And welcome to my zoo where all critters rule
the roost.
If a dog hair and a bird feather stuck to your clothing or maybe even in your
mashed potatoes bother you, you should probably not come here.
That's the way it is and always will be.
Although I have a few pairs of Caiques and a few pairs of conures, my main interest is in the breeding of Amazon parrots, both for the pet trade (handfed) and as future breeders (parent reared).
I generally have chicks available in the spring. The Amazon pairs are housed in a Morton-type building that I had built especially for them. They are in hanging cages..
I am able to pressure wash the building and all the waste goes into troughs along the sides and then into a septic tank that services just the Amazon building. The building is approximately 75 feet by 25 feet. Solar heating supplements the furnace.
Beaky Bird Aviary is licensed and inspected by the State of Iowa.
DO YOU WANT TO PURCHASE A BABY PARROT?
First of all, you must decide if a parrot is the type of pet you want. The zoos
and rescue organizations have many birds that have been donated--Why? Who would
give up their parrot? Occasionally an owner dies or is in otherwise poor health
and can no longer care for a pet; but for the most part, parrots end up being
donated or going to "a good home" because people grew bored and tired of them.
They were not as perfect as owners had thought. They were so cute when they were
babies, begging to be fed, sitting on your shoulder or playing on a special
playground. They had all kinds of attention. Everyone loved them, talked to them
and played with them. They had special treats and a good diet. They had lots of
toys. But then one day, they got a little too close to Grandma's antique table
and it had a chunk or more bitten out of it (. Hookbills absolutely love to chew
wood, and it doesn't necessarily have to be a toy from the pet shop).Or maybe
your parrot flew onto your dresser and broke a cherished object. Or perhaps he
ate some of your prized plants and ruined them and maybe even got sick. When he
got sick, you had to take him to the vet and you found out that the vet bills
are very high. You thought you could afford the parrot, but you didn't realize
that the initial expense was a very small amount compared to what you will have
to spend just for routine checkups or even illness during the life of the
parrot. Good quality food and treats also cost a lot. But the worst problem for
owners is when their beloved pet screams and/or bites. I think that all parrots
will occasionally scream and most will bite during the breeding season when they
are sexually mature. I believe that there will be less screaming if your parrot
talks. You probably know that most birds like to make noise during the early
morning and early evening hours. Song birds sing, roosters crow and parrots in
the wild screech and scream. Those in your house talk--but they may screech and
scream also. Are you willing to accept this? This is the nature of all birds.
WILL MY PARROT TALK?
Your Amazon parrot will probably learn to talk and maybe even sing. I have some
that sing Three Blind Mice and Old Macdonald Had A Farm. But is your new parrot
guaranteed to talk? No!! Some types talk more than others and some don't say a
thing. But he will probably say a few or even a lot of words.