 Hello my fellow Snippers, my name is Marlene McCohen and this is Vinnie, my sweet sweet little bird. Isn't he being like the cutest little birdie right now? Oh no, he's not. He's trying to eat my shirt. Today as promised we are going to go over the top five birds for houses with children. I'm really excited about this list because parrots for children are also great birds for beginners. So that's something to keep in mind. What? Yes, yes, yes, yes. Now with that in mind, I hope you enjoy my list of five parrots for households with children. Are you ready Vinnie? The first bird we have on the list is the budgie. Budgies are excellent birds for children because they're great family birds and they're also great first birds. So these are two important things that I think really make budgies pretty high up there on my list of birds for children. Now as we spoke about in our last video, budgies are not known for being great talkers, but if they do talk, they can have some of the largest vocabularies out of all birds. I kid you not, I have heard it. There are budgies that speak so incredibly well and if you do get a talking budgie, I mean that's just a bonus. It's really exciting to have a little talking friend. So that's always a possibility with a budgie. Now budgies are really playful and they have a lot of energy. They're really excitable little parrots. They also really like to explore and they can do a lot of tricks. One other great thing about budgies that I think really helps me recommend them for children is that they have such tiny little beaks. If a budgie bites, he's probably not going to take your finger off, which can really be a good thing because if Vinnie bites, that's a whole different story. But it's important to keep in mind that budgies are very small, fragile birds. So if you have a child who is a little too young to have a companion that is that small, yes. Very small, very small, yes. Then it's probably a better idea to either wait until your child is ready to have a companion such as a bird or perhaps you could get your child a little bit larger of a bird. But in general, birds overall are very fragile, very excitable and very playful. So you have to wait until your child is ready to handle small animals. And that could very well be a different age for every kid. I got my first bird at seven, which means my brother was probably around six, five or six. And we were both ready, but then there are other kids that are not ready until they're about 10 years old. So this is very important to keep in mind because birds are not like dogs and cats where you can just tumble around with them. You have to have nice, delicate approaches towards birds. Now I always recommend getting a single bird if you are looking for your own companion. But because parrots love to be in flocks, it's important to remember that you must include your bird every single day. You must make sure that your bird does not feel lonely because birds can die of loneliness, especially budgies. So please keep that in mind when you are committing to a bird that you are committing to putting in hours and time with your bird so that he has a friend. Because all he will have is you. And on that note, I think budgies are a really great first bird and family bird. And great with children. Now this brings us to the next bird that I think makes a really great bird for kids. And of course this happens to be, as you guys know, my first bird, the cockatiel. I had a yellow cockatiel named Dooley, which most of you are 100% aware of. Dooley was an amazing companion for us. It was both my brother and I that loved to engage with Dooley and he didn't really get attached to one of us more than the other. We included him and socialized him among the entire family, but he also was willing to be socialized with all of us. So that's really important when looking into a bird that's going to be part of a family, especially if the bird is for a child within a family because you want other people to be able to take care of the bird and interact with the bird when the child is at school or other activities that the child may be engaged in. Cockatiels are extremely playful, extremely cute. They have such a big personality. You may know already that they're cousins of the cockatoos. They like to snuggle. They love head scratches. I used to love giving my bird head scratches. They can be chill too, so you could just sit and watch TV and have your bird just chilling on you. That's another thing that I really like about cockatiels. Now they're not going to be the best talkers, but like I said before, the males really can learn to whistle and can whistle different tunes. They may not, so don't expect it, but it could happen. And the best thing about them is honestly that they are more than one person birds. That's always so important when choosing a bird that is going to be of the family. And when you are choosing a parrot for a child, that bird has to belong to the entire family because everyone has to be able to engage with the bird. Cockatiels overall are pretty high on my list because they're known for being so sweet and really just stealing your heart. I kid you not, you cannot go wrong with a cockatiel. Honestly, out of every bird that I'm about to mention on this list or have mentioned, I think a cockatiel is going to be a sure winner. I stayed quite in love with birds after having my little duly. Another thing to remember is that cockatiels can be quite quiet. I mean, they're obviously a bird, so they are allowed when they do chirp, but not as loud as other birds and not as noisy in general. So overall, cockatiels are amazing for families with kids. Honestly, I would say this would be my personal number one pick. The next bird that Vinny and I both think is a great bird for families with kids is the parrotlet. What I like about the parrotlet is that they're not especially noisy, which can be really great for a first bird. And they are great with families. Parrotlets are extremely curious and intelligent birds. And remember, the intelligence of birds will always keep you so entertained. Now, they probably won't talk so much, but they have been known to say a few words and phrases. Don't get a bird again because you're looking for a talking bird, especially not parrotlets, although you can get lucky and get a parrotlet that talks. So that's always just a bonus, as I would call it. Parrotlets are cousins of the Amazon. They're known as little birds with huge personality. Now, because these birds have a mind of their own, I would say that although they're great birds for children, maybe children over 10 would be the best age because they do have their moods. Kind of like Vinny over here. They will tell you, hey, you're pushing my buttons, man. So there is a chance that a parrotlet could nip a little bit. And that's always a good enough reason to make sure that you have a child that is aware of the emotional behaviors of a parrot. They have their own body language that you need to get to know as does every parrot. So for parrotlets, I would suggest maybe starting a tiny bit older, but yes, still great birds for kids. I would say a budgie is a little bit better in this area just because they're not gonna bite as hard or as much. Now, remember, if you socialize your bird well and include your bird in everything that you do, then you have much less of a chance of getting a bird with a little bit of an attitude problem. It's also very important to interact with your bird consistently so he doesn't lose his companionship towards you because that can happen with birds. But overall, these are extremely loving and infectionate little souls and I think you cannot go wrong with a parrotlet. And I know many of you have parrotlets and have shared your parrotlet photos with me. Overall, but are you mad that like nobody's mentioning you? Okay, okay, okay, we'll talk about you. You're gonna get your whole own entire video, okay? Okay, okay. We're very sorry about that noise. We apologize. Anyway, to sum up the parrotlets, they are curious. To sum up parrotlets, they'll be back. I'm not coming there. No, you come here. No, you come here. No, you come here. But to sum up parrotlets, they are cute, fun, curious, really playful little birds that love to get themselves into everything and I think you will really enjoy a parrotlet and could not possibly go wrong. Now, we talked about this bird a little bit last week and I did mention that they are great with children. We are now talking about the pioness. This bird is great because they can be friends with all family members. For those of you wondering why I keep mentioning that, if you don't own a parrot, sometimes birds get attached to just one person and it makes it very hard for everyone else to go near that person. But with the pioness, they're actually known for being great with all family members. So that's always a plus when you are choosing a bird for a family. This can also make for a very good bird for a first-time parrot owner. Some great things about these birds is that they tend to be more on the quiet side, which is always a bonus for any parrot owner, as you will know. They're also really affectionate and extremely playful. They may not be the best talkers in the world. In fact, they may not talk at all. So that's always something you should be warned about and again, something you should never get a bird for. But they're also very gentle, which can be a real great thing for a family pet, especially with birds that can be kind of moody like we just talked about with the little tiny parrotlets. These birds tend to be more on the gentle side. They may also be quite happy playing on their own. That's also a plus. Believe me, I know a lot of you are like, I want a cockatoo to cuddle and stuff. But after a while, some people do discover that they're better off with a bird that can have a little bit of his own independence. Now, sometimes with a male pioness, you will find that they can get aggressive and possessive over that one person that they love, which is just more reason to socialize your bird properly. If you socialize your bird properly and include him in the rest of the family, you will have a great time preventing that with this type of bird. And I think this bird will be a perfect addition to your family. I love that these birds are sweet and cuddly, but even better, I love that they have this nice musky smell. For those of you who love sniffing and want that musky delicacy, these birds have it. Just a little bit of a plus there for those of you who know what I'm talking about. Now that brings us to our last bird, the Myers parrot. These are also exceptionally quiet birds on the parrot scale. So that makes for a really great starter bird and also a really great family bird, especially if you have a family with a kid and a baby, that might be a good thing to look into birds that are more on the quieter side. You can watch my video on some of the quieter parrots that I did last week and find out which birds those might be if you have a child that is in love with the idea of getting a parrot, but you also have a baby at home or you need a little more peace for yourself. You might want to think of that when choosing your bird. Now the Myers parrot is also a bird that will bond well with the entire family. This is always a major plus. That's why I'm putting these specific birds on the list because birds that tend to bond with the entire family are really great for families, of course. So people with kids need birds that bond with the rest of the family. Now Myers parrots are affectionate, but they're not exactly cuddly. So that means that they enjoy head scratches and they enjoy being with you, but they don't necessarily enjoy being all up in you like a cockatoo would, which again, it can be a really great thing. Trust me, Myers parrots are not the best talkers, but they may learn a few words. And the best thing about the Myers parrot in my opinion is that they're rarely moody with the people that they like. So you see Vinny, he can kind of be like my best friend kissing me and then want to fly away and hang out by himself or be a little bit nippy sometimes. Myers parrots can be great for younger kids who haven't 100% learned how to analyze their bird's behavior or picked up on what it is that makes their bird nippy specifically because birds can be a little bit nitpicky and suddenly your sweet cuddly little bird can turn into a nippy bird that is kind of angry because you approached him from a wrong angle. A Myers parrot is a really great bird in this area because once you're their buddy, they don't turn on you. So I think this is a great bird for kids. It's a great bird for families. It's a great starter bird. You guys know why I say that term. I know a lot of you hate that term, but it's for this reason, for people that aren't as experienced with parrots and don't know the things that they will encounter, a Myers parrot can actually be a really great bird for that. And once again, they could bite a little bit harder than some of the other birds mentioned on this list, which is why socialization with your parrot is always extremely important. Remember that all birds deserve love, affection and attention. You never ever want to get a bird that you intend on leaving in a cage just like you would never ever imagine leaving a dog in a dog crate. You cannot leave a bird in a cage unsocialized. That is why my hashtag is engage not cage. That concludes my list of the five birds that I think would make great companions for your children or for you if you're watching this video and want to help decide for yourself before you approach your parents. I don't think you can go wrong with any of the birds on this list. Just remember to love your bird like he's your family. Include him like he's your best friend and respect him like he's your teacher. That's the advice I always give to everybody that asks me what they should know before buying a bird. And remember, with all of the birds on this list, even the smallest of parrots, you have to give your birds ample amount of toys, yes, says Vinnie, and things to keep them busy with while you're possibly at school or at work. It's always very important that your birds have things to do because just imagine yourself standing in one corner with nothing new or exciting to do or no phone or no interaction or nobody to talk to. It would drive you crazy and birds are so intelligent. Right Vinnie? Aren't birds intelligent? Yes. Yes. I got under the wing. Yes. Birds are extremely intelligent little beings and it's more important than we know. So no matter which bird you decide on, remember to treat him with all the love and attention you possibly can and keep him occupied with all the toys that you can. Right? Right. Don't forget to follow me on social media at Marlene McCohen on Instagram. Tag me in your photos. Check out my merch. You will love Jersey and her donut on all the t-shirts and clocks and toks and everything that you could possibly imagine. So don't forget to check that link out and also check out my Amazon link of products I love. That will save you so much time when you get your new bird. Anything that you could possibly think of is on it along with a lot of my tips. That is all. Thank you guys so much for watching this Parent Tip Tuesday. Vinnie and I really appreciate it. Please subscribe, like, comment and share this video. I'll see you next week. Thank you guys so much for watching. I hope you have a lovely day. Bye.