I need input on buying a bird!!

[BabyRider]

I have never owned a bird, mainly because the one I want is an African Grey parrot, and it is out of my price range right now, but while I was researching, I found a great site:

avianbreeders.com. They have TONS of great information, I'd suggest starting there. Good luck, and let us know what you decide!

[rachelg]

Before I got into showing dogs, I bred birds: American and English parakeets, several of the type canaries, cockatiels, Nanday Conures, Lady Gouldian and Zebra Finches and I owned several other types just to have. I've had eggs from my Molucan Cockatoos and Goffins Cockatoos, but no babies ever hatched. If I wanted to hear singing I would get a canary, but if you want one that talks, I would reccommend a Cockatiel. Parrots require an experienced handler sometimes, and even the handfed ones can get ornery! They could potentially remove a finger so a smaller bird is better if you have kids. I think as a pet, the cockatiels are better because you can handle them, and rarely ever do canaries become hand tame. Just my input

[abbey]

Hiya pixiechick, i have a cockatiel called dolly she's 6 years old & has a wide repetoire of tunes her favorite are the x files & the simpsons accompanied by the banging of her bell, my brother got her for me when she was a chick & she soon learned to talk and whistle tunes , he got me a female because the breeder said they make better talkers.

Unfortunatley she does'nt talk anymore the dog scared her about 4 years ago & she has'nt said a word since, shame really because it was lovely listening to her.

Good luck x

[valerie]

I hafta vote with Rachelg on the cockatiels. I had one for many, many,

years, he was the greatest. My Mom said "Name him something exotic"

So I said "Okay, MOZAMBIQUE" and then he of course ended up as "Moe"

and because of the feathers on his head, everybody thought I mixed him

up with Curly!!

His greatest trait was his absolute lack of fear of Siamese cats or Siberian

Husky dogs!! He would climb right down to the bottom of his cage, look

cat or dog straight in the eye and say "Hello Baby, what ARE you doing?"

and completely disarmed them. Woulda been a whole other deal entirely

if he'd fluttered around and been scared, they all woulda out and out

GONE for him.

Good luck, and let us know what you decide!!

:-6

[Bill Sikes]

I have *never* done that in my life, and anyone who says I have is.... Oh. Apologies. Not that sort of thread.

[Cass]

Looks like you have the whole food chain happening in your house



I can't stand budgies, they are loud and messy ~ we were happy when ours finally expired. If you ever need help chosing a turkey, I'm your girl

[Peg]

I've had parakeets that could talk, a lot, but no bird will ever compare to my cockateil Opie. He whistled Mayberry and Dixie, told me what a pretty bird he was, constantly gave me kisses, and was just absolutely wonderful.

[pantsonfire321@aol.com]

Whatever you do dont buy a parrot unless its a tame captive breed one i have what is known in the trade as a squawker a wild bird sold as captive breed (the parrot was given to me )its very hard but not impossible to tame and you will find them cheap to buy but from my expireance thay are a lot of work very grumpy and a big commitment.sarah jane

[Bill Sikes]

pixiechic2000 wrote: Hello everyone..

After reading your posts and talking to several people about birds...I decided to take a trip to the pet store and check out things for myself.

I spent some time talking with a store clerk about the different birds he had. And there were many, many birds. Some birds were older such as the parrots and had previous owners who just plain didn't want them anymore. Such loud squawking!! Not the bird for me!

After careful consideration, I decided on a cockateil. But in the end, had a change of heart. My husband and I have decided on a large fish aquarium instead. Its a better choice for us and we love the soothing effects from a fish aquarium. Plus we plan on adopting a kitten in the spring.

I have owned fish tanks in the past and I look forward to collecting different fishies again.


No offence intended whatsoever, but this reminds me vividly of the Monty Python "Vocational Guidance Counselor" or "Lion Tamer" sketch. I append a part of that sketch:



Anchovy: But don't you see, I came here to find a new job, a new life, a new meaning to my existence. Can't you help me?

counselor: Well, do you have any idea of what you want to do?

Anchovy: Yes, yes I have.

counselor: What?

Anchovy: (boldly) Lion taming.

counselor: Well yes. Yes. Of course, it's a bit of a jump isn't it? I mean, er, chartered accountancy to lion taming in one go. You don't think it might be better if you worked your way towards lion taming, say, via banking...

Anchovy: No, no, no, no. No. I don't want to wait. At nine o'clock tomorrow I want to be in there, taming.

counselor: Fine, fine. But do you, do you have any qualifications?

Anchovy: Yes, I've got a hat.

counselor: A hat?

Anchovy: Yes, a hat. A lion taming hat. A hat with 'lion tamer' on it. I got it at Harrods. And it lights up saying 'lion tamer' in great big neon letters, so that you can tame them after dark when they're less stroppy.

counselor: I see, I see.

Anchovy: And you can switch it off during the day time, and claim reasonable wear and tear as allowable professional expenses under paragraph 335C...

counselor: Yes, yes, yes, I do follow, Mr Anchovy, but you see the snag is... if I now call Mr Chipperfield and say to him, 'look here, I've got a forty-five-year-old chartered accountant with me who wants to become a lion tamer', his first question is not going to be 'does he have his own hat?' He's going to ask what sort of experience you've had with lions.

Anchovy: Well I ... I've seen them at the zoo.

counselor: Good, good, good.

Anchovy: Lively brown furry things with short stumpy legs and great long noses. I don't know what all the fuss is about, I could tame one of those. They look pretty tame to start with.

counselor: And these, er, these lions ... how high are they?

Anchovy: (indicating a height of one foot) Well they're about so high, you know. They don't frighten me at all.

counselor: Really. And do these lions eat ants?

Anchovy: Yes, that's right.

counselor: Er, well, Mr Anchovy ... I'm afraid what you've got hold of there is an anteater.

Anchovy: A what?

counselor: An anteater. Not a lion. You see a lion is a huge savage beast, about five feet high, ten feet long, weighing about four hundred pounds, running forty miles per hour, with masses of sharp pointed teeth and nasty long razor-sharp claws that can rip your belly open before you can say 'Eric Robinson', and they look like this.

(The counselor produces large picture of a lion and shows to Mr Anchovy who screams and passes out.)

[Lon]

pixiechic2000 wrote: My husband and I have decided to add a bird to our family of one dog, one cat and one fish.



We would prefer a smaller bird such as a parakeet, canary or finch. I have been told by a few people that cockateils make wonderful pet birds.



We would like a bird that sings pretty and were told a male canary is the perfect candidate.



I need feed back on those of you who own birds. What birds should I consider buying and why????????



I would appreciate your help.......
I know you really would like a small bird, but you should look at the advantages of owning a vulture, as I do. Despite their dysmal depictions in literature and films, they are a loving, caring bird. Our "Boris" looks lovingly at our neigbors cats and dogs and he is really wonderful with older people.

Boris loves table scraps, particularly chicken bones and pork bones, but he will eat just about anything. We got Boris free, as a hatchling, from near the Mojave Desert. That was 10 years ago. Our vet says we can expect him to live another 10 years or so. Boris prefers the out of doors, so he perches on the cornice of our roof and never flies away for long. He knows when I come home and will greet me by making big circles over the house and then making these cute screeching noises, wanting to be fed. Do consider a bigger bird, you won't be sorry.

[valerie]

Uh, methinks there's some extremity yankin' goin' on here!!

[Lon]

valerie wrote: Uh, methinks there's some extremity yankin' goin' on here!!






Oh ye of little faith.