Finding the perfect parrot species

[MustardMan]

Hi everyone,
I'm James, owned by two dogs and two cats, and have been doing some homework looking for my first bird. I've already spent plenty of time thinking about keeping the bird safe from my other pets and know the whole spiel about time to be spent with a bird, cleaning, etc etc etc. What I'm hoping to gather by joining up and asking questions here is more information to compare a few birds and decide which would be best for me. Let me tell you a bit about my situation so you have an idea what my needs are...

I work full time, so a bird that requires constant attention is right out. I need something that will be able to entertain itself while I'm away at work, but is still outgoing enough to enjoy spending time with me when I come home in the evening and take it out of its cage. This rules out the big macaws for sure.
I also don't want to encourage any predatory thoughts from my cats - even though they won't be allowed access to the bird, I'd sleep a lot better knowing there's not a little "eat me" sign hanging over the bird. For that reason, I've eliminated from consideration any of the smallish birds like budgies.
I similarly have to rule out any bird that's prone to feather dust, like a cockatoo, african grey, or cockatiel, because I suffer from pretty severe allergies.
I'm intrigued by amazons, and have met some really outgoing birds at the pet store, but everything I've read about their mood swings and horomonal agression has me pretty scared of them. Perhaps there are some types of amazons that are calmer and more suited to my environment, but I'm not holding my breath. I also live in a townhome, so I'm pretty worried about the noise one of these bad boys can produce. I've ruled out most of the conures for similar worries about noise.

So, here are the few birds I'm thinking about at the moment...

Mini macaws - I've met a few Hahn's and they are like little clowns. They are goofy, cuddly, and just plain fun. The information about them online seems a bit conflicted, so I'm not sure how well a Hahn's would cope with being kept alone in a cage while I'm at work. The yellow collared is also a beautiful bird, and what I've read about their temperament puts them in a similar category as a Hahn's. I'd love to meet a few yellow collared and see them for myself.

Poicephalus - Most are too small for my tastes, but the Jardine's is pretty interesting. They earn high marks for their reputation as quiet and somewhat independent. I've read they can be sort of stubborn and nippy. I haven't had a chance to meet any of these yet

Alexandrine parakeets - I met one of these at a pet store today, and he was a really sweet bird. Not nearly as cuddly as the Hahn's, but everything I've read seems to indicate that they are pretty independent and able to entertain themselves with a few good toys. This is reassuring for when I'd be away at work. Again, reports are very conflicting on their noise level - some say they are great quiet birds and others say they tend to be loud. Either way I don't expect them to be on the level of the conures.

I'd love to hear everybody's thoughts on these various species - which are best at entertaining themselves? Which is the best talker? Which is the most amusing, goofy pet? There are a lot of different factors to weigh, and I want to make sure I get the perfect bird for my lifestyle. I'm sure there are other birds out there that also fit my needs, so if you're familiar with any, I'm all ears! I look forward to hearing everyone's opinions.

[CALVINS MOM]

Hi James - welcome to BB! Whatever your decision, go for personality and NOT talking ability. Talking is a bonus. My favorite line is this: A bird that talks is not a reason to go to the bakery; rather, it is the icing on the cake. That having been said, I think you have chosen three great parrots. Jardines are great parrots. Mini macaws are also great birds. I think macaws are more independent than most species. Alexandrines are nice birds and, yes, they do not tend to be overly cuddly. A caique is also a fabulous bird - they are likewise independent and love to entertain both themselves and their "flock" members (you). They may be too small if you are looking for a larger bird, but they are a lot of personality in a little body. They are the clowns of the bird world. I never recommend an Amazon as a first bird. You need to "work up" to an Amazon. They also can tend to bond to one person or one gender. I would stay away from cockatoos due to your schedule and the fact that they can certainly be loud.

You've come to the right place, and I am sure your question will generate many responses and many that may conflict with my suggestions. Good luck!

[The Outlaw]

I'm no fan of the Hahns, so I can't recommend them. I've seen too many spoiled and plucked Hahns macaws. They are much less charming when they take a bite for spite.

You might want to check out the Illigers. They aren't easy to find, but they are lovely little creatures. I have a Severe. They are wonderful in the right homes and awful in the wrong ones. They are very pretty and extremely intelligent. However, they tend to love only one person and can be very noisy. I wouldn't take $5,000 for the one I have, but I wouldn't add a second one either.

Have you considered an eclectus? They can be wonderful companions. I suspect that if you visited a good breeder and spent some time with an eclectus, you'd fall head over heels in love pretty quickly. Many prefer the males, I actually prefer the females.

[MustardMan]

I did look quite a bit at the eclecteus when I first started looking. Their dietary needs kinda scared me, this being a first bird I'm already somewhat overwhelmed with all the new things to learn with caring for a bird, that I'm hesitant to add one more thing to worry about. They are certainly some of the most beautiful birds I've ever seen!

I haven't looked much at caiques or Illigers yet, but I will definitely take a look at them.

[The Outlaw]

Frankly, if you properly feed any parrot, the eclectus is no more labor intensive than the others. A good fresh diet is the way to go. I feed all 10 of my birds, from macaws to greys, the same diet that I fed my ekkie with a few additions here and there.

[bekfreak]

Red Fronted Macaws are nice too. They're on the small size, and they're pretty sweet little guys who think they're Greenwings.

[MustardMan]

I just realized I left one thing out - while I wouldn't be taking a bird to work with me on a daily basis, once in a while I'd like to be able to take it along when I have a day where I'll be doing mostly paperwork and staying out of the lab. For that reason, a bird that copes pretty well with change would be a big plus. I already travel on occasion with the dogs, so a bird that will get really freaked by environmental changes probably wouldn't be a very good choice.

[CALVINS MOM]

I have taken my eclectus on a number of occasions to work with me. They are very quiet birds and tend not to bond to one person - great family birds. I didn't recommend them since I thought you were looking for a bird with a "clowny" type of personality. If you don't mind a nice, docile bird, an eclectus is the way to go. I have six! And, like The Outlaw says, the fresh diet is a must for all birds if you want to maintain good health. It's really not as hard as it sounds.

[MustardMan]

I've done some more reading on some of the species you folks have brought up, and it's given me a lot to think about. There are a couple of bird shows coming up in my area next month, so I will be visiting them and trying to interact with as many birds as possible to get a better feel for the different personalities.

All of this is long-term research, as the earliest I would even consider purchasing a bird would be after the new year, so I feel comfortable taking my time and learning as much as possible in the meantime.