What can you tell me about a Pionus?

[PowerBBS]

OK, I have lots of questions. First let me give some info. Our local pet store (PetCo) has one that has been living in their store for over a year now, almost a year and 1/2. Because of having the animal for so long, it's been drastically reduced in cost.

Now, this isn't the primary reason we're looking at this new fid, but it is encouraging us, as it will leave us a lot more money towards a checkup and larger cage and for xmas.

Temperment? How do you Pionus owners rate this type of bird? Is it a cuddling bird or more of a "leave me alone" bird? What kind of diet do you suggest for a Pionus? Cage size recommended? Are they noisey? Life span? Typically a nipper or just wants to be held? I know all birds are different, but I'm still looking of how "your" bird is. Plucker and does it like baths/showers? Typical problems? Is it a lunger? Clipped or full flighted (currently all our birds are full flight)? Territorial and does it get a different tempermant during breading season? Typical breading season?

Bascially I want the entire 411 on the bird, as I feel I need to know all this to determine how it will interact with my current flock or even if I should enterain the idea of getting one. I know there are other sources on info on a Pionus, but I want real world information as it's you people who really "know" what it's like and can explain to me so much more as you love your fid! The people at the store do a great job. Before i even start down the road of handling the bird at the store, but I want all the pro's and con's before I make any decision to take on a new feathered friend.

[Snowy]

My friend has one who is very sweet. She is very quiet and happy to hang out by her cage. Pionus is known to not obsessively bond to one person and this one will go to any body. She isn't all that playful though. She just likes to hang out with everyone, but is quite happy being alone as well. Doesn't really talk either, so not what you'd call an entertaining bird, but of all the birds she has (4 other types), the pi is the lowest maintenance and my friend said that if she were to get another bird, the pi would be her first choice. That's partly because of her lifestyle. She is extremely busy - she calls her pi a potato on a perch.

Her pi isn't what I'd call affectionate relative to say, a too. Doesn't demand the attention, but is quite happy being stroked and will sit with you forever.

I've been pumping her with questions because I'm considering getting one as well and she is very even tempered, loves to take showers and watch TV. Not very destructive either - except she loooves to shred paperback books.
Oh, she also has this thing against red baseball caps. You cannot go near her with one on without the risk of getting bit.

Don't know the life span, but I'm guessing pretty long. Breeding season is spring. They eat the typical seed/nut mixture with fresh veggies and fruit.

My friend's pi is clipped - she just walks everywhere. They are relatively heavy birds so am not sure how adept a flyer they are anyway.

[sparkysmom]

IME these are the most easy going sweetest, most underated bird out there. I have a Maximillian. He came from a very neglected, horrible home. Had no handling for at least 5 years. After 11 months he is stepping up. Playing. Being curious. He is pretty neutral and cool to all three of us in the house. But I am his favorite.

He doesn't so much as have an inclination to bite. EVER!

He came to me on an all seed diet and very sick. Now I can say he eats his greens better than all my birds put together. He is an angel.

They are very quiet. As was said they are content to chill on their own and sometimes i think prefer it.

I think they are a very hidden treasure in the avian world.

[PowerBBS]

Originally Posted by sparkysmom

They are very quiet. As was said they are content to chill on their own and sometimes i think prefer it.

I think they are a very hidden treasure in the avian world.

Hmmm... I'm wonder, I'm the kind of fid parent that likes to take his birds out daily for hours at a time to play with them and interact with them. I don't just let them sit there, I tend to continually play, touch, pet, groom, cuddle, train, and cuddle them even more on an ongoing basis. You could say that I basically just don't leave them alone. They have a play gym that I will set them on when I'm cooking dinner, so while I'm eating they're on the gym, but after that, I'm back to high levels of interaction. Our current flock seems to love this, as when we do stop (say during dinner) they're very anxious to get back to us and start up again.

Would you maybe suggest that the high level of activity we typically show all our birds would be most likely too much for a pionus? I just don't see myself letting him just sit there and chill.

[sparkysmom]

Originally Posted by PowerBBS

Hmmm... I'm wonder, I'm the kind of fid parent that likes to take his birds out daily for hours at a time to play with them and interact with them. I don't just let them sit there, I tend to continually play, touch, pet, groom, cuddle, train, and cuddle them even more on an ongoing basis. You could say that I basically just don't leave them alone. They have a play gym that I will set them on when I'm cooking dinner, so while I'm eating they're on the gym, but after that, I'm back to high levels of interaction. Our current flock seems to love this, as when we do stop (say during dinner) they're very anxious to get back to us and start up again.

Would you maybe suggest that the high level of activity we typically show all our birds would be most likely too much for a pionus? I just don't see myself letting him just sit there and chill.

Maybe I misrepresented them. I know that Mackey loves to be out on the play gym now. And if I put him there he will stay there and play. Not like if I put the greys there. If I leave the room for even a minute they fly after me.

He loves when I talk to him and give him scritches. He prefers the interaction to be on his terms. (but not in a bratty way like my greys) Which is fine. I am not inclined to ever force him to do anything. He is coming back to life at his own pace.

But my Mackey is also a little stunted emotionally and socially due to his past home.

I think a well socialized Pi would be happy to interact with you. I am not out to make them sound like a perch potato! ;)

[Alibluemoon]

I think a Pionus is a great fit in any home. They are self-confident enough to adapt to busy and animal-filled lives.

My parents bought our Pionus when I was sixteen because my mom wanted a parrot. Originally she wanted an African Grey, but couldn't find one she loved. Then we stumbled across Max at a store. He was so cute.

He grew up with all of our large barking dogs and fit right in. He used to play a game with my mom's retriever and toss food onto the floor and call the dog. The dog showed up for the food and Max would hang off the bottom of his cage door and bite the dog's nose when he'd look up. You think after a few times the dog would have learned to NOT look up...but the game lasted until the dog passed away.

Although everyone says they don't bond to one person, Max was my mother's bird. He went through a depression when she passed away. He would occasionally talk and interact, but not in his usual manner. So, I got him a new friend, my YNA Gabbi. I think he secretly loves her...he coos to her and they sing together across the room. He's also started learning new words and tricks.

He's seventeen now and is showing no signs of slowing down. He's perfectly healthy and as much of a weasel as ever. He chews up more bird ladders than any other bird I've seen. If I let him, he'd eat one a week.

He has never been a cuddler, but he loves to have his head scratched. He will also climb over every obstacle to get to anyone who has anything with cheese. He doesn't get a lot of cheese, but if he sees it--it's over. It's like the Huns sweeping across Europe...relentless.

I would highly recommend a Pionus. They may be small parrots, but they have huge personalities and can definitely hold their own. Sometimes my Ekkie will end up on a cage with Max and Max will usually scare him off before I get there to separate them. But since Max is the boss bird and has been around the longest, he's earned the right to be crotchety.

Good luck finding a perfect fit into your home

[Markus]

I miss my pi the most. Years ago I had a bronze-winged pionus named JoJo. Before that we had an umbrella cockatoo. Currently we have a sun conure and a cockatiel.

They're great birds, and very underrated. She was very even-tempered. I really can't remember JoJo screaming.. Hooter the cockatoo was properly named. Scotty, the sun conure.. well.. he's a sun conure. After getting used to a 'too.. I can deal with it.

JoJo wasn't destructive and didn't "need" attention. She was very undemanding. She loved being scratched preened and cuddled. She wasn't very acrobatic like a conure, and wasn't apt to do the "3 year old toddler rampage" display like a cockatoo.

[milkevi]

I agree..Pionus are great birds...my BH girl is a great bird..undemanding, quiet, even-tempered, not distructive, and not at all aggressive! She doesn't talk but does laugh, whistle, and make kissing nosies. She is not a real playful bird...she would rather just hang out and watch what everyone else is doing...preferably on my shoulder. She is more my bird, but will let complete strangers hold her - for a while anyway! She is fully flighted, but wa clipped as a baby, she flys very well and land right on my shoulder from across the room. They are definitely not a high-strung bird which IMO makes them a great choice for people who may not have the time to spend with them like some other species demand.

[lilmama]

Funny, I just looked into this thread because I was at Petco today and saw a white capped Poinus. I had them take him out because he just looked to sad and raggedy. He was really calm (I'm used to a sun) and a bit nippy but didn't seem mean. He was $800 and the manager said she would sell him to me for 25% off since he had been there for 6 months and no one seemed to ever want him. I am sure she was lying because I know I have never seen him before and I go in there every couple of months.
Anyways anything you can tell me specifically about a white cap? This seems like a lot, all their birds are really high, $550 for a sun and $1000 for a ringneck I can get a CAG for $750 from the breeder I got Tuc from so that seems kinda rediculous!

[Amie]

I actually came here to learn about them because a PetCo here in New Orleans has one that has been here for a while. He's $700, and is a sweet heart. I was actually goofing off with the conure next to him, and noticed he had come all the way to the side of the cage. . .and when I put my hand flat against the cage bars to see if he'd snap, he offered his head for scritches. My fiance and I played with him through the bars, but I'm seriously considering him now. . . .which may not be a good thing since we've been searching for a Grey!!

I'm going to have to find a book on him or something. He was so wonderful.

p.s. he's a White Cap, too!