Well, I know if I only took Piper out once a week, he'd go insane. They're very social animals, and they need and thrive on attention. Piper's out for mostly the whole day, and only goes in his cage for naps, bed time, or when we're not home. We cover his cage at night with a blanket.

They're very smart birds too. Piper can bark like a dog, mimic a squeaky toy, mimic a person laughing, "wolf whistle", make kissing noises, and says "Hello" and "Uh Oh" in his own little voice.

He's also very messy, but considerably easy to pick up after. I clean his cage once a week, and his water dish is cleaned out one or two times a day. He's a picky eater, so he doesn't each much people food like some of the tiels here, but he'll eat a little bit.

Good luck with your decision! You've been giving some great information and advice by everyone here already.