Tell me about White Belly Caiques

I need a crash course. I've been reading up on them and so far they sound a lot like conures on crack. Accurate?

That's what every one claims,that and they are real clowns.I've also heard that the ones that bite ,bite hard. I am going to meet some sunday am but they are breeders ,White Bellies and Black Headed man has 10 pairs and some zon breeders and cages.

Dunno about the WH caiques. If they're anything like the BH's, then, yeah, they're conure's on crack.

I was just commenting to EC today that Ducky's a lot more like a caique than a conure - he's ADHD and "tweaky" (tweaky's nippy, but not mean nippy; tweaky's like a puppy that can't control itself and bites the crap out of your hands in play)

Caiques are often very bird aggressive. I know people who absolutely cannot keep caiques and other birds in the same room even, because the caiques would attack through the cage bars.

I have no interest in them. Angry birds on crack with loud yells.

I think they're adorable

I would love one, but my wife already thinks Merlin is noisy, I'd probably be divorced if I brought home a Caique.

I just spent the most amazing 30 minutes with a White Belly Caique. I went to the local PJ's Pets looking for Poop Off wipes (which I did not end up finding), and the girl in the store had Caique out with her. He jumped right onto my hand with ease and I spent the next half hour in Heaven! He is was bigger than Merlin and felt like the "right" size to me. He wrestled with me and beaked at my hands (perfect gentleman, not too hard), he laid on his back in my hand, was quiet as a mouse in amongst a whole flock of various birds squawking away. It was awesome!



If it wasn't for the $3000.00 price tag (plus a new cage, the divorce settlement after my found out I spent $3000.00 on a bird, etc.) I would have walked out with him in a heartbeat ( I thought about ways to sneak out of there with him, but since the sales girl was right there it would have been difficult). I could have played with him all night. He was such a cuddle bug, even moreso than Merlin!

RogerP wrote:

I just spent the most amazing 30 minutes with a White Belly Caique. I went to the local PJ's Pets looking for Poop Off wipes (which I did not end up finding), and the girl in the store had Caique out with her. He jumped right onto my hand with ease and I spent the next half hour in Heaven! He is was bigger than Merlin and felt like the "right" size to me. He wrestled with me and beaked at my hands (perfect gentleman, not too hard), he laid on his back in my hand, was quiet as a mouse in amongst a whole flock of various birds squawking away. It was awesome!



If it wasn't for the $3000.00 price tag (plus a new cage, the divorce settlement after my found out I spent $3000.00 on a bird, etc.) I would have walked out with him in a heartbeat ( I thought about ways to sneak out of there with him, but since the sales girl was right there it would have been difficult). I could have played with him all night. He was such a cuddle bug, even moreso than Merlin!

Put the bird on layaway and tell your wife it's your birthday present for the next 5 years.

zazanomore wrote:

I have no interest in them. Angry birds on crack with loud yells.

see to me they sound great! they're a good size like roger said, too. I'm not really looking for a big bird in the future, just medium-ish. Are they're yells really that bad? how would you compare the pitch to a gcc or other conure? my dad's main issue with rainbow's screams is the pitch, I think. Won't matter in two years or so though since I'll be moving out. But jeez, for their size, Caiques can be pricey! At petco (or petsmart?) they had them for 1200$ I suppose it's like half that amount from a breeder though

I believe in Canada, they are around $700-900 depending on breeder. I've seen them go for under $700 in the states.

I love Caiques, I've only met one but I felt the strong *spArk~*

Roger, what Roz suggested sounds GREAT. but seriously, you can get them for under a thousand in our country. You should do it, so us cake lovers can vicariously live through your cakeship.

I seriously never paid attention at them, they are not that popular in stores here like Conoures. But after Roger's review... I think I have to spend couple hours on more research, they caught my attention for sure

A baby from a breeder catches a firm $800 around here.



I agree with the them being the ideal size. With the exception of wanting an Eclectus or CAG one day, I am not super attracted to big birds. I like the smaller/small-medium fellas. Quakers and Caiques are the size I enjoy most. I really like the size of suns/jens and bigger conures too. There are some birds I am glad are small, like my lovebirds. I can't imagine them with all that ahem *personality* much bigger!



I am speaking with a lady about her 8 year old male rehome. She is very kind, and her fella will be coming from a great home. I really hope it work out. In addition to Juniper's first male coming to me, this would be it. Five feels right and complete to me. For a few years anyway.

GlassOnion wrote:

I believe in Canada, they are around $700-900 depending on breeder. I've seen them go for under $700 in the states.

I love Caiques, I've only met one but I felt the strong *spArk~*

Roger, what Roz suggested sounds GREAT. but seriously, you can get them for under a thousand in our country. You should do it, so us cake lovers can vicariously live through your cakeship.

I felt the *spArk~* bigtime Anita! The sound didn't bother me like Merlin's for some reason (though he didn't say much)



The research I did last night (the only breeders that had prices posted were in Ontario) showed the Black Head in this range (don't know why but they don't interst me as much as the White Belly), but the White Bellies were going for $1500.00 from a breeder. Now, that's half of the price for this one in PJ's, but then there is potential shipping and socializing from scratch (I don't know the personality I would be getting), whereas this one is already a cuddly bear. Still, it's sizeable difference in price, and if I am honest with myself I could think of a dozen other places to put that kind of money before another bird. I think I'm gonna have to wait a while, maybe put some money away slowly. I wish I could find someone rehoming, Julsie, that might solve some problems.



I may have a chat with Merlin's breeder and the lady from a local rescue, to see if they have anything to say about local breeders (where this guy supposedly came from) and if they are aware of any rehomes. I can wish and hope right? Margaret send the Zon vibes my way, maybe I will get "Lucky" too!

Roger, I hope we both get lucky! I'm still waiting back to hear a final word from his owner. I'm trying not to get my hopes up.

I'm confused as to why White Bellies are so much more expensive than the Black Heads that are $900-950. I personally don't like the look of White Bellies though..

I don't know, it's something about that bright orange head that gets me. The black looks meaner somehow, I can't explain it right.

RogerP wrote:

Margaret send the Zon vibes my way, maybe I will get "Lucky" too!

Julsiebean wrote:

Roger, I hope we both get lucky! I'm still waiting back to hear a final word from his owner. I'm trying not to get my hopes up.

Okay both of you, Julsie and Roger, from the bottom of my heart good luck with your "Lucky" I hope, you'll be able to get your bird fast

Hey Crystal, you are the only one here with a Caique (not sure if it is Black Head or White Bellied), what can you tell me and Julsie about them? Are they aggressive to other birds? How noisy are they? Are they really Conures on crack as has been surmised. You're the only one with first hand information. Do tell, please?

I spent an hour today chatting with a breeder here in town who has both Black Capped and White Bellied Caiques. The information is (though admittedly she is somewhat biased) that they are no noisier than any other bird, not as a rule aggressive to other birds (though there are exceptions like any other species), love to play and interact with everyone, and generally (to me, anyway), sound like a perfect bird!



This breeder has some WB's that she is feeding right now that will be ready around September/October. There is one femal that has not been reserved as yet. The breeder's price is $1500.00. Adding in another $200-300 for a decent cage and it is pushing $2000.00. I don't have that kind of money laying around, so I think this will have to be a long term goal for now.



For those that are interested, this website has a file you can download to see what they sound like:

http://www.parrots.org/index.php/encyclopedia/profile/white_bellied_caique/



I also found this video during my research that I had to include here. The Caique is really laying a beating down on this poor defensless teaspoon! I LOL'd:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=emRnqlP4Wdc

RogerP wrote:

I think this will have to be a long term goal for now.

I have heard somebody saying something like that:
We are still young, as long we have our dreams.
I keep finger crossed, knock on the wood and whatever else possible for your WBC

When I was breeding the BH's they weren't very noisy. They didn't go off alarm calling like the conures do. Their call is not as high pitched as the suns/jendays so easier on the ears. As for aggression, they weren't aggressive even when on eggs or babies. The male I could handle and time and was very sweet, babies or no babies. The female was not tame, so stayed away from me, but she was not aggressive either even on eggs or babies. For breeding birds, this is unusual. Breeders usually get very bold and attack you which is what most of my other species do.

Very active and a lot of fun to watch. I never kept a BH baby for myself and now I regret it. I think if raised with rules they'd be really great pets. Just the activity level some times can be hard to keep up with.

if a caique ever came my way I don't think I'd turn it down, despite my inability to pronounce their name...
do you ever think you'll breed caiques again Roz?

moa wrote:

do you ever think you'll breed caiques again Roz?

Definitely. Jonesing for another pair right now. I kick myself sometimes. I lose interest in certain birds and sell them; then I regret it like you wouldn't believe!

I don't know how to pronounce even half of all the species.

Caiques, parrotlets (sounds too awkward to say), and for the longest time I was saying "Conners" when talking about conures.