to buy or adopt?

[xreinx]

I've been researching parrots for a long time now, years infact, I feel I am finally at a point in my life where I can provide a good home, I've had some bird contact threw out my life, so I have a few small scars from the not so friendly birds Ive encountered, mostly the small birds. (a lovebird called Cherry whom I loved and spent a lot of time with when I was a kid, even though she was evil, and Baby - a sun conure, who desided he didnt want to sit on my hand anymore)
Anyway, Ive found a Pair of Congo African Grays I think I can work with.. but ones "wild" and the others shy around new people. The Idea of getting two "wild" Congos scares me, he wont sell them separately, but they have never mated, and they have been togather for 9 years.
The "wild" one is male, hes about 14 years old, the female is about 10. As far as I understand, they don't have names and the guy wants to make space for another Blue Macaw. Nither have been handled all that much, and she has never allowed the male to get vary close to her. They need a good home, better then the one they have now, but they also need a lot of training and may need to be separated.
Witch brings me to Training, I can probily manage to train one, but I want a Trusting pet that I can take with me while I travel and go for car rides with me. But I doubt I can tame Two, who both have growled at me in the first 5 minuets of meeting them.
Then theres the breeder in Florida that Ive been talking to, Ive never heard of them, though they seem to know what they are doing. But Ive never been around a baby bird before, all of the ones Ive ever handled were 10+. I'm terrified I might do something wrong and ruin the poor bird. Oh and has anyone ever heard of Chet Womach? the bird trainer? Is it worth spending money on his training program? Ive only ever studied how to train Raptors, I figured thats Diffrent then training Parrots, after all, parrots dont require hoods.
Does anyone have any advice? kinda lost here, to adopt or buy?

 

[Spiritbird]

Left you a PM.

 

[mantellas]

I'm interested in hearing responses to this question as well. I'm not looking at any particular breeder or adoption yet, but am trying to weigh the advantages/disadvantages of buying vs adopting. I would only consider adopting birds w/o known behavior issues though.

 

[Pedro]

I know there are a lot of parrots out there needing a home but if the pair of grey's are in an aviary I think i would opt out for a young weaned bird that i can train up myself. But it's a decision only you can make. However i have adopted a couple of parrots, some male tiels, they are in the aviary, an eclectus parrot & SC TOO, Galah since passed. I don't regret having them. They have fitted into my lifestyle.

In my situation i was lucky the birds were already companion parrots but with behavior issues. Once i worked through that i have some great pets. I think the poor birds were bored stupid being on their own all the time. With me they have the company of other birds so are happy. Plus i am home most of the time.

 

[xreinx]

In my line of work (shelter setting) we have a lot of animals that need homes, most of the dogs and cats are throw away pets, people treat them as possessions and throw them away, a few of them are accually problem cases, the vary few that cannot be adopted out are made that way and there arnt any rescues for animals like that up here. I fully believe that a few of those animals can be homed too, if we had people that were willing to do that.

Anyway, I broke up my posts into diffrent threads, I was told by the breeder never to adopt or rescue, he did give me some good reasons, but I still believe I may find a bird that needs me. (due to the most amazing contact I had when I was a kid)

Ive got a deadline, a make or break me, next spring, If I still feel I am in a position to get a lifetime friend, Ill will get a baby, if I havent found a rescue by march next year.

 

[Pedro]

IMHO. It takes a very special & knowledgable person to adopt a parrot that has issues. Not everyone has the know how to work through the problems some of these poor birds have. If you have what it takes by all means you can try. But i have seen so many well meaning carers try & fail & they poor bird is passed on yet again.

You will know the instant you meet the bird you want to adopt be it a youngster or adult.

I wish you the best of luck & hope you find what your looking for. I always believe what is meant to be will be.

 

[xreinx]

When I was a kid, I had that with a bird Ive only met for something like a hour, I dubbed him Sunnie, At least I think he was A he, complealy plucked from the neck down, his back had fluff, and he was huddled in the corner of a cage at a pet store while a cupple of kids laughed and pointed at him, there were sevral other CAGs but he was the only one who looked at me when I got angry and told the boys to move on.

I had learned the hardway never to stick my fingers into a birds cage, but he came over after a few minuets and invite me to rub his head, I stood there for an hour talking to him, petting him. My mother said no when I asked, (at his age and in his condition, he was 1400.00) and I left in tears, the bird climbed the wall of his cage and started screaming at me to come back, called me sunshine and gave a realistic baby cry as I left.

I never found out what happened to him, I had gone back many times but he was gone... im hoping someday I will find him again, but in his condtion at the time.. I doubt he will be still alive. but he Was my bird. I was only 14, but I found and lost my first bird in just an hour.