Need Suggestions

[aly]

Two of the girls I work with and I are going to get a bird to keep as a pet at work. At least one of us is there all seven days of the week, including holidays so he will be well taken care of. Could you guys give me some suggestions on what type of bird you think we should get? It would be nice if it wasn't TOO terribly loud. Of course we all want parrots or macaws, but we need to go with a smaller one.

[Sara luvs her Tinky]

I think Sun Conures are beautiful.......BUUUUT.......... I read up on them before I replied and it said they have a loud shrill voice OH WELL... So really I have no point at all, I guess I just wanted you to know I thought they were pretty birds
Good luck finding one yall like....

[Fuzzy317]

I have only had 1 bird in my life, and it was a parakeet. I am be no means a pet, let alone a bird expert. Maybe someone will give better information.

[Logan]

I'm no bird expert either, Aly, but I now have two!! These Cockatiels, especially Roger, are very sociable. But the best thing is that around 9 pm, they are ready for bed, and really do need the whole night of sleep, and they do sleep all night until they hear my voice in the morning.

Funny story....off subject....but every morning, Roger and Milly get their "stretch" time, where they come out of their cages for a couple of hours. No cats or dogs are allowed anywhere near during this time. I give them some special food on top of their cages and they have a little ladder that connects the cages, so they can walk back and forth. They have figured up how to jump up on the window frame and look outside, plus yesterday they decided to explore the wooden shutters on the window. To them it was Heaven!! Like a huge ladder!! But today took the cake. I was on the phone and heard someone flutter to the floor. Their wings are clipped, so if they try to fly, they go softly to the ground. I was on the phone with a customer, so there was nothing I could do (couldn't exactly tell the customer to hold on while I go get my Cockatiel ). So I kept on watching around the corner, and low and behold, here comes Roger, walking across the floor like he's a miniature dog or cat!! He was exploring everything!! I about cracked up, right then and there, but held it in until I could hang up. Roger is always so relieved to see me when he hits the floor....he wants to explore, but much prefers for his mama to pick him up and scratch his head.

They have the most personality! At least Roger does, and hopefully in time, Milly will too. I'll have pictures tomorrow. Dropped the film tonight. Don't know about other birds, but these Cockatiels are great!!!

[aly]

After some research, I have it narrowed down to either a budgie or a cockatiel. I think Logan may have pushed me to a cockatiel though I'm going to email the girls I work with and see what they think!

[aly]

Logan - How'd you luck out with Roger? Did you visit with him before buying him? I REALLY want to get one with a good personality. How big of a cage did you buy? Do your birds seem to get enough exercise being out a couple hours a day? Or do you take them out more? Any advice you have would be greatly appreciated!!!!

Can cockatiels talk? I know budgies have the ability but it is not really common. It would be an added plus to get a bird that can talk, but not at all a deciding factor!

[aly]

Oh I just found this:

"Female 'tiels CAN learn how to talk and sing, but it's not really that common. Males of this species are the little chatterboxes usually. "

[Logan]

Can't believe I'm still awake to answer this, but I am!!

I was NOT in the market for a bird, Aly. But we went to get some supplies, with the promise that Helen wouldn't beg for anything. She looked athe birds in an open "cage", and that Roger just walked right up her arm! It was all over.....he sat on her shoulder while she walked around the store. I went back the next day and got him for her 11th birthday. He has really been a joy for both of us. As you probably know, Milly, is a "rescue" of sorts, and I think her shyness is partly due to the fact that she was in her cage alone for so long, plus getting shuffled from place to place. She has been here two weeks, today.

Milly doesn't talk, she "squawks", so far. But Roger, in less than three months, has mastered "Zippity Do Dah". He stops at the part we would sing "Mr. Bluebird's on my shoulder". We haven't learned that much, but he has the first four lines down pat! He has also learned to say "Hey Birdie" and "What's up, Birdie?"....all because that's what I say to him every morning. Cockatiels will talk with some work, from what I understand. One of our friends has a Cockatiel, Sunshine, and Sunshine learned very quickly to mimic my friend, Jeanie, and tell their Golden Retriever to be quiet! She taps on her cage and says "Quiet Dulche"! LOL!! I thought that was great, and I keep waiting for Roger to belt out a "Quiet, Honey" for me, any day! He hears it enough!!

Roger is a very, very social bird. Milly let me know she is ready for her morning romp by "squawking" loudly!! Helen can get Milly out of the cage, but so far, she will not come out for me, at least not on my finger, but if I open the door, she comes out on her own and climbs and explores. She and Roger get along beautifully. I have heard that two will socialize together, and might leave the humans out, but so far, that has not been a problem. Roger loves us to love him. One night, we got them both out, and left Roger on top of his cage, and just took Milly over to the sofa. Roger took off, and of course went straight down. He was not going to be left out!!

I let them out for a couple of hours in the morning, and play soft music for them, which they love, and usually find them sleeping when it is time to let Lilly back in the room. We always take them back out to climb on us while we watch tv in the evenings, but even if we don't, they are ready to sleep by 9. I used to move Roger every night, back to the guest room, for the quiet, but have realized that they really don't need it. They are in my living room. I turned the lights out and tv off tonight at 10, and they have been quiet since then.

As for the cage, I let the pet store choose it for me. It costs as much as the bird!! You will want a large enough cage that the bird can be active inside, and you want a bird that has been handfed, so it will be more likely to be tame. Roger was 2-3 months old when we got him, and he came to the Pet Store from a local cockatiel breeder. I do understand that you can buy directly from the breeder, much more inexpensively than from a pet store. But I wouldn't trade my Roger for the world!!!

[Logan]

Aly, I have found a couple of wonderful bird communities on MSN that are specifically for bird owners, birds of all types. It might be worth your while to check them out.

http://communities.msn.com/BirdBrainz

http://communities.msn.com/BirdLoversInternational

And I have read the exact same thing about female cockatiels versus the males. My limited experience says for you to go for a male.

[luckies4me]

I would suggest a cockateil because I used to breed them and they are wonderful. My male (whom I didn't like...... he was a rescue and very mean. He would attack me!) used to sneeze and put his head down when he did it. He also sang the Andy Griffith Show song, said hello, hear kitty kitty kitty, went dun dun dun dun dun dun dun CHARGE!, said other words he shouldn't and then about 70 other things. I thought I didn't like him until the day my friends dog from down the street ate him!!!

This dog was my friends but they didn't pay any attention to it so it would come over to our house to get fed and played with. My mom had let the birds out before she had left for the store. I was in the shower when I heard squacking that wasn't normal. I knew something was wrong. Not thinking I jumped out of the shower naked and ran into my moms room to find the bird in the dogs mouth. I tried to kick the dog (sorry but I wanted to save the bird) but it didn't work. The dog wouldn't let go. I then grabbed the dog by his tail ( it was a shi-tzu) and swung him around the room by his tail. After a few seconds the dog dropped the bird. I picked it up and his intestines were exposed. He was dead.

I got dressed and didn't think much of the bird until I took the bird across the street to my grandmas house to show her what the dog had done. I said the dog had got the bird and........ I busted into tears. I couldn't stop crying for hours. That was when I figured out that I loved that bird so much.

It was one of the worst things that has happened to me. First off because the bird died and second of all because I ran out naked in front of my brother and his friend.

I remember his friends shreek!!! That was a very sad day. But on the bright side, cockateils are awesome. If not a cockateil then a Jenday Conure. I love those guys. PS The dog is fine everyone.

[Former User]

Logan, Milly and Roger sound such darlings! No wonder you don't regret taking them. You have a wonderful fur, skin and feather family

[Gio]

Logan you've done it. Now I want a cockatiel REALLY badly!

[Logan]

Originally posted by Gio
Logan you've done it. Now I want a cockatiel REALLY badly!

Sorry, Gio!!! They are fun, but they are the most "needy" of all of my crew, believe it or not!!

[aly]

luckies4me: I am so sorry about that. What a sad story

Logan: Thanks for the info. I fell asleep last night as I was still reading about cockatiels. They're so pretty.

Sara: Did you see today's POTD?

[Daisylover]

A lot of business are keeping BUNNIES as a house pet.....! They'll use a litter box and their so unusual, people will want to talk about them....
Unfortunately there are way too many right now looking for good homes.... The post-Easter give-ups have started. It is so sad. You could paste wings on her back and pretend she's a bird...!!!????