Multiple bird species questions?
Category: Backyard Bird Identification
Hi!
Geez, I haven’t asked a question in forever!
When I grow up, I want to own a lot of birds. These are the ones I currently want:
TIELS (up to four)
PARROTLETS (up to four)
BUDGIES (up to four)
QUAKER PARROT (up to four)
LINEOLATED PARAKEETS (up to four)
CAIQUES (up to four)
KAKARIKIS (up to four)
LOVEBIRDS (up to four)
This is a few YEARS from now. I just want to know some things about these birds. Like:
1. HOW WELL DO ALL OF THESE GET ALONG?
I know Lovebirds can be with any other birds. I was just wondering if any of these other species will need to be blocked off?
2. NEST BOXES
I will most likely just have a pair or two of each species, but i was wondering what nest boxe sthey need. I know cockatiels and lovebrids can use cockatiel nest boxes, and most parakeet species can use parakeet nest boxes. Anything extra or special for the nest boxes?
3. PERSONAL EXPERIENCES?
I have three tiels and three keets ( and four keet eggs about to hatch!) so I know about those. I had keets and tiels most of my life. I was wonderign about the other birds, how well are they?
YES, I WILL DO MY RESEARCH! And I won’t be getting these birds until a few years from now. I was just wondering, and jsut wanting to know some things. I will give them vet check ups, food, water, good cages, fruits and vegetables, and things like that. I will most likely have a bird room for them (I have one for the current six brids I have!).
Thanks if you can offer any help.
OH! And yes, I can handle all of the poo. And I want to know which are the loudest (I can handle loud birds, now just ear splitting loud!), and I will have extra cages. I will most likely have a in-home job.
Thanks!
What species of each bird of the best?
Like I know there are several diffent kinds of lovebirds and caiques, but which are the best in you experience?
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Perhaps you just left out a “not”, but lovebirds are notorious for NOT getting along with other birds. see
Nothing that special about nest boxes. Even quakers can use a ‘tiel sized box (metal, or they’ll shred it), though they prefer to build their own giant nests (see ).
The linnies and parrotlets are probably the quietest. The quakers are likely to be the loudest of the bunch, but they’re not that bad. Certainly not in the cockatoo/macaw league, or even amazon/grey.
There’s little difference between the personalities of the two caiques.
Parrotlets and lovebirds vary quite a bit. I wouldn’t call any “best”, but among the lovebirds the peach-faced is probably the easiest to deal with and to breed. Among the parrotlets, see
First & foremost, are you planning on becoming a hermit when you are an adult? I would be willing to bet that there will be men and babies in your life. I don’t know any men these days who are at all concerned about having birds…. AND… you have chosen species that are noisy. REAL noisy… Who is going to pay for all those birds? Caiques easily cost $300 each… some lovebirds can cost over $100. Other birds you’ve named can cost over $500 and that is todays’ prices…. in ten or fifteen years they may cost even more.
“Nest boxes?” So you plan on breeding these birds? Why? Surely you don’t think its going to make you rich? I once tried that…. had over 200 keets, lovebirds, Tiels and Quakers…. It cost me over $300 a month just for dry food, (Seeds & Pellets) I found several pet shops to buy my babies…. but after I saw how they were treated I came home and took all the nest boxes down and threw them away. any eggs and tiny babies I did incubate and raise, but there was no more breeding!
I now and for the last 16 years have been rescuing birds… I”ve rehomed several cockatoos, many cockatiels, lovebirds, parakeets… presently I am rehabbing several macaws and 3 cockatoos… I cannot take on any more because when the sun comes up they get out of their cages and the day begins with many squawks and screeches….
Frankly, I am sure that by the time you are old enough to buy these birds you are not going to have enough time to care for them properly. you cannot keep these animals in a cage all day long every day. Oh yeah, I’m sure you know someone who does… but take it from a LONG TIME bird caretaker, I’m going to tell you straight out; if you cannot be home to keep your birds company at LEAST 4 full days a week, you ought not get any birds, or dogs. Cats can stand being alone much of the time, but dogs and birds, monkeys, none of those can stand being alone all that much and unless you marry a very rich man who loves animals VERY much, you really are not going to be able to do this. Believe me, I am THERE!!! I only have 4 macaws and three Toos and 1 darling little Quaker, but like I already said, they MUST get out of their cages and have something to do besides hang out on your head or your shoulders or your chair like mine do…. no matter HOW MANY toys I make for them… nothing satisfies them more than mom spending time with them. (I am “mom”)
Please for the sake of the birds you want… talk to others who have multiple birds, FIND OUT just how much work is involved before you run off and start buying birds… PLEASE!!!