Do you shop at Bird Fairs?

[Merlie]

You guys should start an AA group and all go together!

We had an AA meet up at the big TASC fair two years ago .. I met Joanna <LaJoie>, Andrea <Birdasaurus> and Allison .. I saw Joanna at this year's TASC, and we occasionally bump into each other at RM. I've met Jen <JMFleish> .. and will be meeting Theresa <TMS> and Tanya <MysticsMom> in the next few weeks!!!

 

[birdlady]

I have been to two in my life. One was when I first met my husband over 20 years ago at the race track circle. We had Apollo and our cockatiel Crown at the time. I fell in love with a baby nanday and hubby bought him for me for my birthday. We still have Duster today and he is a doll I would not though, buy another bird from a bird fair, I prefer to rehome or take one in need.

The second one was about four or five years ago in NC....that's it

 

[Nargle]

I went to a bird fair a couple of months ago, and while I was there I got Skittles some foot toys and a coconut foraging toy. I changed my clothes and took a shower when I got home, like everyone else. Then I washed off the toys and sterilized them in the microwave, and let them dry before giving them to Skittles. I also ended up washing out all of the color in his foot toys

As far as buying birds, it depends on the breeder selling the birds. I wouldn't buy from an unethical breeder, fair or no fair. I haven't bought a bird at a bird fair before, but I assume that you'd just put them through quarantine before bringing them around the rest of your flock?

 

[cassiesdad]

Been to Bird Fairs-never bought much of anything from them, though. The local bird club has a "bird auction" every year as a fundraiser. It has an array of items,many of them not bird related.(gift certificates,artwork, etc.) Last year, I bought a cage to use as an "emergency" cage. Of course, we cleaned it for hours before any of my fids got near it. One of the saddest things I saw was when a clutch of tiels came up for auction.There were 4 of them-NO ONE bid on them! Someone ended up paying 2 dollars apiece for them. We had no room for them, otherwise we would have taken them. I still think about that...2 bucks for a bird....

 

[SandraK]

Yes, it's the one in Rolling Meadows. We went to the one in Joliet once but that's a pretty big hike for me though they did have some different vendors. Joliet's where I first saw Indie, my whiteface cinnamon pearl pied velcro girlie Indie - see this photo-gallery-whiteface. Didn't have the money to get her at the time, so when I saw her at the RM fair the next month I made her mine and she has been velcroed to me ever since.

I usually hit up Wisconsin Exotics, check out Wes & Tracy at the far end by the emergency exits and do a couple of laps looking at toys and pieces to make toys with. Of course, I never, never look at any of the birds .... except the lovies that Ivan has , or the birds up for adoption by GCCBC , or the toos that hang out with Jason from TASC , or the birds that Judy brings down with her from Wisconsin or all the beautiful Quakers and other birds from Pecan Acres, or .... or .... . I don't doubt for a minute that we've probably rubbed shoulders on some of those crowded days ... if you ever see and extra tall older guy (6'9" to be exact) wandering around a little gimpily, with a "how soon can I get the heck out of here" look on his face that's my other half. You'll probably find me bent over talking to a cage.

 

[HungryBird]

I've never been to a bird fair. I don't know if we have many of them around here. I don't think I would want to bring anything home from one though because I would be worried about bringing something bad with it.

Are they just like regular fairs but all the tables have bird stuff?

 

[tammie]

Nikki I have to agree with you! I've heard of more birds getting sick or disease from routine vet visits than I have bird fairs or anything else.

 

[quakingcanopy]

I've never been to a bird fair. I don't know if we have many of them around here. I don't think I would want to bring anything home from one though because I would be worried about bringing something bad with it.

Are they just like regular fairs but all the tables have bird stuff?

I guess that's what it's supposed to be here. It's indoors at a fair ground and is just a bunch of vendors and breeders selling things and birds. Never been to one though! This will be my first...

 

[SandraK]

I've never been to a bird fair. I don't know if we have many of them around here. I don't think I would want to bring anything home from one though because I would be worried about bringing something bad with it.

Are they just like regular fairs but all the tables have bird stuff?

You can get an idea of the one I mentioned if you visit www.midwestshows.biz - it has a slide show of the two locations. The one in RM is the one in a gym (building used to be an elementary school and is now a community center).

 

[Merlie]

Yes, it's the one in Rolling Meadows. We went to the one in Joliet once but that's a pretty big hike for me though they did have some different vendors. Joliet's where I first saw Indie, my whiteface cinnamon pearl pied velcro girlie Indie - see this photo-gallery-whiteface. Didn't have the money to get her at the time, so when I saw her at the RM fair the next month I made her mine and she has been velcroed to me ever since.

I usually hit up Wisconsin Exotics, check out Wes & Tracy at the far end by the emergency exits and do a couple of laps looking at toys and pieces to make toys with. Of course, I never, never look at any of the birds .... except the lovies that Ivan has , or the birds up for adoption by GCCBC , or the toos that hang out with Jason from TASC , or the birds that Judy brings down with her from Wisconsin or all the beautiful Quakers and other birds from Pecan Acres, or .... or .... . I don't doubt for a minute that we've probably rubbed shoulders on some of those crowded days ... if you ever see and extra tall older guy (6'9" to be exact) wandering around a little gimpily, with a "how soon can I get the heck out of here" look on his face that's my other half. You'll probably find me bent over talking to a cage.

Sandra ..

Now I know I've seen you, as I remember your husband, he's like crazy, basketball player tall. I remember seeing him and thinking "bet he played some ball!!". We've definitely walked by each other without knowing!! I try to go, depending on my work schedule. I get some stuff from Jo & Rich at Jo's Birds usually, and check out what Tracy has, I also get teas when I need them from Jason and oogle his Toucan babies .. drool over the baby Greys at Pecan Acres as well .. lol !!!

 

[Brigidt36]

I have purchased things at bird fairs before and I have never had any issues. I haven't been to any in years and keep forgetting to check when any will be in my area.

If you are looking for comfy rope perches, try bird.com. They are having an 'up to 90% off' sale and I remember seeing some rope perches on their site. Good luck.

 

[brdfvr]

I shop at bird fairs every so often (maybe 2-3 times a year). But now that I've found MSBS I'm not sure how often I'll need to go anymore . Usually I only buy toys, I try not to be tempted by all the birds there, but usually there's nothing I want. . . Except my pionus, he came from the fair, he's been a great addition. At the rate my guys go through shred-able toys getting them for $2-3 a piece, I just can't resist!

 

[jmfleish]

I do have to add that the reason toys at these bird fairs are generally so cheap is because they don't use expensive materials and sometimes they use materials that are absolutely not safe. I know that the fair in Madison that also travels to Milwaukee and someplace in MN has all sorts of great toys at great prices...until you notice that they are using zinc wire on everything. Remember, you definitely get what you pay for.

 

[itzmered]

I have gone to the one in MN and will only buy toys from the one vendor Love on the Wing and there is another one that sells toy parts. The rest don't look like toys that I would want my birds to have

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[Sunnyside]

When I lived in South Florida bird fairs were a regular thing and I always attended. There were always the same vendors and over the years I did get to know some of them very well. The toy makers would put their toys at very low prices but not because they were using cheap parts! They did this so new people would be inclined to buy their toys and try them out. Not all bird fairs are bad. And, down in Florida they were down right great! For me anyway....

 

[TextsFromParrots]

I really want to go to one to stock up on perches myself. I missed out on the last one sadly, but hopefully the next time around!

 

[jmfleish]

We had an AA meet up at the big TASC fair two years ago .. I met Joanna <LaJoie>, Andrea <Birdasaurus> and Allison .. I saw Joanna at this year's TASC, and we occasionally bump into each other at RM. I've met Jen <JMFleish> .. and will be meeting Theresa <TMS> and Tanya <MysticsMom> in the next few weeks!!!

Yep! A little field trip to see AA members in a few weeks! YAY!

We should get together and meet at the RM fair sometime too! Now that I have a second roommate, I have more money to spend on the fiddos!

 

[Tomsde]

I went to a Bird Fair once, but they really didn't have much to offer and it was a small one. I made sure I took all my clothes off and showered and wiped by shoes before handling our birds. I would like to go to a larger one some day, but there's not much going on in that area here in Delaware.

 

[Merlie]

I do have to add that the reason toys at these bird fairs are generally so cheap is because they don't use expensive materials and sometimes they use materials that are absolutely not safe. I know that the fair in Madison that also travels to Milwaukee and someplace in MN has all sorts of great toys at great prices...until you notice that they are using zinc wire on everything. Remember, you definitely get what you pay for.

That's very true .. you really have to look closely at what you're buying. Sometimes, you do find a great deal, but sometimes, something is cheap because is made with crap parts. Quite often I go to look at toys I know I can get thru our vendors, just to get a better idea of size/construction before I order it online.

Yep! A little field trip to see AA members in a few weeks! YAY!

We should get together and meet at the RM fair sometime too! Now that I have a second roommate, I have more money to spend on the fiddos!

Eh .. RM isn't what it used to be .. I still go of course .. and there are some good vendors. I don't know that I'd drive 2 hrs. to go to it though.

There's a fair coming up in August in Kenosha ... it's not huge, but not terrible, and Jo & Rich from Jo's Birds are one of the sponsors, so I always go to support them.

If you're going to make that drive, wait until Sept. Chicago Cage Bird Club has their fair on Sept. 17th, much, much bigger than RM .. more worth the drive.