hey peeps

[saj1985]

im a newbie, just thought i'd say hi and also like to mention that i've never kept a parrot, but im thinking about getting a parrotlet, just wanted to know what are they like as pets and just want some general feedback about them, is there any beginner info on this site for newbie owners? thanks saj!

[Pado]

To be honest I personally don't think Parrotlets are the best first bird. Hand fed P'lets are super sweet and cuddly when young. When they mature and their hormones kick in they can be at times a handful. They can be very stubborn headstrong birds and can be difficult to control and handle at times. They are more likened to the Amazon in personality.

With all that being said if you do a lot of research on them (not just the babies but as they mature) and you house, feed and meet all their needs they can be the best companions.

Take some time and read through as much of the posts on the site as you can - you will get a good feel for this bird and will also see some issues they have and how to deal with those.

Good luck - and welcome to the site.

[saj1985]

thanks, so what would you advise to get as a first bird? i also been thinking of a green check conure or a senegel!

[Pado]

Saj - I don't have any experience with the green cheek so I can't comment on that.

The Senegal is a wonderful companion but again I'm not so sure they are suited as a first bird. It really all depends on your experience and lifestyle. The Senegal although touted on the internet as "Quiet Birds" are not at all quiet birds IMO - they are quite vocal and have a very shrill voice. They also bond VERY heavily to ONE person in the house - and THEY will pick who that person is - once they attach to that person - from what I found it is next to impossible to convince them otherwise and they will not tolerate anybody else near them -
This prevents a problem when you have to go on vacation or a business trip - the Senegal can stop eating under these conditions by pining for you. Although unlike most of the other larger/medium species they do know how to entertain themselves.

I suggest if you've never had any birds before - a Cockatiel or a Parakeet might be more suitable. I know some people hate when these two species are always picked as a "first bird" but they really are easier for the beginner to care for in comparison to the other species - and a tame Cockatiel rarely bites. Again I would look for a tame bird one what will come to you readily and not back away from you. You see in the Pet stores these birds listed as Hand fed and tame but they really are not - A tame bird will not back away from you but will come forward and step onto your finger willingly - don't let a Pet Store clerk tell you otherwise.

But wait for others to chime in and give their opinions also - :)

[catfish]

I recommend a budgie (parakeet) more so than a cockatiel. Cockatiels have the night frights (at least mine did) and they are so dusty.

Budgies are very hardy birds and can be easily trained. They are intelligent and plus (I hate to say that) cheap to get. Their life spans are not that long though, they mostly live 6-15 years. Parakeets do require the same amount of care as other birds, but they are not prone to feather plucking. They also are one of the best talkers out there, in fact they often "battle" the african grays and quaker parrots for best speaking ability. Smart birds and great personalities... it's just I don't like their vocalizations. . .

[Sally]

Depends on noise you want. My Parrotlet is a doll and very quiet. That is VERY important to me. I do not like noise from Budgies, conures, Lovebirds etc. Most birds can be very loud.


For an apartment, a parrotlet it great. You do have to learn to deal with the strong personality they have. I happen to love the way they are. They are adorable and strong. Can be nippy too. I have helped my little birdie, Chipper be a fantastic bird. Takes some work and their needs have to be met.

I would pick a Parrotlet again for sure. Noise level and size is imporatant to me. She doesn't destroy things like some parrots do, easy to take someplace, etc. Chipper is SO playful and I love to watch the way she plays on her playgyms, toys etc. http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v492/Sally11/DoodleFrames.jpg

[nar1122]

Glad to see that you took my advice from the other forum :)
Obviously you are definately willing to do research and learn.

Along witht the others, I don't reccomend a parrotlet as a first bird. I would reccomend a cockatiel, or parakeet.
(i've never had a parakeet though.)

Cockatiels are very sweet, nice, and happy birds. They are very easy to take care of.

Good luck :)

[ArtS]

saj1985,

We were considering green cheeks, they make pretty good first bird pets if you don't want to go the budgie, cockatiel route. Parrotlets have tons of personality but this also makes them a bit more difficult to keep (think bites that break your skin AFTER you thought they were tame).

I would suggest researching a quiet conure species or a senigal as potential first pets. If you are up for a rewarding challange, consider a parrotlet but it will require more time and effort.

If you do consider a parrotlet, females are calmer than males but males, while more temperamental, can be taught to speak.

Regards,

Art S.

[Mustang99]

I've had up to 5 parakeets ... now down to 3 and 1 parrotlet. I love the budgies and I love hearing them sing. If you get a young parakeet, preferably from a breeder or a store with a solid reputation. While they are inexpensive, they need the same diligence as other birds. Ensure that they have a balanced diet and always clean water. The one thing that parakeets are known for are tumors. I had a 16 year old with a tumor that eventually stopped him from flying but he was a climber and we put ladders everywhere. The younger birds always got on the ground to play with him. He was truly a majestic bird and lived well with the disability from the tumor and he died peacefully in my sons hands one morning. I had a little female who lived 12 years and she was a beauty. They were both solid yellow budgies...I swear they are the hardiest. I have had budgies since I was young. Kiwi is my first parrotlet and her demands on my time are much more than the budgies. She is strong willed but a loving little bird. It all depends on the time you have each day to devote to your bird and how much handling of a bird that you want to commit to. Hope this helps..

[saj1985]

Thanks for all your replies for a start. I can get a parrotlet, budgie (parakeet) and a green cheek conure from breeders with very good reputations, and all of them will be hand reared, i want to know if the budgies are loud, if so you think i'll get away with it in a flat? With a green check conure, i'm also worried about the noise levels, cockatiel i can't get because i'm asthmatic! parrotlet, seems quiet ideal for my situation, that is what i was thinking, but maybe my thinkings wrong lol!

[Mustang99]

If you're thinking of 1 or 2 budgies, the noise level is fine. when I had the 5, I must admit it was surround sound with all the chatter but I enjoyed it. If you're looking to have the parakeet spend time with you, you may want to begin with one or possibly two young ones that you work with together. However, budgies flock together and tend to ignore the human flock if they have each other. I can say that if you spend time with them, they will come to you and enjoy the interaction. I had a wonderful little girl who thought we were her playground. There were specific sweaters or hoodies that she loved and would tunnel through them. She would start at the collar or wrist and climb through the clothing. Too funny. She was a doll and missed terribly. One of my three is mr social..he will fly over to my shoulder to visit and is just a sweetheart. so, it really centers around the time commitment you have to one or two birds.

Art is right on with the parrotlet taking more time and effort. They demand more attention...at least my Kiwi is more demanding of my time than the parakeets.

Regarding noise level for conures, I believe the green cheek is the most mildest as far as noise...avoid the Sun and Nanday for they are very loud. Hope this helps...let us know what you decide. :)

[saj1985]

i think it gonna be a green cheek conure or a parrotlet, well i seen this cage which is suitable for green cheek conure and a parrotlet, so i'll try and bid to win it, if i do then at least i can take my time to decide which one i want, because i think its not fair or right on any parrot if i rush in to get it and then decide its not the one for me, even though i'd love to hav one asap,! i think the frustrating part is that, because i personally don't know anyone with a conure or parrotlet, i can't get a feel for it, if u get me?

[Pado]

Saj - if you do decide on the Parrotlet and are worried about noise level - be sure to go with the female - they are much less vocal than the males. But keep in mind they are a lot more head strong when they mature than the Budgie. Good luck, let us know what you decide on..

[catfish]

It's not fair for any bird, I agree with you; however, there are some birds that can take stress better than others.

One of the main reasons why I push for budgies is that they are EASY to take care of with little worries about feather plucking. They are hardy birds that can deal with many things and still come out very much intact.

Just remember, parrotlets live a LOT longer than a budgie... they also are a lot more sensitive to busy schedules. Assuming your birth year is 1985, you are a year younger than myself. This means you are either in college about to graduate, go to grad school, or about to start in the work force. You are going to be busy, I know I am, and it can get challenging to give all my birds the attention they deserve.

Just make sure to think beyond which bird you want, think about the time you have to give to them. I'm not trying to be rude, everyone has to start with one bird or another. I started off with cockatiels and budgies, then expanded onto quakers and parrotlets.

[Mustang99]

Catfish makes a very good point. When I'm busy and away from the house more, the budgies are fine and enjoy when I'm home but they have their own agenda for the most part. They also can be out of their cage all day since they have a tree in the family room that they run around in. They head to the cage for food/water.

The parrotlet cannot be out of her cage unattended at any time. Gets into way too much trouble. She depends on me to let her out on a regular basis and she requires more one-on-one time with me.

I'm glad that you're not rushing and it's hard when you don't know someone with birds that you can visit and spend some time.

good luck with your choice. Keep us posted.

[Sally]

Saj, how big is the cage you are bidding on?

[saj1985]

btw im from birmingham, england, because i noticed most of you are from america! btw what is the bar space measurment suppose to be for a budgie?
this is the link http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=320161117233&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT&ih=011

[Mustang99]

The cage I have my budgies in has 3/8 inch spacing.

[catfish]

no larger than 1/2 inch. Also go for width/length over excessive height. Birds fly horizontal and take off at an angle. Flight cages are always going to be appreciated by any bird.

[saj1985]

good news, i just won this cage on ebay...
at least i can buy the toys and think carefully about which bird to get,
btw some one did mention to me that budgie wouldn't be good because they are dusty, is this the case? baring in mind im asthmatic!
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/NEW-LARGE-BIRD-CAGE-PARROT-BUDGIE-CAGE-P-P-9-90-ONLY_W0QQitemZ320161402856QQihZ011QQcategoryZ46289 QQtcZphotoQQcmdZViewItem

[Mustang99]

I'm going to send my response in a couple sets since I have been timed out a couple times in the last couple days tryring to respond...my husband is asthmatic and we have 3 parakeets and 1 parrotlet. His allergies kick in more than breathing problems but every once in a while he will get a little "tight" depending on the time of year. I don't see much difference in dust between budgies and parrotlets. I do vacuum on a very regular basis and more so during molts just to get feathers picked up quickly. Another thing that sets him off is millet due to it being in the grass family, he can't touch the stuff at all so I clean up after the birds have it. I have found that adding two air purifiers -- one in the family room and one in the bedroom has helped quite a bit. When we brought Kiwi home, he had a two week adjustment where his allergies went crazy and then settled. (will continue)

[Mustang99]

with the asthma, every one is different on what sets them off and you will need to determine what triggers problems for you. Considering that you will need to interact with the bird daily and care for it and particularly with parrotlets, they love to spend time with you (shoulder, nestled at your neck) -- would this be too close for you and set off problems. A budgie that is tame and you can handle, also can spend time on its own and play with toys and be happy where a parrotlet will demand more attention. I just want to ensure that you have a snapshot of the two breeds. Another thing that we did with the parrotlet was to purchase a spray to reduce the amount of dust. We did that in the beginning and we haven't had to use it lately since my husband has leveled off for the most part. However, you may want to consider the air purifier with any animal that you decide upon. I hope this helps since it's a long term commitment and you certainly don't want to put your health at risk.

[catfish]

I didn't find budgies to be too dusty, just feathers. Now cockatiels are very dusty. I'm not a fan of them... but it's mostly because of the dust and the constant night frights that mine had.

congrats with the cage.

[Mustang99]

one other thought -- have you attended any bird fairs to see how you react with all the birds on display? I wish you all the best with your decision and glad to hear that you're taking your time. One thing about toys--you mentioned that you won the cage (congrats) and that you would buy some toys, etc. Depending on the bird you choose, Parrotlets have a much stronger beak that budgies so be careful not to get anything too flimsy. Keep us posted :)

[Mustang99]

I agree with Catfish -- I think the two breeds in question are probably the two with the least amount of dust.

[saj1985]

to be honest i think my asthma will be ok, but you never know whats around the corner in life lol

[Mustang99]

The only time my husband had a horrible attack was one winter that he was away on business and I thought I'd surprise him with stripping wallpaper in a room and it was during the winter...he came home...got hit with the fumes and within 8 hours I had him in emergency. The doctor told me that was the cause and I felt horrible! Since then I have been so very careful with any fumes, particularly with the feather friends in the house and it saves everyone's lungs! I hope it works out for you...it's more allergies for my husband but I know I couldn't add any more birds since I don't want him miserable.

[saj1985]

how many parrotlets could i get in that cage? and how many budgies could i get in that cage? because even though i want one of which ever i decide to get, i would later on in life, try to get another one and want to experiance th breeding side of it all, you get me?

[saj1985]

oohhhh yeah, you mentioned not to get flimsy toys, you got any links of any good sites from where i could get good quality toys for decent prices? (bare in mind delivery to birmingham, england) thanks! saj!

[Mustang99]

I have a cage similar to that size for my budgies and 4 at one point lived in it comfortably. there are 3 now and they each have a swing and there's plenty of food and two big water dishes that I refresh a couple times daily.

The breeding portion I will leave to other members to comment on since I do not have any experience with breeding.

The toy issue...hmmm.. I have a great bird store minutes away so I normally don't have to order. When I do order something, I go through www.drsfosterandsmith.com (http://www.drsfosterandsmith.com) but hopefully someone will come forward with other sites...

[saj1985]

heres the good news lol....
well i have made a decision FINALLY as to which parrot im getting and it is a celestial parrotlet! lol im well excited, i already found a breeder with hand reared babys and i should have a blue baby male within the first couple of weeks of november! lol

[pcmatus]

I just got Pixel a week or two ago, and she is working out great. I have alot of experience with animals, aswell i did alot of research on parrotlets. The fact that they aren't as loud as normal birds works great for me. She travels with me to work and is great with new people. I love that fact they are so smart, and a great travel size too. If you have alot of time then go for a parrotlet.

[saj1985]

yea the noise levels and size of the parrot for travelling are also 2 key factors for it being such an ideal parrot, i definately agree, lol can't wait now, feels like time is dragging on, lol doesn't help the fact i'm impatient! :rolleyes: