ryukrem wrote:Hi guys.
My girlfriend is really interested in getting a bird. We are animal lovers and currently have six geckos, five rats, and three cats, as well as my horse. We are perfectly capable of adding more to the list of pets to love.
Suggestions for a first pet bird? Breed, gender, tips and tricks? We will be doing heavy research once we figure out which kind we are going with.
(Double post but oh well)
I’d suggest looking around! My first was a sun conure (not as easy as I thought and took a lot of work to get him trained). Look into some types, definitely go for a medium to small as for size.
Cockatiels have a reputation for being cute, being on the easier side to train, and even can learn to whistle tunes (they’re mostly known for whistles and not speaking, but you can try to get them to talk.) Males also have a reputation for being a little bit more talkative. Also, birds need a ton of time and it’s more than you think. They also need someone who isn’t afraid to get bit and usually only bond to one person!
Keep in mind that there are a few birds that are social birds, such as cockatiels who can definitely learn to love more than one person. Budgies are also common, but they’re a little more of looking birds than touching birds (some dedicated people have trained them to step up and such so it’s not impossible to make them more fun). Finches and canaries are also not the way to go if you want a bird to play with. I have seen doves can be good birds too. A theater kid I know has one and I’ve heard they rarely bite due to their soft beaks.
Tips and tricks, if you want to get them to talk I’ve heard a frequent trick going around; record yourself saying something you want to hear or just look for it on YouTube and play it on a loop when you’re gone! Birds also tend to say things when you’re not around. Also,
adopt don’t shop. Please, look for a shelter around and only shop if there is no other way. I’ve seen too many birds at my shelter that were great birds that just have never been researched into when bought. Do as much research as possible. Even after you find a bird you like. Make sure all dangerous items are put away when they’re out and there’s a lot! Even things you didn’t think of like
plants. There are other things like buying cages big enough that the bird is able to spread their wings, and even getting a bigger cage is even more fun. They need lots of toys. Keep them off seed based diets and try to move towards pellet diets. No, birds cannot be placed in the same cage unless they are bonded and are there (I’ve seen it happen with birds that aren’t even the same kind) or they’re the same type usually. Ex. Cockatiel + cockatiel is good, but Budgie+cockatiel is not. I have plenty more of you have questions. Just ask!
