Tell me about your Senegal Parrot!

[anbrownucsd]

Hello All,

I recently realized that I have been giving prospective bird owners advise to get a Senegal, and I don't even know if most of them are like Hermes!

I was hoping that all of you Senegal owners could describe your bird so that people who might be interested in getting one will know what they are going into! So things like: how loud is your bird? how playful is your Sengal? How active is your Senegal? Would you recommend this is as an apartment bird? Is your Senegal overly emotional or more independent?

Things like that will really hope a prospective bird owner make the right decision on whether a Senegal Parrot is right for them!

Here are my answers:
Hermes is very quite, although he vocalizes frequently the volume is very low. He is very playful, but only in the afternoon. He is not as active as a Caique but does run around and get in trouble sometimes. I think that a Senegal Parrot is one of the best kinds of birds for apartment living or new bird owners. He is not overly emotional, although he does get his feelings hurt sometimes . Mostly he is independent type of bird who does not require as much attention as a Cockatoo might.

Thanks for your input,
Ashley

[Snowy]

I've had my sennie for about a month now, so don't know how valid my assessment will be. (Kiwi is now about 6 months old).

So far it's been absolutely wonderful.

Kiwi is pretty quiet. He vocalizes a lot, but it's more trying to talk and not loud at all. (I think he's trying to say "hello") He does have one sharp chirp, but I've only heard it as an alarm call and when I leave the room. --When I leave the room he lets out a couple of chirps and is quiet the rest of the time. In other words, he is a quiet bird - I think my budgie's chirps a louder.

He is very friendly and will step up to anyone (something I try to maintain by handing him off to anyone who wants to hold him.) Not bitey at all (except with my earlobes, for whatever reason). He lets me cradle him on his back and scratch his head - he'll just stretch out and relax and I can do this forever.

He isn't distructive either - so far, he has left furniture alone but loves to shred paper, so I give him lots of appropriate stuff to chew.

He isn't all that playful - I haven't seen many silly antics that I've seen other birds do, but he does get around all parts of his cage and interacts with his toys. When he is out with people, he just wants to sit on your hand or shoulder and hang. Not a whole lot of action there - except at mealtime. His cage is by our kitchen table, so he wants to be out when we're all sitting there. He wants to check out what everyone is eating.

Two things I really like about Kiwi - he is quiet and can amuse himself in the cage and isn't very needy.


ETA: Here's an example of how mellow he is. I just found my 12 yr old DD asleep on her bed with Kiwi perched on her hand. Don't know how long they were like that, but Kiwi was just hanging out. (I removed him, of course--'don't want him squashed if DD decides to roll over).

[donnakris]

Casey is not loud at all. He does fight and holler at his toys while playing but it's cute, like he's arguing with them. He loves laying on his back at the bottom of the cage and playing with his wiffle golf balls. He'll do that for 15-20 minutes at a time. He plays well in his cage but loves to just sit on me. He's not destructive at all. He gives me kisses and just likes to sit on my shoulder while I work on the computer.
He is funny about his food though. I feed the birds first thing in the morning and when I come home from work. Both times, Casey is sitting right where his food bowl is just waiting for his food. If I don't get it to him right away he will start fussing.
He's great though and I think Senegal's are wonderful, loving birds.

[Lindann]

MAx is 16 months old now and a real going concern. He is definitely in his terrible twos and even has spaz fits if he can't have what he wants, which is generally something contraband, like a piece of my jewelry. He eats big, especially fruits and vegetables, his favourites being snap peas, cherries and carrots. Loves his showers and actually goes to sleep with the warm spray playing on his back and head! Destructive--oh my! He shreds wood, cardboard, tv remotes, computer keyboards, t-shirts, pony beads, his toys and he has a hate on for bells. Hand him a bell and he'll fling it across the room and then scream at it. He's not loud, just opinionated! Sometimes we catch him playing on his back and kicking his legs in the air and squealing. He usually does this on his playtop when no one's paying attention to him. He falls asleep on a hanging perch outside his cage each night and gets quite annoyed when I move him into his cage. He loves a game of "Peek-a-bird" through the slats on our bed's footboard, and he yells "Peek-a-bird!" when he wants us to uncover his cage in the morning. He also quacks, clucks, meows, does Donald Duck, and Dr. Evil's laugh. Just this second he said, "Hello, pretty!" in a very sinister voice. He chases the cat (who is very old and could care less) and puts the boots to the dog (also old and disinterested). We bought him a backpack cage and he goes on car rides with us and sits outside with me when I'm gardening. Basically we're crazy about the little green bird and love him to pieces. Sure, he's spoiled, but that's what Sennies are for!

[Sashagirl]

Sydney is 11 year old Senegal that my bestfriend rescued from a Pet Store's crazy cage over 10 years ago.She couldn't keep her birds because her husband was deathly allergic to them so they all came to live with me.Sydney has been through a lot considering when she first came to us you couldn't touch her and would recieve some wicked bites.The crazy cage was a cage where all the unmanagable birds were just thrown in together to fin for themselves.It took quite some time to get Sydney to where she is now.She's no longer spastic when someone approaches her and she no longer lays down and submits.Though she has come a long way I will not leave her alone with any of my other birds because I believe she has some screws missing.Anytime she sees another bird she tries to attack no matter how big or small.I have seen this with my own two eyes.Even my large Macaws are not safe around her.I don't know how long she was in that crazy cage but I think it was too long.Regardless she is here to stay.I have had other Senegals and they were the sweetest thing.Who knows maybe it was just Sydney's rough start in life that has caused her to be the way she is?

Marcia

[emily1m1]

I have 2 Senegals, a male and female. That was a whoops. They were supposed to be 2 females. Chloe the female is 7 and very quiet, gentle and gets along with everyone. Zeke, on the other hand, can be VERY loud and has his moments when he gets nippy. He has a personality second to none. He is funny, loud, a clown. He can do a duck, cat, dog, phone, microwave and other sounds. Neither Chloe or Zeke are real talkers. Oh Zeke is 6. He was a rehome so maybe some of his behavior is because of that? I just think both are wonderful in their own ways. I also have a rehomed CAG and she has a LOT of issues.

[Spangle]

We have had Bumble a male Senegal Parrot for 5 months now, and he is 7 months old. When we got him as a just weaned baby he was very snuggly and sweet. Now that he is growing up a bit he showing such character and spunkiness! He is cheeky, bossy, nippy, scared, funny, demanding and just GORGEOUS!!! He prefers my husband, but with daily handling he is very social with me, but I do get the odd nip! He does have a temper and he can let us know (sorry ME know lol) when he is upset by using his beak. He started his first moult recently and he became very cranky, so I have started clicker training and he has become much more docile. He understands his 'step ups', 'be gentles' and getting to know 'off there'! My bird is fully flighted, and a daily challenge - I would be concerned about children in the house - my step daughter lives in another country so only visits every 6 weeks - Bumble was not very nice to her last visit! I have a budgie, and they cannot be in the same room if Bumble is out, as all he can think of is being aggressive to the little bird.

I think my Senegal Parrot is wonderful - we find him a joy, and yes a challenge....but for us when he is being acrobatic, trying to snuggle under our coats or asking for a cuddle he could not be more wonderful. His favourite toys are shredding/chewing or foraging toys. I love Senegal Parrots!

[JCoscia]

I have a 5 year old Senegal named Bailey. He/she is very cuddly and loves attention. Bailey gets nervous when a stranger, such as a repair person, comes into the house. That will cause him to cower on the bottom of the cage until the person has left. Neighbors and guests that he sees frequently he seems fine with - as long as they do not try to touch him.

Bailey says several words and short phrases. He can be quite loud with a certain screech at times that he will repeat over and over.

Bailey eats a pelleted diet as well as pasta, rice, most veggies and some fruits. He enjoys eating dinner with me and sharing the food from my plate.

My experience with a Senegal is wonderful.

[plunke]

peter paddy is 18mo old now. i picked him out when he was about 4weeks old. he is happy, playful,. steps up, lays on his back in your hand,loves his head scratched ,talking alot ,says his name, "peter paddy", pretty bird, calls my dog's name "gertie", says "good morning "every AM. barks like a dog, rings like the telephone, says"what". He is pure enjoyment. I do work & he gets stubborn & nippy if he doesn't get alot of time out of his cage. I make sure on those difficult days that he is out at least one hour. This seems to keep him content. I'm definitely sold on SENEGALS!!!

[BeansTheBird]

I've had Beans since June and he will be 1 year in October. He was pretty much parent raised, but had one on one time with another breeder for about 3 weeks before I got him.

How loud is he? - When I first got him Beans would scream non stop. I couldn't do anything to make him feel better. Now however, he has quieted down a lot but still screams/whistles loudly every once in a while, usually when he accomplishes something. I wouldn't ever want to keep Beans in an apartment! He can say 'I dunno' 'Hello' and 'Hiiii'

How Playful is he? - Beans loves to play. He loves cat toys (the plastic ones with bells) and big buttons. His favorite thing to do is to hang off his Barrel of fun while oppening and closing it. He's also very active, swinging from toy to toy and climbing all over is playstand.

Beans is pretty independent. He wasn't really used to human contact and strongly preffered males. Since I'm a girl that didn't get us off to the best start. Now though, after a lot of one on one time he comes to me and loves getting head scratches. We still haven't mastered the step up and he's really a shoulder bird. I try to not let him up on my shoulder but then he usually gets mad and bites.

My favorite thing about Beans is that he will whine like my dog when I'm awake but haven't uncovered his cage yet. It's adorable, my dog whines a lot when he wants outside so I'm guessing that's where he picked it up.