There are a lot of success stories. The list of choosing to adopt is growing all the time. You need to be aware of what’s ahead of you before you choose to adopt. After all, if you adopt a parrot you don’t want to send the bird back because you didn’t realize what you were getting yourself into or because you though it wouldn’t be this hard or because you didn’t know about the birds background. Most adopted parrots can have pieces of missing info on their past that you may never know about.
There is no right or wrong in choosing to adopt or buy. It should only be your choice based on whether you think you can cope with it.
There is no right or wrong in choosing to adopt or buy. It should only be your choice based on whether you think you can cope with it.
There are many reports of 'bird mills' supplying large pet shop chains of bird with horror stories, videos on YouTube of the condition of the birds being bred. In Australia so far we're lucky enough to not have 'bird mills'. Our pet shops & particularly our bird shops are small compared to some other countries. Most of our shops reportedly buy their birds form local small time breeders & some of the larger shops breed there own parrots. Selecting a pet shop is up to you. There are good shops & bad shops.
About 99% of the public swear by going through a breeder for a number of reasons. Going through a breeder means you can visit your bird as often as you like, you can check out the parents of the baby, your breeder knows about the baby & the parents history so you can ask lots of questions, you can see the state of the breeders aviaries. I walked into a small bird breeders house one day & the state of house and aviaries was appalling. This breeder also had a couple of dead birds. The general health & well being of breeder birds is usually better than a pet shop bird but don’t forget there are bad breeders around also who’re only interested in making a quick buck rather than the proper care of their birds. Some can lie about the baby or the parents. You have the risk of having to place a large deposit down for your bird & then never seeing the bird or your money again.
The best thing you can do to help you decide is do thorough research on the species you intend on buying. Then shop around for both breeders & bird shops. Ask as many questions as you can to see how they answer. If ever in doubt just walk away. Check newspapers, bird magazine made in your country for sales. Ask for opinions of breeders from your local vet. They all should have a few names of breeders they would recommend.
The best thing you can do to help you decide is do thorough research on the species you intend on buying. Then shop around for both breeders & bird shops. Ask as many questions as you can to see how they answer. If ever in doubt just walk away. Check newspapers, bird magazine made in your country for sales. Ask for opinions of breeders from your local vet. They all should have a few names of breeders they would recommend.
Online auctions are extremely risky & something you should never consider doing unless you know what you’re doing. Online auctions are appealing to new buyers because their birds are very cheap but you only see a picture, not the actual bird itself & in some cases only a written description & not a picture.
There is often a fine print to read. Make sure you read it & know it well before you decide to buy an bird through an auction. Some breeders rid themselves of the responsibility of the birds condition once the bird is being auctioned or the bird is sent to the auctioneer, passing the bird off as no longer in their hands, therefore not their responsibility. Auctions online often do request deposits for what you have bought but it’s up to you to do your homework on this auction group before placing a deposit.
There is often a fine print to read. Make sure you read it & know it well before you decide to buy an bird through an auction. Some breeders rid themselves of the responsibility of the birds condition once the bird is being auctioned or the bird is sent to the auctioneer, passing the bird off as no longer in their hands, therefore not their responsibility. Auctions online often do request deposits for what you have bought but it’s up to you to do your homework on this auction group before placing a deposit.
Hand reared birds are more popular for the obvious reasons that in many species they can become familiar with human contact faster. You have less social problems in the beginning if you have a hand reared bird but this is not to be mistaken for bonding. Chicks do not bond, hand reared birds are simply used to human contact.
Hand rearing is not to be mistaken for hand feeding. A hand fed baby has simply been fed by hand & nothing more. There is no handling or socializing involved in a hand fed chick. Hand rearing involves full time care of the baby, feeding, socializing & proper handling of the chick. Some are hand feed because the breeder has very little time on their hands to do more than this. Some chicks are force fed when being hand fed which can often lead to behaviour problems & illness.
Hand rearing is not to be mistaken for hand feeding. A hand fed baby has simply been fed by hand & nothing more. There is no handling or socializing involved in a hand fed chick. Hand rearing involves full time care of the baby, feeding, socializing & proper handling of the chick. Some are hand feed because the breeder has very little time on their hands to do more than this. Some chicks are force fed when being hand fed which can often lead to behaviour problems & illness.
Parrots that are hand reared properly can accept humans a quicker. Often those species that’re not known to be cuddly can grow up enjoying & expecting cuddles from their human parents. Hand reared chicks are more social to humans than parent reared but this doesn’t mean your baby won’t become social. Parent reared chicks are social but to birds, birds become as social as you want them to be towards humans, it just takes a little longer for parent reared chicks.
Many people are often pushed into adopting a rescue bird rather than buying a young bird. There are people who can make you feel terrible if you chose not to adopt your bird. These people feel strongly that there are too many people randomly buying birds & end up giving them up to a rescue centre because they had no idea what they got themselves into. They are also strong believers in trying to stop ‘bird mills’. This is understandable but forcing someone to adopt a rescue bird isn’t always the best thing to do. Some of these people believe if you cannot handle a rescue bird you should never own a bird at all. This isn't entirely true since many bird owners who've not adopted are fantastic 'parronts' but they may not be equipped emotionally or physically for a rescue. Adopting a bird that has a shocking past is not for everyone. There are always pros & cons when it comes to adopting a parrot.
99% of parrots adopted out come with a great deal of baggage & you don't always know the full story of what’s happened. . If they’ve been treated poorly or never been socialized they’re hard biters, have never grown to trust humans, can be feather pickers for the remainder of their life or can come to you with health issues that keep them in & out of the vet clinic for the rest of their life. Not all people can deal with these sort of situations & that is OK.
Some rescues are just very lonely perch potatoes that have been offered to a rescue centre because the owner simply doesn’t have the time for them. Other rescues are there because the owner is moving & unable to take them, the bird doesn’t get along with everyone in the house, the neighbours have complained about noise or they’re not what they owner expected them to be. Some people feel pressured into getting rid of their birds.
Some parrots are eternally grateful for being adopted into a loving home & make a very quick recovery while others can spend the remainder of their lives trying to remove your finger, ear or eye. You need many months at the least to rehabilitate an adopted parrot. You need a great deal of time, patients & to be aware that you may be sporting some very colourful scars & chunks of removed skin for some months to come. Many rescues are success stories but if their past has had enough of an impact on their lives it can still haunt them.
Some rescues are just very lonely perch potatoes that have been offered to a rescue centre because the owner simply doesn’t have the time for them. Other rescues are there because the owner is moving & unable to take them, the bird doesn’t get along with everyone in the house, the neighbours have complained about noise or they’re not what they owner expected them to be. Some people feel pressured into getting rid of their birds.
Some parrots are eternally grateful for being adopted into a loving home & make a very quick recovery while others can spend the remainder of their lives trying to remove your finger, ear or eye. You need many months at the least to rehabilitate an adopted parrot. You need a great deal of time, patients & to be aware that you may be sporting some very colourful scars & chunks of removed skin for some months to come. Many rescues are success stories but if their past has had enough of an impact on their lives it can still haunt them.
More Reading
Eclectus parrots with poor plumage due to nutritional deficiency are recommended to be fed hard boiled egg & shell once a week for a short period. Egg shell is high in calcium. White & yolk are high in animal protein & vitamin A. Also ensure your Eclectus has a regular supply of yellow, orange & red vegetables & rich dark green leafy veg.
Mite infestations can cause bald spots on the Eclectus but this should not be mistaken for the mojo moult
Loss of feather colour may be a sign of tapeworm.
Vitamin deficieny can cause the male to have a dull colour beak. Their beaks should look polished.
Mite infestations can cause bald spots on the Eclectus but this should not be mistaken for the mojo moult
Loss of feather colour may be a sign of tapeworm.
Vitamin deficieny can cause the male to have a dull colour beak. Their beaks should look polished.
Before going out to buy your baby Eclectus please take some time to read Elmo's story
Buying Your Eclectus