[Nick]

Do we have any pionus-keepers or enthusiasts here? If so, could you share what you know about them? I hear of them every once in a while, but don't know much about them. :shrug:

 

[Ella]

I don't own one but was this close to getting a handreared dusky.

But instead I got a MB conure, which I suppose isn't quite as exotic, but I love him to bits.

I would love to know who owns any though, and I think I've seen a few browsing round the site... you can't hide them forever!!!! :lol:

 

[nanay]

I do not have a pionus, but a pionus is one of the few medium sized birds I think I personally could handle. The bird store I frequent had a bronze wing this fall. He was very, very sweet. He was afraid of hands when I first started playing with him, but he soon learned to step-up on command quite willingly. He never once offered to bite me. They kept him caged with a blue crowned conure. To me he seemed a bit stockier than the conure. His vocalizations were similar in quality and tone to amazon vocalizations, but not as loud nor as frequent. To my knowledge, he was not talking by the time he left the store. He enjoyed his toys, playing with as much gusto as the blue crown conure. His fear response was to freeze or to flee, and he never tried to bite, not even in fear. He was also what I would term "obedient" as far as birds go. I know that probalby sounds like an odd term to give to a bird, because I don't consider obedience to be part of the bird psyche, or perhaps that is only MY birds, lol, but this guy was very reliable in doing what he was asked once he learned what was being asked. He DID have a very distinctive sweet odor. That would be the only draw back I would see to owning a pionus. Probaby most folks wouldn't have a problem with it, but it is strong and distinctive, so my advice would be to spend a lot of time with one to be sure you can handle the odor before making a committment to one. I've only ever handled three pionus in my entire life, one Maximillian, one white cap, and this bronze wing, and the other two much more briefly than this one, but they all behaved similarly. Nevertheless, you can see from this statement that I know very little about pionus, but the brief experiences I have had have been good enough to let me know that if I ever decided to add another medium bird to my flock, it would consider a pionus.

 

[Jenny]

We have one! :thumbsup: I know I mentioned it on the linnie forum, but she's like a big linnie She's super sweet, a little shy, and very quiet. She does talk a little, she says pretty bird but it's more of a 'priiiiy buur' :lol: She does kisses, whistles, says pretty bird, and babbles. She's a great size, fairly active, and very snuggly :lovehearts:

 

[Apple]

I love Pionus's. I'd love a Max or White Capped.

 

[gpgilbert]

We (especially my daughter Katie) fell in love with a Max. at a bird store. He was such a calm, sweet bird. I'll look forward to hearing from the guardians of some Pionuses.

 

[Janine]

I have one and they are great.:thumbsup: Fairly quiet, and calm. I have a blue headed pionus and he talks quite well. He's a very sweet bird.

 

[Sabinoesque]

I have one. She's a great bird, very much like a tiel but larger, and a little less talkative (though mine is not much). Her volume though when she does vocalize is pretty up there, and her contact call is ear piercing. She is a bit timid with new things, but the stuff she knows she is good with. She says a few things in a squeaky sort of voice. "Pretty Bird", "Hello Sammy", "Thank You", "Quiet Sam" (guess how she learned that one! lol), and then she also laughs and gives kissy noises. Unfortunately she also imitates the smoke alarm and oven timer. She has only bitten once in the 3 years we have owned her. She is not super cuddly but likes to be near you and appreciates scritches on occasion. We are trying to rehome her due to hubby not appreciating her vocalizing. He's not a bird person to begin with, and hates the mess, so her calling pushes him over the edge. :s