3 Best Birds for First-Time Owners
What are the 3 best birds for first-time owners?
It is important to remember that parrots are complex and emotional creatures that require plenty of your time and attention. They require active engagement, which is a bit more demanding than the regular cat or dog. The best 3 birds for a first-time parrot owner are budgies, cockatiels and conures!
When you take home a parrot you are not just taking home another little family member who will love you unconditionally, you must remember they have their own voice, and they will use it if they are unhappy!
Many people compare living with a parrot to living with an intelligent toddler – take from that what you like!
As a first-time owner you might be very excited but also somewhat apprehensive – I mean you don’t see a parrot sitting in every home! We have here a few starter birds that make great family pets, can be tamed easily and trained to make a delightfully social addition to your home.
Once trained these sweet-natured little guys can provide love, affection and hours of entertainment in the house. They enjoy quality time with their owners and are known for their ability to acquire an extensive vocabulary.
Happy and healthy budgies love to sing and chatter. A quiet budgie might be sick or unhappy. They enjoy the company of others, so if you don’t have plenty of time for socialising with your budgie, you might want to think about getting them a cage-mate. But note, two females together can cause some arguments!
These guys love to hang out with their owners and enjoy being petted. You could say they are high-maintenance in terms of wanting attention and physical touch – real cuddle monsters! Compared with some of the larger parrot species, however, these guys are not demanding at all!
They are a manageable size, which makes them easier to tame for a first-time owner. And whilst their speech may sound a bit muffled, they love to whistle and sing along to songs.
The females tend to be gentler than the males, who without the attention they want, might turn into moody teenagers. As an indication, the crest of a Cockatiel lets you know whether it is happy (raised) or sad or stressed (lowered).
Green cheeked Conures: Medium/Large
Conures can make the perfect pet for those looking for a larger bird but without the stress or demands of a Macaw or Cockatoo.
These Conures can learn tricks, enjoy playing with their owners and are relatively quiet compared to other parrot species. They are entertainers and can be quite comical, for example, you might get acrobatics shows here and there!
It is important to dedicate time to training these birds whilst young, to avoid them developing a moody attitude or beginning to bite. But if a Conure gets the love they want they make great family pets. Unlike other parrots, these birds may develop bonds with multiple people, so families don’t necessarily need to worry about there being a solid ‘favourite’. Conures will be affectionate and enjoy quality time with those they develop bonds with.
It can never be stressed enough that trying to understand the complex needs of your birds will help you both/all live harmoniously. Parrots are sensitive creatures and like humans, like to socialise and receive loving attention. These 3 playful and outgoing little guys, Budgies, Cockatiels and Conures make great pets for a first-time bird owner. Whether it's just yourself or your whole family, these birds bring joy and entertainment when with the people they quickly grow to love!