Birding Journal

Ok guys, for thise of you keeping up with me, I am on a journy to learn about and hopefully own a bird. I'm still a little in the air about what kind I want, but would alsoblike to keep a little journal about my journy. So, I'll be ipdating here, and possibly adding questions or information along the way. That way if I find wrong info, or just 'not quite right' info, someone here will be able to correct me and get me on the right path!

I'll be starting off with my latest endevors.

I would like to gain experience by working with a rescue or sanctuary, and in a pinch, a breeder. The experience I'm looking for isn't just general care. Anyone can run a vacume and sling down food and water. I want handling experience. One of my buggest fears is that I'll break the bird. I grew up with horror stories of biters and agressive animals and how awful birds are as pets. So bot only am I going in clueless, I'm going in afraid!

Well, I have reached out to rescues I found online and haven't gotten asingle response. I put an ad on Craigslist list...same thing. I put another ad on Craigslist with less detail and got a few hits from different people who supposedly run a rescue. When asked if I volunteer, I get no response. I had one lady respond actually, and when I explained what I was looking for (she thought I wanted a bird) she told me :

"If you don't mind vacuuming daily from seed being slung about there really not alot of trouble.Water daily and check on food bowl may look like still has food in it but will be just the husk off seed.I've given mind multi Vitamins drops in with water.Biggest thing is keeping cage clean especially perches."

While helpful in its own way, seems to be evasive and not interested in my genuine desire to LEARN and not be a mediocre owner, but a responsible one for both myself and my future feathered friend.

Still holding out hope I find someone.

The other step is that there is a local, privately owned petshop that specializes in birds. The owner's daughter (who is also the manager) breeds her own and apparently has some nice connections as well. This is the only place I have seen yet that lets you actually interact with the animals too.

Well, I visited this store today and explained my inexperience and fear, but also my passion and desire. I was given a lovely little tour of birds l. Starting with aun conures (my dream bird I think lol ) to GCCs, IRN, a few others I don't remember off the top of my head, then landing on the Rosellas Parakeet. Let me tell you what....wow...just...WOW on the Rosellas! Beautiful birds!!! However, the ones in the store, while hand fed, have not been handled much and have been at the store for over a month. So, I asked if I could try my hand at them since they were not as tame as all the other's I had been handling. The lady seemed aprehensive, but agreed and caught one, then took me to a quiet corner (bird still greaking out a good bit) and haded her over to me with some more firm instructions on how to handle her and such. She watched me for a while, but had to leave and instead of having me pyt this crazy bird up, she trusted me! (Prideful momet lol). It took a while, but I eventually calmed it down. It didn't seem to know 'step up' very well (or at all) and kept looking for a place to fly (wigs cliped) but, I kept it fairly calm, it only dove off a few times but I caught it, then even had it stepping up and allowing me to stroke it's back. Well...I fell in love with a bird that's twice the price of my birdie budget lol. Figures. When i went to put it back in it's cage, it bit me pretty hard, and though it hurt, it was nothing compared to what I feared. (Missing finger, blood gushing out, ect....). The daughter was iff today but will be back tomorrow and I'm going to try to make it back out there and talk to her about being allowed to come in more regularly to handle them, and very possibly talk about a payment plan for the Rosellas.

So...yeah...I definitely see what people mean about not setting your sight on just one. I'm a little saddened though. Sunnys are perfect in everyway exceptnoise level, GCC are a bit on the smaller side, budgies are just too small, IRNs are pretty pricey...and now I found a kind that is also perfect for me in every way except price lol.

Questions and comments appreciated! I learn best from conversations!

I liked your post very much! When you walk into a bird store you never know what is going to happen inside, nor what you'll walk out with My flock grew from one bird to 7 in less than a year, all because I needed a ladder for my single parakeet. I didn't spend a penny on any of the other 6 because they were dumped by their owners, but I did spend quite a few dollars on their cages, toys, food etc. etc. Now I own 3 parakeets, 1 canary, 2 Quaker Parrots and an Amazon.

If you visit the bird store regularly, who knows what YOU will end up with I can't wait to find out!!!

Thanks! I'm glad you could make out all my awful typos! Lol

I will have a limited budget when I go into this. Getting a new pet is my personal gift to myself for moving out on my own lol.

What's so bad about GCs being a bit small? They have heaps of personality. I wouldn't let their size put you off.

I actually really liked the GCC I met today. A little fiesty in a good way lol. I just want something a little bigger. Since I plan on having only 1 bird, I want to make sure it's THE one. This includes size, looks, personality, and care requirements. I have several months to make up my mind and do more work on research and experience, so my end result may change by then. These are just my current thoughts and opinions on the (very little) experience I have so far. =)

GC size does depend on subspecies and age. My Green Cheek was HUGE.
She was pretty much the same size as my Mother's Sun. She was a subspecies.

And yes, Conures can be feisty little birds, they like their own way a lot.

Good point on that. I don't know all the subspecies but it was a gorgous dark green that faded to teal with a grey bib and was smaller than a tiel. Also, it was being weaned. (Got to watch the lady feed all the babies! So neat!)

A lot of GCs aren't pure anymore. They're often a cross between different GC subspecies. This site shows some subspecies. green cheeked

Also, Ringneck prices depend a lot on mutation.
You might be able to find birds cheaper on classified websites.
Stores are often a lot more expensive.

Ah, the bottom photo of the resticta! They had a few other types there as well, but that's the one I handled. =)

Not finding many classifieds that are local, and even if I find a cheaper bird, cost of shipping makes sure that doesn't happen lol.

eBay classifieds often has a lot of bird breeders advertising on it. There's various bird species you can look for as well. You could check it out and see what you can find near you.

Was the GC you handled blue? It could have been a blue mutation.

I am on a similar quest, MinkFeathers.

I had a Black capped conure (same size as a GCC) who recently passed away. When I got her, I had no bird experience whatsoever so I really didn't know what I was getting into.

Now that I have owned a bird and have a much better understanding of what owning a bird requires, I am being much more selective about the type of bird I will be getting in the future. We will be a one-bird house so I want to be absolutely sure that I am getting the right bird for my family. I have been in heavy research mode for about a month now and am really driving myself crazy with this decision!

There was a rescue right in my town where I thought I could volunteer to get more exposure to different types of birds. Unfortunately, it has closed its doors. I've been thinking of reaching out to the bird store where I got our first bird, but just haven't felt that "vibe" where they would be open to letting me help out and get exposure to the birds. I guess I will never know if they are open to the idea unless I ask!

Anyway, I will enjoy reading your journal as you continue your journey towards getting your forever birdie friend!

It was mostly dark green that faded to teal (bluish green) and it didn't have a red tail, the tail was all teal as well. But he was tiny compared to a sunny lol.

Greatblue, sorry to hear about the passing of your friend. I hope you find that right one as well. =)

Well, my apartment application was denied ;-; so no bird for me any time soon. Instead my mom is going to help me over the course of 2 years save up for, and buy a house. Part of that will be that it has land for my horses (currently boarded) and then i can also work on an out door aviary! I will still be looking for a birdie mentor in the area and learn what I can as well as ask loooots of quesrions!

I'm sorry you didn't get the apartment. Plan B sounds much better anyway . Good luck, 2 years will go by fast. In the mean time, you'll have plenty of time to learn about birds and decide what would be perfect for you!

What part of the world you in? i know someone looking for someone to work with amazons.I have outside aviary, inside birds and plenty of pasture for horses. two story house with no one living downstairs. you can handle all the large parrots you want.

I'm in Tennessee. And that sounds amazing! I have a full time career here though, so unless you're in nashville or close to it, probably won't work for me. XD