Pet birds

I have always wanted a pet bird and have been telling myself forever that someday I will have one. Now I'm not quite ready just yet but am thinking of adding one in the near future, maybe in the winter or spring??? I'd like/need to do some more research first.

I was wondering if anyone has any suggestions on what breeds may be better for me to have as a pet.

This would be my first pet bird so I'd prefer one that is better for a beginner or almost as I do have some experience with them. One that is easier to handle, train & control.

I'd like one that is not too large but I don't want one that is too small. Something about the size of a parakeet/cockateil or the like.

A breed that is fairly easy to teach to speak. It does not need to learn a large vocabulary but I think it would be fun to teach them a few words.

One that is not too expensive, maybe up to a few hundred or so not thousands like some macaws & the like.

Parakeets can be very hard to tame, depending on where you get it. Cockatiels can be great, but they can be nasty too. If you go for one I suggest getting it from a bird specialty store or a breeder, and hand-raised. I however got one that my manager raised, and although she was fairly nervous, she was not mean at all. Petsmart and such usually dosen't have very nice ones. They don't speak all that much though, and only males have the tendency to talk.

People have great success with conures. They are very sweet, can learn to talk, and are pretty. They range between $300-$800. We had a Sun Conure at Petsmart where I worked-he had been hand-raised, and was absolutely the sweetest thing. I believe he was $600.

My favorite breed of bird is the Cockatoo...but they are a pretty penny. If you would be willing to shell the money out, that's what I would recommend..they are very good natured, talk a bunch, and in general are fun birds.

Good luck on finding your new pal. You should start soon and go around and talk to people. We have a store here called 1-2-Tweet, and it's all birds. Find a place like that, and they should be able to point you in the right direction, even if it is pointing you to another breeder, they will be happy to do so. The person you choose to get your bird from should also be willing to provide support even after the bird is sold.

Thanks for the information. There was an EXCELLENT bird specialty store near me for years, they moved to the city last year. I'll have to see where they are now.

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Originally Posted by areias

My favorite breed of bird is the Cockatoo...but they are a pretty penny. If you would be willing to shell the money out, that's what I would recommend..they are very good natured, talk a bunch, and in general are fun birds.

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Yes, I LOVE cockatoos, they are my favorite. But their size scares me a little. I get a little nervous around big birds because their beaks are so strong. Even if I know the bird is nice I just can't help be a little nbervous around them.
And their price is a little more than I want to spend.

I have a few friends that have cockatoos. They really are great birds.

Here's a good article on Sun Conures:
Sun Conure
This is a great page on "the right bird for you". At the bottom there is a comparison chart.
Whats the right one for you?

Good luck!

quaker parrots are a big bird in a conure sized body,they are some of the best talking birds,but they can be a handful they can be protect of they cage,the are cuddlely,my mom's says many words sweet p(his name),peekboo,hello,come here,eric,it's ok,ouch,and many more and my mom's only had him for a year he loves to play and be with you but he is protect of his cage and does bite,but all birds will bit at sometime in there life but it will not hurt as much as a cockatoo and quakers also can't be owned in some states
go to quakerville.com to read more

I just got my first bird too, shes a cockatiel, she seemed shy at first but it only took her a couple of days to get used to us, and she learns very quickley, i was unsure about getting a bird too, but as soon as i got her i feel in love. Let us know if you do get one!