Reptile Forum, Reptile Classifieds - CaptiveBred

[JStroud]

Anyone have any recommendations on species that are enjoyable to keep? Just thinking at the moment....
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Regards James Stroud

[Peter Parrot]

What do you want from the bird/birds James? A silly tame pet or are you interested in keeping a pair to breed?
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[Kat]

it does depend on what you want, especially when it comes to size. Also have you thought about how destructive birds are? they will tear up EVERYTHING and POOP everywhere.

Also if you keep a bird on its own inside they really need as much time as a dog in terms of how much you are in the house. Due to how clever they are they get extremely bored/lonely and depressed if they dont get enough attention. If you get a hand reared bird it will believe it is human, and leaving them alone for hours and hours every day is practically torture! if you don't get a hand reared bird, do you have the time to tame it?

Also birds should not be kept in cages in my opinion. They should have a cage with their food and water in but the cage door should always be open whenever you are in the house. You will find that they will return to their cage at night. Our cockatiel would sit on her 'doorstep' when she wanted to go to sleep and buzz you until you covered her cage for the night, then pull her 'curtains' around the door to sleep. Very cute.

I'm not having a rant, just raising some of the important issues. I'm sure you have already thought about them if you are considering getting a bird. If you have enough time for them they are amazing and very rewarding pets.

So what size of bird are you looking for, and how much money do you want to spend? Also will you be taming the bird or are you looking to buy a hand-reared bird?
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Kat

[Kat]

or are you setting up an aviary?

if so what kind of birds do you want?

finches are great, and there are lots of attractive species and interesting to watch because they are very busy. Easy to keep are zebra finches and bengalise.

Any kind of parrot/parrakeet will be noisey, so think about how nice/close your neighbours are if you are thinking of them.

Quail are really nice for the bottom of an aviary, plus you can eat the eggs!

also good to keep are pekin robins, they have a very pretty song and are really nice to look at too.

If you are thinking of a mixed aviary make sure you don't get aggressive species.

Can't really say much cos i don't exactly know what your question is asking.
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Kat

[JStroud]

Hi, Peter seemed to hit the nail on the head. Silly tame pet (), but I would be interested in keeping a pair, if not for breeding then definately for enrichment purposes. Have been really tempted by a pair of budgies, my view is also the same as yours Kat in terms of free-roaming, but was just wondering if there were any parakeets similar?
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Regards James Stroud

[Peter Parrot]

With a pair James, you are going to see interaction between the two animals , but they are unlikely to become "silly tame" .

A single hand reared animal will , as Kat says, consider itself human and WILL be silly tame towards whoever spends the time with it initially. Such an animal is very rewarding to keep but will need daily attention. My African Grey is just such an animal and has not been shut in his cage (other than when there is work going on such as furniture delivery which can spook him) in 19 years.

As for suitable Parakeets, cockatiels are a readily available option, and if hand reared can be very rewarding. A parent reared pair however will not need the amount of attention from you , but will never be as responsive as a hand reared animal.

Ring tails, Rosellas, Plum heads, there are plenty to choose from but the same basic rule applies to all as regards whether the bird is parent or hand reared and how much time and attention will be required of you from the bird, pretty much regardless of species.
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INSPIRING PEOPLE, IMPROVING PLACES
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[Kat]

bourkes parakeets are slightly larger than budgies and on the plus side do very small poos. They are also quieter than cockatiels. I have had both bourkes and cockatiel, and the cockatiel was much easier just because she was a bit bigger so you can be more aware of them. She was not hand reared, and so any handling was on her terms but she became silly tame with my mum who could do pretty much anything with her.
Lovebirds are very nice to keep also. celestial parakeets are also very pretty and similar size to budgie, though i don't know of anyone who keeps them. I have kept conures, which are very intelligent and VERY mischevous, but they had an aviary outside and only came in during refurb but tamed very quickly. Not very budgie-esque though...

I would advise not to get rosellas. I have heard that they do not make the best pet bird.

That's all i can think of for now! Definately a good idea to keep two together. I hope you don't have any wallpaper in the house, the budgies I used to look after would just strip it right off!
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Kat

[Kat]

ooooo just thought kakarikis are also small parakeets. I believe they spend more time on the ground than other parakeets. very pretty.
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Kat

[Peter Parrot]

Rosella`s, in my experience are great to keep if hand reared, mine certainly was. I have never kept a parent reared rosella though so can`t comment on that.

Like I said, the key element is whether you go for a hand reared or parent reared bird, pretty much regardless of species the genuine rule of;- hand reared = silly tame and in need of attention, as opposed to parent reared = not anywhere near so tame and not in need of so much attention applies.
_________________
YSBRYDOLI POBL, GWELLA LLEOEDD
INSPIRING PEOPLE, IMPROVING PLACES
www.btcv.org
Visit our website - Gwelwch ein Gwefan
www.btcvcymru.org
Llinell Gymorth / Helpline: 08702 40 48 41

[Kat]

I'll agree with you to a degree Peter in that a hand reared bird will need more intimate interaction, but i think a lone parent reared bird needs people to be around as much or they get bored and lonely. Regardless of whether hand or parent reared a bird needs the same amount of company, just one prefers a different kind of interaction. I would not get another bird unless I was going to be in for the majority of the day, hand or parent reared. Not that it is such a problem if you will be getting two birds
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Kat