What's a reasonable Adoption Fee for...

[dunklekatze]

an African Grey? With a cage too. I've been in contact with a local that's moving, and she needs to find homes for all of her birds. She said she was hoping to keep her Grey, but the nightmare of having to find a new home has arrived:( She asked me what is reasonable, I said I didn't know really, that I could ask around- and this is the first place since I just received the email:) Everyone here has great knowledge about this stuff. So help!

I picked my Severe up last year from a woman off of craigslist and paid $300 for her and a large cage. I would guess the cage would be anywhere from about 300-400 and I've seen Severe's from 400-900. It's quite the range. What should I tell her?

Thanks!

[PowerBBS]

Believe it or not... we actually "rescued" our Grey from a Pawn Shop! Ya... no kidding... some heartless idiot out there pawned off their bird!

Well... he didn't come with a cage that was worth anything really... but we did pay 650.00 for the 2 and 1/2 yr old Grey. I wouldn't say it was a steal... well actually after learning of the demeanor of the bird and how gentle he is... I guess it is a steal now....

We actually didn't really care about the price... it was the sweetness of the fid and the fact that he was living in this tiny cage and hadn't been let out for over 6 months. So we "had" to rescue him....

Here's a picture of the cage that they had him in (and 'all his toys').... I'm so happy we saved him....



He now lives in a huge 3ftx3ftx6ft cage.... Here he is, you can see him living next to our Sun's 1/2 of the cage and some "real" toys:




We have to be careful what we place into his cage as since he's spent so much of his life until now locked up, he's actually very scared of change in his cage. So we work things in very slowly and suttle. Anyhow... that's my "re-adoption" story of our grey....

[TheFrantom]

Hi:
Nice story about the pawn shop bird. Just when one thinks they hear every reason/background of rescue birds, a new story pops up! You are to be congratulated for rescuing that gray. The pawn fee was a little steep but you lucked out with a very nice bird who needed you. That bird might not have made it living in a pawnshop for too long...

[Lori~D]

I think that all depends on the market in your area. Most good bird wont pay market value for a bird that has learned a different life (thats my nice way of saying "used" bird). But at the same time most good bird ppl might pay too much for a bird to rescue it from what appears to be a horrible situation. It also depends on species of grey as timnehs are typically less expensive. IMO a reasonable adoption fee to rehome a bird should be less than market value (and I dont mean pet store value) and the cage should be included. NOW, The reason I say this is because of the good bird person thing. BUT you will get all kinds of responses to a real good price like that, which gives you the chance to screeen people. If you give a market price your only going to get mostly inexpirienced ppl. Also, I wouldnt go into detail about the cage. A good bird person doesnt care, a greedy bird person might. I have heard endless stories of breeders snatching up good birds and stuffing them into small breeder cages and getting most of the money back selling the cage it came with or worse - reselling the bird for the same amount without a cage and then selling or keeping the cage for their own use. Dont discount all breeders though. There is a place near me where the breeder birds get huge outdoor flights, great food AND a girlfriend,lol. I would be pleased to have my bird go there (now I'll get slammed by anti-breeders for that,lol).
An example of this would be myself. I want a female CAG for a male I rescued who has serious tameness issues,is an older bird, and has hormonal desires that are naturally strong for his age. Ive been working with him but he is sneeky and evil,lol. I will eventually find him a mate but I wont pay market value, I dont need a cage, I dont care if its proven because I'm not out for profit. Rescues wont even look at me because I do breed small species and I would allow these birds to breed BUT they will be in a family situation (not out in a bird building) they will get the advantage of an outdoor flight we will be building just for them this summer and great care but I wont spend more than $300 and dont need a cage. I consider myself a good bird person, some dont because I breed but The bird will be way happier than in a tiny cage in a house all alone all day while its owner works wouldn't you think? Any how, thats my scoop. Research the market value, call some breeders for prices, look on petfinders and shelter websites in your area and on www.upatsix.com. Decide on a price that is a little lower than other used birds in your area and then be ready to screen LOADS of people. If you put too high a price you wont get many real "Bird" people to respond.

[dunklekatze]

aw powerbbs! It's so sad that someone would pawn their bird! I didn't even know they could try that! He looks awfully happy now, and I noticed the same pics yesterday when I was going through a thread about what cage set ups you have:) The sun conure is one lucky dude!

[roneymay]

I know you love the bird from the pawn shop. But did you think it might have been stolen and pawned for money?

[Conny Smith]

Maybe someone can help us. Here is my tale of woe,i was looking to adopt an umbrella cockatoo, my husband and i have been researching them for a year and decided we were ready, we have a sun conure who is 3 now. We looked around and have our application in a couple of rescue associations and have heared nothing yet then we came across a lady who said she was deaf and her husband left her so she had to get rid of her 11 year old female cockatoo named tunte.We talked back and forth on the tty for hearing impaired and several e-mails, after a month we felt she was sincere and sent her the money we had saved up. We ran out bought a beautiful cage, toys galore all dietary needs and waited for our new baby. My husband is a disabled vet and was looking and still is looking at some painful surgeries. This was going to be his buddy and companion thru this. Long story short she took our money and we are heartbroken,no baby. If you know someone in syracuse NY that has an umbrella cockatoo that needs a loving home please e-mail us,we would like some one close so we can go see him or her after what just happened.We do not have alot of money i will not lie we just lost a small fortune but we desperatly want an umbrella cockatoo so if you know anyone in our area please e-mail us.

Thank-you
Ken and Conny

[Lori~D]

Hi Conny- welcome to the board. You might want to move this and create your own thread in the discussion forum or cockatoo forum. Your new and I understand but it will get more attention there on its own where someone will see it.

[Xen]

Why on earth would you send a stranger money. That's just tears waiting to happen.

[dunklekatze]

Ugh Conny, I'm so sorry!

That TTY stuff. I've had that happen to me at work- they'd have an operator on the other line, and she had asked me if I wanted to keep talking to the person- found out it was a scam. It's happened twice already, be careful out there!