Please advise on what to do

[edsbeaker]

I am stuck in a dilemma, and sick about this. Two weeks ago I was waiting to bring home a cockatiel. He somehow was injured and split his lower beak to the point of needing special care the rest of his life, which was beyond what I could provide for him. The store owner asked if I would be interested in choosing a GCC instead. She felt that because I’ve had birds in the past, I might be happier with a bird with more personality. Anyway I decided to go with it. She said she had two baby standard Greencheeks to choose from. I was a bit disappointed because I would have preferred a more colorful mutation. After playing with these two 4 1/2 week babies, I chose one of them and have been visiting her for the last two weeks. This chick is constantly chewing on me, hard.

A few days ago I found out that the other chick was a yellow sided, not a standard. Had I known, that would have been the one I chose. I ended up playing with her, and her personality is so much more relaxed and cuddly. She hatched 2 days after the first one. I asked the store owner if I could take the yellow sided one instead. She is very reluctant to let me do that. She feels the one I decided on has bonded to me in the six times I’ve visited, and said another customer was holding him the other day and he bit so hard he drew blood.

I want a bird that is relaxed and cuddly like this yellow sided, plus it is a mutation that I wanted in the first place. I have grandkids that I would like to interact with this bird, as well.

Do I push the point and take the yellow sided, or is she right that after 6 visits this will hurt the bird because it has bonded with me at the store. This bird will be with me for decades. I don’t want to be sorry about this decision.

 

[T00tsyd]

My gut feeling is that you haven't bonded to the bird so that you should walk away. If you feel the relationship is wrong now how will that change at home? Of course the other argument is that given time and training this little one might be every bit as you want but it seems to me that your heart is already not smitten.

There are much more experienced people than me here so this is just my initial thought, others may differ.

 

[itzjbean]

Both birds will be perfectly fine if you pick one or the other. Birds are not as complex as we make them out to be, they won't feel rejected if you don't pick them, another family will likely adopt them in time. And it is your freedom as a paying customer to pick whichever bird you want. If you want a more relaxed companion to match your relaxed personality, then push for the yellow one. As long as there is no one else interested in this one you should be able to switch interest/where your money is going. Don't feel obligated to take the one that is turning out to be a little bit rambunctious and nippy. But there is no going back after this decision, so pick wisely.

 

[GaleriaGila]

OOOOOOOOOOOOH! That store person needs to know that cockatiels can be just as personality-loaded as GCCs... Every bird is just really its own person... parrot...?
But seriously, I really commend your thoughtfulness and dedicatiton to making a good decision that truly WILL be a life-changing move.
I would just advise you keep doing what you're doing... think, feel, thinkand feel some more.
I hope when the right decision comes to you, you'll know it!
Meanwhile, please keep sharing your journey.
Let's see what other members have to say...

 

[Sunnyclover]

Just because a baby bird chews a bird chews on you a bit hard is in no way an indication that they will not be a good and friendly bird in the future. You could take the yellow sided home and it could act totally different than it did in the store and same with the Normal GCC. You also might want to consider that the chewing bird might need you more because bit might be harder to sell it and it might develope worse behavior if it has a prolonged time in the pet shop. Either walk away from the situation or take the normal GCC. You can easily train it out of the biting especially if it's not aggressive but just chewing too hard.

 

[edsbeaker]

My thought today is to spend some extended time with the yellow sided GC and see if there is a solid connection. I just hope when I go back to the store the owner doesn't give me a hard time.

 

[Kiwibird]

Just my opinion, but you should try to get the bird you feel most comfortable with/like the most/feels likes you the most. ALL birds will have their issues, difficulties etc... and feeling a strong connection to the individual is important when it comes to overcoming the inevitable problems that will crop up. I rejected quite a few birds from the rescue I worked with because they just didn't "feel" right. I pretty much knew the moment I saw the first photo of Kiwi he was special and belonged with me. Even though he was certainly... difficult in the beginning (and no one would ever describe him as "cuddly", even to this day), the fact I felt a strong connection to him helped me have the patience and mental power of will to deal with him back then. I've always loved him no matter what. If you don't feel a strong connection with the little conure you've been visiting, the likelihood you'll rehome him at some point is much higher if/when he gives you trouble (and all parrots are troublesome at least at some point in their long lives!). Pick a bird you feel a strong connection to and don't feel the least bit guilty about it. You also give the bird you feel a lesser connection to the opportunity to go to someone who connects better with him/her

 

[itzjbean]

My thought today is to spend some extended time with the yellow sided GC and see if there is a solid connection. I just hope when I go back to the store the owner doesn't give me a hard time.

The owners shouldn't be giving you a hard time -- as a paying customer (key word here), you are allowed to make your own decision. Do not let the owner bully you. If the owner continues to guilt you into this other bird rather than the yellow-sided, stand your ground and explain that you are entitled to your own decision. Either way it is a sale for this pet store owner so they should be happy.

Continue to spend time with the yellow sided to see if there is a connection -- while it is important, you should not feel pressured to make a purchase you are not comfortable with.

 

[edsbeaker]

Thank you SO much. It is such a difficult decision because of the guilt of not taking this bird, but I just sense that it is not a good fit for me. I just need to stay strong as you suggest and hold my ground.

 

[LordTriggs]

I would agree with going in and seeing how the other bird interacts with you. If you feel something then problem solved! If not you can always apologize to the store owner and go elsewhere.

I always hate the concept of people selling birds calling customers time wasters, when asking for people's money especially on a pet people may need to spend more than 30 seconds deciding

 

[wrench13]

If you decide to take the first GCC, there will always be that niggling thought in the back of your head every time there might be an issue with the parrot. "Oh I shoulda taken ....".

GCC have a rep for being 'bitey' which needs to be trained out of them.

 

[edsbeaker]

I'm home from the bird store and decided to take the yellow sided GCC, so, I talked to the owner, who gave me a bit of a hard time, (which in her defense was probably the right thing to do... it really shows how much she really cares about the emotional welfare of her birds), but in the end.....

SHE'S ALL MINE!!! I am the happy mother of a wonderful baby yellow sided GCC. She will be coming home after our 11 day July vacation.

Thanks for all the encouragement and support. I really feel that this was the right decision!

 

[EKSM]

Let me be the first to congratulate you and her! This is good...because earlier today, having been in basically the same position as you (see the "Choices" thread) I spent something like 20 minutes writing a post with suggestions and stories about what happened after I went back to the store to see two birds, but the post got lost and I was just gearing up after a long day to write it again. So, you saved me! I can go to bed now ~

The main thing I was gonna say is, the first time I went in focusing on just what the birds' attitudes would be, and the second time I tuned in more to how *I* felt as I held each baby...sounds like you did the same!

 

[edsbeaker]

EKSM
I had read your thread while this was going on, and the following is EXACTLY what happened to me.

Here's what you wrote

In any case....I went back to see the Nanday and the three Suns again. The Nanday, as I suspected, looked and acted like a different bird after just a week because he's so young (I believe he is 5 weeks old now, and they believe he is a male by the way he acts, and he's HUGE.) I spent three hours taking him out, then the Sun. Lo and behold, the Sun was a bit aloof and distracted, yet the Nanday was sweet, cuddly, and fell asleep on me for an hour. I switched back and forth several times and not only did I feel emotion from the Nanday, but I felt a surge of love for him, which (as cute as the Sun was) I didn't feel for him. I announced to the owner that we had fallen in love, switched my down payment, and sadly said goodbye. He really didn't look happy as he watched me leave.

The first GCC seemed aloof and indifferent, even though the owner kept saying he had bonded to me. I just knew there was no connection. He pulled away from being touched and constantly gnawed on me. He took every opportunity to walk away from me. Yesterday when I told the store owner my decision and she finally agreed to make the switch, she was telling me that the second bird will be nipping and acting exactly the same next week, so be prepared The two were hatched two days apart. These two birds are as different as night and day. Will the one I chose go through a nippy stage? Of course he will. But underneath that he will still want to be with me and enjoy my company.

I'm so happy that we both made tough decisions to get what we feel was the right decision in spite of feeling that guilt of walking away. Good luck with your beautiful Nanday, and thanks for the inspiration!

 

[EKSM]

Marilyn - that is so crazy...even now I can't see my post except for what you copied. Weird.

In a way, I am so happy the birds made the decision for you, as they did me. We want the birds to be happy too, and they will be if we help to make the right decisions. I have had 2 green cheeks, so I'll try to chime in whenever you start a thread.

 

[EKSM]

Oh okay, I see you copied from the other thread that I started! I also wrote a lengthy one here early yesterday but it disappeared : /