Ask Your Parrot Breeder Before Purchase

By Coillcumhann Simpson

Ask and ye shall receive. When it comes to buying parrots if you take the time to ask the right questions of your breeder first then you will end up in a far better situation than if you just pick the parrot you like the look of. You need to take the time and do some research. Parrot breeders want to send their parrots to good homes where the owners take a keen interest in them so they won't mind the questions.

When were these birds hatched? You want a baby bird who is old enough to leave the nest. If he's not old enough a good breeder will tell you this. He'll also tell you when you can return to adopt your friend.

Do you keep a closed aviary? Optimally, your breeder tends a closed aviary. A bird raised in this environment has a lower chance of developing a disease. Many avian diseases travel through the air. That means they spread quickly.

Has the bird been tested for any diseases? This is an especially good question to ask if you discover the babies have already been sexed. Many times breeders will have these two activities performed at the same time. If the breeder answers positively to this question, then ask to see the documentation or the certificate from the lab which processed the results.

Has the parrot's sex been determined? The sex matters little when it comes to the quality of your companion pet. Both a male and a female make wonderful companions. But, to many individuals the sex of the bird really does matter. This is especially true if you're taking the bird home to be with other parrots.

Make sure that you ask what your parrot has been eating and continue this diet once you bring it home. It is very important that you don't cause a baby parrot undue stress by bringing it home and making sudden changes in its diet.

A great question to ask is whether you can see the parents of your potential pet. If the parents look healthy then the chances are greatly increased that the baby parrot is going to be a healthy bird. You will often find that a breeder keeps the parents on the same site as the babies so don't be reluctant to ask this question. However, you will likely not be able to hold these birds as they breeding parrots are less tame than others.

Has the baby been hand fed or parent raised? If the bird has not been hand fed, don't necessarily dismiss his adoption right away. It's more important that the breeder socialized the baby. - 32516

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