after reviewing all the birds for sale or trade ads. Hopefully it will make people think a little before that knee jerk purchase.
This is food for thought for those who want or are getting a bird for Xmas. First off, no matter where you intend to get your bird whether it be from a bird show, pet shop, private sale, adoption, craigslist, ebay classifieds or from a breeder. These are things to consider:
1. check the eyes, if they aren't bright and cheery, walk away.
2. check the tail vent and if it isn't clean, walk away.
3. check the nostrils for discharge. If there is discharge, walk away.
4. Unless you are an experienced bird handler, ASK THE SELLER to handle the bird in front of you. If they refuse or don't want to take the bird out of it's cage, don't walk away, RUN. This is a sure sign that the bird has been cage bound and IS NOT HAND TAME.
5. Don't look at price as being the determining factor here. Yes, you might find a cheaper bird that isn't quite tame and you have this thought that Oh, I will tame him. It's not if you will get bit, but it's how often and how hard. Smaller birds beaks can puncture skin easily and big birds beaks can break bones.
6. Rescue centers, craigslist & ebay classifieds are full of reckless, knee jerk impulse buys because people failed to do their research and ask the right questions and know what they are getting into before jumping in head first into the shallow end of the pool.
7. Birds no matter how small ARE NOISY, so if you live in an apartment or have close neighbors, this needs to be considered or you will find yourself evicted or cited for noise violations.
Lastly, I'M NOT A BREEDER, but I would highly recommend first time bird buyers to visit their local breeder and get a hand raised bird. It will be a much more enjoyable experience. Yes, it will cost you more money, but think of the bird FIRST and the money second because if cost is a factor to you, then you don't need to get a bird because they are expensive to own and to keep. Vet bills can run into the hundreds of dollars and that's just for a checkup. Food bills can range from $50.00 a month for small birds and as high as $200.00-$300.00 a month for large birds. Now for large birds like Macaws and Cockatoo's, toys can range $30.00-$50.00 per toy and the sad thing is, the toy might only last a day or two. They are chewers and will destroy toys in minutes.
Happy Holidays
This is food for thought for those who want or are getting a bird for Xmas. First off, no matter where you intend to get your bird whether it be from a bird show, pet shop, private sale, adoption, craigslist, ebay classifieds or from a breeder. These are things to consider:
1. check the eyes, if they aren't bright and cheery, walk away.
2. check the tail vent and if it isn't clean, walk away.
3. check the nostrils for discharge. If there is discharge, walk away.
4. Unless you are an experienced bird handler, ASK THE SELLER to handle the bird in front of you. If they refuse or don't want to take the bird out of it's cage, don't walk away, RUN. This is a sure sign that the bird has been cage bound and IS NOT HAND TAME.
5. Don't look at price as being the determining factor here. Yes, you might find a cheaper bird that isn't quite tame and you have this thought that Oh, I will tame him. It's not if you will get bit, but it's how often and how hard. Smaller birds beaks can puncture skin easily and big birds beaks can break bones.
6. Rescue centers, craigslist & ebay classifieds are full of reckless, knee jerk impulse buys because people failed to do their research and ask the right questions and know what they are getting into before jumping in head first into the shallow end of the pool.
7. Birds no matter how small ARE NOISY, so if you live in an apartment or have close neighbors, this needs to be considered or you will find yourself evicted or cited for noise violations.
Lastly, I'M NOT A BREEDER, but I would highly recommend first time bird buyers to visit their local breeder and get a hand raised bird. It will be a much more enjoyable experience. Yes, it will cost you more money, but think of the bird FIRST and the money second because if cost is a factor to you, then you don't need to get a bird because they are expensive to own and to keep. Vet bills can run into the hundreds of dollars and that's just for a checkup. Food bills can range from $50.00 a month for small birds and as high as $200.00-$300.00 a month for large birds. Now for large birds like Macaws and Cockatoo's, toys can range $30.00-$50.00 per toy and the sad thing is, the toy might only last a day or two. They are chewers and will destroy toys in minutes.
Happy Holidays
