Newbie needs some opinions!

Hey Guys this is going to be my first post, and all I am really looking for are some opinions on my situation. So here it is:

I was recently picked out by a Sun Conure at a Petco and I am considering making a purchase ...

(listen, honestly I don't want to hear anything about buying at Petco propogating the business of "Bird Mills!" Any purchase here in the US propagates SOMETHING .... how do you feel about those LEVI'S you are wearing ... possibly made in some sweatshop somewhere ...)

... ANYWAY like I was saying, I was recently picked out by a Sun Conure and I am considering making a purchase. I have done the reseach necessary to at least feel like I could be a resonably smart companion to this little fella. I have gone at different times of the day to visit to see his/her activity level, which to me seems pretty consistant (except later in the evening, which seems normal). I have always been allowed to hold or interact with him/her whenever I have requested, and the SC seems used to being handled (already knew the "step-up" command). The little one seems reasonably healthy (vents clean, eyes are bright and poops are consistant in size and color) and I have reason to believe that his/her cage is cleaned every 2 to 3 days.
They (PetCo) also have the name of the vet that does all the work with the birds displayed outside the indoor bird area. I have even gone as far as to call the vet to get their input as to what the general overall health of the birds there were.

I would love to buy from a breeder, but in Northern New England it's tough to find one. So, if I pursued buying from a breeder I would have to get into shipping a baby. If you combine the cost of the bird and shipping with a non-local breeder I am looking at just about the same price (within $50) to get a bird that I have already had a chance to see/handle and ok, ... even start to bond with.

So I guess what I am asking is, am I making a well thought out decision if I were to purchase this bird? Any USEFUL information would be a great help!

Thanks

Well it is my view that if you feel like your making the right choice then go for it. But you have the right to ask where the bird came from, and by the band on the leg you should be able to track it. When I took my CAG to the vet I was told that she was from Texas wait she isn't a New Yorker?!? any way she knew this from just looking at it. Your main issue should be the health of the bird...
Have you seen anything about bad birds from their store or stores. Do a small search on the internet. You just don't want to be caught with a sick bird just because of a little price difference. Ask them questions like about if the bird does get sick in a given time period what will they do for you.
If you do decide to go a head with it have a vet, thats not theirs, check him out for you. If you get a vet like mine they will tell you everything you will need to know about the personality of your bird to things you should watch out for.

hope this helps a little
ty

Hi and welcome, I don't know Petco so can't say anything about them, but I'm guessing they are like our large pet stores. Some are good some are bad, but even with Breeders you can have the same problem. You seem to have gone into this the right way, you've visited at different times, given the bird a good looking over, talked to their vet, My opionion is if you feel it is right then go and pick up this SC, bring him home and start enjoying him/her.

I would definately ask Petco if they will give a health certificate, and find out if they offer after sales advice, as darkchi says I would find out what they would do if the bird got sick what they would do, and how long the time period is.

You seem to have done your homework where this guy is concerned, so I can only wish you the best and let us know how you get on. Also when/if you decide to go ahead post some pics of your little one.

I can't speak for your PetCo, but I know mine. They are just wonderful. Everytime they get abandoned animals they always take them in and adopt them out. I've rescued several ferrets this way, and even a rabbit! I know I prefer breeders because of the quality of their pets, but it sounds like this little one has "picked you". I've never been able to resist being "picked". I had a ferret do that to me once. Every time I walked away he would cry and pace back and forth. I ended up taking him home.

Ok, so, ummm ... here is his "MUG SHOT" if you will .... I really love camera phones!

As for being "picked" I started to notice that s/he was indifferent to other people who were putting fingers in his/her cage (seriously, from here on out ... I will refer to this SC as a him) but would move rapidly to my fingers. I told my fiancee this and she didn't believe me until one night we went over there and she offered a finger in the cage, called the bird over and was totally ignored. I, then, went over to the cage, said nothing and put my finger through the bars and got a "chirp" and had a bird on my finger in less than 2 seconds.

My Fiancee was completely opposed to getting a bird, then saw that event and asked, sarcastically I might add, how she could interfere with "true love" HA!

Sure does sound like you have been picked. :07:
He is so pretty too

Yep, you have been picked. How could you not take him home. :07:
He is a beautiful looking fella, snap him up quick.

Ok, got out of work, and got my daily "fix" today ... I am going to snap him up ... still looks like he's about 3 weeks away or so from coming home ... I can't wait!

The lady who cares for him said that he was down to one 'hand' feeding a day and they are going to wean him down off of that in the next week or so, then they have to monitor for 2 weeks to make sure that he is keeping his weight up. If all goes well he should be here by the end of January the start of Feburary ... I just hope that my neighbors don't mind (I live in an apartment ... ) ... But really now, how could you get mad at this little fella?

SC are great, active loving birds, quite the clowns but with just one vice, They are LOUD. They are the LOUDEST conures out there. So as long as you can deal with a birdie that likes to let the world know he’s in town. I think you two will do very well with each other.

That is the one thing that worries me ... the noise. I live in an apartment, but it is pretty quiet around here I don't hear cars outside, I don't hear the people up stairs (not even walking around) I don't hear the person next to me's T.V. And I do not think I have EVER heard a vacuum cleaner or a vocal fight (I know that I am surrounded by 3 couples and I have been here 6 months, I can't believe these things aren't going on) ... I wonder if there is some sort of sound proofing within the walls/ceilings/floors.

All the things that I have been reading about the noise says that as long as they are well trained they will scream when: they get scared, when they are happy to see you and in the morning and evening. Most of the info says that it is for only a few minutes at a time. I plan on making sure that there are plenty of toys and a large cage (when he HAS to be in there), and when I am not around ... the computer will have iTunes running on "shuffle" for the little guy (currently winning an EBAY bid for a 24x22x46 inside height cage) hopefully these things will help to keep the noise to a minimum.

The other thing I have working to my advantage is that in my lease my "quiet hours" are 10 p.m. - 6 a.m. which, if I can plan things accordingly I can keep the little one quiet until 6:30 am and put him to bed around 8:30 at night. Hopefully, the noise isn't going to be an issue.

with birds the talking/social time is usually dawn and dusk

hope that helps a little.

I wouldn't worrie about it too much, when you get the him do you plan on putting the cage in a room that shares a wall with another apartment? If so give them a heads up or later on, if the bird is making noise, go to them and ask if he is bother them and go from there.

Actually I am lucky in the fact that I have a coner apartment. The place that I want to put the cage is actually in the living room against a wall that is against the main bedroom ... I don't think that there is going to be an issue at all ... my fiancee is a little worried that this is going to interfere with HER sleep cycles. 'Cause much like a parrot SHE requires 10 - 12 hours of sleep a night ...