Best Parrot Breed for Starters :)

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PoultryQueen29

PoultryQueen29

Songster
8 Years
Sep 26, 2011
716
33
144
North Carolina
I am interested in buying/adopting a parrot or cockatiel. I would like a friendly, medium-sized one that I can keep in my garage. I heard of someone breeding parrot in their garage so i'm guessing that would be ok. My garage never gets below freezing. The only birds I have ever had are chickens and quail so I need a parrot that would be easy for beginners. Anyone know what breed would be my perfect match?
 
Nothing, parrots are flock animals -

some people breed dogs chained to junked cars... not that's that's a good idea.

Most are loud and live 20-80 years depending on type.

I would not recommend housing a parrot or cockatiel in any garage - not enough people.

These are very social and also they mostly are tropical animals best suited for 70-80*f (65-90*f) for the more hardy ones.

We have our cockatiel in the dinning room, far away from direct vents and cooking surfaces where we eat two-three times a day and spend time talking and playing games, she is also flighted and we had to mark windows and shiny things that are unafe.

Sorry to sound harsh, but these guys are not as easy as chickens they require time and energy, everyday- hours of time even if its just on the playgym near your computer.

They are all smart (some more then others) and require toys and activities and time to play outside of the cage.

Unhappy birds are destructive to themselves and items in the house they scream all the time and call for attention.

Also when adopting a parrot you adopt whatever their behavior problems are- like I wouldn't recommend some adopt a 'dangerous' breed as their first dog, an adult parrot someone else is throwing away will need a foster period- as cockatiels live around 20 years but the true parrots live much much longer.
 
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pet birds are highly social, by keeping a single bird in your garage youd pretty much be destroying it.
they need to be IN the house with their "flock" (you)
ive known of many "breeders" who keep thier birds in the garage or out in a heated barn, but these are breeding pairs, not bonded to humans (and often agressive with humans) they have each other, they dont need any kind of human interaction, nor do they realy want it in these situations.

but for a pet bird...they dont have the company of another of thier kind, they rely o you the human to fulfil the "flock" needs...
because of that a pet bird living in the garage would quickly become a lonely and stressed pet bird, thisoften leads to not only illness but self mutilation.

If your looking for a pet bird it needs to be kept in the house, with its "flock" preferably in the central most active room of the house in the biggest cage you can affor with lots of toys, it will also need LOTS of out of cage time and LOTS of perosnal attention...again you are taking over the role of this birds flock, they NEED touch preening and contact.

In terms of what kind of brid for a beginner, it depends on what your looking for...
A cockateil is generlaly a nice choice, there an easy size to manage, smaller beaks, if handled regularly (especially if hand fed) they are incredibly loving sweet birds, there not well known for talking ability but they can pick up a few words and are GREAT whistlers (many learn all kinds of tunes!)

a budgie (in american petsotres often sold as parakeets) are another nice beginner choice, small, easily managed, not overly expensive and can make good talkers (get a hand fed ENGLISH budgie if you want a real talker, the english budgie holds the record for words known belive it or not.)

if you want to take a step up to somehting a little more substancial you might want to look into a green cheek conure (one of the quietest of the conures, there sweet, small and fun little parrots with big personalities.

a lovebird would be an option IF youve got ALOT of time to dedicate, all parrots need alot of time and atteniton but lovebirds need even more so, they can become so bonded to thier people that they can suffer from serious seperation anxiety.

parrotlets are another fun LITTLE parrot, they are tiny but dont be folled, there related to the amazon parrots and have HUGE personalities! and need alot of space relitive to thier size.
and linneolated parakeets would be another thatid suggest for a beginner, active sweet little south american parakeets who are VERY quiet overall.
 
Maybe not, good to think about first.

I loved my pet rats- they only live about three years and are very clean- but I ran out of time- so when they each crossed the rainbow bridge I did not replace them.

(Rats vs parrots, rats are quieter, can't fly, and males are lazy but smellier (then female rats or parrots)... they both require attention and out of the cage time, the total commitment for a rat is 3-4 years instead of 20-80 years and the vet bills are about the same (really high) )
 
Rats might be a good idea if they have a well ventilated, but not drafty cage in the garage, warm bedding, and cagemates. Rats are one animal where they still strongly bond to their owners even if kept with multiple rats. Actually, they seem friendlier than most singly kept rats. They also don't get 'wild'/lose their tamness when not handeled constantly. If provided with cagemates and a quality environment, they will be happy when you aren't around and happy when you are. I've had rats that will follow me around the house, come when called, jump into my arms for cuddling, etcetera. They are great little pets. HUGE NOTE: Female rats are extremely prone to mammary tumors. Extremely. For this reason, I might recommend two male litter mates, or spayed females (spaying greatly decreases tumor risk) as tumors mean vet bills, heart ache, and extra care.

Even lineolated parakeets, something I'm considering as a beginner psittacine for myself, seem like they'll take more care than any of my rats. And I go all out on rat care. X)
 
Id second the green cheek conure as an ideal beginner bird. But the guys are right, they need socialising. I also have my blue crowned conure in my dining room.although I work a lot of the day my partner and son keep her busy for a few hours and I spend a couple of hours a night with her..
 

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