To buy or not to buy?

[MariusStegmann]

I advertised in a local bird website for a seagreen cock and pied parrot finches. A a chap responded and send me some pics via sms of birds that I can buy from him.

[Matthias]

lovely .. go for it.. i have one nearly exactly like the 3rd photo. or at least appears so .

[MiaCarter]

Oh totally buy!

I'd love a pair and they look beautiful.

And those lovely owls! Oh slay me! Want!

[Rox]

Go for it!! Those are really nice pied parrot finches

[Smurf]

The're very nice looking pieds but has he any idea how old they are and are they closed rung ? If the're old you could end up wasting time and money trying to breed from them as like 2 of my cock birds (unknown age) you'll only get clear eggs.

[Sally]

The're very nice looking pieds but has he any idea how old they are and are they closed rung ? If the're old you could end up wasting time and money trying to breed from them as like 2 of my cock birds (unknown age) you'll only get clear eggs.

I agree completely. If you know and trust the seller, then you can buy birds without closed rings (bands), but otherwise, you are taking a chance on buying someone's old birds. I can't tell you how many unbanded Strawberries I bought that were supposed to be "two years old" that proved to be old. Not to mention entire breeding seasons lost pairing those old males with my young hens, only to get clutch after clutch of infertile eggs. I will no longer buy unbanded birds unless I know and trust the seller.

If the price is good, then it can be worth the chance, but if they are expensive and unbanded, then you are risking losing time and money. Unless of course you just want them for a collection, then it is not nearly as important.

[cjkrit]

I think you must give it a go.
Get as much info as possible and then go for it.

[MariusStegmann]

It was a bit of a misunderstanding. I asked for pictures of the pieds that he has for sale and he sent me those. Apparently those are his breeding stock and he sells the offspring. He has a pied that was raised by owls, but that I don't want. I am not sure if such a bird breeds well. Apparently the parrot finch laid an egg in a owl nest.

[cjkrit]

Now I see red lights flickering!!
Beware and wait for a better deal.
The wait will be worth it.

Regards

[MariusStegmann]

cjkrit I believe the chap is honest, but I do think that he will want a lot of money for his birds. Then the airfreight from PE to Cape Town must be added as well. His birds breed unbelievably well. He has bred 17 strawberries this year and more than 20 blue gouldians. I am in a hurry to get pied parrots and won't wait for his chicks. There is a guy in Robertson that has some, but he gave his friend first option. I have to wait until the end of the month for the friend to decide.
Christo, where it concerns your new aviaries. Are you going to ask admission fees for people who want to come and look at your birds?

[cjkrit]

Marius,
Really hope you get those pied parrot finches very soon. Can see your are very keen.
No admission fees for visitors, anybody more than welcome to come and have a look.

Busy making the transport cages at the moment - will finish them this weekend.
380 mm x 600 mm x 150 mm deep. [+- 50 finches per cage]

Regards.

[MariusStegmann]

cjkrit Christo, it crazy but I am exited on your behalf. What I liked about the advert of the birds that you bought is the +- in front of the totals of the birds. He doesn't even know how many birds he has. I hope it is + for your sake. Pity about the Peter twinspot, and purple grenadier that there is only one of. Also the auroras that you don't have pairs of. If I were you, I would try and swop the doves and birds that you have plenty of, for birds like dybowski twinspots, female P twinspot, lavenders etc.

[cjkrit]

Marius,
I have lost a Peters twinspot male so I am keen on getting this one. The Grenadier female will be OK for me as an addition to the 3 pairs that I have.
He said that if any numbers are less than advertised he will drop the price, but anything more will be to my benefit. He has already told me that the Stars are at least 35 and not 20 as stated in his advert.
Very nice guy. Even the auroras I don't mind - I have quite a few pairs and new blood lines can only do good.

Maybe I should get the name of the contact you have in Port Elizabeth - I go there quite often. Those are excellent breeding results you mentioned. He obviously does something right.

[MariusStegmann]

cjkrit Christo, that works out great for you. I will pm you Michael's details. He asked to be on the lookout for masked grassfinches for him. I don't even know what they look like. He talks about fledging as "die voel het uit die nes gespring"