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I am looking inr=to getting a new bird after 5 years without any. I really really miss having one. Now the big question what kind do I want.I know I want something I can train to talk. I have been looking at a few different ones. I am sort of leaning toward a Yellow Collared Macaw. My biggest question is are they one person birds. It would be me and My hubby with the bird but probably me mostly. But I do not want him/he to become mean towards my hubby. Is there any other birds you think I should consider? I have lots of experience with smaller birds...conures cockatiels quaker parrots. But I really want something that will talk this time. So if there is another that is not very very large that you think I should look into please suggest.
One reason the bird would become mean is because he'd consider you his mate. If you don't touch him inappropriately that shouldn't be much of a problem.
Would you have hours a day to be with your bird? Macaws need lots of attention and can cause more issues than a smaller bird. I grew up around birds, so I've seen it first-hand with my dad. I now have two conures that take up a lot of my time.
Socializing them to other people is another good way to keep a bird from becoming too attached to one person. My girl conure loves new people and often flies over to say hello. When I know people are coming over I take away the food bowl and give people small safflower seeds to give my birds so they will like these other people. It works very well. So if your bird becomes aggressive you can lower their food intake in their bowl and have your hubby give him food (ask the bird to step up for the food). This makes him associate your hubby with good things AND makes the bird do some work for his food. Since birds naturally forage all day, this will be good for him. I'm not saying starve the bird, but if you over-feed a bird it can start to act like it doesn't need you, or like you but act like it doesn't need anyone else. My boy bird was very aggressive for a while and following this method with a trainer we were able to bring his aggression way down.
Some birds are better than others, look into a rescue birds, quite a few of them, while they need a little more love and attention and patience, are great birds
BTW my green cheek is actually an AMAZING talker. He says hello, goodnight, I love you, come here, hahaha, etc Boy green cheeks can be good talkers.
My African Grey is quite social and friendly. She has become 'attached' to a friend who stays with us now and then. The only time anyone has to be careful of her ('mean') is if they have been drinking. She absolutely does not like a drunk person. And it's not the sway or slur of a drunk. You can be in functional control but still drunk and she will bite...even reach out to get you when you are not looking.
Our trick is that everyone takes a turn giving her food and water. This way she is used to many people in and around her cage. We also keep her in a high traffic area. Anyone coming into the house is greeted by her.
We have a bag of peanuts that we have for visitors to give to her.
African Greys are supposedly the smartest of the parrots and are known for being able to have the vocabulary of a 3 year old. (Or something like that). Our's says hello, hi, goodbye, no, stop, what? (She says that a lot), she calls the dog by name, when I'm cleaning her cage, or cleaning around her she says, 'whatcha doing bird'. She calls herself a cuckoo bird...and she had a plethora of sounds and songs; most are her own compositions but knows the Simpson's theme song. When we pull out of the driveway, she does the backup beep. Every body function sound, if my daughter has a tissue, the bird 'blows her nose'. If anyone sneezes, she sneezes back.
She learns really quick. She will have some phrase she says out of no where, then never say it again.
I like Greys over macaws or cockatoos because Greys don't scream like the other birds. They are very vocal and chatty, but not annoying loud. The only annoying thing ours does is the low battery beep from the smoke detector, but she only does that when she herself is annoyed.
I think that if you want a fun and social talker, a grey would be a bird you would really enjoy.
Even a rescue bird can become a different bird with attention. Ours was a rescue, the first owners tormented her with a broom and she would freak out if she just saw me with a broom. Now, I can sweep around her cage and even get her to 'step up' onto the broom handle.
beera...i read that link and many others about ycm's. I have had conures before both male and female...maroon bellied to be exact. and they are also something i am thinking about. i saw some sunday(sun and jenday mixes) that were just adorable and so sweet also....touching inappropriately...i dont think thay would be a problem. i am not worried about noise. i spent quite a bit of time at a friends house that had a blue and gold macaw and the noise didnt bother me.its a tough decision .i want something that both me and hubby can enjoy. i am aware of how destructive a macaw can be without proper toys and loads of attention. we have the time to give him...kids are grown its just us so he /she will be showered with attention i just want to make the right choice
OwlKaMyst....I have been doing some research on the African Greys since I read your post...That may be an option as well. I love how interactive they are...Are they lovable and cuddly too. I love cuddly birds. I would probably do a rescue just because anyone can get a baby. I have the time to work with a bird that may not have had the best care in the past and may have some trust issues.I do love that they do talk up a blue streak. My concern with greys is that they would require a much larger cage I think ...not really sure though...and I would probably be okay with that. But they also live quite a bit longer than I will which is also a concern...also a concern with the YCM I suppose too.Maybe I am over thinking all of this . I just want something that will be happy and not live so long past me that he/she becomes a burden to someone else.I want it to have a happy long life...Not that I am sooo old...47 but I know I don't have 80 years left on this earth...Just common sense ya know.
Good luck with whatever bird you choose. My friends joke that my conures live in a mansion! Whichever bird you choose (I myself like flight cages) make sure the bars are spaced to where he cannot get his head stuck in between, and that the cage is large enough to spread their wings. My green cheek's cage is this:
Greys don't live so long as some other of the large parrots. Alex, a well know Grey for his contribution to intelligence research only lived to about 25. They actually have a longer life-span in the wild if they make it past the predators.
We don't have a large cage for ours because the cage is always open and she can stretch and play on the outside of the cage. The only time she spends inside her cage is to eat, sleep and bathe in her water bowl. But- that's just her. Not everyone would be able to have a open cage 24/7. But....again.... With you having so much time, that sort of arrangement may work for you as well.
Eventually I am going to make a table sized playground for her and just ditch the cage. It will have clear sides around it so the litter does not go all over- she likes to chicken scratch. My thinking is that it will be much easier to clean. Even though her cage is on the small side, it is still a big pain to clean.
I can guarantee whatever we end up getting it will not spend much time in cage...mainly to sleep and eat I would bet.I also want to get a travel cage. We do travel some and i want my baby to be safe while in car.I have been looking for cages so those links are very helpful. Gives me a good idea what I will spending between bird and cage...lets not forget food and toys too...I am figuring around 2500.00 total should do it.Depending on which bird I get although they are in the same price range 1000-1500. But I figure cage toys food and initial vet visit 2500 is a good bet on how much I will spend.
every African grey ive met has been a 1 person bird, and ive worked with a few. my grandfather has one...hell use you to get to my grandfather, but once he has him...oh dot even thing about it if you like your fingers...
hell even tell you "ill bite!!!" and hes not lying...and this is a thing for greys, they are sweet and loving to the person (or if your lucky people) they choose, but heaven help anyone else.
macaws arnt known to be the best talkers but in terms of parots that are easy going, a macaw is going t be your best bet, they tend to go to anyoe whos confident enough to say hi...(though they can be protective in unfamiliar situations or if scared ect) not as screamy/lou as many o the other parts ive met.
Id look into the minis, hahns, severe ect.
id also look into the conures, bluecorwns are particularly known for good talkingabilities...
but honesty if you want an Easy going bird whos gnna talk up a storm...the record for number of words known is the English budgie! ringnecks also tend to be great talkers!!!
I am looking inr=to getting a new bird after 5 years without any. I have lots of experience with smaller birds...conures cockatiels quaker parrots. But I really want something that will talk this time. So if there is another that is not very very large that you think I should look into please suggest.
Quakers are great talkers.
Speaking of that, conures, cockatiels, and quakers all live for decades. What happened to your birds?
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