Advice on bonded pair who have eggs

[Miko_the_birb]

Sometimes the humans have to come first. Sorry not sorry. It’s not a decision I’ve come to lightly like returning a shirt like you said.

 

[Miko_the_birb]

I’ve also tried to prepare myself to let both of them go so they can stay together. I still strongly feel like they will eventually be fine separated but part of me still does not want to give up on Duckie. it’s not and easy decision at all and to be treated like I don’t care about my birds is incredibly unfair

 

[kme3388]

I don’t think anyone thinks you are a crappy person. Both @DonnaBudgie @texsize and myself know that people innocently purchase or adopt parrots/birds that don’t exactly go according to plan. It’s not always apparent how noisy, messy, and destructive they can be. Parrots are a great thought as a pet until they’re not. I myself never recommend any of them in captivity. Conures are like mini macaws. For a small parrot they are snippy, and quite challenging. I try to talk everyone out of parrots. Dogs & cats are in my opinion easier. Parrots arent very friendly unless they are handled on a regular basis. I don’t know how many people I’ve tried to help, and they tell me they take their parrot out all of the time. I open the cage door, and realize I’m dealing with a very scared, timid, wild bird whos never been handled. Then they fess up that they take their parrot out once a year. That’s why the parrot isn’t friendly. I don’t judge I just try to help. They really do take up your life, and they are time consuming. Then you have to add in hormones, puberty, diet, exercise, and everything else. Birds are perplexing to keep in captivity.

 

[kme3388]

I have yet to meet a vet, zoologist, shelter, or sanctuary who highly recommends parrots as pets. You stated above that parrots aren’t your life. My macaw would be like adopting a 3-5 year old child. It’s not healthy for him to sit in a cage. He thrives off interaction. They are very highly intelligent. Anyone with these birds would tell you that you aren’t going to have a personal life. I would NEVER recommend them as pets unless you want something attached at your hip. I can’t go out on a Friday night, and leave my parrots in their cages. I’m a nerd anyway! It is what it is.

 

[DonnaBudgie]

I don’t think anyone thinks you are a crappy person. Both @DonnaBudgie @texsize and myself know that people innocently purchase or adopt parrots/birds that don’t exactly go according to plan. It’s not always apparent how noisy, messy, and destructive they can be. Parrots are a great thought as a pet until they’re not. I myself never recommend any of them in captivity. Conures are like mini macaws. For a small parrot they are snippy, and quite challenging. I try to talk everyone out of parrots. Dogs & cats are in my opinion easier. Parrots arent very friendly unless they are handled on a regular basis. I don’t know how many people I’ve tried to help, and they tell me they take their parrot out all of the time. I open the cage door, and realize I’m dealing with a very scared, timid, wild bird whos never been handled. Then they fess up that they take their parrot out once a year. That’s why the parrot isn’t friendly. I don’t judge I just try to help. They really do take up your life, and they are time consuming. Then you have to add in hormones, puberty, diet, exercise, and everything else. Birds are perplexing to keep in captivity.

One of the problems with people and parrots is that people get a very unrealistic picture of what it's like to own a parrot, especially GCCs, by watching all those YouTube and TikTok videos showing amazingly tame friendly parrots ¹being handled like they were puppies or kittens. Most of these videos are of baby parrots that have not yet reached puberty. Baby parrots are always sweet, cuddly, affectionate and irresistible. Adult birds are rarely like that. And a baby GCC can be bought for only a few hundred $$. Then they grow up and people wonder what to their sweet baby! Or they think it would be even more fun to have two! Throw in hormones AND a member of the opposite sex and their sweet baby is now like a rebellious teenager in love and in lust, intent on making babies of their own!

 

[Miko_the_birb]

I don’t think anyone thinks you are a crappy person. Both @DonnaBudgie @texsize and myself know that people innocently purchase or adopt parrots/birds that don’t exactly go according to plan. It’s not always apparent how noisy, messy, and destructive they can be. Parrots are a great thought as a pet until they’re not. I myself never recommend any of them in captivity. Conures are like mini macaws. For a small parrot they are snippy, and quite challenging. I try to talk everyone out of parrots. Dogs & cats are in my opinion easier. Parrots arent very friendly unless they are handled on a regular basis. I don’t know how many people I’ve tried to help, and they tell me they take their parrot out all of the time. I open the cage door, and realize I’m dealing with a very scared, timid, wild bird whos never been handled. Then they fess up that they take their parrot out once a year. That’s why the parrot isn’t friendly. I don’t judge I just try to help. They really do take up your life, and they are time consuming. Then you have to add in hormones, puberty, diet, exercise, and everything else. Birds are perplexing to keep in captivity.

I did my research years and knew full well they would be noisy. We take them out daily they’re out most of the day. Miko interacts with us. It’s the fact that Duckie had never come around to begin with (and not for lack of me trying) I’ve tried separation so I could bond with him. At some point the screaming/calling gets to be too much everyone has a tolerance level mine is pretty high. I can handle noise. Screaming thru the vents in the house no (& yes these smarty pants figured that they could hear each other thru the vent system) and it’s impossible to keep them away from the vents. So I was left w: no choice but to let them stay together and Duckie went from please don’t touch me to if you come near Miko or this cage I’ll kill you (ok hormones he was right at puberty age i get it it will pass.. it got worse and worse I couldn’t deal with it and then the mating started.. I had decided to surrender him but then she started laying eggs. Number 5 just arrived today. I’m still mentally emotionally trying to figure out a way to keep both. Do I try side by side cages? Will they scream at each other ? Will Miko still lay eggs? (Obviously unfertilized) no matter what decision I make I feel like I’m making a mistake I care deeply for these birds if I didn’t I would’ve gotten rid of Duckie months ago

 

[DonnaBudgie]

With 5 eggs and incubation not yet begun it sounds like you have plenty of time to decide what to do. There's more sense in stressing any more about it now. You need to keep Ducky until those chicks are weaned and they haven't even hatched yet, so you're looking at a few months. I'd try to enjoy the experience of having baby parrots. You said you're going to let the parents raise the chicks, right? Ducky has a critical role to play as he feeds her and shares the duty of feeding chicks. She will need his help, especially with such a large clutch.

I hope they let you handle the babies (at a few weeks old) after they hatch. You should handle them several times a day beginning at two to three weeks old. It's easy to rehome sweet tame baby GCCs. Wild ones are not as desirable.

Make sure the parents' diet is varied and food is plentiful. The parents eat a lot of food while raising chicks.

 

[Miko_the_birb]

With 5 eggs and incubation not yet begun it sounds like you have plenty of time to decide what to do. There's more sense in stressing any more about it now. You need to keep Ducky until those chicks are weaned and they haven't even hatched yet, so you're looking at a few months. I'd try to enjoy the experience of having baby parrots. You said you're going to let the parents raise the chicks, right? Ducky has a critical role to play as he feeds her and shares the duty of feeding chicks. She will need his help, especially with such a large clutch.

I hope they let you handle the babies (at a few weeks old) after they hatch. You should handle them several times a day beginning at two to three weeks old. It's easy to rehome sweet tame baby GCCs. Wild ones are not as desirable.

Make sure the parents' diet is varied and food is plentiful. The parents eat a lot of food while raising chicks.

I’m happily surprised he is currently letting me take the bowls in and out. He certainly lets me know when it’s low lol. The rescue I was planning on surrendering him to call me after she had the first egg and I was like well we may have to wait bc if she’s going to have chicks then he’s gotta stay.