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Hi everyone... I am new around here. I posted on the love bird chat as well.... here is my story. I am wanting a bird haven't decided between a tiel or lovie. I would like for you to share your knowledge, experiences, pros, cons what ever you want me to know I want to hear it. I am currently working, I want to wait until I am back at home for good before I get a bird (which shouldn't be long). My husband does sleep during the day so noise is a concern, I understand all birds are going to be noisy but I also know some are quieter than others. We currently have 2 dogs and our 7 year old daughter. I look forward to hearing from you!

I don't have any direct with lovies, but do know from being around some, they can be very loud. A female 'tiel can be as quiet as a church mouse, yet can be loud if needed. Of course I'm very biased too, but my vote would be for a female 'tiel.

Sam

Ok......you are looking at the difference between night and day here! Cockatiels......very sweet, laid back, well mannered.....always happy....just the best behaved bird you could probably find! I have two and I call them my "good birds" because they are just always happy birdies, and content.....even when I take them to the vet they are happy about it! As far as noise goes......they can be noisey on some days, yes, but for the most part, most days they just make their cockatiels sounds and Woody sings his happy songs, and they are not much for yelling or screaming......sometimes though things will set them off, if something scares them, or someone comes home, or my other birds. Cockatiels also tend to be scared for a while when you first get them.....takes them a while to really be comfortable and be themselves and they are not always the best eaters....they can be picky.
Ahhhhh, then you have the lovebird! Some people call them pit bulls with wings! These little birds are just full of it......SOoooo mischeivous, brave, active.....these little guys have SO much personality though and are little characters. I think I was in shock at first when we first got our little lovie.....oh, he shoved his way right out the front door of his cage within minutes of his previous owner leaving. I call him my lil monster! What a little handful he is! IF you do decide on a lovebird......one bit of advice......try to get a male! Although most lovebirds will tend to bite at times, females are known to get very mean and bitey when nesty, and alot of them will lay eggs with no male, so if you want a lovebird.....get a male! On the plus side.....lovebirds will just steal your heart.....they are so darn cute and such smart little stinkers and they are VERY determined when they want something. They love toys and anything fun......very playful and always on the go! My lovie never stops......he's the first one to get up in the morning and he doesn't take daytime naps like my other birds. I don't know where he gets all the energy from! Lovebirds definitely have a special way about them......they tend to be very social and love other birds and animals......mine seems to like all other birds and even dogs! Lovies are also very expressive and will let you know flat out when they want something or are unhappy about something and they know how to get their point across quite well!
So now you have to choose.......a hyper, bold little lovie.......but they are alot of fun and will keep you on your toes! or a laid back, well behaved bird. Oh, I forgot to mention that noise isn't really an issue with my lovie.......they can be loud though and their chirps can be ear piercing......kinda like a squeeky wheel! I love my lovie's cute little chirps though.....he responds to every sound my other birds make! He was noisey when we first got him for a little while, but not anymore. He's my cute lil monster and them little stinkers sure do grow on you fast, and they know how to look all cute so you'll come over and let them out or give them whatever they want!

I just read the info on the lovebird chat. A male cockatiel was recommended. I too, prefer the vocal male......but if quiet is what you are looking for.....I would go for the female cockatiel over a male.......female cockatiels are much quieter. The males can learn to talk though and will sing beautiful songs.......Here is my Woody singing to his girl Boss......http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JcNMj4khEVo (notice Boss yelling at him when he sings!) I have seen many a lone male cockatiel with screaming problems......a girl I work with says her male is terribly noisey, and the male my parents had would scream too, so those male tiels can be quite noisey. If you look up lovebirds on youtube, you can get an idea of their sounds and noises too and their personalities. Me and my lovie watch lovebird videos on youtube all the time.....he loves watching them! I especially love this one where a lovebird is in love with the rabbit.......very determined and smart little lovie knows just how to get what she wants......Oh those lovies! cute lil stinkers!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0arZsk1zlQc

Thanks you all for sharing your stories... and keep them coming! Truly I love reading them. I think I have decided on a tiel, but now should it be a boy or girl.. I know I should let the bird pick me, but at the same time I would like to find a breeder right now, and pet and play with it before it comes home. I did with all of my puppies except for 1, and that is because I went to another state to get him. When we got our chihuahua, we went over there several times for different reasons. 1. to make sure she felt comfortable with us, 2. make sure she was the one we wanted and the one that wanted us. SO let me hear what you think I should get and why, or let me know your experiences with both. Will a female still lay eggs with not male around? Will she be crabby on a montly basis? Seriously tell me whatever you know, what ever your experience has been !

I had a beautiful female named Luna. She was with us for just under 3 years when a tragic thing happened to her and she passed the Saturday before Christmas 08. We wanted another female - she brought such joy and love to our lives. She loved my S.O., but she was totally crazy about me. She loved to cuddle - a marathon cuddler!! She would eat almost anything I ate and wanted to be with me almost all the time. She was relatively quiet but would have times a squawking for an hour or more several times a year. She wanted to mate with my S.O. and me She made the sweetest little chirp for mating - hard to resist her!! She would also make a soft chirp when she heard me talking or sneezing after she was put to bed. Sometimes I would cough or talk just to hear it!

We got another bird the next day - thinking and hoping it was a female - everyone thought female, even the vet. Well, it's a boy Don't get me wrong, I love Dino!! I enjoy his whistling, when I am home it is soft and sweet. Reports from S.O. are not soft and sweet - very loud and screeching!! He is a good eater and it seems he is more attached to me then S.O. - don't understand why since he is home all day with Dino and I am the one who leaves. So far he still enjoys cuddling (7 months old) but not the way Luna did. He also gets VERY beaky when he settles in under my chin and my hand goes near him or even if he just sees my hand or finger he'll attack it and bite quickly and sharply, he hasn't broken the skin, but it does hurt.


Luna



Dino



Jo

That sounds just like what I want, that is why i want to wait until I am back to being a SAHM again before getting one. So i can get the taming/bonding time in with her. I am afraid I will get one of the birds that yells and screeches all the time that would not be pleasant! Oh how I love to read these sweet cuddly stories, they just get me in the warm and fuzzy! they also make me want 1 even worse... so let me ask again, if a female is not around a male does she still lay eggs? I know of course if she does they won't be babies, but I have heard some horror stories of females laying eggs, not fertilized and she attacks if you try to throw them out. I was just wondering! Thanks again for the stories!

Hi again! When a female tiel reaches breeding age, which can be as early as 10 months they can and will lay eggs. Even with no male in site. Some hens can become protective of their eggs. I let them keep the eggs for a couple days then I pitch them. Now, sometimes even after the eggs are removed the hen will continue to lay. Some people boil the eggs and put them back for the entire incubation period of 25 or more days. Then they remove them. This makes the hen think she had an unsuccessful brood. It may inspire her not to lay again. I said may. You have to make sure when this hen starts laying she gets plenty of calcium so she doesn't egg bind, which is always a danger. You may get a hen that never ever lays.

Not all females will lay an egg. Luna was just over 3 years old when she died and never laid an egg. I was also diligent to deter and eggs from happening. She had a 12 hour schedule (give or take an hour) all year, she also had a sleep cage in another room which I think also helped. Even though she wanted to mate with us (since there was no male for her) we did not touch her on her wings or rump area - we kept it to the head, neck and chest.

Basically it comes down to what you want in a pet cockatiel. Males are more vocal and it is very sweet to hear Dino whistle away. Females are less vocal, and when they do (at least Luna) it was 1 or 2 notes - volume was very low and cute, low, medium and quiet loud (shut up already!!!) - but the length of time was shorter and the cuddling . Dino wants to be ON us but not necessarily being smooched.

By the way, if you want a specific gender get a DNA test done BEFORE you bring it home and bond. You can not trust palpating the pelvis to know, the pet store AND the vet were sure Dino was a female due to the wide space in the pelvis. I thought a female because he was so quiet - didn't realize he was sick and that's why he was quiet.

Jo

I breed tiels. My most active pair have produced ONLY females for nearly 2 years now. And......without exception, my girls are whistling tunes (it takes on average 3 days to teach them a new one) and talking by the time they are 3 months old.

Wow, that's amazing Patti
But......do they do the heartwing and bob their heads and beak bang?
That is normally a good indication of a tiel being a male if in doubt

Most definitely all hens Claudia. They have all been lutino thus far, so we have them DNA'd. Ironically their Dad only started talking after his offspring started, and we've been trying for several years to teach him the first tune we teach the chicks...and he still can't get it right!!! LOL!!!

funny about your male Patti

but what I meant was, do your females, even though they whistle and/or talk, display heartwings and bob their heads for that is normally male behaviour?

Claudia....LOVE your new signature pics.....they are just beautiful! and for the record here......my female hen Boss has never layed an egg and she's with a male and mating! She is three years old! Not DNA'd, but I KNOW she is a girl! I can't believe that for the past two years I have had her, there have been no eggs! How rare is that? and she's with Woody and mating! Here I freaked out when I got her because they told me she was a boy......she must have felt bad for me and don't want to freak out her mamma by laying any eggs!

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 )