Should I take this Green Cheek I am feeling uncertain

[VJB]

Hello again

Yesterday I went to visit the Green Cheek that I am hoping to adopt from the pet shop. They say that he/she is around 3-5 months old but they are not sure, he came from a breeder apparently who hand rears the chicks.

He/She was very happily playing out of the cage with a Pineapple Conure and they looked so happy together that I now feel bad to take the Green Cheek as I had planned.

I planned to take him/her at the end of next week when my home is quiet as we have people staying over right now.

I know that if I do not take him/her he could just languish in the pet shop until one or other of them are taken and I want to give him/her a good home but when I saw them playing to happily together I began to have second thoughts but I can't take two I just don't have the space.

The Green Cheek that I would like has also begun to bite because people keep putting their fingers into the cage would I be able to train him/her out of this?

I also wondered whether their are temperament differences between males and females again I do not know what sex this conure is without having a DNA test done but are there any other ways to tell by behaviour perhaps?

So I have a lot of worries in my mind right now and was hoping for some sensible advice please.

Thank you ever so much.

 

[T00tsyd]

I was always taught in life that if there are doubts - don't. There are more experienced people here who will help soon I'm sure, but perhaps you should try interacting with 'him' away from his companion. If you don't find any sort of link between you then this bird is not choosing you and perhaps there is another one who will. On the other hand away from his friend he may well love you. You need to try and assess that. They always say that parrots choose their owner rather than the other way around.

When I met my little one at 10 weeks, I was in the room with my adult daughter and the current owner but he flew straight to me and chilled out with me. So I knew he liked me and it has proved a success.

He is so young that biting is his investigating the world, but there is training too. The first thing is to decide if he likes you.

 

[VJB]

Hello
When I first saw him I felt a connection he was very happy on my shoulder, he preened my face and rubbed his face on me and he always seems happy to go to me. He also went onto his back to have his tummy tickled which they say he has never done before.
Now he has his friend it is hard to tell. He was happy to come to me yesterday but wanted to go back to his friend.
I will go in again when it is quiet and see what happens.
Thank you for the advice

 

[EllenD]

Well the first thing I'm going to try to really impress upon you is that you should not feel guilty, not one little bit, about separating those two baby Green Cheeks...They are going to be separated whether you take one of them or not, it's extremely rare for people to come in and buy 2 baby parrots together, so whether you buy him or not isn't going to change that...However, that's not the main reason you should not feel guilty about separating them...The idea is that you're going to become the baby's "person", or new best friend, and as long as you have the want, the time, and are willing to make the commitment to the bird, then don't let separating him from his clutch-mate a reason that you don't bring him home, because someone is going to.

The reason that he's gotten a bit nippy even though he was a hand-raised baby is because of the length of time he's been in the pet shop, as they can't begin to handle him or directly interact with him for anywhere near the time that he needs every day. People "poking at him" may or may not have something to do with it also, but the main reason is just because he went from being hand-raised by his breeder to barely being handled at all. This is what happens most-all the time when a bird isn't given enough direct-attention and interaction, and though you may need to work with him a little bit in the beginning, he'll come right back around once he goes to his new home and his new people start interacting with him every day.

As for differences between males and females, I certainly don't notice a whole lot at all in any of my birds, nor have I ever as far as their personalities go. Both genders are loving, cuddly, friendly, playful, etc. Females of most species of parrots do not talk, or not nearly as much or as clearly as the males, but Green Cheeks aren't known for their talking anyway...With females you have to worry about egg-laying, which can be controlled easily be the right light-schedule and diet, but other than that both sexes are similar, they both have hormonal periods of time, they both get moody, lol...The only way to sex a Green Cheek is to have a DNA test done by a Certified Avian Vet or you can use an online-service and send them some freshly-plucked chest feathers...either way, trust me, you'll love either sex.

NOW, forget everything I just wrote for a minute...Do YOU really want to bring this little baby Green Cheek into your home and make them a part of your family? That's the question you have to ask yourself. If the answer is an immediate "YES! I was just worried about separating him from his sibling, that's it!", then by all means, go and get your new baby bird! HOWEVER, if the answer is "Well, I don't know, maybe. I did want to, but now I'm not sure. Maybe...", etc., etc.....then please don't go and get the bird!!! This is a huge commitment, and if you're heart isn't 100% in it, then that is what would not be fair to the bird.

 

[lplummer52]

My advice is to try to find a breeder in your area and give them the business, not the pet shop. Very few pet shops know how to care for birds unless it is a shop that specializes in birds. They all tell you it's a baby bird, whether or not that's true. You could also tell the shop to notify you as soon as they receive a baby bird before it's had a chance to learn bad habits or bond with another bird. Best to go with a breeder or shop that specializes in birds, especially if this is your first parrot. Just my two cents. That GC may turn out to be the best choice ever! Go with your gut.

 

[itzjbean]

First, as Ellen stated above, whatever decision you make, the two green cheeks will very likely be separated anyway by other people if you don't, so don't let that stop you from getting this bird.

Second, if you are still having doubts, I highly suggest you take a step back, do some research to find a local breeder in your area (NOT pet store!) that does health testing, DNA testing, and can give you a hatch certificate. You'll be able to pick your baby and see it grow up from day one!

Pet stores hike up prices several hundred dollars for their birds -- the green cheeks you see are likely at least $300-$500, right? You can actually get a healthier, well socialized baby from a reputable breeder for MUCH LESS. Green cheeks are around $250 weaned from breeders, and pet stores very rarely do any testing or vet checks to ensure their birds are not carrying diseases.... just something to think about.

 

[MonicaMc]

The Green Cheek that I would like has also begun to bite because people keep putting their fingers into the cage would I be able to train him/her out of this?

This is "normal". It shouldn't be, but it is... many reasons for it. Reasons can include being hand raised and not learning from parent, to incorrect handling by people, poor training, teasing, etc.

It doesn't matter how old or young the bird is, any bird can be taught not to bite. At one point in time, I had an ex-breeder male cockatiel that was probably parent raised. He learned to trust me to the point that he was the second, if not the first, bird to my hand if I was offering treats. *HIS* trust was stronger than any of the hand raised cockatiels for that one simple interaction. Now, he didn't seek out humans, but it was at least nice to see him no longer flying away in fear because he thought a human was going to harm him... instead, he watched. If treats were offered, he'd happily oblige. I don't know how old he was when he was dropped off at my door with his family, but he had to have been in his twenties at least when he passed. (19+ years old)


http://www.parrotforums.com/training/57935-brainstorming-biting-parrots.html


I also wondered whether their are temperament differences between males and females again I do not know what sex this conure is without having a DNA test done but are there any other ways to tell by behaviour perhaps?

Not really... they show the same behaviors, even down to mating behaviors. Although males are more known for talking, my (ex) BIL had a quaker (I know, not exactly a conure!). Before he brought the quaker home, I remember him asking the shop owner if males or females are more likely to talk, and it was assumed that his quaker was a male. (I personally thought he was smarter than that... he had an aviary of lovebirds back home, including one personal pet, and he ran a bird forum) The quaker picked up *all* sorts of talking and was a *huge* jabbermouth! When my BIL went to move back home (home being a different country), he ended up giving his quaker to someone he knew online. This person who adopted the quaker already had other quakers, but was astounded by how much my BIL's quaker talked! Some years later, my BIL got word that his quaker laid an egg! I thought the news was quite hilarious!

My first conure was a male. He never said a word. Likewise, he wasn't cuddly, friendly, goofy, loud or anything that was described as a conure. I wish I knew why....

My second conure, Charlie, is an assumed male (well, 24 years old, he hasn't laid an egg yet!) and he is the complete opposite of my first conure! Even though I feel like he's the epitome of the word "conure", I've still been told that he's not a normal conure! He is loud, cuddly, goofy and he knows a few words. It's hilarious when he laughs!

My third conure was a female. She was kind of in-between my first and second. She was pretty quiet, was hands off at first except for scritches, cuddly, goofy. She really didn't talk but she copied the kissing sound and had the silliest little cackle!

Fourth conure, sex unknown. He came to me pretty sick and unfortunately didn't make it.


Fostering two green cheeks and there's a possibility of keeping at least one. One is male, other not clear. I'm guessing probably female, but due to her mutations and potentially behaviors. Need DNA test to confirm. The confirmed male is more animated but he's also hands off. Only today has he stepped onto my hand, and he's been with me for a week. The person who bought him had him for several months (since sometime end of last year) and she couldn't really interact with him. I know he was on her at least once, but he was not comfortable in her home. My home is quieter. The other green cheek is more hands on and will step up, accepts scritches more readily, etc. Both can mimic noises and at least one for sure talks some.


None of my conures, foster or otherwise, have acted the same. They have all had their own personalities and characteristics. It's what helps to define each and every single one of them!