If you are in the market for your first bird, you may be overwhelmed by the variety of birds that are available in the pet trade, from petite parrotlets to mammoth macaws. How can you possibly make a decision?
Choosing a pet bird isn't unlike selecting a breed of dog. If you're looking for a bird that is capable of mimicking human speech, someone will undoubtedly suggest an African Gray or one of the Amazons. If you want a cuddly bird, you might consider getting a cockatoo or an eclectus. If you’re looking for a playful, clownish bird, a caique or a lorikeet may be just the ticket.
Or maybe not.
Even though certain species tend to have certain characteristics, birds are like people – behaviors and personalities can vary from individual to individual. Not all African Grays or Amazons will learn to talk. Some cockatoos don’t like to cuddle. And I suspect that it’s entirely possible that there are caiques and lorikeets which have serious demeanors and aren’t the least bit interested in clowning around.
Sometimes, the very traits that can make a particular species seem so enticing, can make living with them difficult. For example, African Grays are incredibly intelligent, perhaps as smart as a five-year-old human. It is this intelligence that allows them to learn to use human language appropriately, not just mimic speech. Because they are so intelligent, they are also prone to boredom, which can lead to behavioral problems, such as feather plucking. And while their propensity to cuddle is one of the things that makes cockatoos so endearing, some take it to the extreme by being “Velcro® birds,” that demand to be on their owners 24/7.
You should also take a bird’s potential lifespan into consideration. Many birds are extremely long lived, so before you buy or adopt one, ask yourself whether you are willing to commit to a long-term relationship. Parakeets, which are also known as budgerigars or budgies, live from seven to 18 years. Amazons can live from 50 – 70 years. And macaws can live from 50 to 100 years! Your new friend could outlive you. Are you ready to make provisions for your bird in your will? What will you do if no one in your family is willing to accept the responsibility of taking your pet in the event of your demise?
Some birds have special dietary requirements that can make caring for them difficult, time consuming and/or cost prohibitive. The ideal staple diet of captive Hyacinth macaws is macadamia nuts. At an average of $11.00, I can’t afford to buy them for myself, much less buy the quantity that a bird of this size requires. In the wild, lories and lorikeets eat nectar and fruit. People who share their homes with these colorful birds should feed them special “nectar,” which comes in a powdered form. But because lories and lorikeets are not as common as parrots in the pet trade, it isn’t widely available at pet stores; owners often have to special order it.
Do you live in an apartment? You may want to consider a parakeet or a cockatiel, which are relatively quiet, instead of an Amazon, conure, cockatoo or macaw. People who haven’t spent any time around birds are often surprised by just how loud some species can be. Keep in mind that many of the birds that we commonly keep as pets are from the jungle. In their native habitats, they cry out from the jungle canopy to locate other members of their flock. You may be able to train some parrots to scream less, but, in my experience, you can never eliminate this behavior. If you don’t want a bird that screams, don’t buy one.
Nikki, my sun conure, went through two homes before we adopted her through the local parrot club. Her last owners were an elderly couple who adored her and allowed her the run of their Upper East Side apartment. They had reached an impasse with their neighbor, who was a classical pianist. Whenever the neighbor tickled the ivories, Nikki would scream…and scream…and scream. When the pianist called a lawyer, Nikki’s owners called the parrot club.
I used positive reinforcement to encourage Nikki to tap on the bars of her cage with her beak when she wanted to come out, which was a behavior that she did naturally. The end result was that when she wanted to come out, she would scream. I would remind her to “tap, tap, tap.” She would tap, and I’d let her out. This continued for the 13 years that she lived with us until she passed on from egg binding.
Housing is another consideration. You should buy the largest cage that you can with the proper wire spacing for the bird species that you acquire. Having said that, even a large parakeet cage isn’t as big as a macaw cage. Do you have the room to adequately cage a big bird? Also, cages can be quite costly, with some of the larger ones running into the thousands.
At this point, let’s presume that you are clear about which characteristics you’d like in your new feathered friend, as well as what characteristics you don’t want. You have taken longevity, nutritional requirements, decibel levels and housing requirements into consideration. Now it’s time to start investigating species that meet your criterion. How, exactly do you do that?
I suggest starting on the Internet. Enter “pet bird species” into your search engine; there are plenty of articles that list popular pet birds, their basic characteristics, nutritional and housing requirements, even average purchasing price. Take your time. Read lots of articles. And consider the source. An article written by a cockatiel breeder is probably going to extol the virtues of that breed over all others, but that doesn’t mean that a cockatiel is right for you.
After you’ve read a number of these articles, you will undoubtedly have a short list of species that interest you. Now it’s time to do species-specific Internet searches. Let’s say that your list includes caiques, lories and lorikeets. Read everything that you can find on the Internet about these species. Read articles from breeders and owners. Seek out message boards frequented by people who keep these species.
Now it’s time to meet some of these birds in person. If your town has a pet bird or parrot club, go to their next meeting. Many bird clubs allow their owners to bring their birds.
If you live in a large city, you may be lucky enough to have a pet store that specializes in birds. If so, I heartily recommend that you start there rather than at a pet store chain. The “bird store” is more likely to have a variety of species, will be able to tell you which birds were “handfed,” to speak to each species’ behavior, care and feeding. On the other hand, employees at chain stores rarely know much, if anything, about the individual birds that they have for sale, and tend to be far less knowledgeable about bird keeping in general.
Your first few visits to the bird store should be purely informational. Be honest with the salesperson that you are researching what species is right for you. If the birds are handfed, ask to handle the species in which you are interested. If you’ve never handled a bird before, the salesperson should be able to give you direction.
Hang out with the birds. Get to know them. On paper, a caique may be your dream bird, but in reality, you may find that their high energy level is overwhelming.
Watch birds from the same species interact with each other. Ask to handle several birds from the same species. You’ll begin to notice differences between individuals.
Tell the salesperson what characteristics you’re looking for, then ask him or her to recommend species that you may not have considered. Then go home and research that species.
Whatever you do, don’t walk out with a bird during your first visit. Go home. Think about it. Then think about it some more. After all, you and your new best friend are going to be together for years to come.
Choosing a pet bird isn't unlike selecting a breed of dog. If you're looking for a bird that is capable of mimicking human speech, someone will undoubtedly suggest an African Gray or one of the Amazons. If you want a cuddly bird, you might consider getting a cockatoo or an eclectus. If you’re looking for a playful, clownish bird, a caique or a lorikeet may be just the ticket.
Or maybe not.
Even though certain species tend to have certain characteristics, birds are like people – behaviors and personalities can vary from individual to individual. Not all African Grays or Amazons will learn to talk. Some cockatoos don’t like to cuddle. And I suspect that it’s entirely possible that there are caiques and lorikeets which have serious demeanors and aren’t the least bit interested in clowning around.
Sometimes, the very traits that can make a particular species seem so enticing, can make living with them difficult. For example, African Grays are incredibly intelligent, perhaps as smart as a five-year-old human. It is this intelligence that allows them to learn to use human language appropriately, not just mimic speech. Because they are so intelligent, they are also prone to boredom, which can lead to behavioral problems, such as feather plucking. And while their propensity to cuddle is one of the things that makes cockatoos so endearing, some take it to the extreme by being “Velcro® birds,” that demand to be on their owners 24/7.
You should also take a bird’s potential lifespan into consideration. Many birds are extremely long lived, so before you buy or adopt one, ask yourself whether you are willing to commit to a long-term relationship. Parakeets, which are also known as budgerigars or budgies, live from seven to 18 years. Amazons can live from 50 – 70 years. And macaws can live from 50 to 100 years! Your new friend could outlive you. Are you ready to make provisions for your bird in your will? What will you do if no one in your family is willing to accept the responsibility of taking your pet in the event of your demise?
Some birds have special dietary requirements that can make caring for them difficult, time consuming and/or cost prohibitive. The ideal staple diet of captive Hyacinth macaws is macadamia nuts. At an average of $11.00, I can’t afford to buy them for myself, much less buy the quantity that a bird of this size requires. In the wild, lories and lorikeets eat nectar and fruit. People who share their homes with these colorful birds should feed them special “nectar,” which comes in a powdered form. But because lories and lorikeets are not as common as parrots in the pet trade, it isn’t widely available at pet stores; owners often have to special order it.
Do you live in an apartment? You may want to consider a parakeet or a cockatiel, which are relatively quiet, instead of an Amazon, conure, cockatoo or macaw. People who haven’t spent any time around birds are often surprised by just how loud some species can be. Keep in mind that many of the birds that we commonly keep as pets are from the jungle. In their native habitats, they cry out from the jungle canopy to locate other members of their flock. You may be able to train some parrots to scream less, but, in my experience, you can never eliminate this behavior. If you don’t want a bird that screams, don’t buy one.
Nikki, my sun conure, went through two homes before we adopted her through the local parrot club. Her last owners were an elderly couple who adored her and allowed her the run of their Upper East Side apartment. They had reached an impasse with their neighbor, who was a classical pianist. Whenever the neighbor tickled the ivories, Nikki would scream…and scream…and scream. When the pianist called a lawyer, Nikki’s owners called the parrot club.
I used positive reinforcement to encourage Nikki to tap on the bars of her cage with her beak when she wanted to come out, which was a behavior that she did naturally. The end result was that when she wanted to come out, she would scream. I would remind her to “tap, tap, tap.” She would tap, and I’d let her out. This continued for the 13 years that she lived with us until she passed on from egg binding.
Housing is another consideration. You should buy the largest cage that you can with the proper wire spacing for the bird species that you acquire. Having said that, even a large parakeet cage isn’t as big as a macaw cage. Do you have the room to adequately cage a big bird? Also, cages can be quite costly, with some of the larger ones running into the thousands.
At this point, let’s presume that you are clear about which characteristics you’d like in your new feathered friend, as well as what characteristics you don’t want. You have taken longevity, nutritional requirements, decibel levels and housing requirements into consideration. Now it’s time to start investigating species that meet your criterion. How, exactly do you do that?
I suggest starting on the Internet. Enter “pet bird species” into your search engine; there are plenty of articles that list popular pet birds, their basic characteristics, nutritional and housing requirements, even average purchasing price. Take your time. Read lots of articles. And consider the source. An article written by a cockatiel breeder is probably going to extol the virtues of that breed over all others, but that doesn’t mean that a cockatiel is right for you.
After you’ve read a number of these articles, you will undoubtedly have a short list of species that interest you. Now it’s time to do species-specific Internet searches. Let’s say that your list includes caiques, lories and lorikeets. Read everything that you can find on the Internet about these species. Read articles from breeders and owners. Seek out message boards frequented by people who keep these species.
Now it’s time to meet some of these birds in person. If your town has a pet bird or parrot club, go to their next meeting. Many bird clubs allow their owners to bring their birds.
If you live in a large city, you may be lucky enough to have a pet store that specializes in birds. If so, I heartily recommend that you start there rather than at a pet store chain. The “bird store” is more likely to have a variety of species, will be able to tell you which birds were “handfed,” to speak to each species’ behavior, care and feeding. On the other hand, employees at chain stores rarely know much, if anything, about the individual birds that they have for sale, and tend to be far less knowledgeable about bird keeping in general.
Your first few visits to the bird store should be purely informational. Be honest with the salesperson that you are researching what species is right for you. If the birds are handfed, ask to handle the species in which you are interested. If you’ve never handled a bird before, the salesperson should be able to give you direction.
Hang out with the birds. Get to know them. On paper, a caique may be your dream bird, but in reality, you may find that their high energy level is overwhelming.
Watch birds from the same species interact with each other. Ask to handle several birds from the same species. You’ll begin to notice differences between individuals.
Tell the salesperson what characteristics you’re looking for, then ask him or her to recommend species that you may not have considered. Then go home and research that species.
Whatever you do, don’t walk out with a bird during your first visit. Go home. Think about it. Then think about it some more. After all, you and your new best friend are going to be together for years to come.