We had a parakeet when I was a kid. They are inexpensive, and they can be really smart. I don't know about diseases, but I am sure they are pretty safe. My parakeet's name was Perky. We taught him how to say his name while bobbing our heads up and down. He mimicked the bobbing too....LOL. He also could do a "wolf" whistle. He used to sit on my chest and give me kisses on my bottom lip.
Oh how cute. I think it's great knowing already your the one who is going to end up cleaning the cage too! I wonder how much one of those Baretta birds cost?
First of all, don't get a lovebird. They bite hard and often. I've had 3 of them so I know. They are neat birds for the right person, but one of the 3 that I had was originally a gift to my daughter that didn't work out.
I suggest that you find a local breeder of parakeets. Ask them to pick you out the most friendly baby from their next clutch. Make sure that they handle it as much as possible to get it socialized to humans. Bring it home as early as you can and continue working with it.
Try to get assurances from the breeder that your bird isn't inbreed. This is a problem with parakeets.
We raised several clutches of parakeets and the individual babies vary a lot in their personality and friendliness. Getting the breeder to pick you out a friendly one would be ideal.
Once you get the bird, I recommend feeding it a food called Roudybush. It's a formula pressed into seed-sized pellets that's healthy and doesn't have the mess of scattered seed husks.
Our birds are thriving on it.
Know that your bird will live a long time and that you should play with it and interact with it often. I think that you will be happy with a parakeet. They are not much trouble or expense and properly socialized, they are a lot of fun.
I've had a number of parakeets (I currently have a male one named Sarah - I couldn't convince Aaron it was a boy) and recommend them as well. Definitely get it young, look for the black rings on the head, if there are rings, the bird is too old.
Only get one bird at a time, if you get two at the same time, it is harder to teach them to talk. They will mimic each other instead of you. Also, don't buy mirrors for the bird cage until the bird is tamed. Have them clip it's wings or I can tell you how to do this. This may sound cruel, but if you are going to allow the bird out of the cage, it keeps it safe and it doesn't hurt them. I lost a couple because I didn't. Someone opens the door and they are gone and can't survive in the wild on their own, especially in colder regions.
Funny story - my mom had a parakeet and two cats. The parakeet used to meow like the cats. :)-->
To every man his own truth and his own God within.
For someone who's inexperienced with birds, I'd recommend a parakeet. I understand some of them can even say some words & phrases, and they don't bite nearly as hard as parrots and bigger birds. (I can show you some serious scars on my fingers.)
There are some cute, talkative small parrots, but some of them squawk a lot and make a terrible racket considering their size. Training them takes some experience, IMO, so unless you have an expert bird friend, I'd think twice. And even small parrots/lovebirds, etc. can be expensive.
Since kids sometimes think they want pets and then grow tired of them, that's another good reason for a parakeet. Then if your little sweetie really takes an active interest he can work up to a more expensive breed next.
General bird warning, though. They're messy as all get out. Not just in their cages, but all around them. They fling food and seed hulls, bird dander, and sometimes feathers all over the place.
You sure he doesn't like little chameleons or turtles? :)-->
Oh Cockatiels are perfect! They are bigger than parakeets, but smaller than regular parrots. A bit smaller than soda can sized. I have one here next to me. The males will talk eventually, although at birth it is very hard to tell what you are getting. The females however are just as personable, even if they do not talk. Mine is a female and she does mimic a couple of whistles. If you get them hand fed as babies, they are quite a bit tamer as well, and more willing to be handled.
The gray ones are the cheapest. Depending on where you are in the US I suppose. Mine cost around $70 and she is the most expensive breed. The cage and toys and such may cost you near that, but then, the cost for them afterwards is very small. Unless you have to take them to the vet. You should teach yourself all about them when you get one. They love shoulder perching, btw.
Be VERY carefull where you buy one though. Sanctioned breeders are the best. Pet store usually get genetically reject birds. Ones that could have behaviour or health problems.
Here is a breeder listing from the North American Cockatiel Society. This should help you a lot.
Hey ex...parakeets are good....however I recomend finding a breeder that hand raises em (usually located in the classifieds or swap mags)...it is hard for a new bird owner to *train* the typically goofey one you will find in the pet store....
If you get one that has been handled they wont be as apt to bite or go nutty everytime you go near the cage.
Get yourself a book...available at any pet store...
Birds are easy to take care of but there are a few important rules...NEVER keep em in a draft....NEVER paint the room or use oven cleaners carpet cleaners etc when they are present......they are very suseptible to the fumes....(I have lost birds to all of the above..sigh) oh yeah...and ALWAYS turn off the cieling fan when you let em out...(yeah....lost one that way too...yuckie)
Vitamins in their water are a great help ...in keeping them healthy...a little grit n food...a cuttle bone n you are set...you can usually get a bird n cage n supplies for under 30 dollars...
If you want a step up...cockatiels are very nice and very intellegent...however I efinatly recomend a hand raised baby when it comes to them...you spend a little more but end up with a MUCH nicer pet.
When we were in Washington State, we replace all the ground floor windows with big 'bay windows' that stuck out from the building about a foot and a half. They brought much more light into the rooms and made it 'feel' like a much bigger building. In one of those bay-windows in the living room we put 2 white doves.
I used a couple sheets of white lace to make curtains, and I loaded the bottom hem with lots of lead fishing weights (to keep the curtains taut). They held the doves in the bay window, and provided us with good view.
The building was on a busy intersection (2 four lane streets intersected with a street light), among the local 4-H we often received complements. Apparently while families were stopped waiting for a green light, children would often spot the doves in our window. Sometimes we would look out and even see pedestrians on the sidewlak, who had stopped and were watching those doves. That window was probably 8 feet across, 5 feet tall and 18 inches deep.
It also filled the room with their cooing. I got used to it, but when we spoke on our telephone, people would usually ask why their heard birds.
At the time, our eldest son was raising rabbits with 4-H and he made a good business from selling them. Our second son took care of the doves as his 4-H project. We were never successful at brooding any chicks to maturity. But we did have fun with the project as it was.
I would reccommend doves to anyone, as my family and freinds enjoyed them.
Bless you, May our Heavenly Father bless you in everyway, in the wonderful name of His son and our brother Jesus.
Galen
ET1 SS - USN Retired,
Pilgrim of the Ancient Arabic Order Nobles of the mystic shrine.
and
'University of Life' Alumni
"I live in the spirit of prayer. I pray as I walk, when I lie down, and when I rise. And the answers are always coming. Tens of thousands of times have my prayers been answered. When once I am persuaded that a thing is right, I go on praying for it. the great point is never to give up till the answer comes. The great fault of the children of God is, they do not continue in prayer, they do not persevere. If they desire anything for God's glory, they should pray until they get it." - George Mueller
myseestorEx, I don't have birds (I have fish) but when I lived in South Jersey and Philly my best friends go a cockatiel... that was ten years ago and they still have it, and I agree with everything that wrestlingnot said, easy to take care of, look in the classifieds, you can probably get the whole hookup (bird, cage,etc) for $100 or under...
...and I think it's more of a "boy's bird" than a parakeet (although you'll like it too)...
... I've been here and I've been there and I've been in between...
Oh this is such a neat thread. It makes me almost (underline almost) want a bird! I vote for the Baretta bird! Or a dove! Yeah how cool. Or a chicken! Fresh eggs yum. But then I guess you'd need a rooster.
I bet you can't wait to go bird shopping exie. How you gonna hide it from your son?
don't want a singer, want a talker, my son probably wants to teach it to curse ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha
a chicken ! that was funny
i'm glad you like this thread rottie. i LOVE it. you people are so nice and helpful.
as far as hiding it for christmas, my son says, "excuse me, i'd like to be a part of picking MY BIRD out. and if you think i believe in santa claus, you must think i believe in the easter bunny too."
ok I want details on how you would "share affection" with a small bird. my friend kisses her birds YUCK! but I guess to me it is not the same as a long purr or a walk in the park.
they like her and they chirp when she feeds them but affection to me is like something physical like a hug or a tail waging.
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Nottawayfer
Exie,
We had a parakeet when I was a kid. They are inexpensive, and they can be really smart. I don't know about diseases, but I am sure they are pretty safe. My parakeet's name was Perky. We taught him how to say his name while bobbing our heads up and down. He mimicked the bobbing too....LOL. He also could do a "wolf" whistle. He used to sit on my chest and give me kisses on my bottom lip.
Laughter is a tranquilizer with no side effects.
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RottieGrrrl
Oh how cute. I think it's great knowing already your the one who is going to end up cleaning the cage too! I wonder how much one of those Baretta birds cost?
Cat spelled backwards does NOT spell God!
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Jim
First of all, don't get a lovebird. They bite hard and often. I've had 3 of them so I know. They are neat birds for the right person, but one of the 3 that I had was originally a gift to my daughter that didn't work out.
I suggest that you find a local breeder of parakeets. Ask them to pick you out the most friendly baby from their next clutch. Make sure that they handle it as much as possible to get it socialized to humans. Bring it home as early as you can and continue working with it.
Try to get assurances from the breeder that your bird isn't inbreed. This is a problem with parakeets.
We raised several clutches of parakeets and the individual babies vary a lot in their personality and friendliness. Getting the breeder to pick you out a friendly one would be ideal.
Once you get the bird, I recommend feeding it a food called Roudybush. It's a formula pressed into seed-sized pellets that's healthy and doesn't have the mess of scattered seed husks.
Our birds are thriving on it.
Know that your bird will live a long time and that you should play with it and interact with it often. I think that you will be happy with a parakeet. They are not much trouble or expense and properly socialized, they are a lot of fun.
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Abigail
I've had a number of parakeets (I currently have a male one named Sarah - I couldn't convince Aaron it was a boy) and recommend them as well. Definitely get it young, look for the black rings on the head, if there are rings, the bird is too old.
Only get one bird at a time, if you get two at the same time, it is harder to teach them to talk. They will mimic each other instead of you. Also, don't buy mirrors for the bird cage until the bird is tamed. Have them clip it's wings or I can tell you how to do this. This may sound cruel, but if you are going to allow the bird out of the cage, it keeps it safe and it doesn't hurt them. I lost a couple because I didn't. Someone opens the door and they are gone and can't survive in the wild on their own, especially in colder regions.
Funny story - my mom had a parakeet and two cats. The parakeet used to meow like the cats.
:)-->
To every man his own truth and his own God within.
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Linda Z
For someone who's inexperienced with birds, I'd recommend a parakeet. I understand some of them can even say some words & phrases, and they don't bite nearly as hard as parrots and bigger birds. (I can show you some serious scars on my fingers.)
There are some cute, talkative small parrots, but some of them squawk a lot and make a terrible racket considering their size. Training them takes some experience, IMO, so unless you have an expert bird friend, I'd think twice. And even small parrots/lovebirds, etc. can be expensive.
Since kids sometimes think they want pets and then grow tired of them, that's another good reason for a parakeet. Then if your little sweetie really takes an active interest he can work up to a more expensive breed next.
General bird warning, though. They're messy as all get out. Not just in their cages, but all around them. They fling food and seed hulls, bird dander, and sometimes feathers all over the place.
You sure he doesn't like little chameleons or turtles?
:)-->
Good luck!
Linda
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Dot Matrix
I will PT you with a e-mail. At the shop I am in they specialize in birds. So you can ask all kinds of questions.
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excathedra
you guys are really great, thank you
ummmmmm is a budgie a parakeet ?
?
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QamiQazi
What about a chicken? They smell, but you'll save on eggs.
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WrestlenotAgainst
Oh Cockatiels are perfect! They are bigger than parakeets, but smaller than regular parrots. A bit smaller than soda can sized. I have one here next to me. The males will talk eventually, although at birth it is very hard to tell what you are getting. The females however are just as personable, even if they do not talk. Mine is a female and she does mimic a couple of whistles. If you get them hand fed as babies, they are quite a bit tamer as well, and more willing to be handled.
Here is what my bird Sammy looks like.
http://www.acstiels.com/images/photo.jpg
There are a couple other breeds of cockatiels.
http://www.acstiels.com/images/pastel1.jpg
http://www.acstiels.com/images/silver1.jpg
The gray ones are the cheapest. Depending on where you are in the US I suppose. Mine cost around $70 and she is the most expensive breed. The cage and toys and such may cost you near that, but then, the cost for them afterwards is very small. Unless you have to take them to the vet. You should teach yourself all about them when you get one. They love shoulder perching, btw.
Be VERY carefull where you buy one though. Sanctioned breeders are the best. Pet store usually get genetically reject birds. Ones that could have behaviour or health problems.
Here is a breeder listing from the North American Cockatiel Society. This should help you a lot.
http://www.cockatiel.org/breeders.html
"For we wrestle not against flesh and blood"..........but hey, I love to see a good Clothesline once in a while
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rascal
Hey ex...parakeets are good....however I recomend finding a breeder that hand raises em (usually located in the classifieds or swap mags)...it is hard for a new bird owner to *train* the typically goofey one you will find in the pet store....
If you get one that has been handled they wont be as apt to bite or go nutty everytime you go near the cage.
Get yourself a book...available at any pet store...
Birds are easy to take care of but there are a few important rules...NEVER keep em in a draft....NEVER paint the room or use oven cleaners carpet cleaners etc when they are present......they are very suseptible to the fumes....(I have lost birds to all of the above..sigh) oh yeah...and ALWAYS turn off the cieling fan when you let em out...(yeah....lost one that way too...yuckie)
Vitamins in their water are a great help ...in keeping them healthy...a little grit n food...a cuttle bone n you are set...you can usually get a bird n cage n supplies for under 30 dollars...
If you want a step up...cockatiels are very nice and very intellegent...however I efinatly recomend a hand raised baby when it comes to them...you spend a little more but end up with a MUCH nicer pet.
Good luck ...I am very excted for your boy:-)
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Galen
Ever think about doves?
When we were in Washington State, we replace all the ground floor windows with big 'bay windows' that stuck out from the building about a foot and a half. They brought much more light into the rooms and made it 'feel' like a much bigger building. In one of those bay-windows in the living room we put 2 white doves.
I used a couple sheets of white lace to make curtains, and I loaded the bottom hem with lots of lead fishing weights (to keep the curtains taut). They held the doves in the bay window, and provided us with good view.
The building was on a busy intersection (2 four lane streets intersected with a street light), among the local 4-H we often received complements. Apparently while families were stopped waiting for a green light, children would often spot the doves in our window. Sometimes we would look out and even see pedestrians on the sidewlak, who had stopped and were watching those doves. That window was probably 8 feet across, 5 feet tall and 18 inches deep.
It also filled the room with their cooing. I got used to it, but when we spoke on our telephone, people would usually ask why their heard birds.
At the time, our eldest son was raising rabbits with 4-H and he made a good business from selling them. Our second son took care of the doves as his 4-H project. We were never successful at brooding any chicks to maturity. But we did have fun with the project as it was.
I would reccommend doves to anyone, as my family and freinds enjoyed them.
Bless you, May our Heavenly Father bless you in everyway, in the wonderful name of His son and our brother Jesus.
Galen
ET1 SS - USN Retired,
Pilgrim of the Ancient Arabic Order Nobles of the mystic shrine.
and
'University of Life' Alumni
"I live in the spirit of prayer. I pray as I walk, when I lie down, and when I rise. And the answers are always coming. Tens of thousands of times have my prayers been answered. When once I am persuaded that a thing is right, I go on praying for it. the great point is never to give up till the answer comes. The great fault of the children of God is, they do not continue in prayer, they do not persevere. If they desire anything for God's glory, they should pray until they get it." - George Mueller
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Tom Strange
myseestorEx, I don't have birds (I have fish) but when I lived in South Jersey and Philly my best friends go a cockatiel... that was ten years ago and they still have it, and I agree with everything that wrestlingnot said, easy to take care of, look in the classifieds, you can probably get the whole hookup (bird, cage,etc) for $100 or under...
...and I think it's more of a "boy's bird" than a parakeet (although you'll like it too)...
... I've been here and I've been there and I've been in between...
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excathedra
oh man how can i thank you all ?
i'll let you know what i do.
MWAHS
?
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RottieGrrrl
Oh this is such a neat thread. It makes me almost (underline almost) want a bird! I vote for the Baretta bird! Or a dove! Yeah how cool. Or a chicken! Fresh eggs yum. But then I guess you'd need a rooster.
I bet you can't wait to go bird shopping exie. How you gonna hide it from your son?
Cat spelled backwards does NOT spell God!
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mj412
finches are lovly .
small and friendly.
my friend breeds parakeets.. sells them for ten bucks a piece..
her female and male didnt like one another (in that way) so she had to get another male to get the job done...
birds are not my thing at all . I like those big dudes at the pet store but they live to be 100 year old so you have to pas them on to your kids etc.
i feed the outside birds I enjoy that alot .
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Tom Strange
and I've heard (from Cowgirl) that Dove wrapped in bacon with a little seasoned breading is quite delicious...!
... I've been here and I've been there and I've been in between...
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wyteduv58
Hey Tom I resemble that!!!!!!!
Dovey....proud owner of two low riders...Dovey's Doxies...... Dovey
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wyteduv58
Er I mean resent that. lol
Dovey....proud owner of two low riders...Dovey's Doxies...... Dovey
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RottieGrrrl
How about a canary, don't they sing?
Cat spelled backwards does NOT spell God!
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excathedra
don't want a singer, want a talker, my son probably wants to teach it to curse ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha
a chicken ! that was funny
i'm glad you like this thread rottie. i LOVE it. you people are so nice and helpful.
as far as hiding it for christmas, my son says, "excuse me, i'd like to be a part of picking MY BIRD out. and if you think i believe in santa claus, you must think i believe in the easter bunny too."
where did this smart a$$ kid come from ?
?
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TheManOfa Thousand ScreenNames
Doves=albino pigeons=bridge chickens.
:D-->
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TheManOfa Thousand ScreenNames
Beats hell outta me, Ex.
:D-->
The lessons repeat until they are learned.
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jardinero
Ummmm, Ex............
an apple doesn't fall very far from the tree!
Jardi
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mj412
ok I want details on how you would "share affection" with a small bird. my friend kisses her birds YUCK! but I guess to me it is not the same as a long purr or a walk in the park.
they like her and they chirp when she feeds them but affection to me is like something physical like a hug or a tail waging.
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