-=> Quoting Cindy Frey to Pete Hopping <=-
 -=> Quoting Pete Hopping to Patti Jones <=-
 
 -=> Quoting Patti Jones to Pete Hopping <=-
 
 PJ> Pete,
 
 PH> Well, I managed to find four books at the petshop. Two of which were
 PH> informative, and two of which were a waste of money. One was a book on
 PH> parrot behavior problems, but it contained plenty of info on what the
 CF> You could also try visiting reputable stores that carry birds, and try
 CF> to narrow the gap a bit on deciding what type of bird you want.  I
 CF> have a few different varieties, and they are very different in type and
 CF> personality, for example, I would never recommend a macaw as a first
 CF> bird for anyone.  While I will never deny they are beautiful, there
 CF> are simply so many facets to them that even experienced people can find
 CF> times trying.  Cage size could be a real problem with a small home or
 CF> apt.  They need alot of social interaction to stay managable, and
 CF> dietary needs are something to keep in mind. Conures can make really
 CF> great pets and come in a variety of colors, but tend to be noisey. 
 CF> Cockatoo's are very loving, with a demanding personality.
I had been wondering about whether a macaw would be appropriate for a
beginner. I realized they are big and noisy, and demanding from the books
I've gotten, but they seem like such lovable criminals.  There were
two umbrella cockatoos at the shop I visited and they were both fanning
their feathers over their beaks and turning im my direction as I walked
around the cages. There was another large bird there that I did not
identify that was following my path and saying "what" whilst fixing one
eye on me. There was a large macaw there that was ignoring me completely
that I think was a hyicnth...very dark blue feathers with a long tail.
 CF> So evaluating what you want from a pet, and what you are able to
 CF> provide might narrow your search some, then you can concentrate on the
 CF> species, which is another search.  When I suggest this, it is just to
 CF> give you some idea that is more concentrated.  For example, do you have
 CF> kids and other pets?  Would someone be home with the bird all the time
 CF> or do you have a working household?  Are your neighbors real tolorent
 CF> of noise, or do you live in an apt. where you might be required to move
 CF> should the bird of your choice prove to be more than your neighbors can
 CF> stand. 
 
My closest neighbor has three dogs that bark all day long. One of them has
gotten loose and bitten me twice. They'd better NOT complain about any
noisy birds! I have a house and a small, lazy declawed indoor cat who is
only interested in eating and sleeping. No kids. I have enough room for
a large cage should I decide on a large bird. The umbrellas aren't
exactly smallish, and that's about as big a bird as I would feel 
comfortable with, I think.
 CF> So you can see it's just not easy to find what your looking for book
 CF> wise without knowing what your able to deal with bird wise.
I'm finding that out, LOL!  Thanks for the info and suggestions. If anyone
else has any ideas, lemme know.
... I'm too sexy for my modem, too sexy for my modem (boom boom boom boom)
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