Need some help making up my mind

[JJAdams]

Hello boys and girls, I know this must be a common thing around here but I kinda need to dump everything going on in my mind because I am getting pretty confused by now.

I don't want to talk about reasons but I've wanted to have a pet for some time. I have allergies and my house isn't that big so I can't have more common pets(or a ferret, I love ferrets). The idea of a parrot came to my mind a week ago and I've been looking up information since then.

The more I see about them the more I like them. I just need some help deciding what to do.

Because of the type of person I am I thought a GCC would be a nice pet. They seem to be quiet, playful, intelligent... Plus they're small so I'd be able to maintain it better than other kinds of parrots.

But finding a GCC in Spain seems to be harder than any other species. I am new at this bird thing so I don't know what I should do.

There's some people selling adult GCCs but I am not sure if I should get one since I wouldn't know about the bird's state. They might have ignored the bird in it's cage so making it comfortable with me would be incredibly hard... They might have cared about it so much that the bird won't like me because he misses his owner... I don't know.

Then every single breeder's website is bad so I'd have to call many places to ask. I still have that on my to do list. This seems like the best choice to me but no breeder is anywhere close to where I live and only a handful ship animals instead of requiring me to go there. Is it a good idea sending the bird over to my city?

Some other people have ads on craiglist-like websites and they seem to be a little black market-ish. They don't show any warranties or anything that makes me feel safe about the purchase.

There's only one place I could find where I can adopt a parrot but right now I don't know much about the place or how it works.

Budgies also seem nice and easier to obtain than GCCs... I wouldn't be upset about getting a budgie instead but I think a less active bird would suit me better. Plus, I love how GCCs look.
____

So, what should I ask for if I was to buy the bird from someone else? Should I?

Same goes for breeders, really. I'd love to visit them and have better information about how they work but it's pretty hard when they're so far apart, investing so much if I didn't make a deal with them in the end. What should I ask if I phone them, to make sure it's all fine?

Sorry if my English failed me a few times during this post. Thanks for reading all of this and for your help.

 

[mtdoramike]

There are no warranties with purchasing a bird. Some breeders will give you a 72 hour health warranty as long as you take it to a vet before the 72 hours expire, which is no warranty at all really. So states in the US have laws with similar warranties and some apply to birds or exotic pets and some don't.

Birds are a pet that is usually purchased with disposable income, which means you don't need the money to live on. So you have to be willing to lose the money you used to purchase a bird if it ends up getting sick and dying. So if you are looking for warranties or return policies, pet birds may not be for you.

I have no issues with buying a bird from a Craigslist Ad as long as you can go and check out the bird and interact with it.

 

[JJAdams]

Birds are a pet that is usually purchased with disposable income, which means you don't need the money to live on. So you have to be willing to lose the money you used to purchase a bird if it ends up getting sick and dying. So if you are looking for warranties or return policies, pet birds may not be for you.

I'm not looking for return policies but I wouldn't want to buy my pet from some uncaring breeder just because I was dumb and lacked experience. I'd like my bird to be healthy... not because of the money...

I have no issues with buying a bird from a Craigslist Ad as long as you can go and check out the bird and interact with it.

Well, that's a problem in that not many people are selling them. I'd have to travel pretty far for that. It would be hard visiting someone if I'm not 90% sure I'll buy it from them. But, ignoring that, do you think I should care about the bird's age?

 

[Mekaisto]

If you live near a major city, there may be a breeders network, or even a page on Facebook - I live in the city of Melbourne and there are lots of Facebook pages like "Birds for sale Melbourne" where you can find breeders close to you.

A GCC is a really good bird for first-timers, even though they're not as colourful or big as some other parrots, they're still one of my favourite pet species.

Some questions to ask would be:
-Where did the breeders (parents) come from?
-What do you feed them?
-Is the chick weaned?
-How much socialisation (hand-taming) has it had?

You can ask your own questions as well, if you want to.
A good breeder will be very helpful, and give you the information without you even asking for it. They may even have 'baby photos' to share with you.
A good bird will be happy to meet you, have nice shiny feathers and no problems with its nose, eyes, skin or feet. It should be active and interested in its toys and food.

A bad breeder will be quite defensive or secretive, won't answer questions directly, or may not even know the answers to some questions.
A sick or badly raised bird may be very scared of you, or it may seem disinterested. Any discharge or unevenness in its eyes or nose is not a good sign. It should not appear to be panting or wheezing, and its feathers should not be dirty or frayed.

It is not uncommon for baby birds to have frayed or broken tail feathers, as they are still at a stage where they don't fully understand how to look after their feathers properly, and the tail feathers are the ones that get stuck on things and sat on the most.

Never feel bullied into buying a bird - even if you drive a long way and meet the bird, but decide you don't want that particular bird, don't let the breeder try to convince you.

 

[JJAdams]

If you live near a major city, there may be a breeders network, or even a page on Facebook - I live in the city of Melbourne and there are lots of Facebook pages like "Birds for sale Melbourne" where you can find breeders close to you.

Thanks a lot for the answer, it helps.

To be honest, I live 1000km away from "major cities". MOST of the breeders seem to be around that area except a few of them who I could get to in 3-4 hours by car. That's why I was wondering about how shipping birds would work.

Also I think GCCs are beautiful even if they're not the shiniest birds out there.

 

[Mekaisto]

Shipping birds is fine, as long as you have a long talk with the owner first and make SURE that they are good, the bird is healthy and happy, etc.

 

[JJAdams]

Thanks for the help.

I have only 1 more question at the moment. It seems some gases can be fatal for a parrot... If I was to have a bird cage it'd be in the living room, and the kitchen is directly next to it.

So, if I take my bird to a different room while I cook and bring him back later it should be all fine and dandy, even if I use teflon pans or whatever, right?

 

[Dinosrawr]

A bird's age isn't a definitive indicator of their temperament or behaviour, and it may be easier to deal with an older bird because they've already gone through their hormones. Often people will purchase young birds, they'll have a nice relationship, and then hormones will hit and the bird will be given away or sent to a rescue because they can't handle the change in personality. Keep in mind a GCC that is 8 years "old" is really just a teenager hitting a young adult stage, or in my eyes at least

I really can't say I'd ever recommend using non-stick pans in the same house as a bird. Even if you remove them from the room, there's a chance you might forget one day while your bird is on your shoulder, or you might forget to remove them, or you might leave the pan on the stove by accident. It does happen, and it's not worn the risk. Cast iron pans are great, especially if you take great care of them. You can also get non-stick pans that are PTFO and PFAO free. Personally, I like to use ceramic. It is more expensive, but good quality ceramic cooks amazing and is safe for not only your bird, but you too.

If you're unable or unwilling to switch over, make sure your bird is far away from the fumes and in a well ventilated space. Keep your bird far away from the kitchen while cooking and make sure the kitchen has been well ventilated before bringing your bird back into the area. They have such delicate respiratory systems that when exposed to Teflon fumes, it takes only 15 minutes or less to be fatal. After I stopped using strong chemical cleaners and scents, I've even found myself very sensitive to them when I never was before (and I'm not a sensitive person when it comes to allergies, skin, or anything of the sort). It kind of surprised me, but I figure if I'm sensitive to it, I shouldn't be using it. Plus it's bad for the environment !

 

[RavensGryf]

Hi welcome!
One thing you mention is that a GCC (small) might be easier to manage than a bigger bird, and less active than a budgie parakeet. Well, yes and no. Keep in mind that Conures are still a strong willed, very active bird and have a lot of the identical personality characteristics as the big birds. Same need for attention and can develop plucking and screaming just as easily as some larger species. Conures ARE big birds in a small package! That said, they're really popular in the US, and many people people find much love and joy in keeping these little parrots.

Just curious, since you say GCC are rare in Spain, what parrot species do you usually see?

If you can somehow confirm that a breeder has a good reputation, I'd consider getting one shipped. It's done all the time here. I'm not sure about the laws, but if you expand your search to look in your neighboring countries then maybe you'll find someone reputable? Talk to as many bird people as you can, and that way you may hear 'who' is good out there.

 

[JJAdams]

...

Well I don't mind a bird with needs but GCCs seem more cuddly, quiet and happy to spend time with you than Budgies, even if all you do is pet them for a bit.

To be honest, I don't really like it when parrots talk. Like, it's funny and nice when you see he learned something from you and that kind of stuff... But I'd rather hear bird noises If I want to hear a parrot talking I can just visit my grandmother(no, I'm not calling her a parrot). I don't think I'd mind if in the end I get a bird that loves to talk but when people say GCCs are bad talkers I what I hear.

To be honest, I barely see any parrots around. Everyone has dogs and cats but most people I see with a pet bird have budgies. I know 2 people who own a macaw(grandma) and my friend's U2 that died some years ago. I don't think people like spending a big amount of money on a bird, dunno.

When I was a kid my neighbor liked breeding budgies and they also had a bigger parrot. I think it was a sun conure but I can barely remember. He offered herself to help me handfeed one when I visited her house and keep it later on... But I had 2 dogs and a cat so I couldn't accept.

Sorry I'm sidetracking a little bit.

Checking the internet and that stuff it seems parrots are more common pets in other countries... And bird owners gatherings are not common/close by.

____

I'll also think about the kitchen tools.

 

[thelittleone]

Pick up a sun conure and I'm so happy i did.... so awesome bird

 

[JJAdams]

Pick up a sun conure and I'm so happy i did.... so awesome bird

Yeah, it's the prettiest parrot I've seen... But they're bigger, louder and 3 times as expensive. I don't want to get a bigger bird. I can't.

 

[thelittleone]

Pick up a sun conure and I'm so happy i did.... so awesome bird

Yeah, it's the prettiest parrot I've seen... But they're bigger, louder and 3 times as expensive. I don't want to get a bigger bird. I can't.

I guess I'm lucky with mine since he's been quiet.. hope it stays like that....
but yea go with conures.... get the GCC...