hi guys

i need a bit of help, i went to a pet shop that sells greys as i walked in to the shop a baby gray (the man said 10 months) didnt stop looking at me and as i was walking up and down he was following me everywhere (he had free range of the shop) as he landed on a play stand i was next to i said to him "whats up mate you want me to take you home" with that he put this foot on my hand and sat on me for about the next 45 mins or so. the man in the shop said to me thats strange he doesnt normaly do that to people he is quite shy (dont know if that was sales talk) but then my partner come over to us and the bird didnt pay any attention to him and just keeped nuzzling my neck.... did he pick me????

Many thanks guys

SOunds like you have been chosen.....so when are you taking him home????

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Leslie and Mickey.....and Tinker.......and Chiquita....and Junior

Yes.. sounds like he has definately chosen you

im not sure because its from a pet shop i would much rather get one from a breeder.......... what are the pros and cons with pet shops or breeders ??

you are one lucky bird. who cares where the bird comes from--people often adopt rescues with unclear or unknown pasts (as I did), and they are wonderful additions to a family. it's all about your relationship with the bird--and this one already likes you. wow!

Nice! The down side to stores, each depending, is that you can't be sure who raised your bird. Ask for the number of the breeder and see if you can visit their aviary. Was the baby hand reared or parent? Also, pet store animals have a habit of being flighty because there are always kids and adults poking fingers in their face and handling them. If the bird is this friendly the odds are it was raised and cared for well, but I'd still ask for a contact number.

You were definitely picked!! LOL, congrats!!

If you were picked, odds are it's not going to matter where the bird comes from (breeder vs pet store), as you can have terrible breeders and you can have wonderful, knowledgeable pet stores. Not to mention those who have adopted rescue birds with unknown backgrounds (such as my own Sugar), and if you've been chosen, your relationship will come much more naturally than it possibly could from a bird that you simply bought from a breeder and had no choice in the matter. My Sugar definitely chose me and my relationship with her is much easier than any relationship I've had with any other bird I've ever had in my care.

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<3 Katherine , Loki & Sugar

Pet store Cons
A lot of people poking at birds
People saying stupid things to birds
You never know what filth (disease wise) someone might walk in with - you don't know if they might have a sick bird at home and could be transferring to the birds in the store
Don't know who the breeder was

Pet Store Pros
Bird is used to a variety of other birds/animals
Bird may be well socialized
*Should* have a health guarantee for x-amount of days


[Great] Breeder Cons
You can't visit the babies
Birds may not be well socialized with a bunch of people
Birds may not be used to a variety of other animals besides birds
May not be able to see where your bird is coming from (house like as well as the parents care)

[Great] Breeder Pros
Would ensure that all birds eat a great diet
Would ensure that birds are healthy by minimizing the risk of contamination from sick birds
Would send you photos/videos of your chick as he/she is growing up (if they have time)
Should be willing to desensitize your bird to various objects
Willing to send home a flighted chick if you don't want your bird cilpped
Will have a health guarantee for x-amount of time (days? weeks?)


I say a great breeder, because a great breeder would be concerned about the health of their flock. If someone came in carrying a disease, and just one of the breeder's birds got sick, it could get to the rest of the birds in their flock, which would cost a lot of money to cure the sick birds, and they might even lose some. Nothing is worse than having to cull your entire flock because of one disease! At this point, there are some diseases that we don't even know how birds contract them.



After saying all that, it should be a no brainer that if we have birds of our own, we should keep away from places that may be filled of germs that could make our flock sick. I can't live in a bubble, and I'd rather have my flock build up immunities to what illnesses that they can rather than put them in a bubble and hope they don't get sick without that chance of building up immunities. Whether or not they actually can, who knows.


If you are going to buy from a pet store, try and make sure that it's a *GREAT* store to be supporting! If you are going to buy from a breeder, make sure that they are a fantastic breeder! Not all pet-stores are bad and not all breeders are good.

If you really connected with the grey, and this bird has no interest in anyone else, why not purchase the bird? Breeders are typically cheaper than pet stores, however, you may not find that same bond from a bird at a breeders home.


The only major concern I see is that the grey will want attention from you and only you. If he/she is not well socialized and trained to be handled by other people, he may become a one person bird. You can do this training yourself, so if you aren't afraid of that, why not?

I sure hope you were looking for a new companion because one certainly chose you! I think you have seen all the pros and cons but it boils down to this: don't worry about where the bird came from. the proper care would be the same if you bought it from a breeder or pet store. Proper diet should be given and you would watch for any signs of illness no matter where it came from. If you were looking to buy a grey, I would recommend getting that one. My amazon has no choice to "chose" me. I hope she prefers me when she has had enough adjustment time but she might not. You have won half the battle! The rest will be fine.

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The older I get the more I appreciate my furry and feathered friends

You didn't mean that you leave their without him? (sorry)
Do what your heart told you, go back and visit him a second time and see what happens. (and get some more information about breeders, e.t.c)

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