Need some advice please

[Celestinatilley]

UPDATE: SO I read up on some suggested reading and I've decided to take the weaned bird. I really think I dodged a bullet. That could have ended so badly!!



So I've got a choice to make and I'd like to hear what you guys think of my options.

I've been in contact with an extremely reputable bird breeder for a while now and am down to deciding between two different green cheek conures...one is 10 weeks old and still needs 2 hand feeds a day and the other is fully weaned.

The breeder vetted me and asked a bunch of questions to qualify me in case I wasn't able to handle the responsibility of hand feeding, and once he was satisfied I could handle it, he offered me the younger of the two if I so choose.

He says its up to me.

So what should I do here? I would like to know the pros and cons of choosing each bird, from people who have done this more than I.
I've only hand fed one other bird, last year.

The difference in age of my two options is a 10 week old or a 14 week old.
Both have been hand fed. The older bird has lost some of it's tameness from being more with it's siblings in their cage since weaned, whereas the unweaned one would require continued immediate close human contact from day one of being home with me.

I'm only going to be bringing one home so I do actually need to choose here.

What would you do, and why?

Thanks in advance!

 

[clark_conure]

get the fully weened one. /thread. or wait

 

[Celestinatilley]

get the fully weened one. /thread. or wait

What does /thread mean? And also why the fully weaned one?

 

[clark_conure]

it means case closed, end thread. Never get an un weened bird unless you really really REALLY know what you doing. If you like the second one wait if you like the first it's fine.

 

[onamom]

Welcome to the forums! I also suggest the weaned option. Getting an unweaned baby can be very dangerous and lots of things can go wrong. Check out this thread:

So you bought an unweaned baby...

Today I spent several hours trying to help someone save a baby bird they had purchased unweaned. The baby died; they are usually almost dead by the time the new owner realizes something is wrong, not because the owner doesn't care but because they are not educated about what to look for or...

www.parrotforums.com

There really are no advantages to buying the unweaned baby vs the weaned.

I wish you the best of luck with your new baby and congrats!

 

[DonnaBudgie]

So I've got a choice to make and I'd like to hear what you guys think of my options.

I've been in contact with an extremely reputable bird breeder for a while now and am down to deciding between two different green cheek conures...one is 10 weeks old and still needs 2 hand feeds a day and the other is fully weaned.

The breeder vetted me and asked a bunch of questions to qualify me in case I wasn't able to handle the responsibility of hand feeding, and once he was satisfied I could handle it, he offered me the younger of the two if I so choose.

He says its up to me.

So what should I do here? I would like to know the pros and cons of choosing each bird, from people who have done this more than I.
I've only hand fed one other bird, last year.

The difference in age of my two options is a 10 week old or a 14 week old.
Both have been hand fed. The older bird has lost some of it's tameness from being more with it's siblings in their cage since weaned, whereas the unweaned one would require continued immediate close human contact from day one of being home with me.

I'm only going to be bringing one home so I do actually need to choose here.

What would you do, and why?

Thanks in advance!

I'd take the weaned baby or wait for the unweaned baby to be weaned before taking it. Pay a little extra to let the breeder wean them before taking them home.
First, even if you have experience handfeeding and are comfortable with it, it can be dangerous. Accidentally pushing the plunger on the syringe too fast can flood the baby's mouth and throat with formula causing aspiration and death. Imagine how awful you would feel if this happened to your new baby! I successfully hand fed a budgie from hatching and only used a spoon because of this risk.
Second, it's a myth that if you hand feed the baby it will bond better with you and not bite. My budgie is very tame and bonded to me but she doesn't hesitate to bite when displeased. . I had a hand fed baby cockatoo that bit me a lot when she was displeased. If you adopt the slightly older chick the time and energy you won't have to spend feeding and weaning can be used to properly socialize them. It isn't too late to get this older baby right back on track to being human friendly and tame.
Which of the two babies seems to "like" you (for something other than feedings)? Some very wise members recommend letting the bird pick YOU rather than you pick the them. I couldn't agree more. Do you feel any mutual "connection" with either bird? I think waiting a few weeks until the younger bird is weaned before chosing between the two is best. You will probably be required to pay a large deposit while waiting for #2 to wean and then select from the two but it's worth it.

 

[Celestinatilley]

I'd take the weaned baby or wait for the unweaned baby to be weaned before taking it. Pay a little extra to let the breeder wean them before taking them home.
First, even if you have experience handfeeding and are comfortable with it, it can be dangerous. Accidentally pushing the plunger on the syringe too fast can flood the baby's mouth and throat with formula causing aspiration and death. Imagine how awful you would feel if this happened to your new baby! I successfully hand fed a budgie from hatching and only used a spoon because of this risk.
Second, it's a myth that if you hand feed the baby it will bond better with you and not bite. My budgie is very tame and bonded to me but she doesn't hesitate to bite when displeased. . I had a hand fed baby cockatoo that bit me a lot when she was displeased. If you adopt the slightly older chick the time and energy you won't have to spend feeding and weaning can be used to properly socialize them. It isn't too late to get this older baby right back on track to being human friendly and tame.
Which of the two babies seems to "like" you (for something other than feedings)? Some very wise members recommend letting the bird pick YOU rather than you pick the them. I couldn't agree more. Do you feel any mutual "connection" with either bird? I think waiting a few weeks until the younger bird is weaned before chosing between the two is best. You will probably be required to pay a large deposit while waiting for #2 to wean and then select from the two but it's worth it.

I wish I could do this but it's an online deal that I'm going to have to pick up halfway between us so meeting beforehand is not possible. But I can ask the breeder to let me video chat with the bird? That might help..maybe?
Or I could pay extra if he's willing to do some hand taming before I get him. Idk.

 

[Celestinatilley]

Welcome to the forums! I also suggest the weaned option. Getting an unweaned baby can be very dangerous and lots of things can go wrong. Check out this thread:

So you bought an unweaned baby...

Today I spent several hours trying to help someone save a baby bird they had purchased unweaned. The baby died; they are usually almost dead by the time the new owner realizes something is wrong, not because the owner doesn't care but because they are not educated about what to look for or...

www.parrotforums.com

There really are no advantages to buying the unweaned baby vs the weaned.

I wish you the best of luck with your new baby and congrats!

Thank you!

 

[DonnaBudgie]

I wish I could do this but it's an online deal that I'm going to have to pick up halfway between us so meeting beforehand is not possible. But I can ask the breeder to let me video chat with the bird? That might help..maybe?
Or I could pay extra if he's willing to do some hand taming before I get him. Idk.

I don't see how video chatting with a bird you've never met would be helpful- it's not like online dating. Unless the bird has a relationship with you it will be meaningless. Since I assume you haven't met either bird in person, how do you know that baby #1 has lost some tameness since beging weaned? Can you have the breeder bring both birds to your halfway point and make your final decision then after handling both and gauging their reactions to you? Whatever you decide, I would avoid having to hand feed unless the breeder gets the baby to readily feed from a small spoon before handing him over for you to finish the weaning. I emphasize this so much because I have tried to help people who adopted baby birds a few weeks from weaning and one person I was helping accidentally flooded the five week old baby cockatiels mouth with formula via syringe and the baby died a couple days later from aspiration. They were devastated to lose their new baby and so was I.

 

[Greenhouseparrots]

UPDATE: SO I read up on some suggested reading and I've decided to take the weaned bird. I really think I dodged a bullet. That could have ended so badly!!



So I've got a choice to make and I'd like to hear what you guys think of my options.

I've been in contact with an extremely reputable bird breeder for a while now and am down to deciding between two different green cheek conures...one is 10 weeks old and still needs 2 hand feeds a day and the other is fully weaned.

The breeder vetted me and asked a bunch of questions to qualify me in case I wasn't able to handle the responsibility of hand feeding, and once he was satisfied I could handle it, he offered me the younger of the two if I so choose.

He says its up to me.

So what should I do here? I would like to know the pros and cons of choosing each bird, from people who have done this more than I.
I've only hand fed one other bird, last year.

The difference in age of my two options is a 10 week old or a 14 week old.
Both have been hand fed. The older bird has lost some of it's tameness from being more with it's siblings in their cage since weaned, whereas the unweaned one would require continued immediate close human contact from day one of being home with me.

I'm only going to be bringing one home so I do actually need to choose here.

What would you do, and why?

Thanks in advance!

I'm glad you've decided to take the weaned bird! Make sure you post some pictures of them when you get them!