The Tangobird!

[MrSquak]

Hey everybody, been a while since i posted any new pictures of my favorite little green (and yellow!) bird.

Tango had some kind of feather problem last year and lost most of her flight feathers, this might have been a stress reaction to the addition of our grey bird, Talon.

My gf and I are americans working in Mainland China (i'm a business consultant she's vice principal at an international school program) and this is NOT a country with competent or regulated veterinary care. I love Tango like a pet and money isn't an issue for two Americans living in a developing country. A friend of mine took their cat (a common housecat not an exotic!) to a vet and was given a toxic combination of medicine that killed her. Just like with medical doctors here, the drive to sell you things and lack of regulation makes medical care for an exotic pet more dangerous than any disease. I'm really glad that T-bird #1 seemed to pull through OK!


She seems to be doing much better now and is starting to regrow her lost feathers. Her disposition never changed, always a sweet energetic bird and a great little friend!

 

[BirdyMomma]

My goodness. That is so terrifying, to be at the mercy of health care "professionals" who are merely merchants. I'm glad your baby is OK.

If it's ok to ask, did you get your birds here in the US, and bring them there to China with you, or did you acquire them abroad? Also, if you are returning to the states, what difficulties do you anticipate in returning with them? I am just curious. Please forgive me if my question was inappropriate.

 

[MrSquak]

Me too! Mainland China has a LOT of growing up to do culturally before they can really claim to be a modern society...it's more than just tall buildings and luxury cars.

Oh not inappropriate at all, we got both of our birds while living here and how we are going to get them home is something that really weighs on us. Technically all "live avian commodities" are banned from import to the US and it doesn't seem to make a distinction between high-density poultry and a pampered parrot.

I have friends in the state department that might be able to clear things up, but it may be an incredibly difficult process that involves finding a 3rd country that allows imports from China and then re-exporting the birds from there to the US, which may involve having to falsify origin documents. It's pretty scary to think about, that would be quite a risky ordeal for the dear birds.

 

[TessieB]

I can imagine living in a different country has its disadvantages. I've always heard not to get sick in China. Mexico....etc. Good luck keeping your birds with you when you travel back home.

 

[Kiwibird]

You should be able to bring her with you since she is a pet, but she has to go through quarantine, and you have to fill out paperwork of course. Heres more infer-

Bring pets into the United States

 

[Betrisher]

I think your Tango is just gorgeous, Mr Squak (always have done - she's so green!) I hope you manage to sort out the red tape to take her back to the US with you. It would be an awful shame to have to leave her behind!

 

[Terry57]

Tango is beautiful! She has so many other colours than my Xander has I am glad to hear she is doing better and I hope you are able to bring her back to the states with you.

 

[MrSquak]

I think your Tango is just gorgeous, Mr Squak (always have done - she's so green!) I hope you manage to sort out the red tape to take her back to the US with you. It would be an awful shame to have to leave her behind!

Thanks! tango is very green, except where she's yellow!

Unfortunately if you look through those Agriculture department files its illegal to import pet birds from China. My emergency plan would be to fly to dubai, which allows a pet bird from China, probably pay a bribe for a certificate of origin from a dubai breeder, then back to the US. God that's going to be expensive. (Risky too! Quite an ordeal for a parrot)

As long as there are active recent cases of bird flu in China there is no way to import directly.

Fortunately I have a good job here so I have no immediate plans to move...though at times I would certainly like to!