Hi there, I've been through a roller coaster of a month trying to add a sweet GCC to our family! I originally got a 4 month old GCC ("Gypsy") from Petco and "she" was sweet as can be; a bit of biting issues, but after reading posts here I was able to curb that behavior quickly and she bonded with me and my husband within a couple days. She really enjoyed curling up in the hoods of our hoodies and playing in my hair. She would run to the front of the cage and step up without any issue to come out and play. Then, mysteriously, after two weeks with us and only a day after a thumbs up at her well check, she died 
We tossed all teflon-coated pots and pans, were very careful not to use perfumes or chemicals near her, always washed our hands before bringing her out, etc. so I was convinced her death was not environmental...
We were devastated. The pet store offered a 30-day "guarantee" that I NEVER thought we would have to entertain!! Needless to say, we did not get another bird from that store. I sanitized the cage, replaced the toys, and started looking for another bird. After our experience, I really wanted to find one from a local breeder, but of the few breeders in my area, no one had a GCC available, so I braved a different pet store chain.
The sales associate said she had actually adopted this GCC's brother (well, she thought it might be his brother because they're both yellow-sided, from the same breeder, with the same hatch date and similar leg band numbers). The fact that she hadn't experienced any unexpected health problems with another bird from the same breeder gave me confidence in my decision to take "Gypsy 2.0" home.
Now to my dilemma.
Gypsy2 (as we've been calling him/her) is 7 months old, vice the 4 months that Gypsy1 was. Is there a significant difference in how tame the bird is the younger you're able to get it out of the pet store? I ask, because this bird is nowhere near as sweet and trusting as Gypsy1 was. In fact, Gypsy2 seems to have a serious fear of hands!
After much research, and quite a few sessions of training, I'm finally able to get Gypsy2 to "step up" for a grape treat. "She" doesn't, however, come out onto the fold-down open door of the cage until I leave the room and come back. At that point, I first started by giving a nibble of the grape, then introducing my finger and coaxing the bird closer with each nibble until it rested one foot on my finger. Eventually it will step up. We then move to a couch and practice laddering, with more grape nibbles, etc.
Gypsy2 doesnt seem to like head schratches like Gyspy1 did...but I digress. The hands. I'm by no means able to stick my hand inside the cage without the bird 'freaking out' and climbing to the furthest reaches of the back of the cage. I did some more research, and for the last day or so, I've been opening the main cage door, waiting a second to make sure the bird will stay put, and then sticking my hand in the cage, just to be in the cage, not reaching for the bird. After a few times of doing this the bird has finally started to not run when my hand enters the cage, but if I move any closer to it, the freakout and runaway reaction occurs.
Am I doing the right things? Is there hope for Gyspy2? I know all birds are not created equal, and they will have different personalities, but can we expect that Gypsy2 will someday make it to the affection and trust level we had with Gypsy1? I dont mean to sound cruel (and I feel guily already) but I have been considering returning Gypsy2 to the store and waiting for hatchlings from a breeder that I know will be hand tame and at home with me at 8 weeks old
We tossed all teflon-coated pots and pans, were very careful not to use perfumes or chemicals near her, always washed our hands before bringing her out, etc. so I was convinced her death was not environmental...We were devastated. The pet store offered a 30-day "guarantee" that I NEVER thought we would have to entertain!! Needless to say, we did not get another bird from that store. I sanitized the cage, replaced the toys, and started looking for another bird. After our experience, I really wanted to find one from a local breeder, but of the few breeders in my area, no one had a GCC available, so I braved a different pet store chain.
The sales associate said she had actually adopted this GCC's brother (well, she thought it might be his brother because they're both yellow-sided, from the same breeder, with the same hatch date and similar leg band numbers). The fact that she hadn't experienced any unexpected health problems with another bird from the same breeder gave me confidence in my decision to take "Gypsy 2.0" home.
Now to my dilemma.
Gypsy2 (as we've been calling him/her) is 7 months old, vice the 4 months that Gypsy1 was. Is there a significant difference in how tame the bird is the younger you're able to get it out of the pet store? I ask, because this bird is nowhere near as sweet and trusting as Gypsy1 was. In fact, Gypsy2 seems to have a serious fear of hands!
After much research, and quite a few sessions of training, I'm finally able to get Gypsy2 to "step up" for a grape treat. "She" doesn't, however, come out onto the fold-down open door of the cage until I leave the room and come back. At that point, I first started by giving a nibble of the grape, then introducing my finger and coaxing the bird closer with each nibble until it rested one foot on my finger. Eventually it will step up. We then move to a couch and practice laddering, with more grape nibbles, etc.
Gypsy2 doesnt seem to like head schratches like Gyspy1 did...but I digress. The hands. I'm by no means able to stick my hand inside the cage without the bird 'freaking out' and climbing to the furthest reaches of the back of the cage. I did some more research, and for the last day or so, I've been opening the main cage door, waiting a second to make sure the bird will stay put, and then sticking my hand in the cage, just to be in the cage, not reaching for the bird. After a few times of doing this the bird has finally started to not run when my hand enters the cage, but if I move any closer to it, the freakout and runaway reaction occurs.
Am I doing the right things? Is there hope for Gyspy2? I know all birds are not created equal, and they will have different personalities, but can we expect that Gypsy2 will someday make it to the affection and trust level we had with Gypsy1? I dont mean to sound cruel (and I feel guily already) but I have been considering returning Gypsy2 to the store and waiting for hatchlings from a breeder that I know will be hand tame and at home with me at 8 weeks old
