Posted on 03/02/2016 9:57:00 PM PST by lee martell
I'm taking a break from "The Election" for a bit. This is about pets and animals we hope to make our pets. I live in a small apartment, and split the rent with a few other adults. This rent-sharing happens a lot in this Bay Area due to cost of living, and relatively low crime rate. I own two kinds of birds, in one cage, I have two parakeets; Blueberry and Seven-Up. In the other cage, I have two Zebra Finches Coco and Maurice. All four are relatively low maintenance. Blueberry is a perch-robber, and sometimes won't let Seven-Up sit down with a nippy discussion. The two parakeets never gets overly aggressive. In fact, they keep each other company.
Coco and Maurice get along well and chirp out tones that sound like an old fashioned cash register or music box. Once in a while they find something to shriek about. Once in a while , I think one of the birds has a bad dream, and will wake up shrieking in the middle of the night, swinging the cage and alarming everybody for about 15 minutes. I'm thinking of purchasing a medium sized Parrot, one under $175. I thought about Cockatiels, but, I think they require more interaction than I'm prepared to offer. Besides that, Cockatiels are notorious for their screaming when the mood hits them. Does anyone have any suggestions on a certain kind of parrot that adapts well to captivity and is not necessarily as loud as a peacock?
In all my years of owning birds, I have never allowed them to fly free out of the cage. Mostly because I thought they would easily fly away, or become too nervous while I recaptured them. I want this time to be different. I want to try owning a bird that leaves the cage once in a while, flies free (inside) once in a while, as a bird is meant to do. I have never had a pet bird perch on my finger the way I've seen others do. Must one start with a baby bird to establish that kind of trust? Or should I look for a more mature bird? I suppose I would have to clip their wings on a monthly basis. I'm in no rush, and want to think it through before any adoption.
I had some married friends that watched porn on occasion. This was backed up constantly by their parrot when guests were in the home.
Dead ones
Imagine Polly the Parrot imitating Donna Summer on “Love to Love You Baby” That part with all the oo-ing and ahh-ing.
A Mynah Bird could do it easily, with a beakfull of Sunflower Seeds.
You've been warned.
I had some English Budgies, which are a supersize version of a parakeet. They do not scream. They are said to be calmer than regular little parakeets. They come in all the normal keet colors. They were very sweet little guys. There are also Bourkes parakeets now being available from breeders. They are very beautiful, but keet sized. so you wouldn’t need a lot of space like a parrot would.
I guess there is such a thing as being
‘too good’ at displaying your skill sets.
Thanks. They are impressive birds, but I’ll think before I buy. I have to remember, many big birds live as long as we do.
Not sure if birds sing or scream...because they afraid of heights
Dogs generally don’t scream, are affectionate and may even be useful in the event of a break-in.
“Which ones are content being pets and are not screamers?” Try the Big Bellied Chris Christie parrot, or any of the Yellow Bellied RINO’s. The latter are not only content being pets, they just sit there and muss their cage.
They make really nice plastic birds that whistle bird songs when you whistle at them.
We were playing last night, my daughter has three and they kept setting each other on.
It depends a lot on the bird. And guess what? They are -smart - . Like primate smart. More than the breed, the individual bird personality is what matters.
Don’t pick the bird. Let the bird pick you. You probably know this already.
Parrots are a whole different level of demand than your other birds. Very social, and very demanding if the bird likes or loves you. If the bird decides it loves you, you have it for life. They will pine if someone else takes them. This makes adoptions for older parrots problematic quite often, as they are grieving, or damaged goods. Maltreated or neglected or spoiled parrots become monsters and screamers quite often.
You -must- spend a fair amount of time fussing with the bird. Not necessarily handling it, but talking to it, being with it, sharing food when it is appropriate food.
I prefer Panamanian or Amazon Yellowheads. Some swear by the African Greys but I’m partial to the American birds.
Don’t get detoured by cockatoos or macaws. Macaws are cranky, and cockatoos are good natured but clowns, not very good talkers and are more like having a kid around. Parrots are more serious, and more demanding.
Get ONE. Two will bond to each other rather than to you. They will not be as good as talkers, and they are more prone to become screamers.
Get some leather gloves to let the bird sit on your hand. They aren’t falcons, but their punch some holes in your hide if they get startled or mean. Bites can be an issue too. I had one bite right through a nail into the meat.
A well trained, sweet natured bird won’t do that. It will nibble your ear, your hair or your lip as gentle as can be.
A good parrot is wonderful. Smart, companionable, affectionate and long lived.
Good luck and shop well, but let the right bird choose you.
We have a large flock of wild parrots the fly from upslope down to the shore in the morning, always in couples among the flock, hollering away.
Afternoon they come back upslope, a bit less yammering. Love to conjecture to the wife that it is the female of the couple backseat driving to the male with all the yammering going on.
Have read that solitary parrots are not too happy. If they are like these wild ones, they seem to be critters that want to have a permanent mate to be content, or at least be yammered at. Not so quiet, maybe?
I will research. I always thought Budgies, or Budgerigars, were the British way of saying Parakeet. Maybe not.
“Dogs generally don’t scream, are affectionate and may even be useful in the event of a break-in.”
Then up and die every dozen years or so, breaking your heart.
Otherwise they are perfect. If they could bring a beer or coffee.
I used to own a Mealy Amazon and a Blue and Gold Macaw. Both got pretty rowdy and had to be covered to keep them quiet. My experience was that both disliked males who attempted to hold or feed them (husband and sons). I clipped their wings and nails by myself, but many bird owners have others do the clippings.
This sounds like the way one ‘chooses’ a cat. Don’t be too pushy at first. I would not have thought of it that way before. Hmmm.
A repairman told us about an African Grey that beat up the household cat. After that, the Grey would sit on the upstairs banister and call “Here, kitty”
If you really must see real birds the Zoo is a great place for that.
We have four cats indoors, so no parrots, but the wife has thought about it after seeing lonely ones at pet stores.
Will forward this to her to stop further longing. last thing we need is live bait for rambunctious kittens......................
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.