Advice please

[Kateykat]

As you guys all know hubby and I have a deposit down on a little blue baby ringneck, which should be coming home in a few weeks (probably early November end of October) I have just had a phone call from the breeder saying he doesn't think this bird will make a good pet and wants to keep it himself (I don't know what for), he has said how sorry he is blah blah and that he doesn't want me to be disappointed etc, would I mind taking a princess parrot instead. At the moment I am quite upset and not a little bit peeved off because both hubby and I had gotten quite caught in the idea of a IRN baby, and I was really looking forward to having that blue chicken here.
Should I .......
1. Argue and demand the bird that I put a deposit on
2. Accept the Princess parrot (BTW I have no problems with Princess parrots, I love looking at and hearing stories about Tiki's two Princess parrots)
3. Decline and look elsewhere, as in find another breeder of IRN's?
4. Give up and just have a good cry about the unfairness? (I am leaning towards this one right now)
Any suggestions please?
Katie

[Conure & Macaw Mom]

It could be he got attached to the little one & thats why he want to keep it. If it were me & would try to find out why he thinks this little one would not make a good addition & tell him to prove it to me. I would be p'd, thats for sure. If he refused to sell me the bird I was paying for I would demand my money back & look elswhere. But thats just me. Crystal

[FeatherLover]

Katie, I'm so sorry to hear about the IRN. That really sucks.

I'm confused by the statement the breeder made that he doesn't think the bird would make a good pet. What's your take on that? Have you met the bird.

As hard as it may be, I would lean toward NOT taking a Princess. If you and your husband have your hearts set on an IRN, it may be best to wait. I don't know much about Princess Parrots, but I doubt it will be a replacement for the IRN.

I'm sure the right baby will come along.

It sounds like a good cry may be in order. This has got to be a huge disappointment. Again, I'm really sorry.

I'm sending you a virtual hug.

Hang in there.

[Kateykat]

Megan- Yes I have been and met the baby. She seemed sweet to me, I only held her once but she was only very little too.
I get the feeling that he never intended for us to take this baby home, after I said I wouldn't take her home till she was weaned. Her brothers and sisters were all parent raised, and I now have the suspicion that maybe she wasn't hand raised at all, that he was just gulling us? He didn't say what he wanted to keep her for, only that he did and in his experience as a breeder didn't feel that she would make a good pet at all.

[Conure & Macaw Mom]

You may be right on that. That man is full of it IMO. I would get my money back & go somewhere else. Crystal

[Tiki]

Tough call. If I was a breeder, I would want to be sure the bird will be happy in his new home. I would go over and meet with him and the bird. I honestly don't know enough about the personalities of IRNs, I do know that they aren't as cuddly as most species. Go there and see if you still have a connection with that bird. The breeder may simply be trying to spare you disappointment in not getting a friendly bird and the Princesses may be friendlier.

As you know, I can't speak highly enough of Princess Parrots. If you met my little Tjinimin, you would want to steal him! He is a real character, not quite as cuddly as Chaska but he does cuddle some. Manikay was friendly as a baby, but now he is more aloof and independant. You will have different personalities within the same species. Go there and see for yourself what's up. If the baby IRN is still friendly to you, insist he give you that bird.

[Monica]

IMO, you should go and visit her again, see if you could handle her, or even have the breeder handle her. If she doesn't seem like the type of bird you are wanting to get (for whatever reasons) or the bird seems very attached to the breeder, get your money back and find a reputable breeder. If she is still sweet towards you and she is everything you want her to be, demand to get her. If he keeps refusing to let her go, get money back and go elsewhere.

[CALVINS MOM]

I agree with Monica. I would show up there and request that YOU make the decision. Let us know how you make out.

[GreetingCardReligion]

Wow, I would be very worried in that situation! Seems like the breeder is acting quite shady, do you have it on good authority that hes' reputable and honest? Ever dealt with him before? I'd hate to see him trying to take advantage of you or lie to you about how he was bringing up your baby!

I would be very disatisfied with this breeder and would refuse any different bird he offered after that. I say: take your money and run - and indulge in a good cry before trying to find a new baby because that is such a hard spot to be in, and I'm so sorry to hear that the breeder is being difficult!

Definantly talk with him, try to figure out what exactly is going on, just in case there is a reasonable excuse.

Even if the breeder was trying to save her from disapointment of a not-so-cuddly pet, its not his right to make the decision for his client who has already placed a deposit.

[Kateykat]

Hey guys, thanks for all your support. Just updating to say had a rather nasty conversation with the breeder on the phone, which ended up with me slamming the phone down on him (and some other hard words which wouldn't do me justice to repeat). Needless to say I am no longer getting any bird from this man and makes me wonder how long it will take me to get my deposit back (its not a large amount but that isn't really the point).
Hubby and I still want to get an IRN so we are looking for another breeder. I have one in mind who sounds like he really takes good care of his babies, won't sell them before they are weaned (which this breeder was pushing for) and I have seen pictures of his babies, they look really happy and healthy. So maybe I can make the best out of this situation, come out better for it.
I will say one thing though, most Aussie bird breeders that I have had anything to do with (which granted is not that many) have been really great people, I remember crying on the phone to Mojo's breeder and him crying along with me, but just lately I have read about some really bad people. Makes me kinda sad that these things are happening more and more.

Sorry for the ramble.