How to pick the "right" bird

[caiques_lories]

Well, I am trying to figure out what species of bird to get. I REALLY want a duyvenbodes lory or a white bellied caique, but I want to make sure that is the best species for me. We have four quakers, but they drive me crazy. They are actually more my boyfriends then mine. They like him better, lol. The teil I found will stay here if no one claims him, but I also want to get a larger bird in the future. I have had an Amazon when I was a kid, but since then, only quakers and a lovebird. How did everyone decide what bird to get? Since the species I like are more expensive, it will be the last bird for a while.

[Tiki]

Well I adore Quakers, I have one and met several that belong to friends of mine, they are so cute and funny! I also love the 3 Caiques I met, you can't go wrong there either. I never met a D. Lory.

[Freedomoflight]

I am a big caique fan. I say, best way to pick a bird, or rather, a bird pick you is go and interact with as many of the species on your "wishlist" as possible, and I am sure you will find one that you will "click" with!

[Monica]

Out of the current birds that I own, I only picked two! All the rest (cept one) came here in one way or another from someone elses home! The ones that came here from another home were given to me for free (cept that one that was born in my home, and another that was a gift).... To make any sense, I own 12 birds... I bought two of my 4 budgies, the other two came from separate homes. One bourke was given to me, while the other bourke was born from her parents (they have both passed on now... both were elderly birds)... Casey, my tiel was given to me as a gift (and was the only actual gift to me!). Noel, my cherry head, was given to me by a stranger, though the funny thing was, she was given to me 3 days before X-mas 4 years ago (the same day I met the stranger! She's a "X-Mas" bird in more ways than one!), and 4 tiels were given to me from a family we've known for a long while... Okay, maybe that made a bit more sense... it's middle of the night here n just got back from some shopping for the holidays....

If I could though choose my own bird, or rather let it choose me, I'd try to pick certain species I would like to get (wouldn't mind another cherry head, nanday, quaker, maybe even a blue crown or similar conure), and try to find people that have these various birds. Then I'd try to find the one that I have the most special bond with.

Between the two birds you've picked out, I'd go with caique myself! BOTH birds tend to be very hyper-active birds, and caiques are little clowns in a bird body! Lories on the other hand tend to be on a sugar high 24/7! They require a special nectar/fruit diet so their poops are normally wet (they have no form to them). Lories are also known for being poop shooters, as bad as that may sound! If you think you could handle a lory though, I'd say go for it! I once held a black lory, and it was OH so sweet! I just wanted to take him home! HOWEVER, lories can be aggressive birds as well... very aggressive, and it was seen in this black lory... he would occasionally try to attack the tiels in the other half of the tank that they were all in...

[Tiki]

That's basically what I did when I was in the States. I got the opportunity to meet all kinds of birds that are rare or expensive in Australia. Some like Macaws and Greys are simply too expensive over here to ever consider. Others like Caiques are currently expensive but starting to come down-so maybe................ Others which I really loved and are available here cheaply are Princess Parrots (I met Tracy's Calypso) and Nandays (I met Lynda's Zorro and Joanie's Sammy). Calypso clinched the deal for his species-he was such a sweetheart I knew I had to have one....or two. In typical Tara fashion, I couldn't make up my mind between a blue or a green Princess so I got one of each!

[Babyblue033]

My situation was a bit different. I didn't have the chance to meet neither of my birds, and adopted both without even seeing them (or even meeting those species in person). I did visit bird stores several times and handled many different birds of all species, but at none of those times I was able to meet and handle tiels or Ekkies (their tiels weren't very hand tame and none of the stores had Ekkies).

What I did was research. LOTS of it. I visited different websites, many different forums for different species, talked with owners, breeders, etc. I compared, chose, then changed my mind, and went back and forth so many times before I was able to decide which bird was right for me.

I first decided to get a tiel partially because of a friend who's been bragging about her tiels for years. Then I found a tiel on Petfinder looking for a home, and even tho I haven't met him before I adopted him, it has been the best decision ever. Miki is a wonderful bird, who's very bonded to me (bonded, clingy, same thing :P), and is everything I wanted in my first bird.

Then I got an Eclectus. This was a decision purely on research and what I learned about their general characteristic. I realize that each bird is different so my boy might not turn out to be the bird I read about, but that'll be ok too. He's still new so we're still working on trust and things, but I think everything will turn out ok.

I do think the best thing to do would be to meet each birds and see if you "click", but even if you're unable to you can still find a right bird for you

[Rue]

...I did lots of research too...before getting my Pionus...they are the BEST bird...seriously...I couldn't have made a better choice...

[Eliza]

In typical Tara fashion, I couldn't make up my mind between a blue or a green Princess so I got one of each!

Ha ha Best reason to get two birds that I've ever heard!

I had EVERY intention on getting a parrotlet. I had done a lot of research and was convinced that they were the parrot for me. But then I had an opportunity to meet Beetle (my peach-faced lovebird)... Sometimes the bird chooses you!

I've not yet had an oppurtunity to interact w/ caiques or Duvy's lories, although I've seen quite a few in person. Caiques are total clowns and from what I've heard, wonderful companions. Duvy's are STRIKINGLY beautiful in person and I read one account (via birdsnways.com) that leads me to believe that they make fine companions. The only concerns that I have w/ lories & lorikeets is that I've heard they are a bit messy due to their odd diet, so you may want to take that into consideration.

Take time w/ your decision. The perfect bird is out there!

-e-

[Freedomoflight]

Can I recommend looking into a birdclub near you? Clubs usually do rehomes/rescues, and thas actually how I got all my parrots- my caique was my first secondhand fid.
Good luck on your search!

[caiques_lories]

Thanks everyone!! I have worked with caiques through the petstores. I am an animal care person there. I love the little clowns that they are. That is also where I met the duvy. Once I fell for both species, I decided to do some research and now I am here, lol. I have no problem with the nectar diet of the lory. I am used to cleaning up after lories working where I do. But, I still love caiques. Maybe, it will just have to be a whatever I come across first that has the right personality type of thing. Thanks, again!