Hi from a new soon to be owner

Difficult to answer as whichever bird you choose the bird usually decides who is their favourite person and if you wife is at home all he time she is likely to prefer a bird that would prefer her, that she can handle and have out of the cage during the day at various times. For most of us it's pot luck I'm afraid, and also why so many of us end up with more than one parrot ! After that the 'parrot big' takes over !!
 
the problem with parrots are they are all individuals, the Senegal's I have, Sparky is good with me providing I read his body language he has bit me twice and I do call them Draculas with wings or clingon's, I will say a one person bird, Niblet will go to any one young old male or female. I have had one bite but that was my fault, I normally bring him to shows with me, Terry I share with a elderly person, he love her but also gets on well with me, they can be very loving and I find them easy to train, good if in a cage for long times providing they have plenty to do. one bird I recommend for some one having a busy life style I looked after a female that was extremely loving with any one, on the down side is these birds are very popular around kent so i find I get calls regarding them attacking others, this is normally controllable with training not only the parrot but more the owners. Have you looked into Meyer's parrot, very similar species but not flighty and a far calmer bird?

The green cheek conure is know to be nippy in its younger years as are many conures, are, they will grow out of it but the nips are not bad as they love a bit of rough play. they can become very loving birds and normally do not choose a favorite and attack other members, I have several species of conures my favorite is the Sun Conure but the only problem is they can give a loud sharp call. mne often ends up sleeping with me. I have found the Pineapple the less nippy of the green cheek's

the Caique, my experience with these is rather limited to a few birds they are very boisterous and also like rough play, they are comical but to be honest I will rather see them with another caique they can play with, the ones I have looked after have been friendly but also destructive so its important that they get a lot of stimulation, we have a few members that can tell you more about these birds and there ways
 
you should not keep female senegals together, but I was talking about other people being attacked, they need attention while they are out and can be very flighty, as with any parrot they should be taught that they cannot fly through glass or in to mirrors. they love to be high up in a cage, they love snuggle huts to sleep in (always check that they are in good condition as they can slowly destroy them and cotton threads left gas been known to injure a bird or get a bird tied up in it. I do have corner cages but I only use them in the garden, they do prefer cages on stands than cages that go to the ground. I would not advise getting a corner cage for any of the species you have mentioned.
 
if a cage goes to the floor the birds you are looking at will not fill so safe, a corner cage dose not give so much room inside for the toys and flapping space they will need, its hard to arrange the cage to provide both, with the perches being in a positions as well as the toys so your bird dose not poop in it feed bowls. the cage from Montana looks great. toys one end giving room for the bird to strech its wings the other end
 
Personally I would never go for a corner cage, as Michael says they look big but really are only for small birds due to the limited space. Strangely enough I bought that cage but a size bigger for my cockatiel and parakeet (small birds), they were really unhappy with it, so it has gone.

I would buy a 2nd hand original Montana rather than new now, Montanas are not as good as they used to be, sold out to Liberty, standards plummeted.

I think you need to wait though until you decide which bird you are having before looking at cages.

This is my own opinion but an Orange Wing Amazon is my favourite, the clown of the Amazon world. Not too large a bird and appears to adapt easily and can be won over by the whole family, if given time and the correct treatment. (see the picture above my name)
 
Kendra Cockatiels and Bourks will prefer cages going to the ground, they are ground feeders, Senegals and meyres and conures do not like to rest to close to the ground and will hardly use the bottom of a long cage, if the cage is away from the floor they will gladly play at the bottom with foot toys
 
What is it about OWA?, Chorley hardly goes in his cage and is never shut in at night whilst others are. He is the least destructive of all the birds, but every birds I have has bitten me at some time which I think is normal and the human not reading them correctly.
 
All birds can be noisy, I got Charlie owing to his phone rings, but most of the time he talks and at the moment is my best talker in the flock, they mainly settle in a home easy although you can get them whom get scared but love and attention always wins these birds over, Conker the female is not a talker and was very nervous when i first got her, She now lets me handle her and trim her nails and neither have ever tried to bite me in fact I have never been bit by a orange wing. they are nosy, will watch you like a hawk and try to see what you are doing, as there character they are more stable and than the greys, they can take a little longer to gain full trust I think it took me about a year with Conker but Charlie took to me within a month, they like attention and will rather keep away from strangers or people they do not trust than bite or attack. ok every one can be different and we can only go by our experience . they can live a long life I cannot say anything bad about the ones I have kept but training is a must. mine that i have had or kept have never been destructive, I am sure other members will give there findings including Kendra whom I know is just as nice
 
No I am in Kent, if you was closer I would invite you to meet my flock, it will give you a better idea of some species and let you know more about what you are about to let your self in for Ha Ha
 
Just to give the other side of owas I have 2. Both are rescues. My first one is very wary of strangers and really hates men. He will happily lunge and go for any one he doesn't like the look of if they get too close.
He is noisy and destructive. He had a very bad start to his life and was treated appallingly by males before he came to me. It took him a good 6 months to settle in which is when his vocals came into play lol. He is trsined to step up and fly to me. To put his feet up for me to inspect and put a foot through the bars where I can hold onto it and check nails etc if needed. He is also trained to raise his wings up when asked. Amongst other fun tricks he's picked up for treats lol.
He does not talk.
In the time I've had him I've introduced him to my family and friends and he is very much a one person bird. He took an instant dislike to one of my family for no reason that we can tell. He was originally kept in the house as a pet but I found he preferred an aviary where be could be as destructive and noisy as he liked. I am the only person he respects but even then he will test me at times and during breeding season I avoid going into his aviary wherever possible as he has lunged for me plenty. Not his fault as he now has a partner in crime who he is protecting.

Which brings me onto my other owa again a rescue. But whereas Rocky was 5 when i took him on Lex is more likely to be approaching if not well into his 40's. He is not a young bird by any means and it shows in his attitude and behaviour.

Rocky is boisterous and destructive and always up to mischief and Lex is very much the old man of the group and he likes to do his own thing. He is very laid back and again will happily come to me for treats but I have never taught him to step up. Mainly as he was meant as a pal for Rocky rather than a pet for myself. Rocky and Lex have bonded extremely well. I can still handle Lex when he needs to go into a travel cage and he is much more relaxed about it. Likewise he isn't too fussed about people. Now I have seen him aggressive with people but it has been very specific people. Since being with me he hasn't lunged at anyone and he rarely growls - normally if Rocky winds him up and he's had enough!
He is a very laid back sweet bird.

So every bird is different and there is no guarantee you will get one that loves all the family or indeed tolerates certain people.

Likewise sometimes taking on a rescue can be beneficial as you tend to know their behaviour and personality better. Babies are cute and fun but then they hit maturity as they can do a complete 180. The person they loved before they will now fly across the room at. That's why you see a lot of birds being rehomed around that age. The terrible 2s can be very testing and they will test you and bluff you and even bite you. It's down to how you react that will help shape their behaviour.
 
If you join the Parrot society UK you pay a small yearly sub. You will receive a monthly mag where breeder of all specie advertise. Also interesting articles in there too.
You may it worthwhile to join. I think it's approx £24 a year. You can join on-line (sorry if I've mentioned this before I know I told someone a short while ago - it may have been you!)
 
If you join the Parrot society UK you pay a small yearly sub. You will receive a monthly mag where breeder of all specie advertise. Also interesting articles in there too.
You may it worthwhile to join. I think it's approx £24 a year. You can join on-line (sorry if I've mentioned this before I know I told someone a short while ago - it may have been you!)
Brilliant idea ... I think I will subscribe too
 
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