Oef ... this is a GREAT thread!
I will try to remember it so I can throw it at every person who comes here "looking for a bird". Yup- you never notice how much a bird costs (overall) unless you really start to think about it...
:52:
(and I am on a budget/ so I really should)
<you can read dollar for the euroos - it does not really make that much of a difference>
*I had it sort of under controll, and then I got "a free macaw" ...
- her complimentary throwaway cage cost me 60 euro to transport home and chuck.
(If I had known it was that unbelievably crappy I would not have bothered- it was the worst cage I have ever seen! But I make a point of always let them keep their cage -if possible- during the settling in period so I forgot to ask for pictures beforehand.)
Oke, I had the macawcage already lying around (initially purchased for the grey) - it's a supersolid but also used model,
*it cost me about 300 euro years ago.
(that is including the transport and meeting a lovely breeder of Ekkies and Galah's.)
*CAV will top the 1000 euro,
(more than my monthly check!)
this year anyway (bloodwork, chip/transponder, DNA, cultures, rinse&repeat several times on the bloodwork en cultures etc.etc.) for all of them.
*meds: I don't even want to know/ soo in denial about them
*first aid kit ... I though I had a good collection - since I've met you guys I found about all that other lovely helpfull stuff, so I have to bribe someone to smuggle it into the country for me ...
(I thought I was well stocked, but all those great options...)
*I just received my 'care package'- lots of great quality seedmixes, the best I could find and some treats, sprouting-mix and assorted beans for mush/birdybread etc, ... 18 kg of it -> 140 euro, I expect this batch to last me at least 4-5 months, but we shall see.
* Pellets + nutriberries are about 30 euro each month (estimate actually, I really should take notes) since the macaw joined the eating away-club
* Probably the same for the greens and fruit (or more...)
Don't even get me started on toys, gnawing branches, perches and damage to the house/clothes etc. -> well most of it (not the branches) are secondhand anyway ...so not too bad
Oh the babywhipes, kitchentowels/paper, cleaningproducts -> just wait till they are on sale and get a bunch.
(I am not including the aviatorharnesses, the parrotproofing, nailfiles and toothbrushes )
that will probably be around 700 euro sofar / also another guesstemate
* I get the cage-paper for free ( the weekly 'flyers' from the supermarket turned out to be completely parrotsafe, so that helps a lot!) - I get to pick up the leftover-pile on saturday-afternoon.
the greys - whose adoptioncosts were 350 and 550, including crappy-throw-away-asap cages
+ vetwork about 375 euro a piece the first year,
secondhand huge cage for 400 euro including transport (they both love that cage, so they got to share it... they were welcome to keep their own of course
but somehow... they don't like way to small housing)
+
Oh and
the mandatory CITES-papers: 30 euro per parrot
(well mandatory for the greys, since they are now CITES-1 birds, nobody really cares about the B&G being 'only' a CITES-2-b bird)
but those crazy birds in my life: priceless!
(and they probably still cost a lot less than all the useless anti-depressants etc. I went through and are far more effective in putting a smile on my face and a reason to get up in the mornings)
. Love the idea for the thread though, should be a great resource for the future parrot owner!.
