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The endless search for a Dusky conure (Aratinga Wendellii)post 2

Sweetbeak

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Hi guys I'm backkk.. I have never been so exasusghted searching for these little sweet beaks Im spending ours unturning the slightest rocks and I just find nothing!! I found more offers for the Queen of barvaria or (Golden Conure) than I have for dusky conures, which is making me loose a lot of hope because most of the time i call an aviary and they either dont do them anymore or they only do them a special space in the month and they already have their stocks bustled up and they dont even know if theyll have chicks in, ive been looking for rescues and just no luck unfortunately. Im just trying to at the very least find someone who ships or is somewhat close to the KS/ MO area. For some reason Im really fixated on these birds, I kept on looking for similarly dispositioned birdies like the white eyed conure, but they tend to be pretty beak inquisitive and destructive which detered me away from them as i live in an apartment and cannot pay extra for damages, I'm absolutely dumbfounded on how great their disposition is when taken care of correctly, and the fact that they are so rarely bred, could you all pitch in a hand if you can? It would mean the world to me I'm mainly getting a bird for theraputical purposes, and I think these guys would be a perfect fit for what im looking for in a birdy compainion. If not, do you know any similarly mannered bird species? I couldnt seem to find really any that fit that affectionate energetic but somwhat mellow at times, not too loud, sweet, cuddly, likes to just hang out but also can have cage time if i dont have all day to hang out its ok if i have work to go to for a good chunk of the day and they can just chill in their cage and shred some toys up. A confident bird that will not be a one person bird and that can be socialized easily due to social nature. Not extremely mischeivious or escape artist type just like content to just be there and be spoiled. And not like over 90decibels Of sound constantly all day. Sorry if that was a mouthful! :) Thanks so much for helping out last time guys meant the world to me!!
 
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iamwhoiam

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Why not one of the Pyrrhura conures like a GCC or maroon-bellied?
They are generally quieter than a Dusky (Aratinga weddellii). My Dusky, Jaden, can get very loud and go on like that for hours.
I remember one day when my mom came to visit and he wouldn't stop and she asked if he would ever shut up
because she was getting a headache. I think he was just excited to see his "grandma". He liked my mom a lot.
When I'm on the phone he also gets very loud and noisy. My previous DC was on the quiet side compared to Jaden.
Jaden is very mischievous and has escaped from his cage a few times. With his previous cage I had to tape down the seed
guard because he figured out how to lift it up and push out the dishes in order to come out.

Have you considered any of the Poicephalus? My Senegal and red-bellied parrots are definitely quieter than my current DC.
The females I have are affectionate although Claudé can be a little nippy but Sophie is SUPER sweet and is friendly
towards everybody. Brown-headed parrots ( Poicephalus cryptoxanthus ) are generally
supposed to have mellow personalities so maybe you could check those out as an option.
 
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MR. Mango

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I agree there are many other fantastic conures that are much easier to find and much more prevalent in rescues too as well as many other parrots too
 

MR. Mango

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After rereading what u want in a bird I think a cockatiel would be a perfect fit their personality matches up and they aren’t too loud or destructive either plus they’re really sweet but can also be content with some independent time or just chilling with you
 

Sweetbeak

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Why not one of the Pyrrhura conures like a GCC or maroon-bellied?
They are generally quieter than a Dusky (Aratinga weddellii). My Dusky, Jaden, can get very loud and go on like that for hours.
I remember one day when my mom came to visit and he wouldn't stop and she asked if he would ever shut up
because she was getting a headache. I think he was just excited to see his "grandma". He liked my mom a lot.
When I'm on the phone he also gets very loud and noisy. My previous DC was on the quiet side compared to Jaden.
Jaden is very mischievous and has escaped from his cage a few times. With his previous cage I had to tape down the seed
guard because he figured out how to lift it up and push out the dishes in order to come out.

Have you considered any of the Poicephalus? My Senegal and red-bellied parrots are definitely quieter than my current DC.
The females I have are affectionate although Claudé can be a little nippy but Sophie is SUPER sweet and is friendly
towards everybody. Brown-headed parrots ( Poicephalus cryptoxanthus ) are generally
supposed to have mellow personalities so maybe you could check those out as an option.
Ive had my sample at pyrruah and They are fantastic however, they are almost always one person birds and are pretty shy, (I'm working with a GCC hes rescue birdy but hes 3 so pretty young and dont get me wrong hes the sweetest thing, but he hates anyone else reaching into his cage and even thinking of touching him, bites other people but tolerates me because I give him applesauce, and I dont care if he bites and I work with him every day. But at the end of the day sadly hes not my bird and I havent had that magical spark, he mainly looks at me as the ok human that hooks him up with a good drip of applesauce, anyone else giving him applesauce is attacked lol.)
I have been looking into senegals and brownheads, but im wondering if that ups the mischievious factor because they are extrodinarly intelligent, being fairly up there with macaws and AGS and CAGS, would I need to buy a ton of toys and be there all the time? Because At least from reasearch the smarter the bird the more mental stim they need otherwise they can get destructive or upset. Its not that I cannot do noise, I just have to be curtious to my apartment neighbors so it cannot be like nanday conure or macaw or cockatoo level screeches in the apartment. Im sure there are others i just might need help getting there or help finding a DC in need of a home. And its not that im not finding breeders persay its just im not finding ones that breed all year round and have more flexible accomidations to when i purchase or where i purchase. There was only one breeder ive found that i absolutely struck gold with that dose DC's in Canada Heavanslildarlings and ships, ive contacted her on every single handle and she just hasnt had time to get back to me cause they are updating the way they process inquiries and contact info because fb isnt really working out due to constraints.
 

Sweetbeak

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@Sweetbeak
Who is the cockatiel in your avatar photo?
That was my late bird, he was special needs and my soulmate he passed couple months back, he came to me with so many issues from a dirtbag breeder who didnt know what he was doing. His whole clutch was severly infected with multiple bacterial prognosises that went absolutely awall on their tiny bodies and immune systems causing him and all his clutchmates to have nerological disfunction. He was the sweetest bird alive and was just so happy to live life even with all his issues, and he made me the happiest person alive, he lived for 1 1/2 yr his clutchmates all passed at 2 weeks to 2 months. He was severly ataxic, and had a lot of mobility issues due to that, he also was very sezuire prone and had his space out moments, he couldnt even breathe properly only a few months into owning him but with lots of care and vetriniary attention consistantly, he breathed just fine never suffered, and I think it was safe to say he was just really happy all the time. He never gave up not even once, he died peacefully in my arms with my help and support (i fed him gave him water and breathed life in and out until he told me it was time) on tuesday march 9th 2021 at 3:00am.
 

Sweetbeak

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After rereading what u want in a bird I think a cockatiel would be a perfect fit their personality matches up and they aren’t too loud or destructive either plus they’re really sweet but can also be content with some independent time or just chilling with you
My late bird was a cockateil and I dont think I can stomach another cockateil as of now its still pretty fresh, and unfortunately I just cannot risk buying a birdy on a whim.
I know this is silly please dont judge me, but my late birdy was a cockatiel and he passed pretty recently I just dont think my heart would be ready for another cockatiel, I know ill never find another like him and I dont want to inadvertantly set expecations on a bird or not love it as much or just take it in for the sake of taking in a cockateil. I think teils are great but when I interacted with all different other cockateils I just couldnt do it you know they just werent my baby ( and i felt nothing for them and didnt think they would be a good fit) , I felt like my son died you know birds are just so much closer to us than dogs or cats.
 
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MR. Mango

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It’s not silly at all I totally understand and am sorry for your loss,
 

MR. Mango

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An Indian ring neck could also fit well with your desires
 

Sweetbeak

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Ive definitely thought of ringnecks, but Im not totally sure because I know they have a very promient mischievious flare and are kinda notiorious for getting into things they shouldnt lmfao. My friend has a ringneck and hes cyute as all heck but hes very much a troublemaker! Their hilarity is very enticing but i worry if im not home they could become enticed to something dangerous trouble like router wires or window blind draw strings, they love trouble and theyll do anything to get into it!! Very beaky inquistive they need tooons of stim. That im not sure i could provide. They are also pretty hands off birds, so I dont think theyd be a great fit as Id like to be able to get a snuggle in here or there. Thanks for your understanding with my reasoning for not being ready for a cockatiel. I always make sure when i bring a bird into my home that they will be loved to bits and peices and if I cannot provide that with a gaurntee I dont take a bird in because I believe they should all have a fair unbiased chance. Without them having to be the "not my baby" bird. I never want a birdy to be less because of something I'm working through, cause they deserve that respect that comes with taking home a wild animal, they are never whim compainions and are always taken in with purpose, practice education and intent. :)
 

MR. Mango

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Have u thought about visiting local rescues to see if you click with a certain bird or species?
 

Sweetbeak

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I have, my avi vet runs a rescue opperation, and I'll actually be working volunteer there over the summer, we dont really have exotics within my area i checked with my avi vet as the first thing and right now shes only got some teenage quakers, 2 gccs, a 1 cockateil a dove or 3, a quadrillion budgios and a umbrella cockatoo and scarlet macaw that came from very stressful enviorments that almost plucked them dry. And the rest are on medical hold or in santuary, because of the pandemic shes pretty much out of bird vairiatey which is strange because usually theres at the very least an amazon or a senegal mixed in but people snatch those babes right up nowadays cause we are all cooped in. Usually shes got a whole showcase of parrots, but the ones I would absolutely within a second take all of are definitely our special needs birdies trust me if i could finance another one i would become a special needs bird hoarder. I love working with those guys they are an absolute blast to work with and live with but its not for everyone and its pretty expensive upkeep but its still my dream for the future. I love that rescue, she takes in any bird espeically the ones nobody will take at all, wether that be because they are critically handicappable, or have very serious behavioral issues. She loves he job and she dose it for the birds always for the birds nobody is as selfless as she.(shes cut my bill several times and offered to take my baby in as a santuary bird not a rescue bird as a santuary bird a permant home for him in the santuary room in his own large cage, if i could no longer finance his treatment) If i could finance it i would definitely take in another special needs parrot, im not very well versed in behvaioral issues but i do work well with taming and rerouting hormonally based agression. Her selection right now is pretty low and i havent met any canadites since i havent been initiated as a volunteer just yet, hopefully soon though!
 

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I’d definitely try out visiting a rescue. Sometimes, our hearts decide on a totally different bird than what our head was thinking of!
I couldnt seem to find really any that fit that affectionate energetic but somwhat mellow at times, not too loud, sweet, cuddly, likes to just hang out but also can have cage time if i dont have all day to hang out its ok if i have work to go to for a good chunk of the day and they can just chill in their cage and shred some toys up. A confident bird that will not be a one person bird and that can be socialized easily due to social nature. Not extremely mischeivious or escape artist type just like content to just be there and be spoiled.
In my opinion, that kind of parrot doesn’t exist. Or they’re at least few and far between.

Disposition varies greatly between even birds of the same species.
Many won’t be cuddly, nor confident and some scream often just for the fun of it. Others decide that humans just aren’t their cup of tea. Birds are all individuals like people and especially when dealing with young birds, there’s just no telling who they’re gonna be until they mature.
On this point - adopting an older bird is fantastic for many reasons. One is so you already roughly know that bird’s personality and if they’ll fit into your lifestyle well.

My advice is that it may be better to start your relationship off with less expectations of who your future bird should be.
Not criticizing you here. But I do think having an open mind would set you and your parrot up for success down the road. Wishing you luck in your search!
 

MR. Mango

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Quakers could also fit your wants, how did u feel when you interacted with them?
 

Mizzely

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Your description was my green cheek.

And my Jardine's.

And on many days my Hahns.

I think you need to go meet some birds so you can find a bird that actually has those traits vs the picture perfect idea that you have of the Dusky. What if you get one and they aren't like that at all? Birds are not bred for traits like dogs have been.

Dusky are not very popular as they are unfortunately "drab" compared to other species. Breeders follow the money/demand.
 

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Also most good breeders will not breed year round as they don't want their pairs overburdened, and it's not healthy being in a constant hormonal craze. If you are really interested in the Dusky you may need to be more flexible with when you are able to bring it home.
 
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sunnysmom

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This is a breeder local to where I am. He breeds a number of conures. I don't see dusky on his website but I also don't think he updates his website often. You can perhaps contact him and ask, and if he doesn't, he might know someone that does have them. Silverniteaviary.com
 

tka

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I couldnt seem to find really any that fit that affectionate energetic but somwhat mellow at times, not too loud, sweet, cuddly, likes to just hang out but also can have cage time if i dont have all day to hang out its ok if i have work to go to for a good chunk of the day and they can just chill in their cage and shred some toys up. A confident bird that will not be a one person bird and that can be socialized easily due to social nature. Not extremely mischeivious or escape artist type just like content to just be there and be spoiled. And not like over 90decibels Of sound constantly all day.
That is going to be an incredibly hard combination to find in a bird, not least because some of these contradict each other. An affectionate bird is going to want their flock around them and won't be happy on their own for long periods of time. A calm bird (a perch potato) is not likely to be energetic and, indeed, is more likely to suffer long term health problems if not sufficiently active. A bird that is strongly bonded to you is unlikely to want the company of other people. A bird that is cuddly is likely to see you as their mate, and with that comes all sorts of behavioural problems.

Are you quite sure you want a bird? The traits you seek are more likely to be found in a calm older dog or cat. Honestly, when I think of an animal that's calm, affectionate, mellow and content to hang out and be spoiled, I think of rescue greyhounds.

If you are absolutely certain that you want a bird and nothing else, I think your best chance is finding an older bird who already has these traits. Parrots haven't been selectively bred for particular traits and there will be a wide range of individual personalities within a single species. Getting a baby is a gamble as you have no idea what their adult personality will be like. An older bird, past puberty, is likely to be more settled in terms of personality.
 

Sweetbeak

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Ive done birds for a number of years, im sorry my description is all over the place! Im just looking for a well rounded parrot that would do well with socialbility and apartment constraints. I know that birds are wild animals, I promise you from bird owner to bird owner im not going in blind. I have lots of experience with parrots and I understand that you can have a very vastly different personaility in individuals than just their generalized species description, like a very vocal gcc or a quiet sun conure. I am looking into rescues for birdies as well normally i would be adopting or going to a store to interact but covid has changed all of that and my last parrot sadly passed very recently. He was a special needs birdy and needed a lot of medical attention frequently because of the severity of his condition and the fact that it primarly displayed itself as nerological disfunction through symptoms. He was highly attaxic and was extremely sezuire prone. Ideally id like to continue to work with special birdies that are physically special or behaviorally special forever but right now I dont have the money to support that dream and its particularly stressful with covid changing everything. My close relatives agree that I should probably work with healthy hardy birdies until i get a bit more financially stable to sustain those vet bills. I dont do dogs or cats, I have never connected on the level with dogs or cats then i have working with birds. What actually drew me to birds was the fact that they are inheirently wild animals so they are very true to their additudes and personailities and sometimes they will take a chomp and you have to be ok with that and curb with training. I want you to know that i never ever make a whim purchase with these animals and read and research hours and socialize before i actually take a birdy home.( I also usually only have about 2 birds in my home at a time) I know they all have complex dietary needs and all have different levels of tolerance for interaction and or uncomfortable tasks like administering medicine. Thank you!
 
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