The Birdy Bunch

THE BIRDY BUNCH

Thank you for your interest in adopting my birds. If you adopt my parakeets you agree to the following conditions:

1. You will pay a $5 ADOPTION FEE PER BIRD for 10 or more birds (or 1 bird for $10; 2 birds for $15; 5 birds for $30). Cash at pickup time only, or you can prepay AT LEAST 24 hours in advance using GOOGLE checkout on the homepage. I DO NOT ACCEPT CHECKS, MONEY ORDERS, OR CREDIT CARDS in person.
2. You will keep the birds in a NON-SMOKING environment, with a controlled temperature between 60 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit. Excess heat or cold OR tobacco smoke are extremely hazardous to parakeets. Keep them out of direct drafts from central heating and cooling system vents.
3. You will provide a loving environment for the birds. Parakeets are one of God's greatest miracles. For every ounce of love you put in, you get a pound in return.
4. You will PICK UP your birds in PERSON in LAS VEGAS, NV near the intersection of EASTERN AVE and SILVERADO, roughly 10 miles south of the Strip. UNDER NO CONDITIONS DO I SHIP OR DELIVER BIRDS. You must BRING A CAGE WITH YOU to take them home in (roughly 12 inches square is an ideal travel size). If the trip is lengthy please also provide food and water for the trip. It is also a good idea to bring a towel or 2 you can cover the cage with to keep them calm and draft free on the trip.
5. My birds have NEVER had their wings clipped, so they CAN fly, and they also are NOT BANDED around their feet. Though many breeders use banding, I feel it is hazardous and definitely uncomfortable for the birds. I had one bird once pull a toe through the band and get stuck that way because he was trying so hard to get the band off.
6. You release BIRDYBUNCH.COM and all its owners and agents from any damages you may sustain during your trip to pick up the birds, either in transit or on our premises. This includes, but is not limited to, car accidents, tripping, lightning strikes, fly-by-poopings, and any other acts of God.
7. You will exercise reasonable care in feeding and cleaning the birds.

THE FOLLOWING TIPS ARE GUIDELINES TO ASSIST YOU, NOT CONDTIONS:
I offer these feeding and care tips to assist first-time birdowners:
a) Provide fresh CLEAN water EVERY DAY. This is EXTREMELY important. Do NOT use SOAP to clean the bowls, but make sure you scrub the water bowls thoroughly every day. They should NOT feel at all slimy to the touch. And use bottled or filtered water only, not tap. I advise AGAINST the silo type waterers as they are difficult to clean. Parakeets actually prefer larger bowl type containers they can also bathe in if they are so inclined. Mine especially love plastic tubs with mirrored bottoms. If you have many birds, provide several water containers, and check them often especially in hot weather to make sure your birdies have water.
b) DO NOT PROVIDE GRAVEL, GRIT, or anything that is covered in it (PERCH COVERS, cage carpets and such). It may be hazardous to their digestive systems, the jury is divided on this, but better safe than sorry.
c) DO NOT FEED THEM HUMAN FOOD unless you are certain it is acceptable. ESPECIALLY AVOID CHOCOLATE and AVOCADOS, and POINSETTIA PLANTS which are poisonous to birds.
d) A pellet diet is preferred by vets, BUT most budgies seem to prefer seed. You can try giving them both and trying to focus them on pellets. If you give mostly seed, PLEASE SUPPLEMENT THEIR DIET EVERY DAY with FRESH iceburg lettuce, shredded carrots, and golden corn (UNSALTED). Their favorite veggies. You can also try apples, mine are not too into fruits.
e) CRUCIAL: Keep a cuttlebone available at ALL times, along with any other Calcium supplement mineral blocks your birds might enjoy. Females especially need lots of calcium if they start churning out eggs. My birds especially enjoy AVIAN SELECT FLAVORED cuttlebones (they come in orange, yellow and purple) available at PETCO.
f) If you wish to encourage breeding, keep your birds on a NATURAL light cycle. Expose them to sunrise and sunset and try to avoid artifical lighting if at all possible - let them sleep at night.
g) If you let them FLY, which is very good exercise for them, make sure ALL WINDOWS AND DOORS ARE CLOSED and ALL CEILING FANS ARE OFF and any other HOUSEHOLD PETS are not in the area.
h) Keep the birds AWAY from kitchen fumes and household cleaning fumes; be very CAREFUL if using a vaccuum cleaner near them.
i) Cages should be cleaned at least once per week, depending upon the size of the cage and the number of birds you have.
j) If you want to breed your birds, provide at LEAST one nest box per FEMALE in your flock. It is best to have TWO BOXES per female. This will avoid fights between the females, which can result in death. Boxes should be a durable wood, 8X7.5X6.5 inches minimum, with 2 inch diameter entry hole. Parakeets are kinda nutty in that if you try to put anything inside the box to cushion the floor, the hens usually toss it out. They prefer bare wood. It is for the good of the babies if you can get them to put up with a thin layer of corn cob or Aspen shavings. The babies sometimes develop foot injuries if they cannot get proper traction on a bare wood surface. Try to avoid cleaning or disturbing the nest at all until all the babies are at least 3 weeks old. They are extremely fragile in the early days of life, and you are better off letting them live in a bit of mess than risking any injury.
k) Hens may lay eggs even if they are not hatching or breeding. Some birds just GOTTA lay. There isn't much you can do to stop them. I have yet to find an effective parakeet contraceptive. Pictures of Roseanne Barr work on me, but it seems totally lost on them.

Thank you VERY much for adopting a BIRDYBUNCH bird, and should you EVER have any questions about your parakeets please feel free to email me.