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kimn818

New member
Apr 23, 2014
137
0
North Hollywood, CA
Parrots
Loco- Male YellowSided GCC
Peepsie- Female Parakeet
Tweety- Male Parakeet
Hi everyone! I am new around here and have found many of the threads useful in my research. I went to Petsmart here in Los Angeles about 3 weeks ago and fell in love with a Pineapple Green Cheek.. since then, I've been obsessed with learning all I can about these birds and saving up to make the purchase! I have owned parakeets in the past, but this will be my first parrot. I am very excited!

I decided to learn all I could about GCC's before making the kind of commitment these birds deserve. I decided to check out breeders and local pet shops to find my bird.

I was wondering if you all could give be some advice as to what I should be on the lookout for when making my selection. When visiting stores, I've asked if they've hand fed.. but the babies i've seen don't seem to be very sociable.. is this normal for baby GCC's that have been handfed?

Thank you for your help!
Kim:32:
 

MonicaMc

Well-known member
Sep 12, 2012
7,960
Media
2
43
Parrots
Mitred Conure - Charlie 1994;
Cockatiel - Casey 2001;
Wild Caught ARN - Sylphie 2013
Hi Kim and welcome to PF!!!!

When you go to meet puppies and kittens, many of them are often social and friendly. Some may be shy, but they love to interact with new people!

Birds are prey animals, and unless taught to be accustomed to a variety of new things and people, new things/people are scary to them! So what you see is kind of normal.



Breeders tend to be cheaper than pet stores (hand fed GCC's can be purchased from breeders for $150-$400 where-as many stores charge $300-$600 for the same birds), but if looking at pet stores, I've heard great things about Omar's! I've met Omar years ago, but I've never been to one of his stores! (live too far away!)

OMAR'S Exotic Birds :: Find Us
 

MikeyTN

New member
Feb 1, 2011
13,296
17
Antioch, TN
Parrots
"Willie"&"Lola"B&G Macaw,
"Dixie"LSC2, and "Nico" Scarlet Macaw.
Welcome to the forum!!!

The problem with a lot of the big stores is their babies aren't socialized, thus the reason why there's not being super friendly even when hand fed. Hand fed doesn't mean a thing if they're not socialized!!!! A hand fed baby can be just as mean as a parent fed baby if not being handled and such.
 

RavensGryf

Supporting Member
Jan 19, 2014
14,233
190
College Station, Texas
Parrots
Red Bellied Parrot /
Ruppell's Parrot /
Bronze Winged Pionus /
English Budgie
Hi welcome! I live in SoCal too, but Los Angeles is quite a ways away from me. Omar's are good bird specialty stores as far as stores go. There's Parrots Naturally in Tarzana which is a pretty quality operation I believe.

Another way to get a potentially nice bird is to find a reputable rescue. I don't know of any off hand, but do some digging and research to find who's "good".

If you really prefer a weaned juvenile, there are tons of people out there breeding GCC who are in need of homes too.

It's 'okay' if you get a bird at a Petsmart or Petco, but as Mikey said they are not socialized and regularly handled, so they get a bit wild by the time their bought. Plus you'll pay a higher retail price, and the employee may not know as much (or give accurate advice) as a specialty bird store or rescue or breeder would.

Good luck!
 
OP
kimn818

kimn818

New member
Apr 23, 2014
137
0
North Hollywood, CA
Parrots
Loco- Male YellowSided GCC
Peepsie- Female Parakeet
Tweety- Male Parakeet
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread starter
  • #6
Thank you everyone for your help! I found my baby at a local pet store (not a petco or petsmart). He hand fed them and takes them home every night. I originally visited his shop 2 weeks ago and went back yesterday. I held one and fell in love! He was soo friendly, walked up my arm, played with my clothes (and arm hairs! lol)... I take him home Friday!! I bought a cage ( I will be upgrading in a few months to my dream cage for him.. but I cant afford a $200 cage right now).. I will post pics of the cage I bought him. I measured the bar width and its a little over 1/2in. I need to buy him toys and perches as well. Do you all recommend stainless steel dishes?

Any suggestions are greatly appreciated as far as cage setup, types of perches and toys to buy, etc.! I love this forum!

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Last edited:

MikeyTN

New member
Feb 1, 2011
13,296
17
Antioch, TN
Parrots
"Willie"&"Lola"B&G Macaw,
"Dixie"LSC2, and "Nico" Scarlet Macaw.
Stainless steel dish makes sanitizing and cleaning a lot easier then plastic dishes.
 

MonicaMc

Well-known member
Sep 12, 2012
7,960
Media
2
43
Parrots
Mitred Conure - Charlie 1994;
Cockatiel - Casey 2001;
Wild Caught ARN - Sylphie 2013
Manzanita perches, rope perches, maybe *ONE* grooming perch...

Wooden toys, balsa toys, yucca toys, toys with bells and beads, foraging toys, destructible toys, acrylic toys, etc.


Is that the diet the shop has their birds on atm? It is not a very healthy diet. A pelleted diet with vegetables, some fruits, healthy grains and healthy legumes along with the occasional cooked eggs would be far better!
 
OP
kimn818

kimn818

New member
Apr 23, 2014
137
0
North Hollywood, CA
Parrots
Loco- Male YellowSided GCC
Peepsie- Female Parakeet
Tweety- Male Parakeet
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread starter
  • #9
Manzanita perches, rope perches, maybe *ONE* grooming perch...

Wooden toys, balsa toys, yucca toys, toys with bells and beads, foraging toys, destructible toys, acrylic toys, etc.


Is that the diet the shop has their birds on atm? It is not a very healthy diet. A pelleted diet with vegetables, some fruits, healthy grains and healthy legumes along with the occasional cooked eggs would be far better!

No, I bought his cage at a pet shop here and they gave me that bag of food free. I am buying my bird from an employee of the store who breeds them.. I will post pics of my gorgeous baby (picking him up Friday). I wasn't planning on using that mix. Thank you for all of the advice!
 

MonicaMc

Well-known member
Sep 12, 2012
7,960
Media
2
43
Parrots
Mitred Conure - Charlie 1994;
Cockatiel - Casey 2001;
Wild Caught ARN - Sylphie 2013
Ah, sounds like a plan, then! :)


I'd probably feed that food to the wild birds! :D
 

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