The breeding practice of very common, inexpensive birds (ie. Budgies, Cockatiels, Lovies)

What are your thoughts on the breeding practice of very common birds, the ones that are abundant in pet stores and often seen as disposable?

I've noticed that while Budgies are seen pretty much every pet store, there are very few breeders who raise quality, handfed babies. Just wondering what everyone thinks of such practice? Do you believe that it is a benefit to society to offer well socialized, healthy birds of such species, or do you feel that this only perpetuates the problem of unwanted, neglected animals?

People don't want to pay for it. The handful of people on forums who would be willing to pay more for a quality budgie's not enough incentive. There's still more money in providing the chain pet stores with 500 budgies every month.

You can find quality specimens of the "cheap" birds. You need to look to hobby and show breeders.

Wow- the sound of 500 birds per month, really horrifies me. I didn't know the number was that high.

GlassOnion wrote:

Wow- the sound of 500 birds per month, really horrifies me. I didn't know the number was that high.

Oh hey, 500 was just a number I pulled out of my rear end. I don't remember the exact number I was told by PetCo, but it is into the hundreds every month.

patdbunny wrote:

People don't want to pay for it.

Ditto.
People see budgie in Pet/co/mart or another type of stores and think: "E, &20 is not a harm". A lot of times they are buying them and after a while, when they are bored, budgies finish rehome...
So I believe there is no breeders fault, but buyers.

I'm pretty sure I've made my grudge against Petco abundantly clear, but for sake of answering the question..

I think breeding practices of any living being should be held to a certain set of standards. I've met very few breeders that breed any animal for the love of the animal, but rather do it for the love of the money they make from the sale of that animal. Luckily, the breeders we have as members here aren't like that.

If you're selling birds to a store like Petco or PETsMART, I think there should be mandatory inspections of all breeding facilities and all birds. I don't think these inspections should be at regular, timed intervals but at random. This, in my opinion, would reduce the mass production of poor quality, often inbred, birds.

I find it hard to believe that anyone would purchase a pet from any chain pet store if they knew the breeding practices of the store suppliers. I can't see how or why anyone would want to buy a pet with the possibility of that pet becoming seriously ill due to improper breeding and care. I honestly would prefer that pet stores weren't allowed to sell live animals because none of the ones I've seen have actually cared about the animals in question.

Also, ridiculously low prices for an animal tend to make people view those animals as throw away pets. People who spend $15 on a budgie at Petco don't see the budgie the same way they see the $300 conure. People too often have a problem with equating inexpensive to cheap and valueless.



This topic really irritates me, too. I have no patience for people who equate cheap birds with a lack of worth. And I have even less patience for pet stores that cater to the idiocy of consumers.

Back in Fallen_Parakeet's breeding thread, I was thinking of how I would personally do it IF I ever were to.. and it would definitely be to share the wonderful companionship of commonly thrown around birds, and to educate owners on proper bird ownership- hoping that they will learn to view these animals under a new light.

I would send my babies with food, toys, a harness, and also harness train them before leaving me. Probably wouldn't make more than a few dollars.

It's like any other "cheap" animal. It's about what the consumer will pay. I love rats as pets. It's very hard to find a nice, healthy pet rat. When I want a pet rat, I have to do a lot of shopping around. For awhile all that were available had respiratory problems, were inbred or otherwise not healthy. These rats were fine for feeding to snakes, but weren't pets. There are more purchasers of snake food than purchasers of pet rats. Snake people are not going to pay $20 for a rat.

As for Fallen_Parakeet, he has a decent independent bird store in the area. I'd encourage him to sell his babies there. Independent pet stores are the way to go. Not that they're all good and decent, but there's a higher chance they'd be.

Personally I think that if they are raised to be quality pets that are genetically healthy, it's a positive. As for perpetuating the unwanted, neglected animals, the pet stores will do that on their own. I would think a quality pet less likely to lose its home, and so a good breeder would actually be helping that trend rather than worsening it.

Everyone else has a point though - no one wants to pay more than the pet store price for a "quality pet". People do only see disposable, and unfortunately there's no way to change that. You see quality, they see more dollar signs and nothing more. Raising nice babies AND competing with retail prices would be financially very very difficult for a breeder, so a breeder of the quality birds would be more unlikely to thrive. Do I think breeding quality common birds a good thing? Yes. Unfortunately, I don't think it will ever become a common thing. It will always be the show competitors or small scale hobbyists that breed quality birds. And the people supplying stores aren't them.

You, GlassOnion, would be the hobbyist. Not in it for the money, but for the fun of it and the education of others. I'm not saying it's not possible, I'm just saying that's what would be needed - dedication just for the heck of it, or for the birds, or for fun. Most people aren't dedicated enough.

Honestly, if I were to breed birds, I would never be able to sell them. I'd make people jump through all kinds of hoops to be able to buy a bird from me.

This is definitely a pickle of a topic. A part of me thinks that any breeding would automatically add to the already overpopulated society of *disposable* birds, but a part of me thinks that it could possible sway some people to avoid chain stores and not support that industry because well, they'd have gotten the bird from me and not PetCo.

"Vote with your dollar!"

KayLayUh wrote:

Honestly, if I were to breed birds, I would never be able to sell them. I'd make people jump through all kinds of hoops to be able to buy a bird from me.

LOL, I considered having buyers sign a notarized contract. But then, that itself would drive away everyone.

GlassOnion wrote:

KayLayUh wrote:

Honestly, if I were to breed birds, I would never be able to sell them. I'd make people jump through all kinds of hoops to be able to buy a bird from me.

LOL, I considered having buyers sign a notarized contract. But then, that itself would drive away everyone.

A notarized contract for care of the bird, a contract for relinquishment of an unwanted bird, detailed wills for birds that often outlive the owners. Classes about proper feeding, housing, and care. Meeting with and handling said bird multiple times per sale. Proof of qualified vet with avian experience, including calling to verify that said bird has been seen within a week of purchase..



Yeah, I wouldn't be selling any birds.

GlassOnion wrote:

This is definitely a pickle of a topic. A part of me thinks that any breeding would automatically add to the already overpopulated society of *disposable* birds, but a part of me thinks that it could possible sway some people to avoid chain stores and not support that industry because well, they'd have gotten the bird from me and not PetCo.

"Vote with your dollar!"

My experience has been that people who have bought a nice animal from a good breeder or an independent pet store that cares about the animal (does exist!) won't buy a substandard one from a chain store. They know better. They also tell their friends not to buy an animal from the chain stores and refer them to a better source. I get repeats and referral customers.

GlassOnion wrote:

This is definitely a pickle of a topic. A part of me thinks that any breeding would automatically add to the already overpopulated society of *disposable* birds, but a part of me thinks that it could possible sway some people to avoid chain stores and not support that industry because well, they'd have gotten the bird from me and not PetCo.

"Vote with your dollar!"

Unfortunately, there is no right answer there, I think. It would add to the "disposable" bird group. It would be unavoidable that eventually a bird you sell would end up in a bad home, even though you do all you can to assure that won't happen. But it would also sway some people to avoid chains and take better care of their birds. It would help someone else discover a love for birds.

I just wish more kids were home schooled, thank you EC and PDB

henpecked wrote:

I just wish more kids were home schooled, thank you EC and PDB

Gotta give the kudos to my hubby. I'm too witchie to homeshool. I'm also lacking in the brain cell department.