I am 90% sure I won't do this but I need your reassurance.

[MahaSarah]

Hi

So as you know I breed and raise little Lovebirds as a small hobby. I have three pairs of birds so its a very small operation haha.

So there is a small local bird store that I have been visiting for years. They have been open for 20+ years and are family owned and operated. Anyway recently they sold the bird store and changed owners and the new owners decided to now start selling baby birds. They know I have been going there for a long time and about an hour ago the lady called me telling me they want to buy my baby birds off of me when they are on three handfeedings a day. I didn't pick up and they left a voicemail.

I have spoken to the lady before and she has experience in handfeeding etc. She told me they will sell the babies to people when they are on one handfeeding (which is a major minus for me) and the people will need to buy a bird kit etc and know how to handfeed etc but that is not good enough for me. Secondly, I will not have any say on who they go home to. Which is another no for me. & I know there are a lot of impulse buying going on.

I am 90% sure I will not do this but I just need reassurance I am making the right decision for my babies. She did hint to me that she can give me a job as a handfeeder and sales associate but I still don't think this is a good decision for my babies.

What should I tell her when I call her back? Should I express my concerns and see what she says?

They are really trying to do the right thing by going to a reputable, ethical breeder (me) and don't want to do business with the trashy ones. And unfortunately, there are a ton here in Florida. The thing is I am pretty sure the ethical breeders will say no and the trashy ones will say yes... & I don't want them working with a trash one.

I don't know guys. I think I won't do this but my main thing is I don't want them to work with a trash breeder and be supporting that. *sigh* Someone please reassure my decision.

 

[WendyN]

I agree with your decision.

 

[Mizzely]

I would explain your concerns and the reasons for having them - especially the hand feeding part. That may help her realize why it is a bad idea. Maybe by having the discussion you can sway them to better practices that you can both feel better about?

 

[Brittany0208]

I cringed at some of the stipulations about new owners getting a kit, and selling unweaned babies to potentially inexperienced owners. I wouldn't do it if I were you.

 

[finchly]

WOW I think that store is in my town!

I think NO to the 3 feedings a day. Negotiate to 1 feeding a day and they have to meet with you twice to learn to hand feed. By then would't it be nibbling other foods as well?

I had a bad experience with this. My local Mom N Pop sold me a hand fed lovie, and they told me to go ahead and take him home even though he wasn't weaned. I'm an experienced hand feeder (which is why they said take him) but the bird was so broken hearted he wouldn't eat. I couldn't get him to. He sat on the floor of the cage and was dead the next morning. If I'd had their phone no. I would've called - it was Sat night and then Sun when they were closed. We refused to take another one even though they offered it. It was all too sad.

 

[MahaSarah]

Thanks for your reassurance everyone. I appreciate it.

Tanya it is in Central Florida : o That's heartbreaking :c They start getting interested in foods and nibblings on foods around 3-4 weeks old. That's when they would be on about 3-4 handfeedings. & They fledge at around 5 weeks.

I think I will give her a call to tell her I won't do it and tell them if they can reconsider selling their babies before they are fully weaned.

 

[Lady Jane]

If I were a breeder I would want to control their early life 100%. That includes the people they are sold to and the homes they go to. If you are comfortable with the way things are now why change it? If you need the job it could be a good opportunity to educate the public about the care needs of birds.

 

[nu2birds]

I would want to have 100% control over who gets to take my baby's home and when! I would just stick with finding your own homes for your babies. This way you can decide how long you want to hand raise and you have control over who buys your birds.

 

[SandraK]

Nobirdy hatched here at home leaves before they are at least 8-10 weeks old and are eating by themselves with the rest of the flock.

 

[greys4u]

I agree with you

 

[MahaSarah]

I just gave her a call and expressed my concerns. She said she will not be selling the babies before they are fully weaned and she will make sure they go to a great home and she really want to work with an ethical breeder. Ahhh .-. I told her to give me some time to think about it as I didn't know what to say.

Lol someone help.

 

[AkasyaEllric]

I also agree with you, you need to insure the welfare of the babies you hatch and it would be really hard or impossible to do that when sold to a pet store.

 

[karen256]

I don't think the store wanting to buy or sell unweaned babies is a good idea.

Maybe you could work out some sort of arrangement. The breeder I got my budgie from brings her older handfeeding babies (and a few personal pets) to a few supplies-only pet stores on weekends, for people to come and see, handle, ect. She gets more exposure to customers, birds get handled a lot and socialized under her supervision, and the store benefits, as this helps sell a lot of bird supplies. She doesn't sell unweaned babies, just takes a deposit for when they are fully weaned. It works out pretty well. It's not perfect of course; some of the people handling babies probably do have birds at home, so there's still a tiny disease risk, but on the other hand, it's good for the babies to get used to being handled by different people.

 

[iamwhoiam]

It's obvious that this is not 100% comfortable for you so just pass on this. You like that you fully wean your babies and that you can pick and choose who gets one of them so just stick to that. There is no assurance that the other person will stick to the agreement and only sell fully weaned babies. JMHO

 

[Lady Jane]

What she says may not be what she does. Once she has your babies you have no control. However if you have a contract drawn by a lawyer with specifics you would have that as a possible means of retaining some control. If she did not live up to the contract would you take her to court? Easiest thing to do here is follow what your heart and brain is telling you.

 

[Shezbug]

I would be uncomfortable at the thought of handing over a baby who was not yet independently feeding itself. I think you have made the right decision for your babies and I believe if you follow your heart and gut feelings you will do what is best for you and your baby birds.
I like the suggestion from @Mizzely, maybe the owner will allow you to teach her some safer practices for sending baby birds home with new owners.

 

[finchly]

For me (and I sell Gouldian finches, so there’s no taming/hand feeding involved) I like total control and then IT STILL ISN’T ENOUGH. I worry and worry about them even after they leave here. Then the people call me back and I can tell they didn’t do what I told them.

Just the old 2 cents. We’ll support you whaatever you do.

 

[nellysmom]

I agree with you. Who knows if she will follow thru. I would thank her for the offer but just say you prefer to hand pick the owner your self

 

[MahaSarah]

Thanks! I will say that to her Diane. I do like having full control of what the babies do when they're in my home and it's my responsibility to make sure they go to a great home that I pick out.

 

[Laurie]

Maha, my question for you is what is your reason for wanting to work with a pet store? Typically, the answer is that you would want help in a pet store finding homes for the babies. Is that the case?

Usually reputable pet stores will buy babies once they are feathered and no longer needing heat but prior to fledging. They then finish the handfeeding and sell the babies.

If you are unprepared to find homes for the babies then it may be an option. Otherwise you would have much more control over who gets them and how they are raised. If you sell them to the pet store it is totally out of your control.