Didn't get Meyer's got Brown Headed! :D

[HollyG]

Ok guys.... so.... this is gunna seem out of nowhere but I've actually been struggling with this for a few weeks and finally made my decision! I went and interacted with a Brown Headed parrot a few weeks ago, young, about 11 months old at a local pet store. He had been there for months and all the customers would walk right by him and B-Line it to the Sun Conour beside him about 4 feet away. I had been the ONLY customer that had paid any mind towards him and actually asked for him to come out to be handled. One of the employees said that whenever anyone came in they would go for the "prettier birds" like the Sun Conour and budgies and would only take 2 or 3 second to look at him because he wasn't as pretty or active as the other birds, which is just plain not fair to him! He has a single white tip of one of his toes including the toe nail and yellow speckling on the back of his head! Beautiful brownsih grey head with a gorgeous green body! And a beautiful personality to match his beautiful stunning looks! It depressed me that no one would give this wonderful bird the time. Then I started feeling guilty that I was getting a new baby Meyer's already in a great home/breeder and I knew she would be sure he went to nothing less than the perfect home because he is the only baby in the house!! She may even keep him I think actually. So, I texted the breeder and told her what I decided. This wonderful brown headed was being forgotten... they are wonderful birds that deserves more!! The pet store even lowered the price of him to 50% off because he had been there for soooo long!! Yesterday my mind was ALL OVER THE PLACE on what to do, and when I decided I would take the Meyer's my heart would drop and my conscious would tell me "HOW COULD U!!"... to me that is a BIG sign that I need to give this beautiful parrot the home he deserves and the attention and love he deserves!!! Yesterday evening I left to go pick him up and brought him home. His name is Marly. He's still very nervous, even this morning.

 

[lotosha]

Yesterday evening I left to go pick him up and brought him home. His name is Marly. He's still very nervous, even this morning.
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He looks very lovely. I am happy u picked him and now he has a new home and good paront. Good luck!

 

[SandyBee]

Awww he's very cute. We have a brown head too and he's a sweetie, talks a bit and can mimick any beep LOL. They do tend to be nervous little things and take a while to settle in. Also be warned they tend to resent the person who cuts their wings and can hold a grudge. Also when they bite they like to hang on and grind.But they do bond well and ate very affectionate ours loves head scritches.

 

[HollyG]

Thanks for the info. Yes, he loves head scratches too

 

[ziggybird]

sooo cute Give him a little bit. It took my meyers a little while to get use to me, but now she is my little buddy I'm sure Marly will be yours too soon.

 

[Greybirdmomvmd93]

Congrats on giving little Marly the loving home he deserves! You had a tough decision to make but you followed your heart! I adopted a 2 yo Meyer's female in Jan '13 and she's a sweetie but also a handful. Good luck to you and Marly!

 

[HollyG]

Thanks guys!! Yes, Marlie (that's how I'm going to spell it lol) is in great hands now! He's starting to slowly come out of his shell a bit already. He wanted some attention a few times yesterday, so I took him out only for about 10mins at a time. Got some pictures He got some head scratches and cuddles too So here's some pictures of him yesterday Starting to see his personality a bit even through pictures. I'm since he grew up at that pets store, he probably picked up some bad manors or habits he was able to get away with. I'm just waiting for when they pop up because I am sure growing up in a pet store for like 8 months didn't quite make him turn out well rounded. I think just more time out of the cage with the family will help dramatically. You can see all his markings now and the white toe. Everyone's beeen telling me the yellow spotting will go away... but he is a year old and when he was at the pet shop with every molt more yellow has shown up. Also, someone asked since more yellow is showing up instead of going away and him having a white toenail, if he's considered a pied?? I don't even know if they can be pied? Anyway, here's my beautiful boy!



This is when my husband got home from work (Canadian Army hence the ugly shirt LOL) apparently at the pet store one of the employees said he doesn't like men... BULL! That just goes to show how much attention they gave him there, after 8 months you think they would have take the time to get to know him. He stepped right up for my hubby and stretched and relaxed and preen on his shoulder while watching TV. Now I'm starting to question everything they told me about him and what he's like.

 

[GreyG]

Congratulations on bringing Marlie home! I think you made the absolute right choice...conures are great and all, but in my book the pois are a step above.

 

[SoCalWendy]

Aww he looks like a real sweety. I have a Senegal, I love the poi family.

 

[kq_fan]

Oh my goodness he is sooo cute!!! Thats stupid that people would not go to him first, he looks so handsome and A-D-O-R-A-B-L-E!!! have fun with your new cutie!

 

[JadeC]

Wow!! Never heard of these birds! He's so cute!!!!!!!

 

[crimson]

you are going to have a ball with him!...I own a Senegal and a Jardine, and they are amazing at imitating sounds, truly it will make you laugh.....I know he is already memorizing sounds in your house and it won't take him long to start showing you his talent!
congratulations, I think I would have chosen him too!!

 

[HollyG]

Update on Marlie- Looks like Marlie has the habit of starting to screech when he wants attention... yikes.... that screech/beep sound is LOUD holy crap! I'm gunna try and nip this in the butt right away... going to put him back into the kitchen just outside of the living room but where he can still see us and practice alone quiet independent time and that screeching isn't going to get him what he wants! I have a feeling he must have gotten something every time he screeched in the pet store. I find that him being so close to us in the living room while screeching put a little bit more stress on him because we were so close but I wasn't letting him out because of his behavior. After about 10mins I think he was more frustrated than anything. His cage is literally 3 feet from the couch. Gunna put some distance between us. A little loud for a few minutes is ok, he is a parrot after all, but to go off loud like that for 20mins is not ok, and he will learn that pulling a loud tantrum will not get him what he wants in this house!!!! lol

 

[deshud]

Congratulations on Marlie. You will love him. I was also looking for a red-bellied or meyers, found a brown head that needed to be rehomed on kiji. I haven't even heard of a brown head before then. Seeing her, she's plain looking, but has tonnes of personality. I have had her for about a month, and she'a adapting well. Not sure of her past, think she may be seven years old, not sure, the previous owner only had her for less than 2 months. When I first got her, she would just sit in the back of her cage and not move. Today, she actually came out of her cage for about 30 min, then quietly returned to the cage by herself. She's exploring her cage much more and playing with her toys ( actually destroying her toys, she likes to chew). Just like you, I have found out she has this HIGH pitch chirp, thank fully she doesn't use it very much. It's so high, the dogs don't come into my room ( where the cage is). My dogs do not like her at all. Sounds like you're doing everything you can to stop the screeching. My heart, and my ears go out to you. Lucy ( AKA LULU) is full of personality and I think she will be a wonderful pet. I am sure you will find the same with Marlie. Brown heads aren't the most colorful birds out there, but I think they are wonderful birds, I am sure glad there a people who can care less what they look like and love them for who they are. I think once he trusts you and knows you will always be there for him, his screeching should stop or at least decrease. Just remember he's been in the pet store for 8 months, and never did have a "companion" Now that he has one, he want to be with you all the time.

 

[HollyG]

Thanks deshud! So far he's been better with the screeching thing. He isn't doing it as often, and when he does I am able to ignore it better because his cage isn't 3 feet away anymore. When he's quiet, that's when I go in for some attention. I do the same with my cockatiel who had a bad screaming problem at one point (my fault for spending nearly 24/7 with her lol) but she knows how to have alone quiet time now. Marlie is smart, he'll catch on.