How much does a congo cost per month?

[Dude589]

I am thinking about my future and I heard they cost about $10 for food for about 2 months I would spend $10-30 every 3-5 months on toys. idk if thats right. i have 1-2 hours to spend and finally, how much does an average cage and the bird cost? i want cag owners to answer since they have experience







Cheddar

Future cockatiel

 

[JerseyWendy]

You just asked for a price chart the other day. Have a look.

http://www.parrotforums.com/budgies-parakeets-cockatiels/40374-price-chart-medium-large-parrots.html


I promise a Grey will cost a WHOLE lot more than $10 on food per month.

Spending only 1-2 hours per day with a CAG certainly isn't much.

And I'm sorry if members chime in who don't have a CAG, but this forum is for EVERYONE, and there are no limits on who can respond to questions that are asked.

 

[thekarens]

Our CAG has passed away, but I think you'll find you've way underestimated the cost of keeping a CAG. Baby CAGs here cost between 1200-1500. Cages can be had for around $350. Toys...well that varies from month to month. Some months our CAG would tear through toys, others he rarely touched them.

Along with toys and food you need to consider very bills. Under the very best circumstance your bird will need a yearly check up and that generally costs a couple hundred dollars.

 

[MamaFuzz]

I recently bought over $30 of food for my little conure and I doubt it would last much more than 2 months. That food does not include the birdie bread I make or the fresh foods I feed daily. As for toys, I could easily spend $10-30 a month on shreddable toys. Growing your own food & making your own toys can cut costs but it also takes time. You can also do clips yourself but it's best to have someone with experience help you at first.
I'm sure everyone on here can relate to 'catching the bug' and has their own dream bird in mind. Just remember your budgie is a relatively cheap bird to buy & keep in comparison to it's larger cousins. Keep researching, saving & don't forget to spoil your little guy. 😉

 

[Dude589]

i dont mean the price OF the parrot but i mean like food vets bills and that. I also know someone who got a amazon and it was like $10-20 for food same with toys and a vet bill like $40-60

 

[thekarens]

If you already know, there's no sense I asking. I told you from personal experience. There's no avian vet that's going to examine the bird and run fecal and blood tests for 40-60. One toy for a bird the size of a grey runs between 15-20 and some are more. I just spent $50 and I have a Senegal who isn't nearly as destructive as our grey was. If you're only spending $10-20 to feed your grey I've got to wonder what you're feeding him and I mean "you're" I the global sense, not anyone specifically.

 

[MikeyTN]

If you buy fresh food along with treats and such you'd be spending more then $10-20 a month. BUT if you buy in bulk it sure can down down on price. I buy in bulk since I have a lot of birds but with just one you really want to retain the freshness of the food. $40-60 vet bill, wow....where's that person from?? Wish I could find a vet that cheap......

But down in reality if your that worried about costs maybe you need to rethink on having one at this point in your life. Maybe when your more well off then get one then?

 

[Dude589]

woah I mustve been lied to then thx every1

 

[Dude589]

I am making another post about amazons too

 

[MamaFuzz]

$40-60 for a vet visit where the vet does little more than glance at the bird is about right. Any vet that is not an avian vet would be happy to 'examine' your bird for you. You can also get an 8 pound bag of 'parrot food' for under $10 easily. There are many options as long as you're okay feeding 90% sunflower seeds, corn, & peanuts. An 8 pound bag should even last 3 months if you wait til the bowl is empty before you go to give the bird more food.
It can be done cheaply but no one here would advocate it. In fact many have been in the position of fixing the problems caused by people being cheap.

 

[DallyTsuka]

i pay more than $10 a month just for 4 small birds who eat like a bunch of pigs


vets are scary expensive at times, but having a good saving plan and a budget is an awesome way to help yourself prepare for those visits and emergencies.

toys, making your own will really help keep costs lower, but you need to learn what is safe and what is not first.

your parrot shouldnt have to go to the vet every month, but it may end up needing to go at some point or another and it can crop up unexpectedly.

 

[Katiejayne]

Hi, as said above feeding costs are really upto you many people advise pellets but if you cannot afford pellets all the time maybe you could feed some seed and some pellets to save costs. Also the toys don't have to cost a fortune every month. Although toys are expensive and your bird will probly destroy them quickly lol i also make a lot of toys for my bird I tend to buy a new one every other month but I make him one new toy each week, and ensure I rotate the toys and change around the cage format. Although I would advise if your bird does need to go to the vets an avian vet is the best route and they are expensive
Best of luck

 

[Freespin]

Food isn't really one I would advise to try and cheat but toys on the other hand, well you only have to look in the diy section to find a ton of ideas to make your own toys at a fraction of the cost! The fresh food size of things especially works out cheaper in bulk and saves waste but it's a decent lump sum.
Is this something you have discussed with your parents? What do they think? Maybe with the info people here have given you and your own research you could find something to work for you.

 

[Featheredsamurai]

Hi, as said above feeding costs are really upto you many people advise pellets but if you cannot afford pellets all the time maybe you could feed some seed and some pellets to save costs. Also the toys don't have to cost a fortune every month. Although toys are expensive and your bird will probly destroy them quickly lol i also make a lot of toys for my bird I tend to buy a new one every other month but I make him one new toy each week, and ensure I rotate the toys and change around the cage format. Although I would advise if your bird does need to go to the vets an avian vet is the best route and they are expensive
Best of luck

I would never recommend seed to be part of a amazons staple, If someone can't afford to feed them properly should they have one?

 

[Katiejayne]

I feed pellets because I can afford to however not everyone can!! and many birds are still fed only seeds especially here in the uk, it's abit unfair to say you shouldn't have a bird if you can't afford pellets what would you do if ur financial circumstances were to change and u could no longer afford solely pellets

 

[JerseyWendy]

I feed pellets because I can afford to however not everyone can!! and many birds are still fed only seeds especially here in the uk, it's abit unfair to say you shouldn't have a bird if you can't afford pellets what would you do if ur financial circumstances were to change and u could no longer afford solely pellets

There is a whole lot more involved than pellets/seeds. What about fresh fruits and veggies? They DO belong in a bird's diet, and they are not free or necessarily "cheap".

Ashley never said that if you can't afford pellets not to get a bird. She said if you can't afford to keep them properly one should consider not getting one. There is a big difference there.

 

[Kalidasa]

I feed pellets because I can afford to however not everyone can!! and many birds are still fed only seeds especially here in the uk, it's abit unfair to say you shouldn't have a bird if you can't afford pellets what would you do if ur financial circumstances were to change and u could no longer afford solely pellets

There is a whole lot more involved than pellets/seeds. What about fresh fruits and veggies? They DO belong in a bird's diet, and they are not free or necessarily "cheap".

Ashley never said that if you can't afford pellets not to get a bird. She said if you can't afford to keep them properly one should consider not getting one. There is a big difference there.

I wholeheartedly agree. And I'd like to add, money aside, you have to have enough time as well. And energy. Birds aren't for the lazy.

 

[Katiejayne]

Exactly it's about time and commitment not just money, and really fruit and veg doesn't cost a lot and most people always have fruit and be in the house anyway my bird just has whatever fruit and veg I have purchased for the family.

 

[Zumaria]

I just spend $400 on Jenga this month because she had an infection. A week's worth of Clavamox was $80. Just to walk in the door was $70.

That's not normal though of course, she's typically healthy, but thank goodness I keep a savings account for her.

I spend $100-$150/mo on Jenga. $40 for food (pellets + fresh produce) plus toys. She gets bored with them easily (the ones she doesn't destroy in an hour) so I have to keep a lot of them on hand so I can rotate them.

 

[Buzz2537]

Hi. i don't have a CAG but have been following this forum as I would like to one day add one to our family. I do however have a little Hahn's Macaw, and I can tell you that 1. The cost of ownership is far more then the $10 you were told. We buy not only her dry mix, which is Ultimate blend, but also add into her diet. Nuts, fruits, veggies, etc. as far as feeding I think a fair rule of thumb is to expect $50 a month. Toys can be very expensive, and need to be changed often to prevent boredom. Of course you can make them, but you would still have to buy the supplies etc. We switch Hahnna's toys up every other week unless she ruins them before hand. I probably spend another $25 per month on things I find she may like to play with or when I buy toys in bulk in or around $200 quarterly. This is only the small fraction of parrot ownership. An Avian vet on average costs about $130 just to walk through the door. A perfect example is Hahnna having a simple cold. I walked out of the vet that day with a $450 bill. This is something very important to know because a lot of people never count on that, and do not have funds put away for something like this. As far as time goes, all parrots require attention and if not enough they will resort to plucking, screaming and other destructive behaviors. I work, but Hahnna is out with us at least three four hours a day and when I am off she is out with me all day. i think you have to imagine how you would feel if your only existence was sitting in a small room and only allowed out for an hour a day. I am fortunate enough to have a small room that my husband helped convert into Hahnna's room, so she is only in her cage to sleep. I hope some of my info helps. Good luck.