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This just urkes me with so many out there needing forever homes. But I feel this way this all Animals across the board. I just think we have over-populated and have caused so much to care for, and it keeps growing- Just a thought from my head.

I think many who don't know birds well think it would be easy money -- the breeding birds do all the work and then the babies sell for thousands. After setting up breeders and learning how very hard it is, there is too much invested to just quit, so it then seems most efficient to add a few more pairs so there will be more babies to make all this work pay off.

I'm less distressed with hobbiest macaw breeding than most other species because they are so endangered, yet -- unlike many cockatoos -- they usually adapt to life in captivity without going insane. It's the countless budgies and cockatiels I'm most saddened about. How many must die even before weaning because people know nothing and are unwilling and unable to pay for adequate vet care. I consider it mass murder, although I realize it isn't intentional. Just ignorance, greed, and lack of respect for life. Rather serious character flaws in my opinion. And this is my opinion, obviously.

Paca

I tend to agree.

However, I also think there are fors and againsts. If the breeder keeps the birds until they are fully weaned and is prepared to provide information/guidance sheets for their birds then that can only be a good thing. In my case, I have just bought my first Blue and Gold Macaw (Jackers) and to be perfectly truthful, I do not think the breeder should have sold me (or anyone for that matter) Jackers until he had been fully weaned. Having said that, I am thoroughly enjoying hand rearing him. No questions were asked by the breeder (i.e. have you done this before, etc) he just showed me how he did it and then left.

Before buying Jackers, I too, wondered why the Macaws were expensive. It is not just that they are endangered. Jackers is only on 3 feeds a day now (he is 14 weeks old). When they are taken from the nest and hand-fed, they are fed every two hours (please correct me if I am wrong there). So therefore, an awful lot of time is invested in them (sleepless nights and no social life for several months whilst raising the chicks). In the future, I would like to breed Blue and Gold Macaws myself. This would not be purely a "business" thing for me and I would most certainly want to "vet" the homes my babies were going to. But I would not breed from Jackers. He is my baby and a pet (a very spoilt one!!). Instead, I would like to build an aviary (we have 7,000m2 enclosed land and no nearby neighbours) and buy a pair of Macaws. If they didn't bond and breed (or weren't already when I bought them), then it truly wouldn't be a big issue for me - like I said, NOT a business venture. They would not be dumped in favour for another pair.

It is not for everybody and unfortunately, there are lots of breeders and dealers obviously in it for the money. They hand feed the birds then shove them back in the box until the next feed with very little actual "care" in between. They can't wait to sell them for lots of money so they don't have to do the hard work anymore and then it is on to the next batch ready to hatch.

There are also lots of good breeders. They truly care about their birds and the families they go to. You need to check the people out before buying a bird from them and see the birds before hand. This way, you can make an informed decision and buy with confidence.

These are just my thoughts. Sorry to go on a bit.....

Its not the Breeders that are set up and knowledgeable- its the backyard ones that urinate me the hell off- sorry Im still recovering The ones that think lets try this and no clue what they are doing. Even more so the people who buy them-lets get a bird without knowing how or what to do. then 6 months it out in garage, basement till someone like us goes and lays 1700.00 to get it proper dwellings, care and spend years re-habbing.

Hate to disagree with you but many of the backyard breeders are better then the bird mills. Many of your large breeders have 200 pairs or more, no time for the birds, only care about production and sell to brokers or pet stores day one right out of the nest. They sell so cheap that if the stores or brokers lose a few it is no big deal to them. It's all about money Many of the backyard breeders you are putting down put a lot of love and time into their birds and keep them for life rather then ditch them the first year they don't produce.

I agree- I have a friend of sorts that got into breeding dogs to make money- now I have cleaned her home- buried dogs, bought dog food, repaired, cleaned and helped and was promised she would cut back and place dogs- she had 26 a month ago- I have taken a Min Pin I placed with her- cause she wanted one- took her back cause she was nothing but skin and bones- after I paid 500.00 to rescue her from a cat crate. along with 2 toy poodles. This weekend my hubby is building shelters- but Im through she now has 29 dog, keeps buying and getting them, and cant care for them. And AC wont do a damn thing about a dog horder!

So long as there is a market for such things then such things will continue to happen. Didn't you say you worked for a pet store that sells birds? Where do those birds come from? Not that it matters really. So long as there are people that come in the door to buy them, then there will always be birds for sale.

Just as we had to work hard to make ivory jewelry unpopular, fur, cigarettes and transfats, we're working hard to spread the word about parrots. We can't just give up and go silent. You must be tired.

Paca

cathyt wrote:So long as there is a market for such things then such things will continue to happen. Didn't you say you worked for a pet store that sells birds? Where do those birds come from? Not that it matters really. So long as there are people that come in the door to buy them, then there will always be birds for sale.

cathyt:
Yes, I did till my elbows have given out on me. She buys un-weaned from re-putable breeders. But never a hybrid, dont think she ever would- she too is very against them.She will not sell to everyone, if they dont have knowledge or she doesnt feel things right with them, she keeps the bird. The motto there is rather keep and raise and take a loss than have it passed. There are older birds there due to this, but they are socialized and cared for. I only know of 2 places Id buy a bird from she is one, and I worked for the other 20 yrs ago and have run into customers of theirs and hear and see the same- Nice to feel Proud of these people. There are birds for sale everywhere, that will never change- god knows we have spent money to assure a quality home- Im sure our birds are very greatful.

Yes it is sad and I have actually talked my friend Lisa into adopting a G&B macaw pair from a breeder that just wants to get rid of them. She has worked with parrots all her life and her family still has the same Macaw from when she was 5 and she is now 29. It is very sad to see what us as humans do to all animals, it is so sad. The only problem is that man doesnt realize it until it is too late to fix.

Angie