I'd like to bring this up as a general question as I've experienced this more that once. You but a bird whether it be direct from a breeder or in my most recent case from a bird far (this guy is a Green Cheek Conure). I'm able to interact with the bird before deciding to buy it, and it's friendly, calm and appears to be very tame. Great, so I go ahead and buy the bird. Get home and take the bird out of the box, and it turns out to be a shreiking terrified little thing that acts like it's never seen a human before. I've had this experience two out of my past three bids. One was a cockatiel who it's taken a year to move from terrified to tolerating my presence to wanting to spend time with me.
At this point it is what it is and I'm going to have to work with the little guy. However I wonder about the Dr. Jekyl/Mr. Hyde behaviour transformation. Is it common for breeders to tranquilize their birds to make them appear more tame than they are to make the sale? Or is it just so traumatic to be torn away from their flock, stuffed in a box, and to go home with a stranger that they have a difficult time making the transition (it's very traumatic for them)?
At this point it is what it is and I'm going to have to work with the little guy. However I wonder about the Dr. Jekyl/Mr. Hyde behaviour transformation. Is it common for breeders to tranquilize their birds to make them appear more tame than they are to make the sale? Or is it just so traumatic to be torn away from their flock, stuffed in a box, and to go home with a stranger that they have a difficult time making the transition (it's very traumatic for them)?
