Maxi vs. BH (is there really much difference?)

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[Nattie]

Hi everyone,

I do not yet have a Pi, but I have two linnies who are my little sweethearts.  For several years I've been researching larger parrots, and pretty much settled on a BH Pi.  I think they are unbelievably gorgeous, with great personalities (generally speaking, of course!).  So I've been keeping an eye out for an adult BH that needs rehoming.  Nothing's come along so far.

On Craigslist I've found a Maxi Pi that's 2 hours away from me.  I emailed back and forth with the owner and ended up saying no because I've really had my heart set on a BH.  Am I being stupid?  Is there really much difference between the two species?  Aesthetically, I love the vibrant blue on the BH's head, but I've also seen how pretty the Maxis can be and this one is very cute (her picture is at the bottom of this post). 

I can't seem to get over this hangup of wanting only a BH, though.  This Maxi seems very sweet.  She was not handraised and apparently was adopted from an elderly lady who couldn't keep her pets anymore.  She does not know "step up" and prefers for handling to be on her terms, but she loves scritches, she's very quiet, has never bitten, and she's about 4-5 years old so she's been through adolescence. 

I guess what I'd like to know is whether I should stop putting the BH on a pedestal and go for this Maxi which seems like potentially a great pet.  I figure, at the very least, I'm going to a bird fair this weekend that is a half hour from where this Pi is.  I could ask to visit with her before going to the bird fair, and see how we hit it off.

Here is her picture:

Do any of you have experience with both BHs and Maxis?  Would you recommend the Maxi must as much as the BH? 

[Jan]

The Maximilian is my all time favorite with the runner up of the Coral Billed. Sometimes when you have your heart set on a particular bird, it is hard to settle for anything else. I like Blue Heads and even as pretty as they are, for me they are lacking something - don't ask what cause I don't know.  I mean like my pet BH who is Blu, she is wonderful but is different from the Maxi.  Birds are such indviduals anyway.  If that photo of the Maxi is the exact one you are talking about getting, he certainly is a cutie and a half! Besides you can always get a BH later on even if you get a Maxi now.  Maxi's might be more out going than a BH but then some BH's are go getters as well. 

If the Maxi you are talking about is not that tame, it may be a challenge for you and she may warm up to you and she may not and you'll never know until you were to have her.

[BWDAD]

I have never had a BH but my Maxi, Maxxi is the sweetest bird of the three birds I have. She was a rehome I got a little over a year ago. With us though it was a case of love at first sight. As soon as I saw her I just knew she was the right bird for me and vice versa, she came right out of her crate that I brought her home in onto my shoulder & has been there ever since.   

If you are going to be that close to the Maxi you are talking about it couldn't hurt to go see her. See how she reacts to you and you react to her. If she's 4-5 she may be pretty set in her ways and it may take a little work to get her to come out of her shell.

[Nattie]

Thanks for your help!

Jan, yes this is a picture of the actual bird.  Isn't she cute??  I know she's not as tame as I'd like her to be.  The owners said she prefers to come out of the cage on her own, and they signal to her that it's time for handling by bringing out a certain pink towel.  They said she then climbs over to the couch and allows them to wrap her in the pink towel and give her scritches.  I'm not sure that method sounds like the best for the bird, but she may love it, who knows!  I think I'd prefer to have her cage in a location where I spend a lot of time (like my office), open the playtop, and let her come out on her own.  I'd regularly offer scritches but I think the towel may indicate she's being forced into handling... not sure.  I think it'd be a slow process for sure.

BWDAD, thanks for your suggestions.  I think you're right about the visit.  I'll ask if I can go see her on Saturday.   

[SallyQZ]

Can't help you with the comparison since I've never owned a BH, but I have an awesome Maxi that I love to talk about!   

I've had Hardy for 10 mos now and he has the greatest personality of all of my birds (I also have 2 rose breasted cockatoos and an African Grey).  It took him a few months to warm up to me, but once he started to trust me more, he really started showing his affection for me.  He follows me from room to room, and sits beside me on the sofa - tugging on my fingers, or shirt, gently with his beak.  He chatters at me in excitement when he's having fun, and will leap into my hand whenever I open his cage (whether I am planning on taking him out or not, LOL!).  He's also the most prolific talker of the bunch, always trying out new words and phrases and often surprising me with how clearly he can speak.  His current fav is "Where's Daddy?" and he'll repeat it endlessly, throwing in the occasional "Where IS Daddy?!" in exasperation.  He has also started stepping up for my husband and son as well, and hasn't bitten them yet. 

In the beginning, he bit me often.  And HARD too.  But I gently and patiently persevered and I was rewarded with a trusting bird (and scars).  I think if the Maxi for sale will willingly go over to be toweled, she will tame up easily.  Most birds aren't big fans of toweling unless they've been handled enough to make it "fun".  My cockatoos can be toweled without too much stress, but my CAG totally freaks out.  Hardy hates the towel too.

BTW, that is an absolutely gorgeous Maxi!  You should definitely go out and meet her, see if you two click.  Good luck!

[Jan]

Yah I've actually never heard of anyone wrapping a bird up in a towel just to love on the bird!

[Kathryn]

I thought I would tell you a little about my experience with both the Maxi and BH.
Now I have one of each.  This is the first time I have had babies, I got them from Jan, hatched 6-09.
Previously, I had 2 Maxi and one BH.  Unfortunately, the three of them are gone due to different illnesses.  They were all older at least 9 years old by the time I got them.  One by one I lost them.
Gabby, my first Maxi was real quite, did not talk, easy to hold, but very stand offish.  Diana the second Maxi was more outgoing, neither talked.  The third was Joker the BH.  He was sold because he would not mate with the guy's hen, but I think he was a pet first and he talked a little.  All were great birds and loving.
Now it is a different story!  Having babies is a whole new ballgame.  Luca, the Maxi talks a lot (he is Hardy's brother owned by SallyQZ).  He is a kid, brash and bold, bites a little when he is protecting the cage and food, but we are working on it.  He is a clown, hanging upside down , flapping and squawking and having a great time.  He loves to bully Lizzy my BH, just wait until they mature and he wants a little nookie, she will remember the times he played tug of war with her leg and cut him off!  Sometimes I just have to laugh watching him.  Lizzy is more reserved and quiet.  She loves to just sit on my shoulder for hours if I have the time, like writing this letter!
I guess I would have to say I love them both with their different personalities.  Each individual bird is so different, no matter which species you get. You can see who is the clown in this picture!  Good luck with your choice.

[Fuzzy]

I've never had a Maxi's, but they were the species I originally wanted.  I went to see some Maxi's babies, but never "gelled" with any of them.  However when I met Kobe almost a year later I felt very comfortable with him right from the word go.  So like BWDAD suggested, go and see her and see if you "gel".  Kobe is all I could wish for and more in a Pi... he's an absolute clown, yet he's extremely affectionate too.  I never thought I could love another bird like I did my budgie Boo but slowly over the three years I've had him, Kobe has stolen my heart. 

[Nattie]

Thank you all for your input and stories.  I agree, the individual personality of the bird means more than perhaps what species it is.  I'm anxious to visit this Maxi girl on Saturday, if they respond to my email!  I hope they do...  When I initially said "no" I explained it was only because I've had my heart set on a BH for a while.  They said they understood.  Since I'll be in the Tampa-St. Pete area on Saturday anyway, it would be an ideal time to visit with her and see if we click. 

Here's another question.  Because this Pi is not a very handtame bird, will it be obvious whether we click or not?  I got my cobalt linnie, Atticus, at a bird fair several years ago.  He was a well-socialized tame baby, and we immediately clicked.  It was like we understood and trusted each other right from the beginning!  My creamino linnie, Dorothy, has never been handtame though, and I pretty much just observed her for a while and chose her.  I wouldn't say we clicked, haha, but she grew to enjoy my company and now she lifts her wings in greeting every time I enter the room which melts my heart.   

I'm just wondering if a bird has to be pretty handtame in order to interact enough to see whether we click or not. 

[Nattie]

Okay, just an update... they emailed me back and she's still available.  I'm going to visit her Saturday afternoon! 

[Fuzzy]

    That's wonderful Nattie!!!!

I know exactly what you mean about if a bird has to be pretty hand tame to see whether you click or not.  I don't think so... let me tell you my experiences with 3 birds.  When I got Boo the budgie, he wasn't tame, but he did come over and briefly put his foot on my finger - I knew I would always regret it if I didn't take him home.  With Kobe I didn't even touch him, I just saw him in his little carrier and felt at ease in his presence... yet with the Maxi's I held them and felt "OMG I don't want to take one of these home".  I'm about to adopt a wild caught OW Amazon who is not tame but not totally wild.  I couldn't make up my mind for 2 months.  In the end I travelled to the other end of the country to go and meet him.  I got into the aviary with him.  I didn't touch him but felt at peace with him.  I still wasn't sure though when I got home... but after a few days it started to feel right.  So I told his carer I wanted him.  He's coming home to live with Kobe and me on Sunday.  At last I'm getting excited!    I say trust your gut feeling about this Maxi when you meet her.  She's very beautiful - I especially love the scaly looking head that Maxi's have - I think it's so attractive.   

[aquaseafoam]

I have never had a BH, but I'm going to join the long chain of maxi owners that love their sweet little birds.

I adopted Cherry Pi last spring, she was 8 years old.  She's been sweet from the start.  Always puts her head down for scratches wants to be with me, we "talk" to each other over dinner.  She doesn't form human words but she has certain clucking/ quiet squawking noises that lets me know whether she wants food or attention, or in response to my voice talking to her.

She is also good with most visitors as long as they approach her slowly and heed her warnings.  If she puts her head down- you're good... if she ruffles her feathers with beak open do not come any closer!  It usually only takes a couple minutes of talking to her and bringing your hand in slow to get an invite from her though.

Having a less tame bird may give you a totally different experience.  I don't think I'd continue with the towel cuddling.   Allow her to come to you on her terms, when she sees fit and that will allow to be more trustworthy.

[Nattie]

Fuzzy, what a great story about your new Amazon!  I bet you can't wait to bring him home.  It's so much fun to anticipate and get ready for a new member of the family.   

aquaseafoam, thanks for your story about Cherry Pi.  I grew up with a Hahns macaw and I learned parrot language from her.  Oh boy, she was a handful, but she taught me all about body language and how to give good scritches, haha!

I've learned some more background about this Maxi pi.  For one thing, she started out living in a cage on someone's patio and was not handled or interacted with.  She was then acquired by a woman who took in several birds as rescues.   This woman unfortunately became ill and was bedridden but this Pi was her companion, would sit with her in bed for long periods at a time and be cuddled, scritched, and fed.  The woman eventually became too ill to keep her birds anymore  and so she went to the couple that currently have her. 

They said she is very calm and gentle.  She makes quiet warbling noises and her favorite noise is "Pffft".  She's used to dogs, cats, and other animals (which is great because I have two dogs who completely ignore my linnies.)  They take her a local vet for nail and wing trims and the owner said everyone there loves her.   She really does sound like a doll, maybe just needs some stability in her life, no more house-hopping.

One concern in the back of my mind is whether I'll be allergic to her.  Growing up, I did just fine with our Hahns macaw.  However, during vet school I bought a newly-weaned cockatiel and when she had her first molt I had several severe asthma attacks.  Luckily, the breeder took her back but it was still really upsetting to part with a bird I was attached to.  I have really bad asthma with cats, and unfortunately I have to take my allergies very seriously because I have bad lungs.  So... that's a concern of mine, but hopefully I'll be ok since I have no issues with my two linnies. 

[Fuzzy]

Thanks Nattie.    I have allergies too, I can't be in the same room as a cat and I can't breathe if one should come to sit on my lap, but I'm not allergic to Kobe or any of the budgies we used to have.  I'm sorry about the little Cockatiel - how upsetting for you.  Cockatiels, African Greys and Cockatoos are all powder down birds.  It means that their small feathers disintergrate as a way of keeping themselves clean so these are all very dusty birds.  There is no way I could even think of one of these.  I would have thought if you were ok with your Hahn's and your Linnies then you should be ok with a Pionus.  But if you find you are allergic to most birds, you might be better off getting an Eclectus.

The Maxi's does sound rather sweet... on Saturday, breathe deeply next to her!!   

[zozzy29]

oooo, good luck on saturday.

I'm firmly in the camp of 'you can't tell a bird's temperament by species alone'.

I've met plenty of birds from the same clutch, raised in exactly the same environment whose personalities are poles apart.
Maxi's are great little birds and I think from this little lady's history she might be an absolute steal.

Fingers crossed you like her!

[Nattie]

Okay guys, an interesting situation has come up.  I'll try to explain quickly. 

Several weeks ago, I was very close to adopting an adult BH pi.  She seemed like the perfect creature (sweet, tame, doesn't bite, vocal, playful).  I bought stuff for her, I put her picture on my phone and computer wallpaper, we scheduled for me to visit... and then they decided to keep her at the last minute.  That's when I started to think, "Maybe I shouldn't be so particular about wanting a BH, I'll just get my heart broken". 

Well they've contacted me again.  They've realized that they really do want to rehome her (both spouses work double shifts and "Gypsy" doesn't get much attention anymore) and they tried to find me on Craigslist because they lost my number, but then they were able to find my email again. 

I really really want this bird.  I have to say, since she's a BH I think I should go visit her before I go to see the Maxi.  I hope I won't hurt the Maxi's owners' feelings by telling them that.  If the BH doesn't work out, I still very much want to visit the Maxi.     

[BWDAD]

Is there any way you could visit with the BH before time to go see the Maxi?       If not just go with your heart, but I would explain the situation to the Maxi owners. Some people are understanding & some aren't. Until you see the BH you won't really know if everything those people are telling is true or not, or even if the 2 of you click. GOOD LUCK with your decision.

[Nattie]

Yes I'm going to visit the BH on Saturday, and if we don't click, then I'll visit the Maxi on Sunday.  I hope the Maxi's owners understand.  It's certainly nothing against them or their bird...

I will keep you all updated.

[Fuzzy]

I think that's wonderful... maybe you were meant to have Gypsy all along.     It's fantastic you're going to meet her so soon!!!    Can't wait to hear all about the visit and what you decide.

[Nattie]

Thanks, I can't wait to meet her!  The first time we went through the adoption process, I really did think I'd found my dream bird.  And then it fell through... it really took me several days to get over it.  But it seems it may be fate for me to get her!

[Nattie]

Well today's the day, I'm going to see the BH!  I'm excited but a little nervous too.  I'll let you all know what happens.  I may be a Pionus owner today!

[BWDAD]

                                                                                                              GOOD LUCK!!

[LoriP]

Can't wait to "hear" how it goes.  Will be checking frequently for a report

[Nattie]

I brought her home!!!!  Sooo excited.  I've named her Wendy. 

I'm going to make a thread in the BH section.   

[Jan]

Wow!!! Congrats... now I will go read in your new thread abouth her!

Huh, there is no thread started on her yet in the BH forum... so I'll wait until it is there, so hurry up and with a pic to go with it!!!