme song, and he sang it over and over and over... Cockatiels, however, also do a lot of screaming--and it drove me bonkers! He loved to bathe in his water dish, so he sprinkled water everywhere, and he also flung seed husks all over floor because he was a messy eater. Another time we had a female cockatiel, and she was just as messy, although she was just a bit calmer and not quite as loud. In our experience, the females are less outgoing than the males, and they don't learn to talk or imitate sounds like the males do. Cockatiels are also easy to care for, but cleaning up after them can be a pain.

Edited December 4, 2010 by ereks mom

[MomOfOneFunOne]

Our experiences:

 

parakeets: awful. One keet killed the other. We gave that one to a friend. The friend reports that she and the bird get along well together.

 

First lovey (african lovebird): loved, loved, loved that bird. She was such a sweet, gentle, loving bird. She died. alas . . .

 

Second lovey: we like this bird a lot. She is NOT as sweet, gentle, loving as the previous one but she is fun.

 

Chickens: Having chickens is great! The hens are sweet and loving, they're fun to play with, they lay delicious eggs.

[kwickimom]

truly the mess is not bad, I dont think. I bought plexiglass seed guards that you can attach to any cage and they are easy to clean. I buy from a magazine called Dr. Fosters and Smith....they have a TON of info on birds and bird gear. I think they have cage recommendations too.I am not sure I saw this mentioned, but birds get loud mostly cause they are bored. You must have plenty of toys and a playground also works wonder. Cockatiels love to swing and play, one of those on top of their cage will keep em busy!

 

As for drafts....just make sure not to put them by a door or window and keep them covered at night.

 

I have always cooked with Teflon, and had no problems.