Princess of Wales Parakeet

[Colt]

So I stumbled across an ad on Craigslist for a Princess of Wales Parakeet. They are one of the grasskeets I first fell in love with years ago. I've talked to the "owner" and discovered the bird belonged to his mother who passed away. He doesn't really know much about it. The ad states it's a female but through email he told me it was a male named William. Either way the bird looks good in the pictures although its diet looks atrocious.

So what do you hookbill owners think? Is $250 a good deal for a bird like that? And does anyone know of any breeders that have them because I'd love to offer hand-fed babies to people interested in getting started with them.

[cindy]

I will check around on prices for you...I know there were a few folks on the grasskeet facebook pages that have them. Colt are you on facebook, some of the grasskeet pages are really great.

[Colt]

I am on Facebook. If you could post the links for them and the finchaholics pages I'd appreciate it.

I told him I was a student at the college and was having trouble justifying that much money at the holidays/ever really. And he said he would go to $200 for him and his cage if I said yes before the end of the month.

He also said Tree Top Bird Center in the DFW area are offering babies for $800 a piece. And they were trying to bully him into selling him to them so they could use him as a breeder.

I'd love to breed him, but he's still be a pet first and foremost. Unless I'm not able to handle him, and then I'd handfeed a baby and have a pet then.

[paul-inAZ]

Doing some messing around with fairly broad internet searches I only found one listing -for a juvenile selling for $300.
If that is representative then $200 is in the ballpark.

[debbie276]

Here's a website you may want to check out for breeders:
http://www.birdbreeders.com/breedersearch.aspx

63 breeders came up in the US and 8 in Texas

[debbie276]

Found this one on hoobly but it's in PA:
http://www.hoobly.com/u1Xz/princess-of- ... osella.htm

(300 each)

[cindy]

Colt, I just added you to Finchaholics and will add you to two different groups. One group is run by a lady very well known for her knowledge in grasskeets, she had written articles for BirdTalk in the past.

I know they are out there, I have seen them at shows but rarely.

Another larger grasskeet is the RockPebbler. My friend was raising them at one time, handfed they are terrific birds, pick up words quickly!!!

[Sally]

Don't know a thing about hookbills, but going by the prices posted in this thread, $200 for the bird AND cage would sound like a good deal. And of course, if you wanted to breed him, you'd have to figure in the price of a mate for him.

[cindy]

Colt, if you get this bird may I suggest a longer flight and deeper to, they need flight space...the cage it is in is to small.

[lovepoodle]

Colt. I was looking for POW earlier this year ..by I just missed a season ,[they're on the market in spring. All babies were gone.(it was Jun) so I found a baby IRN. When I was looking around, They were $200 normal, ( same as your picture) . Blue or Lutino were$300+. Which is hand fed & hand tame. Babies. How old is he or she? If young & tame...it's a good to buy.

[cindy]

Most that breed grasskeets breed two clutches in the Fall (boxes go up late September early October) and two clutches in late Spring (March/April)....Fall babies should be ready by late December if not sooner.

[Colt]

He is between 4 and 5 years old. I'm still thinking about, but the seller has been kind of (for lack of better word) pissy with me.

If you are truly interested pkz let Me know. He is a rare and expensive. Bird. If you want to buy him please let me jnow when and where... He is a parakeet., not much to talk about.

He sent me that earlier in response to questions asking about diet, etc. I hate to leave the bird in a bad situation, but I don't like dealing with rude people either...

I'm still thinking about him. I'd have some free time this week because of the holiday and school so I might have time to drive and go get him.

[debbie276]

Try not to be put off by his attitude, he probably doesn't know much and can't answer specific questions. "I've talked to the "owner" and discovered the bird belonged to his mother who passed away. He doesn't really know much about it. The ad states it's a female but through email he told me it was a male named William."
He may not be a parakeet lover, maybe it's making too much noise for him and messier then he'd like. He may just want to find a home for it quickly. Also if other people are contacting him he may want an answer before they move along and he misses that opportunity.
Good luck, keep us posted on what you decide