Cockatoos?

[snapdragen]

Snowball is awesome - a head banger cockatoo!

A hairdresser I used to go to kept birds, and did rescue work. He had one poor girl cockatoo that had been abused; she plucked all of her feathers out of her chest. She would come to the salon with him and hang out. She finally got to the point where I could pet her, but it took a while. She also did a great rubber chicken impression -- even more so because of her naked front.

[snapdragen]

sundial - I've had two budgies - they're very sweet, funny birds. Both of mine talked a bit -- Mickey barked like a dog too!

[Tuckervill]

My friends have a budgie. I went over for dinner, and about halfway through, I heard very low, like it was in the back of my head, an NPR voice, speaking very well. It totally creeped me out because I couldn't figure out where it came from and I thought I was the only one hearing it, and it felt like someone whispering in my ear.

It was the budgie. When they left the house they'd turn on NPR for it to listen to, and all its bird calls were Steve Inskeep's voice.

Karen

[sundial]

When they left the house they'd turn on NPR for it to listen to, and all its bird calls were Steve Inskeep's voice.

Is he the story teller?

I thought about the budgies all day today and and had moments where I wanted to head over to the pet shop to *rescue* the birdies before the store closes on the 2nd. Oh why did I start this thead??

[TsPoet]

Here's Pepper eating the seeds from a bell pepper - notice what's left of the phonebook behind her. I left it out and before I knew it, she shredded it - confetti all over my floor. I could also post a picture of the molding around my closet, or rather what used to be molding.
One possible advantage of smaller birds is, if you watch them, you can leave them flighted. Pepper flies loose around my house, and follows me everywhere (you think a dog following you into the bathroom is annoying, try a bird). But, it also means destruction if you aren't careful. Bigger birds that fly can be even more of a danger to themselves and your house.
(BTW - the thing in Murphy's mouth in my avatar is a bird seed treat log - I gave it to my budgies, Pepper stole it from them, then dropped it trying to fly away with it and Murphy thought he was the ultimate victor - but I took it away from him after taking the photo and threw it away).

[sundial]

.... notice what's left of the phonebook behind her. I left it out and before I knew it, she shredded it - confetti all over my floor. I could also post a picture of the molding around my closet, or rather what used to be molding.

LOL! Sounds like a typical day at my house with the dogs. What kind of bird is Pepper? She looks to have alot of character. I feel like I could reach out and pet her. Does "flighted" mean you can let them fly loose in the house? I can just see me trying to train Niki to "leave it" when the birdie flies by her.

[TsPoet]

LOL! Sounds like a typical day at my house with the dogs. What kind of bird is Pepper? She looks to have alot of character. I feel like I could reach out and pet her. Does "flighted" mean you can let them fly loose in the house? I can just see me trying to train Niki to "leave it" when the birdie flies by her.

I think the #1 thing a bird owner needs is a sense of humor and to be OK with chaos. Not clipping birds wings is controversial - but I've only every clipped wings once, I let all my birds fly and when I'm home they fly free (in groups that get along).
She would love it if you petted her, she loves all people and is jealous of all other pets. She loves loves loves to have her head scratched constantly. My dogs know to leave her alone. The biggest problem I have is when she and one of the dogs both want my attention at the same time. She instigates it, biting the dogs, then I have to stop them from retaliating, which is unfair, but the way that it is. When I feed the dogs, she lands on the chair by them and spreads out her wings to intimidate them. Sometimes she can get one of them to back off so she can steal their dinner.
She is a Meyer's Parrot, she is about 8" from beak to tail (they have very short tails). She thinks she is my largest pet and all others better get out of her way. My Shiba Inu x disagrees.