LoveMyFids
Active member
- Aug 19, 2023
- 102
- 141
I'm looking for some input & opinions on this. I'm hoping maybe some of you reading may be breeders or know some & have some thoughts on this. A friend of mine ran across a webpage, which seems to be a place where people who are trying to rehome their birds & such can post an ad. There are also ads posted by breeders as well. She is considering getting a bird & replied to one of the ads for a baby/just weaned bird to ask some questions about it. Upon speaking to the person, it turned out that the bird was not bred on site, but from someone else & this "middle man" person (who appears to be the one who posted the ad) was weaning the bird & selling it from their house. Is this a common practice & why would the breeder not be selling the bird themself or have their own website, etc.? Obviously, this middle man person has some arrangement with the breeder & is getting a portion of the profits, or why else would they be doing it? Of other concern was that when she asked this middle man questions about where the bird came from & what health tests the birds has already had, the reply was only tests done were for 2 diseases (Polyoma & Beak & Feather) & that the breeder did it herself for cheaper because to go to a vet it would cost like $300 & doing it herself it could be done for $25. There was no DNA test done for sexing the bird & no parasite/fecal testing. Where can someone get a $25 accurate lab test done for them for Polyoma & Beak & Feather? This middle man also would not disclose who the breeder was (not surprised) & in general seemed annoyed or defensive at the questions. Now, I would think a person who actually CARED about the welfare & health of the bird & the buyer's ability to care for it would be very welcoming with questions, even encourage questions, & would certainly be expecting a lot of questions, right? And maybe would be asking their own questions about the buyer (such as experience with birds as pets, if they've ever owned a parrot, have had a young bird before, what the environment of the home is, discussing quarantining it, taking it to get a health check at a vet, etc.). So, I am just wondering what you all make of this, because to me, it all sounds a bit suspicious. I am pretty sure that bird breeders are supposed to be licensed or have a permit in my state & I think even those who do not breed, but handle/care for them for more than 30 days prior to selling need some sort of animal handler's permit (or something like that) from Fish & Wildlife. Perhaps the people involved here have neither? I just can't figure out why else someone asking (what seems to me to be) the typical, RESPONSIBLE BIRD OWNER questions they SHOULD BE ASKING about a baby/new bird would be met with an apprehensive attitude? And how common is this middle-man seller thing? is this actually a thing, or does it sound sketchy? I feel sketchy vibes when I heard of this. Thoughts on it???? Thanks!
