Possibly getting a maxi pionus!

[KDK241]

I am going to meet him tomorrow and I have done a ton of reading about them but would like to hear from people who own one. What are their personalities like (in general of course)? I was told they like to be around you but they aren't too big on being ON you really. What is a good minimum cage size? This guy comes in a cage but it is too small so he will need something bigger. Are there any particular things to look out for? Everything I read said they are pretty quiet birds and aren't big screamers but they are friendly and like being around people. Also, what is the best diet for them? Thanks for any input...I'm so excited!

[Amie]

Originally Posted by KDK241

I am going to meet him tomorrow and I have done a ton of reading about them but would like to hear from people who own one. What are their personalities like (in general of course)? I was told they like to be around you but they aren't too big on being ON you really. What is a good minimum cage size? This guy comes in a cage but it is too small so he will need something bigger. Are there any particular things to look out for? Everything I read said they are pretty quiet birds and aren't big screamers but they are friendly and like being around people. Also, what is the best diet for them? Thanks for any input...I'm so excited!

Wish I could help out with the Maxi, but I'm just learning, too. Pionus Parrot's Website is the website I was given to look over during my research. So, here's my generic pionus information I've been gathering that I would be happy to share with you.

My cage research leads me to belive that 24X30X24 is the smallest cage for a pionus, but I'm researching the smallest species. Some of the bigger guys can handle 1 inch bar spacing, but the White Cap I'm looking at is better suited for 3/4 or slightly smaller.

Diet research: Pionus are pretty sensitive to artifical colorings and things like that, but not AS sensitive as, say, an ekkie. The pionus we're looking at actually has ORANGE poop because they're feeding them the fruit mix Zupreem instead of the all-natural. But, the fruit mix Zupreem isn't affecting any of the other birds that way. Most vets and breeders I could find information from said they actually recommend a similar diet to an eclectus because they believe the pionus needs extra vitamin A (sweet potatos!!!) and are almost as sensitive as a species as ekkies to artificial foods.

I was trying to let someone more experienced answer, but it appears that there are not a whole lot of pionus people on this board yet (I didn't know a thing about them until the last year or so because they are not popular at all down here). There is an entirely pionus forum (search my thread below this and someone gave me the link) but there isn't a lot of information on it as it appears to have the same problem.

[KDK241]

Yeah, I think we found the same pionus forum and I found that site as well. Apparently he was on an all seed diet before she got him but she said he eats his pellets (not sure what kind) and that he is great with his veggies. He definitely needs a larger cage, she got the cage with him and it is only 18x18x18....poor bird! I'm going to meet him at 1:00 this afternoon so we will see how it goes! Thank you!

[Amie]

Oh, I hope it goes wonderfully!!!!

[KDK241]

Me too! I've been emailing the lady and the last email she sent said she talked to a couple people who she thought would be perfect homes but she didn't want to rule me out just yet...gee, thanks That kind of got me down a little but I talked to her on the phone yesterday for about 45 minutes and she asked if I would like to see him so that made me feel better. I understand she just wants to find the best home for him (this will be his 3rd) but she could have worded it a bit better...

[Amie]

Some people don't have phone or email skills. She may not have meant it how she sounded.

BRING UP THE FACT THAT YOU VOLUNTEER AT A RESCUE. Makes you the sexier candidate :)

[KDK241]

Originally Posted by amiestgermain

BRING UP THE FACT THAT YOU VOLUNTEER AT A RESCUE. Makes you the sexier candidate :)

LOL! I did that yesterday when I talked to her on the phone! I definitely think it put me closer to the top of the list.

I went and saw him and he is such a sweetie! He's a little shy about being pet but that's to be expected. She said it took him a few days before he would let her touch him and sometimes he still doesn't. He came right to me with no problems though and after being there for awhile (I got there at 12:30 and didn't leave until 3:00!) he started hanging out on his cage next to where I was standing and not by her. I love the bird but I'm not sure about her. She has 2 sun conures, an amazon and 5 caiques...wow, are they LOUD! She showed me all her birds and I was talking to her amazon when I first got there. He seemed a little shy so I said something about him not being sure who I was. She said that was strange because he usually gets excited when new people come over. As I was getting ready to leave he flew over to me and I was holding him and she got REALLY weird about it. She kept trying to get him to go to her and he kept saying NO!
I told her I would really like the bird and she said "Do you want to think about it for a couple days and let me know?" I wanted to say NO, I WANT THE BIRD but I said ok and told her I would let her know by Sunday. I've been emailing her back and forth for a week now...I've had time to think about it. The main thing that bothered me was that she didn't really let me hold him for very long (in the 2 1/2 hours I was there I held him for about 5 minutes twice) and when I was holding him she would take him back right away and say he seemed nervous...he didn't seem nervous to me, he was talking and preening himself
I don't think anyone else has come out to see him though. She said there was one person who lives 1 1/2 hours away who said she wanted to get him site unseen and she said she wasn't going to sell him to her. I'm kind of happy, but kind of sad..I wanted to bring him home before the weekend so I could be around him more. I REALLY think she wants to keep him and is trying to find a reason to. So I figure I'll be patient (not easy) and let her know on Sunday that I would like to get him and see what she says

[Amie]

Why not let her know tomorrow night? Then you can arrange a Sunday morning pickup and have the whole day with him.

I hope it goes your way. And don't worry, some people just aren't "people" people. . .you know?

[KDK241]

I was talking to my boyfriend and he said the same thing. I think that's what I'm going to do. I figure I will call her tomorrow afternoon/evening and let her know. Hopefully it goes well! She actually got this bird off of craigslist for a friend and I had seen the same ad and called but he was gone....now he is back again so it almost seems like fate (and hopefully it is). I think the thing that is keeping her back is the fact that I don't have any bigger bird experience than with my tiels but the funny thing is, after all the reading I did I knew more about pionus than she did!

[KDK241]

Still waiting and getting a little frustrated! I called her yesterday and told her that I would love the bird and she asked if she could have a couple more days to think about it since she is becoming so attached to him....her exact words were "I know he would be happier with you since you can give him more one on one time than I can with all my birds but I'm becoming so attached to him." She even posted on another board asking about cage size and talking about getting him a larger cage. I emailed her again and even sent pictures of where his cage would be in my house and told her I have no problem keeping in touch with her so she knows how he is doing so I figured I did what I could and can't think of anything else to do. She is a very nice person but it kind of seems like she is starting to think more about how she would feel and not so much about what is best for the bird. I do understand that it is difficult but it's really, really frustrating because I fell in love with this bird while I was there and he seemed like he was warming up to me a bit before I left and sat on top of his cage next to me. Not only that but to have me come out there and I was there for 2 1/2 hours just to turn around and say no...I'm just praying that she will call me and tell me that I can come get him.