..Quaker..Grey African OR Others?

Question

Urmm..i Am thinking abt a parrot as a pet and has done alot of research..i learnt that Grey african has the best ability to talk..but too plain ehh the color...so quaker is the next choice i have..i would also hear more suggestions like other parrots having a good ability to talk and colourful..not macaw pls..i need a medium sized or small sized parrot so thankyou!

Answer 1

Why would you want to adopt a parrot simply because the breed has a reputation of being a good "talker?"  You have to understand all birds have the ability to learn and speak human language, even the plain old boring Starling.

However, not all birds choose to use human language and in fact some find it irritating.

Getting a parrot for it's looks or for the novelty of having a human speaking pet is absolutely the wrong reasons to bring one into your life, especially when you discover the amount of time and energy you'll need to spend "teaching" the bird your language on top of taking care of it's basic needs.  Even after spending all that time in training your bird may not want to use your language and prefer its own.

They don't expect us to lay eggs and spread our flimsy arms and fly alongside them so why should we expect them to speak our language.  Get a bird for the joy of having a bird, not for how it will look or act for you.

Just something to consider so you won't be "disappointed."

Answer 2

okay first off ask yourself why you want a parrot just cause it can talk ? bad reason to want a bird . a bird is a companion not a toy that you can just put up when you get tired of it . Not all african grey s talk not all quakers talk . Mine is 5 and he has never talked and so what I dont care he is not a toy ,he is a companion . good luck .

Answer 3

Birds are a lot of fun, however they can also be a tonne of work.

African Grays are great birds, and like you said, have the best ability to talk. They are said to be like having a 2 year old though and with that they can live up to 90 years, so make sure its something you really want if you go for one.

I have found quakers to be quite loud at times, and kinda monotone sometimes. I'll be honest though, I don't know much about them, other than seeing one at a pet store and getting completely scared off.

All birds take a lot of work, and if you want them to talk, you really need to be committed to teaching it just like you would a child. Birds need a lot of attention and if you don't give it to them, they can start to actually hurt themselves.



I decided to get a green cheek conure, and here are a few reasons why:

-They are smaller (a mini parrot) so about 8 inches long full grown.

-They are quieter, and have more definition in there sounds.

-They are very very smart.

-They are fairly easy to clean up after.

-Very colorful. http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c124/p...

-But, on the down side, they can be known for biting, but smaller beak = less hurt. My conure was rather easy to train though, I found it just took lots of persistence and patience.

-They need a lot of room to move so a large cage is a very good idea.

-They need lots and lots of attention as they are very social, and just love their people.

-They can sometimes be like having a 3 year old, getting in to absolutely everything, but it comes with their adventuresome personality and their love to explore. This makes them very good to take pretty much everywhere and not have them getting scared at absolutely everything. I take my conure everywhere I can in the summer, like hardware stores, garage sales, walks.

-My conure has such personality and they are known for it. He will quack like a duck to get our attention, he bobs and dances, plays ball, loves to play with beads.

-And they live on average 20-35 years.

Hope some of this helps. Just another idea. Check out the sun conures, they are larger than green cheeks and louder, but they are truly beautiful.  

Answer 4

Firstly, a Grey is a large Parrot, so if you want a medium or small bird you do not want a grey.

It sounds like you want a showpiece instead of a new member of your family. I would rethink this if I were you. If having flashy colors and talking are your highest priority, you do *Not* want a parrot! Parrots are expensive animals both in money and in time that must be invested. Are you really ready to spend 2 full hours every day for the rest of your life talking to and playing with this bird? The bird may live to be 80 years old.

Parrots have the intelligence of a 4 year old child. Anything you would do to, with, or for your bird should be approached with that in mind. Like a child, a Parrot will want lots of attention. He will be loud at times, cranky at times, jealous at times, and expensive at times, just like a child. But there are 2 things that set a Parrot apart from a human 4 year old child...

1. The Parrot will never grow up and mature past this emotional and intellectual level. So you will be spending the rest of your life with a 4 year old child!

2. A 4 year old child does not have a beak that can bite fingers off if he gets mad! Even my small Quaker Parrot has bitten clear through a solid stainless steel water dish..THREE TIMES!

You should only get a Parrot if you want a loving  companion for the rest of your life. You would not have a child because you wanted something to show off, or something to look impressive or to do tricks. You should not get a Parrot for these reasons either!

Parrots are very social animals, and they need lots of love and loving attention. If they do not get it, they can turn mean  and even a little psychotic, just like an abused child!

If you really want a Parrot because you want a companion, then I suggest you go to a pet shop or a breeder, and walk among the caged birds. If one of them comes to the front of the cage in an attempt to be near you, *That* is the one you want, because he feels an attraction to you! Don't let the breed sway your decision, or the fact he may not have flashy colors or can recite the Gettysburg Address. Buy him for love, and you will not be disappointed!

If , on the other hand, you want a pet to be flashy and impress others, then I suggest tropical fish, which are dazzling and lovely!! Fish can even be trained if you do a little research!

Good Luck, and I hope you get the companion that you really want!

Answer 5

Quakers are good.  You might also consider a senegal. They talk fairly well, are fairly quiet, fairly cuddly, and more colorful than a quaker.  See http://www.birdsnways.com/wisdom/ww15ev....  

Or you could consider a pionus.  They're also fairly quiet. Some talk well, they often cuddle once they know you and they come in a variety of colors.  They're generally shyer and less assertive than the quaker or senegal.  See http://www.birdsnways.com/wisdom/ww33eii... or http://www.geocities.com/PionusParrots/