What happens after...

[Taprock]

I want to preface with the fact I am not pointing fingers or trying to get anyone upset. I just want to know.

I have been watching locally for any parrots for sale. More to get an idea what is out there in case our adoption falls through. I have come across three pairs of Macaws that are "Breeding" pairs not for pets.

My background: I have exotic chickens. I started out wanting to breed them but discovered I can't cull chicks that aren't perfect and I can't cull adults that are past fertility. At that point they all have names and I know them personally. I also don't have the heart to separate and pen them. So I don't breed them, I just have a huge flock.

So back to parrots, what happens to these breeding pairs that are out there and the breeder doesn't want them anymore and they are only 20 but can't be handled?

 

[JerseyWendy]

Are you looking at birds that are advertised as 'proven' breeders or at 'retired' breeders?

A 20-year old big mac is still quite capable of producing/breeding, so please be careful. Unless someone can offer you proof of the birds' age, they can tell you they are 20, when in fact they could just as easily be 5 or 50.

Big macs are pair-bond birds. They will 'be married' for life. So, assuming you get a pair of non producing or retired big macs that haven't been handled, you will have your hands full if you expect them to become mush macs. If you can live with providing them a happy, caring, and loving home, however, without expecting too much in return, they may be forever grateful.

(Still have my fingers crossed the other adoption goes through for you )

 

[Taprock]

I know one pair said proven but went on to say they had not done anything since he had them which was why he was selling.

I'm sure an unhandled pair is way beyond my abilities! I guess I was wondering if once they are a bonded pair that hasn't been handled if they still have interest in developing human friendships. Or is that different with individual birds. It would be difficult to care for a pair that wanted nothing to do with you. It is also sad that they would spend the rest of their life with no outside interaction.

Seeing three pair in an area were even one bird is rare caught my eye and made me wonder.

 

[Turk]

Hey Taprock, welcome to the forum.

I am here in Michigan and there have been many, many scammers on some of the "birds for sale" websites recently so be careful!

Two places you may be interested in is Wings & Things Pets in Bay City and Hurlin's bird rescue in Traverse City. I have not been to either but have heard very good things about them.

Good Luck in your search.

 

[Taprock]

Thanks Turk, There has been some lately that have made me wonder. We are up by Mackinaw so Hurlin's is closest. We tried to get in contact with them a while back but never got any returned email or phone. Many of the rescues in our area have closed and are gone so I wondered if that was the case.

 

[Terry57]

We have taken in several retired pairs in the last year and a half.
The first 2, Ki & Cally, are a DYH and RLA. Their original mates had died and they were thrown together and bonded. She was between 50 and 60 when we got her, and Ki was 7, and they were both badly plucked.
The others came from a breeder who suddenly decided to get rid of all her breeders since many were old. When she asked me to take them, she said I'd to have to take them all.
I put a call out to my friends who have birds, and we took 6 caiques, 3 Amazons, 2 Lord Derbyans, 2 Alexes, 2 Red Bellied, 2 Meyers, 2 Sennies and 1 CAG.
My friend who raises caiques took all those, my friend who owns the rescue adopted the Derbys & Alexes, the amazons went to a sanctuary and I kept the rest.

All the ones I kept are in their 20s, and are happily retired. We have all the pairs in a separate bird room as they seem to be happier like that.
It is definitely not interaction like I have with the rest of my flock, but it is satisfying in it's own way. It's wonderful to know that they can just kick back and relax, no more double clutches, they have toys and a good diet, and very little stress. All of them were living in sheds before they came here. I can't imagine the pairs being tame as long as they have each other.
On the other hand, in addition to the CAG, we also have a YCA and a Hawkhead who were breeders all their lives but lost their mates. The CAG (Justice) has calmed down so much, and enjoys scritches and toys now. He was 17 when we got him. He talks up a storm and seems happy. The Hawkhead (Darwin) was 22 when we got her 2 years ago, and she will step up sometimes, and talks, and finally plays with toys. The YCA (Dexter), took forever to come out of his cage, and has stepped up twice in the 2 years we have him. He is not tame at all, and may never be.
I think Wendy said it best - it's all in what you expect from them, and if you can accept a different relationship, it can be a wonderful experience for bird and human both

 

[MangoandKiwi]

We adopted a breeding pair of conures-not-pets from craigslist.
The former owner/breeder told us they were absolutely not-tame and never socialized/handled.

I expected that it would take a year before they would tolerate me and prob never be on my shoulder etc. I just wanted to give them a good home, no more breeding.

Fact is that Mango (the male) was stepping up on day 1!! and on the shoulder on day 2! Kiwi took within a week treats from my hand and came out of her cage with 2 weeks.
I hope they will soon fly around the home

It can go either way but they can for sure be offered a better enrichment (A lot of craigslist breeders seem to keep their pairs in tiny cages without enrichment)

I would do it again. Although I would like to have more experience for the big birds

 

[MonicaMc]

Sometimes, breeders sell "proven pairs" because the birds are *NOT* producing.... and they aren't producing because it's a same sex pair!


There's a local breeder near me that has been breeding for several years (perhaps even longer than I've been alive!) and seems to think that she knows it all! You can't argue with her because she wont listen!

Well, she ended up with a pair of cherry headed conures and she gave them a nest box. The birds "acted" like a pair, going as far as going into the nest box together and being really close. Well, the birds never reproduced, she never DNA (let alone SS) sexed them, and now they are up for sale! Sad thing is, they were a pair of birds in need of a home, not birds that were breeding.... so when they ended up at a breeders house and failed to breed, instead of being rehomed, they're for sale...

 

[Puck]

Well that's what you get for assuming birds aren't interested in same sex nesting! :54: :09: :21:

 

[Aquila]

I have two breeder pairs, one of blue front amazons the other is a conure pair. I'm not rushing them at the moment to tame, but the amazons will tolerate me to an extent. I can reach in the cage and move things, change food and water no problem. They'll take treats from my hands but will back away if I get any closer.

The conures are curious, and I think they can be tamed, they're relatively young (under 10) and I think with enough bribing they can be tamed. But it is a lot of work, and without knowing history it's hard to say how "well" birds are bonded together.