Buying that FIRST Pet Bird
We have already talked about selecting which pet birds would be best for your first bird in a previous article but be sure you can manage the bird and the responsibilities that come with it!
Hand Reared v Parent Reared
Hand-reared Parrots and Parakeets make better pets but are usually much more expensive. Make sure you are buying a hand-reared bird if that is what you want. Be careful of the individual who sells a hand-reared bird but is in fact, parent-reared.
Young Birds
Generally, it’s better to buy a young bird than an old bird. Birds that are just a few months old make the best pets. Make sure you can tell the difference between a young bird and an old bird as you will not be able to trust everyone selling birds to you.
Rescue Centre – Re-homing
One very sensible way of acquiring a pet bird is to get something from a rescue centre or from one of the many systems that re-homes birds like Parrots. May be the best thing about getting a bird this way is that you are providing a home for a bird that really needs a new home.
Website advert
There are a number of websites, like BIRDTRADER where you can find out about pet birds for sale. It’s a superb way of buying from a breeder rather than a trader but it’s sometimes difficult to know if you are buying from a private breeder. Try to visit the person if that is possible and if in any doubt, ask some searching questions.
Local & Regional Papers
Local newspapers are a superb way to find where to buy a pet bird. It carries a better chance of being able to know where the breeder actually lives and you can probably see the bird in its home surroundings.
Bird Specialist Papers
Specialist papers and National magazine journals will give you the contacts for birds but they are frequently many miles away. Never consider buying unseen and having the bird sent by courier. The risks are far too great!
Pet Centres and Pet Shops
Commercial businesses are an excellent place to buy a pet bird. You can usually obtain good advice, there is at least some form on guarantee and a good business will always value its reputation. Many serious breeders prefer to sell their surplus birds into the trade and then they do not have the aggravation of selling to individuals. Many people just do not want people visiting their homes especially if they have a large collection of birds. The risks are too high!
Private Breeders
For me the best place to buy a bird is from that private breeder. The bird is going to be happy in its breeding home and is more likely to settle in its new homes quickly. It’s good to see the parents and see the conditions where the bird has been bred, however, not every breeder will want you visiting his home.
Sales
There are many sales around the country and they are perfect ways to make contacts with breeders, however, under the DEFRA licence under which these sales are run, it’s not allowed to sell pet birds to individual fanciers. These sales are intended for breeders only. It is always possible to make contact with breeders at these events.
Try and see the birds in their home environment.
Sensible advice
Try and keep contact details, car registration number – and hopefully a land line phone number when buying birds. There is always a risk that some birds that are offered for sale are going to be stolen. You have a moral duty to discourage sellers from selling birds that may be stolen. If these undesirable people are not able to sell these birds, they will not take them.
Be reluctant for the seller to visit you at home – meet at a Motorway Service Station or similar, always try to get as many details as possible before you part with your money.
Stolen Birds do get offered for sale and its best to take as much care as you are able. Do not forget that larger birds can be micro chipped and its worth checking that a bird has not been stolen.
Reader Feedback
7 Responses to “Buying that FIRST Pet Bird”