Adopting a gcc soon

[NeptuneGCC]

Hello! I do not have any experience with birds, but I have been doing a ton of research. I plan on adopting a male pineapple turquoise green cheek conure from The Feather Tree. Has anyone had experience with him?
I'm still months away from being able to adopt, so I'm trying to be as knowledgeable as possible before the time comes. I also have a hedgehog and two cats. My cats are 9, and they cannot even catch a fly, and half the time have no interest, but I know these are two different things and one can say the cat won't bother the bird, but no one really knows what could happen, they could show no interest, then something horrible could happen. I will take as much precaution as I can and then some to make sure he's going to be safe.

I plan on keeping his cage in my room, in front of a window. The only time the sun is directly facing my window is at sunset, and my room tends to get quite warm in the summer, and my window faces the side road (not many people drive it) and the backyard.
There is a heater under my window, I'm not sure if it has teflon in it or not, but this house is older so I feel it would be safer to assume that it does and not use it.


I have made a list of everything I will need.

- Cage (There are a few I have been looking at but this is the one that I like the best. Amazon.com : A&E Cage 8003223 White Play Top Bird Cage with 5/8" Bar Spacing, 32" x 23" : Birdcages : Pet Supplies I believe this has 5/8 bar spacing.)

- Cage cover

- Plenty of toys, foraging, perches, etc. Possibly a cozy hut

- Fresh fruits and veggies (Would the O Organics frozen fruits/veggies be safe?)

- Zupreem and nutriberries

- 1st aid kit for the bird / avian vet

- Cleaning supplies that are safe and teflon free cookware / no aerosol anything

- Avian light

- Sleep schedule 9pm-9am for enough sleep

- bathing dish

--------------------------------------------------------

I have a few questions as well, are bird harnesses safe? If they are, would it be best to introduce this when he is still young?

Is an avian light necessary if the cage is in front of my window? Or would I be able to get a carrier cage and bring him outside for a while? Which is better or should I do both?

What cleaning supplies do you use?
I have heard that tea tree oil is not safe for birds, some people say it is fine, but it is deadly for hedgehogs so I strictly avoid anything that has it.

How do you keep the air smelling nice? I know that birds generally do not have an odor unless they are sick, but still, are there any bird safe ways to freshen the air? (I have a giant fear of spiders and opening a window would be inviting them in as silly as that sounds)

I have heard that birds get night terrors sometimes, is this common for green cheeks? What brings this on?

How do you prepare the fresh fruits/veggies, is there anything you have to do to them? Such as mashing or softening? Or can I just cut them into pieces and give them to him? Would I have to buy organic fruits/vegetables? Is it okay to freeze them so they will not go bad?

How many toys should I purchase at once? I know perches and toys have to be rotated and that he will destroy the toys, so I will always be buying more, but as a starter amount, how many is good?

There seems to be so many different flavors of zupreem, what should I get and should I mix different kinds?

Will I need to buy a water purifier? Would bottled water be okay, such as arrowhead, could I buy purified water instead of a water purifier?
Would it be dangerous if I let my bird bathe with running water from the shower or sink?

Will he get jealous of my cat? My cat is always on my bed with me, he sticks to me like glue, follows me around the house and everything. My other cat tends to stay in the front room unless she comes wandering into my room looking to see if there are any pieces of my hedgehog's food on the ground.

Would it still be okay to have my boy on my bed with me since the cage will be in my room? I won't ever have the bird out with my cats in the room.

If my cat licks me or if I pet him, will I need to wash my hands before handling the bird? I have heard about how toxic cat saliva can be for a bird.

Should I have his wings clipped? I don't want to leave him defenseless if anything were to happen but I don't want to risk him flying and getting himself hurt either.

Will I need to put something on my window so he knows he can't fly into it?

I looked up how long the flight from California would be to my city, and it says 4 hours, but others say 11, no clue how it would take 11 hours and hopefully that would not happen.
Is it dangerous for the bird to be shipped here by plane?

I'm sure there are definitely things I have forgotten, and if there is anything I am missing please let me know. I want to be as prepared as I possibly can and provide him with the very best life.
I also apologize for so many questions, but thank you to anyone who reads this.

 

[Lady Jane]

Wow that is an impressive list. I will answer some of your questions. First you may want to check to see if there is an avian vet you like and can even interview before bird goes there to check things out.

Full spectrum lighting from the natural sun does not go through glass or screens. I use full spectrum lighting indoors but it is controversial whether or not it is effective.

For routine cleaning I use cleaning vinegar. Simple and easy. If one has a need for destroying bacteria/germs/viruses F10 is what most people use.

Not unusual to be afraid of spiders. For good scents in the home one can boil natural spices like cinnamon, cloves, orange or lemon peel on a stove and the vapors will fill the rooms.

No one really knows what brings on night frights. One of my budgies got them and it was so bad many of his feathers came off. He is a bit of a nervous fella. I bought a wonderful LED blue night bulb on Windy City Parrots and it clips on to the cage at night. Ever since using this lamp there have been no more night frights.

As for prep of fresh foods I think we do it different ways. I chop many things very small fresh each morning, others freeze it but it gets too soggy for me frozen. My chop will generally be broccoli, kale, carrots, romaine, and grated squash, sweet potato and what ever else I have. Sometimes I buy a mixed salad bag with cabbage and Brussel sprouts and incorporate that into the chop. Other times I will hang greens from a bag clip in the cage (this is good to do with dandelion greens because they are so long). Other times I put some of this mix on a skewer. GCC will eat fruit but budgies don't much like it. I would start with apples. Fresh food only in the cage for no more that 2 hours.

If your cat is away from the bird at all times it is best. Cats can kill a tiny bird with just one bite. The salvia is poison to a bird. GCC generally like to be the boss in a home. They have an Eagle complex thinking they can attack anything that moves so beware you bird could attack your cat!

No problem with you asking questions. Owning a companion bird is a lifetime commitment so getting a bird on impulse is not the way to go. You are right on track for a long, healthy and loving relationship if you understand what you are getting into. Never shipped a bird before but others have with no problems.

 

[Lady Jane]

As far as cutting your birds ability to fly I personally would never do that to a bird cat or no cat. Please take time to read the following article:

Clipped Wings
Kathy LaFollett Wing Clipping 14 Flock Calls
I argued with myself for 3 months before clipping Butters' wings. She was young yet, fully fledged under our roof and at the ripe age of almost 2, a total handful. Not two hands full like Snickers, but nevertheless a hand full. Our vet strongly and kindly suggested a "conservative" clip. Which gives me pause here to remind us all that no man has the right to use words carelessly. Since when is cutting wings to remove flight abilities a conservative choice? But the term "conservative clip" does rest easier on the human mind.
But back Butters' attitude and the idea of a conservative clip being a solution. The real issue was my attitude and my control issues. She was being a fully flighted joyous and confident macaw. I was being impatient and wanting the quick fix. Alas, a quick fix is worth about as much. It's quick to remind me of my own selfish nature. So I took our joyous and confident ButterBean in for grooming, blood work and that "conservative clip".
I brought home an intimidated, confused and sad parrot. And I ached for her next molt to come in quickly. I cried for 2 days for what I had done to our girl. She was not our ButterBean until her next molt. I watched her confused heart and mind for a week. Her balance was off, her confidence removed and yes, she knew who brought this on her. Around the 9th day she found her way around her disability. And I watched her for months after fuss with the missing feather locations on both her wings. It was as though she were conjuring her body to create those feathers again. I tell you my experience for a parrot's perspective. I tell you this story because it is imperative, no matter the reasons, we understand that clipping wings is not to be taken lightly. It has a palpable impact on a parrot, no matter how they react and overcome their newly acquired disability. And make no mistake, this is a chosen disability we have brought on them.
There is no such thing as a conservative clip anymore than there is a pet parrot. There are real consequences for them physically and mentally. And yes they are quite adept at making do, and merging into their new normal. And yes, there are real reasons to do such a thing to a companion parrot. There are times and lifestyles that require it for their own health and safety. I make no argument against those times. I make an argument against the idea that it is no big deal and that it somehow magically keeps them safe and easily found if they are lost outside.
What happens when we remove flight, or partial flight feathers from our parrots via a clipping?
Balance is affected. And balance creates confidence. Confidence creates trust. And trust builds our relationships with our companion. Clipping wings is not a way to "bond with your parrot". It's a way to control our parrot so that it's easier to get them to do what we perceive as bonding. Which is simply obedience via no choice.
If our companion isn't flying, our companion isn't using the main element of mobility that their biology and physiology evolved to utilize. Muscle atrophy, affected metabolism, less demand on the respiratory system as it was built for, comes into play. We hamstrung a flying being who's body was structured to fly. They will become weaker.
There are discussions on both sides of the science fence on whether fully flighted parrots are healthier and have stronger immune systems. I tend to the example of humans and exercise. Humans who use their bodies as fully intended by their structure are healthier than humans who do not use their bodies as intended. It's 2017, sitting is the new smoking. I believe fully flighted parrots are healthier, stronger and have a stronger immune system than those who can not fly. I absolutely believe this idea inside the context of young parrots being allowed to fledge and fly for a few weeks before being clipped for the first time. Much like a baby being allowed to cry, to strengthen their lungs, diaphragm and respiratory system as a whole.
All this being said, if clipped wings are in your bird's lifestyle, then it is important to compensate that lost mobility and exercise with more nutrition, more ways for physical activity through deeper enrichment. I am not writing an indictment of wing clipping and those that choose the practice. I am writing a reminder to all that clipping wings is not a small agenda item. This is to be approached with a seriousness toward our companion's nature, personality and life quality.
Clipped wings do not mean your companion can not fly. They will find a way to gain airspace. But clipped wings on a companion that has "gotten out" and is now lost leaves a defenseless parrot. Some wing clips will cause a parrot to look injured in flight. A predator will pick up the idea that there is an easy meal. A companion with clipped wings lost outside will do their best to fly, and they will be vulnerable doing it.
A fully flighted parrot lost to the outside has mobility and escape on their side, and are no longer on a certain rung of the food chain. And yes, I've experienced one of my fully flighted parrots getting outside, twice. Kirby flew down from his tree with some coaxing and command work, and a banana. I know the terror. But I am glad he was fully flighted. Had he not been, the local cats would have had lunch, I have no doubt.
Clipping wings is a control choice. No more no less. It is rarely a choice for the benefit of a parrot. Our relationship with our companion requires we be honest about the clipping wings choice, and at the very least see it for what it is, and compensate to the best of our abilities for doing it to them. We are literally removing their very nature by doing it. We must respect that impact. It is 2017. We know round cages are horrible. We know sunflower seed only diets are a death sentence. We know peanuts can cause illness. We know parrots are self aware. We know parrots are not pets. We know so much, and are learning more every day through the sciences and the power of the internet. It's time our words and actions get updated as well.
I support the safety and lifestyle security found through clipping wings. I do. I support not clipping and delivering safety and lifestyle security through other avenues, as we do here in our home with our 8 companions. This is a very personal issue, and at times a point of contention. I choose to speak for the voice of the companions and set the humans point aside. After all, it's they who must modify and find a way to live without, not us.

 

[NeptuneGCC]

Thank you for sharing that, I should have considered the effects it would have on a parrot, other than the hope of keeping him safe, but it is clear they are far safer and in no doubt happier with their full wings. I will definitely keep him flighted!

 

[Lodah]

As far as cutting your birds ability to fly I personally would never do that to a bird cat or no cat. Please take time to read the following article:

Clipped Wings
Kathy LaFollett Wing Clipping 14 Flock Calls
I argued with myself for 3 months before clipping Butters' wings. She was young yet, fully fledged under our roof and at the ripe age of almost 2, a total handful. Not two hands full like Snickers, but nevertheless a hand full. Our vet strongly and kindly suggested a "conservative" clip. Which gives me pause here to remind us all that no man has the right to use words carelessly. Since when is cutting wings to remove flight abilities a conservative choice? But the term "conservative clip" does rest easier on the human mind.
But back Butters' attitude and the idea of a conservative clip being a solution. The real issue was my attitude and my control issues. She was being a fully flighted joyous and confident macaw. I was being impatient and wanting the quick fix. Alas, a quick fix is worth about as much. It's quick to remind me of my own selfish nature. So I took our joyous and confident ButterBean in for grooming, blood work and that "conservative clip".
I brought home an intimidated, confused and sad parrot. And I ached for her next molt to come in quickly. I cried for 2 days for what I had done to our girl. She was not our ButterBean until her next molt. I watched her confused heart and mind for a week. Her balance was off, her confidence removed and yes, she knew who brought this on her. Around the 9th day she found her way around her disability. And I watched her for months after fuss with the missing feather locations on both her wings. It was as though she were conjuring her body to create those feathers again. I tell you my experience for a parrot's perspective. I tell you this story because it is imperative, no matter the reasons, we understand that clipping wings is not to be taken lightly. It has a palpable impact on a parrot, no matter how they react and overcome their newly acquired disability. And make no mistake, this is a chosen disability we have brought on them.
There is no such thing as a conservative clip anymore than there is a pet parrot. There are real consequences for them physically and mentally. And yes they are quite adept at making do, and merging into their new normal. And yes, there are real reasons to do such a thing to a companion parrot. There are times and lifestyles that require it for their own health and safety. I make no argument against those times. I make an argument against the idea that it is no big deal and that it somehow magically keeps them safe and easily found if they are lost outside.
What happens when we remove flight, or partial flight feathers from our parrots via a clipping?
Balance is affected. And balance creates confidence. Confidence creates trust. And trust builds our relationships with our companion. Clipping wings is not a way to "bond with your parrot". It's a way to control our parrot so that it's easier to get them to do what we perceive as bonding. Which is simply obedience via no choice.
If our companion isn't flying, our companion isn't using the main element of mobility that their biology and physiology evolved to utilize. Muscle atrophy, affected metabolism, less demand on the respiratory system as it was built for, comes into play. We hamstrung a flying being who's body was structured to fly. They will become weaker.
There are discussions on both sides of the science fence on whether fully flighted parrots are healthier and have stronger immune systems. I tend to the example of humans and exercise. Humans who use their bodies as fully intended by their structure are healthier than humans who do not use their bodies as intended. It's 2017, sitting is the new smoking. I believe fully flighted parrots are healthier, stronger and have a stronger immune system than those who can not fly. I absolutely believe this idea inside the context of young parrots being allowed to fledge and fly for a few weeks before being clipped for the first time. Much like a baby being allowed to cry, to strengthen their lungs, diaphragm and respiratory system as a whole.
All this being said, if clipped wings are in your bird's lifestyle, then it is important to compensate that lost mobility and exercise with more nutrition, more ways for physical activity through deeper enrichment. I am not writing an indictment of wing clipping and those that choose the practice. I am writing a reminder to all that clipping wings is not a small agenda item. This is to be approached with a seriousness toward our companion's nature, personality and life quality.
Clipped wings do not mean your companion can not fly. They will find a way to gain airspace. But clipped wings on a companion that has "gotten out" and is now lost leaves a defenseless parrot. Some wing clips will cause a parrot to look injured in flight. A predator will pick up the idea that there is an easy meal. A companion with clipped wings lost outside will do their best to fly, and they will be vulnerable doing it.
A fully flighted parrot lost to the outside has mobility and escape on their side, and are no longer on a certain rung of the food chain. And yes, I've experienced one of my fully flighted parrots getting outside, twice. Kirby flew down from his tree with some coaxing and command work, and a banana. I know the terror. But I am glad he was fully flighted. Had he not been, the local cats would have had lunch, I have no doubt.
Clipping wings is a control choice. No more no less. It is rarely a choice for the benefit of a parrot. Our relationship with our companion requires we be honest about the clipping wings choice, and at the very least see it for what it is, and compensate to the best of our abilities for doing it to them. We are literally removing their very nature by doing it. We must respect that impact. It is 2017. We know round cages are horrible. We know sunflower seed only diets are a death sentence. We know peanuts can cause illness. We know parrots are self aware. We know parrots are not pets. We know so much, and are learning more every day through the sciences and the power of the internet. It's time our words and actions get updated as well.
I support the safety and lifestyle security found through clipping wings. I do. I support not clipping and delivering safety and lifestyle security through other avenues, as we do here in our home with our 8 companions. This is a very personal issue, and at times a point of contention. I choose to speak for the voice of the companions and set the humans point aside. After all, it's they who must modify and find a way to live without, not us.

Love it!

 

[Lady Jane]

The author Kathy has a wonderful blog on the net. If you Google her you will be amazed at her writing skills. She is also on FB. I told her we have saved some flight feathers from scissors and she was more than pleased. I am glad you took the time to read the page.

 

[webchirp]

As a first time birdie owner...I also recommend screens over exterior doors just in case. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KZNOHT...t=&hvlocphy=9015966&hvtargid=pla-311232939563