upatsix.com - Your Source For Pet Bird Information

Hello,

I am new to this board. I'm trying to decide what type of bird to buy, and have narrowed it down to either a tiny amazon, a mini macaw, or a caique (very different choices I know! - but I love them all!). I've had no success with either the mini amazon or macaw, and its even quite hard to find caiques. I want to buy a baby and a store nearby has some that are 5 months old - is that still a baby? How old are they when they wean? What is the youngest age you would advise bringing one home? So many questions!!!

Also, does anyone have experience with shipping - good or bad, what is your opinion?

And if anyone has experience with all three species above - I'd love to hear your experience and advice! Thanks for your replies.

- Cal.

I got my wonderful caique from DJ Aviaries. Yankee had only been weaned for a couple of weeks. He was 4 months old. He was shipped from Virginia to Atlanta. No problems, he arrived in outstanding condition. He is still a very playful baby and is just now molting for the first time at 7 months.

I have only been owned by a caique for 3 months, but I can't imagine a more wonderful bird companion. If you have access to some caiques in a pet store, I strongly urge you to go visit and play for at least an hour. If they have been hand fed and socialized, I would be surprised if you could walk out of the store without one.

try to get the bird without having to pay shipping..Check aviaries in your area do a google search that's how I found an aviary where I live. I am going to pay $ 700 for my baby caique.Its close to where I live too! Then you need to get a cage and toys....That I am ordering through Petco! If I was you I'd get a caique, amazons get nasty when they want to breed I've heard. Caiques are the clowns of all parrots too.I saw one at petco which was $1,500 and it got sold quick!! Good luck...Nancy

Thanks for your replies. Cathy, is that DJ Feathers Aviary in Northern Virginia? I googled DJ Aviaries and got two different ones. I'm in NYC so Virginia would be pretty good for me, no need to ship. If its the DJ Feathers aviary, I see that its MAP certified - don't know exactly what that means but I know its good! And its so hard to find a reputable breeder without a recommendation - there are so many horror stories out there about people picking up rescue birds and passing them off as babies, etc. So thanks for the recommendation!

Nancy, re. the amazon, I actually got a pretty hefty nip from one this weekend! And my husband is not keen on one because "they have big beaks" LOL! He likes the look of caiques better because they are smaller (but I've tried to explain to him that we'd probably need to get a larger cage for the caique than a mini amazon or macaw because caiques are so active!).

I'll let you all know my progress!

- Cal.

I saw one at petco which was $1,500 and it got sold quick!

Was that a white bellied? We got our Dweezel at Petco, he was priced at $1300 or a little less, though we got him for $800 since he had been there for a year and I used to work there so they gave me a discount.

I love my Caique and I think any age is a good age! Since our Dweezel was over a year and is still the best pet, 2 years later! I was about to get another Caique that is 3 years old, but the deal fell through. It doesn't matter how old you get your Caique, but make sure it is a sweetie before you buy!

Oh no, my husband has gone off caiques now ..... I showed him the youtube clip below!!!!!!!!!!!!! I told him caiques are a handfull ...............

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=emRnqlP4Wdc

So does that mean you're no longer interested in a caique?

Caiques are naturally aggressive, active birds who require consistent discipline and need to learn their manners very early on.
I would not get ANY bird who was not fully weaned and 5-6 months is certainly a baby.
Yellow-collared, Hahns, or other small macaws, like any bird, are not inherently mean, or just randomly bite and lunge. Humans promote that behavior when they are not properly educated on how to care for a bird, and that goes way beyond just playing with it.
They need a loving caring environment with lots of enrichment (toys), one-on-one attention, a good nutritious diet and loving discipline. I would personally never buy anything at Petco and there are excellent cages and wonderful toys on-line and through ebay.
Both caiques and macaws are little birds with big-bird personalities.

I would strongly advise you to visit stores/rescues, or aviaries who have these birds before you may any final decision.

A MAP certified breeder is the only breeder from whom you should buy a bird. This is a Model Aviculture Program breeder who raises only the best birds possible in closed aviaries under strict protocols. The MAP was designed by aviculturist and avian veterinarians to improve and ensure avicultural practices by & through setting basic standards for avian husbandry.

I'm still interested in caiques, I was just joking. My husband doesn't really know that much about birds, but I've had them for most of my life (but never a caique though). He thought the video was funny - but I just don't think he realized how active they are. He does like birds, but I don't think he's handled anything apart from a budgie before.

I'm confident I will be able to provide a loving, good environment for either a caique or another bird, I've done everything I could to understand how to provide for any bird. I just wanted him to know that caiques are feathered balls of energy - he just did not know how much until he saw that video!

And thanks for the info about MAP aviaries. Cathy recommended one above, who I think I will probably go with.

Good for you. It sounds like you have everything in place then. I like the Hahn's macaw myself as well.
a

That is the one in Virginia.

http://www.djfeathers.com/ForSale/Birds ... aiques.htm

Tammy is the breeder and she is terrific. There are other people on this forum who have also bought from her. She has some very reasonably priced cages and can recommend some toys that caiques really love. She will tell you about the diet that her birds are on and advise you as much as you need. Tammy's caiques are on a very healthy diet of fresh fruit and vegetables, seed, and 2 types of pellets. She doesn't have caiques very often, so contact her ASAP if you are really interested. I would highly recommend her. Yankee has been a real joy since I opened his crate at the airport.

I got my BHC from East Coast Exotics in Lake Hopatong NJ
Great people!!

Here's the E-mail:

east_coast_exotics@yahoo.com

Hi everyone,

I have an update - I have chosen a baby and put a deposit down, but I chose a turquoise green-cheek conure not a caique. I followed Cathy's recommendation with DJ Aviaries, and although they did not have any caiques right now, I fell in love with a little conure and chose that instead. I think it has a lot of the same attributes as a caique - but maybe a little more sedate LOL!

Thanks for your advice, I know I would have loved a caique also, maybe I'll be able to increase my flock to include one at some time in the future!

- Cal.

But they look so angelic! Thanks for the advice. And the congrats!