i was thinking a cockatiel as they are much quieter and slightly more manageable
but then he selfishly went and got his wife up the duff and she said no bird until the baby stops crying as she doesn't want the parrot making that noise.

how old is he? the link didn't work :(
( rachelswipe with a fork, Fri 1 Mar 2013, 13:53, 1 reply, 12 years ago)

cockatiels are brilliant but they have dusty dander that sometimes gives people allergies
Momo's 5 and a bit, link fixed
(King Zog of Albania lives in Kensington, Fri 1 Mar 2013, 13:55, Reply)

also, don't even think about buying a parrot unless you have LOADS of spare time to spend with one
you've got to keep them amused or they get bored and start pulling their feathers out
(King Zog of Albania lives in Kensington, Fri 1 Mar 2013, 13:57, Reply)

and if you want a talker, get an Indian ringneck, those are ace
www.marnietalk.com/videos.html
(King Zog of Albania lives in Kensington, Fri 1 Mar 2013, 14:04, Reply)

wantwantwant

( rachelswipe with a fork, Fri 1 Mar 2013, 14:05, Reply)

fucking hell why can't people focus, stoopid cunts

( Naked Ape call me Caitlyn, Fri 1 Mar 2013, 14:07, Reply)

totally. we've always had budgies before, and even they need a couple of hours a day minimum
conure/cockatiel would live with my dad, who's retired/works from home. anything bigger than a conure - i don't know, i'm never sure they should be pets really. but i do love african greys.

he's so cute. he's trying.
( rachelswipe with a fork, Fri 1 Mar 2013, 14:04, Reply)

if you've kept budgies then you'll have no problems with a conure or a cockatiel
I always try to talk people out of getting a parrot, I inherited Momo because his owner realised she didn't have enough time to spend with him

also: conures MUST spend most of the day out of their cages, they go INSANE if they can't get out
(King Zog of Albania lives in Kensington, Fri 1 Mar 2013, 14:12, Reply)

cage door open whenever someone is around
Otherwise it's not fair. When we had people round who hated birds flapping, the poor budgie would hang upside down by the door squawking. He didn't understand why it was magically blocked. Although the little fucker did chew everything.
( rachelswipe with a fork, Fri 1 Mar 2013, 14:18, Reply)

people collect milk bottle tops for Momo to chew to pieces
stops him tearing the stove-enamelled paint off his perch

conures can be destructive buggers but so can all parrots, just don't leave them in a room full of valuable wooden carvings or you'll come home to a pile of sawdust
(King Zog of Albania lives in Kensington, Fri 1 Mar 2013, 14:22, Reply)

I guess they're nice and shiny for him. does he like lego? my friend's macaw used to love chewing that. the budgie just eloped with the little lego men
And buried them behind the fucking piano when he got bored.

Actually I'm amazed it didn't swallow the lego and die. Lucky the macaw had more brains than her parents.
( rachelswipe with a fork, Fri 1 Mar 2013, 14:26, Reply)

not tried lego but I dare say he'd just destroy it in seconds
old bog rolls, bottle caps, cotton rope, shreds of old t-shirt, these are the things that make for a happy Momo bird
(King Zog of Albania lives in Kensington, Fri 1 Mar 2013, 14:30, Reply)

so basically he likes to kill stuff. good bird.
Pet supermarket has lots of parrot toys with wood and rope to destroy. I bought one for my friend's chickens once but they just shat themselves and ran away from it.
( rachelswipe with a fork, Fri 1 Mar 2013, 14:32, Reply)

I've wasted so much money on parrot stuff that he's frightened of
aloe vera spray to clean his feathers, terrified him, insulated cuddle tent, he thinks it's a green cat, won't go in his cage if it's there

anyway, imma go fall asleep on the beanbag, gaz me for any parrot advice because I suspect everyone else is bored shitless by this subthread
(King Zog of Albania lives in Kensington, Fri 1 Mar 2013, 14:39, Reply)