I want a conure I care for in a pet store

[Misslonewanderer]

Before i even started working in this specific pet store, I kept an eye on one of the conures there. She was very timid, and slightly aggressive almost as if she was mishandled or treated. Once finally working there, we bonded and she constantly calls for me and always loves hanging out with me outside of her cage and watching what I do to care for the other animals. I’ve become very attached to her as well. The only issue is, there is a man coming in within this week to buy her. He knows nothing of conures and wants to just throw her in a cage in his 3rd floor with the other conure that he bought from there (they haven’t even interacted outside of the cage), which I think is neglectful and very telling of what he actually knows about birds in general. I want to buy her but my dad insists since I have a chinchilla that he will not allow me to get a conure, unless I give my chinchilla away. I will not do that because it traumatizes animals to just break bonds like that. How Can I convince my dad, as a grown adult, that I can care for the both of them?

 

[Kentuckienne]

Thanks for noticing this little birdie and wanting to help. That said...

You can’t know the future. The person who gets a bird to be a companion for another might give the bird a better quality of life than someone who enthusiastically gushes in the store, then gets bored in a month and starts ignoring the bird. All you can do is offer them the chance to buy a book that seems good, and maybe give them the URL of Parrotforums so they can come ask questions here. Offer as much support and encouragement and information as they will accept.

You can’t save them all. I don’t mean to sound callous, but there are thousands of birds suffering at the hands of ignorant humans. As long as as parrots are considered desirable and valuable there will be people who breed them, trap them, sell them, and buy them. Some will live happy lives, but parrots are not domesticated animals and even in the best human home life is a compromise. I don’t believe the cycle will be broken until the wild populations of many species of parrots are extinct - but we have to hope, right? And do what we can to educate humans and to help the parrots we can.

When you are ready for it, you might consider fostering a parrot in need. People often bring parrots back to the pet store because the birds have developed problem behavior due to neglect or mistreatment. Maybe you could help rehabilitate one of these birds and find a good home for it. Maybe you can learn to work with traumatized birds at a local rescue, and foster or adopt from there. It’s better to save a bird in need than to support the parrot trafficking industry by buying a parrot from a store.

Take advantage of your position to notice where the store gets bird’s from...investigate how the breeders raise the birds they sell you...what does the store do with birds that don’t sell..what do they do with birds that are sick or injured...there are organizations that can help stop bad actors if they can be identified. And you can be a source of information to the public.

Lastly, I don’t believe the smaller mammals like chinchillas form lifetime pair bonds the way humans do. They will attach to a loving human in a new environment...the problem is you can’t know how the person will treat them in the future. So keep him for now and start learning all you can about caring for and rehabbing parrots, and when the time and tide is right, launch!

 

[clark_conure]

If your an adult why do you have to listen to your parents?

Also if the bird is going to someone that can't care for them correctly, buy the bird. Even if your parents are all "I'm gonna disown you for loving that dinosaur"....you could always resell to a a better owner or a friend that would care about the bird. You might loose some money on the deal , but if you sold to a friend you'd be able to still see her.

I kind of follow the old adage it's easier to ask for forgiveness after the fact, then to ask first and get turned down. It's gotten me pretty far in getting what I want. Also in this case it's not self serving so it's even morally ok. It's for the bird.

 

[itzjbean]

You can want the bird all you want but unfortunately the pet store has a customer that is willing to purchase the bird and if you don't have the money to buy her (and your dad says no) then there really isn't much you can do.

There's no way to know what will happen to her, but you do need a source of income if you are going to buy a conure. On top of the (probably overpriced) cost of her, you'll also need a roomy cage ($300) and expect to pay around $100-200 a month for food and toys, for the next 30 years. It's a time and life commitment for sure, and while there are many conures out there needing homes, if you cannot afford care of the cost of purchasing her then there really is not much you can do.

 

[PickleMeDickles]

It seems this little birdie has picked you, which is always best. When we went to get our conures, the first fluff ball I met was pickles. I was oooing and ahhing over her and she tried to rip my lip off. My husband thought it was hysterical and loves a companion with gumption, so the beast came home with us. We love her to death. Don't get me wrong, this IS Pickles house. Everything she can see and touch alive or dead is HERS. And all others shall back down or be appropriately tagged. She can also be the softest most loving of all out birds. Go figure. Perhaps that's the girl coming out in her.

 

[Squeekmouse]

I agree with all of the other replies... as tempted as I am to suggest you just buy her and ask forgiveness of Dad later.. I assume you are living with your Dad and it's not a good idea to have a pet in your Dad's house that your Dad doesn't want there. I don't know your parents, but at best that means Dad resents the bird and there are emotional conflicts, at worse you will come home one day and Dad gave one of your pets away...

Perhaps you can point out to your Dad that you have shown your maturity and ability to care for the Chinchilla and your maturity in holding down your own job and doing well there, and ask that he give you the trust you have earned that you can care for the Conure as well. Just don't get emotional or yell or be unreasonable. Parents are more likely to listen to calm reason over angry demands.

On the other hand, perhaps you can talk to the man who wants to buy the conure and offer to help HIM bond with the bird and help HIM learn to appreciate the love and affection that conures can give, perhaps teach him to provide his birds with handling, attention, and love as well as food and shelter.
Failing all of that, just try to remember what Kentuckienne said, sad but true that we can't save them all. It breaks my heart to think of all the pets out there that don't get the love and care they deserve. As lucky as I know I am to have my sweet Yoda, I also know how lucky Yoda is to have me instead of someone who wouldn't take the care I do of him.

Good luck!!

 

[LordTriggs]

in a perfect world I would say for you to buy that Conure

but like others have said, money, time ETC all plays a hand in it. Not sure of your age but I will assume between 17 and 20. Right now you do need to focus on you. Getting a bird and then not being able to care for it because you don't have the money to or you're stuck working double shifts. Unfortunately you can't stop that customer from buying the bird, if you were to refuse all that would happen is the customer would get angry and the manager would sell the bird to him. You can't even make him care for them better, it's the unfortunate truth of life.

Factor in your dad too, he said no. Sorry to say but a "no" means "no". For all you know your dad could be scared of birds, my mum used to say no to me, wasn't until I moved out and got my bird my mum came clean that she's scared of them. Forcing a parent to be around their fears because of your desires isn't exactly fair is it?

You can always save a bird later down the line when you have your own place and are financially stable

 

[T00tsyd]

There are many times in life when we wish we could do something to help when a creature human, bird, animal needs us. We have all been through it at different times. For me it's dogs. As a dog lover I often see others treating them in a way that I feel is not best for anyone. One of the lessons of life I guess.

You sound young enough not to be totally in charge of your own destiny yet and as such you have to accept the restrictions imposed by those you live with. It happens in any relationship from parents through to marriage. Just imagine if you rush into buying this little guy now and then next week there is another that you feel even more strongly about. Are you going to buy that one too?

Accept that this little one will have a new owner and hope that it will be ok. You know this little conure best at the moment perhaps a list of his likes/dislikes/temperament will help his new owner to give him a good life. Chances are if he gets along with the other bird he won't want to bond with his human anyway.

Life doesn't carry any guarantees for any of us.

 

[OneHorseRanch]

I'm so saddened by the birds in our local petshop that I wont shop there. Maybe make this guy a deal, if the bird doesn't work out for him that you would poss be able to take her back into the shop. Maybe the bird could be the shop mascot until you feel the right buyer come through the door. And maybe down the line you can convince your folks that you can keep two critters around.
I agree with Kentuckienne. So many birds at rescues that could use extra help. I just couldn't imagine relocating my bird.
Good luck with that..