Should i get a hen or cock senegal parrot?
im brand new to this, but need advice.
im buying a senegal parrot, one, but should i get a male or female?? and which for what reason(s)?
many thanks,
Dave
Definitely a hen. Do not get a male. They are fine when young but turn into biters and holy terrors by the time they are about 8 to 10 years old (depends on the husbandry) when they reach what I call the 'age of sexual frustration'. Sennies are nippy birds, all of them, males and females. The females can be very affectionate but they are also stubborn little things who want their way and have no problem whatsoever giving you a love bite if they don't. They are not usually bad, they don't even break the skin but they can hurt a bit and, most of all, startle you. But the older males are mean, mean, mean. I am talking completely fearless and almost incorrigible little birds that will keep on coming back to bite you and figure out ways of doing it when you try to prevent it (like coming from behind when they figure out that you duck if they do it from the front and grabbing onto the top of your head, lean over so they can bite your face). And boy do they bite hard! They might be little but they pack a wallop in those little beaks and I have the scars to prove it! They also don't let go and hang on to your flesh like a little pitbull even you might pull and pull :D
Don't misunderstand me, I love senegals. I think they have incredible personalities and I admire them intensely! These birds are good eaters, good bathers, hardy, beautiful and very intelligent. I love their 'never say die' way of approaching life and I happen to think their little dances are the cutest thing. But the males all end up as biters so get yourself a female.
I have to disagree with the comment on choosing a hen. I have owned a male for many years, and i have had to work with him sure, but he is an absolute pleasure to own and be with. It may be true that senegal hens may be easier to work with, but my Harry is an absolute diamond. The simple fact is you can get agreeable or disagreeable traits and personalities in a Senegal regardless of its sex. My bird is a DNA sexed male, who shares the house with my two dogs, myself and my girlfriend. He is loving to all, willing to be friendly with everyone never vicious to the point where he hurts. He is the only parrot i've ever owned so its not as if i'm hugely experienced in the matter but the previous comment seems like a sweeping generalisation to me
I second the disagreement...well just to the extent that the experience with my male is not at all what the first reply discribed.
Oscar is a bird that I got after his past owner could not longer take care of him.
I will say that Oscar is deffinately attached to me and nobody else. He is 5 years old, I got him when he was 4 and a half, and I assume he was like this in his previous home. We have tried many different ways to get him to spread his affection around. The best we can do is that he will tolerate others.
This bird loves to cuddle, and snuggle (odd sight to see a 6'3" 320lb man snuggling with this little bird). Let me be clear...like all birds he definately has his grouchy days (hence the Oscar as in Oscar the grouch).
Again...this is my experience with this one bird (my first bird btw) and is not intended to be a "all senegal's are like this" statement.
Maybe I just got lucky.
Thought that I would finally make a post after being here for nearly a month.
Thanks,
Shane
Western Washington State
I also have to disagree. I have a nearly five year old male (I know, it was said 8-10), and while it was definitely rough during mating season, he's overall a sweet little guy. He actually does very well with others, letting my six year old daughter, my partner, my friends, and my family all hold him (although if he senses any hesitation from someone trying to get him to step up off of one of his playstands, he'll be a little ornery).
The most annoying trait that he has is that he can be quite vocal around dinner time, and when he's ready to go to bed, he's ready to go to bed. He also is very fond of not letting me sleep in on the weekends past 8:30 (but if I get up and say hi for a couple minutes, he'll quiet back down and play with his favorite toy - his food).
I would say the key is, like any parrot (and I have only a small amount of experience, primarily with a Cockatiel I adopted, and two Lovebirds, a Quaker and a Budgie that I fostered for about a month each) is socialization. From an early age, he got to meet strangers and annoy other animals (he has no fear of dogs or cats, and they always learn to fear him quite quickly after a nip to the nose), and I know that has helped.
From what I've heard, hens are quieter and not as exciting, but still great little parrots.
Male senegals are fine when they are young, it's when they get sexually frustrated that they become very aggressive. All the birds mentioned by the people who disagree are all still young (except for one who doesn't mention the bird's age) and even then, every single one admits they are nippy (grouchy, ornery, etc). Not all psittacines species are the same. Some are milder than others, Senegals happen to be uneven tempered birds, nippy and very stubborn. Now, this doesn't mean all males bite ALL the time or that they cannot be handled, it simply means that the person who cares for them needs to make a special effort. Some people have a natural affinity for birds and adjust to this effortlessly and without even noticing, some people can learn and adjust to living with a male Sennie but most people will not. It's a matter of percentages. So, when people ask whether they should get a male or a female, one needs to go with the 'numbers' to play it safe because the alternative might very well mean another homeless bird.
