What Pet Bird is suitable and best for me?

Question

I'm thinking about getting a pet Bird. I want a smallish cage - but suitable for the bird, not too much noise, and a bird which isn't a biter. I was thinking a Love Bird, but maybe a Budgerigar. Can anyone suggest which is more suitable to me?

Thank you Olivia.

Answer 1

All birds are capable of biting, especially when scared or unsure of something. You have to teach it that biting is not accceptable. They are both good birds. To me, a Parakeet is more trainable than a Lovebird. If you arelooking for a bird to pretty much stay in the cage and not really train I would go with something like a Finch or a Canary. If you have no experience in handfeeding birds, then do not get one that needs to be handfed. Handfeeding is very delicate and you can kill them easily. Second, you don't have to get an adult or one being weaned, you can get one that is young, just as soon as it has been weaned. Parakeets are a little bit difficult to find handraised, not sure about the Lovebirds. Please do a lot of research and become knowledgeable of birds before you make your purchase. Good luck.  

Answer 2

A suitable size cage for a budgie/lovvie/parrotlet are very similar. All of these birds are active and need room to fly, hop, swing, battle toys and climb. Cages need to be wider than tall, a minimum of 18" wide and 1/2" bar spacing.

This cage size if decent for one bird, even at 12" - http://www.zooplus.co.uk/pricegrabber_uk...

How much noise can you handle? I have 2 budgies(separate cages) and a cockatiel. My male bird is far more "chattier" than my female. But then again, he's younger than my 10 yr old female. So he has more energy. A budgie is the loudest when they contact call. To simulate, watch this video and turn up the volume enough so you can easily hear it when you are out of the room with the door closed. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EN-yjGQ_Z...

All birds bite. The end. But what else can they do to communicate with you? They can't push you away or give you a nasty glare. Biting is a form of communication, it can mean "I want to go to my cage, I DON'T want my cage, I'm scared, I'm tiered/hungry, stop touching me." etc. A curious thing that young budgies do is chewing on fingers for the fun of it. This is true for most all young birds. They are exploring and testing their limits. Don't want to go through that? Adopt a bird. It can bond with you just the same.

Hand raising birds is over-rated. Don't do it if it's your first time. Many more things can go wrong than right from it. Everything from poor development problems to death from inhilation of fourmula. And it's not just the risks from hand feeding. Once a bird is all grown up it needs to leave the nest away from it's parents (you), so it can find a mate to bond with. I would certainly get a bird either fed by it's parents, or one that's been abundantly weaned using Sally Blanchard's method.

I'm a big supporter with adopting second-hand birds. Because budgies (and other small birds) are so small, and so cheap, and so easy to come by, they are constantly considered "unimportant" and "disposible". As a result, many hundreds (in every community) are unwanted and un-loved. I hope you consider looking at the pet ads for unwanted budgies. Or you could put out an ad yourself.

Keep in mind that all healthy animals are able to be tamed/trained. I was 10 years old when I started to train my "wild child" budgie. No one could walk within 10 feet of her cage without her spazing out. You will have a much stonger love/bond for a bird that YOU rescued and trained into a spectacular companion. I suggest Karen Pryors book "Don't Shoot the Dog", it is amazingly easy to read and your library should carry it. Don't let the name turn you off, it's all about using positive rienforcement for training.

Answer 3

all birds can and may bite. But it is never for no reason, it may be because they have a skin problem or you may be bothering them. I think a parrotlet is great for you they are around4inch and do not need so much attention, they do great in a cage full of toys while u r at work or school. they will not sream and and not capable of screaming. there chirps are pleasent and quiet great for apartment dwellers and they come in a variety of colours and they are true parrots their closest relative is the amazon. the most common type is the pacific parrotlet they are also visually sexed males have blue rumps and wings(under) also best to get a handfed baby they make awsome pets!!