Might Be Getting A New Bird

[red192]

Hi everyone! After visiting this 2 at a local pet shop, I finally bit the bullet and asked someone to help me get this bird. They said they would since my credit is bad thanks to my ex husband. But, my boyfriend said it was ok, he didn't mind. He knew I would find a way to to bring the baby home. I got by there every week to visit him about 30 minutes. He sees me and jumps to me. The manager who is a friend of mine said that he bites everyone else. And it's because of that, I fear that someone will get him/her and ignore it after they get it and all cause he might be a biter toward them. Sooooo.......Saturday may be a day of new beginnings for him/her and I. I'm worried about my IRN. She and I have just now become friends. I know I can't show more love over one. There is plenty here for a million birds. So any advice on 2's from all of you 2 owners will be greatly apperciated.

[Dustin]

What kind of 'too? age?

[felisdomesticus]

Does this store have a health guarantee? Do you know where they get their birds from?

[red192]

it's a molluccan and about 9 months old. Yes they have a health guarantee on all critters....

[Irish]

Oh, Sweet Lord! An M2! The lights and loves of my life!

Keep in mind that they are SERIOUSLY high maintenance birds, and if their needs aren't met, eventually they'll start plucking or mutilating or screaming. They need LOTS of space, TONS of toys, and you should start out giving it only as much attention as you plan on giving it for the rest of your life. By LOTS of space, I mean as much space as you possibly can provide. A state of its very own would be a good start. Like maybe Texas :-).

They're dust birds, so if you have allergies, get a hepa filter.
They're prone to fatty tumors, so their diets shouldn't include a lot of fatty nuts.
They tend to go through some real changes when they hit adolescence, especially the males, so good training now will help make that transition easier on both of you.

If you can meet its needs, M2s are, imho, the coolest birds in the entire known and unknown universe. If you can't, do both it and you a favor, and find a less difficult bird. If you want to see the horror stories (far too many, really), you can always visit www.mytoos.com. Fair warning you might come away scared, crying or both, though....

Good luck, and let us know what you decide!

[red192]

Irish,

I can thank you very much for putting it all out there w/o holding back. That is what i wanted. No allergies. And my work schedule is pretty good, I only work 7 days in a 2 week period. I spend oodles of time with my IRN and keets n finches. After the 30 day period of seperation of the other birds, the birds have a room of their own. The dusty thing, is this common, a medical thing or what???? This is all new to me for this breed. I think he's adorable. I do not have children, my children are my FIDS.....but I will check out that website.....thank you for your warnings and all that good stuff. My IRN is a yeller and lets the neighborhood know. I actually had a neighbor to ask me to cover her one day! HAHAHAHHA Not a chance lady!

[Monica]

Then I doubt she'd like that M2!!!!!!!!! Cockatoos, greys, and cockatiels are the dusty birds... doesn't matter how you go about it, they are just plain dusty! It is recommended that if you live with them, constant bathing (3-7 times a week) to help keep down the dust, constant dusting/vacuuming, and on top of that an air filter to help keep the dust down.

The best thing to find out though, is how much each month everyone else spends each month on one cockatoo.... I've heard some people estimate about $300 a month, though they were not making their own toys... so if you were to make your own toys, then you might be able to cut that down some...

[Irish]

Hey, Red... by dusty, Monica means that they have special feathers that crumble into dust when preened. It's their way of staying clean and fairly waterproof. Most dust birds come from dry climates, you see....

I am SERIOUSLY allergic to my U2, Gracie, and have to have hepas all over the house. Also, since I am owned by a B&G Macaw, I keep him as far away from Gracie as possible, as BGs are prone to a kind of incurable respiratory disease if exposed to 'Toos long-term. I don't know if your IRN would be susceptible, but you might want to research it. My deceased M2, Oly, was much dustier than Gracie the U2. Maybe just because he was so much larger :-).

You should think VERY seriously about bringing an M2 into your house and do so much research that you think you're gonna hurl before you're done. M2s are just SO sensitive and SO intelligent that you owe it to both of you to know exactly what you're getting into before you make the jump. Their capacity for joy or misery is directly proportional to what you put into the relationship--and it will mostl likely be a LONG relationship if you're a responsible bird guardian. Go to that mytoos site and hear the worst from them, along with the best that those of us who adore Moluccans are happy to crow about :-). Remember that they scream much louder than an IRN, and if your neighbor hates that, they're really going to hate hearing an M2 go off! Take it into account when you decide, because pissing off a neighbor can make life miserable for both of you, and it'll only get worse over time.

There are so many wonderful things to say about M2s, but only if you really CAN give them the time, space, training and toys that they need. And their needs are greater than any other species I can think of! Remember, too, that many of those needs are expensive. If you are alone (no other humans living with you) and working all day, that probably isn't very good for your M2 (or you, as it will DEMAND your undivided attention from the moment you arrive home, no matter how tired you are), unless it's in something like a large outdoor aviary with a ton of things to stimulate its mind and occupy its need to play, chew and socialize.

If you can look in your heart, your pocketbook, and the M2s eyes and truthfully say that you can meet its needs, while you forgive its loud voice and demanding and often extremely needy ways, then you'll probably have the best friend you could ever ask for in an M2. If not, you'll both be miserable before too long, and a miserable Too is a devastatingly tragic thing to behold!

Good luck in your ponderings, and let us know when you've made a decision :-).

[red192]

Well my boyfriend and I talked about this issue of time and devotion and all. He wants me to wait a while before getting another feathery fid. As I mentioned, my IRN and I are just becoming friends and I can't get her off me some days (which I just adore) and I don't want her feeling left out and all. So for now we will wait. And he begged me not to return to that pet store alone! LOL Everytime I go there I come out with something alive he claims...NOT SO!

[Irish]

Originally Posted by red192

Well my boyfriend and I talked about this issue of time and devotion and all. He wants me to wait a while before getting another feathery fid. As I mentioned, my IRN and I are just becoming friends and I can't get her off me some days (which I just adore) and I don't want her feeling left out and all. So for now we will wait. And he begged me not to return to that pet store alone! LOL Everytime I go there I come out with something alive he claims...NOT SO!

You've probably made a good decision, judging from what you're saying :-). Honestly, Moluccans are one of those birds that probably shouldn't even be bred for the pet trade. They're just too dang sensitive and their needs are too great for the majority of people to be able to meet. Notice that I don't have one, and I was well-loved by an M2 male for many years....

I know what you and your bf mean about going into a store and coming out with something. Happened to me 4 times, so far :-). Bob, Petey, Arthur, and Gracie (who was on consignment and signed into rescue when she attacked someone). Hopefully not again, though! LOL!

Give your IRN a kiss, and let him/her know that s/he's your world--at least for now :-).