The "Starter" bird?

[Suz Stickville]

I am the happy recipient now of several disposable tiels... some of wich I have rehomed...Tweety stays and Freyja I got /picked as a baby (3 months old) for me

The tiels are not my first birds.... just the first that I have had in 10yrs...

25 yrs ago ... when I still lived in Houston.I had several.( kept receiving from friends that were tired of them) budgies...ended building walkin aviary in sun room to house all 20 - 30 of them... eventually rehomed all but 7 or 8...

Had several 3 or 4 tiels.....

Some how I ended up with a conure... small green... don't remember type.. only had for about a year... found new home.... had two small children... bird did NOT like kids...

Still miss my first and only big parrot - so far to date.... peach crested U2... wild caught and at least 15 years old then.... I got custody of the kids/boys, ex got custody of the too.... still has him/her... U2 around 40 yrs old now...

I am happy with the tiels... will probably get a quaker and small to med size parrot (pionus, small zon or mini macaw) within the next year or two.... bird of his own for bf... the new fid slave

Would eventually like to get my dream bird... RB2... but now is not the time... my life is NOT organized or calm enough at this point in time to give too time, care and attention it would need.... if and when the timing is right ... will be proudly owned by RB2.... if not.. is/was not ment to be...

Suz

[GlendaNS]

When I was a child, my first bird was a budgie.He would bite to the bone and not let go. I bought a cockatiel and he was the love of my life. He talked and whisled, would let anyone hold him. I trained him myself. We had a gas furnace and something happened. The fumes went back into the house. Both my birds fell to the bottom of their cages. I held them as they died.

My Dad bought me a wild caught yellow head amazon a few months later. It took awhile, but I tamed him as well. He was an awesome bird! He died after a few years and we gave up trying to keep a bird. There was no knowledge to be found on keeping birds. I always thought it was nutritional. Back then you fed a bird, birdseed. Maybe a sprig of lettuce.

I have raised crows, hummingbirds, hawks, and owls from babies. I have also rehabilitated hundreds of adult wild birds and released them.

I really really really wanted a too as my first bird. As a child, I would of been fine with it. I didn't have the money for a Too, so I bought a Tiel.

Confession time..... I still want a Too. I was afraid DH would hate the noise, but Baby imitates a Too. I can have whatever bird I want as long as he gets to keep his Grey! Stella is his first bird! She loves him!

[BigBird]

My first bird was a canary well two of them Roger and Renee'. Anyway at that stage in my life I guess they were "living ornaments" and as soon as I got sick of them they went to my parents aviary, as did the peachies that came after them. Anyway that was a long time ago now and I wouldnt part with them for the world.

I dont see the tiels or budgies as throw aways either. But having a lot of varieties at my place a lot of people ask me how much I sell the babies for cause they are thinking about getting a bird for their kid. Hate hearing that. Anyway when newbies ask what sort of bird they should get, I too sway them towards the tiel or budgie, only because they dont require the same amount of dietry and cleaning work that the bigger birds do. And newbies dont usually realise how much they are actually going to have to do for their birds at the beginning. When they walk around my yard or meet my very funny and tame scaly breasted lorrikeet they all want one just like him, then they see the lorikeets, ooooo how much do you sell them for???? I do my best to sway them away from them by telling them how much food I prepare for them EVERYDAY how messy their poops are and how hard it is to keep the cage clean. At the same time tell them theyare wonderful birds, but the poop and food stories are usually enough to send people running in different directions!!! Most times I find it really hard work and Im very committed to them. Anyway im going away for 6 days in a couple of weeks and gawd Im nervous. I have a house sitter coming in to stay and look after the dogs and birds and Hector is going to my sisters place. I'll be devistated if anything happens to any of them.

[Graehstone]

With all the talk about smaller birds in another thread I thought I would dig this one up again.

I kind of wish that I hadn't though (but am glad I did) because in the beginning Skyebirdsmom (Linda) responded to the thread ... and so now I sit and weep at my loss and remember her.
She is missed as are the others.


So ... size really does matter? I think not.

[svolk]

I don't think that size matters but I think that most people DO equate size with intelligence and prestige.

I was at a pet store last week playing with their Meyers and Amazon and I was overhearing a conversation between a worker in the bird section and a customer who obviously did not have any bird knowledge/experience. The customer was saying that she wanted a macaw someday and was asking questions about talking and intelligence - and the worker told her that "The bigger the bird, the more likely they are to talk, and the bigger the bird, the smarter they are." It's false information like this that is passed around all to often and skews the reality.

I absolutely chimed in with my 2 cents that birds smaller than Macaws have better talking skills (Budgies, Amazons, Eclectus, Greys being the most skilled) and that small birds ARE INDEED as intelligent as the larger ones. The price difference is due to the mass breeding and sometimes parent raised chicks, and the shorter lifespan. The worker was honestly stunned at this!

[Irish]

Size doesn't matter, but personality does. IF I had a choice, nowadays, I simply would have started with a Hyacinth ('cause of course, everyone has a money tree growing in their back yard, right? *grins*) and probably stopped right there.... or kept adding Hyacinths :-). I find their personalities to be the best match for my own. Don't know why.

Mike, I don't think I knew Skyebirdsmom. Did she cross the Rainbow Bridge? Did she have furred, feathered and clothed loved-ones waiting on the other side? If so, I grieve for the people who have to live their lives without her, here, but will hope that she found her way to a happier place on the other side....

[Tiki]

"What the..............................small birds don't count? Who said that? Lemme at 'em!"

[Kermit&Scittles]

wonderful thread. I had my tiel for 17 years. guliver was my best friend as a kid and a great bird for a youngster. My tiel was not a good starter bird because there is much more to the larger birds than just size. your first bird should be the bird you put the most research into. smaller is seldom easier.

[homebird]

Originally Posted by Tiki

My feelings haven't changed since my last post in this thread last year. I really wish people would put more thought and research into their first purchase of a bird. What I found very enlightening, especially when visitng my Birdboard friends in the States was to spend time with their birds and see which species I "clicked" with. In my case, it was always the Quakers, Tiels, Conures and Caiques. I met one sweet little Princess Parrot who made me want one of my own, ended up with two!

I met lots of larger birds like Macaws, Amazons, Greys that were wonderful birds, some of them would let me hold them and the Hy in Orlando was just wonderful! Considering the price of these larger birds in Australia, it's not likely I will ever have one, they all start at $4000 for Greys up to $10,000 for a Scarlet Macaw, a Hy would easily be over $20,000.

I love Cockatoos, but my set up-all timber indoor aviary couldn't handle one, they would rip it apart in days. Plus I travel once or twice a year, don't think a Too would handle that too well, and they would also likely outlive me.

So I have had to do a practical analysis on what kinds of birds are best for me to have based on which species I "click" with, suit my lifestyle, get along with my existing birds and won't outlive me.

For someone who is looking to get their first bird, spend time with any friends who have birds, see how you get on with them. Visit breeders with multiple species and see what kind of bird chooses you. Try to figure out what your dream bird is from the start and if it is realistic to bring one into your life. If you want a Macaw or Cockatoo, can you accommodate them in large enough cages, keep them supplied with toys-they go through them very quickly. Do you have a plan for birds that will likely outlive you?

I agree with what so many have said - svolk#'s 22,24 & her most recent statements & Sally #25 & Ringneckmom #18.

I did tons of research - read & read - listened & listened - went to bird shows & pet stores & talked to bird people. Looked at Mom's Tiels. It was a very tough choice. I listed all the needs & 'problems' as i saw them for every bird that might live with us.

You know i kept resisting a Budgie - thru prejudice. A friend of ours who had Amazons when he lived in the States [& misses them - but that's a sad story] said he thought i should get a Budgie. I wanted something more 'exotic & exciting'. I think it was a British birding Mag that finally made me look at them harder. All small birds - because they talked about the intelligence. I love Laker my Budgie. I am thinking of getting another or a Linnie - as they seem compatible [i don't want another bird that will diminish him in any way] as a companion.

Love this thread.

[mamalovesrico]

Very good thread and very interesting to see all points of view. I often have people ask me my thoughts on which bird for them to start with. I would never just assume they start with a smaller bird. I first ask them about their personality and lifestyle. One of my girlfriends is getting a macaw as her first bird.
My "starter bird" is and was a cockatoo. That was a great starter bird for me. Taught me a lot and forced me to dig for more and has given me the drive I have today. All of my birds, except my U2 were throwaway birds. No one wanted them. They were all disposable and treated as such, especially Rocky. Rocky is now turning out to be my most loveable bird.
I long for a budgie. I've wanted a budgie for a couple of years now. I will have one after my cats have gone. I feel the cats would be a major threat due to the budgie's size. I want all sizes of birds so I can learn their different requirements and understand the behaviors about each one that I would originally just assume.