Species Parrots

What is The Easiest Parrot to Keep as A Pet

By MARTHA LANDRY on Feb 27, 2024 Reviewed by FINNLEY RAMIREZ

Discover the most manageable parrot breeds, ensuring a smooth and enjoyable pet ownership journey

Discover the most manageable parrot breeds, ensuring a smooth and enjoyable pet ownership journey

Are you pondering the delightful prospect of inviting a parrot into your home?

These captivating, brainy birds make for enchanting companions, provided you’re ready to invest your time and affection into their well-being.

However. while parrots come in a wide variety of species and sizes, some are undeniably easier to care for than others.

In this blog post (part of a series on pet parrots), we’ll dive into the world of avian companionship and discuss the top choices for the easiest parrots to keep as pets.

What is The Easiest Parrot to Maintain

Cockatiel, are often considered one of the most beginner-friendly parrots. These petite and graceful birds are renowned for their affectionate nature and relatively low maintenance requirements.

Following closely behind (or perhaps more manageble) are budgies, whose small size and gentle disposition make them an excellent choice for first-time parrot owners, children, and families.

For those who seek a bit more variety, Conures and Quakers also make solid contenders as manageable parrot pets, with their colorful plumage and engaging personalities, but if you’re looking for parrots larger than a Budgie and still prefer relative ease of care, Senegal, Meyer’s, and Pionus parrots are ideal options to explore.

Easy non-parrot birds for beginners, include canaries, doves, and finches.

However, it’s important to note that while these parrot species are considered the “easiest” to keep as pets, all parrots require substantial attention, social interaction, and proper care to thrive.

Parrots are intelligent, social creatures, that form strong bonds with their human companions and owning a parrot, regardless of the species, is a long-term commitment that demands dedication and responsibility.

Essentially, there is not such thing as an easy parrot, only that some have lesser care and maintenance needs than others.

Easiest Parrot Own: Easy Going Parrots

Absolutely, cockatiels and budgies are indeed among the easiest parrots to own and care for, making them excellent choices for individuals who are new to avian pets or those seeking low-maintenance bird companions.

However, it’s as mentioned, there are other manageable parrot options available for those who may be interested in a different experience or have specific preferences.

Each species has its unique characteristics, and some may be better suited to particular living situations, lifestyles, or desires for interaction.

Here are some additional options that might pique the interest of prospective parrot owners (please, still educate yourself because parrots are not easy pets):

  • Green cheeked conures
  • Meyer’s parrot
  • Pionus parrot
  • Bourke’s parakeet
  • Indian ringneck
  • Quaker parrot
  • Lovebirds
  • Lionalated parakeet
  • Caiques
  • Senegal parrot

See this post if you are intrested in easy pet birds that include non-parrot options.

What is The Easiest Parrot to Tame

Parrot intelligence varies among species, and this often influences their trainability.

If you’re looking for a smaller, trainable parrot, budgies stand out as an excellent choice. They are highly receptive to training and form strong bonds with their owners. If seeking a mid-sized to large parrot with advanced training potential, the African Grey is a popular option. Their intelligence and ability to learn words and commands are remarkable.

Ideally, smaller parrots, such as Budgies and Cockatiels, are easier to tame due to their lesser care needs compared to their larger counterparts. While they might not match the African Greys or Cockatoos in terms of sheer intelligence, their manageable size and friendly disposition make them better choices for beginners looking to train and tame their birds.

Larger parrots, such as African Greys and Cockatoos, are highly intelligent and able to learn many words and commands, but come with a considerable demand for care and attention. Their needs can be likened to those of a toddler that never grows up, making them a daunting, long-term commitment.

They are trainable and more rewarding for owners with plenty of experience keeping and training parrots.

That aside…

Hand-fed parrots are often amenable to human interaction than wild-caught or wild-raised parrots, hence birds bred by humans from a young age, tend to be more trusting and comfortable with people, making the taming process smoother.

Parrots are also more receptive to training when they are young, just like humans!

Beginning training and socialization when a bird is still a baby will lead to a more cooperative and well-adjusted parrot in the long run. Older birds may be set in their ways and harder to teach new tricks or habits.

That notwithstanding, before bringing a parrot into your home, invest time in research!

Consider volunteering at a bird shelter to understand the care and attention parrots require.

Also note that parrots, much like humans, have unique personalities and preferences.

They may not bond with every person or may show a preference for one gender, and its crucial to be aware that it’s nearly impossible to tame a parrot that does not like you.

Building trust and a strong bond with your parrot will be key to a successful training experience.

What is The Easiest Parrot to Breed

Breeding parrots can be a complex and demanding endeavor, and the ease of breeding can vary greatly depending on various factors, including the species, individual birds’ personalities, and the breeder’s experience.

That being said, some parrot species are known to be more cooperative and adaptable to breeding in captivity than others. Some parrot species that are often considered relatively easier to breed include:

  • Indian ringneck parakeet
  • Lioneolated parakeet
  • Budgies
  • Cockatiels
  • Green cheeked conures
  • African grey parrots (allow them to select their own mate, do not force-pair them)
  • Quaker parrot
  • Mini and some large macaws (with a compatible pair)
  • Parrotlets
  • Senegal parrot
  • Meyer’s parrot Eclectus (are polygamous, relatively easy to breed but difficult to feed)

Well, thats all for this post.

All the best with your plummed kid🐦🦜, see you on the next one, ciao.