Buying a Parrot

dwmte7 says on Dec 15, 2007, 11:46:

two suggestions...the veteranaran at the medellin zoo and at the minorista in downtown. i bought my toucans on the street in poblado...needless to say, they weren't from a farm.

dwmte

Andy C says on Dec 15, 2007, 14:55:

i haven't visited PBH for a while, but it's sad to see posts like this. Parrots and Toucans belong in their natural habitats not in a cage for your amusement.

slguy says on Dec 15, 2007, 15:05:

usher, douglas? you guys feel properly chastised? ;)

Before you throw me out, make sure I pay my bar tab

getting better says on Dec 15, 2007, 15:23:

To be fair the guy said he wanted to buy a captive-bred parrot, but a good way to help threatened parrots in Colombia is to sponsor a nest-box. They really do work:
http://www.proaves.org/rubrique.php?id_rubrique=206

lpdiver says on Dec 15, 2007, 15:49:

Parrot farm????

t

"cook some rice!"

vicshere says on Dec 15, 2007, 15:52:

a place where they grow up parrots

listo

nueva york bombero says on Dec 15, 2007, 16:08:

What are you going to pirate school? Next you'll want to know where they sell eye patches and wooden legs! The Medellin rum is tastier than Capt. Morgans, by the way.....

lpdiver says on Dec 15, 2007, 17:31:

maybe it would be easier to mail order some parrot seeds and grow your own.

t

"cook some rice!"

vicshere says on Dec 15, 2007, 18:31:

Horny Parrot
A woman had a female parrot which kept saying: "Hello, I am very horny. Do you want to have some fun?"

She was frantic, so she went to her Pastor to find a solution to the problem. The Pastor said, "Bring your bird to my house. I have two male parrots who read the bible and pray all the time. They will be a good influence on her."

So, the woman brought the parrot to his house and put her parrot into the cage with the two male birds. She squawked, "Hello, I am very horny. Do you want to have some fun?" One male parrot looked at the other one and said, "Put away the Bible, our prayers have been answered."

listo

vicshere says on Dec 15, 2007, 18:36:

A burglar enters a house through a window, and hears someone/something say, "Jesus is watching!" the burglar gets nervous and stands perfectly still in the dark, waiting a couple minutes he hears nothing & decides to move.. Again he hears "Jesus is watching!". he see’s a parrot and asks, "Was that you" the parrot then says "Yes" the burglar, in relief.. asks the parrot, "What is your name?" the parrot says "Clarence" the burglar chuckles, "Who names their parrot Clarence?" the parrot replies, "The same idiot that names their roetweiler, Jesus"

listo

miamimike says on Dec 15, 2007, 19:03:

I was going to suggest Washington DC but then you added Intelligent to your description so can't go there. Otherwise if it was just a parrot, go to Washington DC as there is a Group (of Parrots)soon to be turned loose(like 2008) looking for a New Home! LOL

"Wait a minute. What did you just say? You're predicting $4-a-gallon gas? ... That's interesting. I hadn't heard that." -- Feb. 28, 2008 --George W. Bush, Washington, D.C.,

Lisa Zee says on Dec 15, 2007, 20:30:

En un convento había una lora muy grosera, las monjas la pusieron en un costal para que el gato la matara,( idea de la madre superiora). Al amanecer las monjas corrieron a ver como quedaría muerta la lora, abrieron con cuidado y de-pronto salio la lora, caminando muy coqueta y despeinada....... "QUE NOCHE....... , QUE LUNA....., QUE GATO"!!!!!!

Atrevido says on Dec 16, 2007, 03:29:

I agree. Why don´t you get a cat or a dog or a rabbit other creature that is domestic. Alternatively a bird that has been injured and can no longer survive in the wild. Humane Society type places do exist but I have never heard of and seriously doubt anyone in Colombia breeds parrot chics for sale. If the adults can breed they should be doing so in the wild.

ellbee2 says on Dec 16, 2007, 06:21:

I hope all of you people leaving these messages about being "humane" are Vegans, otherwise your points are moot and it's like talking politics with someone who didn't vote.

These birds don't know they live in a cage and not the jungle. When people quit trying to put human characteristics , emotion , and the power to deduce and reason on animals, maybe then they will "get it" and start putting their efforts and resources into "human" problems. There are several to choose from.......do I need to list them?

"You've got to be very careful if you don't know where you are going because you might not get there." Yogi Berra

dwmte7 says on Dec 16, 2007, 06:32:

for all to be clear....yes, there are breeding facilities in colombia. a miami friend of mine wanted me to start a breeding facility as that is the only source for birds for export. it was some 19 years ago that i bought my two tucans on the upper end of cl diaz in poblado. a chap was sitting on the corner with the two birds in a cage. i bought them for 39.00 dollars and gave them a better life than they had with the chap i bought them from. they lived for years and were good friends...especially of my index finger, which one of them was insistant on removing. are they better in the wild...of course. i just saved a couple who weren't.

again, in looking for a captive breeding facility, contact the medellin zoo. the vet there used to be mercedes ????, a friend who tended my many animals and the many in the zoo. i don't know who the vet is now. call/go and ask. and last, many creatures that stem from the wild make their way to the minorista down town...i assure you, saving them from there is a GOOD deed. speak thee as thou may.

dwmte

Robert Jorge says on Dec 16, 2007, 10:06:

A little off topic: But when I lived in Homestead, I knew people who had bird feeders in their back yards and patios that had regular visitors. They were tropical, S.A. birds, and would come to snack on bits of fruit. They came from the "liberation" that was Hurricane Andrew in 1992. The hurricane pretty much destroyed the Miami Zoo in Perrine and a bunch of the birds escaped. I saw a few parrots in 1997. I don't know if they are still around.

--"I believe in making the world safe for our children. But not for our children's children, because I don't think that children should be having sex." - Jack Handy

usher127 says on Dec 16, 2007, 11:04:

Thanks for all the help.

Well, I have thought about the ethics of this a lot. I am not sure I can justify it 100%. One worry is that there are two very big colourful parrots that fly past my balcony each day. I guess if my parrot saw that he would feel a bit depressed.

But, on the other hand... I am a vegetarian and I hate seeing animals unhappy. I bet most of you eat meat from animals that are kept in very cruel conditions.

Also, I intend for the parrot to live outside of his/her cage most of the time. If it is humane to clip his wings, I can keep his cage door open all the time. Or, perhaps, after a month or so, I can let him fly away, and he will come back for the odd visit. Clearly, I need to get more information.

The idea was inspired from a parrot I met in Guatemala who lived in my hostel. He must have had his wings clipped, but he was the happiest little pet I've ever seen, running around, hiding, attacking the guests, etc.

webmanco says on Dec 16, 2007, 11:17:

There used to be a parrot poster. If it traslates "Loro" then Roberto is the most comun name.

But, I'm going to start making some assumptions here.... Which means I might actually end up making an ass out of myself ..........Thu 04 17, 2008 11:34 am

morphus says on Dec 16, 2007, 11:27:

Theres a good pet shop in San Diego Medellin. Its accross from that Show San Diego strip joint. I have been to a lot of pet stores in Medellin and they had the best selection.

Robert Jorge says on Dec 16, 2007, 20:40:

I am no expert, but I understand clipping a birds wings doesn't cause pain. It is simply cutting the biggest, outer-most few feathers off, close to the appendage. Just enough so the bird can't take real flight. Or I could be totally wrong - but that is what people have told me in the past.

--"I believe in making the world safe for our children. But not for our children's children, because I don't think that children should be having sex." - Jack Handy

usher127 says on Dec 16, 2007, 21:16:

I think that's true, but perhaps, its more a question as to whether the bird will still want to fly, despite never having flown... its a bit like chopping the legs off a dancer.

On the other hand, he'll never get eaten by a hawk or endure the never-ending downpours of Medellin.

If I don't clip his wings, and then let him go after a month or so, will he ever come back?

dwmte7 says on Dec 17, 2007, 05:00:

i've known folks here in florida with the large, long tailed, colorful parrots who allow them total freedom. the birds have their flight feathers and when they go for a 'cruise', according to their owners, they come back. one chap used to come to the flea market weekly and his bird would fly around and come right back.

dwmte

slguy says on Dec 17, 2007, 05:02:

I've had a cockatoo and a couple of parrots.

Clipping wings does no harm, no pain.

I wouldn't count on one coming back once he's flown the coop. It could happen, but isn't anything to count on.

Before you throw me out, make sure I pay my bar tab

morphus says on Dec 17, 2007, 05:14:

I bought my girl in Medellin a parrot. It flew out through the patio after the wings grew back. The parrot was never seen again.

dwmte7 says on Dec 17, 2007, 10:08:

yeah, GIB, you just add powdered water...

dwmte