Frustrating - not directed on anyone here! "Rehoming" HB's

[Sunbay]

It seems everywhere I look, there are ads for people wanting to place their cockatoos, macaws, & other large hook-bills.

These large birds are a LIFE-LONG commitment, and provisions should be made, in writing, as to where and to whom they will go to if the owner passes, or has a LEGITIMATE reason (terminal illness, moving to another country, etc.).
Sorry, the only sympathy I have for those who "don't have enough time, moving to an apartment, just had a new baby....blah-blah-blah"...are for the birds themselves.

It just irks me. These are social, attention-demanding birds. So many seem to be 'impulse' purchases - then the owners hit the reality door.

Just venting. As I said, not directed at anyone on this forum.

[Sally]

I agree completely, Lauren. The parrots need so much socializiing, people don't do their research before they get one. They just want something that will 'talk' or is an attention-getter. They don't realize the time that is involved with these birds.

At a recent mart, I can't tell you how many people asked 'What does a finch do?' They wanted something that would interact with them. They don't understand that simply watching a finch can be so relaxing, similar to watching the fish in a tank. So they go buy a hookbill of some kind, then quickly lose interest when the bird starts plucking itself because they ignore it most of the time. The birds then wind up on craigslist or in the home of a rescuer (if they are lucky).

I feel the same way about dogs and cats. If I had to move, and the new place wouldn't take dogs or cats, I'd just have to keep looking for a place that would. I'd live in my car before I'd live in an apartment that made me rehome my animals. Too many people adopt puppies and/or kittens, and then when they are grown and aren't so cute and adorable any more, they tire of them.

[Chrismurdoch3]

I agree completely these wonderful animals have feelings just like us and it breaks their hearts when we sell them. I have a little pinnaple green cheek conure and in a few months we are planning on moving and someone asked me if I was going to sell her and my reply was "would you sell your kid if you were moving to another place?" The person just looked at me wierd ha. She is just like my child I dion't think I could ever get rid of her.

[cindy]

Lauren some of these birds will outlive their owners, illness happens and the birds need to be rehomed in some cases.

Others are a knee jerk response to a beautifully colored bird or a cute little bird that is comical...some impulse buy thinking ahhh that is cute without considering that cute little temperament is not always what the bird with exhibit on a day to day basis. Some rush the bird expecting it to instantly step up, do tricks and like the person right away. Birds/hookbills have moods like people....and you can't train them to fit your demands. People need to read, talk to breeders and really think about what it means to take on these intelligent birds.

Rummy, my parrotlet let's me know when he is mad, it takes time to learn to read him, learn is needs. Many do not want to take the time so they sell the bird moving onto another species they think might work better.

[finchmix22]

I agree with everyone's comments. I love our Pineapple Green Cheek Conure!! He takes a lot of time and effort to work with him for training, but that is what he loves because it is play time for Lil Bit! In our family, we take turns giving Lil Bit attention, so he gets time with everyone in the family. He loves that, but some days, he prefers one of us over someone else and we hand him off to whoever is the favorite for the day! LOL.
I think some responsibility belongs to the breeders of hookbills. As a breeder, one should educate potential buyers about the committment and responsibility. The should buy a parrot with the informed consent or clear understanding of what their life will be like, both positive and negative, so they can make a decision wisely. Many dog breeders won't sell their puppies until they've checked out the prospective owners to be and are confident the dog will be given vet care, quality food, appropriate training and exercise and Lot of Love!!
We need to do the same with out birds, especially hookbills. I hand out a Finch Care Sheet for new finch owners and give them my email, phone number and this FF website so they can get help if they run into trouble in the future. I tell them if they decide finches are not for their family, to call me and I"ll take back my finches.

[Ginene]

I agree too...I was devastated when we returned out GC to Petland. I felt like a complete failure. They should haven never sold him to us in the first place. He had been passed from shop to shop for over a year and needed an experienced parrot owner to meet his needs. Thank goodness he wound up going to the perfect home that had a bird room filled with hookbills. And that owner got him for FREE!!! If we EVER decide to get a conure in the future, we will get a baby from a breeder. But I think finches are the best fit for us.

[DanteD716]

I wrote a long response - but the forum logged me off Anyways, I completely agree!!! THey are like children, and grow very attatched.. They should not be bounced from home to home. They get very stressed, and start plucking!

[JulieRose]

Arh bless, no I couldnt get rid of ANY of my mixed aviary, they all get on very well and they are classed as my children. They all have their own little ways bless em.

[Nanajennie]

This is a very appropo thread for me, infact, it feels like fate. I just got off the phone with Sarah, my breeding friend in Ticonderoga NY. We just sealed a deal (I am scoring big time) I am giving her two pied zebs and some supplies, for a Pineapple GC conure.

I was telling her I was really nervous about the commitment aspect of a larger bird, and I was feeling insecure about my ability to provide enough love and attention to it. (I feel insecure about my finches, who are extremely spoiled, thats just a character flaw of mine)

She assured me, if I can't handle it, she will readily take it back.

So Tuesday night, (if she makes here that day) I will be mom to a two month old Pineapple Green Cheek Conure... and I am sure you will see this forum blow up with questions about this nervous nellie.

I am really excited and have done my homework \ eeeekkk

But I agree, I go on craigslist and almost everyday there is someone trying to rehome or sell a large bird. The pet stores really should screen a bit better.

[30 Seconds to Bob]

I liken this to when people dump off a dog or a cat at a shelter simply because they get tired of it. Once the cuteness and the novelty factors wear off, it just becomes a time consuming burden to some people. At least the animal shelters aren't overrun with millions of birds in need of loving homes. Capable, compassionate people do seem to readily provide homes for other people's unwanted birds - at least here in Florida. Bob

[paul-inAZ]

I also look at the on-line ads for birds. One thing that impresses me is how readily available almost any large parrot can be.
The other is the seemingly illogical economics of the parrot trade.

Breeders offer young birds and there are also plenty of 'rehomed' birds offered for whatever lame reason like work, moving, new baby etc.
Breeders do so because there is good money in it and then the impulse buyer dumps the bird on the second hand market.
Prices are from a few hundred dollars up into the thousands. The asking prices are high and don't seem to vary a lot.

Ordinarily, with breeders flooding the market and then owners getting rid of birds you'd think that the prices would be falling. It should happen with any product. Supply and demand. This tells me that there must be a never ending supply of new impulse buyers feeding a pricing bubble.
Makes no economic sense to me.

[Nanajennie]

http://burlington.craigslist.org/pet/4037254341.html

Case in Point....

[paul-inAZ]

That sort of thing with small hookbills is common enough here as well but resale of mature larger hookbills is all too common. Seems that folks will cope with and keep a small pet bird better in the long run than one of the large parrots.

I just looked at your local craigslist and there are several mature large parrots being resold for up to $800. Easy to find second or third hand parrots here.

Economically speaking, small birds like budgies and finches have some semblance of market order to them. With plentiful supply budgies often sell for $20 or less and i've seen finches like zebras for as low as $4 -prices are double or triple those in pet shops. The supply has clearly suppressed prices and will have the beneficial effect of discouraging mass commercial breeding.
For the large parrots that hasn't seemed to happen. People still pay those prices, get discouraged or fed up and resell them -bad habits and all from neglect in most cases- for the same high price.

[tt101]

Don't even start me with this, this is one of a few things that set a fire under me. when i hear people getting rid of their pets for stupid reasons.....sometimes though people have very legitimate reasons and NO moving to a house that doesn't allow pets is just garbage....reasons such as an illness or in the case of large parrots where care can get expensive monthly and the owner is laid off....personally i will never ever ever ever get anything larger than a cockatiel, birds larger than that typically require hours upon hours of weekly attention which i simply could never commit to, i like cats (although i provide my cat with about an hour of daily attention) and finches and fish because i do not have to commit any time but can if i want to....inevitably i will give attention to anything i have lol....even the houseplant gets its leaves cleaned and is watered on a weekly basis with fertilizers given as needed lol. Currently i am in university and i said that i would like to buy a small baby hookbill from the upcoming bird show a few months ago but now that i am in school, i am starting to think its not the best idea at the moment and that i should wait...i do not have 1-3 hours to commit everyday and i do not plan on getting him a friend so i am waiting for the right time to come up....i am not an impulse buyer.

[Nerien]

Larger hookbills on craigslist in my area go up into the thousands of dollars. Many thousands.

Right now my local craigslist has an ad for four parakeets to be given away:

"Free--Please take our parakeets and 4 foot aviary (Weston)
Four foot bird cage (aviary) and four parakeets for family willing to care for them. Was great birthday present for 8 year old but we are sadly unable to care for them going forward. 1st come, first served. "

Are they kidding? Yeah, it was great to thrill our small child with this awesome gift, but now the thrill is over so come get them out of our hair.

Idiots.