Green Cheek vs Sun Conure??

[DanteD716]

I am downsizing my birds to 2 zebra pairs, 1 society pair.
And I want to add some gouldians.


Aside from finches what is your opinion on parrots?? I am want a green cheek or sun conure, maybe both? Do they get along?
I wanted a quaker but they are so loud.
I was thinking lineolated parakeets, I have wanted some for a long time but I like the way conures look more. I have heard they are smart..

I have had experience with training budgies, and with macaws, conures, and other parrots through my uncle.

What are your opinions??

I plan on having a flight in my room for all 8 of my finches (I think my zebras are nice compared to some I have had, so if that works out they will be housed with the society pair and gouldian)

Next to that flight I want a cage for my conure(s) (if a green cheek and sun conure can live together)

THEN, a cage for my sugar glider. Between that it is 3 cages, and I should have more than enough time for them all. I have a schedule for everybody's play time and everything, sorry I tend to talk on and on sometimes and get off topic...

Anyways, sun vs green cheek?? Opinions?

[Keiness]

Don't house parrots together, too much risk for them harming each other. Sun's are bigger then GC's.

I would go with a GC. Sun's are one of the loudest parrots you can get haha, so if you couldn't do a quaker you wouldn't be able to do a sun.

[Dayna]

I agree with keiness if you can't handle a Quaker I wouldn't get a sun. Green cheeks can get quite loud if they have a mind to. Characterisitics on them both are pretty well the same other than the sun is bigger and much louder. I used to breed green cheeks and if the window was open and they got set off you could hear them 2 blocks away and that would just be with 1 pair.

Conures in general are very playful, mischievous, cuddly and can be nippy. They will sound off at anything. You don't need a watch dog when you have a conure lol. They a very smart and can be taught tricks.

[DanteD716]

I did not know they were so loud! I can not stand quakers yelling.. my uncle had two pairs, between them and the lovebirds they could out yell the macaw.
I will go with a green cheek then, they look fluffier and cuter anyways

[cindy]

Why not a black capped caique? or a Hahns Macaw...quakers are loud and destructive. Suns and larger conures are loud. I had Blue crown, loud!

I raised maroon bellied a long time ago...they are a quieter and sweet.

Brown Throated are nice as well

http://www.avianweb.com/brownthroatedconure.html

[DanteD716]

I have seen blue crowns in person before, so pretty!!

Are green cheek bad? My mom said nothing too big, and notihng noisy.


So that means no quakers or suns. Cindy, I looked into maroon bellied, seems a if they don't exist!

I absolutely 100% love caiques!!!!!!!! But my moms agreement policy is I buy it, and she helps with cage, food, etc.

So I do not know how much caiques go for.

The brown throated are pretty, I have never heard of them! Hanh's macaws are soo cute, but I do not know where to find one or even start..

Limited to my area, are linnies, quakers, green cheeks, sun conures, severe macaws I have seen military macaws but they are big.. Parrotles, I will look deeper. There is a beautiful white capped pionus, for 300. I know nothing of the species and it is on kijiji.

Keet wise scarlet chestred, there are bourkes also.. Ringnecks, jardines.

I have never looked into cockateils. Hookbills just seem like a whole different ball game!!!

[Keiness]

I've heard great things about brownheaded parrots too, for being quieter, sweet, charming little birds. They are in the poi family.

Though there is no such thing as "quiet" parrot, they will always have their moments of rowdiness.

[DanteD716]

Keiness, my uncle's scarlet macaw, is usually quiet. He says hello, I love you, good morning, and a few other things. But when my aunt is on the phone he yells as loud as he can!! I guess all quiet birds do have their moments!

[Dayna]

Here's what I know:

First off, all birds go through nippy stages and some species are more nippy and prone to bite than others
- most if if not all birds get aggressive and hormonal during the breeding season. During the breeding season especially you DO NOT want to pet them or scratch them anywhere but around their head and neck. If you touch them anywhere else, their back or especially their belly they will think you want to breed and will become extremely moody and aggressive because you aren't giving them what they want.
- as keiness said there is no such thing as a quiet parrot but there are species that arent as loud as others.
- even if the species is known to talk doesn't mean that if you get that species it will talk. Every bird is different. Some talk and some don't so don't base your decision on that.

White capped pionus. I love pionus, they are wonderful birds. They are quiet and do not require a lot of attention. Some people find them boring because they are not very active compared to other species. They wheez when they are nervous or frightened and will sit completely still on a perch if they a worried about something or trying to figure something out. They can learn a few wor but their vocabulary isn't as big as some of the other species.

Caiques I love too lol. I was actually looking at getting a caique but there was one thing about them that turned me off of getting them completely at this point in time. That one thing is their jeckel and Hyde personality. One minute they will be all loving and giving kisses etc and the next they are on the attack. With my kids being so young yet there is no way I am getting a bird like that. They are very cuddly and LOVE to play. You will never have a dull moment with a caique. They need tons of toys to keep them occupied or they will become destructive or bored and scream etc. Their scream is very loud. I have heard that it rivals an amazon. Because they are so active they need a huge cage. They can learn to talk as well.

Don't know much about the parakeets or bourkes other than they are said to be great first parrots.

Parrotlets are best left in singles if you want a pet. As they say big. IRS in a little bird body. They can and will be very aggressive towards anything they feel like. They are fearless and that fearlessness can get them in a lot of trouble. Depending on their personalities will depend on how cuddly they are. Some are really cuddly and others not so much. They are quieter than lovebirds and can be good talkers.

Cockatiels are dusty. They are actually mini cockatoos. They ae bigger than the white capped pionus and quieter than some of the other species I listed as far as screaming but as far as noise in general they can be pretty noisy. Unlike the bigger parrots that scream here and there and then are quiet cockatiels will chatter constantly all day long. They are cuddly and love attention and to be talked to. They aren't really talkers but can learn to whistle different tunes.

Linnie's are small but they are amazing talkers and are quite the fascinating birds despite their small size. They are little clowns and live to play and cuddle. They can get loud and start yelling at you when they want something but are generally pretty quiet.

I personally love the Poicephalus parrots. They are quiet, the brown head being the quietest. They are the perfect size to me. Right I between a small parakeet and a large macaw or amazon. They can learn to talk and they are not Velcro birds. They love attention and to cuddle but don't need or demand attention all the time. Overall they are quite similar personality wise but there are slight differences between each one.

What are you looking for in a parrot other than something not too big and not too noisy? That can help narrow it down a bit.

[Keiness]

What Dayna said is perfect.

(Though even though Poi's aren't supposed to be velcro birds, mine is. He will scream when I leave and when he's out he tends to follow me around the house.)

I just suggest making 100% sure you are ready for a parrot commitment before diving in. Defiantly go to local bird stores/pet stores/breeders and check the the species you are interested in.

I waited over 8 years until I was finished highschool, university and then moved out on my own, before I finally let myself get a parrot (and had a ton of research before then on the various species that would work for my lifestyle). I had to sell my love birds when I went to university and I knew I wouldn't get another bird until I was done with all of that. I would never have been able to meet his demands while in school, he's like a flying two year old that destroys everything he can get his beak into. Seriously, when I see kids giving their parents head aches in the store, it's like watching my parrot lol. That be said, I love the little bugger. I found clicker training him really helps when he goes a little nusto, helps focus him.

I actually want to get into smaller birds like finches to let him listen to things when i'm gone, and because I don't want another super demanding bird, rather one I can just sit back and enjoy.

[finchmix22]

Dante
I don't know much about all the other species, but we picked a Green Cheek because they were affectionate and quiet. They are just like Keiness says, "I two year old" getting into mischief all the time. They want to be with you all the time and not just sitting and being pet, but interacating and playing. Our GC, Sonny, wears me out! We take turns giving her attention because she demands too much of one person. The plus, she is bonded to all three of us and will go to anyone. She is not loud at all. Her call, is like a Green Singer hen when she calls for her mate, but a little more screechy, not much louder though. I keep her in her cage in our finch room when I"m at work and the kids are at school and the finches entertain her, but they are scared of her when she is out of the cage because she likes to climb their flights. I think the finches see her as a predator. So, make sure you research the different personalities and know what you can handle. I love Sonny, but she requires way more time and attention than I'd like to spend on her, as we have several other pets that need attention too and she does not like to share us with the dogs or cats. Let us know what you end up deciding.

[kenny66]

I have scarlet chested and bourkes. Both are quiet and friendly. They are also accommodated in quite a small area. Also easy to feed-clean and breed

[cindy]

Deborah is correct in saying that conures do become somewhat clingy and can be very demanding. Our Blue Crown did not like being enclosed in the cage and screamed for attention even if we spent quality time with him and had to go across the room to prepare dinner.

Why not a parrotlet...Rummy (and the parrotlet I have had in the past) is content hanging out with us, climbing and sitting on my shoulder or playing on his cage top while I am busy or playing enclosed in the cage if I have chores to do in another room to do. They are smart, energetic and do not require a large huge cage...a 30x18 or even a 24x16 cage is a good size especially if you have him out and able to socialize and have a small play gym for him.

[DanteD716]

Thanks for all the tips.. I looking for

Good talker
not too noisy
Not big, but I want it to have some size compared to a budgie
Social
Clingy, I want it to walk around the house with me without him taking off

Kenny, I considered bourkes, but I do not know. Can they talk?? I want more of a companion rather than a prt like my finches are

Cindy, I heard parrotlets are very aggressive. I plan on having a play ground set up on top of his cage, and another on a table in my room so he can choose. I think parrotlets and gc conures are top 2 on my list.


Deborah, I plan on leaving the door open all day even if I am not around, as I am birdy proofing my room and so he can play if I am not there. But i will be spending almost all my free time with it.



I had sugar gliders before, amd I want another one, possibly two. They are so fun, and they do not need to be played with of they have a buddy. They are so fun to watch run around their cgge at night. BUT, I think I have my work cut out for me. So no gliders as of now

[purplejasminevn]

Good talker Like African Congo?