Bird People . .I need help chosing the right bird <See PICS>**UPDATED**

[Wish Upon A Star]

I have narrowed my choices down . . .but I need help chosing a bird . . .

I've narrowed it down to:

1. Cockatiel - hand fed
2. Love Bird
3. Parakeet

I really like all three . . .but don't know which to chose.

 

[SwedishMeatball]

Love birds

 

[mommytotwo]

We have all three, and they can all be tamed, but I would choose the parakeet.

 

[hiwaygal]

Love birds

me too...but I like my scented candles more!

 

[we3disneygo]

we have had birds 1 & 3, currently we have had a cockatiel we had her for about 18 years. it was a gift from mil she was a hand fed when we got her. she loves the theme to Andy Griffith show....really gets her talkin' good luck!

 

[Obi-Wan Pinobi]

Cockatiel hands down. This is coming from someone that currently owns 7 parakeets and 8 cockatiels. It's that darn bird math. 1 parakeet + 1 parakeet = 12 parakeets. And only so many family members want keets. Now the cockatiels are reproducing.

Anyway, cockatiels are hardier than parakeets and will live longer. They will also become more attached to people than parakeets and love birds. If you get a male and you work with him, chances are he will be able to be trained to talk and whistle while I have yet to get much more than a whistle out of the keets.

Plus they are so ugly as babies they are cute. Here is a picture of our babies - Beaker, born Dec 21. Kringle born Dec. 24 and Pee Wee born Dec 27

 

[monkeyboy]

I have been know to flip the bird to ceratain drivers

 

[Disney_1derland]

I agree with the Cockatiel. They are so social, love people and are very smart. But....you should be warned. One bird leads to two, or worse. One small bird leads to one bigger bird, that's when you know you're a lost cause

 

[Obi-Wan Pinobi]

Did someone call for a lost cause? Present!

 

[SunFloridaDisney]

Our cockatiel was very attached to DH, started whistling when the car pulled into the driveway!

She died last summer, and has been very missed around here.

 

[Wish Upon A Star]

Here's a pic of the cockatiels at the pet store where it states that they are hand tamed . . .

I am so loving the spike headed one . . . Do they look young?

Here's a pic of the cute love birds

 

[Disney_1derland]

If they are hand tamed, ask to handle them, that way you can get to know their personalities. It will also tell you whether they are really hand tamed.

 

[LBAK]

I would go with the cockatiels. The Love birds and the parakeets don't live all that long. If I had it to do again I'd get a cockatiel. I have a Quaker parrot because I wanted a bird that talks. Guess what, it doesn't tal but it does bark like the dogs when the mailman comes.

 

[Marseeya]

I'd go with the cockatiel, especially if you're willing to give it a lot of time out of the cage with you. They are such lovies.

 

[chyam]

Defineately the cockatiel.....they are much more social especially if they are hand tamed, they also like to be handled more than keets or love birds, the problem with love birds is they bond to one another, I don't think they talk either? I have a Nanday Conure, (I found him in my backyard tree, 11 years ago) His name is Disney. He was the first bird I ever had , he talks but mostly he screeches!! Defineately wouldn't have him in the house! He spends the nice days on my patio where he whistles the day away! But he is also the best "watch" dog in the house! He is defineately loud!

 

[Obi-Wan Pinobi]

They do look young. Also they look like 3 girls, although it's hard to tell with Lutinos.

Definately ask to handle the birds. When we got Piper we had no intention of buying a bird that day - we were shopping for dog food. DW Lauri saw him in the window of the aviary and he kept running up and looking at her. The associate asked if we wanted to hold him. When she went around to the door to try to get him out, he literally ran to her and hopped up on Lauri. Yeah, they had a sale from that second on.

 

[LoraJ]

Another vote for Cockatiel.
Mine just turned 13.

 

[Wish Upon A Star]

Wow . . .talk about a quick sale . . .I would of done the same thing . . .

I've been reading up on the cockatiels and it seems that females aren't as "nice" as males? I was thinking I'd get a male one since I'd like him to be friendly and not all hissy like a teen daughter . . . I'm going to the pet store later this week and going to spend some time making the right decision . . .

I'm hoping what happened to your DW doesn't happen to me . . .I'm such a pushover . . .

 

[Obi-Wan Pinobi]

In most birds, males tend to be a bit more mellow than females. Doesn't mean you can't have a female that is a sweet bird. Tweezer is a very sweet bird. Just a little more prone to get cranky than Piper. Both of them love to be with us though and when you let them out of the cage they head for us. Tweezer actually got her name because her favorite thing to do was pluck your eyebrows.

Have fun finding a birdy buddy

 

[Marseeya]

Wow . . .talk about a quick sale . . .I would of done the same thing . . .

I've been reading up on the cockatiels and it seems that females aren't as "nice" as males? I was thinking I'd get a male one since I'd like him to be friendly and not all hissy like a teen daughter . . . I'm going to the pet store later this week and going to spend some time making the right decision . . .

I'm hoping what happened to your DW doesn't happen to me . . .I'm such a pushover . . .

My female's a sweetheart. There are times when she doesn't want to come out of her cage, but she lets us know by running away. If we get insistent, then she'll peck at us, but not in a way that hurts. If you ignore the warning signs, then you'll get a bite. But I assume that male birds are the same. She's very affectionate, though. She loves me best, but she'll sit on anybody's shoulder. She nuzzles my cheek or neck until I scratch her head.

When the kids are out of the house, or when we get a bigger house, I'd like to get another bird or two (or three or four ). I'm especially thinking about getting an Amazon (not sure which) or a quaker parrot.