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Rescues vs breeders
I’ve been following a thread on www.Linkedin.com regarding rescues. I wonder what your opinions are of Rescues vs. breeders. Some people seem to think they can get a better animal for a breeder than a rescue. Are you from the buy or rescue camp?
Some people don't realize how much work a parrot can be. I think a trip to a rescue is educational. I prefer rescue myself. That should be 1st choice. They know the bird and have cared for it. Remember that parrots live a long time and are complicated. With intelligence comes great love and rewards but also lots of trouble and expense. Research and education before getting a bird is important.
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I'm from the rescue camp because there are more and more parrots needing new, caring homes every day. (Some people feel that breeders should not even be encouraged, at this point, because of the numbers of birds in rescue facilities.)
The key word, to me, is "better" -- I don't feel that breeder birds are necessarily better than rescue birds. An individual parrot's potential as a pet depends on its health, experiences, history with humans, etc.
One caveat, though: (1) As Shelley wrote in her comment, "research and education before getting a bird is important" and I feel that applies even more to a rescue bird. It's possible that it may take a long time to establish basic trust, if the bird was abused, and/or tremendous patience if the bird has major behavioral issues.
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I just rescued a Blue/Gold named Elvis. He is 25 yrs old and quite sad. I have had him 3/4 wks now and he is slowly coming around. He has plucked all the feathers on his body and picks at his wings and tail feathers. The vet said other than that, he is in good shape. He has a dislocated leg/hip and which is an old wound. The vet tells me that there is nothing she can do in that area. But he gets around fine. He will come to me and let me pet his head, but is still quite leary of men. I don't think a rescue is for first time bird owners. But then again, it would depend on the reason a person is getting a bird. In reading some comments, Yes...I don't believe people realize how much goes into raising a bird; no matter how big or small. A person should educate themselves and be into it for the long haul. Also taking into consideration the life span of some of these birds! I have six in my flock and I love them all. I use my birds as therapy in nursing homes and hospitals and any other function that wants us. It's amazing how many people have never touched a bird or held one. My ministry is called, "Wings Of Joy". People are usually excited about seeing us. They asked alot of questions and I do my best to answer them. Owning a bird is definitely an ongoing education process. I buy books and subscribe to magazines to help me. I also belong to an online club for Senegal parrots. This type of communication puts me in contact with many resourses such as breeders and long time bird owners. In my opinion, I would not start off with a rescue for my first bird. I didn't. Rescues can have many issues that some people are just not equipped to handle. But do your homework before you start your flock. Read, talk to people with birds, etc....but love the animal you decide to bring into your home. And interact with your animals. Don't just keep them in cages and never handle them; what fun is that?
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