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Parrot Rescue visit tomorrow!

MommyBird

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I think the quaker and cherry-headed conure.
Other than the cockatiels I don't think grandkids would be able to interact much physically with any of the birds you saw.
Quaker - you had a nice connection, since he's chatty he would probably at least talk to the grandkids, even if he wouldn't be "cozy" with them as the caseworker said.
Cherry headed conure - I doubt he has any diseases. These birds are less likely to be cuddly but they are pretty smart and figure things out very fast. They have good body language and are not too likely to go on the attack. He may not seem interested in you beyond treats but that is sort of how they are - a bit quiet. He will show you he's interested when you earn it. Especially since he's been let down by people already. He would be very trainable.
I think @Monica has one?
 

Kassiani

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I'd never even seen a picture of a cherry-headed conure, let alone met one in person, before today. The rescue worker told me that the foster family who had him before he was brought to the rescue loved him. He interacted with everyone in the family. And I have to admit that the rescue was hopping busy today with many people coming and going. I'm sure that was unnerving for all the birds there.
 

MommyBird

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I'd never even seen a picture of a cherry-headed conure, let alone met one in person, before today. The rescue worker told me that the foster family who had him before he was brought to the rescue loved him. He interacted with everyone in the family. And I have to admit that the rescue was hopping busy today with many people coming and going. I'm sure that was unnerving for all the birds there.
It is a good sign the foster family liked him and he interacted with everyone!
They can be loud, so if you consider him, try to hear the volume and pitch of his calls to see if they are ok by you.
 

Kassiani

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So, I've thought a lot about this overnight. OK. I've obsessed about it overnight, lol!

Being completely honest with myself, I want a bird to add to my flock that will want to spend time with me without my having to wear millet spray earrings or a millet spray coat! Not necessarily a velcro bird, but one who wants to hang out where I am, wants to play, would like the occasional head scratch--a bird who would seek out my company during out-of-cage time.

From what I've been reading on this thread and researching in general, I think the cherry-headed conure would not necessarily fit that description. As independent and intelligent as they are, it sounds as though the CH Conure could take or leave my companionship. Believe me, I'm not put off by this bird's naked little body--it's actually quite endearing for me. I just think that, based on his reaction to me, I'm not his human.

I may make arrangements to change my next visit from this coming Saturday to a weekday. The rescue might be less busy, which would be more helpful in getting to know the birds.
 

Sparkles99

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It's good that you're being honest with yourself. If you're like many people, you may feel badly for the cherry headed conure & feel like you ought to choose the underdog. That's not necessarily what's for the best for either of you. :)
 

Ali

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I think that the Quaker sounds lovely!

We can't tell You anything as you are the one that has met them and you are the one thinking of getting it. Good luck with your decision, if indeed you decide to add a new bird!
 

Crazy4parrots

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Have you decided if the African Grey is off the list, or a possibility?
Yes I was wondering the same... @Kassiani i don’t think there will be nothing wrong if you ask if it’s available for adoption if they tell you no it was adopted then your other option is the Quaker but you don’t know what they will tell you until you ask. You made a connection with the Grey and that it’s important to have into account.
 

Monica

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I would have honestly recommended either the cockatiels or the dusky headed conure!!! :roflmao:

Now, the cherry-crowned conure. He's a plucker, so he is a naked baby on his chest and back. Interestingly enough, he has his flight feathers and his tail feathers. He is very gentle and so sweet, but I don't know that he was all that interested in me beyond the treats. He is also about 21-22 yo. I just feel so drawn to the birds who may not be adopted by anyone else. The woman at the rescue said he is always overlooked because of his little naked body. He is unlikely to regrow any of those feathers because the follicles aren't even there anymore. So what he has now is the best he'll ever have. And he is considered a senior bird.
This is kind of creepy honestly... as I had a dream last night about a mitred conure.... with the exact description of the bird here.... older bird, nekkid body, but had head, wing and tail feathers.

So now... are you sure that's a cherry head???? :lol: Many people often assume mitreds are cherry heads after all! My first conure was given to me as "either a red masked or a mit-red". He was a cherry head (red masked). My second was given to me as a cherry head. He's not. He's all MY-TURD! :rofl:


Quakers may be very one person birds who do not get along with other birds to the point they'll go out of their way to attack other birds.... however, don't let that put you off! There are always exceptions!

The red headed conure (whatever species he may be), again, don't put him off your list. I do not currently have a cherry head, and the one I did have wasn't a typical cherry head, either... Cherry heads are considered to be goofy, clownish birds who are loud and cuddly. My cherry head? He was quiet, mostly hands off and not big on physical interaction.... he was also a plucker/mutilator. To be fair, I have no clue if he was burn in captivity or not, hand raised or not, how he was cared for in his first home, etc. What I do know is that he was attacked by a ferret, dropped off at the vets and left to die (couldn't afford the bills), then went into a home where he was not understood for 5 years before coming to me... and I can't say I understood him either! But I know I tried. Miss him a lot!

Mitred conures are considered to be similar to cherry heads.... but they're louder! Mine? He's been the opposite of my cherry head. Very demanding, hands on, loves physical attention, easy to piss off..... I've been told that he's not typical for a conure either!!!! But what I do know is that he is from wild caught imports so he's a first gen captive raised bird who lived with one guy for 10 years, pet store for a year, foster for a year before coming to me. It was hopeful that he and my cherry head would get along... but they never did.


The cockatiels may be more hands off, but in my experience, monkey see, monkey do! If your budgies love to interact with you, I'm sure that they'd eventually follow your budgies and want the same interaction! The female would likely be the easiest and the male would probably take more time to win over... but that's okay, too!
 

Kassiani

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Although it wasn't stated outright to me, and frankly I didn't ask, the impression I got was that they grey was just waiting to go home. You are discouraged from interacting with birds who are in the process of being adopted so that they will bond with their adoptive human family and not some visitor just starting the process. I simply did not go in looking for a grey. And the rescue worker did state that he was staring at me because of the treats.

The dusky could have cared less about me, lol! I was just some chick with treats!

Mitered vvvvvvvv Less red on the head, and no red on the wings.
mitered.jpg

Cherry headed vvvvvvv More red on the head and some red on the wings. This is the kind of bird that I met...except it had no feathers on its back or chest. He had the same amount of red on his head and at the top of his wings.
cherryhead.jpg
I think the woman wanted me to fall for the CH Conure because most people are put off by the lack of feathers.

I sent an e-mail to the rescue with additional questions and hopefully will hear back today or tomorrow. :)
 

Monica

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I'd honestly love another cherry head some day! They were my first introduction to conures after all!

My two, when Noel, cherry head, was still alive. (took me 6 months to determine for sure he was a cherry head! info back then was terrible! especially when an article would describe one species but show the other... there's even a conure book out there with a red fronted kakariki labeled as a mitred conure!!! :wacky:)

https://flic.kr/p/7nBJTS
https://flic.kr/p/7nBJUy

(I've also had a red throated and green conure for a short period of time :( )


Keep us updated! :)
 

faislaq

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The Cherry is a sweetheart, and really is just a plucker. No real tests needed for that. Just lots of love and attention :)
:heart2: I admit I was pulling for this little nekkie bird, but I think that's just because I'm so smitten with our partially-plucked-Puffin and her "sexy gams". :embarassed: But if it's not a match, then this sweetie will find a home with another softie. :pinksmile:

without my having to wear millet spray earrings or a millet spray coat!
:coffeescreen: Now that's a great look! :laughin:

You made a connection with the Grey and that it’s important to have into account.
the rescue worker did state that he was staring at me because of the treats.
The grey may look at anyone with treats, but you did say you felt something. Don't ignore it; sparks work both ways. :xflove: It's worth asking about him at least, there might be more to that look than just treats and even if he is pending adoption, sometimes that falls through. :shrug2:

I may make arrangements to change my next visit from this coming Saturday to a weekday.
This would be great for many reasons if it's possible. Your second visit will probably be more telling regardless of when it is, but I'd imagine the birds may be more themselves without so many people overwhelming them. In addition to more one-on-one time with the staff. :thumbsup:
 

Kassiani

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The grey is an absolute stunner. He was mostly quiet, but was making little squeaks and grunts at me now and then, lol! The CAGs have the bright rose red tails compared to the Timnehs, is that right? He is a good sized bird roughly 14 inches or so. No plucking that I could see, and beautiful clear, grey eyes that just bore right into your soul! Listen to me, lol!

If your budgies love to interact with you, I'm sure that they'd eventually follow your budgies and want the same interaction!
Monica makes a good point here that I haven’t expressed yet. I’m actually hoping a braver and more social bird would help my budgies be more brave—not the other way around. So if I got the cockatiels, it would be the timid leading the timid. Which would be adorable but not particularly helpful, lol! The budgie boys are making great strides lately, but they aren’t cuddly birds by any definition.

Oh well....:facepalm:
 

Kassiani

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Oh my word! That’s funny, lol! I don’t know yet as I haven’t received a reply, and I haven’t had time to call yet because of work. :) I’ll see if I can pick up a pair of spy glasses to record the whole thing! :laughin:
 

sunnysmom

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That's great that you met so many birds. I would discuss these things with your adoption case worker. Hopefully, she has a feel for these birds' personalities and can advise which may be better around kids, etc.
 
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