Which is an ideal bird

Question
I was wondering what kind of Parrot  would be a good pet. I am looking for a bird which has the following qualities. I can tell it's gender when it's young, very good talkers ,not aggresive not loud  resonably priced colourful ,pretty and a good pet. Requires moderate space.

Lastly the bird will be in a cage not an aviary. Must also be Affectionate but not too attached and must live a resonable life span (more then 9 years). Good immune system reccomended.

I also read up on the Splended Grass Parakeet would that be a good bird for me?
Moe  

Answer
Hi, Moe.  Thanks for posting your questions.

I cannot tell you what would be a good parrot for you because I do not know your personal situation/lifestyle, etc.  In addition, the qualities you list in your post are qualities most look for in a parrot, however, you must realize that each and every parrot is an individual as humans are.  There are no guarantees when it comes to parrots.  In other words, I could tell you, for example, a Quaker parrot would be a good choice, but no one can guarantee that the particular Quaker parrot you choose would learn to talk, not be loud, etc., etc.  These qualities depend on the individual personality of the bird you choose.  

I can recommend that whatever species of parrot you choose, you buy from a reputable parrot breeder, buy a just-weaned baby so that you can train s/he the way YOU want the parrot to be raised, etc.  In a lot of species of parrots, they must be DNA tested in order to determine sex (i.e., they cannot be visually sexed), so you may have limitations in this regard.  Some species have to molt twice before you can visually sex them (the second molt occurs when they are 1 year old).  Most parrots make some amount of noise...you may be limited here.  Most parrots bond to one person, especially if they are not socialized to many humans on a daily basis.  Talking is a learned behavior in a parrot, i.e., most parrots have the ability to talk, but you would have to teach your parrot to do this, so, again, no guarantees here!  

A bird's lifespan is attributable to genetics and how well it is cared for during it's lifetime.  In other words, I have many cockatiels that are over 15 years old, but the average lifespan of a cockatiel in captivity is about 8 years old...depends on how it is cared for during it's lifetime.  Therefore, no one can guarantee that the parrot you choose will live more than 9 years.  Be aware that some species of parrots can live for more than 20 years...be prepared for a long commitment when choosing parrots.

A good immune system is developed/maintained depending on how well the animal is cared for from hatching throughout it's life.  This is not something you can request by species.  Price depends on who the seller is.  You'll find cheaper prices for quality birds from a parrot breeder than you would a pet shop.

There are hundreds of species of parrots.  I recommend you do much more reading/research on parrots in general (to learn how to care for them and to learn about their personalities, etc), and personally look at/interact with as many parrots as you can at bird shows, pet shops, breeder's facilities, etc., before making your choice.    

Chrys