# can u help make us make the right choice



## aspire5532 (Nov 6, 2011)

hi can u help us we need advice on getting our first parrot , after my wife twisting my arm:001_tt1: and getting another dog she has now reminded that part of the deal was a parrot for herself lol :w00t: ok so here is what i would love to know and cant think of a better place than here to ask ,

do you know the best parrot for first time parrot my wife has always wanted a parrot that can talk so what would u surrgest lol , oh before i forget what is silly tame and you see a lot of people selling older birds do you run the risk in this as they may not be retrained if they have issuse lol 

(we are bird owners but i dont think the ducks count on this lol:001_tongue: )


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## AlexArt (Apr 25, 2010)

There are tons of parrots in parrot rescues so always a good place to start and they can give you plenty of advice and help along the way. My little Goffins cockatoo is 25yrs old as was given to me 7 or 8 months ago now as her elderly owner could no-longer look after her. She was a biter and a screamer when I got her but she was kept in a garage and never let out of her cage and had an awful diet, I'm her 5th or 6th owner! 
She is now out pretty much all day with me as I work from home so she rarely says a word and luckily doesn't bite me but has bonded with me alone and will attack other family members - the major downside of a hand reared bird! She is great fun though and a real timewaster as she loves to show off! They do require an awful lot of input and things to do to keep them happy and entertained, parrot toys are not cheap, mine has a huge box of them already and they get rotated every 2 days or so so she doesn't get bored of them, basically it is like having a toddler with feathers!
You also have to be very careful with other pets such as cats and dogs - they will kill or injure birds so should be kept in a separate room when you're not about.

Most birds described as silly tame mean they have been taken away from their parents and hand reared, it makes them think they are a person and not a parrot, great to start with but can be a huge problem when they hit sexual maturity and often bond to one person and attack all others not to mention humping their owner!!!!! One of the main reason they end up rehomed as people can't cope with their adult behavior, a frustrated bored parrot is a destructive noisy parrot! They can live upto 80 odd yrs so you need to think very much for the longterm too! I personally don't like hand reared birds, I'd rather a bird knows it's a bird and put in the extra effort to win its confidence - hand rearing is a short cut really!

I would join your local parrot group - they will be able to point you towards reputable breeders and go and meet different types of birds to see what would fit into your lifestyle - don't always go for the prettiest one! I'd also go on the parrot link forum - alot of very knowledgeable people on there, avoid buying off birdtrader etc as there are so many scams on those sorts of sites, always go a meet a bird first before you buy so you can see if it is healthy etc!

As for type of parrot, depends really what circumstances you have, your budget, space available etc, a parrot of any kind needs at least 4hrs out of its cage a day, tolerant neighbors are also a must have - they are very loud when they want to be, a good balanced diet - not just the rubbish mixes you buy in the pet shop, most eat a huge variety of fruit and veg as well as things like pasta, boiled eggs occasionally, sweet potatoes, I make seed cakes for mine as treats etc.

Lots of them talk, from the little cockateils upwards, it depends on how much time you put into them and obviously the more avid talkers you have to be careful with as its sods law swear words are going to be the the ones they pick up!!! Cockateils make great pets and as they don't live forever - 20yrs or so, they do make great first time birds, my sister is looking at getting a couple at the mo, they come in alsorts of colours too and are pretty quiet parrot wise! Avoid things like, macaws, cockatoos and african greys - not really first time birds at all!
Anyway have a look on parrot link and chat to a few folk on there! - parrot-link.co.uk - Parrot Forum Message Board - Index
And here's a shot of my little bird Peachy who I sometimes fly outside although a new pair of sparrow hawks has moved into the nearby wood so I don't think she'll be doing that again, i'll have to build her an aviary when I move! -


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## mydog (Nov 16, 2011)

spot on advice from alexart,good luck in your search for a parrot,i would like to add you cant go wrong with senegals,meyers etc,small parrots not to noisey and not to intimadating for the first time owner.all the best ....tim


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## Bashney (May 15, 2011)

Great advice Alex couldn't put it better myself, I have a galah cockatoo and my life revolves around him a huge commitment.
Cockatiels are wonderful birds intelligent easy going and very underrated.
The level of commitment is high with parrot's to avoid behavioural problems.


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## MeggyWeggy (Jan 14, 2012)

I love parrots! Just make absolutely sure you're willing to commit to their intelligence and needs. My boyfriend has a Quaker parrot who is quite loving when given the time, peace, and understanding she needs, but we're certain the home(s) she had before were not friendly or stable, and his parents are often unwilling to make allowances for behavior that I'm sure stems from paranoia and fear of isolation. Rescuing a parrot is a handsome thing to do, but be prepared for an animal that has been hurt emotionally and possibly physically.

That said, I don't doubt that you're informed and prepared to give a parrot a proper home. My best experiences with parrots have always been with cockatoos - Quakers are naturally temperamental, and not something I'd suggest for a beginner.


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## aspire5532 (Nov 6, 2011)

Hi thanks for every ones advise my wife is now the proud owner of a marron bellied conure and picking up tonight a dusky conure


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