How many
different parrot species do you breed?
I currently breed two
species of Aratinga Conure, two species of Pyrrhura Conure, one type of
Macaw, both sub-species of Caique, four species of Old World birds, and one
species of Eclectus.
Why did you choose these species to breed?
There are many species of parrot out there that are more beautiful, or
exotic, but I went for birds I found to be extremely good pets. Of course,
each species has its ups and downs - especially at sexual maturity! Each
bird still needs consistency and boundaries set for them to retain their pet
quality status also. The birds I've chosen to breed are birds I personally
love and that fit well within my family which ranges from senior aged down
to a teenager.
Do you ever
sell unweaned babies?
I will never sell unweaned babies to people buying a pet bird.
Do you
maintain a closed aviary?
Absolutely! My aviary follows the MAP Closed Concept Aviary
program. I know a lot of people want to pick their baby out, but it's not
worth the tragedy that would happen if disease entered my aviary or nursery.
I have never had a baby bird when it has been weaned correctly and
socialized correctly not bond with their owner when they meet. I know
picking out a baby is a big thing, but believe me, if you came into my
nursery for a Sun Conure baby and I let 5 babies out, they would all rush to
you and all 5 would pick you enthusiastically.
Do you attend
bird clubs and bird marts with your birds?
Absolutely NOT. I
think bird marts are one of the biggest transmitters of disease for our
birds. It gives new bird owners a false and deadly sense of security when
bird clubs, breeders and vets sanction bird marts/fairs. There are many
articles extolling the dangers of bird fairs - even on my own website!
People need to realize that it's harmful for their treasured companions.
This doesn't mean people shouldn't
visit bird fairs for the social aspect of it -WITHOUT their birds. Even
buying a cage or some easily disinfected toys is acceptable, but I would
never buy a bird from a breeder who routinely exhibited their babies or
breed-stock at a bird fair, and I would caution everyone who visits a bird
fair to immediately go home and wash your clothing, shoes, accessories
you've brought with you and shower thoroughly before they touch their birds.
Also, do not bring any objects purchased there inside until they're
disinfected and cleaned completely first.
Do you ever
buy unweaned babies and hand-feed them?
Yes, there are times
that I do this. When I do, I work with very close friends of mine locally
who follow the same principles of breeding that I do personally. I know the
breed stock, their health history, and I know how they are taken care of.
This is the only acceptable way I would bring in babies that weren't hatched
in my nursery. That said, those babies are not reared in my nursery, but in
a secondary place I use for quarantine. When the babies are tested and found
clean and free of disease and viruses or infections, they are finished in my
nursery.
Are your
chicks routinely incubator hatched?
If at all possible, I try to allow my pairs to hatch their own
young. I do have a couple of pairs that attempt to assist the chick out of
the egg at times, and those pairs I do pull their eggs from. I will hatch
them out, slip fake eggs back under the hen, then return their chicks to
them after a successful incubator hatch if possible. There are other times
when I will incubate the eggs and raise the chicks from day 1.
If parent
hatched, how long do your babies stay with the parent birds before being
taken from the nest for hand-feeding?
I allow my parents to feed their offspring until the eyes barely
open in the babies. Babies will imprint on the parents and I want my babies
to have zero preconceptions or anxieties about humans when I take them for
hand-feeding.
Do you
routinely give your breeding pairs a break from breeding or do they produce
year round?
My breeding pairs are adjusted to climate changes and seasonal
changes, so they breed as close to a natural schedule as I can possibly
offer them. This allows them to have long natural breaks between clutches.
While I want lots of sweet babies, I would rather have my breeding pairs
remain healthy for decades to come and not burn them out as egg machines.
Can you
provide photos of the parent birds and/or information about their subspecies
and background (wild caught or domestic raised).
It would take me 10 minutes to walk out to my breeders, snap
current shots and email photos to interested buyers. Any information on my
pairs is available to people interested in my babies at any time. I keep
records religiously.
Are the parent
birds fed a varied diet that includes fresh foods daily?
My breeders are fed better than myself! I use fresh foods and
sprouts, a good pelleted diet and a very small amount of seed. My species
get fed specifically for their dietary needs. My breeders are fed the same
foods as my pets and my babies. Healthy parents equal healthy babies.
What method of
hand feeding do you use?
I hand-feed with a syringe. I find this affords me the most control
over how much goes into a baby's mouth. While I'm experienced enough to
'power feed' babies, I find this method of feeding to be dangerous and won't
do it. Spoon feeding takes far too long and cools the formula too quickly
and often the baby gets so frustrated it will stop eating. Syringes are the
ONLY way I feed healthy babies. I want my babies to eat slowly and taste
their food, but not so slowly that it causes them to stop eating entirely.
Do you
routinely gavage feed babies?
I do not gavage feed my babies at all, unless there is a medical reason for
it.
How much time
do you actually spend with your babies daily? How do you interact with them?
My nursery is right outside my office and I usually have a clutch in my
office in a play area. I try to spend as much time with my chicks as
possible. I especially like to preen them which instigates them to offer
preening in return. In the wild, allo-preening is very important
psychologically and it's very appreciated and comforting to hand-fed babies
as well. This also allows my babies to understand that touching their whole
bodies is a welcome thing and not to be feared.
Are your
babies raised in isolation or with clutch mates or other babies of similar
age?
Sometimes I just have
one baby, and I am always sad when that happens. I want my babies to
experience other clutch mates and species of birds. That gives them an edge
in today's households where multi-species are common. I also allow my weaned
babies to get to know adult birds as well; my personal pets. This unique
technique of using my older birds to role model for the babies has proven
invaluable. Not only do my babies learn they're definitely birds, but they
understand 'bird' discipline in a safe manner. I also do not go to bird
shows or allow my birds outside near other parrots, my pets are kept in
tip-top health and maintained regularly.
Do you "discipline" your babies?
I beat them daily. ...Just kidding! I don't feel birds
need discipline in the common concept of the word. Birds need consistency
and understanding. It's our responsibility to interact with birds at their
level and work within their instinctual means. If a bird is getting out of
hand behaviorally, then the goal is to find out why, and to counter it
productively and pro-actively. This does not work with discipline. That
said, I do teach my babies basic commands and manners before they leave my
home. They understand and can perform "Step up" and "Step down", as
well as "Stand" or "Stay" which means they have to remain perched on the
hand, not rush up the arm to the shoulder, or fling themselves into a torso
for a demanded cuddle. They are also used to the words "No bite", "Gentle",
and "Easy".
At what
age do your babies wean?
I could give you a
chart on the average weaning times per species. In reality, it varies. Some
wean faster, some slower individually. I abundance wean, so I go by the
specific chick. I do not believe in forcing babies to wean on a schedule, it
makes for neurotic, anxious birds later in life.
What foods do
you offer your weaning babies?
I use both a variety
of pellets and dried fruit/nut/seed mix. My favorite is the Ultimate Blend
made exclusively by Bird Paradise. To that I add additional Roudybush and
Zupreem pellets. It costs more, but you can't beat that blend and all my
birds - from my babies to my breeders love it! I also use freshly sprouted
seeds and grains, fresh fruits and veggies in a mix twice a day, some spray
millet or Nutriberries, and at times, even some Cheerios or air popped
natural popcorn! Pretty much once a baby picks at food and figures it's
pretty tasty, they're willing to eat anything.
How do you
socialize your babies and teach them to enjoy toys?
My babies have toys in
their brooder the minute they come into the nursery from the nest. All sort
of toys from hanging ones with shiny things on them, to chewable foot toys.
My babies don't need to be taught to play with toys at all, because they're
raised with them and are integrated into our one on one time as well. It
also helps them to watch the older babies play with toys too!
As for socializing, my
babies get handled several times a day by my family outside of feeding
times. My daughter loves to sit with the babies surrounding her as she
watches TV. The babies get to eat with us at times, and are never left to
themselves except to sleep and play together. As my office is right outside
the nursery, the winged ones are always flying in for an impromptu snuggle!
My job is so tough! :)
Are your birds
encouraged to become good flyers before their wings are clipped, and what
wing clip do you use?
Absolutely! All of my
babies are fledged before they're allowed to leave my aviary. They must be
able to take off and land where and how they want to, turn in mid air and be
comfortable in their wings before they're wing-clipped. We try first for a
moderate 'baby clip' by removing the first 3 primaries and work from there
to give the babies the best wing-clip with their individual needs of balance
and personal security. I want my babies to glide gracefully downward, not
plummet like a rock. I would rather not trim wings, but I understand that
sometimes it has to happen, so I want to make sure my babies are trimmed
correctly for their individual needs.
Do you flight
train/harness train your babies?
I don't like the word
'harness training'. I introduce babies to the harness from the point they
open their eyes. They get it draped on their bodies, used as a toy, then
they wear it. They don't have any idea that it's not something that's
supposed to be 'trained' into them. I call my babies harness tolerant. That
means they will let you put a harness on them easily. The training, however,
is up to the new owner. If the new owner forgets to put a harness on a baby
for 3 months, then there will probably be some fuss involved!
Are you
available to your clients after the sale for long term follow-up help? Do
you encourage your clients to contact you if the baby has a problem
adjusting to its new home?
I am available to my
clients 24/7. If they need to call me at 3am with a question; fine! I might
snore on the phone a bit, but I'm available. If a baby isn't adjusting to
their new home, I almost demand to know! It's very important to me that my
chicks go to a new home and feel secure and confident and that the new owner
feels the same way!
There's such a limited time between the point of the baby leaving my home
and re-establishing itself in its owners home that I can actually be of help
specifically for that baby. After a couple of months, that baby has
re-invented itself in its new home. So, the techniques I used won't
particularly work well if they're not kept up by the new owner. However,
that doesn't mean that I won't help brainstorm ideas or advise my owners
where and when I can.
Do you provide
references from people who have bought babies from you in the past year?
Absolutely!
Do you provide
a written health guarantee with ample time for the buyer to get a vet check
to determine that the bird is healthy?
I would love not to
have a written health guarantee but a verbal one, but in today's world
that's not worth very much to nervous buyers unfamiliar with me. I want
buyers to be comfortable with their babies and secure in knowing their
babies are healthy, so not only do I have a written guarantee, it's giving
enough time to get a vet's visit without rushing the baby and over-stressing
it right off the bat.
Do you have
your babies microchipped, banded, or do you leave the issue of
identification up to the buyer's discretion?
I use closed AFA logo
leg bands on my babies. This is not only for identification purposes for me,
but AFA bands are registered so if a bird gets lost and subsequently found
later, the baby can be traced back to me, and through me, to the original
owner. There are a lot of stories out there about how dangerous leg
bands are, but in reality, for the thousands of birds wearing properly
fitting leg bands, only a handful have bad ends - and we don't know what the
circumstances were in many cases. Were the bands too loose? Too tight?
Unsafe toys? Who knows! This isn't a large enough amount for me to discount
using leg bands. If a buyer wants the leg band removed off their baby, they
are welcome to have a vet do this for them at a later date.
Do you have
your babies tested for Psittacine Beak & Feather Disease before the sale?
I do not test my
babies for PBFD. I do routinely test aviary birds for this and pet birds.
Since I am a closed aviary, I can feel relatively secure my babies do not
carry this after repeated testing of aviary birds and coming up clean.
Do you have
your babies vaccinated against Polyoma?
I do not vaccinate
against Polyoma. I have a closed aviary, and all my birds are polyoma
tested. I don't test for several reasons. The first is that I don't have a
vet here that will do it inexpensively. The second is that I don't have a
vet here that believes in the vaccine enough TO do it. Third is that I don't
know the long-term effects yet of this vaccine. Fourth, that limits the
people interested in my babies as they have to vaccinate all their standing
birds, or get birds that are vaccinated. So, I leave the vaccinating up to
the new owners. It's their bird, thus, it should be their decision!
Have you ever
had a major health problem such as PDD (Proventricular Dilatation Disease),
PBFD (Psittacine Beak and Feather Disease), Polyoma or other diseases in
your breeding establishment or has your flock experienced multiple
unexplained deaths?
*Knock on wood* I have
had no major health problems in my aviary, nor have I had any unexplained
deaths.
Are necropsies
performed 100% of the time in deaths from unknown cause in your
establishment?
If a bird dies from an
unknown cause, I get my necropsies done by Avian Diplomat Alan Fudge DVM.
Does anyone
smoke in your birds' airspace?
There is absolutely no
smoking around my breeders, pets or nursery birds whatsoever.
How often do you clean cages or aviaries and what disinfectants and
pesticides do you use?
Our cages are cleaned
between twice a week to every day depending on the level required (corn on
the cob days are extra cage cleaning days!). We do not allow feces to build
up in our cages or nest boxes whatsoever. The only time we hesitate to clean
a cage is when a hen is actively laying; then we'll give her a few days
before we tackle the cleaning. As for disinfectants, we use a product called
Pet Focus for disinfecting cages, we use a Zoo pesticide that's non-toxic
called Control, Scalex mite spray, and in the nursery, we use Nolvasan and
Tek-tol for nursery disinfecting.
I
hope this gives you a bit more information on how we do things here, and if
you have further questions, feel free to ask! Big thanks to Carol
Swicegood for this wonderful 'Interview for Breeders' questionnaire found on
her site http://www.eclectusville.com .
