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Jynxie

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 26, 2011
Messages
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Location
Brampton, Ontario, Canada
So I have always been scared of birds because ...

1. My neighbors cockatoo bite me when I was about 8.
2. An owl chased me once when I was admiring it on the side of the road.
3. Plus the geese that live next door hiss at me when I walk by.

ANYWAYS.
I was at a pet show this weekend and a yellow headed amazon flew onto my shoulder (I was terrified by the way, but also nicely surprised). He was climbing on my arm/shoulder and pulling on my sweater - he did nip me a few times but this is where I was like well... That wasn't too bad. I've honestly had a huge change of heart - I even went to the pet store the next day just to meet some other birds (in case it was just that bird I liked LOL) and I feel in love with each green cheek conure they had there, all four of them were such funny and cute characters.

So now I am researching this funny little guys and they seem awesome so I am debating getting one. I love, love, love the pineapple conures. I also LOVE the sun conures - but I live in an apartment so that won't be happening LOL.

Anyone have any conures? I know at least one of you do (in the list your pets thread).
 
I think conures are beautiful and very intelligent. They do scream all the time. There is nothing you can do to stop this. If you get one invest in some earplugs especially if you are getting a sun conure. They also can live a really long time.I have a conure who is in his 20's right now.
 
There is a site for birds that 2 members referenced within the last week. They referred to it as AA. So you might do a search for AA, find their names, & PM them for the site name etc.
 
I have 8 zebra finches. I wouldn't be able to handle the screaming the larger brids enjoy so much. My finches make the cutest little beeping noise and sing.

Good luck with the big birds. They need lots of care, so it's good you are researching.
 
I've always wanted a bird but don't think I could handle the screaming.. my mom had a canary and he was lovely to listen to since he sang all the time.

I've always thought that lineolated parakeets were cute and from what I hear, they're quieter than conures.
 
i have a blue crowned conure. he LOVES to be pet and held but he can bite good as well. he shares a cage with ha mustache parrot named pete and they are the best of friends. they cuddle and everything
 
he'll scream not too often and sometimes people don't even know they're are birds in the cage that's in our living room. right now for the past few Weeks he's been on a rampage just screaming over and over. we had to put a blanket over his cage to keep him quiet. also the two birds like to preen each other so much they're feathers are messed up.
 
I worked in a petstore for 2 years and we always had Green-Cheek Conures because they are so friendly and quiet(quiet for conures anyway ;)) Honestly they are the only bird I have found myself wanting to own because of how personable they are. My coworker ended up taking one of them home and the bird absolutely loves him. He keeps the bird in his room with no problems. Apparently he only screams when he's excited.
 
Pyrrhura conures (green cheeks, maroon bellies, black capps, painted, crimson bellied, etc) are just as noisy as any other parrot, they just dont have as high pitched of a scream. (a pineapple conure is just a colour mutation of a green cheek)
I have a green cheek and a maroon belly x and have raised/ bred black caps a few times.

Great starter parrots, still noisy, very comical, much quieter then any other species of conures (Jendaya, nanday, sun, etc) Bites wont remove your whole finger.
They are still plenty noisy enough that I can hear my green cheek scream when I'm on the other side of the house and in a different level. My maroon belly has learnt to scream really really really loud since he lives beside my cockatoo, so when the dogs bark... he will scream... when my cockatoo screams... he will scream and he tries to compete with her. Forget about listening to the quiet moment in your favourite show ;).

Now my maroon belly has a great vocab and he picks up words very quickly... but they have very metallic voices so they can be hard to understand. My green cheek has never spoken but she likes chewing on my lip and teeth and plays in my hair, she is friendly towards me and will bite anyone else I got her when she was 1 as a breeder. Now on the other hand my maroon belly who I personally hand raised and handled since he was in the egg, will happily try and rip my fingers off but wont try and kill anyone else.

This is not something to jump into, take your time do lots of research. Birds are messy, noisey, demand alot of time (alot more then bunnys) they are expensive to house and expensive to feed as they really like to waste their food. Do you have room for a minimum of a 24x24x24" cage? with a few hours of play/free time a day? Are you able to provide fresh veggies and cooked pasta and beans and rices every day? or at least a few times a week? Where is your local Avian vet? If you think finding a bunny savvy vet is hard... Avian vets are even harder... and more expensive. I can get to a vet for my snakes easier then I can get to a the Avian vet.

But all in all a Pyrrhura conure would be a great choice, try and find a nice local breeder who will allow you to come visit some babies and select your own. Dont get one from a pet store. Or even better, find a local rescue! If you go for a green cheek, dont pay more then $250, unless youre looking at mutations like the pineapple.

Heres some parrot noise for you ;)
[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uu4uWswS5Ho&list=UU3eObFMHdcu0PjU5Ta3irPg&index=3&feature=plcp[/ame] Crank your volume and stick your ear next to your speakers.... And thats just the chicken talk, thats not screaming. But hey people 2 blocks away know I have parrots. That is the Maroon belly you will see in the end

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GQe_q0GwKQo&list=UU3eObFMHdcu0PjU5Ta3irPg&index=9&feature=plcp[/ame]
Again the cockatoo and maroon belly.
 
I agree with everything Watermelons said! Definitely don't rush into a decision like this. Parrots need lots and lots of care, are very smart so need an owner who understands their behavior, are very messy, and can live for a really long time. And of course they can be quite noisy, even the "quiet" ones like Green Cheek Conures :) I do like birds and have had cockatiels since I was 13. Someday we may get a Green Cheek Conure or an Eclectus but that is many years down the road.
 
Thank you everyone and thank you watermelons!

I DO live in an apartment and the reason I was going to pick the Green cheek was because of how often I have heard the the most quiet out of conures. So I am a little worried about the screaming now.

There is a breeder who says I can come meet some babies, if I do want to get a pineapple ($350) it will be hand fed and hard raised and will not be ready for another 4 weeks - gives me time to research.

The food, size of cage, time out and money are not a big problem for me, I was just going to make salads for the bunny and bird at the same time for the food.

I also do not really care if he talks to be honest, from what I have heard of them talking on youtube it does not really sound very clear.

I will be looking for a avian vet, though I do believe the place I bring my bunny too does birds since they are an exotic vet - but I will double check.

I will continue researching - It is one of the best parts before getting a pet! LOL I am such a geek.
 
4 weeks isnt nearly long enough to prepare yourself. Theres alot more to it then that. Please dont rush into this. You have only just discovered this sudden fondness of birds. Contact a local bird rescue and ask about fostering. I spent well over a year researching conures before I got my first pair, between the internet, other owners, breeders, rescues, etc. There are Just as many birds in rescues as bunnys but for many more reasons, behaviour being the main one.

Just because a vet does exotics doesn't mean their good at it. There are TONS of small animal/exotic vets around here, and most I wouldnt trust to come within 50 feet of my pets. Birds are VERY delicate. The vet I take my bunnys too will do birds, but I wouldn't trust her with them. I would litterly bypass 15+ vets that claim to be exotic vets on my way to the one and only true bird vet in this part of BC.

If this is something you really want to do, wait! Wait for another breeder or another clutch, and bypass this current one you have found. Green cheeks are beyond common so they wont be hard to find at the end of summer. If by the end of summer you think you know all there is to know and are 150% prepared and have visited numerous birds then go for it.

A Typical pair will have 1 clutch a year sometimes 2 if their feeling ambitious. Research your breeders, are they letting their birds nest twice a year? What age to they pull the babys? Do they handle the babys before they pull them? What is their method of hand feeding? What are they weening the babys onto?
What about you? do you burn candles? paint your nails? have blinds? value your sleep? what about your neighbours? what time to they wake up and sleep at compared to you? What do you know about bird diets? Safe fruits and veggies? There are alot more toxic things out there for a bird then any other creature. Safe housing? How to curb nesting behaviour? Sexual maturity? Favourtism? etc. Lots to research ;) Just be patient, youll have this bird for more then 20 years, so a few more months before you get one will cause nobody any harm.

Heres some baby pics
http://s94.photobucket.com/albums/l88/Lolaandthecrowd/Babys/?start=all
 
What about rescue birds? I know by me, there's a parrot rescue place...lots of really sweet, socialized birds whose owners either died or had to give them up (hey, birds outlive their owners)...

My roommate has a rescue Indian Ringneck. Pretty little guy, but you don't want an abused rescue as a first bird. High maintenance as anything. Also, ringnecks are loud. But beautiful.

I'm becoming interested in birds, too. I fell in love with a baby Meyers parrot at our locally owned pet store (they specialize in birds). I tried to convince the roommate he needed another bird....
 
Watermelons has given good advice with exception to cage size. I feel all birds deserve as large of a cage as you can afford. If you cannot afford one, save for it. Check places like craiglist, hoobly,and kijiji for a good used cage.Avian Avenue is a wonderful forum with lots of great people from all over the world. There is a ton of info and people ready to help you learn.As mentioned, please research this thoroughly before deciding which bird is right for you. A wellness check for a new bird is several hundred dollars if done correctly. You should have a fund/savings for any emergency vet visits as well. Please check with your complex to be certain they allow screaming parrots. There are some quieter species of birds than conures. Good luck, and don't be afraid to ask questions.
 
Not all rescue birds were abused. Some can outlive their owners, or some people get bored and dump them, or move someplace they cannot take them. Some are there because most parrots scream. Most parrots also change as they reach sexual maturity.There are many reasons birds wind up in rescues. The most common reason is people do not do their research first.
 
I should add, that a well socialized bird that is given out of cage playtime, enrichment, toys{toy changes}, foraging opportunities, and the ability to fly will not scream all day. They will sound off as nature intended them, in the a.m. and p.m. before dusk. I have several birds capable of ear splitting vocalizations...they never scream all day. They are allowed out of cage time nearly all day.;)
 
I had a red throat conure that passed away last week. They are nice birds but they scream all the time and require ALOT of attention. they are the easiest to tame and train. They like lots of room and lots of toys. Although, I do not recommend getting any kind of toys that are ring shaped and have a hole in the middle. They tend to get stuck in them.
 

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