Cockatiel - Anyone Have One?

[Dominantly]

Man, that hit deep...

After reading all the responses I've decided it may be best to put this off for a little while - I still like the idea but I want to MAKE SURE that I'm ready and able.

Thanks a lot everyone... I'm still interested and will most likely pursue this - but at a later time, perhaps in a couple years.

Sorry to hit you with things you may not have wanted to hear but rescuing animals tends to have an effect on how you react to this kind of inquiry.

Birds are still a very nice idea when you have kids in the house. They can teach kids how to care for another life. As a parent (and owner) you just need to remember they are not just toys.

I can relate. Like I said in my story, I use to mix the food, and hand feed these baby birds, and it was intense. I could never imagine hurting a wild bird because of it, in fact I found a baby sparrow in a car wash that had fallen out of it's nest (don't know how it survived that fall). It wasn't a new born, but not able to fly. I took it home, went to the pet store and bought the same food and syringe and fed it for 3 weeks. Then Carwash Was let go and flew away one day.

 

[c.cloudwalker]

I say make sure you get the bird that fits your personality, or desired interaction level, maintenance expectation, and environmental restriction.

and your experience with birds!

Gray are absolutely great but not for beginners.

 

[photo28]

I say make sure you get the bird that fits your personality, or desired interaction level, maintenance expectation, and environmental restriction.

and your experience with birds!

Gray are absolutely great but not for beginners.

same with Macaws and some of the larger parrots and parakeets such as the Indian Ringneck - heard they're a bit nippy anyway.

 

[Phranquey]

BTW, Phranquey, BEAUTIFUL birds you got. I'd love to have a Macaw some day - my friend just got one. Love the Grey too - is he/she building up a vocabulary yet?

Thanks! Yes, the Grey has an incredible vocabulary & MUCH more. Among many other "tricks up her sleeve", if you leave the room, she will perfectly imitate the phone ringer so you come back into the room to check the caller ID, and then she will laugh....I sh!t you not. We've gotten to the point that we will carry the cordless with us if we go out onto the back deck...otherwise you cannot tell the difference. She knows all the dog's names, and will call them to "go outside". Luckily they picked up on that, but she still tries.

As far as "bonding" goes, the Grey is definitely my wife's bird. She can grab her and lay her on her back, scratch her belly....anything she wants to do to that bird, she can. If I don't have food in my hand, forget it.

The Blue & Gold is my bud. He does talk, but cannot imitate like the Grey does. He is a massive clown who wants nothing more than to play & please you. If you notice in that picture he has his foot raised....he will open & close his toes and say "Hi". One thing that can be intimidating, though.....that thing is not a beak, it's a logsplitter. Since bird toys are so expensive, I just make my own, and it is nothing for him to take a foot long length of 2x2 and crack it in half lengthwise. I just look at that, then my finger........... I'm glad that bird likes me.


Noyze, I'm glad you made the choice that you did. A parrot, or even smaller bird, is quite a commitment. Find some local breeders, go in and see what they've got, and learn the breeds. I guarantee if you are destined for a bird, the breed will pick you, not the other way around. Trust me, when it happens, you won't be able to help yourself.

EDIT: Couldn't help it.... This one was from sitting on the couch with the 70-200. In his eye, you can see the flash itself plus the ceiling bounce.