International Parrotlet Society, Parrotlet Adoption & Shipping Parrotlets

Hi Sandee:

I am very interested in adopting a baby Parrotlet and I'm so excited that the International Parrotlet is based in my home state! I live in San Diego and there is a local bird store that sells Parrotlets but they are adults and I would like a baby Parrotlet that is not a mutation. Do you recommend any specific breeders? I found several based out of Florida but I would prefer to adopt a Parrotlet from a distance that I could pick it up personally rather than give the Parrotlet the added stress of being shipped. Please provide any information that you recommend I take a look at before adopting.

Many Thanks,
Karen

Dear Karen:

Thank you for your email. The International Parrotlet Society does run a Parrotlet Placement Program although the organization is not a rescue or shelter. IPS is 501c(3) educational organization and we offer this service as a courtesy. You can read more about it online but basically anyone can donate their bird to IPS and we will attempt to place it in a good permanent home with one of our members. Both the donor and the caregiver need to read our agreements, complete, sign and return them to us and arrangements will be made so the bird can be placed. This is a true adoption – no money changes hands and both parties must sign legally binding contracts. I do have to say that we have never placed babies – almost all of the birds are long-term pets whose owners can no longer keep them.

I do see that you have asked about breeders. IPS has many excellent breeders around the country including Southern California. However, they do not adopt birds. They sell them. I know a lot of people think is more politically correct to use the word ‘adopt’ as opposed to ‘buy’ but it is not legally correct. I am a breeder and do not adopt out birds. I sell them and barely make enough money to pay for their bird seed and most breeders are the same way. If you join IPS, you will receive a Breeder’s Directory so you can find local reputable breeders from which you can purchase birds.

Finally, you mention your concerns about shipping. While you probably will not need to have a bird shipped if you join IPS, I do have to say that it is my job to give people good information based on my 30 years of experience with parrotlets including more than 20 years of shipping them. I have shipped birds from Alaska to Florida in all kinds of weather and NEVER have had a single incident of ANY problems whatsoever. The airlines take excellent care of the birds as they are shipped in a climatized, pressurized part of the plane (some airlines will put parrotlets in the cabin) and they are hand-carried on the plane, hand-carried off and never are left on the tarmac or warehouse. Its not cheap for this service – generally they charge around $100 but it is worth every penny and again, I’ve never had a problem.

So, if you would like to join IPS, you can go to our website at www.internationalparrotletsociety.org and use our secure site to join the organization. You can also print off the Care Giver Agreement on our site, complete, sign and return it to us if you would like to adopt a bird.

Hope this helps and let me know if you have any questions!

Sincerely yours,

Sandee L. Molenda, C.A.S.
Secretary, International Parrotlet Society