Not really a photography related post. I've been wanting to get a little bird as a pet - a budgerigar (aka, parakeet). Anyone else here have birds as pets? What do you think? My wife isn't so sure - it's gonna take some convincing. Anyone?
We had a couple "budgies" as family pets when I was a kid... My sister also has kept them for many years. My best buddy has a pair. They are very sociable, and if they are paid attention to and trained, they can be taught to talk. In short, they're a lot of fun.
My sister's husband taught theirs to say "birds don't talk!"
Ask at the petstore if they will take it back after 2 weeks. It might turn out that Mrs. Pax is right! Or if not, she may not have the heart to not let you keep it.
We love them. If you really want something cool get a male Canary they sing like crazy :) Keep the cage near a window that gets morning sun and there is nothing better to wake up to than a male canary singing :) The females are not singers. I use to breed Red Factor Canaries and sell them.
If you do buy a bird buy one that is hand raised! they are so much better. You are better off finding a local breeder than buying from the pet shops!
We now have 1 parakeet (female, the male passed away) and 1 Alexandrian Parakeet (Large parrot type bird) She talks and chats all the time.
Edit:
My love for animals comes from being a Head Animal Keeper at a municipal zoo for 7 years :)
Originally posted by StevePax:
Not really a photography related post. I've been wanting to get a little bird as a pet - a budgerigar (aka, parakeet). Anyone else here have birds as pets? What do you think? My wife isn't so sure - it's gonna take some convincing. Anyone?
I've had a number of parakeets over the years. Just make sure they are young and hand fed. Get it from a GOOD pet store, not a dept store.
Get a nice cage--you can use it over the years for many birds.
Currently, I have a pet Cockatiel. They are a bit easier to train, they are often handled more too at the store so are already more hand tame, and can be more like a "pet" than a parakeet. But it really depends on the bird. I had one keet that was like a dog. We let him fly about the apartment; he'd land on my pillow to wake me up in the morning. But my last parakeet wasn't friendly at all; he was very timid and we never bonded. That's one of the reasons I went with a cockatiel this time. They also live longer.
We have 3 Cockatiels at home.
The "Dad" is 27 years old (rare to be that old - 18-20 is the norm) and my wife has had him for 25 of those years. His mate of 10 years:
is about 11 years old, and we kept one of the young (what a character).
They make great pets!
we have had several birds and if u want a good bird a bugie is ok but we are more pleased with our (really my sisters) Senigal Parriot its 1 of if not the smallest parriot and doesn't yell as much as some birds.
Cockatiels are also awsome birds they 2 r pertty quiet we have a friend who had 1 the do live to be quite old like most birds.
also a bugie is more prone to talking (or mimiking) Senigals arn't but our's does.(funny)
anyway IMO the senigal or cockatiel is a prettier bird than a keet.
