Meyers or Senegal - Help me decide

[SPJ]

Hello all.

I am looking to get a new bird soon and the choices have been narrowed down to either a Meyers or Senegal parrot. It used to include 3 choices but after hearing a sun conures screech firsthand, that was enough to eliminate that beautiful bird from the list.

Can anyone provide specifics of which would be the better choice?

These are my choices since both are small, quiet, and can be found as weaned babies. I am not concerned about the vocabulary skills of the bird.

Now for my concern based upon my research. Senegals can become attached to one person in the house and not like others. Meyers on the other hand tend to like all the people in the house. Since I have kids, my main objective is a family friendly bird that will not be bonded to one person and attack others. This means that the Meyers might be my best choice from my reading.

What would you suggest as the best family friendly bird. The Meyers or Senegal.

Also, if someone could recommend a good breeder in Connecticut or one that could ship via the airlines if the choice ends up being a Meyers, I would really appreciate it.

Thanks.

[Monica]

Between the two, I'd suggest a meyers... don't know much about either, though I HAVE heard a sennie before, and they have a loud pitched screech. The one I had heard wasn't constant, but when he made the noise, man was it loud! Other's say that sennies are relatively quiet, but this one wasn't! I've heard that meyers are quieter...

[poi_lover]

I have both a Meyer's and a Senegal. I think either one make great birds.

I find that my Senegal is more playful. Most of the time, when you hold him, he must have your undivided attention. He loves to wrestle with your fingers while he is on his back. He can bite fairly hard while he is playing, but I'm used to it. He also loves for you to hold him upside by his feet and swing him back and forth. He also spooks easier than my Meyer's. From what I have heard, this is more of a Senegal thing. Stuffed animals are especially terrifying! He loves being with my husband as much as me and hasn't picked one of us over the other. He is also very scared of people that he doesn't know. The only time someone else held him was a woman that was holding her cockatoo and petting it two seconds beforehand, so I guess he realized she was OK.

My Meyer's, on the other hand, mostly wants to be petted. If you are not doing that, she is is usually pretty content to sit and preen. She is a little more laid back. I would describe her as more of a one person bird. She prefers my husband over me. However, when I am alone with her...for instance when I took her to the vet's yesterday...she was as good as gold. I have to work with her to be able to handle her. She will also bite me with a vengance, but never my husband. She used to love me best, but now that my husband stays home all day, he is the favorite. I do not allow her to perch on my shoulder for this reason. I have heard that it is more typical for Senegals to be one person birds, but that is not true here. I think it really depends on the bird. Even though she prefers my husband, she will readily go to a stranger. She will test them to see if they are afraid, usually by whacking her beak on their finger, or if she is in their lap she will get a running start and ram their finger. People who already own birds usually don't have a problem, but for others who jump...well, they might get bit when she finds out she is boss! Unlike my Senegal, she is very tough and doesn't seem to be afraid of anything, even scarey stuffed animals!

BTW, one is just as loud as the other.

[jimpierce7]

My Sennie is quiet as a church mouse.........its the Lovebird thats the noisy one here!! As long as I am NOT in the room Zoey is great with anyone. If I am there she is not quite as loving to others.

[Beaks]

Meyers.

John

[poi_lover]

Just curious, John--why do you prefer the Meyer's? I have both, so of course, I can't really recommend one over the other. It's like picking one of your kids as your favorite! There are different things that I like about both.

[Rue]

...if you want a Poi...I'd suggest the Brown-headed...very sweet...

...but first I'd consider one of the Pionus parrots...

[poi_lover]

Brown-heads are very sweet also. Their personality is about the same as the Meyer's. At least, the ones I've seen.

[Barb E]

6 of one, half dozen of the other....... I think they're quite close in temperment and it will largely depend on the personality of the bird you get and how well you socialize him/her.

I have a 3 yr old Meyer's and I can say he does NOT like my teenage sons - he will chase them and bite them if he has a chance. I think that if they would work with Buddy and spend more time with him this would change.

He does NOT like visitors to our home when we are there - I'm told that he's fine when we are away.

My biggest mistake was in not socializing Buddy properly. He was my first parrot and I treated him basically the same way I'd treated all my budgies in the past.
This was a mistake!

These birds are friendly, curious, love cuddles and being handled by their favourite human.
They are very loyal and will "defend" their human mate.
They are relatively quiet unless they learn the call of a noisey Jay.
Meyer's have the reputation of being bossy - Buddy definitely is! but I like his tenasity.

Buddy's situation is a bit unusual for a companion bird in that he is free-flighted and spends his day "guarding" the first floor of our house.
I think a Meyer's that was clipped and in the cage more would be different.

You're wise to do some research before you decide - fewer surprises!

Good luck with your decision :)

Barb

[poi_lover]

I'm with you Barb. I think it really depends on the bird's personality and how well they are socialized. Many birds of the same species can be totally different. I would look at both and just pick one that has a better personality. Try to get them used to different people when they are younger...that is one thing that can make a difference.