My Parrot’s First Day Home: Our Harlequin Macaw Baby

A Harlequin Macaw Baby! 🦜


It was a long day, long drive to The Aviary –exotic parrot store in Miami– where we got Kamuela (Kami for short) and a long drive back…🥱
 
But it was one of THE ☀️ BEST DAYS, Ever!
This beautiful, handsome and sweet seven week-old old parrot is a gem!

🦜What Is A Harlequin Macaws

Harlequin Macaws are a cross between a Greenwing Macaw and a Blue & Gold Macaw — and both these parrots are said to have great personalities and make great companions.

From Spruce Pets: https://www.thesprucepets.com/harlequin-macaws-390836

COMMON NAME: Harlequin macaw

SCIENTIFIC NAME: Hybrid Ara chloropterus x Ara ararauna

ADULT SIZE: 35 and 40 inches long, weighing 2 to 3 1/2 pounds

LIFE EXPECTANCY: 50 years, some may reach up to 80

😱 Me: 3 1/2 pounds? My Catalina Macaw is 2 pounds and she gets heavy on my arm!

🐣 BEAK This!

We have added a new member to the family! This Macaw could outlive me or maybe we’ll spend the next 50 years together! It is special to be a part of his young life. He still has the 🥄 spoon-shaped lower mandible which baby parrots have for catching food more easily when being fed. As he grows over the next months, his beak will bring itself in, matching the top beak.
He still shows his down feathers (light grey) and has several pin feathers (which look like 🦔porcupine quills) sprouting! He’ll never look like this again. Once he is fully-feathered, he will molt feathers once or twice a year, but like our hair that is constantly being replaced, his feather growth won’t show ‘bald’ spots. It will be unnoticeable, with new pin feathers sprouting through.

🔊 That Sound!

He hasn’t been too loud, and ‘croaks!’ Too cute.
On our drive home my husband commented on how quiet he had been, so Kami then  sqwacked loudly in the car!
Oh no! He’s already louder than our Catalina Macaw and he already weighs as much as she does!
The breeder did meet us at the store and he said that Kami will likely be BIG! He pointed to the Hyacinth Macaw in the store, illustrating Kami’s future size. 😱
Mind you, Greenwing Macaws are the second largest macaws, right after Hyacinth Macaws, and the breeder said that this is the size these parrots of his make!
Should I hope that Kami will be a monster big bird (go big or go home!) or should I hope he is a smaller size, like Kailani, so that I can handle him?

☕ My Baby Harlequin Macaw’s Personality

Harlequin Macaws are said to have the mellow, relaxed personality of a Greenwing Macaw and the fun-loving side of a Blue & Gold Macaw, their parents. They are button fanatics, so button-ups beware! You will be hunted down for fun, pulled and — killed!

As with any Macaw, I will need to provide Kami with a steady stream of enrichment (natural branches or palm nuts to beak, brutalize and beat to death) and toys, to do the same.

🐐 Similar to goats that chew the cud, Macaws must beak a branch in order to be maintain their well-being. Since there is no forest in my back yard, my second-best choice is raw, untreated wood from the home-improvement store. I’m getting too comfortable at the home-improvement store, who would have guessed that they would have so many things for my parrots? Wood, PVC, plants…

 

🧸 Keeping My Macaw Company

The truth is that we love animals, and I’m crazy about parrots 🦜

Parrots are highly intelligent and they look at you. They take it all in and Kami is already doing that.

Kami is accustomed to being in a “nesting box” with his sibling. Birds of a feather are always together, so I hate to have him sleep alone, but Kailani can’t be his cage-mate yet. For one thing, she needs to get to know him. Also, his feet aren’t ready to perch or to handle a cage, not yet. Developmentally he is still in his nesting-box phase and needs to have a clean, flat surface that is warm and protective.

No, I don’t expect to be able to put them in the same cage for six to nine months. She’s about one year old, and right now that is too much of an age difference.

So I kept Kami with me for a while tonight. I wanted him to feel the warmth of another body next to him. So that he is safe for the night, he’ll have to sleep alone in his new “nesting box” (a bin), but I’ll put a teddy bear in with him. Tomorrow I will try to spend time with him, again offering a warm body next to him. I’m also going to start to introduce he and Kailani. I’ll go slowly, allowing them to just see each other and hear each-other at first. Kami is still young and is still developing his immune system, so I won’t let anybird in contact with him or his ‘nursery’ for a while. Besides, it would probably just scare him.

No, for now brining Kami home is like bringing home a new baby. There will be feedings multiple times a day and bin cleanings multiple times per day for at least another two or three months. However, babies are harder, can’t leave them alone for two minutes! Still, Macaws are work and baby Macaws are more… but also deeply rewarding, not as rewarding as a baby, but similar 💙

And a new adventure begins…

By Kalyn
Author, The Parrot Bliss Bond, available on Amazon Books & Kindle
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Or on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJFYH9z5cP9XXOta6m1KNRA

The Wonders of an Orange-winged Amazon

This is Julien – He is an 🦜 Orange-winged amazon and he is LOUD! In case you were wondering if an amazon is the right bird for you. You ought to know that it should be expected that they call to the jungle twice a day, in the morning and evening, no doubt calling to their flock! The fact that their flock is right before their eyes does not deter these announcers!
 
We adopted Julien from an exotic bird store. He literally spoke to my husband – saying “Hello” and answering my husband’s question, ‘How are you?,’ by responding “Fine, how are you?” He also extended his foot to be picked up! I now recognize this spark of connectivity as a bird choosing his owner. He was really asking my husband to take him home.
 
So, we brought him home. I hoped that he and Lorenza, my Yellow-naped amazon, would hit it off and be friends-
 
Unfortunately, he wasn’t handled too much because he talks and signs, when he chooses to, but otherwise spends his time alone. My husband is usually the only one who is allowed to approach and pet him, though sometimes he lets me too. When my husband tries to get him to step up, which he wanted to do in the bird store, Julien always answer a clear no! Beak’s up and open – that’s a warning. No means no!
 
Julien’s timid, cowering every time we come near him. Unless, of course, we have dry papaya (which we get from one of our local exotic bird store), a walnut (vet said these help break down fat) or some scrambled egg! Then he cautiously approaches!
 
He’s also a terrible eater! We’re working on getting him to eat more… at first, it didn’t look like we was transitioning well off of seeds and onto pellets. Is he eating? Did you see if any of the pellets have disappeared out of his bowl? It’s been a couple days…
Whew! He made it! Didn’t want him to starve. We watched carefully. We always try to weigh our birds so that we can note significant weight changes, that we otherwise can’t see or feel. We also monitor their droppings and look for other signs to know what issues may need addressing. We suspect that Julien may have been fed a seed diet, certainly this is what birds are fed in bird shops 😞, so we suspect that he may be in danger of having FLD (Fatty Liver Disease) and that he may have low levels of calcium. Eating a seed-only diet, or a pellet and seed mix means that parrots often only eat the seeds. Ironic, the bird store is trying to save money, but they end up wasting a lot of uneaten food…
A seed-only diet certainly does not offer any kind of balanced diet. In the wild, parrots would eat what they can find and what is in season. A natural mix of foods comes easy this way. In captivity they should be provided with a variety of fresh foods, which I define as greens, veggies, (limited) fruits, nuts and some protein (like eggs). Being lactose intolerant, they should have little to no dairy. Unfortunately, that means that you shouldn’t share your pizza with your parrot! 🍕
 
Even though he’s a bit grouchy and cranky, Julien has a very sweet side. He’ll talk and sometimes sing in a sweet, melodious voice – as though he’s whispering a poem or singing us a love song. The look in his eyes is soulful, as though he is happy to be with us and wants more. He’s longing to enjoy his life, if only he could come out of his shell. At other times he starts repeating the word Tiko or Kiko – could be Rico… and I can’t help but wonder if Tiko used to be his name… Sometimes I call him Julien-Tiko.
 
🥕 Then he screams in the evening – Ahhh! We try not to react, as our ears start to ring. Reacting, yelling at him or banging on his cage would only scar him further. This is actually the best time to occupy his beak with anything healthy that he may like.
 
He wants to be loved, like so many emotionally scared parrots, but he is afraid and doesn’t know how. Little by little, we’ll get him eating well and feeling more comfortable. Takes time and patience! In the meantime, we try to make him comfortable, give him the space to begin to understand that he is safe and well taken care of.

Parrot Tarot

Life Is A Mystery: Let’s Have Some Parrot Fun!

Life is a mystery.  People have used things like Tarot cards to try to understand what they are experiencing within that mystery.

I’m playing around today- a lot of our lives are based on Symbolism, a meaning behind a meaning, which the Tarot card utilize. I don’t think Parrot Symbolism or Tarot exists – but, I’m imagining and having fun with the question what if your parrot evoked a certain energy and meaning into your life?

 
You parrot is, like everything else, energy first (scientific fact). So, what energetic frequency does your parrot vibrate at? Each frequency resonates an energy, energies such as love, chance, perseverance, creativity, flock/family, ownership (of their territory) and so on-
 
So, for fun, I’m going to make up a symbol for different parrots over the next weeks. You are welcome to let me know if your parrot matches the symbolism!
 

This week’s Parrot 🦜 Tarot Symbol: Amazon, Parrotlet & African Grey

💜 AMAZON TAROT

Bonded Performers

Characteristics: Bonded, Protective. Emotionally Intelligent.
Behavior: Curious, developing emotional connectivity. Heart-oriented. They sing, learn tricks well and want to form a strong bond with their one mate.
If you have an Amazon parrot, you have Communication and Relationship energies in your life with them. You may be looking for a deeper or more connected relationship in your life or you may be enjoying one. Since Amazon parrots connect a lot by singing, learning tricks and talking, you have the energy of Self Development too. This means that you may have self-development as a strength or something you are looking to improve, and your Amazon can help spark your talents, your heart and ability to connect with others.

💪PARROTLET TAROT

Little Package, Big Punch

Characteristics: Feisty, energetic. Protective and unafraid.
Behavior: Parrotlets are certain as they jump or fly around. They are active, quick to bite, but also very dedicated and loving with their mate.
If you have a Parrotlet parrot, you have unforeseeable power present. Parrotets are the second smallest parrot (out of 402 species of parrot), but related to Amazons. This seems to be evidenced in their fierce attitude. They fear nothing, are intelligent and know what they want. This means you have certainty in you life, a great strength, or you want to develop it. You are probably also family-oriented too and taking care of your family is important to you. You may also be underestimated, a Parrotlet has more punch than their size should allow. A force to be reckoned with!

AFRICAN GREY TAROT

🗡️ A Sharp Wit

Characteristics: Humorous, intelligent and observant. Can also be aloof.
Behavior: Quiet, steady. African Greys move with intent, strike when they’ve asked for a pet and are keep observers and sound-producers. Truly multilingual birds.
African Greys are amazing! In addition to being the best talkers in the psittacine family, they are also multilingual. If then spend time around different langauges they can learn both. They will also know which language you speak, and communicate in that language for you. If you have an African Grey, you probably enjoy comedy, because they have a true sense of humor. You likely know that life can be grand, or it can turn around and bite you, so you have the energy of wisdom and awareness in you home. Intelligence too.
I hope you are having fun reading these! Comment or make a suggestion for a parrat tarot you’d like me to conjure up!

What Are Macaw Parrots Like As Pets?

🦜The Largest Parrot

 
My favorite thing about macaws- I feel like they are soulful birds. Whether it is in a photo or in person, looking into their eyes you can sense a depth; and it feels like they can look straight into you, into your soul. Their plumage is striking, both in it’s colors and the length of their feathers – amazing, mesmerizing. Until they scream 📣 – yikes!
They are the ‘giant parrots,’ of the Psittaciformes, or parrot family. This makes them more poised, more like a person. My macaw wants to relate to me – sure, in some inappropriate ways… but also, he wants to be a part of the flock. He wants me to know that he is bonded with me (we’d say he ‘loves’ me). He wants to feed me!
 

💸 Cuanto? How Much Mula?

Of course, macaws are EXPENSIVE to buy and keep. I need to get mine a 🌳forrest to chew on… plus expensive nuts🌰! Their dietary requirements include nuts, like walnuts, hazelnuts, pistachios – and it gets pricey. They are worth it, of course!
If you are considering a macaw, I think the things you want to consider are:

💩 Their cages need to be cleaned every day. They are the parrot-elephant poopers, meaning that their poops are significant. So, the grate at the bottom of the cage and the pan at the bottom need regular cleaning. With smaller birds you can get away with less frequent cleaning. With macaws you need to clean daily.

🌳 Toys – Macaws go through a walnut quickly. 🌰 crack!
So, you can imagine that a $50 toy lasts them a day, maybe two. These birds need their own budget! We buy raw wood to cut for them and place on their cage- It takes a little time, but it’s far less expensive. It’s not easy keeping up with their chewing needs, which are a need. Chewing wood keeps them happy, calm. It is a must.

🍎 Diet – Macaws require a higher-fat diet than most other parrots. They need to eat some nuts every day, like walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts- and they require some fruits and vegetables daily, in addition to their pellets. You have to grocery shop, just for them!

❤️ Big, Feathered Love

Parrot-pets are often called fids – feathered kids. I don’t think they’ll want to borrow the car when they are teenagers, but they do require the time, care and attention that a young child would require. In return, you’ll have a true feathered companion who will be affectionate, talk a bit — as macaws do learn a some words when they are taught at a young age — and be a true part of your family.

 

What Is A Blue-headed Pionus Like: A Good Apartment Parrot

“Blue-headed Pionus are the most commonly available Pionus species” (Source)

If you are like one of my closest friends, and you are looking into the right parrot for you, you need to look carefully. The cockatoo family is energetic, animated and jovial, but these are the loudest parrots I know of and they require great amounts of love and attention. If you are in an apartment or a condo, you’d probably get kicked out!

On the other hand, the Blue-headed Pionus, native to South and Central America, is easily one of the best apartment parrots you can choose. Why?

Personality

This parrot is sweet, likes people but is also independent. While she requires significant time and attention from her keeper, like any other parrot, she is also good at being on her own.
Parrots are often referred to as “fids,” or ‘feathered-kids.’ This is because this isn’t a pet, like a fish, that is meant to be fed and admired. A parrot is more of a companion, one of the most intelligent animals (scientifically currently rivaling apes) that requires engagement, interaction and mental stimulation in order to be emotionally (and therefore physically) healthy.

Parrots are true companions, but that’s what I like about the Pionus:
“They are very affectionate and although they are not birds that particularly enjoy being cuddled, they do love a head scratch.They are quite independent birds, they are happy to amuse themselves with toys and food without constant attention from the owner. Well-socialized pionus parrots really enjoy interacting with people.” Source: Beauty of Birds

Physical Attributes of Pionus menstruus Species (Blue-headed Pionus)

This medium-sized parrot is an average of 11 inches (27 cm) long and adults weigh around 230-295 grams. Great size!

The Blue-headed Pionus is not sexually dimorphic, so males can’t be distinguished from females. To know the gender, a DNA test is required.

Voice: Sound Level & Talking Ability

Being highly intelligent seems to mean that parrots do what they want, some some talkers, don’t. Yes, a Blue-headed Pionus have the ability, though some simply don’t. Depends on each bird. The Blue-headed Pionus that do talk sound squeeky, but are said to be fair talkers.

https://youtu.be/_GQX_KOf1k0

Feeding Your Blue-headed Pionus

Most parrots fall under the same dietary requirement and should be fed mostly high-quality pellets, as these are formulated to offer birds almost everything they need to eat. Additionally, fresh fruits and vegetables should be offered daily, (no avocados, these are toxic to parrots) with seeds given occasionally as treats.

Birds should not eat many fats, and this is more so true for the Blue-headed Pionus.

This is meant as general feeding information, look for more specific information or contact your avian veterinarian to learn more specifics about feeding your Pionus.

Is A Blue-headed Pionus Right for Me?

This is the right bird for you if you don’t want a ‘noisy’ parrot. If you’ve never had a parrot before, the Blue-headed Pionus may be perfect for you because, in addition to their beautiful blue heads and gorgeous, shimmering feathers in sunlight, a Pionus won’t require the same amount of time that less independent parrots need.

Being a medium-sized parrot, the Blue-headed Pionus can also do well out of it’s cage in your home. Provide him with a couple of perches so that he has his “space” to play, eat and spend time (in addition to his cage) and you won’t have a hard time keeping track of him, like you could with a smaller parrot who can hide in small spaces!

A Parrot-Safe Home

Make sure not to have scented products, such as candles, perfume or air fresheners. My theory is that it’s really bad for them, which is a fact, therefore it can’t really be good for you and me either! Also be careful to not use Teflon cookware, as the fumes can be extremely hazardous to parrots (can cause death).

For more on Keeping A Healthy Parrot, check out our blogs on Healthy Parrot.

Promoting healthy, fun and responsible Parrot Bliss Journeys with your fid~
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What is a Peach-Fronted Conure Like?

Kiwi – Peach-fronted Conure
Is This Parrot Like Other GCC (Green Cheeck Conures)?

This is Kiwi, who is supposed to be a female Peach-front conure, but someone who has dealt in the bird world told us that his guess is male. Oh no! I wanted to get Kiwi a male mate, should I get a female instead, if I can even find one?

Oh boy! Conures are not sexually isomorphic, which means you can’t tell the males apart from the females. Time for a DNA test! The friend we got her from became ill and had to downsize her flock. Our friend said that Kiwi is female and that we’d be hard-pressed to find another Peach-front conure to be her buddy, since Peach-front conures are rare. We like for our fids to have a buddy because birds are highly social and generally live in large flocks with many other birds.

What is a Peach-front Conure Like?

Kiwi is very sweet. Typical to conures in general, she is very people-personable. She’s my daughter’s, but I like to bring her with me in the car sometimes.

Kiwi is great because she doesn’t bite (meaning that she’ll beak you, but she won’t hurt you). When Kiwi and I are away from the flock, she talks to me, like when we go places in the car. All of a sudden she’ll start squeaking or clicking her beak. I respond with a question and we engage in a conversation – not that she uses words, she chirps, sings and tweets.

I find conures to be very mellow, and Kiwi is too. They are very happy to hang out on a shoulder, see the sights and enjoy some attention. Sometimes they groom themselves, sometimes they fly off to see someone else or play with something they see.

Peach-front conures are not the same species as a Green-cheek conure, which confused me at first because they are basically the same size and weight. Peach-front conures belong to the clasification Eupsittula; Green-cheeck conures belong to Pyrrhura. Not that I can pronounce these!

Parrots are blissful to look at because their display of colors is mesmerizing. Physically Kiwi’s peach-orange and then blue coloring at her crown are stunning! My daughter loves the lime-green coloring on her front.

Conures can be loud birds, but Kiwi isn’t really. The most I hear out of her is when we are on a car ride. I greatly enjoy this about her. My other birds don’t get vocal in the car. It feels like Kiwi is interested in developing a relationship with me, so she takes advantage when she has me sitting as a captive audience.

Having a Peach-fronted conure is easy. They are good eaters, she eats her pellets, veggies and occasional treats. As I said, she’s not too loud so that I think she’d be fine in an apartment, and she does fine with other birds, meaning she just does her thing and enjoys her toys or her time with us. In these ways, she is like other GCG. Her temperament may be a little more mellow; you could say that GCG are a little more playful and curious compared to her.

In any case, Kiwi is a beautiful, breezy girl! (Or so we’re told!)

 

Breakfast Eggs For My Yellow-Napped Amazon

Eggs For Lorenza, Amazon Parrot 

Meet Lorenza, my Yellow-napped Amazon who is on a strict diet because she has FLD (fatty liver disease). The vet said that eggs can be on her diet, and she gobbles them up! Eggs are a complete meal, minus vit C, so I figure, it’s got to be good for her. Hmmm… I don’t know if the vet meant she could have them daily, do you? 

https://youtu.be/ml5ZsKdqp4A

How Lorenza Joined the Flock 

My daughter, Xelha (pronounced Shell-ha), is a bird expert, so one of her favorite pastimes is to visit our favorite exotic bird stores on the weekends. Last fall, we were visiting one and saw Lorenza. She spoke to me, saying “Hi” and “I love you,” from inside her cage. I figured she did this all of the time, I didn’t really think that she loved me! We walked to the next isle of birds and my daughter pointed out that Lorenza didn’t stop watching me. She turned in her cage to face my direction until I circled back around to say hello again. She was a character and certainly had my attention. However, I wasn’t planning to get a bird, let alone an Amazon. I have heard that they are loud, demanding and, of course, they are big which means you need a big cage for them. So, we went home. 

 But I couldn’t stop thinking about her. I had sent my husband a Marco Polo of Lorenza talking to me, which I watched several times that afternoon. That night I couldn’t sleep. All I could do is think about that Amazon… too much money. Too much responsibility. I already had the best bird in the world, a Caique named Phoenix who was with me all of the time. 

 The next day I felt tormented. Was Lorenza choosing me? Why couldn’t I stop thinking about her? I felt like a five year old that asks for candy over and over and over…  

 Did she like me? Can you turn down an exotic bird that choses you? Why me? “I’m being ridiculous,” I told myself.  I tried to focus on work and let the idea go. I guess I kept talking about her though, because around lunch my husband asked if I wanted to go get her, and we did. 

 Lorenza delighted us on the drive home. She leaned toward me in her carrier cage, which surprised me. My husband and I were in a daze of amazement and wonder at having just purchased the largest bird we’d ever had, when we were further surprised as she laughed along with my husband! 

Adjusting to a New Home 

I thought that Lorenza was a scared bird, so I cautiously took her out of her cage to hold her that night.  She seemed slow and cautious as she came to me and let me pick her up. No one else was allowed to approach her, they really still aren’t. Maybe she’s wasn’t a scared bird, just a temperamental one! 

 A couple of months went by and Lorenza was making herself at home. She let me pet her and liked spending time with me on her perch or on my arm. As our first big bird, we didn’t realize that she wasn’t active, which is a-typical for a bird. Xelha and I started to notice little things. Her feathers seemed to be getting brighter and she looked like she’d lost weight. We tried to analyze her poops, which you are supposed to do to monitor your bird’s health, and we thought they looked like something was wrong. Once we had enough clues that gave us an uneasy feeling, we took her to the vet.  

Pizza is not for birds! 

Fortunately, our vet is a world-renowned avian doctor, Dr. Susan Club. Unfortunately, the prognosis was that Lorenza has FLD, which will be an on-going issue. It can be common for Amazon parrots to get FLD when their diet is too high in fats, which they tend to get from seeds. Birds are funny in the sense that a lot of them can live as long, or longer, than a human, but they can’t tell you where they’ve been or what’s happened to them, even when they talk. Dr. Club guessed that Lorenza was around 10 years old, which is what the seller had said, but there is no real way to know a bird’s age. She may have had too many seeds in the bird store, but, more likely, her previous owner also fed her seeds or fatty human foods, like pizza. 

 That’s Lorenza’s story. She really did choose me, which I think is so cool. Now I can see why, I eat like a bird, so we have more in common that you’d guess. She’s a happy bird, unless Xelha or another bird are close by (Lorenza gets jealous). A better diet has meant that Lorenza now moves around, trying to bite at and rip things up, which is healthy bird behavior. She stretches her wings, another normal part of a bird’s routine, but something we had not seen her do those first months. I hadn’t know that her wings held red and black feathers until Dr. Club was giving her an exam and opened her wings!   

Lorenza tells me when she wants some of what I’m eating, “Want some!” She also tells me when she wants to be picked up, “Wanna come,” and says “Bye-bye” when she knows I’m leaving the house. I enjoy meditating with her in the morning, perching her on my shoulder for a walk around the block, sharing my morning eggs with her and petting her so that she fluffs her cheek feathers out, like a chipmunk. 

 Yes, parrots make great pets. Of course, it’s not all fun and feathers. I used to travel the world- no more. I used to clean when the moon was blue- now my broom is blue and it’s become attached to my hand. Still, the poop, seed and cage cleaning are all worth a BFF – best feathered friend – bond. 

 

 

The Most Undervalued Parrot

Why Budgies Rock:

In captivity, they offer the most color variety of any
psittacines (parrots).

The Budgies that talk take on some of the largest vocabularies of all parrots.

They are some of the easiest birds to take care of.

And they are undervalued and under-priced!

Budgie Or English?

Budgies come in two ‘varieties,’ which are Budgerigars or English Budgies. The difference is that Budgies, which originally came from Australia, are 7 to 8 inches from beak to tail and are yellow and green. English Budgies, which were bread in England to be show birds and pets, are usually an inch longer, their feathers are fluffier and they come in just about every color in the rainbow.

What Budgies Offer Over Other, Larger Parrots

It’s hard to believe that one of the smallest birds in the parrot family is also one of the best talkers, which people love and find endearing:

“… and many times they speak with greater clarity and broader vocabularies than larger parrot species such as Macaws and Cockatoos. While their voices are small and gravelly-sounding, budgies have an impressive ability to pick up on human words and phrases, and even using them in proper context sometimes.” Spruce Pets

Budgies, given time and attention from their keepers, can be great talkers, like Disco, the famous taking Budgie:

A Perfect Parrot To Keep
@ 1.1 – 1.4 oz (25 – 36 grams)

Poops
Budgies are also the perfect parrot because of their size. It is easy to spend time with them as they ride along on your shoulder or perch on almost anything else. Their small size means only small round poops, which you can usually just flick off and see no trace of. Compare that to larger parrots, who’s poops we call ‘elephant poops’ because there is so much more, it splatters when it hits the floor and is wet! Gross!

Big Personalities
Budgies are quite personable, even for being some of the smallest. Their intelligence will amaze you, along with their preferences and their ability to connect with you. Tune into your little pal and you’ll get to know where they want to go, how they like to play, what fruits or veggies they prefer and how they like to chatter with you!

Little To No Trouble
Most importantly, their size also means little to no damage to your home and your wallet. While cockatoos, being some of the largest and most active parrots, can eat your kitchen cabinets, Budgies are unlikely to hurt you or any part of your home. You can let them fly around (as long as there are no open doors or windows) with the confidence that your home won’t turn into a poopy-half destroyed jungle-like mess.

And, since Budgies are around 25 grams, compared to a lot of other pet parrots that can range from 80 to 500 grams (80-156 grams is a range for Green Cheeck Conures, Indian Ringnecks, Quakers, Caiques; Amazon Parrots, African Greys and other ‘medium’ sized parrots are around 400 to 600 grams). This means a lower food budget.

You can easily share your fruits or veggies and you can get away with just a bag or two of parakeet food each month for these low-cost, highly-rewarding guys!

Budgie Purchase Plan:

Scrape $60 dollars together (cage, food, cuddle bone) plus $20 to $80 (bird purchase) to purchase your first Budgie, which will be one of the best animal-companions you can have. Budgies, which come in a variety of colors, cost $20 on average. English Budgies cost $80 on average. The price difference is due to their specialized breeding.
My experience has been that ‘traditional’ budgies are smarter, so their price is super under-valued.

Give a budgie a mate if you aren’t home much or don’t have a lot of time to dedicate to them, doubling your bird budget.

Even with a mate, I find that they still bond with their human companions, when time is spent with them. If you do, you’ll have one of the best, sweetest and smartest companions!

Life With Parrots: What They Are Like As Pets

ENTERTAINING, DEMANDING; LOVING, BITING!

Let me start by telling you that parrots can be ‘pets’, but they are far more. Nothing like a pet fish in a bowl. ‘Companions’ is a better word…  What word do I use to describe an intelligent feathered-being that you bond with, that sometimes reads your mind or mood and that wants to engage with you? That is demanding, to the point of tantrums and screaming, but sweet, holding your finger with his foot. Let’s not forget, they generally also want to groom you too – so watch any beauty marks, they’ll pick at them, and don’t open wide because they’ll clean your teeth! Of course, they love you too- who else would preen you? Many parrots mate for life and choose one bird, or person, as their “bond.” This makes you special.

When I got married, my husband told me that I should experience the love of ‘man’s best friend.’ Our dog knew when I was sad and consoled me, raced us home when we rounded the corner to our house and even protected our second dog by stepping in to break up a dog fight. She was exceptional! We had one of the best dogs there ever was, so I know what a loyal, intelligent and amazing animal a dog can be. Birds can be like that, they are loyal, tuned into you and protective of you, but in a different way.

THEY WANT TO BE WITH YOU & THEY ARE EXCELLENT AT COMMUNICATING

Parrots express themselves, sometimes screaming for attention. Other times communicating what they want. Some parrots, like my yellow-naped Amazon, Lorenza, express with words in English. When I first brought her home, I sat at the table eating my salad and I heard something, which I didn’t pay attention to. Then I heard it again and again. I started to listen, was I hearing Lorenza saying “Want some?” Yes, I was. Wow! So, I went over and offered her some salad and sure enough! She only says around five things and some like “Hello,” is said for attention. But she also tells me when she wants to be with me, “Want to come” and says “Bye-bye” when she knows I’m leaving, when she wants me to hang up a phone call or when she wants someone else to leave because she wants all of my attention.

Key Lime, our budgie (also called a parakeet), we haven’t taught to talk. Some budgies develop the largest vocabularies that rival an African Grey’s vocabulary, like Alex or Griffin (famous African Greys that talk), others simply don’t talk. Even without words, Key Lime is great at communicating. She was out of her cage one day and flew into another bird’s cage. I can’t recall how I knew, but she made it crystal clear that she liked this cage and the cozy (a soft, fabric tent for birds to sleep in). Now, I could have gone against her wishes, since it was someone else’s cage, but I figure that when a little bird-lady so clearly tells you what they want, well, it’s for a reason. Within two days of switching her cage she and her mate had their first two eggs!

THEY WATCH YOU

I have to be smarter than my birds, I’m going to insist upon it because science says I am, but the argument against me can be made against me. I’m trying to learn to read bird body language to understand what’s going on with my birds -and to avoid getting bit. It’s very important to me to keep my own skin and blood! Nevertheless, they quickly learn my body language- and sometimes they learn to speak my language, English. I get bit. Old dog and new tricks…

Don’t worry though, it happens when you’re new to birds or new to a bird. We re-homed a pair of African Greys and I’ve only been bit a couple of times. Nothing too bloody. Lorenza, on the other hand, I am learning to read, since I spend a lot of time with her. Just the tilt of her head seems to tell me “yes” or “no”; I no longer worry about her biting me. I can even pet her without watching her the whole time – which I would never do until I got to know a parrot well. Super well.

I had a sweet caique that died on me – cries. She and Lorenza have been more than friends to me; with them I have/had a deep connection that rivals my dog’s, but their size and the way about them is a bit more ‘human.’ I believe it has to do with their intelligence, it is easier for us to relate to them (Read a blog about their intelligence versus other birds HERE

They are more readily able to talk, they have preferences, share their lives and their wants with you – and, as their bonded pal, they expect you to share your life, your food and your time and love in return.