Help Deciding

[Kasie]

Maybe some people can give me some insight into this. I currently have the opportunity to adopt a Hahns Macaw and a Goffins Cockatoo. I'm not sure which one to adopt. They both have reasonable adoption fees and come with cages.

Any advice would be most appreciated.

[Laura65177]

It should be a personal choice.

We do not know your lifestyle.
Are you going to be around it often?
Can you put all the time in?
How old are the ones you can adopt?
What are you looking for in your companion?

I read you are a bird trainer and have handled many birds before.

Goffins are quite cute, very loving and play if you put the time in, they need attention.
They are more quiet so good if you are living with others.

Hahns can get nippy after the age of one, I've read they get along with others birds quite well, so thats a bonus is you want a bigger flock.

I read this about what someone said who owns many macaws
"They love to bounce, to roll around on top of or under a sock rolled into a ball or a waffle ball. They will nudge it and kick it just like children playing with a soccer ball. They can quite easily learn tricks and love to show off and giggle a lot, as well as give loud kisses."

It's all down to you though and what you want out of your new friend.

[Kasie]

Those are great questions.

I will be around often. I'm currently living at home and I'm a part time student. I have a room mate who is also a bird lover.
I am willing to work with the bird if there are any problems. I miss having a bird around.
The goffin is 2-3 and the hahns is about 6.
I am looking for a bird that enjoys attention and likes to be handled, but can be independent as well. I want to spend time with him (they are both male). I would like a talker, but one that isn't incredibly loud.

I have talked to both owners and I am thinking about visiting them both before making a final decision. I want to make sure I make the right decision.

[Tom Lawless]

Definitely visit both. Both are nice birds. I have a Hahns so I think you know where my loyalties lie. He is about 15 months old. I'm not sure if I would call him nippy but he does 'pinch' with his beak more than my Grey. He is very smart. I think I sometimes underestimate him. He is totally devoted to me. He would be with me all day if he could but he seems to keep himself occupied without trouble when I am not around. He has a decent vocabulary but he has a very high, squeaky, 'Hahns' voice. Check out YouTube for Hahns Macaws and you will hear some who talk and what they sound like. He does not seem to like his room-mate (African Grey). You will never find them hanging out on the same perch preening each other but I do think he likes the company of another bird in the house when I am not around.

Goffins are great birds too but I don't have one so have no personal experience to share.

Visit both birds and see if you bond with one or the other. We can generalize about different traits of different birds but the individual bird may be true to all or none of them so if you get the opportunity to meet him or her in person you are fortunate and should use it.

Good luck. Let us know how you make out.

[Kasie]

What a great idea about youtube. I will do that. And I'm going to visit both! Thank you. Keep the advice/experience coming!

[Tom Lawless]

Actually, I just answered your other post without making the connection to this one. You have a lot more experience than me but yeah, YouTube has a couple of real cute little Hahns Macaws on it. I think one is called something like Bundchen (I'm good at butchering names so it may be way off).

[Laura65177]

You are quite experienced so I'd expect when you meet them both you know what your looking for and I'm sure you will have a full explanation on their traits, how long they usually get to spend time with another human.
I couldn't imagine if one got basically all day - everyday attention it would cope well being alone..things like that.

And I agree I never thought to look up youtube to hear birds talk.
I have an Alexandrine so I'm not to worried about how good they talk I've heard so many great things about them already.

Good luck with meeting them both I hope you can choose one confidently.

[Marley21]

Thats so funny, I wan to buy one of my babies at work, either a goffins or a hahns i hand fed, and im leanign toward the hahns because i have 2 goffins already...so if hes still there the day after xmas im bringing him home...go for the one u bond with first, goffins are cuddly monkeys, hahns are very intelligent and goofy

[Kasie]

I'm still deciding. The lady with the hahns is kind of giving me the run around. She asked for my phone number and told me she was going to call me today and never did. I was able to talk to the lady with the goffin yesterday. She was very nice, and a breeder, so very knowledgeable. She is more concerned with the bird going to a good home than he money.

The lady with the hahns said he screams a lot. I know I still have a lot of thinking to do still, but that is definitely helping.

[Lori~D]

well what I would do is research the needs and lifestyle of both species as well as they are very different birds from different types of worlds. Remember Toos have the dust thing as well.