what new bird addition would you suggest?

Question

We have a cockatiel but would like to have a larger bird. I've been looking at blue and gold macaws. I have 4 kids. the youngest is 8 years and quite active. What large bird would you reccommend for our household? Noise doesn't matter! We just want a large cuddly bird. We are finding that 1 bird just isn't enough for our household

Answer 1

if you have children i wuld not reccomend a macaw because they are very naughty birds and require canstant attention and they also can cause severe injures if they bite they can bite through thin metal. i wouls reccomend a sun conure they can be sweet and gentle but if your children want to pet the bird always have adult supervision.

you can find sun conures at your local pet store, make sure you ask the store kepper if the conures were hand reared or raised. they tend to be very mean ifg not with total human attenion while being a baby. hpes this hepled____________________________________________

Answer 2

I just answered a question about large parrots and kids...check it out. I believe in macaws 150% and I believe that anyone who is willing to put the time and energy into loving such a great bird and earning that great bird's trust, should have one.

Blue and Golds have a tendency to be a little more "wired" than the other macaw species. But, they're funny, and can be loving and tender and big cuddle bugs. Just depends on the bird.

Greenwing Macaws, I've found are the most gentle of all the macaw species. They are the most forgiving, and the most cuddly. We have a baby Greenwing named Katie. I love that bird so much some times I could burst right open. LOL

Military Macaws are severely underappreciated, in my humble opinion. We also have a Military named Rio, and he is a loveable ham. You wouldn't believe how cuddly he is. And, if I'm not cuddling him when he things I should be cuddling him, he yells at me to get my attention and then massages his own head, griping about it all the way. Militaries can be nippy, are highly opinionated, and are more oh...sassy? than the other species. But, they are fiercely loyal, and my kids get along with ours just fine.

I may not have mentioned this already, but Rio was an adult when I got him. He wasn't really handleable, and he was really quite dissatisfied with life. He is awesome now.

I say if you want a macaw, research your species and do it. I don't think I could live without my two.

Answer 3

Be careful what you wish for!! Big "cuddly" birds require a tremendous amount of work for their health and well-being. They are also very reactive to the slightest change in their environment. They can also be hard to handle and draw blood when they bite. Tempermental!

I'd suggest a blue quaker (monk parrot). We recently adopted one after our cockatiel passed on. "Blu Bari" is so animated, so loving, so smart and talks! He's just now 5 months old and has adjusted to our household beautifully. He is all the bird we ever dreamed of and more. Our cockatiel was precious to us but didn't talk, play by himself, or give kisses.
Blu is a perfectly manageable size, not too fragile, and loves to be handled. He spends most of his time perched on either of our shoulders and his cage is always open. He knows how to fly down, and walk back up on his ladder to his cage. He is not curious, nor afraid of our 23 pound Lhasa dog as he was raised around them and they get along well.

Perhaps you and your family should visit some pet stores in the area and speak with someone there. Usually you can handle the birds too, a big plus. But I'd highly recommend looking at a blue quaker also.

Remember, big birds can live 50 years!! That's more than a lifetime commitment to some..... Our little blue quaker should live 25 years.....

Good luck. Hope this helps.

Answer 4

I'm glad you included the size of your family and activity level in questioning for a bigger bird. I too am a bird lover, had up to 7 birds at once to love, nurture & try readjust their socialization skills until I got too ill to keep up the pace. Most of them, except my 2, were on a year or so visitation and finding good homes for them. I love and miss it some'n fierce! But I visit bird lovers to get my fix every now and then ;)
Unfortunately, there are few and far between "cuddly birds" in the larger size birds; except perhaps a cockatoo when raised correctly and with a lifetime commitment are the only parrot to "cuddle" they LOVE attention are quite funny, some talk, some don't, but they are always wanting to be a part of the family, I emphasize always.. They can be very noisy and loud, especially if you meet it's every whim as a youngster until you become to busy to maintain that level of attention. Spoiling this bird to the degree that is impossible to maintain 40 years down the road is a great disservice to this wonderful creature.
If you become ill, have to move & cannot keep the bird, or if you died, no one will want to take on such a large bird, or have the time they require. They end up becoming aggressive, scream constantly or rip out feathers to try and gain your previous doting. I've seen documentaries where birds go insane and suffer for many years under terrible crowding of unwanted birds. Sometimes its' because their owners could not keep up their care and got passed along from owner to owner. Or they needed $ for a new "toy" It is a heartbreaking situation I have seen far too many times.
Macaws are also NOT the next step from Cockatiels. Similar reasoning plus they can crush bone if aggravated, or frightened. Remember birds that bite their owners are not necessarily attacking you. . . if a new person approaches you; The kids get horsing around, etc., they are trying to protect you by telling you to go back to the nest for safety. Friends are not always knowledgable of birds and you could have a suit on your hands as well.
Before you buy the next step up I would advise getting online and learn about different types of birds, their care, commitment and constant food needs, cooking for them as well as for yourself. (Not kidding)
My suggestion is to try a mid-size bird, preferably not an Amazon, they truely are masters at acting coy and striking out. Something like a young Timnah Gray (maroon tail), they are easier going than the larger African greys (with the red tail) who seem to spook easy. and have a hard time adjusting to high activity unless raised in that environment. They are much more difficult than raising a dog or cat.
Again, my best suggestion is to educate yourself with different types of parrots, ask or place a note at a pet store inquiring about bird owners and their experiences BEFORE you buy. Good Luck

Answer 5

Probably not something as big as a macaw..... Remember, those things can bite through coins, so unless your kids are great with birds and super careful, they could lose an eye or a finger or worse! I like conures, quaker parrots, cockatoos, and african grays myself.

Answer 6

A female African Grey makes a good, tame and fun pet. My mom had one her name was Toga unfortunately she died of a cold caught from draft. Anyways, Toga would lie on her back on the palm of your hand and she allowed you to rock her a bit. I had a green budgie at that time and Toga took the budgie for a ride on her tail while she was walking on the kitchen floor. It was cool to watch. I had taught her to meow and say I love you and some other Greek words.

Answer 7

Cockatoo.