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Finding a Pionus in 2022

sharky

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Hello!
I'm an experienced bird owner looking for my first pionus. I'm located in California, USA. Unfortunately, after calling nearly every breeder and reputable bird shop I could find online (via Google, old forum posts, parrot enthusiast sites) it seems like there is quite literally no one breeding pionuses in the entire state. Most of them told me to call either Magnolia or Omar's, both of which have waiting lists but are unsure of when they are going to be getting birds in. Everyone remarked on how rare the birds are, especially the bronze-wing variant I'm looking for. Patty's Pets in Florida seems to be the only active breeder I can find that sells directly, but I'd prefer to find a bird within or around the state so I don't have to fly to pick it up, it wouldn't have to be shipped, and I can spend some time meeting it before deciding if its coming home with me. Rescues rarely show up on Petfinder, Adoptapet, or the local parrot rescue organization. Occasionally (quite literally two in the last six months) one shows up on Craigslist, but the listings are peppered with red flags.

Does anyone know why breeders stopped working with Pionuses in the past few years (since 2018-19?) Has anyone on the West coast had luck getting one lately? I'm feeling a bit at a loss here.
 

expressmailtome

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Welcome! Pionus are not as colorful as many other species of parrots, nor are they the best talkers. Therefore, not as many people purchase them causing less people to breed them.
 

Fuzzy

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:welave: sharky! I can't help as I'm in the UK. @Jan used to breed them and is based in California. Hoping she might be able to point you in the right direction.
 

sharky

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Welcome! Pionus are not as colorful as many other species of parrots, nor are they the best talkers. Therefore, not as many people purchase them causing less people to breed them.
Really?? With the amount of intense, colorful, destructive noise machines you see in rescues and rehoming, you'd think that would make MORE people want them! That's so unfortunate to hear :(
 

sharky

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:welave: sharky! I can't help as I'm in the UK. @Jan used to breed them and is based in California. Hoping she might be able to point you in the right direction.
Thank you for the reference!! I am based in southern california but am willing to drive across the state if it's for the right bird!!
 

FeatheredM

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www.hookbillsforsale.com has alot of breeders, by state, and they also have some individual birds for sale by state.
 

Lynsey

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I have a White Capped. I got him as a baby in 2014. He is a good little guy. He talks a lot. Not the clearest, but he is so smart. Always uses stuff correctly. He tells me "bye bye be good, I gotta go to work, I love you" all the time. Only on days I get up early and go to work, he never says that otherwise. You give him food and he asks "Is it yummy?" He's got a lot more things he says, and even does "Peekaboo" and says it. Love him so much. I just recently bought him a friend, he has been an only bird so hopefully he likes it. I got him from Our Feathered Friends in San Diego. I have seen Pionus on and off from there several times. They are great. Check them out. Birds only sold in store. I went to the store today to visit my new baby, but looks like they have an adult male blue head pionus. Not sure if you are only looking for a baby, but they do get them.
 
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Miss Annamarie

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Jc Aviary breeds Blue-Headed and White Capped I believe. I can attest to their amazing quality as a breeder as well, I got Basil from him! They ship.
Here is their phone number, you'll have to call, no text on that number but I went through their facebook page personally.
512-956-0937
 

Miss Annamarie

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They help them get used to shipping every day once they're old enough to get desensitized to it.
 

Tyrion

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:welcomesign:
 

sharky

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I have a White Capped. I got him as a baby in 2014. He is a good little guy. He talks a lot. Not the clearest, but he is so smart. Always uses stuff correctly. He tells me "bye bye be good, I gotta go to work, I love you" all the time. Only on days I get up early and go to work, he never says that otherwise. You give him food and he asks "Is it yummy?" He's got a lot more things he says, and even does "Peekaboo" and says it. Love him so much. I just recently bought him a friend, he has been an only bird so hopefully he likes it. I got him from Our Feathered Friends in San Diego. I have seen Pionus on and off from there several times. They are great. Check them out. Birds only sold in store. I went to the store today to visit my new baby, but looks like they have an adult male blue head pionus. Not sure if you are only looking for a baby, but they do get them.
Your boy sounds SO adorable and good!! I'm on a wait-list with OFF. I love them, we get all of our lovebird's stuff from them and they really seem to take good care of their birds. I've met the lil blue headed guy they have rn, he was sold a few weeks ago but I think the buyers may have returned him. He's untame unfortunately and really mean, a lot more emotional work than I am able to put in rn!
 

Lynsey

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Your boy sounds SO adorable and good!! I'm on a wait-list with OFF. I love them, we get all of our lovebird's stuff from them and they really seem to take good care of their birds. I've met the lil blue headed guy they have rn, he was sold a few weeks ago but I think the buyers may have returned him. He's untame unfortunately and really mean, a lot more emotional work than I am able to put in rn!
Oh yeah, might be better to wait for a baby then. My WCP beat up my hands during his terrible twos...actually around one year to 18 months he was sorta a brat. They can bite hard!!! I wouldn't want to tackle taming one. I also got trained during that time as well. I know exactly when to mess with him and when he doesn't want to. He was really my first parrot (had a budgie when I was a kid, but really didn't play with it), so I had a lot of learning to do too!
 

sharky

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Wanted to update the thread! Birdmans Parrots in Illinois just got back to me, and said they had a recently hatched clutch of bronze wings that would be ready to go in June! However, they were asking for $7500 each, which unfortunately was over double my budget of $3000, so I had to turn them down :( Back to holding out for Omar's...
 

Fuzzy

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Woah, that's certainly expensive!! Everything crossed for Omar's.
 

Morrigan8

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Kiko’s Toy Chest in WA has two WC babies inbound. One has a deposit on it already. I’ve been offered the second, but I have a rehomed maxi arriving in two weeks. I can attest to the care they give the birds there, and they work with the county, and help rehome birds. I’ve literally eaten off the floor there.
 

Lisidou

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I hope you can get one. I adore my Pi’s. A White Cap and. Blue Head, both females and I also am so excited to say I have a Dusky coming to me early January!
Grady, the WC is my “soul bird”. She is precious. So good. So sweet. Good luck, great choice. Pionus are the best birdies!
 

Animallover03

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Updating once again! Patty's called back and I've placed a deposit for a dusky baby :) Omar's is refunding my deposit with them since this is a pretty unique situation. Time to buy all the things!
Congrats!
 

sharky

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Final update! Toast arrived in our house a few weeks ago and has been settling in really well. He is very sweet and dumb. He and Bean, our lovebird, chatter back and forth through their cages sometimes. It's really cute. He's got a special series of chirps he uses with her. PXL_20221201_030652417.PORTRAIT.jpg
 
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