Before You Buy A Bird

[CrazyforCockatiels]

I hope this isn't too presumptious of me to post this as I don't pretend to be an expert but after reading myriad posts from people who are unable to care for their birds and are looking to rehome them, I thought perhaps this would be in order unless this has been posted elsewhere.

Also, my intention is not to bash those who are unable to care for their birds, especially owing to illness or unforseen circumstances. This is geared more toward those who purchase a bird and then realize it entails more care than they thought or those who adopt a bird and are not able to give the bird the time he or she requires to thrive emotionally and physically. Also, there are those who say, "He's just too loud!" or "I can't deal with the mess."

I would also welcome others' advice to people contemplating bird ownership as I think it's heartbreaking both for the new owner and the adopted bird when the bird must be given up.

Ideally, any potential bird owner, before getting a bird, should

1. join BirdBoard, read posts and ask questions.
2. join a local bird club, attend meetings and interact with the members and their birds.
3. read anything pertaining to the species of bird in which they're interested. Use the Internet, the library, the bookstore.
4. if possible, help care for a bird and see all that it entails.
5. decide what kind of cage the bird will need and the food and toys required on a monthly basis. Also, find out how close is the nearest avian vet and call to find out their fees.
6. decide what will be done when traveling. Will the bird be boarded, cared for by friends/pet sitters or taken on the trip?
7. plan ahead. Find out the bird's average lifespan. Ask yourself where you'll be a year from now, five years, ten years, etc. If you're planning on joining the Peace Corps, maybe you should rethink adopting a bird.
8. research how well the bird in which one is interested gets along with other pets and other people (consider all ages).

I can think of more, I am sure, but I must run. Hope others add to this.

[habs71]

Well said!

Skip

[tielmama]

9. Listen to the natural call of an ADULT of the species you are interested in.

Too many people get mad at the birds for being themselves. Too many punish or get rid of birds when they are not helpless adorable little babies anymore.

[CrazyforCockatiels]

Thank you, Skip!
Tielmama~ Absolutely. You're right on target there! Before we decided on a Nanday, we'd read that they have one of the loudest calls of the conures but we knew we could handle it and would actually enjoy his counterpoint to the 'tiels' songs. It's a crazy orchestra around here!

[jriley]

I think your suggestions are good, but putting them on this board doesn't have much chance of reaching the people it would help the most. The vast majority of people who have found this board already have a bird.

The big question is how to get this kind of information out there for people who won't do the research before buying. They see a cute bird at the pet store or see a parrot somewhere and want one. I saw a post on our local Craigslist yesterday: someone had seen the Lories at the zoo and was asking where they could get one like that (yes, I did email her and explain how difficult Lories were to keep).

We will never be able to stop pet stores from carrying at least the smaller species. We will never be able to stop them being listed in classified ads and on places like Craigslist where anyone who wants to can buy one. Somehow we have to get information about pet birds' needs and characteristics out there in the general thinking.

Unfortunately, I have no idea how to do that. We have so many great pet bird writers out there contributing to Bird Talk and CPQ etc., but how many regular magazines or newspapers would pick up an article about how to go about buying a bird (or choosing not to buy one)? If anyone has any suggestions, I'd love to hear them.

Julie

[tielmama]

jriley- I wish I had the answer. You are so right. Although, there probably are some people who actually do the research first. I did. I happened upon some info on birds on the internet, just playing instead of working at work. I got more and more interested and then began to buy a little at a time. I've seen a few people post who are just thinking about getting a bird. Thank goodness good sites like BB are out there for the few who do their homework first.

[CrazyforCockatiels]

Very true, Jriley and Tielmama. I think the majority of people don't research before buying although we did. We researched cockatiels in the bookstore and then conures on BirdBoard and other Internet sites as well as in the bookstore.

I learned all of this the hard way: We did have one pet we had to rehome around six years ago when I found out I was pregnant. We had an iguana whom we loved very much, but as her main caretaker, I couldn't manage it while pregnant.

Thank goodness our vet's assistant was ecstatic to have a chance to adopt an iguana and we gave her our baby along with the huge specialty cage my husband had built for her. The woman couldn't believe we weren't asking for money and we explained that our main goal was to find our iguana a good long-term home. We knew she would be well taken care of and would spend the majority, if not all, of her life in this woman's home.

It seems that young people lean toward exotic pets rather than the usual dogs and cats, and exotics aren't the best for people lacking stability. I don't mean this as a slight to the younger BB members, but as an older member, I think being stable in terms of family situations (settling down or not, having children or not) and having a pretty good idea of where one is going to be within the near future make owning a bird or reptile or other exotic a bit easier.

I am not saying there aren't younger people who aren't settled just as there are older people who are unsettled and I am not attributing positives or negatives to either. It's just a difference in lifestyles.

This is not to say exotics shouldn't be owned by younger people. They just require much more consideration as they often require much more in the way of care and attention. My situation with our iguana and my pregnancy is a case in point. If we'd thoroughly researched the iguana and thought about how my pregnancy and our subsequent child would impact our relationship with the iguana, we surely wouldn't have adopted her in the first place.

Again, I don't mean this as an insult or slight to any of the younger BB members. It's just a cautionary tale!

Now, how to get these pointers out there to prospective buyers.... I think the responsiblity falls on those selling or listing the animals for adoption. I think ideally every store or agency offering animals for adoption or sale should have a brochure or pamphlet that prospective buyers should read. However, sadly, our country is rife with strays and unwanted animals so when someone wants to take an animal in, especially through an adoption, the process is easy so as to not hamper the transaction. When one bird, dog, cat, or other animal leaves, another takes its place.

That said, what to do?

[SDavid]

"The big question is how to get this kind of information out there for people who won't do the research before buying. "

I think I have the answer. The people selling exotic birds have to educate the public.

The biggest part of the problem lies with the stores/people who breed or sell exotic birds. Pure and simple, they need to have a sense of morality towards the creatures they are selling and breeding by the hundreds. They need to explain to a potential exotic bird buyer exactly what they are getting into. Most bird sellers don't. Anyone with the cash and desire can walk out of the store with whichever bird they want. Completely unaware of how much noise they make or how much cage cleaning they are in for or how much attention and love these bird needs to thrive.

You can't put the blame on the people who want to buy them. Not most of the blame anyway. Knowledge starts with the people at the store.

I feel that most homes are not suitable for exotic birds nor are most people fit to have them. I don't blame them for that but it's just fact. There are very few people who can realistically be as devouted to their fids as their birds need them to be. Most people have too many other commitments (that's just life). That's why they are "exotic" pets and not for everyone. And yet....flip through any bird magazine and you'll see countless breeders advertising their "sweet hand fed babies"....."loving pets"....."great family pets".....etc. Where are all these birds going? And how many of them end up rotting in a corner of someone's living room, plucking their feathers out?

It's as if these beautiful creatures are being bred for a life of unhappiness. Sorry but it's just my observation. I never hear a seller trying to explain to someone the tremendous responsibility involved in keeping and exotic bird and me and my wife spend alot of time at bird stores. I'm sure there are a few who do (as many will doubtlessly tell me) but they are in the minority.

There needs to be a call (thuough trade magazines, internet forums, etc.) to all involved in the exotic bird industry to screen and educate the public. I think it's the best service that can be done for these birds.

But unfortunately: Birds = $$$.

[CrazyforCockatiels]

SDavid~ So well put! Now, if we can just distribute morality.... It's not just telling these people who breed and sell birds that they must take responsibility in educating the public. The majority of pet stores (individual owners as well as the larger chains) don't care where their birds end up and this is pitiful. The all mighty dollar is where the importance lies, especially in a disposable society such as ours where instant gratification is the reason for most purchases that are not necessities.

Not willing to end on a negative note here, I have to believe that if one person is educated and seeks to educate others, this makes all the difference in the world. If one bird is saved a life of misery and neglect, this makes all the difference.