by Eric&Rebecca » Wed May 01, 2013 5:29 am
Not to mention the awkwardness of finding an AVIAN vet you can't just take your bird to a normal vet. It's worse than useless. These are way more expensive than your average vet and will require perhaps travelling across large distances. These check ups will need to be repeated every 6 months or as needed without fail regardless of whether you have the money or not. A baseline check up in the UK is £25-£30 but runs up quickly if tests are performed. A simple xray runs into £100's and blood tests cost £60-£80. Medications also cost money.
The costs associated with the bird are high. A decent cage is a minimum of £100, for my cockatiel his was £130. You need top ensure correct sizes AND bar spacing. Then there's the perches, you will need a selection of shapes and size of natural woods, proper perches don't come cheap like Java perches. A small perch (just one) is £8.99 and you will need a number which you can switch in and out so the bird doesn't get bored. Additionally, toys, the same goes for these. And don't be fooled by thinking that's an easy matter. Finding safe toys is not easy or cheap. If the toy is cheap, most likely its dangerous, my toys are either hand made using kits from the natural bird store uk, online or ordered directly from them. These need to be changed and rotated to prevent boredom. These will also get destroyed by some birds so will need replacing.
Cage linings, a hidden expense. Shavings are not safe, despite pet shops and several retailers saying they are, they aren't. I use organic kitchen towel with no dye. Also you will need f10 disinfectant you can't use household disinfectants. That doesn't come cheap either! Not to mention your base and linings will need to be fully cleaned at least once per day along with the food bowls.
Onto food, now you will need to prepare fresh foods every day for the bird including fruits and veg but these can only remain in the cage for 2 hours. They will then need removing. You will then need to teach the birds to eat these, they won't always just eat them themselves.The same goes for pellet transition which will need to be completed, an all seed diet is very bad for the bird. You will need to research what percentage of the diet is suitable as its different across differnt birds.This can take months and you have to monitor the weight of the bird and put up with a lot of noise!
Bird poop, just deal with it in the nicest way possible. Birds poop. They are animals. their poop doesn't smell although it can get a bit messy but that the sacrifice you make when you have a bird. So its not all that bad if you clean up everyday.Also NO bird is clean it doen't happen!
Oh and bird proofing the home, now your bird should be flighted. Clipping the bird should not be something you consider although many people do it in the false belief it makes their bird safer and won't fly away. Unless the bird has a medical reason why it doesn't fly then the bird should remain fully flighted. The house will need some adapting. You can't use ANY non stick cookware with teflon so all the pots and pans in the house will need replacing with stainless steel or glass. Also you can't use any perfumes, candles,air freshners, spray deodrants or any strong fumes. Anything you cleaned the house with before is gone and must be replaced. The blinds must be down when the bird is out so the bird can have some protection if it flies into the windows, however please ensure that the loose strings are tucked away to preent hanging or the bird getting stuck. Any loose cables will need to do the saem. Every cable should be put into a protective tubing. Also any metals round the house should be away from the bird. Birds chew and this can result in heavy metal poisoning.
I agree with the above. I have hand raised and parent raised birds and although at the moment both are cuddly breeding seasons cause a number of hormonal behaviours. The cuddliest of birds will/can turn and start nipping you. Even the most well trained birds can't stop their own natural hormones. Hand reared isn't the answer to making it easier for you as it can cause problems later. Having a hand reared wasn't a choice for us as our bird chose us when we made the decision to get the next bird it was parent raised. This takes time to train, in fact it can take months to years to get the bird to be fully trained and even once that's done it must be maintained forevermore.
You should also consider the establishment. Its best to go to a rehoming centre or failing that to a reputable breeder. Most pet shops have interbred birds with a host of bacterial infections so don't be tempted.
Additionally, there is the concept that birds will live longer than you are able to keep giving the time for them hence a lot of birds are rehomed. Commiting to a bird is a life long commitment and at this moment in time being in school is not the optimal time to adopt/buy a bird.
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from a rescue she already said a few things and is still learning more. mya also came potty trained. the messy part is something you can't get around no matter which way you go they need to rip things apart to keep from being bored. if you don't provide things for them to chew or shred they will pluck and even self mutilate. mya flew down to my kitchen last week got into my pantry and threw everything out onto my kitchen floor. they chew furniture, i've yet to meet anyone with a parrot who doesn't have tears in their furniture and chew marks on walls/trim. my curtains have little holes from them climbing up and down. this is what life will be like for at least 30+ years. they are wastefull too have the food you buy for them will be tossed. if you're ready for all of this then go to visit a rescue even if you plan on a baby from a breeder they will be happy to let you play with all the different types.