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palmers mom wrote:Hi,
I would recommend a tiel before a lovebird!
my reasons for this.... From my experience, tiels are much better companions,
and they are a very hearty little bird! Tiels also have a much longer life span! I believe
that the oldest living tiel lived to 30 years old! You must remember that a tiel is alot
of responsibility, and you have to care for them a very long time. A tiel is a great
entertainer whether you spend alot of time with them, or not. They pick up from
you if you are willing to spend the time with them! They are very sociable, and love
people! They are very easy to care for, and you will get alot of pleasure being a "mom"
to a tiel! I would suggest that if you do get a Cockatiel, that you get a male! If you want
to teach your tiel to "sing" they are easier than a female. They are also more relaxed,
and laid back than a female. Females will yell louder than a male, they are screamers in
my opinion! One other thing that I might add, is to make sure that your tiel has been a
hand fed baby! They will adjust to you more easily! Good luck with your decision making,
but..... I know that you won't be dissapointed if a tiel is your choice!!

( I Love my Pom Pom )

Surprisingly, I've actually heard of a couple of cockatiels who lived to be 35 years old... so lovebirds could live to be 20+ years. However, most birds usually don't make it past 6-12 years of age due to poor diet, accidents, illness, etc. Even if a person plans to keep an animal for years to come, crap happens, and they can't always continue to care for that animal, so to say the least, things don't always work out how we plan them to. I've got a handraised female cockatiel who is an absolute doll, she's never bitten, nor has she ever screamed her head off. She's actually very laid back, happy go lucky tiel! In truth, depending on who you ask, you'll get various opinions on which makes a better pet, males or females. Males usually make more noise, some like that, other's don't. I've never had a handraised male cockatiel for comparison, although I have cared for 3 male tiels, [still have one - found homes for the other two - Casey is my only non-second hand tiel out of 8] Casey still remains my special little girl!

Hmmm..Woody, I wonder if it is something to do with being a lutino for the reason Boss never laid an egg. Lutinos are a 'little different". Fresh baby has never laid an egg.(She is a 4 year old lutino) Button laid a few eggs at age 6 months then she laid an egg that was the size of a pea. After that she never laid again.She just turned 7 years old. Meanwhile Eddie and Lucille (normal grays) lay quite a few eggs.

bostonbudgie wrote:Hmmm..Woody, I wonder if it is something to do with being a lutino for the reason Boss never laid an egg. Lutinos are a 'little different". Fresh baby has never laid an egg.(She is a 4 year old lutino) Button laid a few eggs at age 6 months then she laid an egg that was the size of a pea. After that she never laid again.She just turned 7 years old. Meanwhile Eddie and Lucille (normal grays) lay quite a few eggs.

Hmmm, something to think about! Lutinos are definitely a little different! The good news now with Boss is that she now has full flight! and I don't have the same flying issues with her as I used to.....I think this is due to the fact that she's been here now for two years and knows the room she is in pretty well.....she does ok now...still a few crashes from time to time and not always the best landings, but a big improvement with her flying. Yay Boss girl!
I wonder if there are any other lutino hens out there who are not egg-layers??

Maybe that's why mutations are not in the wild. First by being different they will be easier prey (also the parents may take care of that first), they may also have breeding issues which would also affect they population in the wild.

Luna was also a mutation and she never laid an egg!

She did have some "screaming" times, but not on a regular basis. Both she and Dino were hand-fed babies. Dino gets somewhat aggressive with the tips of my fingers at times and attacks. He especially tries to bite my fingernails - and not I do not keep them polished.

MTW - great to hear Boss hasn't laid - with all that mating going on, who'd of thought it was possible!!

Jo

Wow, I think we hit on something here.....very interesting topic.....it really has amazed me that Boss has never laid, AND that she has done so much better with now with her flying...BUT we have gone WAAAY off the topic here! I had started to post something before but my phone rang and the computer booted me off after writing so much! (don't you hate when that happens!!!) Anyway.....I just wanted to say this.......people here are all picking the cockatiel over the lovebird, and I know lovies have their bold little lovie ways, but they are just so darn cute and so smart for little birds......my boyfriend said yesterday that he thinks our lovie is the smartest bird we have! Some people really are taken with lovebirds.....me included! even though he's my lil monster and has bitten feet! Lovies just put everything they have into everything they do! and they have such determination! If only more people were more like lovies! I can't even describe it well enough.....I never stop being amazed by my little lovie.....the way he is able to show me so clearly his feelings on things and when he wants out of cage (which is all the time!) he will lift up his door and keep dropping it, and beat on his toys! I love how social this little bird is......he loves other birds, and other animals. Lovies are alot of fun.....yes, they are mischeivous! but it's part of who they are and when you take the whole little package........these little lovies have SOO much personality, spunk, and will make you laugh! So here's one for the lovebird's side........how can you not watch this without laughing and enjoying watching him be SO happy!
http://s95.photobucket.com/albums/l134/ ... 0_1026.flv

It is definitely a personality thing on which bird to choose (tiel v. lovie) They both have wonderful but different personalities. I think you have to look at your own personality to see what fits you.
I periodically board a love bird. He is a funny cute little thing. When my husband is home and we are boarding the lovie he will take him out of the cage and play with him! He enjoys his raucous excitable ways.The lovie, however, can be a biter!

mytielwoody wrote:Claudia....LOVE your new signature pics.....they are just beautiful!

thanks
Would like a signature like yours though, how did you make that? I'm not so computer literate I'm afraid

My sig. pics were not made by me! They were made by a very kind girl on my lovie forum named Maya.....she makes them for anyone who wants them on the forum. I can hook you up with her if you want.....I'm sure she'd be happy to make some for you! The ones you got there are pretty nice though!

thanks will probably leave as is then..........

This is a bit of AUDIO only of one of my youngest FEMALE tiels.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nxbapJ57-Kk


Claudia....she does head bob, but only to music...and she doesn't heart wing.

unbelievable the way Mouse sings How cool