How do you decide?

[thekarens]

I called my vet so I can go straight from the guys house to the vet. I'll have the usual done and a sexing test, though I might be able to visually tell if they've molted.

 

[Sterling1113]

Congrats! Isn't it nice how it seems to work out?
I'm in the same sticky situation you are: I'm wanting another bird, just one, but I want something goffin/mini macaw/alexandrine sized... however I absolutely cannot for the life of me think of any one I'd prefer to have!
Who knows, I might meet an amazon and fall in love haha.

 

[thekarens]

Very true, you just never know. This is it for me so let's cross our fingers that chaos doesn't ensue

 

[Sterling1113]

Sending happy and hopeful thoughts!!

 

[crimson]

yay!...so hoping this works out for you.

I'm in the same boat as you.....so undecided on what other type of bird to get.
since Safari died, I would love another Sennie, idk....I miss him terribly, not a day goes by without thinking about him.

tough to get a good sennie like him though. every other bird seems loud, and I can't have anything like that.

good luck Friday, and I'm glad the owner came back to you!

 

[Allee]

Awwww! Congratulations! I hope it works out well for everyone and the siblings like each other.

 

[thekarens]

That's true Beth. Sammie is very quiet except when she thinks she's being ignored. This one might be a screamer, I don't really know. I've only talked to the owner via email and frankly I wouldn't expect him to disclose if he/she was. I do know if he/she is a screamer my partner WILL kill me ;-)

 

[RavensGryf]

At least it will only be Poi screams You know that's not bad..

 

[thekarens]

At least it will only be Poi screams You know that's not bad..

Very true, even at her loudest Sammie has nothing on Karen's grey, who could and did a perfect imitation of the fire alarm

 

[Terry57]

Karen, I am so happy that this is working out! I hope everything goes great at the vet.

 

[mtdoramike]

I'm thrilled for you. I hope it turns out great for you and Sammie.

 

[MikeyTN]

She says that now until one of the birds picks her then you'll see how the little bird will turn her around real quick!!!! They tend to wrap people in their claws pretty good....lol....

 

[thekarens]

She says that now until one of the birds picks her then you'll see how the little bird will turn her around real quick!!!! They tend to wrap people in their claws pretty good....lol....

That's true Mikey. She had two greys die on her and I think she's just been too hurt to try it again. The first one had PBFD and then a couple years after Buddy died she got Beau. Well when Beau was about 12 he got startled and flew straight into a wall and started having seizures. She took him to the most well known avian vet here in Houston and they did a few thousand dollars worth of tests and they never really could do anything for him. He had seizures off and on for the next couple of years and passed away at 14. After that she said no more birds. It's been a couple years and she softened up when she saw me with Sammie. I was at the shop and she is the one that pulled out her credit card and paid for her. I couldn't afford her at the time, so who knows, if the right grey came along she just might.

 

[broxi3781]

I'd go for the clutcmate and sell the cage. Then you can tell your life how you don't want Sammie to be alone because your life would so incomplete without her, how important it is to have a soul mate and all that. Keep your wife sweet and things will go better with bird As to no more birds ever - you just have to get her maternal instincts turned towards the birds and you'll be set, but to be honest too many and it gives difficult to find enough time for each. A part of me would like another quaker to keep Hal company, but I'm afraid of jeopardising the bond he has with us. Everything is perfect now so don't want to mess things up and I really don't want babies. They are too cute and I would hate selling them.

 

[MikeyTN]

I can see why she would say no as it's done major damage to her heart. She's just afraid to open up to them again but she will get over it eventually.

 

[MonicaMc]

First off, congrats on bringing Sydney home!

Nope, been there, done that. There's no rescue or foster opportunities anywhere near Houston. The closest would be Austin or Dallas, 3 or 4 hour drive.

Second, this doesn't sound true.... Houston is too large to *NOT* have some sort of parrot rescue or place. Houston is near 7 times larger than the area I live in (and that's combining the population of two cities!), and we have at least one parrot rescue in the area! (and I know of one 30 some minutes south of us in another city and another 30 minutes east in a different city, although I suspect these are flippers).

As per this link there are at least a couple around the Houston area.
Texas Bird Rescue Groups

(NOTE: have read Tula Bird Rescue is a scam - be sure to investigate these places!)

Here's a parrot rescue that only adopts out to *LOCAL* Houston residents.
ParrotFestival.org

Couple of others
GULF COAST EXOTIC BIRD SANCTUARY
SBABS Home



I do not live in a very big bird orientated area and we only have one parrot store which pales in comparison to others I've been in in California and Florida! There's one bird club here. I'm a bit jealous thinking of what may be available to you living in such a large city that I don't have!

 

[thekarens]

First off, congrats on bringing Sydney home!

Nope, been there, done that. There's no rescue or foster opportunities anywhere near Houston. The closest would be Austin or Dallas, 3 or 4 hour drive.

Second, this doesn't sound true.... Houston is too large to *NOT* have some sort of parrot rescue or place. Houston is near 7 times larger than the area I live in (and that's combining the population of two cities!), and we have at least one parrot rescue in the area! (and I know of one 30 some minutes south of us in another city and another 30 minutes east in a different city, although I suspect these are flippers).

As per this link there are at least a couple around the Houston area.
Texas Bird Rescue Groups

(NOTE: have read Tula Bird Rescue is a scam - be sure to investigate these places!)

Here's a parrot rescue that only adopts out to *LOCAL* Houston residents.
ParrotFestival.org

Couple of others
GULF COAST EXOTIC BIRD SANCTUARY
SBABS Home



I do not live in a very big bird orientated area and we only have one parrot store which pales in comparison to others I've been in in California and Florida! There's one bird club here. I'm a bit jealous thinking of what may be available to you living in such a large city that I don't have!

The short answer is you didn't research it fully. I went to Parrot Festivals conference this year and they only had a couple birds for adoption, none that I felt would be a good fit for me. Gulf Coast doesn't have any birds for adoption. and SABS is run by one of our local bird shops. They are great people and care for the birds, but their adoptions are almost as much as a baby, not to mention I go to that shop almost weekly and have seen all the adoptees, none that I wanted to bring home.

I'm not even sure we have a running bird club here any more. The canary and finch society has an active group, but I don't believe there's an active bird club any more. We have 3 bird shops, 2 are a reasonable distance from me and the other is on the other side of town.

Just because a city is large doesn't mean it has an active group of parrot owners/breeders/rescuers. If you want something more active you'd have to go to Austin/San An or Dallas/Ft. Worth area. They have more available there, but I'm not interested in making the drive (3-3.5 for Austin, 4-4.5 for Dallas)

So, back to been there, done that. I've been involved in parrots for 18 years and here in Houston for 15, so I know what's available and I have done my research.