Sad little Conure

[Buteo]

My wife & I were walking through a mall in a nearby city earlier this evening. We strolled past this little pet store & decided to check out what they had. I wanted to see if maybe they had a place to post the lists with the aquarium stuff we're trying to sell. They didn't have a customer pin-up board like many small pet places do around our place.

We're about to leave when Wifey kinda pushes/guides me over towards the 5 small/medium cages of birds along the one wall.
One cage had maybe 10 various finches.
Beside it was a pair of hand fed cockateils.
Beyond that was a single lutino Budgie.
Above them was a lone grey teil.
The last bird was a small parrot with a sign that read, "Green Cheek Conure $350".

I looked into the cage and the bird moved along the one perch toward us. It's plumage was in pretty good shape, but a couple of tail feathers were a little ragged.
It came right up to the bars, grabbed one on both sides so it was across the corner and a bright, clear, curious eye stared at us.

"Aren't you pretty. Would you like some attention?"

Instantly, the bird literally turns a partial somersault, presenting it's back against the bars.
In sucession, both my wife & I finger rub the tiny parrot on the top of it's head. Both times, the comical conure emitts this slow, soft little groan of contented pleasure as it slowly allows itself to slide down the cage bars till the finger is scritching the middle of it's back. We had a good laugh as it continued to do a good impression of a grizzly bear scratchin itself on a rubbin tree

This one young store employee comes over, takes one of the young teils out to cuddle with it, then asks us,
"Are you interested in the conure?"
As soon as the GCC sees her, it starts nodding it's head, pressing with it's one foot on the door of the cage and shaking it slightly, then nodding again.

I say, "It obviously wants out for some human contact."
She says, "It was one of 3 we got in. It's been here for 9-10 months. It was sold once before, but it kept bitin the guy's kid, so he returned it."
She leans forward so the two employees at the register can't see & says, "I thought that kid was gonna get bit. Serves the little bugger right! He was pokin at the bird the whole time they were in the store."

"Can you take it out ot the cage, so we can see it?" I ask.

"Sorry, but no. It's gotta stay in there because it's flight feathers have grown back in."

"So you don't let it out at all?????" I say as I look into the cage, noting there's one lone toy of plastic links hanging from the top of the cage.

"Well, no" she replies, "The last time it got loose was at Christmas. It flew up into the rafters of the store and we had a hell of time getting it back down."

My mind automatically calls up images of what it must be like for the poor bird, stuck in that cage 24/7 for more than 6 months. I must have visibly shuddered when I closed my eyes, because she added rather hastily,

"But you two seem like a nice couple, you should buy it."

I gave her the same look I give anyone who suggests I do something really, really stupid and replied,
"I would never suggest anyone even consider buying any bird that every member of their immediate family hadn't had at least one opportunity to handle first. I believe it's extremely irresponsible of anyone to purchase an animal without investigating whether or not it's going to fit into they're lives. Both my wife & I would have to handle this bird a few times. Then it would have to be introduced to our daughter. If it's already been returned once for biting a kid, you can understand my desire to see if that behaviour was going to continue with my child.
Then last, but not least, it would have to see our dog. I need to judge how the 2 of them might get along. There wouldn't be any point in even trying with that bird, if it's going to get super stressed out every time it sees our Bouvier."

She returns my look with one of her own.... the "deer-in-headlights stare".
I could almost hear the gears turning "what do I do now????"
She suddenly spys a couple with 2 toddlers trying to decide on which toy to get their cat.
"You're just lookin around anyway, so excuse me, but they look like they could use my help." she mumbles and hurries off.

The whole time we spoke to her, either Judy or I were scritchin along the bird's head or back. It would turn & lick at our fingers, giving light little nibbles. Then it would go right back to performing intricate acrobatic moves trying to position itself so the finger was over that perfect spot.
It looked like it would love doing swings & tumbles in your hands.

When I think of the birds I've seen in the last few days, a couple really stand out; That young Senegal and this little Conure.
The situation the conure is in is rather sad. If they don't clip it's feathers again soon & let that bird get some human contact, it will never get a good home and it'll wind up in a rescue somewhere.
At least the Senegal was lucky enough to be in a store with caring staff.

[Quito's Qage]

Yeah...I have trouble finding words.....no that's not true, there's plenty of words. I guess stupidity pretty well covers it. Don't you just wish you could save them all? But unfortunately we can't.

I've found that I have to stay away from shelters and shelter websites. It's just too hard for me. I think you need to consider staying away from pet stores! Unless you have a really big house and lots of money...........

[Alyce Johnson]

Well, I'd like them to clip it's wings so that people can hold it. They're more likely to buy it if they've held it. But regardless, you can't tell anything about a GCC in the store. They take awhile to settle in (say a few weeks in your home) before their true assertive nature kicks in. Think of them as tiny macaws & you'll be right on track. Really.
(I have a macaw & she's actually less assertive than my eldest GCC!) They *will* try to rule the roost!

But they're small, so you can just pick them up & put them where you want them. They figure this out. And *unlike* the macaw, their bite is no big deal, if you've got well seasoned dish pan hands, especially. So that all makes it easy to keep them reasonably in line. (And it means the penalty for letting them get a bit spoiled & willful isn't as great as it is if you let the macaw get out of hand.)

I've got 3 GCCs. They should never be kept singly, IMO. They DO nip. It's just in their nature. They're plucky little boogers. They pretty much have to be because they're so small. I would never catagorically recommend them for kids for that reason. But then, if your child works well with the bird (and if the bird decides it likes her) she may win it's heart, in which case it will be very good to her. Which is not to say that it won't occassionally still nip her. (Thankfully their beaks are small.) They are possessive of their person, though so be warned! (That's another huge benefit of keeping a pair. They get less possessive of a human family member.) But again, this relationship would take time (months) to develop & isn't something you could accurately test out in the store. Unlike bigger birds, I just don't think GCCs are as easy to "feel out" just by a few store visits.

You *can* reliably tell how friendly & hand tame they are by how they are at the pet store - and this one clearly is very tame, and very touchable. More so than most, I'd say. By far. (I'd say this would be a great bird!)I would say that this particular GCC is already way more "touchy feely" than most. If you like the bird & can afford it, I'd say buy it. You'd be doing it a favor, and you'd be able to work it into your home, if not as a "finger/shoulder" bird, then for certain as a "watch & laugh" bird. They're great fun to watch!

If it is too nippy for your tastes, get it a friend. In fact, I'd say get it a friend anyway. They are just incredibly social - mine don't even groom themselves - they take turns grooming each other! They are also just the very cutest birds to watch of any that I have, because of all that social interaction. And they're **very low maintenance** when kept in pairs. Fairly quiet too, and cheap to feed, cheap to buy toys for (because they're so small). I have a trio, actually - all girls. And yet, mine have stayed totally hand tame, step up etc with no problem at all. It's not true IME that you will lose their "pet potential" if you keep them in *same sex* pairs or groups. (Now, if there was true mated pair bonding going on, I don't know what would happen.)

It will do just fine with your dog. In fact, it's more the *dog* I'd worry about! My cats regard the GCCs as holy terrors - with good cause! The cats literally run for cover when the GCCs swoop down upon them!

[Quito's Qage]

Oh Jeepers Alyce. Now you've got me feeling guilty about not having a friend for Quito. Would a male Red Bellied in the neighboring cage suffice?

[Alyce Johnson]

I think you should get Quito a same sex friend - the entertainment they provide will be worth every penney.
You just cannot believe how cute they are together!

I SO wish I was better at this computer thing - I'd love to post photos of my 3 little girls together so you could see what they are like once in a pair or "flock" - it's just amazing. I think GCs must be some of the touchiest feeliest birds on the planet! Mine are just all over each other, in nearly constant body contact, 24/7. They don't even perch alone - they go snuggle up to each other, even in a very warm room. It's just adorable to watch them!

[Tiki]

I know how you feel, I wish I could save them all too! Stay out of pet stores!

[homebird]

Perhaps a call to the store's Manager would be a good idea. They could clip the wings - can't understand why they didn't do it after the escape!

If you do this for the bird, his chances of a home will increase, so your visit will have been a good thing for him, no matter what you do.

I agree about the emotional dangers of visiting pet stores. I couldn't resist going to a local shop whenever I was in the area. They always had at least 2 birds that were heart breakers. There were the GCC's, a Swift, a Meyers last time + a Black-Capped Conure & a Caiques - all real clowns & very interactive. It was confusing & maybe not too healthy for me but I really wanted to 'experience' these different birds. Most of the staff was bird crazy so the birds were all well cared for - some even didn't want to put back some of the birds, like the Amazon or the Caiques.

Have you checked out the Canadian Bird Shows of 2006 - http://www.islandnet.com/~aacc/shows.htm - there will be some good shows in the fall - if you look at the local Bird Clubs, some have bird 'fairs' & some have 'awareness' booths at Malls - ie Durham's DAS - where you can see different breeds & talk to the owners.

[ssbwd]

I experienced a similar thing at a pet store I started working at in high school. There was a GCC that was supposedly a "bad" bird, and everyone said don't go near it, or it will take your finger off, so nobody went by it, and nobody clipped it's wings or anything. Not even the store owner, though she wasn't the most pet friendly person (I have plenty of stories about her and the way she treated her animals, she should NOT have owned a pet shop!!! ). All it wanted was to be let out of that stupid cage, which was waaaaay too small for it, and to get some cuddles. So, I figured, I've been bit by basically everything anyways, so I might as well get bit by a bird, but once we clipped it's wings, it turned out to be the best bird! Sooooo sweet. That bird is the reason I have my GCC now and am getting my new U2!

[DaFrank]

I know exactly what you mean. At a local store there is a beautiful cockatoo that I talk to. Every time I do, he hangs on the bars with his beak and sticks his foot out of the bars wanting me to let him up.....

Breaks my friggen heart.... He just needs someone to spend time with and care for him. Sigh.... Maybe after the kids move out.

[LovelySydney]

Thats why I try to stay out of Pet Stores and off of craigslist - its just too hard!!