Has anyone ever purchased birds from "FlyBabies"?

[wellingtoncdm]

Many people who sell in Florida cut the bands off of the birds they buy. They explained that this way they don't have to answer too many questions or have people trace the birds back to the breeders.

[finchmix22]

Charlie
That is upsetting for me because I work very hard to close band my babies and I do that for the benefit of the next owner and our ability to track finches and breeding etc. Too bad they don't see the value. If someone asks me about a finch with a different breeder band, I tell them how to look up the band number. That way I'm not in the middle.

[wellingtoncdm]

finchmix22
I totally agree. I would love to only buy NFSS close banded birds.

Sorry for getting off topic.

[danaday]

Hi everyone,

This may or may not help make a decision for anyone interested in flybabies' gouldians. I look at hoobly all the time, they have a lot of ads on gouldians. The pictures look great most times. Other times, could be better. I personally, feel that their gouldians, no matter what the mutation is is a bit expensive. That's just my opinions. I just thought I share this.

[cindy]

I can assure you that they are getting their birds from more than a few sources, some sources get their birds from other sources as well. As with any bird selecting you need to be a careful shopper. If you notice bands are inconsistent or missing.

As Charlie stated some brokers remove the bands when breeders sell or trade them birds...making it impossible to tell if the birds are related or where they are coming from. Their prices are way to high especially for gouldian prices in Florida.

[Colt]

Some of my birds came from Beverly in Tuscon Arizona. The others came from a breeder here in Texas and another breeder up north.

Here is Bev's website.

http://www.bevsbirds.com/

I know she ships but I don't think she works with all the mutations.

[saulosirds]

Mark

I fyou are willingto spend the money 'flybabies' is asking for your birds, you would be able to get a much better deal from almost anywhere. The prices they are asking on many of their birds (ex: RCCB are up to 3 times the price of what they should be) is unrealistic.

I know there have been some people in the past that were unhappy with Shirley (the finchfarm) but I have placed 3 large order with her with out a single issue. If you are willing to ship, which you would have to with flybabies, then Shirley may be an option. She is on the West coast and has very good quality birds in my opinion. She is a broker but I feel that she does a very good job while the birds are in her hands.

The last thing that concerns my with flybabies is that they are willing to ship USPS and I don't know of many reliable breeders/brokers that will do that. All my birds are shipped United as they are very good at my local (Detroit) cargo facility.

I think if you look around you can find much better prices then flybabies offers as well as find birds closer to your home or maybe a show that you can hand pick the birds you are looking for

Rob

[nicolino]

Well I do not know about Fly babies Only that they are expensive. But , I happened to be in Orlando this last show , and I arrived early , an hour before the show opened to public. Got in thru the side door was stopped by security asked to wait until they open ( 9am) . I did not listen. Went around looking for Gouldians. I wanted to buy 6 birds , Green backs red face and yellow back red face. Unfortunately, there were only 3 dealers with Goulds and nothing to brag about . So I kept walking from one to another and finally decided on one green back only to find out someone else already got him and another two birds. So I kept looking and have seen at least 5 different people buying Goulds . My point is I know for sure that All of the Gouldians at the show were not purchased by one person. I went home empty handed. But they did go fast . There is a shortage of Gouldians even in Miami area.
Just my two cents.

[wellingtoncdm]

nicolino
I agree that not all go to one person. But as Cindy wrote the common practice at some FL shows to to buy a vendor table which allows early access and shop prior to doors opening to the public. I also heard that people unload their older or less quality birds to the primary "gouldian buyer" because he buys all and everything he can. Many of the FL breeders and brokers no longer have gouldians available.

[nicolino]

You probably right Charlie, I only mentioned last Orlando show because I happened to go there to get Goulds. On another note I have a beautiful green back black face female , fully colored ready to breed from my own pair of green backs . I do not cross breed different mutations so I would be willing to trade her for boy or girl green back purple breast ( red face only) If anyone is interested in S. Florida.

[Sally]

Just FYI, it is common practice at marts for a lot of buying, selling, or swapping between vendors to go on before the doors open to the public. I have often sold many birds before the doors open. Once I have my table set up, I wander around to see what everyone else has, and if it is something I want, I will get it before the doors open--it might be gone if I wait.

My very first mart as a vendor, I was selling some Gouldians. I had them priced way too cheap. Another vendor snapped them up before the doors opened, and then told me I had them priced way too low! He didn't want them for resale, though, he kept them and took them home. He told me he had been wanting to get back into Gouldians, mine were nice, and the price was too good to pass up. My next mart, I checked out other vendor's prices before I set mine, I wasn't going to let them go that cheap ever again.

[cindy]

You probably right Charlie, I only mentioned last Orlando show because I happened to go there to get Goulds. On another note I have a beautiful green back black face female , fully colored ready to breed from my own pair of green backs . I do not cross breed different mutations so I would be willing to trade her for boy or girl green back purple breast ( red face only) If anyone is interested in S. Florida.

What color is the breast?

[nicolino]

Lavender brest color . ( Let me see if I can snap a picture of her ) She's 2013 born, close and also color banded.

[cindy]

Nicolino, I may know someone very interested, let me get back to you later today. I may pm you directly.