#starter bird

[l3o2]

Day#24: Catching up to date, a baby peryton that would be a cool starter "bird", maybe with a psychic or fairy final evolution...

[thebadeepieflock-blog]

As someone who’s cared for many different sizes of birds, from my own budgie to a foster umbrella cockatoo back when I fostered rescue parrots, let me tell you, the size of the bird does not limit the size of their personality and soul. A tiny birdie can be just as loving, lively, belligerent, playful, clever and amazing as a huge one. The price of the bird should never dictate their quality of life. I had spent hundreds on my budgie for vet bills to make sure she had a happy, healthy life, just as I have for my sun conure when she needed it. Big or small, they all deserve to be treated right and they will all love you for it! There’s no such thing as a “starter bird”, they all require love, care, time and expense to give them a good life.

[superbeans89]

Loopigeon, the Out-of-Place Pokémon

Type: Flying

Abilities: Rattled/Tangled Feet HA: Own Tempo

24/37/40/43/40/56

0’10/25cm

3lbs/1.4kg

Often passed by, Loopigeon seems to spend its time spinning around in circles. Other than never getting dizzy, there seems to be nothing special about it at first glance…

Evolves into Paradove at Lv20, and then Readrift at Lv38

[askbirdbloggers]

Hi hi! I've wanted a bird since as far back as I can remember, and ideally I'd like to adopt or (reluctantly,) purchase a budgie. Are they hard to care for? Are they any tips you have? I've spent many days rescuing wild birds, and rehabilitating them, so id finally like to have a babe of my own

Hi,

I personally think budgies are great for first-time bird owners; that being said, they do need proper care and shouldn’t be taken on lightly. 

Because they are smaller, they can be housed comfortably in our homes (though I always say the best size cage is the biggest one you can afford that has the proper bar spacing). They are boisterous and active, come in a variety of colors, and some do learn to talk (not all though, and nobody should get any bird for this reason). They’re not -as- destructive as bigger birds, and they don’t usually get as loud, though the volume they can reach is surprising for their small size (I will see if I can get a video up to give you an idea). The fact that they’re quiet makes them better for an apartment, since they’re not as likely to upset neighbors.

Budgies do need proper diets, lots of toys and avian vet care. It’s also worth saying that while they’re not likely to pluck when bored/sad, they still need attention and mental stimulation. The cost of adopting the bird is only the beginning. For this reason it might be beneficial to adopt two budgies, as they can keep each other company when you’re gone. If you’re absent a lot, this might be better. Having two budgies doesn’t mean you don’t need to pay them any attention, but it gives them a friend when you can’t be there. This does mean they may take longer to bond with you, but it’s not impossible to bond with two budgies by any means… it just takes a little more effort, and in my opinion, it’s worth it.

If you’ve been rescuing wild birds, you should thoroughly disinfect anything the budgie(s) might come into contact with. Wild birdies can have mites, etc, which could easily spread to the budgies and we don’t want that. 

I absolutely, 100% advocate for adopting instead of purchasing. Budgies are often overlooked in bird rescues, but there’s tons of them that need homes. Rescues can tell you more about the birds, and birds in a rescue are more likely to have seen a vet between owners (not always, since rescues cannot always practically afford to send  each budgie to the vet). Many rescues barely charge for a budgie’s adoption; some simply ask you donate any amount. You’ll be giving a budgie (or two) a loving home and relieving some of the burden on that rescue, meaning they can take in another bird that needs help. 

There are tons of great rescues out there. If you send us another ask with your location, I can probably point you to one. 

If you decide not to adopt, I’d go with a reputable breeder before a pet store. Good breeders will breed infrequently, will invest time/money in the health of their birds, and will always take a bird back if you cannot care for it any longer. A good breeder asks YOU questions. 

Pet store birds should be a last resort, and I’m saying this as someone whose budgie came from a pet store. Many stores get their birds from suppliers elsewhere in the country, and a lot of these birds are inbred, to say nothing of the disease risks. Even though some stores -say- they test for psittacosis (a serious threat to both people and birds), they likely only screen some birds, not all, and even chains that do test occasionally have outbreaks. I’ve seen a lot of budgies at pet stores with visible signs of diarrhea, etc. Obviously, it can work out. Nimbus has brought me a lot of hours of joy and she’s a pet store bird, but I would not, for a number of reasons, ever get a pet store bird again. 

—Lucy (bootywraith)

[askbirdbloggers]

Hi there! I'm (hopefully!) about to be a first time bird owner, and I'm stuck deciding between 2 birds: a green cheek conure & a cockatiel. I'm going to be at school 9 hrs a day starting late August, but otherwise I would be able to give my bird tons of love & attention. Which of the two would you recommend for a first time owner?

Hi there,

I would definitely go with the cockatiel in this instance. If you’re going to be gone for a long time during the day, it’s better to choose a bird species which will tolerate being on it’s own better. Budgies or cockatiels are the best at this, in my experience. 

Cockatiels are small, relatively quiet (though you should expect there to be some noise, and it may be louder than you’d think), docile and most importantly, don’t tend to start plucking, etc, when left alone. You should always give the birdie as much attention as you can, of course, regardless of species, but ‘tiels will tolerate your absence better. 

Green cheeks aren’t much bigger, and for conures they’re sorta quiet, but they’re a little more prone to plucking, etc, from what I’ve seen. They’re a little more demanding and when they do vocalize, a bit louder. 

Ultimately the decision is yours, but I would probably go with the ‘tiel in your situation. Be sure to read up on good bird diets, etc, and locate an avian vet near you before bringing your new friend home :)

—Lucy (bootywraith)

[askbirdbloggers]

I'm the anon asking for resources for a future bird owner (didn't mean to be anon before, I must have been logged out?) - thanks so much for the resources! Courtney asked what kind of bird I'm interested in - honestly I am still trying to figure that out! I was actually going to ask if you think there are any birds that are 'better' for a first-time exotic bird keeper, or is it more a matter of finding a bird that matches my lifestyle/available time, money and living space?

You hit it right on the button!

Most people tend to start off with a smaller bird so they get used to interpreting body language and sounds before moving on to a bigger bird but not always.  It really is all about a bird that matches your personality, time, money, and living space just like you said.

As always I recommend volunteering at shelters to get used to handling and working with the birds before you set your mind on a particular species.  This way you can get used to handling, interpreting body language, and see just how much dedication owning a bird takes!

We provided this person with some advice on what birds people generally start with and some details on those and what to take in to consideration when bringing a new bird home!

- Courtney (thepacificparrotlet)