College Student Wants a Parrotlet

Lauren found a local Parrotlet being "re-homed", but it has not been hand-fed. We encouraged her to wait (she has finals coming up) - we have done a lot of research, and impressed with your advice. I see by your speaking schedule that you don't have anything out east on tap?

We read the information on shipping to Virginia and are not sure we completely understand the procedures for us with one bird and your health certificate. We will contact the Virginia office, but thought we would mention it to see if you had any specific advice (and with reference to your speaking schedule)
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Any thoughts are appreciated, so we can get on you wait list. She is interested in a traditional Pacific Green. We really like this cage, but it may be too small - can you advise?

On behalf of Lauren,

Leroy

Dear Leroy:

Thank you for your email.

I always have a waiting list for birds and right now is no exception. Generally, my waiting list is 3-4 months long. I don’t take deposits and work on a first-come, first-served basis. All of my birds come with a written health guarantee, hatch date, food, millet spray, a copy of my book “The Parrotlet Handbook”, receipt and information on the International Parrotlet Society.

As for shipping, I have a lot of information on my website since I give presentations all over the world on how to ship birds. I also worked with TSA to establish protocols for people who travel with pet birds. Generally, I don’t bring birds with me when I am speaking to a bird club and it is irrelevant anyway because I can ship they pretty much anytime so long as weather and labor issues allow. I have detailed information available on my website and in my books. However, the basic procedure is I coordinate with you on a schedule to ship the bird. I usually use Continental or Delta and have never had problem. I ship Pet First or ‘counter to counter’ where the birds are hand-carried onto the plane and hand-carried off. They are never left on the tarmac or in a warehouse. When they reach their destination, you pick them up at either air cargo or the terminal (you will need to check with your airport since they all do that differently). I charge a $50 refundable deposit on the cage and carrier and the airlines charge anywhere from $75 to $100..

All states require a health certificate for birds that enter. They are issued by a licensed veterinarian not me. The bird is given a visual examination and the vet issues the health certificate no later than 30 days prior to the bird’s shipment.

As for the cage, yes, that is much too small. Round cages are usually not good choices since they do not have as much room as square cages. I also recommend a cage that is longer or wider than it is tall so you can place lots of perches and toys in it. Parrotlets are very high energy birds and they require a lot of room as well as toys, perches and other enrichment items in which to play and exercise. I don’t recommend a cage smaller than 18” x 18” and bigger is certainly better.

Hope this answers your questions and let me know if you are interesting in having your name placed on my reservation list.

Sincerely yours,

Sandee L. Molenda, C.A.S.
The Parrotlet Ranch, Owner, www.parrotletranch.com
Join the International Parrotlet Society, – the World’s Largest and Oldest Parrotlet Organization www.internationalparrotletsociety.org
A Chattering Bird Builds No Nest.
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