Okay, I have 3 bird species in mind as pets. Can you help me decide which one might be best for me.?

Question

My options are: Parrotlet, Pionus Parrot, or the Senegal Parrot.

1. Parrotlets: From what I have read, the parrotlets are small, have lots of personality, and are reasonably priced.

2. Pionus: These birds are known for being VERY quite, are medium in size, are affectionate, but are definitely more expensive.

3. Senegal: These birds are small for parrots, relatively quiet (noisier than some), pretty affectionate, and are in between the parrotlet and the pionus for price.

I want a small to medium sized bird who is affectionate but does not cost an arm and a leg. I had my eye on getting the Pionus (b/c it's so quiet) but I don't know if there are any breeders that would have a reasonable price for them. I just want to get the right bird.

Answer 1

Your best bet is to look around and actually get contact with one of these birds. They might say quiet but who knows. Your best bet is to go and touch them see how you interact with the bird and how the bird interacts with you. Just like picking a dog. One of these birds will spark an interest in you and you'll know yeah thats the one I want.

Answer 2

If you want a more managable medium size you may want to go for the senegal. They are more quiet than most, playful and sweet. Parrotlets are going to be the most quiet out of your 3 choices. Have you ever handled a pionus? They are more of a bigger medium size bird. Parrotlets have awesome personalities, they bond well with their owners especially in a home that has just one parrotlet. I breed mutations, the price for green and blue parrotlets has gone down considerably since there are many more mutations out there. I have one baby albino that I have kept as my pet. He is the sweetest little bird in the world. He loves to snuggle and hide in my hair. He loves to get head scratches- he will fluff all of his little feathers out. He has learned to give kisses. Parrotlets are extremely active little guys, they hang upside down, love to play with toys, and most like to hide in things. They are close relatives to the amazon parrot- they even resemble a mini- amazon, their attitudes can match one!  Good sites you can look on for breeders in your area are:

www.upatsix.com

www.birdbreeders.com

www.babybirds.com

www.hoobly.com (under birds)

www.birdsnways.com (classifieds)

Answer 3

I think you should get a Senegal. They seem to fit into your description of a perfect pet. Medium sized, not too expensive, and affectionate.  Hope this helps. Please inform us of your choice.

Answer 4

I like cockatiels myself but I would go to the parrotlets they are very reasonable.

Answer 5

I just received my first bird at the end of June.  It is a parrotlet and he is quite a character.  For me, a small bird was a better match.

Answer 6

If you are looking for a tiny, exquisitely colored addition to your home, the Blue-winged Parrolet may be just the bird you are hoping to find! Blue-winged Parrotlets should be fed a balanced parrot diet, supplemented with plenty of fresh fruits, vegetables, and of course, they need fresh water at all times. If your parrotlet is eating seeds rather than pellets, supplement their diet with vitamins. Provide a cuttlebone also for your parrotlet. They will also love people-carbohydrate food like bread or pasta. Blue-winged Parrotlets will become sick if fed a vitamin supplement in addition to a pellet diet. Many parrotlets will not eat from hooded or covered dishes. Be sure to place perches in their cages in places where they birds' tail feathers will not dip into their food or water. Blue-winged Parrotlets who are breeding should be fed a calcium supplement. They may be a bit difficult to breed in captivity. Sometimes, it will take a breeding pair more than six months to produce an egg. Immature Blue-winged Parrotlets appear similar to adults although males will have less blue over the wings and rumps than mature males.

One of the most commonly kept of the parrotlets, the sweet Green-rumped Parrolet may be the bird you did not know you wanted until now! Parrotlets should be fed a pellet diet, supplemented with plenty of fresh fruits, vegetables, and of course, they need fresh water at all times. Provide a cuttlebone for your parrotlet. They will also love people-carbohydrate food like bread or pasta, though these can be lead to an over-weight parrot if you give too much. Green-rumped Parrotlets will become sick if fed a vitamin supplement in addition to a pellet diet. Many parrotlets will not eat from hooded or covered dishes. Be sure to place perches in their cages in places where they birds' tail feathers will not dip into their food or water. Because of their gentleness, Green-rumped Parrotlets may be handled by children, but be sure to supervise because these birds are so tiny that a child's unintentionally clumsy grip could harm them. Green Rumped Parrotlets who are breeding should be fed a calcium supplement and if they are on a pelleted diet, should be supplemented with seeds.

With a feisty, playful nature, the brightly colored Pacific Parrotlet is sure to become a cheerful addition to any bird lover's home! Parrotlets are the smallest of the true parrots and are adorable. Pacific Parrotlets will become sick if fed a vitamin supplement in addition to a pellet diet. Many parrotlets will not eat from hooded or covered dishes. Be sure to place perches in their cages in places where they birds' tail feathers will not dip into their food or water. Pacific Parrotlets love bathing in their water bowls, so be sure to keep the water fresh! They do have a tendency to become obese in small cages. It is best if you can keep a pair of parrotlets in a six foot by three foot by six foot aviary. Pacific Parrotlets who are breeding should be fed a calcium supplement and if they are on a pellet diet, should be supplemented with seeds. Immature Pacific Parrotlets have similar coloration to adults, but the blue is less bright in males. In captivity, Pacific Parrotlets need privacy to breed. They will need a nestbox, usually a budgie-sized box will do, and they will breed year round. Most breeding takes place in spring, however, and the average clutch size is four to six eggs. Incubation lasts between 20 and 22 days and the young will fledge in four or five weeks. Adults will bite young Pacific Parrotlets if they believe they are mature, so young parrotlets should be quickly removed from the cage after weaning. Although they will reach sexual maturity around ten months, they usually should not be bred until they are two years of age.

If you are looking for a tiny, exquisitely colored addition to your home, the Spectacled Parrotlet, a very recent addition to the parrot market, may be just the bird you have been wanting! Spectacled Parrotlets will become sick if fed a vitamin supplement in addition to a pellet diet. Many parrotlets will not eat from hooded or covered dishes. Be sure to place perches in their cages in places where they birds' tail feathers will not dip into their food or water. Spectacled Parrotlets who are breeding should be fed a calcium supplement. Those being fed a pelleted diet should be supplemented with seeds. Although only a few bloodlines were imported from Europe, Spectacled Parrotlets have proved to be prolific breeders! Immature female Spectacled Parrotlets resemble adults very closely, but males have less blue than adults. In addition, the undersides of their wings are more yellowish than adults and their periopthalmic ring is emerald green.

Yellow-faced Parrotlets have very particular habitation tastes; in the whole world, they live wild in only one valley! They are being bred in captivity so the danger of their disappearance is not too dire. Yellow-faced Parrotlets will become sick if fed a vitamin supplement in addition to a pellet diet. They do, however, need a regular vitamin C supplement or high vitamin C food. It is recommended they eat pellets rather than seeds to avoid obesity. Yellow-faced Parrotlets are very susceptible to cold-related disorders or infectious diseases. Many die without any known cause; it is thought that the deaths may be stress-related. They do best when kept in a nine by three by six foot aviary. Yellow-faced Parrotlets who are breeding should be fed a calcium supplement. They may be relatively difficult to breed in captivity, but will usually breed year round. The majority of the matings take place in April and May; a blackish tint on the bill signifies that the birds are ready to breed! Provide a budgerigar sized nesting box in the aviary, and Yellow-faced Parrotlets will produce a clutch of four to six eggs! These will incubate for about 22 days but not all will hatch. The fledgling period lasts four to five weeks, and after the young are independent it is important to remove them from the aviary lest the parents become aggressive toward them when they start breeding again. Baby Yellow-faced Parrotlets can be hand-fed on insect softfood. Although they reach sexual maturity around ten months, they usually do not breed until they are about two years of age.

The Blue Headed Pionus is also known as the Blue Headed Parrot. It is easily recognizable by its striking blue head plumage, for which it got its name. Unfortunately young Blue Heads do not display their striking plumage until maturity, and they may be passed over for parrots that are more striking when they are young. The Blue Headed Pionus has a higher susceptibility to the disease aspergillosis. That is usually first seen as heavy, labored breathing. This may be confusing to new owners because like other Pionus species the Blue Headed Parrot may make a "wheezing" sound when frightened. Some may also make a similar sound when they are stroked and sounds more like a hiss. The Blue Headed Pionus is bred regularly in captivity. Breeding season will usually begin sometime in May. They tend to have an average of 3 to 4 eggs, which incubate for close to a month (26 days). They fledge at 70 days and are usually independent by 3 months of age.

Bronze Wing Pionus is called a "Living Rainbow" by some aviculturists, and it is perhaps the most beautiful of all the different Pionus species. They also tend to be the shyest of the the Pionus family. The Bronze Winged Pionus may be susceptible to fungal infections. The Bronze Winged Pionus is bred regularly in captivity. Breeding season will usually begin in the spring, sometime in April. After breeding the female will lay an average of 4 to 5 eggs. The eggs will incubate for a period of 26 days. Babies will fledge after 2 months. They may take longer to wean in captivity than some of the other Pionus species.

The Dusky Pionus is the rarest of the five Pionus species commonly kept in captivity, though they are increasingly popular. The Dusky Pionus may not do well in an aviary with other birds and may be aggressive. They do not do well in cold temperatures, and if they are to be housed outdoors, temperatures should not fall below 50 degrees Fahrenheit (10 degrees Celsius). The Dusky Pionus breeds well in captivity, though because so few wild caught individuals were brought into breeding programs supply is still not meeting demand. In captivity the breeding season usually begins in April. The female will lay a clutch of 3 to 4 eggs, which take 26 days to incubate. Babies will fledge by approximately 70 days and are fully independent in 3 months. Some pairs will have two clutches a year.

The Maximilian Pionus is also known as either the Scaly Face Pionus or the Scaly Head Parrot. The Maximilian Pionus does not have any special health concerns, other than a propensity to become overweight in captivity. This can be avoided, if they are kept stimulated with interesting toys and activities. They should also be fed a balanced, well rounded diet, and fatty seeds such as sunflower and safflower should only be fed as a treat. They should also be given plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables. The Maximilian Pionus has been bred regularly in captivity. Aviculturists suggest breeding after they reach 3 years of age. After breeding, females will lay an average of 4 eggs that take 26 days to incubate. They may have 2 to 3 clutches in one season.

Some bird owners have made the mistake of passing over White Capped Pionus Parrots, because the young birds for sale seemed to have dull plumage. Pionus Parrots acquire their lovely colorations as they mature, and by adulthood have a beautiful appearance in addition to their naturally sweet, affectionate, and playful personalities! White Capped Pionus Parrots are particularly susceptible to aspergillosis.

Answer 7

The sale price shouldn't be that much of a factor; no matter how much you buy a bird for, you will spend a whole lot on its care anyway.  And remember that when someone says a parrot is "quiet", that doesn't mean actually quiet, but in comparison to other parrots, although I have read that pionus are quiet enough to be fine for apartments.  Like the first answerer said, you should meet members of all three species and get a better idea of how they are.  Also, parrotlets may be tiny, but they are so active that they need huge cages for a bird their size.