Just poking around for more information - new here

[SyntheticIrony]

Hi, I'm new here. My name is Kayla I'm 27 and live in Ontario, Canada. My boyfriend and I are looking at getting our first conure and I've been doing a lot of research before we go about and do so.

His mother owns a Mexican Red Headed Amazon, his sister has a Blue Macaw and his Aunt has Cockatoos, so birds are nothing that we don't have a ton of support with and experience with.

I've bought a couple books and read them through, browsed the web and talked to the breeder. The breeder I'm going to purchase from hand feeds all birds and interacts with them on a daily basis. They also have a few people who come in and socialize birds as well. They have a clutch of GC Conures that are about 3 weeks old, so I have a lot of time before they are ready. I've been going in and handling some of the cinnamon conures in the mean time and just spending time there getting to know everyone.

Few controversial topics that bother me a little bit: First off my boyfriend is a smoker. He doesn't smoke a lot, our place is well ventilated and we are moving in the next few months to a place where he MUST smoke outside.. so it is but isn't a concern at the same time. If need be I can also house the bird in a separate room where no smoking happens and spend my time in there with it until we move. Second is teflon, I should be looking at purchasing new pots and pans? Correct?

Third and biggest issue is I have a 7 year old cat, and a 2 year old dog. Dog leaves cat alone, and same the other way around. I know in the past my cat lived with Degus and Hamsters an would just lay there and stare at the small animals but never try to get at them. Also our dog has been around my boyfriends mothers bird. More just tries to sniff around the cage. We give this more of at his moms house it's a bunch of weird smells and excitment with her two other dogs.

My plan was to purchase a cage, set it up and let my other animals get used to the fact it's there before bringing a bird home. This seems like a logical idea as I don't also want to be scrambling last minute either.

Any tips would be great. Thanks.

 

[suebee]

sounds like you've thought it through, i cook with teflon pans and nut sometimes hangs out with me, the danger is over heating the teflon, something i can't do or it destroys the coating, but a change of pans would be a safer option, there is also another type of non stick that is bird friendly, i have however phased out most of the non stick

as for other animals just never leave them alone, or in a situation where especially the cat can get at the bird, as your bird is young when you get it, i think it will want to investigate them, at some point

i smoke, but only outside the house

and lastly hello an welcome and keep us up dated

 

[SyntheticIrony]

sounds like you've thought it through, i cook with teflon pans and nut sometimes hangs out with me, the danger is over heating the teflon, something i can't do or it destroys the coating, but a change of pans would be a safer option, there is also another type of non stick that is bird friendly, i have however phased out most of the non stick

as for other animals just never leave them alone, or in a situation where especially the cat can get at the bird, as your bird is young when you get it, i think it will want to investigate them, at some point

i smoke, but only outside the house

and lastly hello an welcome and keep us up dated

thanks very much. yeah the smoking was my first issue. i kept saying "we can't have a bird you smoke in the house" so what does he do.. calls his mom while hes working and apparently she, his sister and aunt all smoke in the house just obviously keeping the smoke from the bird as well as wash their hands before touching the bird to not hurt his/hers skin and feathers.

i've wanted a conure for along time. i used to be terrified of birds when i was younger until i met a sun conure and it was sweet and friendly and fun. at that time i wanted a conure. years later now the opportunity has arisen as his mom sent us to this exotic pet store near us for bird feed for her and i fell in love all over again.

my cat will try to lay on the cage lol i know this already so i've decided to buy a play center to put on top so he cant. worst he will do is lay infront and stare. i figure one nip or bite from the bird and both will stray anyways. yeah we both know we can't leave the bird out and alone when the dog and cat aren't locked up either.

 

[suebee]

benefits of not smoking in a house is huge, for example, i am not having to paint ceilings white yearly, no need to use air fresheners (these are bad for birds anyway) not having to wash fabric furnishings regularly (though i still have to with little nut accidents)

it took near 6 months to get the smell out of my room, an i only smoked about 7 aday in there if that

and some mornings i can walk into my room an smell that stale smoke smell, simply as we have not changed the carpet yet

these birds are extremely fun, and make fab companions, though i am not nuts fav person, she tolerates me well enough, and they have a away of training you!!

 

[oled]

Hi and welcome!!

 

[MikeyTN]

Sue covered all pretty good already. If you could confine the bird in a separate room would be better unless you trust your dog and cat to be good. Just remember cat saliva is toxic to birds, all it takes is just one bite!!! My dogs don't bother my macaw BUT they will kill any other birds!