Dilemma

[lilmama]

Well, it is large and they seem to really love their birds. They will not adopt out just any bird. I was really bird inexperienced when I went there so I didn't know what to look at. The only bad things I can really say is that the cages were pretty dirty and the owners smoke inside the building (that is just a personal peeve of mine though). There are 100's of birds though so I know it must be hard to keep them clean. The breeder I got Tuc from (who also sells baby CAG's BTW) does not like the place but they are really sincere about helping birds, they have several outdoor flights and they are I believe one of the largest rescues in the country. I would be really interested in your opinion of the place so let me know what you think.

[Doyle'sMommy]

I will definitley tell you what I think. I called Evan and we are going to go on Sunday. They have some Nandays on their website that I want to see. I filled out their adoption application too, we'll see if they'll even let me adopt. I liked how detailed the application was, makes me feel like they really love their birds and want them to find a good home.The only thing is that they want a $25 donation to turn in the application, does that sound about right for rescues?

[lilmama]

I don't know. I do know the run on donations so at least you know it's for a good cause. I was looking at a little Senegal and they wanted around $250 for the adoption. I don't know if this is reasonable or not.

[Tiki]

Originally Posted by GreetingCardReligion

You could go either way and whichever bird you bring into your home will be all the better for it and a very lucky little guy/gal to be so properly cared for

You could always go play with the baby TAGs and see if any leap out and make an instant connection with you. There isn't any comitment required to go look at babies and you might decide that none of them really "stand out" to you which would make your decision easier (and vice versa)

You could always get both as well, depending on your situation

It is a very good thing to rescue a bird, few people are going to contest that, but from what I've seen you post in the grey forum, I think you really do want a grey.

Go with your heart on this one - birds live a very long time, are very time and money consuming and will own you ... so choose wisely. I would go with whichever pulls you the most, since its ultimately you that are going to be living with and caring for your decision for years to come.

Me, personally, I would get a baby (and did ). This is going to be someone who (hopefully ) will be sharing the rest of my life with me and I'd like to grow with him from the beginning.

Not all rescue birds are going to have issues - some are going to have really awful ones, but none of them are going to be the same as the baby TAG you may have purchased.

I do not think its selfish in any way to buy a baby bird. That baby exists just as much as the birds in the rescue and both deserve a loving home equally. The baby you buy from the breeder may be one you saved from torment, and ending up in a rescue later in life. Babies are more likely to end up as impulse buys from uneducated people and the TAG would be very lucky for you to take him/her in.

I just love it when someone else types out what I am feeling so I don't have to!

[felisdomesticus]

I personally would choose to adopt a bird rather than buying from a breeder... but that's me. I run a cat rescue and foster dogs and puppies for the dog rescue in town so the obvious choice for me was to adopt a bird. We have a great avian rescue in the area and that's where my spoiled, silly, absolutely delightful Scarlett came from.



She was said to have no issues and she doesn't. I had a rough month with her or so but that was partially because she was my first bird and I didn't really know what I was doing. I also recently took in a 4 year old Blue and Gold macaw who needed a new home.

What should you look for in a rescue?
The detailed application is a good sign because, as you said, it appears that they are genuinely interested in where their birds go. They should be able to provide a history on the bird including vetting and disease testing. They should be available via email or phone for any questions you have or advice you may need after the adoption. And, most importantly, their adoption contract should state that the bird must be returned to them if it doesn't work out for whatever reason. That is a biggie.... those who are trying to pass off problem animals will NOT require that they come back and probably wouldn't accept them even if you tried to return the bird. If they insist on getting the bird back--that is usually a good indicator that they are being truthful in their assessment of a bird's behavior/personality.

Thank you for even CONSIDERING adoption. Anyone can go buy a baby but it takes a very special kind of person to open their heart to a homeless animal. They may require more time, work, etc. but the rewards are worth it!

[Monica]

Sometimes the real question may be, CAN you handle a baby parrot? Most people can... but what about when it comes time when the bird matures? The bird starts biting, screaming, etc, and many owners just can't handle that! You might get lucky with a rehome bird, that already has manners, is friendly, etc, so not ALL rehomes come with baggage.

Yeah, I'm for adopting, but I've also thought about how nice it'd be to someday buy a baby conure and 'grow up' with it! But even with that in mind, if I PERSONALLY had the choice between a sweet handfed baby, or a rehomed bird, I'd go with a rehome, since I KNOW that the baby will have a better chance at finding a home rather than the other bird who may have little known history about it.

It's really a personal choice, but I vote adopt!