Conure will only sit on my head or neck

Johnjoe83

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Aug 21, 2017
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Hi everyone I went to my local pet shop yesterday and ended up coming home with a green conure he is only 7 weeks old so I'm syringe feeding him he is super tame and just wants to be with me all the time but he just wants to sit on my neck and head, should I allow this??
It's the first bird I've kept so any advice would be amazing thanks
 

DoubleTake

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R.I.P Lily 3/1/2018 - You were my sweet baby.
I am surprised the pet shop let you take the bird home before it is fully weaned... I believe it is even illegal in my state of California. You made it sound like you bought the bird on a "whim" and apologize if I interpreted that incorrectly. Seeing that this is your first bird, not sure how much research you've done but I'd be extra careful about getting the food to the correct temperature to avoid crop burns and so many things could go wrong. How often are you feeding him? I felt like I just needed to say this.

Congrats on your new baby bird! I would probably avoid letting him sit on your head as he is still young and may tumble off. Maybe when he is older you can allow him on your head if you choose too, I personally don't let my guys on my head lol. The neck and chest would be nice spots for him to cuddle with you. Give him a lot of head scratches! Enjoy the baby stage, they are so precious.
 
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LordTriggs

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They let you take him unweaned!?

You need to take him back to finish weaning right now. Without experience you may actually be killing him.

Also do you have a brooder with temperature control? He's hiding by your neck for warmth. At that age they find it hard to regulate their heat so he might be freezing to death. Please get him back there today to finish weaning, the last thing you want is for him to die
 
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Johnjoe83

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I've always wanted a parrot I've read a book on African greys as I always wanted one as a child but after reading the book I decided it wasn't the right bird for me, that's why I was a little concerned about my conure sitting on my head.the pet shop told me to feed him twice a day with 7ml he is eating food to they told me he only really needs it once a day but twice will help him bond with me
I'll be honest I diddnt do a lot of research on the conure I go in the pet shop at least once a month but as soon as I seen him I knew he was for me he will defnitally get lots of love and attention think he is gonna be a right little chractor
 
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Johnjoe83

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I've just phoned the pet shop but it's shut
He seems happy enough I will call them tomorrow morning he is eating seed and pear and Apple I was told it's more for bonding
 

LordTriggs

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Rio (Yellow sided conure) sadly no longer with us
I've always wanted a parrot I've read a book on African greys as I always wanted one as a child but after reading the book I decided it wasn't the right bird for me, that's why I was a little concerned about my conure sitting on my head.the pet shop told me to feed him twice a day with 7ml he is eating food to they told me he only really needs it once a day but twice will help him bond with me
I'll be honest I diddnt do a lot of research on the conure I go in the pet shop at least once a month but as soon as I seen him I knew he was for me he will defnitally get lots of love and attention think he is gonna be a right little chractor

Apologies if this comes off as harsh.

there is absolutely no benefit to hand-feeding them yourself, there is no evidence at all that they will bond with you. In fact it's more likely they won't bond with you because they will see you as their parent and when a bird weans and fledges they leave the nest. All it does is save the store money. He needs to go to someone experienced with hand-feeding until he will eat solid foods on his own. The reason they wanted you to take the bird now is because they want your money and if they didn't sell you the bird then, then you may have gone somewhere else losing them a sale. They don't care about the bird the second they're out the door all they care about is your wallet. Meanwhile I'm not getting anything out of this. All I care about is that little conure and that should be your worry too.

To give you an idea of how dangerous and irresponsible it is to give an unweaned baby bird to a first time owner here's a quick run-down. When hand-feeding you can easily be squirting food into his lungs which will KILL him. You can have the food too hot causing his crop to burn which will KILL him. You can have the food too cold which will make the food stay in his crop which will KILL him. You can have a brooder be too hot which will KILL him and you can not have a brooder which I'll guess you don't as they cost a lot which will make him freeze to death. If you need more convincing depending on where you live it is actually illegal to sell an unweaned animal, does that not tell you it's a crazy idea?

I'm not saying this to spoil your fun and to tell you you're not allowed a bird. I'm telling you this so you don't wake up tomorrow or the next day or 2 weeks and find your bird is dead! You like that conure, so call the store tell them he needs to be weaned by them before you take him then in however many weeks it takes you can go get him.

Now think really hard about the store, they got money from you today, got rid of an animal draining their resources and at the same time got you to buy extra expensive items like hand-feeding formula. They're laughing all the way to the bank right now and if your bird dies then they'll tell you it's your fault for not feeding them properly and give you the privilege of spending more money in their store on another bird

Once again apologies if I'm being harsh but we're talking about this innocent creature's life. Your happiness comes second
 

LordTriggs

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Rio (Yellow sided conure) sadly no longer with us
I've just phoned the pet shop but it's shut
He seems happy enough I will call them tomorrow morning he is eating seed and pear and Apple I was told it's more for bonding

thank you for calling them. I'm sorry that I have to be that harsh but a lot of people just don't understand. I wouldn't even call. Walk back in tomorrow and TELL them they have to wean it properly. If they refuse then he will need to go to a certified avian vet and you'll most likely have to go to court to claim the costs of weaning him from the store which you'll be entitled to. If they do take him back then make sure you have a copy of his ring number so they don't "accidentally" sell him to someone else
 

T00tsyd

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I feel really sorry for you because you have been misled by the shop by the look of it. I don't know anything about hand feeding or weening and would strongly advise you to read all the advice the really knowledgeable guys on here give.
 
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Johnjoe83

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Ok I'll take him back tomorrow hope the little fella will be ok he seems fine but I'm no expert thanks for the advice
 

LordTriggs

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Rio (Yellow sided conure) sadly no longer with us
Ok I'll take him back tomorrow hope the little fella will be ok he seems fine but I'm no expert thanks for the advice

Thank you so much. I can attest that with a bird they will seem okay and then 10 minutes later be on the floor. I'd demand to speak to the manager of the store and make sure you get any agreement in writing. The store seems sketchy to me so I wouldn't put it past them selling your bird
 

T00tsyd

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That's such a good decision. As far as I know it will be a few weeks before he is safe to come home again. In the meantime you could visit him often to bond by chatting and offering food by hand. Read everything you can on here so that you are confident in case they argue.
 

LordTriggs

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Rio (Yellow sided conure) sadly no longer with us
That's such a good decision. As far as I know it will be a few weeks before he is safe to come home again. In the meantime you could visit him often to bond by chatting and offering food by hand. Read everything you can on here so that you are confident in case they argue.

yes, should only be another 6 weeks for him to be ready. Definitely visit him, it'll be nice to begin by associating you with fun
 

T00tsyd

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Do let us know the outcome.
 

clark_conure

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A crossover Quaker Scuti (F), A Sun conure named AC, A Cinnamon Green Cheek conure Kent, and 6 budgies, Scuti Jr. (f), yellow (m), clark Jr. (m), Dot (f), Zebra(f), Machine (m).
I would at least, at the very least, (everyone above is right by the way), but I'd have them weigh the bird. And maybe daily or every other day weighing... if they won't take it back.
 
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Johnjoe83

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Hi all so I took him back yesterday and told them that he is too young to be with me, they have reassured me that he is old enough and that he is 11 weeks old I was told the day I bought him that he was 7 weeks old they told me if he was 7 weeks old he would not be able to fly ???
As a precotion I've booked him and appointment at the vets on Friday after work for a dyna test and a general health check, he is currently sitting eating a grape on the table so he will be flying all over soon as he does after a grape
 

DoubleTake

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2 Sun Conures.

R.I.P Lily 3/1/2018 - You were my sweet baby.
At 11 weeks he may be weaned or getting close to it my guys took 3 and half to 4 months but I think the average is a little over 3 months. If the bird does not require hand feeding anymore than you should be fine but if you are hand feeding it, that is the concern we all had. Hand feeding isn't rocket science, you just need to know what you are doing as there are a lot of risks of something that could go wrong.

I am glad that you made an vet appointment. Are they a certified avian vet?
 
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Johnjoe83

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Yes they have a avian vet at the practise his first available slot is Friday so I've booked that, I'm not sure if I want to find out the birds sex as they need to take blood seems a little unfair I don't really need to know that information as far as I'm aware wish I could send a picture of him on here not sure how to do it,I totally adore this little fella already can't believe how clever he is
 

LordTriggs

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Rio (Yellow sided conure) sadly no longer with us
Hi all so I took him back yesterday and told them that he is too young to be with me, they have reassured me that he is old enough and that he is 11 weeks old I was told the day I bought him that he was 7 weeks old they told me if he was 7 weeks old he would not be able to fly ???

That to me sends alarm bells ringing. He managed to age 4 weeks in the space of a couple days? They can definitely fly at 7 weeks, pretty much as soon as they have feathers they're able to fly. Getting a vet appointment is good, I don't find DNA testing the most important thing, you just prepare for any eggs to appear in the future.

he is currently sitting eating a grape on the table so he will be flying all over soon as he does after a grape

This to me says he is weaned. does he eat seeds and pellets and other solid foods? If he does then you don't need to feed him formula any more. Maybe they're among that group of people who think birds need hand-feeding for the entirety of their lives? A concept I personally find idiotic.

Personally if I were you I'd report that store to animal welfare. Tell them what happened in as much detail as you can about the store, and how you've been told conflicting info. Something sounds fishy to my paranoid brain

Best of luck to you and your little friend, panic over!
 

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